Chapter 18: The Blood Serpent Guild Chairman and Luo He

“I’ll pay! I’ll pay!” The “Heart of a True God” in Luo Feng’s palm spoke, its surface revealing the face of Mo Luo Sa, Vice Chairman of the Blood Serpent Guild, filled with frantic panic.

The dignity of a powerful cultivator? All garbage at this moment! Mo Luo Sa had no desire to die.

“Where is the additional cosmic sand?” Luo Feng said.

“It’s with the Chairman—he has it!” The face of Mo Luo Sa on the Heart of a True God cried out urgently, “Chairman! Chairman!!!” His voice carried the power of an Eternal True God, naturally echoing far away; had it not been for the countless arrays masking the Dream Flower Pavilion, its reach would have been far greater.

Whoosh.

A black-scaled figure arrived outside the Lanxing Hall’s entrance—it was the Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman, Mu Yang.

As the leader of a dark faction, Mu Yang was covered entirely in black scales, yet his aura was tightly contained, appearing utterly ordinary. But anyone with reliable information knew that the Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman, Mu Yang, was one of the absolute top figures in Hu Yang City—his strength was unfathomable, and even the Lord Mayor’s mansion had suffered losses at his hands.

“Twelve thousand cosmic sand—I’ll make up the payment. Please spare my brother,” Mu Yang smiled. “And that staff weapon—my Blood Serpent Guild wishes to redeem it. Please name your price.”

“The Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman is indeed straightforward,” Luo Feng said, holding the Heart of a True God in his left hand and flicking his wrist—the staff flew out. “This staff counts as six thousand cosmic sand.”

“I haven’t even paid the cosmic sand yet, and Brother Luo He has already returned the weapon. Admirable, admirable!” Mu Yang laughed in praise.

The consequences of not paying the cosmic sand were fully foreseeable to the Chairman.

“Here is eighteen thousand cosmic sand.” The Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman produced a black vial, which floated toward Luo Feng. Luo Feng’s divine power swept over it and confirmed precisely 18,000 grains—no more, no less.

Luo Feng took the black vial in his right hand and flicked his left— the Heart of a True God became a streak of light, shooting into Mo Luo Sa’s body. Mo Luo Sa quickly rose to his feet, his gaze toward Luo Feng filled with fear.

During the negotiation, the other Eternal True Gods dared not speak, fearing any mishap might draw blame upon them.

“Brother Luo He’s strength is truly admirable. Twenty thousand cosmic sand as compensation is entirely deserved,” said Mu Yang. “We’ll take our leave from today’s Hundred Flowers Banquet.”

With that, the Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman walked out directly; Mo Luo Sa followed. Even the Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner could only watch.

Luo Feng stared at the black vial in his hand.

“This Chairman is quite patient,” Luo Feng thought. Of the dozen or so Eternal True Gods attending the banquet, from the intelligence he had gathered, the Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman, Mu Yang, was undoubtedly the most terrifying and wealthiest.

Though the two Eternal True Gods of the Qu Meng Clan held high status, the Qu Meng Clan had over ten Eternal True Gods in Hu Yang City, and their cultivation methods consumed vast resources—how much could they possibly retain?

The Blood Serpent Guild, however, was ruled entirely by its Chairman, who had long exploited the myriad races of Hu Yang City, accumulating immense wealth.

“Brother Luo He,” the Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner approached.

“Tonight is no longer suitable for staying. Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner, I take my leave,” Luo Feng rose. The Eternal True Gods were watching him from afar—he could no longer continue listening to the music.

Luo Feng departed with Mo Luo Sa; the Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner could only follow and escort them, promising: “Brother Shen Jun, rest assured—we will care for A Luo Ya in the future.”

The Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner was genuinely nervous.

There was no help for it—anyone who had seen Luo Feng snatch Mo Luo Sa’s Heart of a True God in a single move could not help but be nervous.

“Brother Luo He’s strength is too formidable,” the Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner watched them depart. “He must be among the absolute top tier in Hu Yang City. But why did he lose control under my illusion?”

…

“Tonight’s Hundred Flowers Banquet was truly spectacular!”

“In the end, the Blood Serpent Guild bowed down,” the two Qu Meng Clan Eternal True Gods rose, chatting and laughing. Whether it was Luo Feng’s action or Mu Yang’s obedient compensation, both had made the scene thrilling.

A leader of a dark faction bowing and paying compensation? How rare was that?

“Brother Luo He’s strength is truly terrifying.”

“His loss of control in the illusion—was it due to a mental flaw, or was it deliberate?” The Eternal True Gods rose one by one, no longer interested in continuing the banquet.

“His strength surpasses mine,” Bai Wu Jun murmured. “The Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman is immensely powerful—and yet he endured!”

As another dark faction leader in Hu Yang City, Bai Wu Jun knew full well how terrifying the Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman was!

