Heavenly Court, below the God-Fighting Arena.
As River Styx left Vulture Mountain, Nine Li suddenly sensed something. He turned toward Vulture Mountain, a look of disbelief flashing through his eyes.
"Eldest Senior Brother, what's wrong?" the immortals of the Expounding Teaching asked Nine Li.
"Teacher Ran Deng... something may have happened to him." Nine Li's brows knitted tightly, his voice heavy.
"What?!" The immortals' expressions changed drastically. How could this be? How could anything have happened to their teacher? He was an Innate Deity at the great Luo peak, someone who could perform Corpse-Slaying at any moment!
"Eldest Senior Brother, terrible news! Eldest Senior Brother!" About an incense stick's worth of time later, True Person Taiyi flew back. Under the gazes of the many deities who had come to watch the fight, he landed before Nine Li and bowed urgently. "Senior Brother, Teacher Ran Deng was... was murdered in his own abode on Vulture Mountain by that fiend, Minghe Sect Leader! Ah..."
At these words, all the deities nearby who were still waiting for Ran Deng to arrive and fight Golden Roc were stunned.
Daoist Ran Deng... had fallen? Was that really true?
Though he ranked at the very bottom among the surviving Innate Deities, Ran Deng was the Deputy Cult Leader of the Expounding Teaching, with cultivation at the great Luo peak. His death was certainly no small matter. And besides...
The deities turned to look at Golden Roc, who stood in the God-Fighting Arena looking equally bewildered. They could not help thinking that this was far too much of a coincidence. Of all days, he had died today!
"Minghe Sect Leader!" The immortals of the Expounding Teaching were furious, every one of them looking as though they wanted nothing more than to seek out River Styx and