Dong Guanqin's face turned from green to yellow, then to black. The main hall of Baoli Electronic Book was reduced to rubble, and the eight auxiliary halls were equally battered, now no different from ruins. The disciples' faces were also pale. After centuries of being regarded as the premier sect in the cultivation world, they had never before suffered such a serious blow—this fact simply could not be accepted. Many were filled with righteous indignation, yet, seeing the掌门's demeanor, they remained silent, afraid of becoming the target of their frustration. The memory of being beaten three times a day still fresh in their minds. Dong Guanqin had believed that his strategy of diverting the crisis had secured him victory. He never imagined that Qin Feng would immediately respond with a counterstroke—drawing upon the very foundation of the sect, ignoring disturbances from other cultivators, and directly turning his attention to the Xiaoyao Sect. Overall, he still underestimated them. Qin Feng was too slick—like a eel slipping away—securing his advantages and then turning tail, never doing anything like this before. Standing before the ruined walls and broken remains, he felt utterly heartbroken. If there were a pharmacy selling medicine for regret, he’d definitely be the first to rush in and buy it. At that moment, one of the disciples flew over on a wobbly sword, either due to severe injuries or intimidated by the Master’s unusual expression, and then stumbled and fell short of a hundred meters away. Dong Qiankun’s face grew even more grim. What a pity—can’t he even show a bit of progress? Even after his father’s passing, his wife still ended up being slept on. Though the disciple landed in a disoriented state, he managed to rise with remarkable tenacity, speaking in a pathetically resigned tone: “It’s bad news, Master! We’ve been ambushed by an unknown assailant. Our brothers and sisters have suffered heavy losses!” “What?” Dong Qiankun’s eyes widened. Now he truly understood the meaning of that one sentence! The roof leaked while it rained night and day—cold and damp inside. The person quickly explained, "We were dispatched to gather information. Our brothers-in-arms were all diligent and thorough. Yet, on the way back, each of them suffered surprise attacks from different directions—unprepared and caught off guard." "Could you tell me what losses you've incurred?" asked Dong Qiankun, gritting his teeth. "Several senior brothers were completely defeated, both in body and spirit. I myself was surrounded by the enemy, but by sheer luck managed to survive. Master, please step in and advocate for us." To enhance the authenticity of his performance, the man deliberately spat out a mouthful of blood. Dong was furious: "Who are these people? Are you all pigs? Do you still carry just fire poles as weapons?" "Master, though our brothers fought valiantly, the enemy's strength was overwhelming, their numbers vast, and their tactics exceptionally effective. As for their identities—I simply don't know. Have you not seen them?" Dong Guankun truly wanted to have Zhang snap him dead—how could it be that his disciple, with such a pig-brained mind, had such remarkable luck? Shouldn't it have been the cleverer brothers who perished, instead of him? The disciple flipped his eyes, murmured softly, "It was several girls who stood out—beautiful, with figures and appearances no less than those of goddesses..." As he spoke, he noticed his master's piercing gaze, sharp with murderous intent, and immediately pretended to be physically exhausted, tilting his head and collapsing to the ground. Indeed, this act of feigning death was perfectly timed—had he not reacted promptly, he might have truly fallen. The beautiful girls, of course, were undoubtedly linked to Qin Feng. It's said that around a dozen goddess-level beauties surround him. Yet Dong Guankun couldn't understand—these girls should have been mere decorative flowers. How could they be so impressive? The disciples sent out to gather information may not be considered elite at the XIAO YAO SCHOOL, yet they were all solid, capable young practitioners. Even if attacked, they should not have ended up in such a tragic state. A more courageous disciple stepped forward and said, "Master, this situation can't go on like this!" This person was not Dong Qiankun's disciple, but rather his younger brother—a true master of cultivation at the Qi Xie stage—and thus dared to speak frankly. His words were indeed well-reasoned, so even though Dong was furious, he still listened carefully and said in a steady tone, "I know that, but right now we can't split our forces. Otherwise, we'll fall into their trap, and our disciples won't be saved, nor will this base be secure!" Everyone was deeply concerned, and no one knew what to do. Not only were the people from the Xiao Yao Sect collapsing, but the cultivators living near the Qin family's estate were also nearing their breaking point, as they had lost their sense of direction and didn't even know when the Qin Feng family had departed. Several prominent figures in the cultivation world now felt embarrassed, while the rising star Ma Yinghong was especially dismayed. Standing before the now-empty villa, the group had no clear course of action. This was no surprise, since they had always been a temporary alliance, operating on the principle of "everyone staying in their own lane," unwilling to stand out. Of course, once tangible benefits emerged, they would surely vie fiercely to take the lead. Ma Yinghong also didn’t want to speak, for his rank here felt rather awkward. But since no one else was speaking, someone had to. Clearing his throat, he said, “Respected elders and colleagues, as a junior, my words may be insignificant. Should I make any mistakes, please don’t mind. I have two suggestions: first, let’s continue to stay here—Qin Feng will surely return eventually!” Immediately, someone raised an objection: “Waiting passively for him to come back is the most foolish strategy. Qin’s young man isn’t a fool—he knows the area is surrounded and will surely come back on his own. Moreover, besides this location, he has many other places where he could settle, so he definitely won’t return.” This viewpoint gained the support of most people. Being immediately rejected at the outset, Ma Yinghong felt a bit embarrassed, yet he continued: “Second, strike at those close to him.”