Chapter 348

348. Chapter 343: The Tragic Disciple of the Shagui Sect

At the original site of Heaven's Edge City, countless cultivators gazed at the enormous abyss before them, their faces full of disbelief.

The huge abyss was bottomless; this was clearly not some secret realm emerging, but a terrifying power that had destroyed the entire Heaven's Edge City.

Heaven's Edge City stretched for hundreds of miles and housed several sects, yet it vanished in less than half a day; countless cultivators stared in terror at the abyss, their hearts unable to calm for a long time.

During their arrival, they also discovered some cultivators relatively close to Heaven's Edge City; those cultivators were completely scorched black as if struck by heavenly thunder, their hair and eyebrows vanished without a trace.

Moreover, cultivators even closer to Heaven's Edge City had lost all vitality, their blackened bodies emitting a nauseating black mist.

The terrifying power that destroyed Heaven's Edge City was so shocking that even Transport Sea City a thousand li away was affected; countless aquatic creatures floated belly-up, and countless birds fell to the ground and died miserably.

"Too terrifying."

"A gigantic mushroom cloud shot up into the sky, and Heaven's Edge City vanished from my sight in an instant."

"I have never seen anything so terrifying in my life." said a cultivator from a hundred li outside Heaven's Edge City, who had been rescued and was now speaking with a face full of fear.

His body had been torn apart below the waist by the mushroom cloud's powerful shockwave, the wound scorched black and extremely nauseating.

"The giant banner blots out the sky and sun, madly devouring the souls of the dead beings of Heaven's Edge City."

"Enormous ghosts overturn yin and yang, wind and thunder roar." Another surviving cultivator said, trembling all over; though farther from Heaven's Edge City, he still did not escape disaster, his body covered in cracks as if it could disintegrate at any moment.

When the wounded cultivator's words fell, countless cultivators who had stopped to listen changed color; a huge black banner capable of devouring souls—wasn't that the Holy Infant Banner of the Shagui Sect?

The Holy Infant Banner is the symbol of a Shagui Sect disciple's identity, and countless cultivators furrowed their brows.

The Shagui Sect actually used the souls of all beings in Heaven's Edge City to sacrifice the banner; what exactly are they plotting? At this moment, all cultivators felt uneasy, goosebumps rising on their skin.

They knew the more souls the Holy Infant Banner devoured, the stronger it became; if the Shagui Sect disciples truly refined the Holy Infant Great Banner using the souls of Huanyu cultivators, perhaps they would be next to be destroyed, and all cultivators present felt a sense of crisis.

As survivors were gradually found, the miserable survivors all said they had seen a black banner blotting out the sky and sun, demonic aura blazing to the heavens, roaring toward the heavens.

This led Huanyu cultivators to suspect that the Shagui Sect had slaughtered Heaven's Edge City, and their suspicion grew stronger.

"The Shagui Sect previously only collected enemies and ghosts within the Heavenly Abyss, but now they have actively begun slaughtering cities."

"Everyone must not be careless; who can say whether the Shagui Sect's next massacre will not be us?" said a cultivator near Heaven's Edge City, trembling with fear.

They dared not approach the enormous pit that Heaven's Edge City had become; the divine power above the pit was strange, and any Huanyu cultivator who drew near would instantly dissolve, frightening the entire Huanyu cultivator community, turning the area within hundreds of li around Heaven's Edge City into a barren wasteland.

"What do you all think?" asked a cultivator named Julong nearby of his companion.

"The Giant Spirit Realm was excavated by the various sects of Huanyu less than two years ago; for the Shagui Sect to dare defy heaven, they must surely be plotting something great."

The need for souls has reached the point of calculating by city populations; from now on, we must walk the world with utmost caution.

"We must not let the Holy Infant Banner in the hands of the Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples take us away, lest we become lonely souls and wild ghosts trapped within the banner." A cultivator remarked.

Just then.

Several black silhouettes came from afar, landing exactly on the heads of those who were speaking; they were disciples of the Slaughter Ghost Sect who had rushed from Cloud Sea City.

The cultivators present suddenly changed expression, feeling extremely disgusted.

The cultivators who had survived near Heaven's Edge City had just spoken of the culprit being the Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples when those disciples descended.

To slaughter a city and still appear openly before all the cultivators is truly arrogant.

