Chapter 150: The God Slayer
"Ha-ha-ha! Xinzhi's planning is vast and profound! It is entirely to my liking!" Wu Dingshan threw his head back and roared with laughter.
Wu Xinzhi gave Wu Jiaji a defiant look, raising her eyebrows.
Wu Jiaji clenched his fists and remained silently tight-lipped.
"The ideas of the Eldest Miss and the Second Young Master are simply brilliant! This subordinate first congratulates the Villa Master on taking his revenge!" An elder with the hair of a crane and the complexion of a youth stepped forward to offer his congratulations.
The other elders and disciples in the grand hall quickly joined in, shouting their congratulations.
"Ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha!"
The grand hall of the Poison-Infatuated Villa was filled with the sinister laughter of Wu Dingshan.
...
The atmosphere froze for a fraction of a second.
Deng Jingyao gave a light cough and said with a countenance full of vicissitudes: "Everyone, I have brought my disciples here not to commit acts of wanton slaughter like the Heavenly Mystery Sect! Our Profound Intent Sect is a truly righteous sect of renown; we will never wrong an innocent person, nor will we ever let a demonic cultivator escape!
"Peak Master Su, now that the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Sect have committed such cruel deeds, do you still wish to execute us so that the Heavenly Mystery Sect can securely hold its position as the number one righteous sect?"
Sparks of lightning flickered across Su Xichen's right palm, and the sudden rumble of thunder made the footsteps of several people tremble slightly.
"Even if the memory stone is authentic, it cannot represent that these acts were committed by the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Sect."
"Hahaha, what a joke! The memory stone is authentic, yet you claim the people weren't killed by the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Sect? Peak Master Su, isn't your argument altogether too unreasonable?" Every word Hua Xianglian uttered was directed at Su Xichen.
Although she too feared Su Xichen's Violet Thunder Prowess, the humiliation he had inflicted upon her years ago in front of everyone, coupled with his ruthless rejection, remained deeply embedded in her heart like a thorn, impossible to forget.
Even under immense pressure, she was determined to make Su Xichen taste that very same pain.
Seeing a favorable opening, Deng Jingyao quickly chimed in, "That's right, exactly! Peak Master Su may not recognize the faces of the Heavenly Mystery Sect's disciples, but Sect Leader Luo should remember them clearly enough, shouldn't he? The appearances of the disciples captured on the memory stone are so crystal clear—does Sect Leader Luo still intend to deny that this wasn't done by your people?"
Luo Tangyu felt a bitter ache in his heart.
He finally understood why he had believed Su Xichen wasn't lying back then: it was because this man seemed utterly incapable of learning how to lie!
Things had reached this point, and anyone with eyes could see that Deng Jingyao had come thoroughly prepared, yet Su Xichen stubbornly admitted right away that this memory stone was genuine!
"These people... are indeed disciples of our Heavenly Mystery Sect!"
***
In full view of everyone, Luo Tangyu could no longer deny it at this juncture.
A flash of sharp insight crossed both Deng Jingyao's and Huo Huahong's eyes.
"So it truly was done by the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Sect. I used to think the Heavenly Mystery Sect was already satisfied with being the foremost sect, but it seems I underestimated you far too much. Your ambition is actually this vast!" Chu Gongming, the Master of the Too-Void Sacred Land, spoke to Luo Tangyu in a lazy and disdainful tone.
"Oh my, so that means once the Heavenly Mystery Sect quietly destroys the Profound Intent Sect, the next target will be us!" Hua Xianglian feigned astonishment, covering her mouth with her delicate hand.
Huo Huahong said sternly, "The Heavenly Mystery Sect has quite an appetite! Do you really take the Huo family, which has been passed down since ancient times, for a pack of good-for-nothings?"
"And our Shi family! We will not simply stand by and watch the Heavenly Mystery Sect devour major sects and swallow the entire Dome Realm Continent!" Shi Changli declared in a resonant voice.
Facing the aggressive and thoroughly prepared Too-Void Sacred Land, the two ancient super clans, and the three major sects, Luo Tangyu furrowed his brows tightly. Anger surged within his chest, but he suppressed it without erupting.
Boom!
A bolt of purple lightning suddenly struck dead center. Su Xichen descended into the midst of the crowd before anyone realized it.
