"You..."
Dharma Master Xingchi's voice trembled.
In an instant, the nightmarish, blood-soaked scenes on Xuanchi Island all those years ago surged before his eyes.
Qing Chen had descended like a god of slaughter, mountains of corpses and seas of blood piled beneath his feet, staining the Cold Mountain Temple Branch Altar red.
And he, Xingchi, had been held firmly in place by Dharma Master Chanxin, ultimately lacking even the courage to draw his sword.
That profound terror of being dominated by absolute strength, like an ant facing a Flood Dragon;
even after more than twenty years, it nearly left him unable to breathe again at this moment.
Yet Qing Chen's next words came as a tremendous surprise.
"Hua Tieshou, you've done very well."
Qing Chen glanced toward Hua Tieshou. "Effective immediately, you no longer need to serve as Island Lord. You're promoted to Deputy Hall Master of the General Affairs Hall. You'll work alongside Gao Yuliang."
Hua Tieshou's heart gave a violent tremor.
Deputy Sect Master Qing had actually praised him in public.
From this day onward, he would soar into the clouds, his future bright as brocade!
"I will devote all my efforts to my duties and not disappoint the de-Deputy Sect Master's generous favor!" Hua Tieshou's voice trembled with excitement as he hurriedly bowed.
Qing Chen gave him a faint smile, with a measure of approval in it.
Then he turned and walked up to Xingchi, his gaze like lightning as he stared straight at him. "Hand it over."
Without waiting for Xingchi to react, Qing Chen merely waved a hand, and the Alliance Covenant flew into his grasp in an instant, as though drawn by an invisible force.
Qing Chen unfolded the Alliance Covenant, glanced over it, and nodded slightly. "Mm, that's right. This is the one."