In an instant, before the white light of the Thunder Dragon Collapsing the Mountain had dissipated, the terrifying aftershocks of thunder still lingered in the world. The mountain range that had been cleanly severed stretched across the sky, and on its smooth, mirror-like surface, pale blue lightning patterns resembled a mark from the heavens, lingering for a long time.
Luo Chuan withdrew his fingertips, and the pale blue lightning slowly faded away, but the domineering aura around him, which seemed capable of tearing the sky apart, did not diminish in the slightest.
He still had one hand behind his back, his gaze indifferently fixed on the center of the Burning Heaven Seven Immortal Sword Formation, where there was no longer any sign of life.
The Burning Heaven Seven Immortal Sword Formation shattered the moment the thunder dragon descended. The seven thousand-foot sword lights were torn apart by the thunder as if they were made of paper. The sea of fire was instantly annihilated by the thunder power, leaving only wisps of green smoke drifting in the air.
Mo Ran's dark blue Daoist robe had long since turned to ashes. The look of smug disdain on his face remained frozen in place, but his pupils were filled with extreme terror and disbelief.
Under the onslaught of the lightning's power, his body and soul were reduced to nothingness, leaving not even a trace behind.
One move, just one move.
The superior-grade immortal technique, Nine Heavens Startling Thunder, completely annihilated a true mid-stage Sunie Realm expert between heaven and earth.
The surroundings were deathly silent. The cultivators who had retreated to watch the battle all stared wide-eyed, their mouths slightly open but unable to utter a sound, their eyes filled with horror and awe.
They had expected it to be a closely fought battle, even thinking that Luo Chuan would be crushed and killed by Mo Ran, but reality gave them a rude awakening.
This junior, for whom the Cultivation Alliance has a bounty on his head, is actually terrifyingly strong!
The faces of the eight early-stage Sunie Realm experts from the Cultivation Alliance instantly turned ashen, looking as if they had swallowed hundreds of flies.
The old man at the head of the group gripped his whisk tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, his pale goatee trembling incessantly, his eyes churning with rage, fear, and disbelief.
Mo Ran is dead!
That was an alliance envoy at the mid-stage of the Sunie Realm, their strongest force this time, someone even the eight of them combined would be wary of, yet he was instantly killed by Luo Chuan with a single finger, without even a chance to resist!
This level of strength far surpasses that of ordinary mid-stage Sunie Realm, and is even comparable to a late-stage Sunie Realm expert!
Wang Wei and Hu Juan exchanged a glance, their worries turning into relief, followed by a look of amazement.
They knew Luo Chuan was quite strong, but they never expected him to be this powerful. The Eight Heavens Startling Thunder, a high-grade immortal technique, was so powerful that it had already touched the threshold of the Heavenly Human Realm. No wonder he could easily crush Mo Ran.
The two men slightly lowered their guarded aura, but still stood beside Luo Chuan like two unshakeable mountains, keeping a close watch on the members of the Cultivation Alliance to prevent them from resorting to desperate measures.
"Elder Mo Ran!"
After a long while, the old man at the head of the group let out a shrill roar. His voice became hoarse with anger. He stared intently at Luo Chuan, the killing intent in his eyes almost overflowing, but he forcibly suppressed it in his heart.
The eight men knew perfectly well that even Mo Ran had been killed by Luo Chuan in one move, so the eight of them, who were at the mid-stage of the Sunie Realm, would only be easy prey if they went up against him.
Even if the eight of them joined forces, they wouldn't last more than three moves against Luo Chuan's swift and decisive methods. Moreover, Cloud Immortal Couple was also watching them closely. If they were to actually fight, all eight of them would probably be stuck here forever.
Anger aside, in the face of life and death, the so-called alliance's reputation and the allure of top-tier Void Treasure became insignificant.
" Luo Chuan! How dare you openly kill an envoy of the Cultivation Alliance! You are making an enemy of the entire Cultivation Alliance!"
The cultivator in the golden Daoist robe shouted sternly, his voice trembling uncontrollably, revealing his fierce but cowardly nature.
"Arrogant brat! Elder Mo Ran is the Alliance's appointed envoy. You killed him, and the Alliance will never let you go. You will have nowhere to stand in the world!"
"If you know what's good for you, cripple your cultivation, offer up a top-tier Void Treasure, and go to the Alliance to plead guilty. Perhaps the Alliance will spare your life. Otherwise, the day the Alliance army marches in will be the day your soul is annihilated!"
The crowd spoke amongst themselves, their words filled with threats and shouts, yet not a single person dared to take a single step forward, much less use their cultivation to attack.
Their momentum had already collapsed the moment Luo Chuan killed Mo Ran; their rebukes now were merely an attempt to salvage their last shred of dignity.
Luo Chuan's lips curled into a cold smile as he swept his gaze over the eight people. His indifferent eyes were as if he were looking at a group of clowns, without the slightest ripple of emotion.
Luo Chuan walked forward slowly with one hand behind his back. With each step, faint lightning patterns appeared on the ground. An invisible pressure surged towards the members of the Cultivation Alliance like a tide, forcing them to retreat repeatedly, their faces growing paler.
"To be an enemy of the alliance?"
Luo Chuan spoke softly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears, saying calmly, "You were the ones who ambushed and killed him on the road. He was the one who challenged you to a fight. He was outmatched and died. How can you say that I openly provoked him?"
"The top-tier Void Treasure is on me. If you have the ability, come and take it; if you don't, shut your mouths."
" The Cultivation Alliance? It's no match for me, Luo Chuan."
These few simple words carried an overbearing arrogance, each one piercing the heart, causing the faces of the members of the Cultivation Alliance to turn pale and then red, filled with shame and anger, yet powerless to refute them.
The old man at the head of the group trembled with rage. He stared at Luo Chuan, then glanced at the composed Cloud Immortal Couple beside him, and finally forced himself to suppress his anger, knowing that there was no way to undo what had happened today.
Mo Ran is dead, and the eight of them are no match for him. If they continue to fight, they will only lose their lives and become a laughing stock among cultivators.
He took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, " Luo Chuan, the Cultivation Alliance will remember this grudge! This matter will not end here. You'll be hunted down by the Alliance!"
"Let's go!"
At the old man's command, the eight men dared not linger any longer and turned to leave like stray dogs.
They hurried along, not even daring to look at Luo Chuan. Their earlier arrogance had vanished, leaving only dishevelment and fear.
"Trying to leave?"
Wang Wei raised an eyebrow, his aura suddenly surging, and he was about to step forward to stop him.
"Never mind."
Luo Chuan raised his hand to stop Wang Wei, his gaze indifferent as he watched the eight people flee. He said calmly, "A bunch of clowns. Killing them is pointless. Let them go back and send a message to the Cultivation Alliance."
Upon hearing this, the Cloud Immortal Couple ceased their obstruction, merely watching coldly as the eight disappeared into the horizon.
Eight figures fled in panic, disappearing without a trace in moments, leaving behind only a scene of chaos and a cacophony of voices.
Standing at the foot of the Broken Mountain, on the banks of the Huai River, Luo Chuan's fingertips flickered with pale blue lightning. His aura gradually subsided, yet he had already become an unapproachable figure in the eyes of all the cultivators present.