Chapter 540: The Sect Master Battles a Unity Realm Expert!

Chapter 540: The Sect Master Battles a Unity Realm Expert!

In the western region of Hong, there stood the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon.

The spacious reception platform was built with plain and unadorned bricks, giving off a subdued aura. Yet, the surrounding statues exuded an ancient aura, as if they had endured the passage of time, adding a touch of weathered grandeur to the place.

However, any cultivator with knowledge of this sect would understand their true nature.

The newer a sect, the more it desired to cloak itself in an air of antiquity.

The sense of weathered antiquity that the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon projected was a bit too deliberate and only served to make them appear inferior.

Nonetheless, their position was already tenuous.

They had cunningly seized this Unity Realm treasure land opportunity during a three-way conflict, before anyone else could react, relying solely on their information network, without shedding a single drop of blood or losing any troops. They had essentially lucked into this opportunity, skyrocketing from a third-rate force to a true Immortal sect.

It was due to this very incident that the cultivators of the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon had tasted the sweetness of success.

In the chaotic waters and lands of Western Hong, those who started from humble beginnings had to dare to gamble and seize opportunities when they presented themselves.

There was no point in languishing at the bottom rung of Immortal sects.

If they could snatch a main sect's land, then they could take a secondary sect's treasure land as well.

With the Path Emperor Sect intervening in Western Hong and the Seven Sons of Southern Hong also wanting a piece of the pie, even going so far as to disguise themselves and kill Pan Boyang, they had lit the first fire.

The Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon had already anticipated the impending storm.

This was a golden opportunity that must not be missed!

Aligning themselves with the Western Dragon Palace was merely the first step in their plan. As long as they could gather enough information, there was much more they could accomplish.

At this moment...

Within the inner hall of the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon's sect master.

Nearly all the sect's powerful cultivators had gathered, divided neatly into two sides, their expressions solemn yet tinged with a hint of barely concealed excitement.

The atmosphere in the main hall was subdued, with only the soft sound of breathing filling the silence.

Judging by the time, their Daoist should already be in contact with Elder Qi. It remained to be seen what kind of deal he could strike for the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon.

Tap, tap, tap.

Elder Lu Qing, the grand elder of the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon, sat with his eyes closed, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his seat. Occasionally, he lifted his eyelids to glance at the jade slip by his hand, his expression growing slightly impatient as he received no response.

After all, Lu Mingchuan was not only their Daoist but also his grandson.

Typically, a respectable Immortal sect would never allow such a situation where the grand elder and the Daoist belonged to the same clan.

The elder was supposed to assist the Daoist while also keeping them in check, allowing the sect to make more prudent decisions.

Just this point alone revealed that the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon still retained the style of a third-rate force.

After all... even their Unity Realm sect master was surnamed Lu.

"Fourth Uncle, still no news?" Finally, someone couldn't contain their impatience. Could it be that their Daoist was so capable that with his mere second-level Unity Realm cultivation, he could negotiate amiably with Elder Qi, and even didn't have time to respond to the sect's message?

Or had something unexpected happened, and he was being given the cold shoulder by Elder Qi, choosing not to respond for the time being?

No one would consider the possibility of something happening to the Daoist, as the might of the Dragon Palace was evident to all, and the Daoist himself was on guard against Elder Qi. If they had gone back on their word, at the very least, a message would have been sent back.

"What's the rush? Also, what time do you think it is, and who gave you permission to address me as Fourth Uncle?"

Lu Qing frowned and glared at the interrupter, about to chastise him further, when his expression changed slightly.

Everyone else in the room also stood up and looked towards the door, their brows furrowed in surprise and wariness.

Outside the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon's treasure land, above the reception platform, a golden light descended from the sky, like a rainbow spanning the heavens.

This was the manifestation of the Golden Invitation Catalog.

However, it was uncommon for cultivators in Western Hong to use this when visiting each other's sects, as it was too formal and made one seem like a directionless novice.

Unconsciously, everyone thought of those barbarians from Southern Hong.

"What's going on?"

Before their Daoist could respond, these barbarians from Southern Hong had taken the initiative to visit their sect? Many people's faces turned tense.

Lu Qing remained silent for a long time, quietly sensing the figure on the golden rainbow bridge. Finally, he relaxed slightly upon realizing that there was only one person there, dressed in ink-black robes, with a handsome and youthful face that didn't match the appearance of any of the six Unity Realm giants.

He quietly exhaled in relief, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes. "What are you all nervous about? It's just a clueless fish that slipped through the net, and now it's come knocking on our door. This is a good thing—we should be rejoicing!"

