The Ghost King Sect stood within a sinister mountain. Its cultivation arts were uncanny and unfathomable, and it was renowned for cultivating netherworld power.
Its sect master, Qi Tianlong, held his position firmly through his thunderous methods and extraordinary cultivation, making powerful figures in every direction tremble at the mere mention of his name.
Yet that day, an urgent message from the grand elder hung over the entire Ghost King Sect like a dark cloud.
"Hmm, a message from the grand elder? Let's see what he has to say!" Qi Tianlong immediately opened it and listened.
"Damn it, the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect!" After hearing the message, Qi Tianlong's face instantly darkened like Bao Zheng's, and flames of boundless fury flickered in his eyes.
"Outrageous!" He slammed down his large hand, instantly reducing the antique table beside him to splinters that scattered through the hall...
According to the grand elder's message, his prized disciple Sun Qi and several elite disciples had met with disaster while carrying out a mission in the Gloomy Shadow Mountain Range. Upon examination, the sword art the killer had used was none other than the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect's exclusive technique.
"You actually dared to kill my personal disciple? Falling Rosy Clouds Sect!" Qi Tianlong said through gritted teeth.
Early the next morning, Qi Tianlong strode abruptly into the sky, surrounded by the terrifying presence of the mid Tribulation Transcendence Stage, and headed straight for the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect.
He had only one thought now: Falling Rosy Clouds Sect, you must give me an explanation!! Hmph.
Within the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect, Sect Master Liu Ran was sipping tea in the sect's great hall when he suddenly sensed a disturbance outside. He immediately led a group of elders and disciples out to meet it.
"What's going on? What is this?"
Seeing Qi Tianlong approach so aggressively, Liu Ran frowned slightly and said mockingly, "Well, well! Qi Tianlong, what madness has gotten into you?"
"The water in our well has never meddled with the water in your river. Why are you behaving so rudely?"
Qi Tianlong roared furiously, "Your Falling Rosy Clouds Sect killed my disciple and elite disciples! Today, your sect must give me an explanation!"
Qi Tianlong sneered and displayed the footage copied using the grand elder's Image Recording Technique before everyone. In it, a young man wielding a longsword was killing Sun Qi and the others with a fierce move from the Falling Rosy Clouds Sword Art.
With the evidence irrefutable, Qi Tianlong bellowed, "Liu Ran, what else do you have to say? Hand over the killer, or my Ghost King Sect will never rest until one of our sects is destroyed!"
Liu Ran's expression grew grave. After examining the footage carefully, he was still lost in a fog. "This person has already reached the mid Yin-Yang Realm. In my Falling Rosy Clouds Sect, not even our true disciples have reached that realm."
"Although this footage shows our sect's sword art, that does not necessarily prove that someone from our sect did it."
For a moment, swords were drawn and bows were bent between the two, and the tension reached its peak.
The Falling Rosy Clouds Sect's elders all shook their heads, indicating that they had never seen the mysterious disciple in the footage. Qi Tianlong, meanwhile, burned with rage, believing that the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect was deliberately sheltering the killer.
"You've gone too far!" Qi Tianlong roared. His figure shot forward as he launched an attack directly at Liu Ran.
Both sect masters were experts in the mid Tribulation Crossing Realm. Once they clashed, heaven crumbled and earth split, and the winds and clouds changed color.
"Netherworld Palm!" Qi Tianlong shouted. A black handprint suddenly appeared in the air, like a demon reaching out from the abyss, and clawed straight at Liu Ran's body.
"Hmph, Qi Tianlong, I think you've drunk far too much fake liquor and come to my Falling Rosy Clouds Sect to play the madman!"
As he spoke, Liu Ran's presence erupted. Longsword in hand, he slashed forward and shouted, "Falling Rosy Clouds Slash!" An enormous streak of sword light shot out like a silver dragon, its jaws wide open as it rushed toward Qi Tianlong!
Boom! Boom! The shock waves from the collision between the silver dragon sword light and the black handprint sent the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect disciples below swaying and staggering, unable to stand steadily!
An elder of the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect hurriedly shouted, "Get farther back! Are none of you afraid of dying?"
"Do you think I'm afraid of you, Qi Tianlong?" Liu Ran was furious too. Damn it, his Falling Rosy Clouds Sect did not even know who the killer was! How could they possibly admit to something like this?
In midair, the two figures intertwined and collided like two bolts of lightning. Every exchange came with deafening booms and waves of power spilling in every direction.
"Hmph, someone from your Falling Rosy Clouds Sect did it!" Qi Tianlong declared. Whatever the circumstances, he would fight first and talk afterward!
"Netherworld Fist!" Qi Tianlong suddenly leaped forward and punched with both hands. The enormous fist imprints seemed to bear skull markings. This was the Ghost King Sect's underhanded martial technique: anyone struck by it would have their mind tormented by netherworld power until they died!
"Hmph, Setting Sun and Long Rainbow!" Liu Ran shouted. This was the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect's signature sword technique!
Liu Ran pushed off lightly and sprang upward, sweeping his longsword. The sword light rushed toward Qi Tianlong like a long rainbow at tremendous speed.
Both men had unleashed their signature ultimate techniques.
Every disciple and elder of the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect paled in shock. They had never witnessed such a fierce battle.
One of the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect disciples said, "Damn, I've lived this long, and this is my first time seeing a battle like this!"
They all wore the expressions of melon-eating spectators, almost shouting, "Sect Master, keep it up!! Keep it up! ＆_＆!"
Yet half an hour passed, and the two remained evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand.
