Chapter 373: Cleaning House, Sixty Years of Demon Suppression
"Disband the Azure Cloud Sect?"
Bai Mei was momentarily stunned upon hearing this.
Ruo Yun beside her also wore a look of surprise.
These past days, the Saint Hall had essentially taken control of Chongxu. Although Thousand-Pinweed was always at odds with them, she was, after all, only from a Branch Sect of the Azure Cloud Sect.
If she wanted to call in reinforcements from above, she could only rely on her personal connections, asking some true-transmissions she had good relations with to come help.
But the Saint Hall was different.
The Saint Hall now not only had Jiang Si's younger sister, Jiang Keke, as support. Jiang Keke could be considered a formal member of the Saint Hall. Back when there was conflict with Hogwarts, the Saint Hall relied on Keke to keep Hogwarts suppressed.
If Keke couldn't hold them down anymore, Ruo Yun could still use certain methods to call Jiang Si over.
What Jiang Si was needed no explanation. He didn't even need to make a move. Just by passing along a few words, those arrogant true-transmissions of Hogwarts who always had their noses in the air would obediently fall in line.
After Tiyana and Jiegeng were punished and couldn't come to Chongxu anymore, only Thousand-Pinweed remained, a lone pillar unable to support the structure alone.
In the last conflict, Prince Itaen had used the Void Mirror to respond but had still lost by a slight margin. However, the Saint Hall had so many members, and with heavy rewards offered, multiple squads joined forces together.
Moreover, Ruo Yun had, according to Jiang Si's requirements, forged a new Supreme Emperor's Weapon.
The Devouring Heaven Demon Jar.
Capable of devouring all magic and sealing magic.
Specifically designed to counter true-transmissions like Thousand-Pinweed who relied on multiple types of magic. Ruo Yun didn't even need to seal that much magic.
Just disabling recovery to original state was enough, then using Void Mirrors in rotation to drag things out. That's right, the Saint Hall's Void Mirrors had already begun mass production.
At the end of the day, it all used Mirror Kingdom technology. With the Prince's assistance, mass production wasn't impossible. It was just that the exchange points required were astronomically high, and no one could afford them. Fortunately, the borrowing cost wasn't too outrageous.
And once Thousand-Pinweed had recovery to original state disabled, her mana reserves weren't actually that impressive.
Insufficient stamina.
Dragged out to the end, Thousand-Pinweed had no choice but to yield on her own.
Thus, the Saint Hall developed smoothly and had now become the number one organization in all of Chongxu.
Of course, if it were only that, Ruo Yun wouldn't have had the face to come find Teacher Bai Mei.
It was during this period, taking advantage of Shion's orders, that Ruo Yun had rounded up the remaining members of the Witch Association in one fell swoop.
Jialan and the others were directly imprisoned within the Saint Hall. Except for the President of the Witch Association, who had a close relationship with Keke and Jiang Si and couldn't be found. Jialan kept claiming she was already dead, which eventually made Ruo Yun give up the search.
Now the Witch Association was completely severed under her hands. Every laboratory, every related personnel, even the smallest collaborators, Ruo Yun had found them all through the documents at the Witch Association headquarters.
Those who should die were killed. Those who should be locked up were locked up.
After personally putting a bullet through the head of the last Witch Association member deserving death, Ruo Yun, feeling a rare sense of clarity and satisfaction, bought herself an expensive little cake for the first time. She had never been one to buy luxuries for herself.
Just as she had cut two slices of cake for her parents in heaven and placed them under the table, Wang Yuan spotted Hyacinth, who had come uninvited to freeload a meal, and cut another slice for her.
By the time Shion had finished paying respects before the parents' grave, all the cake had been enjoyed by the two magical girls.
But after finishing the cake, the next moment, Ruo Yun, whose cultivation had been stuck at the awkward level of Peak Blooming for a long time, who had even exchanged world bubbles that Jiang Si had found through the Saint Hall without being able to advance further, suddenly had her entire body's mana aura surge and rise.
In one breath, she jumped two major ranks, arriving at Peak Flourishing Branches, Perfection realm. This made Hyacinth beside her reveal a gentle smile, a rare sight these days.