He estimated that it was one of the Daoists from Southern Hong, perhaps one who hadn't consulted with the others, and his request for aid had fallen through.

Since that was the case, they should seize this opportunity to detain him first and prevent him from ruining the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon's plans!

With this in mind, Lu Qing put on a gentle smile and stepped forward, his figure disappearing from the hall.

He strode on auspicious clouds, letting out a hearty laugh. "The Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon apologizes for not coming out to greet you sooner. We hope our esteemed guest won't take offense. Please, come in!"

"... "

Outside the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon, Shen Yi quietly surveyed his surroundings.

He watched as an array quickly unfolded beneath his feet.

A hint of confusion flashed in his eyes, as it was rather unusual for a sect master who had to seal his own formations whenever he left to invite someone into his sect without first ascertaining their identity.

However, this suited Shen Yi just fine.

Without the slightest hesitation, Shen Yi nodded politely and stepped into the array.

His action put the hearts of the many cultivators of the Pavilion of Myriad Phenomenon at ease, as it seemed that he was just as their grand elder had predicted. If he had truly known their intentions, he wouldn't have dared to enter their treasure land.

He would be left with no recourse, unable to call upon Heaven or Earth for aid.

"Look at him, he should be thanking us," one of the elders said, shaking his head in amusement.

Lu Qing glanced back, and the cultivators below understood his meaning. They calmly retreated to the back, quietly beginning their preparations.

Since they had decided to act, they had to be ruthless.

Instead of exchanging pleasantries with this Daoist from Southern Hong and tricking him into staying in the sect, it was better to eradicate all potential problems at the source.

"Friend, this way please."

Lu Qing felt that something was amiss. This young cultivator's demeanor was a bit too quiet, and he didn't seem like he had come to request aid or to cause trouble.

He seemed more like... a bit shy?

"Please take a seat in the main hall."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, the two walked slowly towards the main hall.

Lu Qing glanced to the side and saw the elders below giving him a pre-arranged signal. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and, at almost the same time, noticed the young man in ink-black robes also withdrawing his gaze.

In that moment of eye contact, Lu Qing looked into those pitch-black eyes and inexplicably felt a twinge of unease.

"What's wrong, my friend? If there's something amiss, let's go into the hall and talk in detail." Lu Qing concealed his embarrassment and smiled kindly.

The others stood far away on both sides, their faces becoming more and more menacing.

"There's no need to go inside. Everyone is already here," Shen Yi finally spoke. His voice was surprisingly clear and smooth, which was somewhat unexpected.

"Ah, I almost forgot... May I ask where you are from, esteemed one?" Lu Qing asked, his smile fading as he probed further. He had a bad feeling about this situation.

Shen Yi didn't answer. Instead, he lifted his robe and casually sat down on the stone steps of the main hall, appearing detached from the situation.

Although he didn't open his mouth, everyone present heard a cold and rough voice in their ears.

"The Hall of Myriad Beasts."

"Hiss!" The hair on the backs of the Wanxiang Pavilion cultivators stood on end, and they turned to look at the source of the voice. They instinctively looked up and saw a towering figure that had appeared without anyone noticing.

The figure retained a human form but was several dozen feet tall, with broad shoulders that resembled a small mountain.

The magnificent dragon horns, the golden scales that covered its body, and the indifferent and ferocious dragon head all caused everyone's breathing to become rapid and labored.

It was a mighty demon beast! To be precise, it was a dragon demon with an extremely noble bloodline, one that even surpassed that of the West Dragon Palace!

In its palm, its sharp claws held Lu Qing's head as if it were a small bowl, the nails embedded deep into the elder's skull.

"Gurgle! Gurgle!"

Lu Qing's face was covered in blood, his features contorted in agony, and his eyes bulging out of their sockets.

He struggled with all his might, trying to burst forth with his powerful aura, but under the overwhelming pressure of the demon beast's aura, he could only let his body dangle limply like a piece of jerky, looking ridiculous.

To be able to suppress someone so thoroughly, this powerful dragon demon's cultivation level was evident.

And those three words it had spoken earlier...

"Hall of Myriad Beasts..."

Everyone present suddenly recalled a recent piece of news they had received—a hint from the crown prince of the South Dragon Palace about the Hall Master.

In that message, there was also a mention of a strange dragon demon, one known for its ruthless slaughter.

The Wanxiang Pavilion cultivators began to piece together the information, matching the description of the East Hall Master from the rumors with the demon beast before them.

So... it wasn't just an empty threat from the Seven Sons of Southern Hong.

A true formidable force from Western Hong had arrived, one that dared to act against the Wu Liang Dao Huang Sect!

