A storm was brewing

Zhao Jing was slapped across the face, and silence fell all around.

Meng Lang was lost in thought as well.

When he came back to his senses, he immediately felt a headache coming on.

Their side had clearly been in the wrong to begin with, yet she had insisted on offering her face up to be slapped. Even he could not bear to watch how self-righteous she looked.

Had she not been beaten enough last time?

Or did she think that, with him added in, the two of them could face a Nascent Soul expert?

The people from the Profound Heaven Sect were already panicking.

The Cangyun Sect Patriarch could not be bothered to waste words either. He raised his hand and struck to kill.

Zhao Jing's eyes turned bloodshot, their corners nearly splitting. Overwhelming humiliation surged into her heart once more. She wanted to resist, but a force held her firmly down.

Luo Tian spoke at that moment as well. "Unless you give us an explanation today, none of you are leaving!"

The members of the Cangyun Sect all took action, subduing those few people from the Profound Heaven Sect and binding them on the ground.

Some were still cursing and shouting, but with the patriarch's orders, they were killed outright, without mercy.

At that moment, the patriarch struck, and Zhao Jing's body shattered instantly. He could not be bothered to waste words. Even against the Divine Firmament Sect, he remained utterly domineering.

The Peak Masters froze on the spot as well.

He killed someone from the Divine Firmament Sect without a moment's hesitation. The patriarch's decisiveness struck awe into countless people.

"The patriarch is mighty!"

Everyone around was as silent as cicadas in winter. Only Lu Changsheng made a sound. Zhao Jing had been an eyesore to him for a long time.

He had originally intended to do it himself, but now there was no need.

Such iron-blooded ruthlessness was truly rare.

He also knew that the other sect's grand elder wanted to take Luo Xianling as a disciple, which effectively gave the Cangyun Sect a backer. And now that they stood on the moral high ground, there was no need for so many misgivings.

Now that Zhao Jing had been killed, Meng Lang's brows knitted tightly.

A spiritual light manifested within her ruined body. It was Zhao Jing's soul.

Seeing this, the patriarch prepared to strike again, but Meng Lang stepped in front of him.

"She has already paid the price. Senior, please don't wipe her out to the last trace. She was in the wrong. The Divine Firmament Sect absolutely will not pursue this!"

Yet the Cangyun Sect Patriarch acted as though he had heard nothing and struck again, intending to kill her and erase her completely.

But Zhao Jing's soul burst with radiance. A paper talisman manifested and vanished with that spiritual light.

"She got away!"

Lu Changsheng frowned. He could sense that the talisman was extraordinary. Presumably, it was a protective measure provided by the Divine Firmament Sect. Even the Cangyun Sect Patriarch had not managed to stop it in time.

Meng Lang breathed a sigh of relief.

Immediately afterward, the patriarch looked toward the Profound Heaven Sect's side, seized a disciple, and said, "Go back and tell your sect master to send someone here within seven days to give me a satisfactory explanation. Otherwise, I'll storm the Profound Heaven Sect and flatten the lot of you!"

Hiss!

Everyone who witnessed this could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

How domineering the Cangyun Sect Patriarch was.

And everyone knew his temper very well. This was a man who kept his word. If no one came after seven days, he really would storm the Profound Heaven Sect.

Ever since he had emerged from seclusion, the whole tone had changed.

Lu Changsheng clicked his tongue at the sight. Such domineering might truly left others trailing far behind in the dust.

Afterward, Luo Tian told the guests to leave.

Everyone fled the place as though escaping for their lives, afraid the Cangyun Sect Patriarch might change his mind and slap them all to death.

After all, he did not even take the Divine Firmament Sect's people seriously, let alone them.

Meng Lang stood in the distance, somewhat at a loss.

The people of the Cangyun Sect ignored him as well and returned with their disciples.

Upon reaching the main hall, Luo Tian glanced at everyone and said, "Lu Changsheng, you can head back first. Everyone else, stay a while!"

Lu Changsheng froze. What was that supposed to mean?

They were sending him away again?

Could they get to the bottom of things without him?

He was still considering the matter of the Azure Cloud Map, yet here they were, simply ignoring him.

"Fine, then. Sigh!"

