"You two turtle spawns, what do you think you're doing? Stand down!"
Seeing Lei Ze and Furong preparing to strike down Xiao Jinr, Wine Immortal Zhen Yang immediately stepped forward, shouting angrily, "Xiao Jinr is just a little girl!"
"Senior Zhen Yang, whether she's a little girl or not, I don't know. All I know is she's the Calamity Star now!"
"Senior Zhen Yang, I'd like to ask you instead—what are you trying to do? Just because she's a little girl, should we turn a blind eye? She is a Calamity Star descended upon this world. I believe I don't need to remind you, venerable senior, what that means, do I? Could it be you intend to shield a Calamity Star? If disaster strikes and leads to the suffering of all living beings, can you bear that responsibility?"
The words of Lei Ze and Furong left Wine Immortal Zhen Yang unable to refute.
Indeed.
If disaster truly struck and caused widespread suffering to all life under heaven, he, Zhen Yang, could not bear that responsibility.
The other elders of Shangqing Sect remained silent, yet the killing intent in their eyes as they stared at Xiao Jinr grew with each passing moment.
Xiao Jinr was adorable, and they all liked the little girl dearly. They were reluctant to lay a hand on her.
But reluctance was all it was.
Reluctance did not mean they would not act.
After all, Xiao Jinr was the Calamity Star, destined to bring terrifying disaster. If eliminating Xiao Jinr meant averting that disaster, they would not hesitate to erase her.
As the elders of Shangqing Sect began to stir restlessly, Zhen Yang glanced at Xiao Jinr's pitiful, helpless form, his heart aching with reluctance. Then, he turned his gaze toward Immortal Master Zhen Ting, hoping his senior brother would make a decision.
Yet faced with this situation, even Immortal Master Zhen Ting had no solution. To be honest, he too was unwilling to kill Xiao Jinr. But the issue now was not willingness—it was that Xiao Jinr was a descended Calamity Star. No matter how reluctant, she had to be eliminated. In the face of the so-called 'greater good,' the 'lesser self' must be sacrificed. If killing Xiao Jinr could spare the common people from disaster, Immortal Master Zhen Ting would not hesitate to strike.
Zhen Yang and Zhen Ting were martial brothers; Zhen Yang understood his senior brother's character well. Seeing Zhen Ting's silent demeanor, he already knew what was in his heart.
Watching as the Shangqing Sect elders were about to move against Xiao Jinr, Zhen Yang paced anxiously in circles. Suddenly, a desperate inspiration struck him, and he roared, "You whelps, don't say I didn't warn you! Xiao Jinr is the little sister that Old Gu dotes on most. If you kill her today, mark my words, Old Gu will never let you off in the future!"
At the mention of Gu Qingfeng's name,
the Shangqing Sect elders who were about to act instantly froze.
Indeed.
As the saying goes, a person's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.
If asked what kind of existence Gu Qingfeng truly was, perhaps no one could say.
But if asked how terrifying Gu Qingfeng could be when enraged, many present had deeply experienced it.
"Let me tell you, whether Xiao Jinr is a Calamity Star right now, none of us can say for sure. But one thing I know crystal clear: if you kill Xiao Jinr today, once Old Gu finds out about this, I guarantee that even if Heaven itself doesn't bring down disaster, Old Gu will turn you into the disaster!"
Zhen Yang's voice, amplified by his aura, boomed with immense force, reaching every ear in the vicinity clearly, making them even more hesitant to act rashly.
Because they all knew Wine Immortal Zhen Yang was not trying to scare them—he was stating a fact they did not want to face but had to.
Upon careful thought, they also felt Zhen Yang's words held some truth.
Whether Xiao Jinr was truly a descended Calamity Star, no one could say with absolute certainty. Taking a step back, even if she were the Calamity Star, disaster might not necessarily follow. Taking another ten thousand steps back, even if disaster did descend, it might not be something they couldn't withstand.
However.
If they killed Xiao Jinr and provoked Monarch Chixiao's wrath, the consequences would not be a matter of 'might'—disaster would definitely come. That disaster would be Monarch Chixiao's judgment, and Monarch Chixiao's judgment was assuredly more terrifying than any other catastrophe!
In the past.
Monarch Chixiao and his brothers dared to stand against the entire world.
For a woman, he dared to slaughter all directions.
For a promise, he dared to defy the heavens.
Who could guarantee that in this Present-Ancient Era, he would not paint the rivers red and leave mountains of corpses for Xiao Jinr?
No one could guarantee that.
Whether the Calamity Star would bring disaster, no one knew.
But provoke Monarch Chixiao's fury, and everyone knew disaster would surely descend.
So what should they do now?
Everyone stood frozen, looking at each other, none daring to make a move.
Just as everyone was at a loss, a voice rang out from the sky above.
"Zhen Yang is right. Whether Xiao Jinr is a Calamity Star, or whether disaster will descend, I cannot guarantee. But if you kill Xiao Jinr today and provoke his wrath, I can assure you with one hundred percent certainty that disaster will definitely descend."
As the words fell, a woman descended from the heavens.
She wore a sheer red gauze robe, her features stunningly beautiful, breathtakingly lovely. Her beauty was neither seductive nor coquettish, nor ostentatious. It was a beauty that could sink fish and drop geese, a peerless elegance that was dignified and grand, like a magnificent, imposing, and unparalleled painting.
Seeing this woman, the crowd was first startled, then dared not delay, all bowing in respect.
The woman was none other than the current Sect Leader of Shangqing Sect, also the renowned Lady Sect Leader of this world—Ye Tianlan.
Accompanying Ye Tianlan was her personal disciple, also the Inner Sect Little Heir Apparent of Shangqing Sect who possessed a Heavenly Dao Mandate—Yun Wan.
In addition, there was an elderly woman who appeared quite aged.
"Sect Leader, just because she is Monarch Chixiao's sister, should we stand by and do nothing?"
Lei Ze and the others cupped their hands and spoke.
"When did I say we should stand by and do nothing?"
Ye Tianlan did not look at them, only uttering this light, offhand remark before falling silent again, her gaze fixed intently on Xiao Jinr enveloped within the crimson light pillar.
Ye Tianlan knew that in this world of the Present-Ancient Era, a Calamity Star would inevitably descend.
Yes.
She knew.
When the Heavenly Mandates descended over twenty years ago, when the True Destinies appeared, when the Tribulation-Bearers emerged one after another, she knew that before long, the Calamity Star would descend.
Cause and effect were conserved; the fortunes of the Heavenly Dao were no exception. For every person of fortune, there was a person of tribulation; for every person of tribulation, there was a Calamity Star, a Tribulation Star, a Misfortune Star descending upon the world.
She just hadn't expected the Calamity Star to arrive so quickly, nor had she imagined this Calamity Star would be an innocent, naive little girl.
Over these years, although she had been in secluded cultivation within Shangqing Tower, that didn't mean she was unaware of Shangqing Sect's affairs. On the contrary, she knew everything about the sect clearly, naturally including how Su Hua had sent Xiao Jinr to Shangqing Sect over twenty years ago. Moreover, she had been secretly observing the little girl—not for any other reason than because the little girl said Gu Qingfeng was her big brother. But after observing her, Ye Tianlan realized the matter was not so simple.
The little girl's existence was not merely as Gu Qingfeng's sister. What kind of existence she truly was, even Ye Tianlan did not know to this day.