Although the strength of a Flourishing Branches Magical Girl was still insufficient in front of the current true-transmissions of the Azure Cloud Sect.
But for Ruo Yun, she had actually long possessed the confidence and conviction to face her teacher.
So she prepared for several days these past few days, even rehearsing with Hyacinth for a long time, before she finally steeled her mental expectations and went to find her teacher, who was still in South China.
She intended to pour out everything she had done and thought during this time to her teacher.
Her obsession had been resolved, and the Saint Hall was stable.
Ruo Yun couldn't help but harbor thoughts of returning to her teacher's side, reuniting with Shui Ling and Qianjing, and returning to the master-disciple life of days past.
She still respected her teacher and missed her friends. Although she couldn't remember who her teacher's fourth student was, she still missed her somewhat.
If Jiang Si had no other mission requirements, for Ruo Yun, compared to the Saint Hall, she would still prefer to stay by her teacher's side.
But if Jiang Si needed something, she would naturally have to give up these master-disciple feelings and return to complete Jiang Si's mission first.
After all, the fortune and help along this journey meant that Jiang Si was no less than a second parent to her.
In Ruo Yun's heart, he had also come to rank slightly higher than her teacher.
Returning to find her teacher now was, on one hand, to take advantage of the holiday and see if she could return to Jiang Ming with her teacher, reminiscing about their past life together.
On the other hand, she wanted to use her achievements and results to seek recognition from her teacher and a true graduation.
However, the many words brewing at her lips were ultimately interrupted.
The voice coming from the ice crystal that Bai Mei had spread out beside her instantly diverted Teacher Bai Mei's attention that had been on her.
Even the emotions Ruo Yun had been building up were scattered.
What was going on? She had just been thinking about returning to the Azure Cloud family.
How could it be disbanding? Was she really that much of a jinx?
"Who said that?"
Bai Mei's tone wasn't particularly irritable. It could even be called calm.
Ruo Yun believed that if it were just Winter, or the other true-transmissions causing trouble.
Her teacher would definitely draw her sword and sweep everything clean.
But at this moment, although her tone was calm, Bai Mei's aura was expanding step by step, uncontrollably.
That terrifying Haoran Sword Energy was like compressed gunpowder.
As if the next moment, it could blast everything to pieces!
"It's your master."
However, the voice from the other side instantly extinguished this swelling gunpowder.
The unstoppable Sword Intent seemed to have touched something extremely hard. It wasn't just deflating.
It was as if it was about to snap.
Forcibly pressed down!
Seeing the blood seeping from the corner of her teacher's mouth, Ruo Yun instinctively reached out and wiped away the fresh red at the corner of her mouth.
Then subconsciously brought it to her lips, wanting to taste if it was tomato sauce.
But it wasn't the taste of tomato sauce.
It carried a slight sweet-iron tang.
That was real blood.
The two sat in a small boat in the middle of the lake, the swaying water rippling. Another drop of blood spread through the lake water.
Ruo Yun panicked and moved to sit beside Bai Mei. "Teacher..."
"I don't have a student like you."
Not angry, not resentful. Calm, as if stating an ordinary matter. Yet it stabbed Ruo Yun's heart.
She had always thought her teacher would accommodate her, be lenient with her...
Thinking about it now.
Why would she?
Bai Mei's words cut off Ruo Yun's concern before she continued looking at the ice crystal.
"Did you... not try to persuade master?"
"Bai Mei."
Bingtang's voice was as gentle as always, but now it carried a hint of weariness.
"Don't forget how the Azure Cloud Sect came to be, and don't forget the agreement I made with your master back then."
Bai Mei pursed her lips, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth again.
The matters from when the Azure Cloud Sect was first established, aside from Bingtang and the Sect Master, only she, the chief true-transmission, knew about them.
If the Sect Master wanted to disband the Azure Cloud Sect, Bingtang absolutely could not stop her.
"Then... then..."
Bai Mei's tone finally showed a rare stutter.
It was an unease and panic she had never felt since picking up a sword. "Just like this... it's over?"
Ruo Yun beside her also tensed up along with her.
"I can't stop your master. You know that. From the very first day, I told him that I'm just his little follower. Whatever he wants to do, I'll follow him in doing. But you've all grown up now."
