Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

The Tang Clan dealt with its own members, and other sects involved in the turmoil were also taking their own ways to deal with the disciples who had participated in the sworn brotherhood.

Master Chu of the Huode Sect personally went down the mountain, found Feng Ping, and without saying a word, tied him up and brought him back to the sect.

Master Chu forced Feng Ping to write the guarantee that they were severing all ties, but Feng Ping, being stubborn, refused to write it no matter what.

Master Chu was so angry that he trembled all over, but he really couldn't bear to ruin this beloved disciple whom he had been grooming as his successor.

In the end, he had no choice but to harden his heart and whip Fengping severely with a fire whip, leaving his skin torn and bleeding, before locking him in a solitary confinement cell to reflect on his actions.

Because the various factions did not intend to kill the "Thirty-Six Thieves" in this operation, the methods used were relatively "mild," focusing on capturing them alive and persuading them.

Even so, in this huge upheaval that swept through the entire world of supernatural beings, many lives were inevitably lost, resulting in a series of tragedies.

For example, Dou Ruchang, the second-in-command of the Secret Painting Sect.

Although he was nominally only the second-in-command, Dou Ruchang was righteous and highly skilled. His actual prestige within the Secret Painting Sect was even higher than that of the leader.

Over the years, many disciples of the Secret Painting Sect have been assassinated or harmed by the Quanxing demons.

The entire Secret Painting Sect harbors deep hatred for the Quanxing Sect, and they are irreconcilable enemies!

But this highly respected second-in-command went and put his arm around the acting leader of Quanxing, and even became sworn brothers with him!
Such a scandal inevitably attracted countless criticisms and accusations from both inside and outside the organization.

Dou Ruchang repeatedly and righteously explained to everyone that he only associated with "Wugensheng" and had absolutely not colluded with the entire Quanxing sect of demons, nor had he done anything to betray the sect or his fellow disciples.

In fact, rationally speaking, people are willing to believe in his character and integrity.

But emotionally, there's always a huge hurdle I can't get over, and I feel uneasy.

Think about it, so many of your fellow disciples and elders have been killed by the Quanxing demons. The blood feud is there. How can you, as the head of the Quanxing, go and flirt with the biggest leader of the Quanxing and call him brother?

Even if you haven't betrayed any sect's interests, how can you face the fellow disciples who died in your sect? How can you face the ancestors of the Secret Painting Sect?!
Rumors spread far and wide.

Dou Ruchang listened to these hurtful remarks every day and felt his disciples becoming increasingly disloyal to him. He was in great pain, as if his heart was being torn apart.

In addition, in order to quell public anger and protect the sect's reputation, the sect leader repeatedly pressured him to publicly write the guarantee that he would sever all ties with Wugensheng.

As a renowned figure in the martial arts world who highly values ​​reputation and integrity, he had just sworn brotherhood with someone before the gods, vowing to live and die together. But the moment he was threatened by his sect, he immediately wrote a guarantee declaring that he was severing all ties with them.

If he were to commit such a treacherous act, how would the world view him?

How can he face himself after this?!

Dou Ruchang didn't want to write this insincere guarantee and betray his brothers, but he also didn't want to bring shame to the Secret Painting Sect.

Faced with a dilemma where he could choose between loyalty and righteousness, Dou Ruchang, utterly despondent, made a decision.

He issued a wide call to action, gathering representatives from various sects in the martial arts world to meet at the Secret Painting Sect, claiming that he would give a final explanation about this matter in front of all the heroes of the world!

Many martial arts practitioners headed to the Secret Painting Sect with the intention of watching a spectacle.

They had assumed that Dou Ruchang had finally compromised under the pressure from his master's sect and would publicly read out a guarantee, completely severing ties with Quanxing.

Unexpectedly, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Dou Ruchang stood on the high platform and did not mention a word about his sworn brotherhood with Wugensheng!
He simply drew his dagger, looked up to the sky, and roared: "Throughout my life, Dou Ruchang has acted with integrity and uprightness! I have never done anything to betray the ancestors of the Secret Painting Sect! Heaven can bear witness to my heart!"

Then, in front of everyone, he brandished his short knife and plunged it into his own chest, tearing open his chest and pulling out his still-beating, bright red heart. He held it high in his hand and showed it to the heroes below the stage!

I will die to prove my innocence!

Dou Ruchang was not the only one to face this dilemma of loyalty and righteousness; his cousin Dou Hong also did.

Dou Hong comes from the prestigious "Wulou Vajra" sect. The Wulou Vajra sect occupies two spots on the list of the Thirty-Six Thieves.

More importantly, most of the disciples from other sects who participated in the sworn brotherhood were just young and impetuous junior disciples.

However, Dou Hong and Liu Wang of Wulou Jingang, like Dou Ruchang, were both highly respected and well-established senior figures in the martial arts world.

In particular, before this incident broke out, many people mentioned Dou Hong, comparing him to Zuo Ruotong, the Great Immortal of the Sanyi Sect, and the Old Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain.

