"Vice Hall Master Yi Xiao, please don’t be hasty."

Xu Heyan hurriedly spoke out.

"We indeed have reason to suspect that the Martial Artists behind you are Evil Cultivators."

"According to our intelligence, this group’s origins are unknown, and they have always acted in a low‑key manner."

"If not for our various Main Halls joining forces, we wouldn’t even have been able to gather the smallest bit of information on them."

"All signs indicate that they are very likely people of the Evil Lord Mansion..."

"Xu Heyan, you’re going to teach me how to tell an Evil Cultivator apart?" Xiao Yi narrowed his eyes.

"Do you think that I, Yi, can’t even distinguish Evil Cultivators?"

"Or do you think that these past days, the innumerable Evil Cultivators I’ve slain, the countless Evil Cultivation Branches I’ve wiped out in blood, that I’ve killed many unjustly, misjudged many?"

"I wouldn’t dare." Xu Heyan hastily cupped his fists.

At this point in time, if you asked who understood Evil Cultivators best, it was definitely not the Ancient Eight Halls.

It was Purple Flame Yi Xiao, honored as the Evil Cultivator Slayer.

This powerhouse before them had, in such a short time, slain countless Evil Cultivators and bathed countless Evil Cultivation Branches in blood; looking across the entire Central Region, who would dare claim to teach him how to distinguish Evil Cultivators?

Evil Cultivators had always been secretive, acting low‑key, yet utterly cruel.

But any Evil Cultivator targeted by this powerhouse before them had never once survived.

Even that renowned Poison Robe could only use such a lowly trick as faking his death to flee for his life.

Teach him how to tell Evil Cultivators apart?

If these words spread, Jiang Liuhuo and Xu Heyan would instantly become the laughingstock of the entire Central Region.

Xiao Yi held the dossier in hand, his voice cold. "Two reasons for the wanted order."

"First, the accusation from Black Cloud Academy that they plundered the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures of Medicine Venerate Hall."

"Second, the Evil Cultivator identity given by your Five Halls."

"Neither of these two reasons holds; what more do you have to say?"

"These are merely Vice Hall Master Yi Xiao’s conjectures, without evidence." Bai Yue, Jingj Wu and the others still wanted to say something.

"I’ll remind Vice Hall Master Yi Xiao of one thing: to slander the Hall Masters of our various Main Halls in this way..."

Xiao Yi cut in indifferently, "If you think I, Yi, can’t even verify the truth of such matters, then by all means, keep quibbling."

"If you think your methods surpass those of Evil Cultivators, are more brilliant and more secretive, you may also continue."

"I’ll remind you as well: up to now, among those I, Yi, have personally hunted down, the only one still alive is Poison Robe. You may try your luck."

"Purple Flame Yi Xiao, how dare you, you actually dare threaten us..." Bai Yue shouted coldly.

But it was obvious that his face was filled with panic and fear.

Even his cold shout felt hollow, strong on the outside and weak within.

Bang...

Billowing flame surged to the skies in an instant.

The astonishing Purple Crystal Spirit Flame turned into a Fire Sea, sealing off the surroundings.

"Threaten you?" Xiao Yi smiled coldly. "Are you even worthy?"

"I have no interest in wasting time with you."

"As for the truth, I’ll suppress you and drag you back to your respective Main Halls; there, a conclusion will naturally be reached."

"You..." The surrounding Main Hall Masters’ expressions changed drastically in an instant.

With Purple Flame Yi Xiao’s strength, if he chose to use force, who present could resist or stop him?

Whoosh...

Just at this moment.

In the distance, a figure shot over at high speed.

"Break."

Before the person arrived, a soft shout like a wondrous sound of heaven and earth had already fallen.

Boom...

The sky‑filling Purple Flame dispersed in an instant.

Even the Asura Locking Sky Formation that Chengfeng Hall Master and Hengtian Palace Master had laid down earlier collapsed along with it.

"Hmm?" Xiao Yi narrowed his eyes, staring into the distance.

Chengfeng Hall Master and Hengtian Palace Master likewise furrowed their brows.

The three of them almost instantly confirmed that the newcomer was extremely strong—no, to be precise, terrifyingly strong.

Whoosh...

A few breaths later.