They had misjudged the situation!

And now, they had foolishly welcomed this terrifying force into their sect without any precaution.

"Esteemed one from the Hall of Myriad Beasts... May I ask what grievances your esteemed hall has with our Wanxiang Pavilion? Why have you come here today?" An elder took a few steps back, his voice trembling as he asked.

Pfft!

In response to their question, the powerful demon beast, Ke Shisan, took decisive action.

With a casual gesture, Lu Qing's body exploded into a cloud of blood mist, reducing the elder to nothingness.

This action conveyed a clear, unspoken message: "Annihilate the sect!"

Who would have thought that there would be such an unreasonable and ruthless force in this world, one that would seek to destroy an entire sect without any grudge or provocation?

In the blessed lands of Hongze, guarded by immortals, who would dare to be so brazen and savage?!

However, this very act also dispelled any doubt that the Wanxiang Pavilion cultivators had about the identity of the demon hall. Those barbarians from Southern Hong would never dare to associate with such a vicious demon beast, nor would they have the qualifications to command a dragon demon of such noble bloodline.

"Sect Master!"

The helpless death of Lu Qing made the Wanxiang Pavilion cultivators truly realize the terrifying gap in power between the two sides. It wasn't something that could be bridged by mere courage or tactics.

Thus, their final act was to shout desperately towards the sky, seeking help.

In other places, the sect master might have ignored their pleas and chosen to save himself first. But here, in the treasure land, the enemy had no choice but to face the consequences of their actions, unless they wanted to fall from the Unity Realm.

Moreover, the sect master was at his strongest within this treasure land.

After all, he was like a god within this realm.

Ke Shisan's figure disappeared, and his golden claws casually swiped, easily tearing apart another cultivator's body.

In the face of this one-sided slaughter, where they had no chance to fight back...

The remaining cultivators scrambled to use their movement techniques and summoned various treasures to try and escape this place of carnage. However, their abilities, which they had relied on, proved to be as fragile as tofu in the face of the golden claws.

Clang!

Just as the dragon claw was about to pierce through another cultivator, it was finally blocked by something.

It was a stream of qi, only three feet long, resembling an invisible sword.

At first glance, it seemed insignificant compared to the treasures of the White Jade Capital cultivators, let alone the various techniques of the Qi Refinement cultivators.

But this stream of qi, this invisible sword, not only saved the cultivator's life but also injured Ke Shisan for the first time.

A gash appeared on his claw, and if his body weren't made of stone, his hand would be dripping with blood.

A sigh came from the sky, carrying a sense of detachment from the mundane world.

"Esteemed East Hall Master, there's no need for this. Whatever the issue is, we can discuss it calmly."

As these words sounded, almost all the Wanxiang Pavilion cultivators felt a sense of relief, and their panicked flight came to a halt.

"... "

Ke Shisan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the stream of qi in his palm.

A moment later, a twisted smile appeared on his face, a smile that reached the extremes of ferocity, revealing sharp, white dragon fangs.

The smile contained a dense killing intent, a rage at having lost face in front of his master! Unlike Wu Jun, Ke Shisan did not enjoy being noisy.

So, he suddenly clenched his palm, causing the stream of qi to shatter into nothingness.

Beneath the colossal dragon claw, a frail, elderly figure tumbled out from the cloud of mist, losing the calm and collected demeanor he had displayed earlier.

He frantically performed intricate hand seals, summoning thousands upon thousands of Qi swords, filling the entire sky.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

The Qi swords converged into a mighty river, crashing violently against the dragon claw that resembled five towering mountains.

One by one, the Qi swords shattered, leaving countless scratches on the dragon claw.

The clash between these two Unity Realm experts caused the entire Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion to tremble! In the distant mortal realm outside the sect, it seemed as though the heavens were collapsing and the sun and moon were filled with dread, as if signaling the end of days!

"Honored Master, please listen to what I have to say!"

Caught off guard by the ferocity of the attack, the Sect Master of the Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion finally spoke up, temporarily halting the ferocious dragon.

Without the veil of the heavens to conceal him, the Sect Master appeared as nothing more than an ordinary old man, his eyebrows carrying a hint of cunning that bordered on lewdness.

However, he wasn't addressing Ke Shisan this time. Instead, he looked toward the young man sitting on the stone steps of the main hall, with a well-behaved little girl now standing behind him.

Compared to a dragon demon, a cultivator seemed like a more reasonable option for communication.

Moreover, judging by the young man's composed demeanor, he was most likely the one truly in charge of this operation from the Hall of Myriad Beasts, possibly even outranking the East Hall Master.

