The booming voice rolled across the valley like thunder, drawing the gaze of every disciple in Wanchun Valley. Beyond the shimmering veil of the Guardian Formation, three grey cranes descended from the clouds, their wings beating a slow, majestic rhythm. On the back of each bird stood a figure, imperious and calm.

The Spirit Beast Sect?

Here to resolve misunderstandings? To let bygones be bygones?

Han Yu exchanged a look with Senior Sister Li. Both saw the same skepticism in the other’s eyes.

It was a ludicrous proposition. The Supreme Elder of Wanchun Valley and a Golden Core master of the Spirit Beast Sect had killed each other in mutual destruction. Blood debts of that magnitude were not wiped away with a friendly visit.

First came the false accusations of colluding with the Demonic Path. Then came the sabotage of the Immortal Destiny Grand Ceremony. More recently, the Spirit Beast Sect’s shadow had loomed over the troubles in the Nanli Kingdom. Their hostility had been naked and unceasing.

For them to suddenly speak of peace was less likely than the sun rising in the west.

As the envoy’s voice faded, the Sect’s defenses roared to life. Pillars of azure light erupted from the main peak, reinforcing the Guardian Formation into a solid dome of energy.

Sect Leader Qi Wanfa shot into the sky, flanked by two Elders. He stopped at the edge of the barrier, hovering in the air, his golden crown gleaming in the sunlight. He stared down at the three visitors through the translucent wall of the array.

The leader of the trio wore leather armor over a short robe, a polite smile plastered on his face. Behind him, two attendants in dark green martial attire stood silently, the Spirit Beast Pouches at their waists expanding and contracting like breathing lungs, emitting the low, muffled growls of restless predators.

“I am Elder Mo Qianhe of the Spirit Beast Sect,” the leather-armored man announced, his voice ringing with the clarity of gold striking jade. “I come by order of my Sect to pay respects to Wanchun Valley!”

Qi Wanfa’s expression was ice. “Do you come by the order of your Sect Leader, Song Wanxiong?”

“Not entirely!” Mo Qianhe cupped his hands in a respectful bow, his smile unwavering. “Our former Sect Leader was deceived by the vile schemes of the Demonic Path. He mistakenly believed Wanchun Valley was in league with evil, a deception that led him to join forces with Daoist Lingyin of the Mystic One Sect, Qin Ting of the Little Sky Net Sect, and Ke Yuan of the Spirit Sword Sect.”

Mo Qianhe shook his head with exaggerated regret. “This tragic misunderstanding led to needless strife. It caused Wanchun Valley, the Spirit Sword Sect, and my own Spirit Beast Sect to each lose a Golden Core patriarch. It even provoked the wrath of Mr. Ye Guxing.”

“But the root of this disaster lies with the remnant of the Demonic Path, the Saint Blood Perfected One. It was his sowing of discord that pitted the five sects of the Southern Region against one another.”

He paused for effect, looking earnest. “After Saint Blood besieged your valley, and after Mr. Ye Guxing visited our sect to deliver his… lesson… the Spirit Beast Sect has had a sudden awakening. We see now that we were used. We understand Wanchun Valley’s innocence.”

“Thus, I have been sent to untie this knot of hatred.”

“First, to restore our friendship and ensure the Demonic Path finds no more cracks to exploit.”

“Second, to join hands and discuss the grand future of our sects!”

Qi Wanfa watched him, unmoved.

On the surface, Mo Qianhe’s words were reasonable. They offered a convenient scapegoat—the dead Saint Blood Perfected One—to explain away the war.

But Qi Wanfa was not the man he had been a year ago. He had lived through the bloodbath of the Supreme Elder’s sacrifice, the siege of the Demonic Cultivators, and the tenuous politics of the aftermath. He understood now that peace was not begged for; it was enforced by strength.

If the Spirit Beast Sect had come with this attitude a year ago, Wanchun Valley might have desperately grasped at the straw, terrified of conflict.

