C8 Severely Injured

The shadowy figure was taken aback and hastily scanned the surroundings.

Upon spotting someone beneath a nearby tree, his brow furrowed involuntarily.

He recognized the individual from when he was concealed atop the Heaven Dao Pavilion's roof.

Merely a janitor responsible for cleaning, yet bold enough to spout such wild claims. There might be an even more formidable person lurking in the shadows.

With this in mind, he dismissed Wai Jiang and remained on high alert, guarding against a potential sneak attack.

Silence reigned.

As if the insects themselves could feel the tension, they kept quiet.

"Come out now. You've been hiding in the shadows for too long, which is hardly the way of your Profound Heaven Taoism Sect."

Unable to stand the discomfort of being exposed while his adversary hid, the black figure brazenly taunted, hoping to coax the hidden individual out and seize the chance to escape.

Wai Jiang simply rolled his eyes at the remark.

Clearly, this man's caution stemmed not from fear of him but from concern over a possible ambush.

It made sense; to an outsider, he appeared to be nothing more than a common janitor, especially dressed as he was and with the Transformation Mortal Technique enhancing his disguise.

"Save your efforts. It's just you and me here; there's no one else."

Wai Jiang wouldn't have shown himself if the man had done more than just knock out the middle-aged man.

Since the assailant hadn't resorted to lethal measures, Wai Jiang was inclined to be lenient. All he required was the return of the stolen items, and then he would allow the man to leave.

The black figure clearly didn't trust Wai Jiang's words.

His gaze suddenly fixed on Wai Jiang.

Since you refuse to come out, I'll force you into the open.

With a swift gesture, he flung his hands forward.

Several hard, arrow-like feathers sped towards Wai Jiang.

A demon on par with the Nascent Soul Stage?

Wai Jiang's eyebrows lifted slightly. It was no surprise that he had managed to infiltrate the Heaven Dao Pavilion undetected.

He must have used a secret technique akin to the Transformation Mortal Technique to conceal his presence, coupled with his naturally agile demon form.

Yet this technique was somewhat inferior to the Transformation Mortal Technique as it couldn't mask his cultivation level, only his demonic essence.

As the feathers neared Wai Jiang, the black figure swiftly dodged and fled in the opposite direction.

However, things didn't unfold as he had anticipated.

No one else stepped in to rescue Wai Jiang.

Just as the black feathers neared Wai Jiang, they abruptly turned and shot towards him instead, moving even faster than when he had released them.

The shadowy figure hastily halted.

A massive pair of wings unfurled behind him, shielding him.

Clang!

The feathers clashed with a metallic ring.

It was only then that the figure realized Wai Jiang was an immensely formidable individual.

Yet, this formidable person was sweeping floors, wiping tables, and even addressing a middle-aged man, merely at the early Nascent Infant stage, as Martial Uncle.

It baffled him completely.

One thought dominated his mind.

Escape!

Using the momentum from the black feathers' impact, he turned and beat his wings, soaring towards the distant heavens at an even greater speed.

Wai Jiang witnessed this.

He nonchalantly picked a few leaves.

The leaves burst into light and pursued the fleeing figure.

Wai Jiang had perfected the Art of Object Manipulation from the Wind Pavilion, even developing his unique understanding that all things in the world could be moved and controlled with ease.

Beneath the bright moonlight!

Several leaves pierced the body of the shadowy figure.

One leaf even sliced through the bundle on his back.

Filled with resentment yet fearing further delay, he suppressed the pain and ignited the demonic essence within, fleeing into the vast sky.

Within the Profound Heaven Taoism Sect!

This presence?

It belonged to the Demon Race!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Dozens of silhouettes swiftly ascended to the rooftops, peering towards the direction of the black figure's retreat.

"Why has a member of the Demon Race appeared within the Profound Heaven Taoism Sect's domain?"