Senior Brother Zhou Zheng, the cultivators feel we're acting weird.

A slender cultivator asked the cultivator beside him.

The cultivator called Zhou Zheng, upon hearing this, swept his gaze across the crowd, his expression becoming uncertain.

The Slaughter Ghost Sect is extremely sensitive to the souls of dead cultivators, yet there is not a trace of soul aura here; it is obvious that the area has been deliberately cleared.

Could the destruction of Heaven's Edge City truly be the work of the Slaughter Ghost Sect's own disciples? Zhou Zheng's brows knit tightly together.

Zhao Jianhua in the crowd was helped out by Wu Zhenghao.

Zhao Jianhua trembled violently all over, blood gushing from his mouth as he said: "You you you"

Zhao Jianhua seemed gravely wounded; he fainted before he could finish speaking.

Wu Zhenghao saw Zhao Jianhua's hand placed beside him making an OK gesture, then he fell to his knees with a thud and wailed loudly.

Brother, it's all my fault for letting you go to Heaven's Edge City alone.

The heavenly disaster frightened you so that your consciousness became disordered, causing you to speak of things you saw.

Brother, it's all my fault that harmed you.

Wu Zhenghao said this while, using his ornate robe to wipe his eyes, he applied some chili water; tears streamed out profusely, especially his eyes filled with tears, turning crimson beyond compare to the point where he could barely see.

Hmph.

The Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples blood-sacrificed the entire Heaven's Edge City, causing millions of living beings to perish instantly, leaving the surrounding thousand-li range barren.

How dare you still openly appear in Heaven's Edge City? Is this a show of might against the righteous sects? A man in a golden robe stepped out of the crowd and spoke angrily.

Zhao Jianhua is a survivor after the fall of Heaven's Edge City; he must have discovered some truth, otherwise he would not react so strongly to the Slaughter Ghost Sect.

It's actually Feng Xiangtian of the Support Yang Sect.

The Support Yang Sect is one of the ten great righteous sects of Huanyu, tasked with eliminating demons and defending the righteous.

It is heard that Feng Xiangtian possesses formidable strength and has a chance to contend for the future position of Holy Son of the Support Yang Sect.

The Slaughter Ghost Sect is the executioner that slaughtered the million-human Heaven's Edge City; the righteous and evil sects now have a show to watch. Cultivators who knew Feng Xiangtian discussed among themselves.

Brother Feng is right; evil heretical paths deserve to be punished by all.

They slaughtered the million-human Heaven's Edge City to refine the Holy Infant Banner, flaunting their might on the scene, utterly disregarding the cultivators of Huanyu's ten great righteous sects.

A cold voice rang out within the crowd as seven women in blue robes stepped forward; the leading woman wore a blue rosy crown, with white water lily embroidery on gauze brocade, pure and unworldly.

"Chu Wansian of the Azure Wave Pavilion!" The cultivators who recognized her exclaimed.

Chu Wansian is the Holy Maiden of the Azure Wave Pavilion, possessing astonishing power; even saint-level sons and daughters of other sects must be wary of her by three points when she is present.

Zhao Jianhua and Wu Zhenghao saw this, their eyes went straight.

I never expected that the disappearance of Heaven's Edge City would cause such a huge commotion.

The disciples of Huanyu's ten great demonic sects and ten great righteous sects were all stirred.

It would be best if the orthodox and evil sects of Huanyu fought each other; then we could fish in troubled waters and also refine a Myriad Soul Banner.

Zhou Zheng saw that all the fellow disciples of the Slaughter Ghost Sect were surrounded, and his face turned extremely grim.

"You are blaming the Slaughter Ghost Sect entirely for the disappearance of Heaven's Edge City based on the unfinished words of a single injured cultivator."

Utterly foolish.

"Is this the intellect of the orthodox sect of Huanyu?"

All the cultivators present, upon hearing Zhou Zheng's words, glared at each other with faces full of anger.

In the Primordial Spirit Realm, only the Slaughter Ghost Sect knows how to refine the Holy Infant Banner and specializes in the ghost path; the surviving cultivators from Heaven's Edge City's destruction all saw a black sail that collected the souls of the millions of beings there.

The Slaughter Ghost Sect has committed heinous killings and yet pretends to be ignorant; it is utterly shameless.

