Chapter 85: Cause and Effect

Inside the city lord’s mansion, all the Eternal True Gods remained ever-vigilant, fearing an attack from the Heart Shadow Sect.

“They’ve moved!”

“Luo He has acted—he killed a Heart Shadow Sect Eternal True God.”

“Another slash—destroyed a super-large mechanical relic! One cut, and it was gone! This is his true power—he’s far more terrifying than General Yong!”

The entire Hu Yang City was like a colossal mechanical fortress, with the city lord’s mansion as its core, still capable of monitoring every movement within the city. Especially when Luo Feng acted, he made no effort to conceal himself—the mansion saw everything clearly.

The divine power incarnations of the five great families gathered together, watching the recorded footage of the recent clash.

“Lord Luo He’s slash tore open such a long spatial rift! The power is terrifying—no wonder he killed Xue Yun.” Mo Li Xiao stared in awe; his own strength was far inferior to Xue Yun’s.

And this slash surpassed even Xue Yun’s power!

“When Lord Luo He was outside the city, he probably killed Xue Yun with just a few slashes!” the Hu Yang City Lord marveled.

“Incredible, utterly incredible,” the Wu family leader exclaimed, excited. “Lord Luo He has broken ties with the Heart Shadow Sect—excellent! We’ve gained a powerful ally.”

“Luo He breaking ties with the Heart Shadow Sect doesn’t mean he’ll help us,” the Mei Wu family leader said. “Don’t forget—he once demanded one billion cosmic sands as payment.”

“Regardless, as long as he’s broken with the Heart Shadow Sect, it’s good for us,” the white-haired elder said.

“City Lord, quickly contact Luo He and see if he needs aid,” Mo Li Xiao urged.

The Hu Yang City Lord nodded and immediately contacted Luo Feng.

“Brother Luo He, your situation is perilous now that you’ve broken with the Heart Shadow Sect. You can flee to the city lord’s mansion—once inside, with your aid, they cannot breach it. Or you can flee beyond the city; outside, the Marquis has dispatched elite forces who will come to your rescue,” the Hu Yang City Lord transmitted.

“No need. The Heart Shadow Sect cannot harm me,” Luo Feng replied.

The Hu Yang City Lord transmitted: “I know your power is formidable, but the Heart Shadow Sect is still a Divine King-level sect at its core—even in decline, it cannot be underestimated.”

“If I need help, I’ll speak up,” Luo Feng transmitted.

“Good! As soon as you call, the elite forces outside will act immediately—rescuing you won’t be hard,” the Hu Yang City Lord transmitted.

After cutting off the transmission, the Hu Yang City Lord turned to his four companions.

“How did it go?” None of them knew the outcome.

“Luo He said he doesn’t need our help,” the Hu Yang City Lord said bitterly. “He claims the Heart Shadow Sect can’t touch him.”

“He doesn’t even fear the Heart Shadow Sect?” the Mei Wu family leader couldn’t help saying. “No wonder he never cared about our five families.”

“With his power, who except a Chaos Realm cultivator could threaten him?” Mo Li Xiao shook his head.

“One-on-one, none can match him—but the Heart Shadow Sect has countless methods. No Eternal True God can withstand their siege,” the Hu Yang City Lord said. “Lord Luo He probably only has a chance to flee.”

“Just surviving a Heart Shadow Sect siege is already remarkable,” Mo Li Xiao said.

“I’ve synced this intelligence to the elite forces outside,” the Hu Yang City Lord said. “If Luo He truly falls into desperation, they’ll move immediately to rescue him. Then, Luo He will owe them a life debt.”

The five family leaders watched the city-wide surveillance footage, observing how events unfolded.

……

Qi Huo Tower was one of the nine smelting forges established by disciples of the Tian Yan Sect, founded jointly by seven outstanding direct disciples of the Xie Tian Yan Sect. Among the nine forges, it was the strongest and had the most apprentices.

“Boom.” “Boom.” “Boom.”

Three Eternal True Gods strolled in calmly; with a fingertip or a wave of the hand, they reduced three zones within Qi Huo Tower—smelters, apprentices, and patrons—to dust, leaving only shattered relics behind.

“Hand over all treasures. Resist, and die!” The three Eternal True Gods scanned the entire Qi Huo Tower. Many cultivators inside were filled with fury and grief—the dead included their kin and closest friends.

