Judgment by Flame

Three months passed in the blink of an eye. At Biyi Palace, Azure Luan Courtyard—

Chen Jinshu had spent the past season cultivating diligently alongside her senior brothers and sisters at their master's residence. Under the tutelage of their master and the guidance of her peers, she had made significant progress.

Thanks to her master's repeated use of medicinal meals to support her, she had successfully broken through to the ninth level of Qi Refining. Were it not for the fear of unstable foundations due to rapid breakthroughs, she would have attempted to form her Foundation already.

Now in her early twenties, she was at the ideal age for Foundation Establishment. If she waited too long, her natural vitality—so crucial for the process—would start to wane.

A robust life force was essential, requiring at least thirty percent more blood energy than the average cultivator at the same level. Once she formed her Foundation, she planned to travel to Mount Ningyu to clear her father's name and avenge the repeated ambushes plotted by Chen Wenshan.

There was also the matter of dealing with the insect cultivators in the Insect Valley.

On this particular day, Chen Jinshu was studying the Genesis Alchemy Scripture she had obtained from the Yin-Yang Boundary Tablet in the Xuanming Secret Realm. When she reached around page 230, she came across a particularly extraordinary pill recipe—the Demon-Cleansing Pill.

"I can't believe it! This scripture is truly comprehensive. I didn't expect it to even include a pill that purges demonic energy!"

You see, the Xuanming Sect had existed on this mountain range for over a thousand years, yet the number of demon-cleansing pill recipes known to their Medicine King Peak could be counted on one hand.

Most of them weren't even as effective as using demon-expelling talismans.

Firstly, the required spiritual herbs were exceedingly rare. Secondly, creating such a pill formula was exceptionally difficult.

"With this formula, one could take a pill in advance before exposure to demonic energy, preventing many unfortunate outcomes."

Naturally, she wouldn't casually share such a formula. At most, she'd offer it to her senior brothers and sisters, and even then, only after omitting its origin.

"Although the sect just completed a major purge, I can't shake the feeling that something was overlooked."

Everything had gone a little too smoothly, which made her suspicious. If demonic cultivators were truly so easy to expose, what purpose did their infiltration even serve?

Were they waiting for the right moment to launch an attack? Or perhaps they intended to sabotage the secret realm?

But the realm would naturally regenerate within a few years, making destruction unlikely. Could it be to eliminate potential talents within the sect?

Yet most of the sect's promising disciples were at the Foundation Establishment level, and this incident mostly affected Qi Refining cultivators.

"Forget it. There's no telling what the future holds anyway."

Shaking her head, Chen Jinshu turned her focus back to the pill recipe.

"Purity Herb… Blue Moon Flower…"

"Although it's only a first-grade top-tier pill, the potency can be enhanced by using older medicinal ingredients!"

The more she studied the formula, the more impressed she became. She ended up spending half the day completely absorbed in the scripture. The next morning, as soon as Chen Jinshu awoke, she heard the Sect Master's voice ringing out:

"All disciples, gather at the rear mountain to witness the execution of the demonic cultivators!"

The Sect Master's clear voice echoed across the skies above the sect, lingering for some time. She quickly flew down to the courtyard below, where her senior brothers and sisters were already waiting.

"Is Master not going?"

Just as she asked, their master Shui Huanmeng's voice drifted out from the valley:

"Children, I am entering seclusion. In the coming years, you must rely on yourselves. Support and protect one another!"

As Shui Huanmeng's voice faded, Chen Jinshu and the other seven finally returned to their senses. They had spent these past three months training together, growing closer with each passing day. Now that their master had concluded her teachings, they would soon part ways for individual cultivation.

"We obey, Master!" they all said in unison, hands raised in salute.

"That's enough! Since Master is in seclusion, if anything comes up, you can come to me," said Senior Brother Zheng Shaosi.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Chen Jinshu chimed in with the others. She hadn't expected her master to enter seclusion so soon, and though she felt some reluctance, cultivation was ultimately a personal journey. Her master had already shown the way. Now that Shui Huanmeng was pursuing her own Dao, Chen Jinshu should be glad.

"The Biyi Palace will be guarded by Master's artifact spirit from now on. You may come here to cultivate anytime."

"Let's go! If we don't hurry, we'll miss the execution!"

Senior Brother Xie Mofeng's voice trembled slightly with excitement.

Soon after, Chen Jinshu and the others arrived at the rear mountain, where a massive crowd had already gathered. In the center stood two bound Golden Core cultivators and six Foundation Establishment cultivators—surrounded by a sea of disciples.

All eight were tied to a massive white stone pillar, with scalding magma below roasting their bodies. This was one of the sect's highest punishments—Flame Purification.

Their faces were swollen and hair disheveled beyond recognition. Their bodies were bound in searing flame threads… Naturally, the audience stood a safe five to six meters away, protected by a massive golden barrier. They could only observe from a distance.

"Weren't there only four Foundation Establishment cultivators? Why are there two more now?" Chen Jinshu asked.

"Two more were caught while returning from a mission," Senior Brother Pang Zhuoqun replied, folding his spirit fan.

"Sounds like you know the whole story. Do tell."

"Those two were talisman-making prodigies from Bishui Peak. But they came from humble backgrounds, so they frequently left the sect for missions to earn resources. They didn't know the new rules the sect had imposed. When they returned, the Demon-Reflecting Mirror exposed their demonic taint—and that was the end of it."

"I see." Chen Jinshu nodded. What intrigued her was not how they got caught—but who they were. Most disciples who turned to demonic cultivation did so out of desperation, lacking proper mentorship.

"This Lord has confirmed—two Golden Core elders and six Foundation Establishment disciples have succumbed to demonic cultivation. The evidence is irrefutable. Today, all disciples and elders shall bear witness. These traitors shall be executed!"

The Sect Master floated into the sky, a golden longsword spinning in front of him, radiating dazzling brilliance and releasing waves of spiritual pressure.

He formed hand seals quickly, chanting:

"Starlight of the Big Dipper, illuminate the Nine Netherworlds! Heaven and Earth reversed, all evils shall return to order!"

This was Chen Jinshu's first time witnessing a Nascent Soul cultivator in action—she was momentarily stunned.

Rumor had it the Sect Master was a sword cultivator famed for his Big Dipper Demon-Expelling Sword Technique.

In an instant, the golden sword before him split into eight gleaming blades, streaking through the air like arrows, each one aimed at a bound prisoner.

Blood sprayed in eight arcs.

In mere seconds, eight heads hit the ground—and dissolved into dust. Their headless corpses followed silently, crumbling like dry ash.

"Hear this, all disciples! Those who fall to demonic ways shall meet the same fate!"

The sight of the Sect Master executing the traitors burned his warning into every onlooker's mind.

"We obey!" came the resounding response of all the disciples present.