Whenever the cultivators think of Heaven's Edge City being destroyed, with all the souls of its beings summoned away by a ghost banner, none dare to be careless.

The terrifying existence that wiped out Heaven's Edge City is obviously the one who slaughtered the city to sacrifice and refine a soul banner.

If this matter is not clarified, cultivators feel as if a butcher's knife hangs over their heads, not knowing on which day it will fall and slay them.

"Is it them, really them?"

Zhao Jianhua woke up again from his coma, spoke to Zhou Zheng fearfully, then closed his eyes and fainted once more.

Wu Zhenghao saw this, and a hint of cunning flashed in his eyes.

He jumped up and grabbed Zhou Zheng's collar, feigning utter grief as he said:

"Return my brother to me, return a whole and complete brother to me."

I have had no grudge against you in the past and no recent enmity, so why harm us, why harm the millions of beings in Heaven's Edge City?

That is literally millions of lives—how could you bring yourselves to do it?

Zhou Zheng hearing Wu Zhenghao's words felt his teeth itch with hatred—this is just adding fuel to the fire!

Originally the cultivators present already misunderstood them; Wu Zhenghao's actions just heaped blame onto the Slaughter Ghost Sect. This solidifies the fact that the Slaughter Ghost Sect's disciples slaughtered the millions of beings in Heaven's Edge City.

Zhou Zheng trembled with rage all over, discovering that Wu Zhenghao's hand seemed glued to his chest, impossible to push away; his heart gave a sudden jolt, and the cultivators present were certainly not ordinary cultivators that could be compared.

"Let go," Zhou Zheng shouted in desperation, his voice almost instantly roaring out.

As he bellowed out, all the cultivators present became unwilling.

"Heretical demons and evil ways, harming millions of beings"

"Do you really think the Primordial Spirit Realm can be covered by the Slaughter Ghost Sect alone?"

Feng Xiangtian of the Support Yang Sect spoke, his face full of anger.

He took a step forward, and a terrifying aura surged around him; a golden great sun rose slowly from behind him, the great sun, utmost yang and utmost rigid, shining in all directions, making the cultivators' eyes feel somewhat blurry.

"The Support Yang Sect's Great Brightness Canon."

The cultivators present, gazing at the phantom of the great sun behind Feng Xiangtian, exclaimed in astonishment.

It is said that when the Great Brightness Canon is cultivated to the utmost realm, it possesses the power to burn the heavens and boil the seas, able to mobilize all heavenly yang power in Huanyu, and with a single thought, the galaxy shatters.

The cultivators present stared unblinking at Feng Xiangtian, and their fear of the Slaughter Ghost Sect's Zhou Zheng and other cultivators greatly eased.

The utmost yang and utmost rigid golden sun produced by cultivating the Support Yang Sect's Great Brightness Canon is precisely the bane of ghost cultivators; even if the Slaughter Ghost Sect's disciples hold a Holy Infant Banner, they will still be suppressed.

Chu Wanxian of the Bibo Palace had her sleeves flying as she moved, and behind her appeared a stunning phantom; that phantom held aloft a golden palace, treading the heavens, while countless heavenly thunderbolts rolled down, all being devoured by the golden palace in the phantom.

"The Slaughter Ghost Sect slaughtered millions of cultivators in Heaven's Edge City and refined a Holy Infant Banner.

"They were too lazy to use covert slaughter, so they changed to an open and aboveboard massacre."

"Do you, Slaughter Ghost Sect, regard the orthodox path of Huanyu as mere decoration?" Chu Wanxian's voice rang out clear and crisp across the wilderness, hiding within it an unparalleled domineering aura.

Many cultivators present, upon seeing the phantom behind Chu Wanxian, had their pupils contract sharply.

The God King's Golden Refining Hall is a terrifying Divine Ability of the Bibo Palace from five hundred years ago; with a single thought, heavenly thunder arises, bathing in the sea of lightning, fighting to the death, the war spirit indestructible until death.

Five hundred years later, the Divine Ability of the God King's Golden Refining Hall reappears; Chu Wanxian's strength is absolutely terrifying, as she actually seeks to bathe in the sea of lightning to seek justice for the millions of beings lost in Heaven's Edge City.

