The instant the Blood Coffin slammed into the floor, three cracks split the stone tiles inside the hall.
The thick stench of blood instantly filled the entire Main Hall, staining even the spiritual energy circulating in the corners a rusty red.
Zhou Xuan did not move.
He sat in the seat of honor, his elbow resting on the armrest, his fingers draped casually around the rim of his teacup.
The four Longevity Realm projections on either side did not move either, though each frowned slightly.
With his shoulder now empty, Zhao Tu strode over to the coffin and kicked its lid open.
Clang—
The heavy lid tumbled away, struck a pillar, and broke in two.
The contents of the coffin lay exposed before everyone.
Fourteen human heads.
Every one had its eyes open, unable to rest in death, its face still bearing the terror and disbelief of its final moments.
Zhou Xuan did not recognize some of them.
But three were recorded in the Ten Thousand Veins Records compiled by Lin Qingzhu—the Sect Masters of three vassal sects in the Outer Grand Hua Immortal Vein, all possessing Spirit Transformation cultivation.
Judging by the remnants of their clothing and the fluctuations of spiritual power, at least six or seven of the others had been hidden spy-level operatives.
Zhao Tu slapped the blood off his hands, his voice as rough as if he were playing drinking games.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou, this is Extreme Firmament's greeting gift."
He jerked his chin toward the coffin.
"I rooted out every last informant that old bastard from Great Hua planted on Extreme Firmament's territory. And while sweeping the grass, I bagged a few rabbits too—wiped out three little sects that clung to Great Hua and kept hopping around our border."
"The Sect Masters' heads are here.