Hundreds of disciples began disappearing, one after another. Without much surprise, even the two pseudo-dao experts helping Fiona disappeared as well. However, it seemed Fiona was still loyal.
Because her divine sense wasn't as exaggerated as her husband's, Madeleine could only fly across the city to the best of her abilities, expelling traitor after traitor.
A wave of fatigue was overcoming Madeleine's attempts, but she pushed through, unwilling to stop half way.
The shocking wave of disciples being forcibly expelled from Middle Lily City immediately caught the attention of those outside the city. But, what could they do? They could only watch.
Still, they still had an upper hand. Because of the sealing formation around the city, Madeleine couldn't teleport out with her fellow disciples. And, no matter what, the city was still surrounded.
As far as they were concerned, Madeleine was a cornered rat. They also believed that there was no way she knew who were traitors and who weren't. This likely meant she had been forced to expel anyone even remotely suspicious.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtIf she was really doing this, this meant that the atmosphere in the city couldn't be very good. Everyone would be looking over their shoulders, and if there were any rats Madeleine missed, they could easily stir up trouble once again.
To make matters even better, Dyon, their greatest worry, was nowhere to be seen. That meant that the information they received from the instigator was true. True God Sacharro was definitely tied up in a matter too big for him to handle if he hadn't come to wife's aid. That or their tight seal on information worked wonders.
Many of these deductions were true. The only one that held some falsehood were their thoughts that Madeleine was expelling individuals at random. But, even still, the situation wasn't exactly perfect… Especially after Madeleine collapsed from the skies, too tired to continue.
The white-gold of Madeleine's hair and eyes faded. Her body ached, but because she used [Violet Revival Flames], she had no way of healing herself. Even if she still had access to her life and reincarnation characteristics, she didn't have the stamina to use them anyway.
Seeing this, Fiona hesitated. After her fear of Madeleine awoke her from her mourning, some things became clear to her. Since Madeleine could expel her, why hadn't she? Also, why cripple Cheri instead of just killing her? And finally, once Madeleine did begin expelling people, why was she still here?
"If you want to kill me, go ahead and try, but know that even my patience is limited." Madeleine said, gasping for breath. "If I'm forced to choose between your life and mine, know that I will never choose yours. Even my empathy for you cannot make me willingly leave my husband."
Fiona trembled before she fell to the ground in tears. She understood very well now that the sister she had had all her life truly was a traitor to their Sect…
**
At this moment, Yandevere was rushing at her greatest speed to Middle Lily City. By the time she reached the vicinity of the city, she was just in time to witness the influx of disciples. Since she hadn't received a list due to her seal being destroyed by Dyon, she had the same worry that Madeleine's enemies saw as a strength. She thought Madeleine had begun expelling disciples at random.
She had taken the female disciple's spatial ring in hopes she could find the list within, but it seemed that the Golden Crow Sect was smarter than to give out something so important in physical form. All she found were a group of treasures that couldn't enter her eyes.
"Halt! Who are you!"
The guards scattered around Middle Lily City immediately spotted Yandevere and stopped her. Obviously, they couldn't allow anyone to enter right now. Or else their tight seal on information would be nothing but a dream. Their question was just a pretense. There were only two outcomes: either Yandevere was an ally, or she would be captured and chained until this ordeal was over.
Yandevere frowned. "Check your lists. Don't stop me. I'm doing something important."
She attempted to briskly walk by, but the guards stopped her one more, lecherous smiles on their smug faces.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"I'm sorry, Lady Yandevere. But, we're going to need to see your seal… Just to make sure."
Suddenly, Yandevere understood. The seals were always placed on one's most intimate areas so that they could remain hidden. These bastards were practically asking her to strip just so they could satisfy their debased desires.
They already knew that Yandevere was traitor to her Sect and a pawn of the Golden Crow Sect, so why not take advantage? Wasn't she sworn to always follow the orders of disciples of their Sect?
Yandevere's grey eyes flashed with a cold light.
"I won't say it again. Move."
This group of guards were nothing but fools. If Yandevere was bound by her seal to follow all instructions as long as it came from a member of their sect, she would have been exposed long ago as a traitor.
What if the Flaming Lily Sect and the Golden Crow Sect were having a minor conflict and one of the latter's disciples off handedly told Yandevere to piss off? Wouldn't she be bound to listen to that person's order? Then wouldn't her identity be exposed for something irrelevant?
Obviously, the seal wasn't constructed in this way. There were only a small group of upper echelon individuals Yandevere would have had to listen to the orders of without question. But, these three fools were too blinded by their lust to understand something so simple. In fact, they were shocked by Yandevere's response.
"You little slave, do you think you're worth something?" One of the guards growled.
"Die." Yandevere was a woman who emotionlessly betrayed her fellow disciples, why would she hesitate to kill someone who had insulted her?
In the blink of an eye, five guards fell to their deaths under a thin sword, but this obviously alerted individuals more worthy of Yandevere's attention. As expected, in no more than a few second, a group of individuals had already locked in on Yandevere.