Qi Tianlong thought, Liu Ran's strength is about the same as mine. With neither a win nor a loss, I can still return to the Ghost King Sect with some face!
Unable to force the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect to submit through his own martial strength alone, he could only leave a threat. "Liu Ran, you have three days! If you don't hand over the killer, my Ghost King Sect will mobilize its full strength and swear to demand justice!"
With that, Qi Tianlong's figure flashed, and he vanished into the horizon, filled with rage and unwillingness.
He left the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect members exchanging glances, their hearts filled with confusion and unease.
"Hmph!" Liu Ran snorted coldly, his face livid. He slid his three-foot longsword into its sheath and flicked his sleeve!
"Come on, everyone inside! Summon all the elders for an emergency meeting."
The meeting room was solemn, its heavy atmosphere almost suffocating. Everyone whispered among themselves, quietly discussing the mysterious disciple's origins and motives.
Confusion and unease showed on every face as they tried to piece together the truth about this uninvited guest.
Liu Ran's brows were tightly furrowed. After looking around, he asked, "Elders, does anyone know anything relevant? Just who is this person?"
"How could he appear out of thin air in our Falling Rosy Clouds Sect like this? Whether he is a disciple of our sect or an impostor, we must investigate his identity thoroughly!"
Everyone exchanged glances, remaining silent.
A moment later, an elder finally broke the silence. "Sect Master, in my opinion, this person's movements are nimble, and his swordsmanship is free and graceful, like drifting clouds and flowing water."
"Moreover, his command of our Falling Rosy Clouds Sword Art is exceptionally skilled. He truly does not seem like someone who has only just entered the world."
"Yet in our memories, there seems to be no one in the sect so young whose swordsmanship has reached such heights."
Another elder agreed. "Yes, Sect Master. Judging by the patterns of his sword moves, it would take at least several decades of cultivation to achieve such mastery."
"Even elders like us would probably be slightly inferior to him in swordsmanship!"
Liu Ran nodded slightly in agreement with the elders' views. After pondering for a moment, his eyes suddenly lit up. "In that case, begin by investigating the sect disciples who have recently visited the Gloomy Shadow Mountain Range. Perhaps we can find some clues among them."
At this point, the Mission Pavilion elder, who had been standing in a corner, hurriedly stepped forward and replied respectfully, "Reporting to the Sect Master, according to the Mission Pavilion's records, several disciples have visited the Gloomy Shadow Mountain Range recently."
"Among them, a newly promoted inner disciple accepted a four-star mission-to find a Purple Spirit Flower. I do not know whether this is connected..."
"What?? A four-star mission? Is this newly promoted disciple not afraid of dying?"
The elders erupted in an uproar at this!
Sect Master Liu Ran asked in surprise, "Oh! What is that inner disciple's name? And what is his cultivation?"
The mission elder replied, "Reporting to the Sect Master, his name is Tian Luo. He is said to be in the middle Sea Transformation Realm! His talent is excellent! He was recruited directly as an inner disciple!"
"When he accepted the mission, someone even advised him against it, but he still took the four-star mission!"
"Hmm, someone in the middle Sea Transformation Realm dared to accept a four-star mission? The Gloomy Shadow Mountain Range is no scenic spot to visit for fun. Take a look—is this person the same as the one in the footage?"
"Sect Master, this person and Tian Luo are not the same person. Their cultivation levels are different too!"
"Who was the outer sect elder who recruited him? Step forward!"
"Reporting to the Sect Master, the outer sect elder responsible for recruitment this time was Yun Youzi!"
"Have him come to the assembly hall at once!" Liu Ran said.
Before long, Yun Youzi ran in, his forehead covered in sweat!
"Greetings, Sect Master!" Yun Youzi said with a bow.
"Enough. I have something important to ask you. Were you the one who recruited this Tian Luo?" Liu Ran asked.
"Yes, Sect Master. I recruited him at the capital outpost. This person was exceptionally gifted, already in the middle Sea Transformation Realm at seventeen, far stronger than the others. I didn't think much more of it and had him promoted to an inner disciple!"
"That's all??? Nothing else? Where was he from?" Liu Ran asked.
"Reporting to the Sect Master, he was said to have come from Fengluo City."
"Hmm, it's not very normal for someone from that little town to have such strength!"
"All right, you may leave." Liu Ran waved his hand.
Liu Ran thought, There must be something wrong with this Tian Luo. He dared to accept a four-star mission. Would he have dared to take it without the strength?
He probably concealed his cultivation and disguised his appearance! With such high cultivation at such a young age, what purpose did he have in coming to the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect?
Could he be trying to provoke a war between the two sects? That is no good! Once he returns, have him come see me!!
Hmm, no. Perhaps he has already fled and won't return. Damn it, who is stirring up trouble? Send people to investigate and bring him back!
The Falling Rosy Clouds Sect did not fear the Ghost King Sect! But it could not fall for someone else's scheme to sow discord either! Of course, the Falling Rosy Clouds Sect would not admit to this matter!
"This is no trivial matter. We must uncover the truth as soon as possible, or an unavoidable war may break out between the two sects."
Liu Ran's voice echoed through the meeting room, every word revealing unquestionable resolve.
"Send people to investigate the Gloomy Shadow Mountain Range. Tian Luo must be captured and brought back."
"Interrogate him about his purpose and which force he belongs to. Our Falling Rosy Clouds Sect must get to the bottom of this, or we won't be able to give the Ghost King Sect an explanation either!"
"As you command, Sect Master!!" the elders replied.