The sun was already high by the time Li Cheng and his father arrived at Qing Yun Sect. The mountain path that led up to the main gate was paved with black stones. Qing Yun Sect was said to be the number one sect in Shanyuan Continent, and from the look of it, that reputation was well earned. The air here felt different, filled with spiritual energies that made even breathing slightly difficult.
Just as they arrived, two disciples at the entrance bowed. "Lord Li Yuan. The Sect Leader is expecting you."
Li Yuan gave a small nod and continued walking with his hands behind his back. His face was calm as he walked in silence, accompanied by Li Cheng who was holding his sword and followed closely from behind. It was his first time stepping outside Tian Yu Sect, and though he tried not to show it, he couldn't help but look around. His eyes scanned everything around — the towering pavilions, the stone staircases, and the countless disciples moving about with quiet discipline. Compared to their own Tian Yu Sect, this place felt like another world entirely.
A few minutes later, they reached the grand hall. It was massive, with black stone pillars and golden runes engraved along the walls. Inside, all the other sect leaders were already seated. Behind each sect leader stood their eldest disciples, dressed neatly in their sect attire.
As they stepped into the hall, several heads turned toward the entrance.
"Lord Li, you are late," one of the sect leaders said from the far end, a man with a broad chest and white beard. His tone was amused and mocking at the same time, but Li Yuan didn't respond.
Li Yuan stepped forward and gave a polite bow. "My apologies. The mountain road was less kind this morning. I trust I haven't missed anything important."
"You are just in time, Lord Li. Please, take your seat. We were just about to begin," the leader of Qing Yun Sect said politely as he gestured toward the empty seat at his left side. He was a tall man with long white hair and wore an elegant black robe. He was the current leader of the All-Sect Alliance, Tang Yuhang.
Li Yuan nodded and quietly took the empty seat. Li Cheng took his position behind him silently, just like the other disciples in the hall. He could feel many eyes on him, but he didn't flinch. His eyes scanned the room. Each man here was someone his father had spoken about — the leaders of the twelve great sects of Shanyuan.
"Now that everyone is here, let us begin," Tang Yuhang said.
The discussion started with reports about demon attacks near the northern border. The atmosphere grew tense as they spoke. Some complained that the demons were growing bolder. Others argued about strategy. Li Cheng listened quietly, trying to follow along.
The discussion continued with each sect reporting their own casualties and losses.
Bai Jianfeng, the leader of Qian Feng Sect, snorted. "They are growing stronger every day while we waste time talking. We should strike first before they gather their strength."
"And risk another war?" the leader of Bai He Sect argued.
"The war never ended!" Bai Jianfeng snapped back. "You are just a coward."
The argument heated up quickly. Li Yuan just sat quietly, with his fingers brushing against the rim of his teacup.
Then Tang Yuhang lifted his hand. "Let's settle this with facts," he said. "Before we continue, there is something I wish to show you all." Tang Yuhang gestured to a few disciples standing near the doors.
The hall finally became silent. Soon two disciples dragged a man inside the hall. His wrists were bound with glowing iron chains. At first glance, he looked like a human — tall, slim, even elegant in a strange way. But when they arrived in front of everyone, Li Cheng noticed his eyes — deep black with faint red veins pulsing at the corner of his eyes. His fingernails were long and sharp. His skin had a faint grey tone, and a dark mark like a spider web stretched from his neck to his jaw.
Li Cheng instantly felt a chill run down his spine. "So, this is what a demon really looks like," he thought to himself.
As they arrived, the disciples instantly pushed the figure to his knees. "This one calls himself Mo Ran," Tang Yuhang said. "A spider demon we captured two nights ago near the western villages. He was feeding on human essence to increase his cultivation."
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the hall. Li Cheng felt his heart squeeze a bit as he stared at the demon. This was his first time seeing one, and honestly he wasn't feeling good. The energy coming from him was rather suffocating and terrifying.
The demon lifted his head. "Feeding? You make it sound worse than it is," he said with a cold voice. "Those men killed my kind first. I only returned the favor."
