Chapter 346 - Qi Heng

Following a sudden and eerie silence, Yu Yifeng said, “Junior Brother Xiao, you can be frank. There are many seniors present today…”

Xiao Chen interrupted him with a sneer. “Your so-called Orthodox Path is no more than just a group of people shielding each other. I have nothing to say! Kill me if you want to! I’ll consider it is breaking even if I kill even one, and profiting if I kill two or three!”

The purple-robed Warden’s eyes turned cold. “He’s so deeply entrenched in the Ways of the Devil that persuasion is useless! Let’s join hands and capture him!” He reinstated his True Energy as he spoke. He held no grudge against Xiao Chen. However, he had seen how robust Xiao Chen was. If Xiao Chen were to turn to the Devil’s sects and possessed strength from both sides, the consequences would be unimaginable. Therefore, Xiao Chen must be eliminated!

Suddenly, a peal of mocking laughter drifted to everyone’s ears. “Let me speak since he won’t!” It was Ling Ruoxu. He saluted the masses before pointing to Xiao Chen with an aggrieved expression. “This person slaughtered more than 900 of my kin the other day! Let me ask you: does he or does he not deserve death?!”

The masses were alarmed to hear this. That was the severest of crimes! It couldn’t be tolerated! Cries for Xiao Chen’s head began reverberating in the air. Ling Ruoxu continued, “I promise I’ll demand justice for the tragic death of more than 900 of my kin! I’ll personally exterminate this Devil’s Practice follower!”

Guifeng glowered at him and howled, “Scum! I didn’t see you acting this brazen when you fled with your tail between your legs!”

“Then let me spell it out as well! This man killed tens of our people last month. He killed my Junior Brother, Zhu Danfeng…”

Ten or so people walked toward them. Leading them were Wan Gufeng and Wan Yanyan, both wearing wicked smiles. The Ling family had been exterminated, and yet their Order of the Divine Fire was unscathed. What a profitable deal.

Ling Ruoxu clenched his fists so tightly that his bones creaked. He wanted nothing more than to slay these two. On the contrary, the sight of these nemeses meeting made Xiao Chen calm instead. He looked at Wan Gufeng with a nasty smile. “Now that the old thief of the Ling family isn’t hiding in the Immortals’ League anymore, is the Old Thief Wan finally willing to show himself?”

If him charging up to the Immortals’ League was an act of hotheadedness, then he had calmed down by the time he broke out of the siege. He knew Wan Gufang the scum would never show himself unless the Orthodox experts were surrounding him.

“Very well. Since everyone’s here, then let me show you who these so-called Orthodox Path followers are!”

He took out a small copper mirror from his Divine Vessel, the same one that Bai Ying gave him. The mirror was fixed with an Illusory Formation that Xingzhen Zi cast with his final spirit energy, immortalizing the slaughter at the Three Pure Sect. This was beyond their expectations.

Bai Ying wanted Xiao Chen to hand the mirror to the League and stay out of trouble, but with his hot temper, how could he be content unless he wiped out the entire Ling family for revenge?

The masses raised their guard upon seeing the small copper mirror in his hand, thinking it to be some exceptional magic treasure. Xiao Chen scoffed. “Not long ago, these bastards Ling Yuanshan and Wan Gufeng massacred several hundreds of people in the Human World. I don’t suppose anyone here has heard of it?”

“What? That’s impossible!” A commotion immediately broke out in the crowd, and many turned to look at Ling Yuanshan and Wan Gufeng. However, these two wouldn’t have dared to show up today if they weren’t sure of their backing. Wan Gufeng put his hands into his sleeves calmly and said indifferently, “The Order of the Divine Fire has been around for thousands of years. If you’d like to listen to this Devil’s Practice follower’s nonsense, so be it. I’m not going to explain myself.”

Wan Yanyan followed up with, “This Devil’s Practice follower is an expert at sowing discord. Don’t fall for his trap.”

It was true that no one would believe the words of a Devil’s Practice follower at this moment. Even if any of them suspected something, they would never voice their doubt. Xiao Chen sneered, having seen this coming. He immediately tossed the mirror into the air without another word.

The mirror grew larger and larger until it was the size of a millstone, and a moving scene slowly appeared on its surface.

“If you want to blame someone, you can blame the seed of evil that your sect gave birth to! He had provoked someone that he shouldn’t!”

“No one would be able to run today!”

