Song Wen wore a satisfied smile.
"Li Chen, you are quite impressive. I find myself appreciating you more and more."
Li Chen perked up, delight spreading across his face.
"So I stand before the sect master of the Divine Blood Sect. Forgive my ignorance for failing to recognize you sooner."
After a brief pause, Li Chen continued in a resolute tone.
"Sect Master, please show mercy. I am willing to brave boiling water and raging fire for you!"
"We, too, are willing to serve you, Sect Master. Please spare us." Like drowning men clutching at a straw, several Mahayana-stage cultivators hurried to echo his words.
Only Ku Yan spoke harshly.
"Stop indulging in fantasies. He clearly came to destroy the Phantom Illusion Sect. Why would he leave anyone alive? Only by cutting the weeds out by their roots and eliminating all future trouble can he settle this once and for all."
Hearing Ku Yan's words, Li Chen's eyes shifted, and he spoke again.
"Sect Master, although the Five Extremes Illusion-Annihilation Formation is powerful, I can help you lure Youye and the other Tribulation Transcendence cultivators out of the Phantom Illusion Sect. You can set up a killing formation beforehand. Once Youye and the others fall into it, their deaths will be certain."
Song Wen regarded Li Chen with a faint, ambiguous smile.
"You want... me to let you return?"
Li Chen said, "Sect Master, I can swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao to remain loyal unto death to both of you and the Divine Blood Sect, never betraying you."
Song Wen said, "Your plan is good. But eight of you left together, and if you alone return unscathed, I fear Youye will not believe you. So... you should die with the others."
With that, Song Wen asked no further