Even Wugensheng always regarded him as his mentor, which shows how high his reputation was in the martial arts world.

No one expected that such a person would also become sworn brothers with the leader of the Quanxing Sect, and even be the leader of these thirty-six people.

The fact that the two of them went to become sworn brothers with the leader of Quanxing Sect was no less egregious than Zuo Ruotong and Si Chong becoming sworn brothers with Wugensheng.

This has truly thrust the "Flawless Vajra" sect into the spotlight.

Countless accusations and insults came pouring in.

There are even many people in the martial arts world who secretly call him "the Vajra Without Leaks," but in reality, he has long since become a vassal of Quanxing!
Apart from big names like Dou Ruchang and Dou Hong, the unknown figures among the thirty-six had no choice but to go into hiding.

Although their respective sects did not really want to take their lives, once they were caught, they would be forced to write guarantees and be put in solitary confinement.

If you don't write it, at best you'll be expelled from the sect, at worst you'll lose all your skills and become a useless person!

They didn't want to write that treacherous guarantee, nor did they want their methods to be nullified, so they could only hide like rats in the street.

But the power of an individual is ultimately insignificant, and under this all-encompassing search, many people were still successively arrested and brought back.

Just as the operation to capture the "Thirty-Six Thieves" was intensifying.

Wugensheng's secret message has arrived.

He invited his sworn brothers, who were still on the run, to gather once again in the "Twenty-Four Heavenly Valley" deep in the Qinling Mountains.

When they swore brotherhood in the valley, Dou Ruchang planted a "Qiqing" mark on each of the thirty-six of them to facilitate their secret communication in the martial arts world.

The Qingxi is a unique communication technique of the Secret Painting Sect, and its principle is somewhat similar to the Yin-Yang Paper of the Wang family.

However, the Yin-Yang paper transmits messages using specially made paper.

Meanwhile, tattoos are used to send messages directly onto a person's body.

The preparation method involves adding a drop of one's own blood to a special ink, applying it to any part of the body, and then the ink stain will disappear without leaving a trace.

The method of use is that the sender only needs to use their Qi to write or draw the message they want to convey on the part of themselves that has been painted with the blue pigment.

Then all the people who applied the same batch of blood ink will have the same words and patterns appear on their skin at the corresponding locations.

These contents will automatically fade away after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, leaving no evidence.

The content conveyed by Yin-Yang paper cannot exceed the size limit of the paper, and the content conveyed by Qing paper is also limited. After each use, it is necessary to drip blood to make ink again, and the number of words should not be too many.

The thirty-six thieves who were still on the run received a message from Wugensheng and began their journey to the Twenty-Four Heavenly Valley.

In their view, the Twenty-Four Heavenly Valley was a forbidden place, and ordinary people had never ventured into it, so it must be safe there.

Among those who fled to the Twenty-Four Heavenly Valley was Duanmu Ying of Jishetang.

The reason Duanmu Ying was able to come was mainly because she was a doctor. Although she had committed a crime, her family of doctors did not pursue her like other sects.

Her parents and her master didn't think it was such a heinous crime. Doctors are compassionate, and in their eyes, there isn't much distinction between good and evil, only whether a patient can be saved.

Looking at the medical masters in the martial arts world today, how many of them would dare to pat their chests and guarantee that they have never treated a member of the Quanxing sect?
Therefore, they did not send anyone to hunt down Duanmu Ying at all.

Moreover, in their eyes, Duanmu Ying has always been a rebellious and unconventional person since childhood. She once ran away from home to study abroad after a disagreement. This time, running away to form a sworn brotherhood seems to be in line with her consistent style.

Because no one was chasing her, Duanmu Ying, a weak woman with little fighting ability, was able to safely reach the Twenty-Four Heavenly Valley.

In fact, even after arriving here, she had not truly realized the seriousness of the problem.

All she wanted to do was comfort the brothers who had been implicated because of their sworn brotherhood.

After all, she had been deeply saddened to hear about the many tragic incidents that had befallen her sworn brothers, some of whom had even been forced to disembowel themselves and have their hearts ripped out.

She felt that her brothers and sisters must be suffering even more now, and some of them might have been seriously injured during their escape. She wanted to treat them and stay by their side.

So, she came here without hesitation.

Zhou Sheng also arrived, and no one could catch him.

He possesses the Heavenly Gate of Wonders and the Seventy-Two Transformations; if Zhang Zhiwei doesn't make a move, no one can catch him.

Of course, the Wudang Sect did not send anyone to hunt him down. However, his junior brother Song Mian was captured and is currently being punished in a solitary confinement cell on Wudang Mountain.

Actually, Zhou Sheng came here to see how his brothers and sisters, with whom he used to drink heartily, were doing now.

Ruan Feng also arrived here. Ruan Feng was just a rogue, and everyone was only concerned with their own sects, so no one paid any attention to a rogue like him.

Xiang Fengtianyang, Zheng Zibu, and others, on the other hand, fought their way through.

Zhang Huaiyi also arrived. Although the Celestial Master said at the meeting that he would arrest his disciple, he made a lot of noise but did little, and did not send anyone to arrest him at all.