Lu Changsheng sighed softly and strolled away with his hands behind his back.

Luo Tian could not help saying, "He's actually unhappy about it!"

"You're sending him away alone. Who would be happy about that?" Lin Po chuckled.

"What use is there in keeping him here? Every time he goes out, doesn't he find somewhere to hide and stay there until it's over? What would he know if we kept him here?"

Luo Tian was indignant. Because of the matter with Luo Xianling, he was somewhat biased against him.

Everyone laughed despite themselves and said no more.

The patriarch, however, gave him an appraising glance and said, "That lad is rather interesting. He's very much to my taste!"

"To your taste?"

They were all rather at a loss. One was fierce and domineering, charging fearlessly ahead; the other clung to life and feared death, shrinking back at every turn. How were they to each other's taste?

Was there even the slightest connection?

After a little joking, they began asking questions.

They had already learned that the Azure Cloud Map had appeared, and they had also seen a great hall, yet in the end, they had not found the Azure Cloud Map.

"That great hall was where the Azure Cloud Map was kept!" the patriarch answered.

Zhou Qingyu frowned. He had driven back every opponent and searched for a long time, yet found nothing.

Luo Tian said, "Could someone have taken it? Who could it be? Zhao Yang, that woman, or Xuan Cheng?"

"Probably none of them!"

"If they had obtained it, what happened afterward wouldn't have happened. It most likely has something to do with the Nighttime Madman!"

"He got it?"

The patriarch pondered. He had heard a little about this madman as well. Though the man was a scoundrel, he could sense that he bore the sect no ill will.

"It wouldn't be the worst outcome if he got it. At least he bears the sect no ill will. What worries me most now is other people thinking we obtained it!"

Those words left everyone deep in thought.

Once outsiders believed the Cangyun Sect had obtained it, there would likely be serious trouble.

Although the patriarch had struck down Zhao Jing, there was no need to worry about that. What they feared instead was the covetousness of other forces.

For a time, everyone felt stifled.

They had clearly obtained nothing, yet they would become a target.

In the end, they could only strengthen their patrols so they could respond at any time.

Everyone dispersed and went their separate ways.

Meanwhile, as those people left the Cangyun Sect, countless speculations sprang up.

Everyone now knew that the Azure Cloud Map had appeared.

Moreover, Zhao Yang and Xuan Cheng were both dead, and Su Muyue had fled back in crushing defeat.

No one knew where the Azure Cloud Map had ultimately gone. It was either with the Nighttime Madman or the Cangyun Sect.

Some even speculated that the Nighttime Madman belonged to the Cangyun Sect.

Every faction began harboring designs.

Luo Tian was making arrangements. Whatever happened, the days ahead would not be peaceful, and they had to take precautions.

He was also worried about Luo Xianling, so he had Meng Lang take her back to the Divine Firmament Sect.

With the grand elder there, even though the patriarch had beaten Zhao Jing to death, those people would not dare target her. Leaving this place was undoubtedly the safest option.

If something really did happen, she would not be caught up in it.

Even if the sect were destroyed, perhaps one day she could restore its glory.

He had originally wanted Zhou Qingyu to leave as well. His talent was astonishing, and he had great prospects ahead of him. He would certainly go beyond the Nascent Soul Realm.

But he was straightforward by nature and refused to leave, insisting on staying to share the sect's fate.

In the end, there was nothing they could do with him. They could only wait until something truly happened before sending him away.

As long as Luo Xianling and Zhou Qingyu remained, the sect would still have hope.

Only Lu Changsheng stood on Qingyun Peak, gazing out at the sect where he had lived for ten years, his heart full of feeling. Its protection over those ten years had been genuine, after all. It had protected him wholeheartedly.

He could sense it swaying in the wind and rain. He was part of the reason, but the Azure Cloud Map was the greater cause.

This Law Artifact had stirred the designs of far too many forces.

It was enough to drive countless people mad. Everything would spiral beyond control. Who knew what they might do?

For a moment, his gaze turned toward the sect's treasury, and a different light appeared in his eyes.

"How about I..."

An idea came to him, but an arrival interrupted his thoughts.

A man came here and looked at Lu Changsheng.