With his right palm facing downward and his five fingers spread, terrifying lightning spread from his palm in all directions. Heaven and earth changed color, dark clouds billowed, and the sound of thunder rolled incessantly without pause.
Chu Gongming, the Master of the Too-Void Sacred Land, and the others retreated dozens of feet in unison, leaping clear of the zone where the purple lightning expanded.
Deng Jingyao's brow twitched. He had never expected that even with conclusive evidence and the backing of so many factions, Su Xichen would still dare to make a move right in front of everyone!
Luo Tangyu's heart was also pounding like a drum.
After all these years, the God of Slaughter's temperament remained entirely unchanged.
"Give us three days, and the Heavenly Mystery Sect will give everyone a measure of justice." Su Xichen slowly raised his eyes, his cold gaze sweeping across the crowd.
On a towering peak in the distance of the Heavenly Mystery Sect, Huo Songang wore a wicked smirk at the corner of his lips. "Isn't Su Xichen acting a bit too anxious? Is that all the capability his Violet Thunder Prowess amounts to?"
Yet the capability that Huo Songang dismissed as trivial had frightened Deng Jingyao and the others quite profoundly.
Huo Huahong awkwardly lowered the sleeve he had raised to shield himself and said sharply, "Three days? Is this also Sect Leader Luo's intention?"
The gazes of Deng Jingyao and the others turned unanimously toward Luo Tangyu.
Luo Tangyu feigned deep thought while his heart hammered wildly against his ribs.
***
Three days? How could three days possibly be enough?
Since you've already made your move, why didn't you stall for a bit more time!
Luo Tangyu cursed his misfortune inwardly while maintaining a calm and composed exterior. He swept a tranquil gaze over Deng Jingyao and the others and said, "That's right, mere three days are all it takes, and this sect will return the truth to you!"
"During these three days, Deng Jingyao might make a move at any moment. My cultivation has dropped by several realms; I must find Qu Yiqiu as quickly as possible!" Su Xichen stood tall and detached, transmitting his voice secretly to Luo Tangyu.
Luo Tangyu's pupils dilated slightly before he swiftly masked the reaction, leaving no trace for outsiders to detect.
Su Xichen's cultivation had dropped by several realms?!
When on earth did this happen???
And besides, what did he want with Qu Yiqiu? What did this have to do with Senior Brother Mo's disciple?
He could rack his brains to exhaustion and never have guessed that Su Xichen's cultivation had been drained away by Qu Yiqiu.
At this moment, faced with the plummeting of Su Xichen's cultivation realm and the relentless pressure from the major factions of the Profound Intent Sect, Luo Tangyu could only swallow his bellyful of doubts and respond to the crowd with an outward display of composure.
Having received Luo Tangyu's reply, Huo Huahong and Deng Jingyao exchanged a covert glance.
"Sect Leader Deng, we can agree to his terms. The Profound Intent Sect has already lost too many outstanding disciples; we cannot allow the remaining ones to continue taking risks!"
Hearing Huo Huahong's voice transmission, Deng Jingyao pondered for a moment before replying, "What the Family Head Huo says is reasonable. The Jade Spirit Secret Realm has given rise to too many complications, inflicting losses far too heavy upon our Profound Intent Sect! Let us temporarily grant them these three days!"
After colluding in secret, Deng Jingyao raised his chin slightly and addressed Luo Tangyu: "Three days—just three days! If after three days the Heavenly Mystery Sect fails to produce evidence proving its innocence, then this sect will unite the various powers of the Dome Realm Continent and erase the Heavenly Mystery Sect from the realm once and for all!"
Luo Tangyu pressed his lips into a tight line, gazing at Deng Jingyao's burning ambition while bitter frustration churned in his chest.
Su Xichen turned away indifferently, withdrawing the terrifyingly potent Violet Thunder Prowess back into his palm. "This sect prefers tranquility. Please take your leave, everyone!"
Luo Tangyu timely cupped his fists and said, "I bear the heavy responsibility of investigating the deaths of the Profound Intent Sect disciples and cannot escort you all out. Please make your own way back!"
With those words, Luo Tangyu followed in the wake of Su Xichen's fleeing light, vanishing from the spot. With a casual wave of his hand, he slammed the gates of the Heavenly Mystery Sect shut, locking Deng Jingyao and the others outside.