If the six Eternal True Gods of the “Six Lords Alliance” were roughly equal in strength, their combined power created such influence, then the Blood Serpent Guild was primarily the work of its Chairman alone—his two Vice Chairmen were far weaker!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

One by one, the Eternal True Gods either discussed or brooded, flying off. Only the two Eternal True Gods obsessed with the Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner—Sheng Tian Yan and Sang Shui Yun—remained behind.

“My newly met brother Luo He is no ordinary powerhouse!” Sheng Tian Yan praised. “He even drank with me and acknowledged me as a friend.”

“With such strength, how could he have lost control in the illusion?” Sang Shui Yun, the winged man, frowned in confusion. “An Eternal True God might have weak willpower—but one this powerful cannot possibly have weak willpower!”

“True. Whether refining beast bloodlines or cultivating powerful secret arts, one needs immense willpower,” Sheng said. “Yet he lost control just now,” Sang replied. “We both saw it.”

Sheng Tian Yan paused, then nodded: “Yes, he truly lost control just now.”

“I can’t understand it,” Sang Shui Yun’s eyes were full of confusion.

“Sometimes, losing control isn’t because the illusion is too strong,” Sheng said. “It could be because he willingly immersed himself.”

“Willingly immersed himself?” Sang Shui Yun looked at Sheng Tian Yan. “Did the illusion hold something he desired?”

Sheng Tian Yan saw the Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner flying toward them and his eyes lit up—he called out urgently: “Madam!”

Sang Shui Yun’s gaze toward the Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner softened slightly.

Blood Serpent Guild Headquarters.

“This time, our Blood Serpent Guild has lost face—crushed by a newly emerged Eternal True God, and even our Chairman personally apologized,” a gaunt figure couldn’t help but speak—he was the other Vice Chairman, Mu Lin. “This happened at the Dream Flower Pavilion, witnessed by so many Eternal True Gods—it will spread through every faction in Hu Yang City by morning!”

Mo Luo Sa and Chairman Mu Yang remained silent.

“Mo Luo Sa, is he really that strong? One move, and he took your Heart of a True God?” Vice Chairman Mu Lin pressed.

!.

“Do you think I’d lie about something like this?” Mo Luo Sa snapped, furious and humiliated.

“Enough.”

Chairman Mu Yang gazed out the window. “This matter ends here.”

Vice Chairman Mu Lin stared in shock at his clansman: “Are we just going to let this unknown Luo He keep dominating us?”

“A common Eternal True God who dares to insult us—we cannot tolerate,” Mu Yang said calmly. “But an Eternal True God who can snatch Mo Luo Sa’s Heart of a True God in one move? We bowing down is not shameful.”

Mu Yang looked out the window. “Moreover, I can tell—he’s waiting for me to strike. The enemy is hidden; I am exposed. He knows much about me; I know nothing about him… I cannot strike.”

“Wait,” Mu Yang’s eyes turned icy. “I will learn his secrets. Then I will make him pay.”

…

Over a dozen Eternal True Gods witnessed this conflict. One told ten, ten told a hundred—every faction in Hu Yang City with even moderate intelligence received detailed reports of the incident tonight.

All factions now remembered the name “Luo He.”

Inside a small pavilion of the Yan Feng Guild Hall.

“This Luo He is truly interesting,” the Yan Feng Guild Master studied the latest intelligence. “He lost control listening to the Dream Flower Pavilion’s owner’s musical illusion—yet moments later, without any artifact or weapon, he snatched the Heart of a True God from the Blood Serpent Guild’s Vice Chairman.”

A gray mist figure beside him, organizing intelligence, said calmly: “He acted right before Chairman Mu Yang’s eyes—he clearly prepared to face off against the Chairman. But Mu Yang endured. He bowed.”

“Uncle, who do you think is stronger?” the Yan Feng Guild Master asked curiously.

“The Blood Serpent Guild’s territory is coveted by too many factions—the Five Great Families have launched multiple assassination attempts. Yet our Yan Feng Guild Hall’s investigations show that Chairman Mu Yang survived every one. Several Eternal True Gods from the Five Great Families have died at his hands. To this day, we still haven’t uncovered his true background,” the gray mist figure said. “As for this other Luo He—we know almost nothing about him. He’s too mysterious.”

“Who is stronger? Only a direct clash will tell,” the gray mist figure said.

“Based on my knowledge of the Blood Serpent Guild’s Chairman, this won’t end here,” the Yan Feng Guild Master’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.

…

Inside the Chaos Armor No. 3 Super-Large Cave Residence.

Mo Li Meng, upon reading the Lord Mayor’s Mansion’s latest intelligence, was startled: “Luo He actually outmatched the Blood Serpent Guild? The Lord Mayor’s Mansion has upgraded his rating to Class-A?”

The Lord Mayor’s Mansion rated every Eternal True God—from highest to lowest: Class-A, Class-B, Class-C, Class-D.

The highest, Class-A, meant… even a full Hu Yang Army detachment could not handle the Eternal True God!

(End of Chapter)