"You dare speak?" One of the disciples who brought him in shouted, raising his sword to strike.
"Enough," Wang Yuhang said, stopping the disciple from taking unnecessary action. "He will be judged soon enough." he said.
The spider demon chuckled. "Humans… always pretending to be righteous. You hunt us like animals, yet you call it justice."
Li Cheng's eyes lingered on the demon for a moment. To him, he didn't look like a monster — he looked like someone who was in pain, broken, and tired. There was something in those black eyes that didn't feel evil. Maybe sadness and resentment.
"Kill him and be done with it," the leader of Po Shan Sect said. "There is no point keeping a monster like this alive."
"He will be executed after interrogation. We will see what the demons are planning first," Tang Yuhang said.
"Clang!"
Before anyone could speak further, the chains on the demon's wrist suddenly snapped apart. Everything happened in an instant. Before the two disciples could react, the spider demon's figure blurred — then he appeared right behind them. His hand shot out like lightning, piercing straight through the chest of one disciple, and blood splashed across the floor.
"Watch out!" someone shouted.
The second disciple was about to react when the demon's limb extended unnaturally, stabbing straight through his chest. The entire hall erupted into chaos.
The disciples in the hall drew out their swords instantly. The sect leaders abruptly stood on their feet. A wave of spiritual energy erupted from them and came crashing down, sealing Mo Ran, reforming the chains even stronger than before. He screamed in agony as his skin burned from the intense spiritual energy rolling down on him. Within a few seconds, he was subdued again and his power sealed.
The hall became calm again. But the smell of blood lingered in the air.
"Take him back to the dungeon," Tang Yuhang ordered. "He will be executed tomorrow at dawn. Let this serve as a reminder of what we are facing. They are cunning and dangerous. We cannot show mercy."
Most of the sect leaders nodded in agreement. Li Cheng noticed his father's eyes narrow slightly, as though he were thinking deeply. The meeting continued for another hour before it finally came to an end.
As the sect leaders began to rise to their feet, that was when a man in red robes chuckled. The leader of Shuang Ya Sect stepped forward. "Lord Li Yuan" he said, "it's good to see you still daring to show your face among us, considering the poor situation of your sect. If I were you, I wouldn't dare to come outside."
"Don't tease him too much, Elder Wu. Without his father's name, the sect would have been forgotten long ago" Bai Jianfeng chimed in.
Light laughter rippled through the hall, the disciples tried to subdue their laughter as it would be rude to laugh at a senior.
Li Yuan stood there with a dark look on his face. "Weak or not, Tian Yu Sect has never bowed to anyone. But tell me, how are Po Shan and Qian Feng Sects doing? I heard your disciples lost to a few rogue cultivators yesterday. What a shame," he said and shook his head with a mocking smile on his face.
"Li Yuan... you dare insult me!" The leader of Po Shan Sect flared up in anger and his aura burst forth. The leader of Qian Feng Sect exploded with his aura too. Of course, Li Yuan didn't back down, and let out his aura as well.
Their auras clashed in the hall, sending tables and chairs around them flying from the intense spiritual wave. The floor cracked slightly under the pressure, and even some of the disciples began to sweat. Li Cheng felt the air around him become thick and suffocating. He could barely move his body.
"Enough!" Tang Yuhang roared in the hall. Finally the three sect leaders retracted their auras and backed off.
"We are here to discuss how to deal with our immediate problem, not to fight among ourselves," Tang Yuhang said, stroking his beard. "But, since some of us are in high spirits and energetic today, we can't possibly go like that, right? So how about this." Tang Yuhang turned to face Li Yuan. "It's indeed rare to see your son here today, and I have heard a lot of rumors about the young master of Tian Yu. So, why don't we let the younger generation have a friendly duel?" Tang Yuhang said genuinely, but one could clearly see the devious smile forming at the corner of his lips.
"A duel?" Li Yuan muttered. He knew this was a trap, but he couldn't possibly back down now. It would be really humiliating. His brows knitted together as he thought to himself, "Huh!...Trying to humiliate me? Don't worry, I will soon destroy you and make each and every one of you bow to my feet."