Bingtang's voice was soft. "I can't control you all anymore."
Bai Mei was stunned, and the small boat calmed down. "Lady Bingtang..."
Her tone was slightly urgent, but before Bai Mei could finish, the other side interrupted her:
"I'll be leaving with your master first. The matters of the Azure Cloud Sect are for you all to handle yourselves. Take care of the others, Bai Mei."
"Sister Bingtang!"
The small boat rocked violently as Bai Mei suddenly stood up.
But the ice crystal had already shattered, and that gentle voice and countenance disappeared without a trace.
The small boat suddenly exploded into pieces, and the lake water beneath their feet was suddenly parted!
Bai Mei strode out across the lake, with Ruo Yun following behind her, mumbling, wanting to say something.
But she saw Teacher Bai Mei suddenly turn her head, her tightly closed eyes seemingly containing sharp sword energy, pointing directly at her throat.
"Don't follow me!"
She had never seen her teacher so agitated and emotional before, and was momentarily at a loss. "The Azure Cloud Sect is so big, it won't be disbanded..."
She had originally wanted to comfort her, but this sentence seemed to strike something in her teacher, and her expression suddenly became incomparably cold.
"What do you know?"
The aggressive question made Ruo Yun instinctively take a step back.
Just as she was about to fall on her butt onto the grass by the lake, Bai Mei finally seemed to calm down.
The sharpness and impatience receded somewhat, finally returning to the teacher Ruo Yun was familiar with.
That swordsman who seemed eternally composed, fearless, and undaunted.
The chirping of insects came from the silent lakeshore. The cold sword energy pointing at her throat slowly retracted.
"This matter has nothing to do with you."
Bai Mei took a deep breath and casually tossed a token to her. "If you miss Qianjing and Shui Ling, take this token to see them. They're at the Disaster Control Bureau in Jiang Ming now. The Jiang Ming Disaster Control Bureau merged with the Azure Cloud Sect a few days ago. The three of them stay together every day."
After casually saying a few words, Bai Mei didn't intend to pay her any more attention and turned to leave.
Ruo Yun chased after her a couple more steps. "Teacher, teacher, I'm a walking envoy of the Saint Hall. Jiang Si is the Saint Hall Master. I can go back and help you ask about this. Maybe there's more to this matter..."
"I said it has nothing to do with you. Take one more step forward, and not only will we no longer be master and disciple, we will become enemies."
This sentence finally made Ruo Yun stop in her tracks.
The somewhat harsh words made Ruo Yun's eyes redden slightly, but she still took a breath and knelt down directly, kowtowing hard toward the departing Bai Mei.
"You will always be my teacher. Teacher Bai Mei is like a mother to me. Ruo Yun will never forget, never!"
Bai Mei finally paused slightly, but ultimately didn't look back.
If even the Azure Cloud Sect was about to disappear, what master-disciple bond was left? And besides.
"What hidden circumstances could there be."
Bai Mei walked forward on her own, countless thoughts and plots flashing through her mind, but the sense of crisis in her heart also grew tremendously.
Precisely because she understood her master's thoughts better than anyone, she felt even more urgency.
"Either start laying out the plan, or start reeling in the net. But for master, now there's only reeling in the net."
"Without the Sect Master and Bingtang, the Azure Cloud Sect is no longer the Azure Cloud Sect."
"Bingtang would never defy master in such matters. Only I can go and ask master to rescind the order."
"Relying on this one sword..."
She clenched the sword in her heart, her form transforming into a beam of rainbow light, streaking across the skies of South China!
...
Bingtang followed behind Shion, quietly gazing at her Sect Master's back.
Over these years, she had gone from a little girl excitedly following Jiang Si to establish the Azure Cloud Sect, from a business rival cultivated by her father, to a manager who now simultaneously held authority over both the Ice Color Group and the Azure Cloud Sect.
In the eyes of others, her power and wealth had already reached an unattainable level.
But for Bingtang, she always felt she was incomparably poor.
Nothing in her hands, and even her support was exceptionally flimsy.
It was precisely this poverty-driven sense of insecurity that made her work hard to grow stronger, continuously expand Azure Cloud, and make the sect's disciples train diligently to keep up with the Sect Master's pace and satisfy him.