In the mirror, Ling Yuanshan and Wan Gufeng went on a frantic massacre while cackling manically like devils. Everyone was genuinely shocked, all wearing different expressions. Master Xuanji and Monk Xu Gu closed their eyes and began to chant the Buddhist saying, “Amitabha, what a sin, what a sin…”

Ling Ruoxu and Wan Gufeng’s expression shifted drastically. The former wanted to take advantage of the commotion to slip away but several Orthodox Path cultivators stopped him. “Friend, you best watch the whole thing before leaving.”

Wan Gufeng was deathly pale. “It’s fake! Don’t believe him! This is a diversionary tactic that this Devil’s Practice follower conjured!” However, everyone’s attention was fixed on the scene playing out on the mirror, unwilling to listen to his explanation.

Xiao Chen sneered. “Why don’t we show the whole city the so-called Orthodox Path?!” He immediately activated the Formation.

The Illusory Formation that was built in every public square in the city for the Immortal’s Sword Assembly had yet to removed. After Xiao Chen linked the formation on his mirror with them, the scene of Ling Yuanshan and Wan Gufeng’s slaughter played out above every public square in the city.

Cultivators in other parts of the city looked up and watched in alarm. “What’s going on? Isn’t that seniors from the Ling family and the Order of the Divine Fire who participated in the Immortal’s Sword Assembly recently? Why do they look like they’re killing ordinary people?”

In an instant, chaos engulfed Tianyuan City as the news spread like wildfire. Everyone ran to the public square nearest to them to watch.

Over in the public square on the east of the city, the purple-robed and white-robed Wardens both turned pale. The former yelled at the disciples behind him, “This scene is too impactful! Cut off all the Illusory Formation in the city immediately!”

Xiao Chen jeered. “Too impactful? Heh! You’re indeed shielding the large clans and sects, shielding your kind!”

The scene finally came to an end. Ling Yuanshan and Wan Gufeng had turned an alarming shade of white in the face. Grief and anger surfaced on Xiao Chen’s expression as he said, “Now, do you know why I want to kill these two bastards? Do they or do they not deserve death?!”

“They do! They do! Kill them!” Many in the crowd began crying for blood. Of course, the furious ones were independent cultivators from all over the world. No one from the Orthodox sects said a word as they stood next to their Elders.

“This is how your so-called large sects operate! It’s so outrageous that it infuriates both men and god alike!” The furious independent cultivators began to surround the disciples of the Order of the Divine Fire, all of whom looked frightened and horrified.

Xiao Chen raised his head and guffawed, but tears soon streamed down his face. “I was an orphan. It was my Master who picked me from the foot of the mountain, raised me, taught me magic spells, but the Ling family and the Order of the Divine Fire traitors killed him before he could enjoy his golden years! Do they or do they not deserve death?!”

“They do! They do!” The crowd’s cries, emboldened by fury, reached far and wide. Many faraway independent cultivators had rushed over to the public square. “Where are the traitors from the Ling family and the Order of the Divine Fire?!”

The independent cultivators congregated without an end. Many even flew over on their swords without caring for the League’s prohibition. These people had suffered too much at the hands of the large clans, and there was never a place where they could air their grievances. Their unsatisfaction had snowballed into a deep grudge. When they saw members of the Order of the Divine Fire, they immediately attacked without another word.

In just minutes, the disciples of the Order of the Divine Fire were left severely injured. Some even met a violent death on the spot. Wan Gufeng and Ling Ruoxu were long frightened out of their wits. Even with their Nascent Soul Realm cultivation, they dared not strike out against these mob of independent cultivators.

The two Wardens of the League kept shouting at the mob to stop, but they had lost complete control over the situation. Seeing more and more independent cultivators gather at the public square, they dared not make a swift movement. If their actions cause a riot, it would likely be the city’s worst catastrophe in nearly a hundred years. Panicked, the white-robed Warden told the disciples behind him, “Get the Qilin Squadron and all envoys to come here and suppress the crowd! Go now!”

The situation soon dissolved into utter chaos. Even members of the sects near the Order of the Divine Fire got caught in the crossfire. The blue-robed elderly man from earlier finally lost his patience and yelled, “Enough!” The breakout of his Nirvana Realm aura swiftly sent a jolt down every independent cultivator’s soul.

One independent cultivator sneered. “What’s wrong? Will you shield the scums from your so-called distinguished Orthodox sects?”