But facing the Heart Shadow Sect’s might, charging blindly was only suicide.

Seeing no cultivator dared resist, the three Eternal True Gods were satisfied and turned toward another commercial power nearby: “Next one.”

“Brother Chang, you don’t need to slaughter indiscriminately. Those Void True Gods wouldn’t dare resist anyway,” a gray-robed figure guarding outside said.

“Brother Qiu, slaughter instills fear—it speeds up looting. And to comprehend the Path of Destruction, one must slaughter often, to feel the heart of annihilation,” the smallest of the three Eternal True Gods said. “Our Heart Shadow Sect’s foundation is the Path of Destruction.”

“Neither you nor I have reached Chaos Realm—yet you’re already thinking of the Path of Destruction?” the gray-robed figure shook his head.

“With the heart of destruction, our sect’s teachings will resonate more deeply.”

“Brother Qiu, if you won’t slaughter, just watch from the side.”

The three Eternal True Gods departed with clear disdain.

The gray-robed figure watched the scene.

“Legend says the Jieshou born of the Path of Destruction knew only annihilation—and was eventually hunted down by all forces of the Origin Continent. Only the Jieshou of Tian Mu Nation, who became a servant and dared not slaughter indiscriminately, survived,” the gray-robed figure Qiu Yi sighed inwardly. “The Heart Shadow Sect acts recklessly—last time, they accidentally killed a bloodline descendant of the Nine Sources Great Sage, drawing his vengeance and causing the sect’s utter decline...”

“And still, the Heart Shadow Sect learns nothing, refuses to repent.”

“After all, the sect’s founder was one who comprehended the Path of Destruction. The five Divine King-level transmissions he left behind all contain the Path of Destruction,” the gray-robed figure murmured. “But even he is dead.”

“To destroy recklessly to the end is only to invite self-destruction.”

“My Master saved me—if not for him, I would be nothing. That’s why I crossed five Divine Kingdoms to return, just to help establish our sect’s foundation,” the gray-robed figure looked around. “But the Heart Shadow Sect’s environment—I truly dislike it.”

“After this sect foundation is established, I’ll have repaid my debt—and I won’t return.” The gray-robed figure thought silently.

Suddenly—

The gray-robed figure’s pupils contracted as a cold, black-robed figure appeared.

As soon as he appeared, invisible blade qi spread naturally, enveloping heaven and earth!

“It’s Luo He—the top-tier Eternal True God of Yu Kingdom?” the gray-robed figure’s heart trembled. “He’s indeed stronger than me.”

Qiu Yi was confident.

But seeing Lord Luo He, he knew instantly—he was no match.

After Luo Feng appeared through space, his gaze swept the surroundings. All Heart Shadow Sect disciples trembled.

“Lord Luo He!” The smelters and apprentices of Qi Huo Tower were thrilled; as Tian Yan Sect disciples, they all recognized Luo Feng.

“Did the Heart Shadow Sect carry out a massacre?” Luo Feng’s gaze swept the ground, spotting scattered storage relics and weapon treasures.

“They did,” one smelter immediately said, projecting the scene of the three Eternal True Gods’ slaughter with his divine power. “They arrived, said nothing, and slaughtered first.”

Luo Feng watched the projected scene and nodded: “I understand.” His Life-Death Domain already covered a vast area, encompassing the three Eternal True Gods.

Luo Feng thought once.

“Boom.”

The three Eternal True Gods were bound, still stunned, and forcibly teleported into Qi Huo Tower.

They stared in shock at the smelters, apprentices, and patrons—and at the black-robed Luo Feng.

“Lord Luo He, Lord Luo He, we deeply respect you,” the three Eternal True Gods pleaded.

Suddenly—

Inside Hu Yang City, every Heart Shadow Sect disciple received a message.

“All disciples, listen: Lord Luo He has destroyed one of our super-large mechanical relics—he is now our greatest enemy! If you see Lord Luo He, flee immediately!” The order had been transmitted.

The Heart Shadow Sect’s top leadership reacted swiftly—they knew ordinary disciples were mere prey before Lord Luo He, so they only ordered retreat.

“Flee! Flee! Flee!”

!.

“Run!” Nearby Heart Shadow Sect disciples panicked and fled wildly.

