Back to Great Marsh Township

The two entered the hall, ignoring the Water Marsh Sect members on either side.

The somewhat younger brown-robed monk on the right stepped past several Painting Realm elders and walked straight to the end of the main hall, casually taking the seat of honor.

A smile lingered at the corners of his eyes as his gaze slowly swept across both sides of the hall. He spoke softly, "Outside just now, I heard you all arguing quite fiercely. Why has everyone fallen silent now?"

"..."

The Water Marsh Sect members held their breath and looked on, unable to guess what the Sumeru Sect's arrival truly meant.

The elder who had just been talking about disbanding was now drenched in cold sweat, his body trembling faintly. He did not quite dare look at the figure seated in the place of honor.

Yet the brown-robed monk's gaze still fell upon him.

"Were you the one who said you wanted to disband?"

Pinned beneath that gaze, the elder felt his body shudder and a chill seep through his entire being. He laboriously opened his mouth, wanting to explain.

"I..."

Before he could finish—

BOOM—!

A deafening blast exploded through the hall.

Dazzling golden light surged up from the ground, instantly filling the entire palace hall.

Everyone felt a stabbing pain in their eyes and was briefly blinded. They instinctively raised their sleeves to shield their eyes.

When that fierce golden radiance gradually faded, everyone turned their heads blankly and finally saw what had happened.

The elder who had just been about to defend himself had become a headless corpse, falling rigidly onto the cold blue-brick floor.

Scarlet blood gushed from his severed neck, swiftly staining a vast stretch of the floor red.

A genuine Painting Realm cultivator had been slain on the spot without