The blue-robed older man’s expression turned dark. He said coldly, “We’ll mete out our punishment! It’s not up to a mob like yours to dictate what we do!”

The cultivator laughed out loud. “If we’re a mob, then what are you?” A nearby cultivator grinned. “A nest of rats and wolves.”

“Haha! Exactly! A nest of rats and wolves!”

“You bastards!” the blue-robed elderly man yelled, turning ashen in the face. Someone beside him stopped him, saying, “Senior Brother, keep calm. We’re here for the Devil’s Practice follower. Don’t cause trouble.”

“Hmph!” The older man flicked his sleeves. “I’ll consider it two puppies yapping!”

“Haha! Come and bite us then, you old dog! Can you bite thousands of us?”

The older man was so furious that he was shaking. He would have just killed all these fools if he were outside, but he would be no different from the Devil’s Practice follower Xiao Chen if he goes on a rampage in front of so many Orthodox cultivators.

Little did he imagine that there was indeed a stark difference. When Xiao Chen killed, he at least did it openly. He wouldn’t spout righteous nonsense while committing dirty deeds behind everyone’s back. The independent cultivators began to yell in unison, “The Ling family and the Order of the Divine Fire have no right to call themselves Orthodox sects! Disband! Disband!”

Their cries were so loud that they could shake heaven. Suddenly, a figure in red treaded through the air in their direction. “Thank you for your concern, but we’ll settle our affairs internally.”

The elderly man in red landed next to Wan Gufeng. He looked even older than Wan Gufeng. Instead of looking like he had found a savior, Wan Gufeng shuddered. He lowered his head and saluted the man. “Disciple Wan Gufeng pays his respect to Master Qi Heng!”

Elder Qi Heng from the Order of the Divine Fire was in the Nirvana Realm. The frosty old man held his hands behind his back and said emotionlessly, “Just take your own life for committing such a grievous crime.”

Alarmed, Wan Yanyan looked at him and started pleading. “No! Didn’t Grandpa get your permission to go to the Human World…”

Wan Gufeng immediately shouted, “Shut up, Yan’er!” Then, he saluted to the Orthodox cultivators with a wry smile. “In a momentary lapse of judgment, I was misled into committing a grievous crime. Today, I will end my life to make up for my offense!” He slammed both palms on his forehead with a loud thump. Blood flowed out of his seven apertures as his soul shattered, and he died just like that.

“Grandpa!” Wan Yanyan threw himself at Wan Gufeng’s body, unable to stop wailing with grief.

With his hands still clasped behind his back, Qi Heng loudly announced, “This person had killed himself as punishment for his grievous crime! The Order of the Divine Fire will write this person’s name off our records!”

With that, Qi Heng washed all responsibility off the Order of the Divine Fire. Those nearby said nothing. What else could they say when Gu Wanfeng was dead? However, they were confident that Wan Gufeng wouldn’t be brave enough to go on a rampage in the Human World if he didn’t receive a higher-up’s order.

Xiao Chen scoffed. This was a familiar scene in Violet Manor. Whenever the subordinates ran amok and got themselves in a too-big of trouble that the higher-ups couldn’t explain away, the assistants would have no choice but to “kill themselves to make up for their offense.” That way, they would at least be able to ensure the safety of their families.

If they refused to kill themselves, the higher-ups would send their men to eliminate them or even their whole family and then announce to the world that they had ended their lives to make up for their offense.

The whites of Wan Yanyan’s eyes were filled with wisps of blood. He suddenly raised his head to look at Xiao Chen. “Xiao Chen! You caused my Grandpa’s death! I’ll drag you down to hell with me!” He charged at Xiao Chen, wanting to turn himself into a weapon and release his Soul power.

“Slay!”

Following Guifeng’s bellow, a saber fell on Wan Yanyan and instantly produced a bloody mist. Qi Heng continued to clasp his hands behind his back. With his cultivation, he could very well rescue Wan Yanyan immediately, but he pretended not to see anything.

The shrieking of the gale resounded without an end as dark clouds enveloped the skies above Tianyuan City. Dark cumulus clouds began gathering in the western horizon, signaling rain.

“Now that our Order has punished our traitor, isn’t it time for the Orthodox Path to do the same for the sake of all living creatures in the world?” Qi Heng said emotionlessly, staring at Xiao Chen.