An old man descended steadily in the high air.

"Master Miaoo." Among the surrounding Main Hall Masters, Bai Yue and Jingj Wu’s faces clearly lit up with joy.

"Miaoo Shenghua." Chengfeng Hall Master directly called out the newcomer’s name.

"Chengfeng Hall Master, Hengtian Palace Master, it has been a long time." The old man smiled faintly and cupped his fists to the two.

"Master Miaoo." Chengfeng Hall Master and Hengtian Palace Master likewise returned the salute.

The old man’s gaze finally settled on Xiao Yi.

"This must be the famed Purple Flame Yi Xiao, Vice Hall Master Yi Xiao."

"Master Miaoo." Xiao Yi also cupped his fists in return.

This old man he was seeing for the first time, but the name he had heard before.

Moreover, the name alone was enough to make his gaze turn incomparably grave.

Miaoo Shenghua, Hall Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Palace Main Hall.

In terms of position, he was roughly equivalent to Chengfeng Hall Master and Hengtian Palace Master within Wind Shattering Hall and Asura Hall.

But this man had already made his name a thousand years ago as a Legendary Formation Array Master.

With a pair of wondrous hands, he could form a Formation with a flick of his fingers.

The intricacy of formations and the perfection of techniques were mastered by this man to the utmost.

Even an Ancient Formation could not last the span of fifteen minutes in his hands.

He was a true, undisputed Legendary Formation Array Master.

"What brings Master Miaoo here...?" Xiao Yi asked with a frown.

Miaoo Shenghua smiled faintly and said, "Naturally, I am here to resolve this matter."

"A mere Main Hall wanted order is enough to warrant Master Miaoo’s personal arrival?" Xiao Yi frowned slightly, a bad premonition flashing through his mind.

Miaoo Shenghua waved his hand. "Vice Hall Master Yi Xiao, there is no need to misunderstand."

"A mere Main Hall wanted order, plus a group of wanted people with nothing more than ordinary Supreme strength, naturally would not merit this old man’s personal visit."

"However, it is precisely this little Main Hall wanted order, and this little group of wanted people, that has stirred the Masters of the Main Halls of Wind Shattering Hall and Asura Hall, as well as the renowned Vice Master Xiao Yi, to personally come here."

"And now, even you, the successor of the Three Halls, have personally appeared. If this old man still did not come, it would indeed be unjustifiable."

Miaoo Shenghua smiled and said, "Jiang Liuhuo and Xu Heyan are people of your Flame Hall and Medicine Venerate Hall; they are not within this old man’s authority."

"This old man has only come to deal with Bai Yue and Jingj Wu."

"Bai Yue, Jingj Wu." Miaoo Shenghua’s expression suddenly turned stern, his majesty carrying a chill.

"Did you really think you could hide this from the Main Hall?"

"The Eight Palaces have iron rules; if they are broken, there will be strict punishment."

"As of today, the two of you are stripped of your titles as Hall Master and Vice Hall Master, and demoted to Sub Hall Masters, not to be reinstated for a hundred years."

"The Law Enforcement Team and Palace Martial Artists involved in this wanted order pursuit are all to be demoted three ranks as well."

"If, within the next hundred years, there is any further misconduct, your offenses will be added together, and you will be thrown into the Black Demon Prison to suffer a hundred years of heavy punishment."

"This..." Bai Yue and Jingj Wu’s faces changed.

When they heard they were being demoted to Sub Hall Masters, they had originally wanted to say something.

The Central Region was no ordinary place; it was extremely difficult to accumulate merit for titles and positions within the Eight Palaces.

To become a Main Hall Master, or even enter the Main Hall to serve as a Vice Hall Master, which of them had not spent hundreds of years, treading carefully and working diligently before finally earning the chance?

To have their status stripped immediately, and even be demoted to Sub Hall Masters—this was a huge blow to the two of them, even a heavy punishment.

But when they heard the four words "Black Demon Prison," their bodies trembled, and they no longer dared say anything.

"We respectfully obey Master Miaoo’s decree." The two hurriedly bowed.

Miaoo Shenghua nodded slightly, then turned his gaze back to Xiao Yi. "Vice Hall Master Yi Xiao, handled in this way—are you satisfied?"

...

The second update.