No one knew where her sense of crisis came from, or where her drive came from.
Even Jiang Si would sometimes wonder why, when she already had everything, she was still more willing to work hard than anyone else.
This matter had always been Bingtang's inner pride.
Or rather, as the Great Elder of the Azure Cloud Sect, the Vice-Sect Master, and the mother of the true-transmissions, how could she not have her own pride?
The true-transmissions in the sect always joked that Lady Lu Ya posed a threat to her position, or that Prince Itaen was very frightening, things like that.
But in reality, Bingtang had never truly worried about such things.
She would occasionally want to know who the Sect Master associated with outside and what happened, but she wasn't at the point of jealousy or feeling threatened by the things the Sect Master had done with other girls.
Because she had done them all. At worst, she could do them herself.
At most, she felt regret when others beat her to doing something with the Sect Master that she hadn't done yet.
Because she always wanted to be Jiang Si's first in everything.
The first girl saved by Jiang Si's transformation into a Magical Girl, the first girl to become partners with Jiang Si, the first to become fellow cultivators with Jiang Si, the first to kiss Jiang Si, the first to get engaged to Jiang Si...
She wanted all of Jiang Si's firsts, that was all.
Her sense of crisis was never about someone being able to surpass her position in Jiang Si's heart.
Because Bingtang never thought anyone could truly replace her.
Her sense of crisis only came from no longer having a reason to stay by Jiang Si's side.
Until Jiang Si spoke about disbanding the Azure Cloud Sect, the vague and fearful thing before had become incomparably clear.
Even while holding control of the Azure Cloud Sect, her heart actually held no sense of security. She always wanted more bargaining chips, more reasons, to allow herself to stand by Jiang Si's side as a matter of course.
No matter how much she developed the Azure Cloud Sect, it wouldn't put her at ease.
Because just like now.
With a single word from Jiang Si, the Azure Cloud Sect would cease to exist.
All the painstaking efforts and hard work of these years would be completely wasted.
Without any room for negotiation.
Because Bingtang could never defy Jiang Si.
"Bingtang."
Snapping back from her daze, Bingtang responded softly, "I'm here, Sect Master."
"You don't oppose disbanding the Azure Cloud Sect?"
"The Azure Cloud Sect existed for you from the very beginning."
Bingtang took a deep breath. "The meaning of the Azure Cloud Sect's existence is to make the Sect Master stronger, to gather resources for you. When you no longer need it, the Azure Cloud Sect will cease to exist. That was agreed upon from the very start."
Shion's expression was unreadable. The Sect Master was always able to hide her expressions and thoughts well.
Even Bingtang would never dare claim she could see through what the Sect Master was thinking.
Now suddenly asking this question, Bingtang also didn't want to think too deeply about the meaning behind it.
Because she just needed to complete Jiang Si's mission.
That was her identity.
"Even after all these years, your thoughts haven't changed?"
Facing the Sect Master's inquiry, Bingtang couldn't help but smile. "How could they change when I'm by your side?"
"Because from beginning to end, you've never changed either, Jiang Si."
Her gaze no longer fell on the Magical Girl Shion.
Just looking at the young man within, "I've always believed that."
Shion didn't respond to her words.
She simply strode into the meeting room Bingtang had prepared for her.
Although she could do it herself with her own abilities, having Bingtang do it would make it easier to broadcast to every corner and force everyone to watch.
Even now, she did indeed rely on Bingtang a bit more.
She had grown accustomed to Bingtang preparing everything for her by her side.
"Everything is arranged."
Bingtang smiled warmly as usual, but as she smiled, a hint of loneliness crept in.
"This is the last time, Sect Master."
"Mm."
Then Bingtang led her into the meeting room, prepared a chair, and had her sit in the central position at the very front.
A screen unfolded.
From all directions, every screen simultaneously transformed into Shion's face.
Bai Mei, who had been speeding along, stopped in her tracks, looking at her teacher projected in the sky.
Keke, who was still crying and acting spoiled while reuniting with her mother, looked up, gazing at the screen that had suddenly appeared above the Magic Kingdom.