"All sects and pavilions, conduct a thorough search for any anomalies," commanded Lou Haitian, his voice echoing across the sect.

Ever since Sect Master Ren Qingfeng secluded himself half a month ago to advance his realm, and Vice Sect Master Mooh Chenyi led a delegation to the Golden Sun Sword Sect for a competition, Lou Haitian had been the sole person in charge.

Ultimately, it was discovered that the deacon responsible for guarding the top floor of the Heaven Dao Pavilion had been rendered unconscious, and all the secret tomes within had been stolen.

The middle-aged man awoke with a start, so terrified that he fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

These were the core tenets of the Profound Heaven Taoism Sect, and he felt deeply ashamed before his ancestors.

Everyone was at a loss about how to proceed, given the gravity of the situation.

Lou Haitian gazed at the barren desk, his face etched with worry.

His heart felt unbearably heavy.

He never imagined that the once sacred ground of the Innate Taoism Sect would degrade into a place vulnerable to the whims of the Demon Clan's thievery.

"Sect Master, I've found them, I've found them!"

A disciple burst onto the scene at the top of the staircase, clutching a bundle in his arms, the secret tomes spilling out.

Lou Haitian's gaze darkened as he casually gestured with his hand.

A dozen books soared from the bundle, each landing precisely in its rightful place, not a single one missing.

Lou Haitian was filled with doubt. What exactly was happening?

Had the Demon Lord not actually taken anything, merely playing a prank?

Or perhaps there was a master who had lent a hand?

Meanwhile, Wai Jiang was strolling at a leisurely pace along the path of the Servants' Courtyard.

Elsewhere, within a grand mansion on the outskirts of the city, dozens were seated in the main hall.

At the head of the room, a man with a sinister look reclined in his chair.

"Squeak squeak squeak. Do you think Iron Eagle will make it back alive?" a sultry woman inquired.

Upon hearing this, a muscular man at the front responded, "Xue Mei, considering Iron Eagle's speed, not even our Demon Lord could easily catch him. And even if he fails, escaping should pose no problem."

The man in the main seat shot the muscular man a displeased glance.

Quick to rectify his blunder, the muscular man added awkwardly, "Please, Demon Lord, forgive the oversight. Iron Eagle may excel in speed, but our illustrious Demon Lord is on the cusp of breaking through the Deification Stage and entering the Void Refining Stage. Soon, conquering the minor Profound Heaven Taoism Sect will be as effortless as turning over one's hand."

Xue Mei burst into giggles at his words.

"Exactly. Perhaps by the time Iron Eagle returns with the stolen scriptures, we'll be ready to storm the Profound Heaven Taoism Sect."

"Why must we wait for Iron Eagle to return? Can't we just attack now?"

"Fool, the Demon Lord sent Iron Eagle to steal the secret scriptures for two reasons: one is to acquire the 'Thorny Heart Sutra of the Rakshasa,' a technique that can heal wounds, and the other is to gauge the true strength of the Profound Heaven Taoism Sect."

"Exactly. The Profound Heaven Taoism Sect has been on the decline for years, teetering on the brink of becoming the least of the four great powers. With many of their elites away at the Pill Sun Sword Sect competition, their defenses are at their weakest. This is our prime opportunity to strike."

"By annihilating the Profound Heaven Taoism Sect, we can free the Old Demon Lord, who has been imprisoned in the Demon Sealing Tower for ten thousand years. Then we can restore the grandeur of our Demon Race. There's no need to skulk in the shadows any longer."

...

The demons below buzzed with excitement.

Suddenly!

A figure plummeted into the hall.

It was Iron Eagle, the one who had gone to the Heaven Dao Pavilion to steal the secret scriptures.

Upon landing, he coughed up a mouthful of demonic blood.

"Iron Eagle!"

The demons were instantly alarmed.

The Demon Lord, seated on his throne, sat up with a look of concern.

He was about to speak when several leaves burst forth from Iron Eagle's body.