Zhao Jianhua lay on the ground, feeling greatly surprised.

The demon master once said that the Golden Core realm can rival the Earth Element realm, but upon entering the Primordial Spirit Realm one must not be careless, for there are heavens beyond heavens and people beyond people.

Whether it is Feng Xiangtian of the Support Yang Sect or Chu Wanxian of the Bibo Palace, they are clearly monstrous-level geniuses in the Earth Element realm, having even cultivated the manifestations of Divine Abilities.

Ha ha, not bad—blaming the slaughter of Heaven's Edge City on the Slaughter Ghost Sect also manages to draw out the true disciples of the ten great orthodox sects of Huanyu, allowing us to see truly heaven-defying geniuses.

He and Wu Zhenghao can hide in the shadows, analyze the cultivation conditions of Huanyu's top power cultivators, compare them with Earth cultivators, and accurately gauge the strength between Earth cultivators and the disciples of Huanyu's top powers.

Wu Zhenghao grabbed Zhou Zheng's collar, and suddenly caught a glimpse of Zhao Jianhua's eyelid twitching upward, revealing a bit of the whites of his eyes; in that instant, they understood each other tacitly.

Wu Zhenghao's face was full of anger, his emotions stirred, and he said:

"When the demon rises one foot, the Dao rises ten feet."

Your Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples injured Brother Jianhua, slaughtered millions of beings in Heaven's Edge City; do you still dare to disregard the faces of all cultivators present and ruthlessly slaughter me?

As Wu Zhenghao spoke, he thrust his head forward toward Zhou Zheng, their four eyes meeting, and even the sound of their breathing could be heard clearly.

"You?"

Zhou Zheng was startled, reflexively pushing Wu Zhenghao away; his face felt burning, his heart pounding wildly.

He felt a chill run through him, goosebumps rose all over his body, his hairs stood on end—just now he had actually been teased by a strange man.

As soon as that thought arose in Zhou Zheng's mind, he shook his head wildly, completely suppressing the evil thought.

"Ah."

At the same time, a miserable cry rang out from the air; Wu Zhenghao, whom Zhou Zheng had pushed away, inexplicably flew tens of meters away, spitting blood from his mouth, his spirit wilting.

"It wasn't me who did it.

"It wasn't me who did it." Zhou Zheng stammered in fright.

The countless cultivators present were already angry at the Slaughter Ghost Sect and were eager to try to fight them.

If Wu Zhenghao were blasted away by his palm, all the cultivators would surely swarm and attack him; Zhou Zheng would not be foolish enough to commit suicide.

"It wasn't you who did it, it was him who injured himself.

You Slaughter Ghost Sect think we're all blind? Feng Xiangtian said, unable to contain his anger.

Behind him, a great sun wheel turned, shining golden light everywhere; at extreme speed he rushed toward Zhou Zheng and the other Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples to suppress and kill them, and a vast voice sounded in the field:

Fellow Daoists, the heretical demons and evil cults have slaughtered millions of human beings, refining the Holy Infant Banner.

Today they dare to slaughter a city, so they dare to slaughter us.

To protect the safety of us cultivators, kill the Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples.

As Feng Xiangtian's words fell, all the loose cultivators rushed to fight the Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples.

Chu Wanxian of the Azure Wave Sect released the apparition of the God King Golden Refining Hall to await battle; each time Zhou Zheng tried to use a powerful Divine Ability to attack, he was blocked by the illusory figure of the God King Golden Refining Hall.

Zhou Zheng was immediately attacked from front and rear, suffering successive defeats.

Zhao Jianhua and Wu Zhenghao secretly opened their eyes, revealing a malicious smile at the corners of their mouths.

The Slaughter Ghost Sect disciples were terribly unlucky; over a dozen of them had their heads split open by other cultivators.

Now only one Slaughter Ghost Sect disciple, Zhou Zheng, remains in the sky, taking on two opponents; he has been suppressed to the point his hair turned white, obviously paying a heavy price.

"You two idiots, you've both been fooled!" Zhou Zheng shouted wildly.

When he saw Zhao Jianhua and Wu Zhenghao, the two who were feigning faint clenched their right fists together, forming a thumbs‑up gesture of badassery.

Zhou Zheng, choked with anger, spat out a mouthful of blood. (End of chapter)