C6 The Spirit Gathering Lake Was Dried Up!

A young man dressed in black, seated at the farthest end of the table, had remained silent throughout the entire meeting.

He was Lin Tian, the junior-most among the Devil Sect's Four Great Elders, with the least cultivation and experience.

Formerly a disciple, Lin Tian had risen to his current status as an elder thanks to the favor of the Female Ruler and the support of Elder Chiu Yue.

Su Wuyou and Bai Yih were known to have a strained relationship. Any provocation at this juncture would spell disaster.

Thus, Lin Tian wisely chose to keep his mouth shut.

However, Elder Chiu Yue's anger only escalated upon hearing their conversation.

He slammed his hand on the sandalwood table to his right and stood up, exclaiming, "Is this true? The Female Ruler holds him in such high regard! Unacceptable, he cannot be allowed to live. If he has indeed used his charms to beguile the Female Ruler, we must deal with him according to our sect's laws!"

Jiang Su, if present, would have been at a loss for words. He was being accused of seducing the Female Ruler with mere looks, an absurd notion, especially since she didn't regard him as her consort.

Recognizing Elder Chiu Yue's genuine rage, Su Wuyou and the others fell silent, not daring to interject.

The silence was broken by an urgent request from a disciple at the mountain's rear, just outside the Conference Hall.

A tall man, clad in the attire of an Inner Sect disciple, entered and respectfully bowed to the Four Great Elders.

Elder Chiu Yue, still seething, demanded curtly, "What's the matter?"

The Devil Sect disciple looked up, his face ashen and beads of cold sweat on his brow. With a shaky voice, he reported, "Great Elder, the spiritual energy within the Spirit Gathering Lake on the Devil Sect's back mountain has been completely drained."

Bai Yih's eyes bulged in astonishment. The Spirit Gathering Lake's spiritual energy was gone?

"What? Explain yourself!" he demanded.

The disciple replied earnestly, "This evening, during our routine inspection of the back mountain, we discovered the Spirit Gathering Lake devoid of spiritual energy. We felt it necessary to inform the elders. Under normal circumstances, we would never dare interrupt your deliberations." His gaze shifted awkwardly to Su Wuyou, who looked utterly bewildered.

"Earlier today, only the Holy Maiden Yunqing and a white-robed youth she was accompanying went into the back mountain."

The revelation startled all four elders!

The Spirit Gathering Lake's spiritual energy, a reservoir painstakingly amassed by the Devil Sect over many years, sat atop a spirit vein, brimming with an abundance of spiritual force. It was sufficient to sustain the cultivation of hundreds of Devil Sect disciples simultaneously!

Who was this individual?

How could a mere youth harbor such a formidable Dantian and contain such an immense amount of spiritual force?

It was unthinkable! No one in the entirety of the Cultivation World or the Devil Domain could boast of such prodigious talent!

The situation was utterly baffling!

Su Wuyou rose from her seat, proposing, "Shall we head to the back mountain to investigate? Summon the Holy Maiden and have her meet us there to clarify matters with myself and the other three elders."

What connection did Yunqing have to this affair?

Known for her shrewdness, Yunqing would only lead the youth to the back mountain if his cultivation surpassed her own.

What had he done to compel her disciple to escort him there?

If Su Wuyou discovered her disciple was ensnared by the man's striking looks, her ire would be undeniable!

Narrowing her eyes, Su Wuyou resolved that, once apprehended, the man would face stern reprimand from the Female Ruler. The Devil Sect had devotedly nurtured the Spirit Gathering Lake, only for it to be ravaged overnight – an affront they could not simply abide.

The disciple pivoted, exiting the Conference Hall to seek out Yunqing.

Elder Chiu Yue exchanged a knowing glance with Lin Tian, who had remained silent. Lin Tian caught on immediately.

He rose from his seat, then crouched back down. Without a pen, he mimicked the motion of writing, tracing intricate designs upon the earth.

Yet these were not mere designs; they were the makings of a formation.

He ceased his movements.

From his tracings, a blue glow radiated, swiftly enveloping the entire Conference Hall.

In the blink of an eye, the Four Great Elders found themselves at the edge of the Spirit Gathering Lake.