Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 389 Discord Sharper Than Demonic Claws

Though many felt a growing sense of suspicion, the subject remained pointedly unvoiced. To hurl such allegations without a shred of proof would only plant seeds of paranoia. In a time when they were already struggling to repel the onslaught of Demonic Beasts and Demonic Cultivators on several fronts, internal discord was a luxury they could not afford.

"A spy, you say?"

The words were echoed slowly by Minister Xiu Yucheng, his eyes locked onto Zhao Wutian.

His face did not harden with immediate doubt, nor did it soften with dismissal. Instead, it shifted into a mask of deep, cautious contemplation.

"Your logic is sound," Minister Xiu Yucheng eventually conceded in a calm tone.

"However," he added, his voice remaining level, "is it not premature to jump to such a conclusion?"

Suggesting a mole was present without firm evidence was a grave matter. This was not a simple case of a Demonic Cultivator lurking in their shadows.

Had that been the situation, their foul Demonic Qi would have exposed them long ago.

Such a presence cannot be hidden indefinitely, particularly when surrounded by a gathering of elite experts.

Every person in the room had fought with their full power, and not a single one had manifested Demonic Qi. That was an undeniable fact.

This confirmed that no Demonic Cultivator had managed to infiltrate their ranks.

That left only one chilling alternative.

A practitioner of the righteous path—and a high-ranking leader at that—was secretly collaborating with the Demonic Cultivators.

This was the true horror of the situation.

It implied that a traitor, someone who circulated righteous Qi, had abandoned their conscience to aid those monstrous entities.

If an actual Demonic Cultivator had snuck in, finding the culprit would be a simple task.

But if the betrayal came from one of their own...

Then identifying the turncoat would be an overwhelming challenge.

To hunt for them recklessly would only trigger a wave of fear and finger-pointing.

Comrades would doubt each other. The alliance would crumble. The army would destroy itself from within long before the next enemy assault.

While they were already pushed to the limit by Demonic Beasts and Demonic Cultivators alike—

Distrust was the final weapon they could afford to wield against themselves.

Their sole hope lay in catching the traitor in the act—at the very moment they communicated with the Demonic Cultivators.

The air in the room turned heavy.

The ensuing silence was suffocating, as if the very atmosphere was crushing the assembled leaders.

Finally, Minister Xiu Yucheng spoke once more, his tone measured and resolute.

"Vague suspicions are insufficient," he declared, his firm gaze resting on Zhao Wutian.

"Do you possess any tangible proof?"

Zhao Wutian paused before answering.

"No," he finally confessed. "I lack solid evidence."

A ripple of movement swept through the pavilion.

"But," Zhao Wutian added, raising his head, "I do have a specific suspect."

Minister Xiu Yucheng’s eyebrows drew together.

"A suspect? Who?"

Zhao Wutian did not reply immediately.

Instead, he turned his head—

Slowly and with clear intent.

His eyes finally landed on Bai Tianheng.

Every person in the pavilion followed his gaze, and the mood shifted instantly.

Zhao Wutian spoke again, his voice steady but laced with a sharp edge.

"Bai Clan Leader," he stated, "out of all the powers gathered here... your Bai Clan took the fewest losses today."

The accusation landed with the weight of a sledgehammer.

Several leaders frowned heavily. Others traded nervous looks. A few appeared conflicted, clearly disturbed by the direction of the conversation.

When compared to the slaughter endured by the Li and Zhao Clans—

The state of the Bai Clan was indeed conspicuous.

Bai Tianheng’s eyes narrowed at once.

"Zhao Wutian," he spat coldly, taking a step forward with obvious irritation,

"What exactly are you implying?"

The tension tightened like a bowstring pulled to its breaking point.

"I am not making a formal accusation," Zhao Wutian countered, "but it is highly questionable that your Bai Clan emerged nearly unscathed despite the Demonic Cultivators' raid."

"Heh? And your point is?"

Bai Tianheng let out a scornful scoff.

"Zhao Wutian, do not project the incompetence of your Zhao Clan onto me. What? Was I supposed to command my disciples to die just to match the failures of your people?"

Zhao Wutian was visibly incensed by the retort, though he struggled to keep his composure.

"Bai Tianheng," he barked, "you must be in league with the Demonic Cultivators. Otherwise, it is impossible for your Bai Clan to have lost almost no one!"

"Tch! How brainless can you be?"

Bai Tianheng snorted in derision.

"Yes, my Bai Clan had the fewest deaths—but we also slaughtered the highest number of Demonic Cultivators. How many did your clan manage to take down?"

He pressed on without mercy.

"It is clear your clan simply failed to do its job, yet you have the nerve to blame us? You fabricate talk of spies and point your finger at me—Zhao Wutian, is this not the very definition of sowing discord?"

"Are you not the one aiding the Demonic Cultivators? Looking at how easily your clan killed them, I suspect your Clan might have deliberately let them off."

"Bai Tianheng," Zhao Wutian snarled, "do you have any proof for those words?"

"Then do you?"

The debate rapidly dissolved into a petty shouting match between the two men.

From Zhao Wutian’s perspective, his anger was predictable.

He had watched too many of his kinsmen fall—while his rival’s clan had walked away virtually untouched.

It was no surprise he was enraged.

It was no surprise he was so eager to find someone to blame.

"Enough!"

Minister Xiu Yucheng finally stepped in, his voice booming.

"That is enough from both of you. Calm yourselves!"

He felt a headache blooming behind his eyes.

He had believed these two had put aside their grudges—but here they were once more, bickering like children in the heart of a disaster.

"For the time being," Minister Xiu Yucheng said with authority, "we will not pursue the matter of traitors."

"The truth will be uncovered with care and patience."

He scanned the faces in the room.

"Right now, our objective remains the same. The Demonic Beasts and Demonic Cultivators."

Minister Xiu Yucheng allowed a moment of silence before speaking again.

"Another detail that has been bothering me is that the Demonic Cultivators did not commit their Immortal Realm experts to the fray."

A heavy, oppressive silence followed his observation.

The gravity of that realization began to sink in for everyone.

~

"If they were prepared to discard so many Demonic Cultivators and Demonic Beasts without involving their Immortal Realm powerhouses," Minister Xiu Yucheng continued, "then this skirmish was never intended to be the final blow."

"It was merely a setup!"

His eyes swept over the leaders.

"And if that is true, then the upcoming battle will be of a completely different nature."

The room was silent. "When the Demonic Cultivators return," Minister Xiu Yucheng stated grimly,

"they will not hold anything back."

"This time," he went on, "they will arrive with their full might."

"We must operate under the assumption that the next engagement will be the deciding one," Minister Xiu Yucheng warned. "If we are not ready, there will be no second chances."

He paused, ensuring his words carried their full weight.

"From this point forward," he commanded, "all sects must stay on high alert." "The next clash against them may very well be our last!"