Jincha and Hongmian at the Disaster Control Bureau headquarters, along with Iris who had just returned, all poked their heads out from windows, looking at the projection appearing above headquarters.
Within Chongxu, Thousand-Pinweed and her Hogwarts group, along with the imprisoned Sonora and Su La, all looked up at the holographic projection above.
Within the Saint Hall, Prince Itaen and White Fox, and the imprisoned Jialan, all watched the Main God that had suddenly transformed into Shion's face.
South China, West China, North China, East China.
Every corner of the old world and the new world, and even Chiba within the World Tree, opened her eyes.
Curiously watching the image that appeared on the Golden Calamity Dragon King above the World Tree.
"Everyone, given the established situation that all worlds are destined for destruction, I hereby cease my activities as Sect Master of the Azure Cloud Sect and announce the disbandment of the Azure Cloud Sect!"
Just one sentence plunged the world into uproar.
"I have made this decision based on matters of principle."
"From this day forward, I will suppress and kill all Magical Girls in the world, offer a great sacrifice to the world, and attain the Path of Sacrifice!"
All the noise returned to silence.
Within the World Tree, the Magical Girl Chiba watched Shion coldly announcing the death sentence and couldn't help but smile. "So this is the move, huh. You really are a cruel one."
In the projection, Shion simply continued:
"I hope you all will become the sustenance of my Path of Sacrifice. United as one, ascending together with radiance, helping me step into the Path of Sacrifice. In the future, if I achieve the Path of Sacrifice, I will resurrect you all. If I fail, everyone was destined for destruction anyway, so there's no need to mourn your own deaths."
Within the Magic Kingdom, Keke broke free from her mother's embrace, her eyes full of indignation. "What is Teacher Shion even saying?!"
Even Silver Lotus and An Shiyu both stared blankly at Shion making her declaration, not knowing what she was really trying to do.
"I know everyone will doubt my motives. Rest assured, I have no selfish intentions. Moreover, I will only suppress and kill Magical Girls, and will not touch ordinary people. If you are willing to give up your identity as Magical Girls, you only need to go to Chongxu and integrate your Personal Reality into the Mental Landscape Space of Chongxu, contributing to my universal ascension. You will only lose your physical body, but your spirit will endure forever."
"You are Magical Girls who save the world. Sacrificing yourselves for this purpose is only fitting. Jade Fox could do it, so it shouldn't be difficult for you all either."
Prince Itaen leaned against the bedside, furrowing her brow. "What is she trying to do now?"
White Fox simply clenched the glass in her hand, almost crushing it directly!
"However, to put you all at ease, and to let you know that I am not lying or deceiving you, I will start from within the Azure Cloud Sect first. From today, I will purge the seven true-transmissions of the Azure Cloud Sect."
Bai Mei suddenly opened one eye, her sword energy fierce, almost tearing the projection in the sky to shreds!
"This is also your final assessment."
Thousand-Pinweed bit her own thumb, looking at Shion above.
Any of the seven true-transmissions could naturally tell.
Master was serious.
"Now then, let us begin. The final great sacrifice, Sixty Years of Demon Suppression."
With Shion's declaration, above the deathly silent new world, a giant purple hand suddenly appeared.
The Great Desolate Prison Suppressing Palm.
Then that purple giant hand instantly smashed down toward the new world!
Even Bai Mei was blown back several steps by the shockwave.
The purple hand pierced through the earth's surface, smashing into who knows where, then fiercely grasped!
Countless Heart Image Remnants, along with the Magical Girls residing within those Heart Image Remnants, were all dragged out.
Amidst an explosion of multicolored lights, the giant hand slowly clenched.
Overwhelming power, with invincible might, crushed all the Heart Image Remnants!
The remnant souls of hundreds of Full Bloom Magical Girls dissipated into smoke within that giant hand.
As the remnant souls of numerous Magical Girls were transformed into a tragic explosion trail in the sky, everything returned to calm.
The new world began to tremble. The parts that had been connected through the Heart Image Remnants of Full Bloom Magical Girls began to rapidly crack and separate...
Shion walked out of the meeting room, step by step toward the sky.
A crisp, melodious voice, yet so cold it froze the hearts of everyone, spread across the universe:
"Fight with everything you have to kill me, or be killed by me."