The moment Mengji thought of retreating, he saw Jiu staring at him with an indescribably strange expression. For some reason, a warning stirred in his heart.
"What's wrong with you?"
Jiu smiled faintly. "The storm has settled. I'd like to invite you to visit the Xu Tribe."
"You had contact with two gods of the Xu Tribe before. Have you befriended them?" A thought struck Mengji as he spoke. "At any other time, perhaps. But they've just fought the Youqiong Clan and subdued a mighty ruler. They're riding high. If we go now, we'll be putting ourselves beneath them and diminishing the Sacred Hall's prestige!"
Jiu laughed.
"Watch out!" E suddenly cried.
Mengji needed no warning. He had already sensed something was wrong. But he never imagined that, the instant the thought arose, his whole body would turn heavy!
Pitch-black chains came whistling out of the clouds around them!
"The Karmic Chains!"
Mengji shuddered.
"Jiu, have you betrayed the Sacred Hall? You're using a sacred relic against us!"
Even as he spoke, Mengji moved to unleash a Divine Ability. But Jiu raised a hand, and Mist Aura spread from his body, blanketing the area in an instant.
"No!"
At the sight of that Mist Aura, not only Mengji but even E was seized with terror!
"That's the Xu Tribe's God of Wealth's Mist Aura! You... you've gone over to him? You worship him now?!" Mengji paled. He had watched everything from afar, detached as a bystander, but he knew Yi of the Youqiong Clan had not earned his reputation for nothing!
Yet a figure like Yi had been beaten down and sealed within those clouds!
Who could withstand that?
"Quick! Run!" E was more decisive. His form flickered, and the space around him twisted as he tried to leave.
But