The three Eternal True Gods, bound in midair, were filled with despair: “It’s over!”

“Lord Luo He...” They tried to plead further, hoping he would spare them.

Luo Feng looked at them—he didn’t even bother speaking.

“Hum.”

The power of his Life-Death Domain surged, life and death swirling like a Taiji mill—three Eternal True Gods were crushed into dust, instantly slain.

The smelters, apprentices, and patrons who witnessed this were filled with excitement.

“Good riddance.”

“They deserved it.”

They had long seethed with hatred.

“Let’s go.” Luo Feng waved his hand, gathering all the cultivators of Qi Huo Tower, then stepped forward and vanished through space toward the next forge.

After Luo Feng left, distant Heart Shadow Sect disciples finally exhaled, and the fleeing super-large mechanical relics halted.

“Is this Lord Luo He’s power?” the disciples trembled.

Far away, the seemingly insignificant gray-robed man Qiu Yi watched: “Brother Chang, I told you not to slaughter recklessly. The world has cause and effect—there is cause, there must be consequence.”

……

Chaos Zone A, Heart Shadow Sect headquarters.

The Heart Shadow Sect Master and the eighteen Elders gathered—some in true bodies, others as divine power incarnations.

“Master, Luo He has attacked us—he killed twelve Eternal True Gods at Mo Yu Forge. At this point, are we still to endure?” an Elder cried urgently.

“Why did he suddenly act?” the Heart Shadow Sect Master demanded.

“Mo Yu Forge was founded by Mo Yu Liu Xing, the younger brother of Luo He’s servant, Mo Yu Qing Yan,” an Elder said. “Our disciple Chan Wu Qi was sent to seize treasures—he killed many cultivators there, including Mo Yu Liu Xing.”

“The servant’s younger brother?” the Heart Shadow Sect Master frowned. “He breaks ties with us over a servant’s brother?”

Many Elders thought Lord Luo He was utterly insane.

“When Luo He arrived at Mo Yu Forge, he first killed Chan Wu Qi. The super-large mechanical relic ‘Hei Huo Shou’ merely asked a question—and Luo He slashed it apart in one blow, killing eleven Eternal True Gods and countless disciples inside. He even said: ‘I act as I please—and you dare speak? You truly seek death.’ This Luo He is truly insane,” an Elder said.

The other Elders were furious—Lord Luo He showed no respect for them whatsoever.

The Heart Shadow Sect Master hesitated.

“I’ll contact Luo He,” the Heart Shadow Sect Master said.

“Contact him for what?” the Heart Eye Elder snapped. “At this point, Master, are you still going to endure?”

“Luo He has acted again!”

The Heart Shadow Sect Master and the eighteen Elders watched the sect’s great array’s surveillance: Luo Feng appeared at Qi Huo Tower and crushed three Heart Shadow Sect Eternal True Gods.

“He killed three of our Eternal True Gods so openly! Will you still endure, Master?”

"Master, you can tolerate it, but I can't!"

"Master!"

Each Elder felt their inner fury burning, and none wished to endure it any longer.

The Master of Xin Ying Gate watched this scene, summoning back his scattered disciples. Xin Ying Gate had always been fragmented, held together only Mianqiang to secure the sect’s foundational territory. If they continued to endure Luo He Shenjun’s public, consecutive killings, their disciples would surely grow further disloyal.

"If we don’t act now, our Xin Ying Gate disciples will lose all spirit."

"If we’re afraid of even one Luo He Shenjun, what’s the point of fighting Jiang Hou’s army?"

Most of the Elders refused to endure it any longer.

The Master of Xin Ying Gate sighed inwardly.

The matter had already slipped beyond his control.

"Fine!" The Master of Xin Ying Gate’s three eyes blazed with killing intent. "We’ve shown Luo He Shenjun every courtesy, yet he tramples on Xin Ying Gate’s dignity. Then we have no choice."

"Before the great battle, let us use Luo He Shenjun as our practice target. This time, we must kill him—do not let him escape!"

"Yes!"

Eighteen Elders responded in unison.

Though a few Elders harbored doubts, once the Master gave the order, all ceased hesitation. At this moment, Xin Ying Gate stood united—only by joining forces could they eliminate this arrogant Luo He Shenjun.

(End of Chapter)