"That Baili Kongxu from the Demon Execution Sect is no weakling. After clashing with you, he still dared to hand over the Demon Slaying Saber. It seems he still has cards to play."
"Numerous clues indicate that the Demon Execution Sect still has quite a few powerhouses."
"This Demon Execution Sect cannot be underestimated. Their strength exceeds what we anticipated."
"Now they've come knocking on their own, claiming they want to cooperate, but who knows what they're really scheming? You need to be on your guard." The old creature added.
"The Demon Execution Sect?"
"They just want to use me."
"But they can only be the ones getting used by me."
Jie Tianran smiled faintly.
That smile carried an overwhelming presence, the look of a man who had everything under control.
……
Meanwhile, Baili Kongxu had already arrived inside a palace.
And Wu Ma Shuangshuang, the Demon Commander of the Demon Execution Sect who possessed a fourth-rank Heaven Martial cultivation, followed behind Baili Kongxu like a child who had done wrong, hanging her head without daring to utter a word.
"Sit." After taking his seat, Baili Kongxu looked toward Wu Ma Shuangshuang.
But Wu Ma Shuangshuang didn't dare sit down. Instead, she half-kneeled before Baili Kongxu.
"Lord Baili, your subordinate was careless and committed a grave error, causing our Demon Execution Sect to lose the Demon Slaying Saber, a supreme treasure. I humbly beg that you punish me severely."
"Punish you?"
"What good would punishing you do?"
"Could it bring that inheritance back? Could it capture that Wen Xue and Chu Feng?"
Baili Kongxu asked.
And that question left Wu Ma Shuangshuang speechless.
"By rights, your crime is indeed considerable, but it is not worthy of death."
"Besides, even if I were to truly punish you, what benefit would it bring our Demon Execution Sect?"
"At most, it would give Jie Tianran some sort of explanation."
"But I've already given him the Demon Slaying Saber as an explanation, so naturally there's no longer any need to punish you to satisfy him."
Baili Kongxu said.
"Lord Baili, you…"
Wu Ma Shuangshuang's eyes glistened with tears. Although she had long understood Baili Kongxu and wasn't surprised by his decision, when Baili Kongxu had sent away something as precious as the Demon Slaying Saber to protect her, she still couldn't control the emotions swelling within her heart.
But it was precisely because of this that they followed Baili Kongxu with unwavering loyalty.
This lord was indeed ruthless to the outside world, but to his own people, he was loyal beyond measure.
"Rise."
"These things were beyond your control."
"I simply didn't expect that so many traitors would emerge from within our Demon Execution Sect."
"First there was Song Yun, and now this Wen Xue has appeared. In truth, losing them is our Demon Execution Sect's loss."
Baili Kongxu sighed.
"I don't know much about Song Yun, but if what Jie Tianran says is true, then the relationship between Wen Xue and Chu Feng is all but confirmed."
"Wen Xue originally had a bright future within our Demon Execution Sect. I can't figure out what kind of hold this Chu Feng has over her that made her betray us."
Wu Ma Shuangshuang's face was filled with confusion — she simply couldn't wrap her head around it.
"Perhaps from the very beginning, when they joined the Demon Execution Sect, they already had ulterior motives?"
"Forget it, there's no point dwelling on it. Those whose hearts don't belong to our Demon Execution Sect — forcing them to stay is meaningless."
"It's actually a good thing to discover people with divided loyalties early on."
"As for Wen Xue, leave that matter to you."
"You should know what to do?" Baili Kongxu asked.
"Your subordinate will send trusted agents to secretly track Wen Xue, but will not openly search for her, nor will I publicly disclose the matter regarding Wen Xue."
"Even if rumors spread, I will absolutely not acknowledge them."
Wu Ma Shuangshuang said.
"Mm. Our New Faction is currently using the Song Yun angle to suppress the Old Faction."
"If they were to learn that a Wen Xue who colluded with Chu Feng has emerged from within our New Faction, then we would no longer be able to hold on to the Song Yun angle." Baili Kongxu said.
"Actually, even if Wen Xue betrayed our Demon Execution Sect, compared to Song Yun's crimes, it barely warrants mention."
"After all, she never harmed anyone in the sect." Wu Ma Shuangshuang said.
"That is true. Song Yun… her crimes are unforgivable."
"But remember — regardless of Wen Xue's talent, betraying our Demon Execution Sect means she absolutely must not be shown mercy. If you can't catch her, so be it. But if you can, you must not be soft-hearted."
Baili Kongxu said.
"Rest assured, my lord. If I catch her, I will personally execute her."
Wu Ma Shuangshuang said.
"Mm. I'm going now to meet with those six old codgers from the Neutral Faction."