Even Flender, who had always loved taking advantage of a bargain, had a face as grim as iron. His relaxed smile from moments ago had vanished without a trace.
In the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Emperor Xue Ye, who had just been furious at Qian Renxue's humiliation, now frowned deeply and pointed at the sky screen with a mournful sigh.
"How tragic, how utterly tragic! Just how deep a grudge would it take to slaughter the people of a capital city and leave it in such a state?"
The civil and military officials all turned pale, each cursing the black-robed cultivator's cruelty in turn. Their hearts, which had been unsettled by the crown prince's disappearance, were now struck silent by a tragedy beyond their comprehension.
In the Worship Hall of Spirit Hall, Qian Daoliu, whose beard had just been trembling with rage over Qian Renxue's humiliation, also put away his anger and stared at the sky screen in silence.
Bibi Dong suppressed the smile she had worn while enjoying Qian Renxue's humiliation and tapped her fingertips lightly against the railing.
"Spirit Hall has always acted openly and honorably. I have never seen anyone so evil that he wouldn't even spare an infant." Chrysanthemum Douluo hurried to echo her from the side. All of Spirit Hall was stunned by this cruelty.
After the furious cursing, people of every faction could not help but feel deeply puzzled.
At Shrek, Yu Xiaogang was full of questions. Unable to contain himself, he frowned and spoke. "Something's not right. Qian Renxue landed at the foot of an immortal mountain where the Primordial Sect was recruiting disciples, so how did Little San end up in such a wretched place?"
"Even if it's the same world, how can the difference be so great?"
Ning Fengzhi stroked his beard and nodded. "The Grandmaster is right. This isn't our Douluo Continent at all, but a completely different world!"
"I don't think much of this Primordial Sect either. Something like this happened, and they didn't even go and deal with it. It's simply infuriating," Yu Xiaogang added.
"As my disciple, Little San certainly won't stand by and do nothing. Watch, he'll make his move soon," Yu Xiaogang said, pointing at the sky screen.
"That's right. Third Brother has to save that child," Ning Rongrong said with a nod. The people around her also waited eagerly for Tang San to step in and save the child.
Though Tang San burned with rage as he hid in a hollow in the broken wall, he remembered the Tang Sect's rules well and knew even more clearly that he was now in a completely unfamiliar alternate spacetime.
Do not meddle in others' affairs outside the mission, lest you incur karma.
Those eighteen characters were engraved on Tang San's heart. He forcibly suppressed the urge to rush out and watched the demonic cultivator's cruel actions with a cold gaze.
Back on Douluo Continent, the crowd that had just been seething with outrage gradually froze as Tang San remained motionless for a long time.
Yu Xiaogang's words still echoed across Shrek Square, yet Tang San remained perfectly still on the sky screen. The entire square fell silent in an instant.
Dozens of gazes turned as one and landed on Yu Xiaogang, who had just declared that Tang San would never stand idly by.
Yu Xiaogang's cheek twitched almost imperceptibly. He cleared his throat, puffed out his chest, and was the first to speak, trying to explain himself. "What are you panicking for? What do you know?"
He stroked his nonexistent beard, his tone so confident that it brooked no argument. "Little San has only just entered an unfamiliar realm. He knows nothing of the enemy's strength. Charging out recklessly would be nothing but the courage of a hotheaded brute, throwing his life away for nothing!"
"Tang San is being cautious. It's what I taught him: make your plans before you act, and know yourself and your enemy before making a move. What's wrong with that? Someone less composed would already be lying dead on the spot. Only a disciple of mine could keep his temper in check."
He spoke with such conviction that Flender immediately chimed in. "That's right! Xiaogang is correct. As long as the green hills remain, there'll be no shortage of firewood. That's better than rushing to your death!"
Ning Fengzhi nodded, giving Yu Xiaogang all the face he could ask for. On reflection, everyone agreed that it did make sense.
Having just arrived in an unfamiliar place, it would indeed be unwise to step forward recklessly. They withdrew their gazes and turned back to the sky screen, though their hearts remained in their throats as they watched the demonic cultivator's movements.
The demonic cultivator held the swaddled infant aloft, a cruel smile curling his lips. He conjured a strand of black-and-red demonic Qi between his fingertips, and it instantly wound around the infant's neck.
The infant didn't even make a sound. Its rosy little face shriveled at a speed visible to the naked eye, and in the blink of an eye, it became a dried corpse.
The demonic cultivator casually tossed the dried corpse aside. Unable to help himself, he gave a contented sigh, his face full of satisfaction.
"Utterly deranged!!" Emperor Xue Ye roared. The entire court fell silent, every official's face deathly pale.
Qian Daoliu stroked his white beard and said coldly, "An evil demon like that would have been hunted down by the entire continent long ago on Douluo Continent. The Primordial Sect allows such a fiend to commit murder, so it can hardly be a righteous sect either."
After refining the infant's spirit, the demonic cultivator wiped the blood from his hands, but then his nose twitched slightly. He turned and walked straight toward the broken wall where Tang San was hiding.
A chorus of gasps rose from Shrek Square. Everyone's hearts leaped into their throats. Yu Xiaogang also straightened his back and stared at the sky screen, breathing more quietly, much of his earlier composure gone.
The demonic cultivator stood before the broken wall and suddenly chuckled. "Fellow cultivator, since you're here, why hide?"
Tang San's heart tightened. His Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was about to activate as he prepared to stake his life on a fight.
But then he heard the demonic cultivator continue, "When I came over just now, I sensed the chilling killing intent of a fellow cultivator. I imagine you got here first and let me have this child. That was generous of you."
Tang San had only just fought his way out of Slaughter City, and the chilling killing intent of his Divine Slaughter's Domain had yet to dissipate. To the demonic cultivator, who identified his fellows by their presence, that made him unmistakably one of their own.
Though he sensed that Tang San's presence was not particularly condensed or powerful, demonic cultivators loved nothing more than hiding their cultivation and playing the pig to eat the tiger. He did not dare offend Tang San rashly and simply took him for a fellow disciple from the same sect competing for merit, unwilling to be the first to tear off the mask of cordiality.
"Our sect leader has already gathered everyone outside the city. Once we've taken this mortal capital, we need to leave quickly. If the Primordial Sect's cultivators catch up with us, we'll be in trouble."
With that, the demonic cultivator actually turned, waved a hand, and swaggered out through the ruins. He had no thought of forcing Tang San out of hiding, much less any intention of attacking.
Only when the footsteps had faded beyond hearing did Tang San emerge from behind the broken wall and breathe a sigh of relief. He looked at the divine slaughter presence spilling from his body, never having expected it to get him out of trouble in this other world.
But the Primordial Sect? What's that? Why did that butcher seem so wary of it?
Back on Douluo Continent, everyone was already dumbstruck. For a long while, no one said a word.
Yu Xiaogang was the first to recover. He pointed at the sky screen and burst out laughing, his face full of shared pride.
"I knew it! Little San has the great wisdom that appears foolish. He endured for a moment and gained safety in return. Anyone else would have lost patience and given themselves away. Wouldn't they have perished there today?"
"As expected, the disciple I taught never makes the wrong choice! A little impatience can ruin a great plan. This is the temperament of someone destined for great things!"