But now? Peace could not be entrusted to the pretty words of a wolf.

“Wanchun Valley has no grand future to discuss with the Spirit Beast Sect,” Qi Wanfa said coldly, his voice amplified by mana. “Nor are there misunderstandings to resolve. We know who our friends are. And we know who our enemies are.”

Mo Qianhe did not seem surprised by the rejection.

“Sect Leader Qi, why be so rigid? Are you not playing right into the hands of the Demonic Path?” he asked smoothly. “In my view, the five sects of the Southern Region should reunite to purge the world of evil. That is the righteous way.”

“Nonsense!” Qi Wanfa raised a hand to cut him off. “The Saint Blood Perfected One was slain by Ye Guxing at our very gates. The Demonic remnants are scattered and broken. What is there to discuss? I will respect the custom of not killing envoys. Roll back to your Spirit Beast Sect!”

Mo Qianhe chuckled, unbothered by the insult. “Sect Leader Qi, do not be so quick to paint us as villains. I come bearing genuine goodwill.”

“The conflict was born of deception. Not only has my sect repented, but the Mystic One Sect and the Little Sky Net Sect have also admitted their errors. Their envoys are already en route. They too wish to reconcile.”

“Once they arrive, we shall invite the Spirit Sword Sect as well. The five great sects will be whole again, sweeping away the darkness and restoring peace to the world—”

“Whatever medicine you are selling in that gourd of yours,” Qi Wanfa interrupted, his eyes narrowing, “spill it out now. I have no patience for riddles.”

Mo Qianhe feigned astonishment. “Sect Leader Qi, you still doubt me in the face of such a golden opportunity?”

He laughed loudly. “Fortunately, we came prepared. We brought gifts to prove our sincerity.”

He signaled the two attendants behind him. “Display the tribute!”

The two disciples in dark green bowed. From their storage bags, they did not pull gold or spirit stones. Instead, each produced two severed heads, holding them up by the hair for the Wanchun Valley leadership to see.

Mo Qianhe pointed to the heads in the left disciple’s hands.

“Sect Leader Qi, behold. These are the heads of the Emperor and Empress of the Xiyue Kingdom! The Xiyue Kingdom borders your territory and owes you allegiance. Yet, during the recent ‘misunderstandings,’ the Emperor secretly sent a letter of submission to us, speaking disrespectfully of Wanchun Valley.”

Mo Qianhe’s voice turned dangerously pious. “The Spirit Beast Sect and Wanchun Valley have been neighbors for generations. Were it not for our Ancestral rules forbidding alliances, we would be family. How could we stand by and watch mere mortals insult you?”

“So, we killed the Emperor and his Empress. We also razed five of their cities to the ground, just to teach them how to respect Immortals!”

A chill ran down Qi Wanfa’s spine. The Elders beside him went pale.

“You destroyed five cities?” Qi Wanfa asked, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. “Countless innocents… displaced, killed?”

“Sect Leader Qi need not worry. We made arrangements for the souls of those mortals,” Mo Qianhe said dismissively. “Consider it a minor punishment to prevent a major calamity.”

Qi Wanfa knew the Spirit Beast Sect’s reputation. ‘Arrangements’ likely meant slavery or blood sacrifice. He didn’t dare believe a word of their benevolent spin.

Before he could speak, Mo Qianhe pointed to the other disciple, who held the heads of a terrified old man and an elderly woman.

“And here… the Emperor of the Nanli Kingdom, Wei Gang, and his Empress. This Wei Gang was truly audacious. He provoked Wanchun Valley repeatedly and secretly practiced the Blood Refining Art in a futile bid for immortality.”

Mo Qianhe smiled, a razor-thin expression of cruelty.

“Upon learning this, the Spirit Beast Sect executed the traitor and his wife. And, of course, we destroyed five cities in the Nanli Kingdom as well.”

He spread his hands wide, presenting the carnage as a favor.

“We did this specially to vent this spiteful rage on behalf of Wanchun Valley!”