"Greetings, Elder Xing."
Upon seeing the newcomer, all the Peak Master bowed respectfully.
Even someone as arrogant as Zhang Lingyun could only grit his teeth and sheathe his sword, forcibly suppressing his surging Killing Intent in the face of the absolute pressure from Eighth Rank Land Immortal.
She took a deep breath, her voice filled with resentment:
"Elder Xing, Zhu Wuwang seized Crimson Flame Peak while I was away for a thousand years, and even refined my disciples into the Myriad Souls Banner..."
"Enough!"
Xing Tian let out a cold shout, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing straight at Zhang Lingyun:
"You haven't returned for a thousand years, Crimson Flame Peak has been neglected. Zhu Wuwang kindly took care of it for you. Is that wrong?"
Upon hearing this, everyone present could sense the bias in the statement, but no one dared to utter a single word of rebuttal.
Zhu Wuwang was introduced to the Soul Refining Sect by Xing Tian, who was considered Zhu Wuwang's half-master, so naturally he would protect him.
Furthermore, there are rumors that the two have a special relationship.
Zhu Wuwang smiled smugly and replied:
"Elder Xing, you are wise. I not only did not receive a penny of compensation for managing Crimson Flame Peak, but I also paid out of my own pocket to keep Crimson Flame Peak running."
As for your subordinates--"
He glanced at Zhang Lingyun, his tone turning cold:
"After you left, they acted recklessly, disturbing the peace of the sect. I suppressed them by taking them into the Myriad Souls Banner, which is also to clean house for you. What's wrong with that?"
"You--!"
Zhang Lingyun trembled with rage, but Xing Tian's oppressive aura was like a mountain pressing down on her, making it difficult for her to even finish her sentence.
Xing Tian stopped looking at her, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged Crimson Flame Peak, and said indifferently:
"You need to give Zhu Wuwang an explanation for what happened today."
His tone was calm, but the aura of an Eighth Rank Land Immortal was like an invisible hand, slowly tightening, the threat of which was self-evident.
Zhang Lingyun's fingernails dug into her palm, and blood dripped from between her fingers; her voice was hoarse.
"May I ask Elder Xing... what explanation do you want?"
The situation is beyond our control; resistance at this moment will only lead to our death.
"Since you have acknowledged your mistake, you should return Crimson Flame Peak to Zhu Wuwang as compensation."
Xing Tian's words were calm, yet carried an undeniable determination.
"Very well... we will do as Elder Xing says."
Zhang Lingyun closed her eyes, her voice filled with a deep sense of helplessness.
"Besides!"
Zhu Wuwang, pushing his luck, a venomous glint in his eyes, pointed at Zhang Yu below and said sharply:
"Your disciple killed my Direct Disciple Hao Buren; he must pay with his life!"
"No!"
Zhang Lingyun suddenly opened her eyes and resolutely refused.
"A life for a life is a matter of course, what's wrong with that?"
Xing Tian's aura solidified, and his Eighth Rank pressure was as overwhelming as a mountain, his murderous intent locking onto Zhang Yu as if it were a tangible substance.
"You old bastard, you think you're worthy to kill me?"
Driven to the brink by Xing Tian's murderous intent, Zhang Yu's anger surged, and he could no longer care about awe or fear. He opened his mouth and let out a furious curse.
He pointed at Xing Tian, his voice like a knife, each word piercing the heart:
"Zhu Wuwang occupied my Master's Crimson Flame Peak and refined the Crimson Flame Peak disciples into the Myriad Souls Banner. You didn't distinguish right from wrong and forcibly protected him. Are you having an affair with him?"
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.
All the Peak Master and disciples stared wide-eyed and gasped in shock.
"This kid... he's dead meat! How dare he say something like that!"
"Exactly, I know their relationship is unusual, but who would dare to say it in public?"
That kid's got guts!
"Those with guts usually don't live long..."
The crowd whispered amongst themselves, looking at Zhang Yu as if he were already dead.
"Zhang Yu, don't talk nonsense!"
Zhang Lingyun's expression changed drastically. She quickly stepped forward and bowed to Xing Tian, saying, "Elder Xing, he is young and speaks without thinking. Please don't take it to heart!"
Zhang Lingyun, a woman of great pride, actually took the initiative to plead for Zhang Yu.
I never argue with the dead.