"..."

Shen Yi lifted his gaze, surprised that he was being addressed.

In truth, he was more interested in observing the techniques of Unity Realm experts to aid in his future plans.

At least, for now, Ke Shisan seemed to be at a slight disadvantage, although it was unclear by how much.

"Hear me out. Regardless of how the Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion has offended your esteemed hall, I am willing to apologize and make amends... Why cause both sides to suffer? As you know, we Unity Realm cultivators have our last resorts. Solely relying on you, Honored East Hall Master..."

Despite being a Unity Realm giant, the Sect Master of the Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion lacked the dignity and aura of a powerful expert, probably because he had obtained this treasure land by chance.

Hearing the phrase "two sides suffering," Ke Shisan's face once again filled with murderous intent, and he violently smashed the river of Qi swords with a palm strike, aiming directly at the old man.

"You..."

The Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion Sect Master glared at Shen Yi, but he saw that the young man had casually averted his gaze after hearing his proposal, seemingly uninterested in what he had to say.

Realizing that the situation was beyond salvaging, the old man glanced at the approaching dragon claw and a vicious look appeared in his eyes. "Do you think I'm afraid of you? I, with the strength of White Jade Capital, managed to obtain a treasure land in Western Hong. Who among you isn't a villain?"

"Who's more ruthless than whom? You're still a bit green!"

In the next moment, the old man's figure sat back down, merging with the heavens and the earth.

At the same time, the cultivators who had been watching from the side suddenly paled, instinctively wanting to flee. However, they soon realized that they had nowhere to run.

Immediately, they knelt on the ground, their pleas for mercy echoing throughout the area: "Spare our lives, Sect Master!"

In an instant, their bodies began to vaporize, as if reverting to their essence, and they rushed toward the figure in the sky, offering themselves as sacrifices.

As their auras fluctuated, a massive, invisible sword spanning the heavens and the earth swiftly took form. It casually blocked the incoming dragon claw and then pointed its tip toward the figure on the stone steps.

Compared to severely injuring the golden dragon...

The Sect Master of the Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion knew that the key to victory lay in taking down the leader.

His gaze turned indifferent as he looked down, and then his pupils began to flicker uncertainly.

He saw the young man, who had been wary of the terrifying Xuanqing Sword, casually adjust his wrist, seemingly unconcerned by the sword's presence.

With this in mind, the Sect Master of the Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion continued to sacrifice more lives: "Let's see if you, a mere cultivator from White Jade Capital, have the qualifications to put on a show of strength in front of me!"

Along with his words, the massive sword finally stabbed down!

However, to the Sect Master's astonishment, it couldn't touch Shen Yi's body, nor could it get close to the flowing aura emanating from the golden bracelet.

Within a few hundred meters of the Xuanqing Sword, the young man's petite figure seemed insignificant, almost negligible.

She stood in mid-air, her delicate palm pressing against the sword's blade.

Then, with a gentle shake, countless fine cracks appeared on the sword, spreading across its entire length in the blink of an eye before it collapsed with a mountain-splitting explosion.

Her black skirt fluttered slightly, and her exquisite, well-behaved, and innocent face now exuded an aura that struck fear into the hearts of those who dared to look upon it.

"..."

The Sect Master of the Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion sat cross-legged in the air, stunned.

Ke Shisan retracted his dragon claw and rubbed his wrist, saying indifferently, "This is your choice, so don't regret it later... Evil begets evil, hmph."

Hearing the dragon demon's mocking tone, the old man's face turned red, but he had no intention of arguing. Instead, he abruptly spread open his palms, and the sacrificial ritual he had started earlier now extended beyond the sect's outer gates, covering the entire treasure land and the mortal realm within it.

Only by doing so could he alleviate the immense pressure he felt when facing this young girl.

Noticing the old man's actions, Shen Yi finally stood up and turned to Ke Shisan, saying, "Let's go together. Be quick about it."

Upon hearing this, Ke Shisan became excited again.

He had thought that his earlier performance would disappoint his master.

But now, he had another chance.

In the next moment, the majestic golden dragon finally revealed its true form, even more terrifying than the Xuanqing Sword. Its dragon whiskers fluttered, and a deafening dragon roar echoed through the surroundings!

As the old man glanced to the side, a petite figure in black had already quietly appeared by his side, and a vicious knee strike landed on his lower jaw!

An Yi interrupted his sacrificial ritual, followed by an unemotional elbow strike that smashed into the old man's face!

Accompanied by a low tiger roar, the Sect Master of the Myriad Phenomenon Pavilion's head exploded!

Roar!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end