Zhang Huaiyi arrived at the Twenty-Four Heavenly Valley without any obstacles. On his way there, he also helped several of his sworn brothers.

Zhang Huaiyi stood in the valley, watching his brothers arrive one after another. His heart was heavy; not many people had come. Moreover, most of them were just minor figures among the thirty-six.

A big shot like Dou Hong, let alone come, there wasn't even any news about him.

The group reunited in the deep valley. But the joyful atmosphere of drinking and chatting they had shared before was completely gone.

Everyone's face was etched with exhaustion and frustration.

Wugensheng also appeared, accompanied by Gu Jiting. He apologized to them, saying that it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing and he did not expect such serious consequences.

He then told everyone that this valley was the site of the immortal Ziyang Zhenren!

When he swore brotherhood last time, the riddle he posed, "What is a person? What is sincerity?" was actually left behind by Master Ziyang.

Now, he will lead them to unravel this mystery.

Master Ziyang… Zhang Huaiyi’s heart trembled. Master Ziyang, Zhang Boduan, was known as the ancestor of all acquired extraordinary people. What could he have left behind?

Then, led by Wugensheng, the group entered the ruins and arrived at the Cave of What is Humanity, where they began to study it.

Everyone gained something from this experience.

Even Zhou Sheng, who already possessed the Heavenly Connection Qimen, experienced even more changes within it.

The Tian Tong Qi Men he learned from Zhang Zhiwei was very rudimentary, but what he gleaned from it made Tian Tong Qi Men more complete.

Feng Tianyang comprehended the method of binding spirits and commanding generals.

Duanmu Ying also mastered the Dual-Hand Technique here.

Ruan Feng comprehended the Six Treasuries Immortal Thief, who could steal the life force of heaven and earth.

Ma Ben has mastered the Divine Strategist's Hundred Refinements.

Zhang Huaiyi comprehended the origin and flow of Qi.

Gu Jiting comprehended the Great Luo Cave Observation.

……

After understanding their respective abilities, they worked together to accomplish another task in Tongtian Valley.

However, after the task was completed, some problems arose because they accidentally lost the results of the task.

They started searching, but couldn't find it after a long time.

While searching for this result, some of them accidentally bumped into the pursuers who had been tracking them all along!
Some were arrested, and others were surrounded.

The one who was arrested was Feng Tianyang, and the one who was surrounded was Gu Jiting.

Normally, righteous people would mind their own business and not interfere in the capture of other sects, but Feng Tianyang's strength increased greatly after he mastered the art of binding spirits and commanding generals.

His fellow disciples who came to capture him were only skilled in magic such as exorcising spirits and commanding ghosts. They were powerless against his ability to control spirits and were easily defeated.

In order to increase his strength and avoid being captured, Feng Tianyang also took away the spirits of his fellow disciples.

His fellow disciples, having had their spirits taken away, dared not pursue him any further. However, they were also envious of the unpredictable and treacherous methods he displayed, so they sought help from other sects.

Upon hearing of this, other sects immediately dispatched their experts to intervene. After a chase and siege, they captured Feng Tianyang and brought him back.

Gu Jiting was a demon of the Quanxing sect. These righteous experts who came to capture their own disciples and traitors might not be so ruthless towards their own disciples, but they would show no mercy to him, a demon of the Quanxing sect.

Left with no other choice, Gu Jiting used a strange skill that he had only recently mastered, a skill that he himself had not yet fully understood.

He only felt that this amazing skill
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful beyond wonder; mysterious, mysterious beyond mystery.

Once unleashed, it ascends directly to the Great Luo Heaven.

Gu Jiting disappeared into the crowd's embrace.

A group of righteous experts looked at the vanished Gujiting Pavilion, exchanging bewildered glances, at a loss for what to do.

Because they discovered that Gu Jiting did not use spatial techniques similar to the Eight Gates Transport Technique, nor did he use escape techniques such as Earth Travel Immortal or Fire Escape Technique, or illusion techniques such as invisibility.

But he truly and completely disappeared from everyone's perception and sight.

It was as if he had been completely erased from the world!
Not long after Gu Jiting disappeared, the righteous experts who had participated in his pursuit began to act strangely and erratically.

They always felt that they were being watched by something, whether in a secret room or in a crowd. There was always a pair of malicious eyes hovering in an unreachable height, staring intently at their every move.

The dreaded feeling of being constantly on their backs prevented them from cultivating, kept them awake at night, and drove them to the brink of madness.

the other side.

Longhu Mountain, at the summit of Tianmen Peak.

Zhang Zhiwei, like a stone statue that has weathered thousands of years of wind and frost, sat quietly cross-legged under that huge, crooked old pine tree.

His breathing was barely perceptible, as if he had completely merged with the world around him, in a state of stillness and non-action.

Suddenly, those eyes, which had been closed for years, opened and closed slightly.

He sensed something in the shadows, treading on the threads of fate of all beings, looking towards him. (End of Chapter)