Xing Tian's face was ashen, and the murderous intent in his eyes had solidified into a tangible form.
He has lived for tens of thousands of years; how could he have ever been so humiliated in public?
Especially since the opponent was just a junior who was only Great Grandmaster!
"You think you can be arrogant in front of me just because you have this Righteous Qi?"
His voice was icy cold. He raised his hand and pointed, unleashing a vast, boundless Soul Power that surged like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing down on Zhang Yu.
"Then I'll first extinguish your arrogance, then throw you into the Soul Devouring Tower, so you'll never be reincarnated!"
"Its power is boundless, its fierce spirit enduring through the ages—"
Zhang Yu gritted his teeth and frantically recited the "Ode to Righteousness," his body radiating Righteous Qi like white flames, attempting to resist the attack.
However, in the face of the absolute Soul Power of that Eighth Rank Land Immortal, his Awe-Inspiring Righteous Qi was like a candle flickering in the wind, lasting for less than a breath before being forcibly dispersed and crushed!
"Puff--!"
Zhang Yu was struck as if by a heavy blow, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily against the mountain wall, the sound of his bones breaking clearly audible.
"Zhang Yu--!!"
Zhang Lingyun's eyes were bloodshot, and she wanted to rush over, but Xing Tian's oppressive aura was like an invisible shackle, pinning her firmly to the spot, unable to move.
"How dare you, an ant, speak so arrogantly?"
Xing Tian stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent, as if he had merely crushed an insect with a casual flick of his wrist.
He looked down at Zhang Yu, a cruel glint in his eyes, like a cat toying with a mouse.
He didn't rush to kill Zhang Yu. Instead, he watched with great interest as Zhang Yu struggled in his desperate situation, watching his Awe-Inspiring Righteous Qi be scattered and then reassembled time and time again.
"When it pierces through the sun and moon, what is life and death to speak of?"
Zhang Yu coughed up blood, but his poetry grew louder and louder, and the dispelled Righteous Qi flowed back to him like rivers returning to the sea.
The immense, Righteous Qi cleansed his severely injured body and nourished his nearly depleted Divine Soul.
"Ignorance."
Xing Tian sneered, his voice as cold as ice:
Even if you can draw upon Righteous Qi, so what?
Faced with absolute power, all struggle is in vain.
"Ha ha ha ha."
Zhu Wuwang watched with excitement, his eyes red. He loved watching these kinds of "unyielding to the death, struggling in the face of death" dramas, especially when the strugglers were his enemies whom he hated to the core.
"Sigh, why bother..."
"Young people are just too impulsive."
A murmur of regret rippled through the crowd, and all the Peak Master shook their heads and sighed.
They all understood that Zhang Yu had no chance of survival today in front of Xing Tian, Eighth Rank Land Immortal.
The Pink Skull also abandoned its charming demeanor, its face darkening as it stared intently at Xing Tian.
She wanted to help Jiang Ling and Zhang Yu, but their opponents were too strong, so strong that she didn't even have the courage to plead for them.
"Xing Tian, if you dare to hurt him, I will never let this go!"
Seeing the black light gathering again at Xing Tian's fingertips, Zhang Lingyun's eyes flashed with madness. She roared with all her might, and the Golden Light of Merit around her body even showed signs of burning!
"Noisy."
Xing Tian frowned, and with a casual wave of his hand, an invisible force, like a mountain pressing down, slammed Zhang Lingyun hard onto the ground.
Several deep cracks appeared in the ground. Zhang Lingyun groaned, blood gushing from his mouth, and he could no longer get up.
Xing Tian didn't even glance at her, but said indifferently to Zhu Wuwang:
"Go, extract that brat's soul and throw it into the Soul Devouring Tower. I want him to suffer the torment of soul refining for all eternity."
"Yes, Elder Xing."
Zhu Wuwang and moved like lightning, rushing straight at Zhang Yu.
He now held a jet-black Soul Extraction Nail in his hand, its tip gleaming with an eerie light and radiating a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's Divine Soul.
"Kid, weren't you pretty arrogant just now?"
Now, it's your turn!
He raised his hand and Soul Extraction Nail, which transformed into a black line and pierced straight at Zhang Yu's brow!
If this nail hits, Zhang Yu's soul will be forcibly extracted and imprisoned in the Soul Devouring Tower for eternity, suffering endless torment of soul refining, unable to live or die.