Chapter 604: Old and New Grudges Converge

The once heavily guarded Xihong seemed to have fallen into chaos overnight!

Across the land, bizarre slaughters of Long Gong demon soldiers occurred everywhere, all committed brazenly in full view of the public, as if this local emperor of the West Long Gong wasn't even worth respecting.

Before these reports could be gathered together, the beings of Xihong suddenly realized…

The heavens had changed!

The restless aura between heaven and earth, the gloomy and oppressive clouds, and the faintly flickering thunder all seemed to herald that something momentous was about to happen.

Many cultivators of great strength finally broke out of their cave abodes, silently gazed at the sky, then looked toward the depths of the waters with horrified expressions, and immediately ordered their sects sealed without a moment's hesitation.

At the same time.

Xihong, Long Gong Main Hall.

Qi Shengtao sat high upon the dais, with guests filling the seats on both sides. In the hall, Qi Zhaowen had just finished reporting the strange events of the day and was waiting for his father's response when he looked toward the outside of the hall in confusion.

As if sensing something terrifying.

Qi Zhaowen's face turned deathly pale, his figure even swaying slightly. As the future Crown Prince, showing such an undignified appearance—especially before so many esteemed guests—was an extreme loss of composure.

But at this moment, he had no mind to worry about such things. He turned back to his father in terror, opening his mouth to explain.

"Where did they go?"

Qi Shengtao lowered his gaze to look down, a chilling coldness surfacing in his eyes.

"They went… went to the Wanxiang Pavilion." Qi Zhaowen felt his mouth parched, his throat as if on fire.

"Who sent them?" Qi Shengtao asked again.

The hall fell deathly silent. Qi Zhaowen clutched his forehead, nearly fainting. After a long while, he said in a mosquito's voice: "Reporting to Father, it was your son who ordered them to go… but, but I had already sensed something was wrong and sent word for them to return…"

Before he could finish, a wine cup had already flown down from above, smashing viciously into his face. As wine splashed everywhere, Qi Zhaowen didn't even dare wipe his face before dropping to his knees with a thud, prostrating himself fully, kowtowing repeatedly:

"Your son deserves death!"

"You do indeed deserve death." Qi Shengtao glanced at the guests on both sides, his expression returning to calm as he slowly hid his trembling hands within his wide sleeves.

Even though his heart had already surged with towering waves, his pupils blood-red, he absolutely could not reveal his true emotions before these people.

These people might not be as powerful as himself, but the forces behind them were each more terrifying than the last.

And who knew whether they had come seeking his help, or were trying to take the opportunity to probe the West Long Gong's condition and swallow up this stretch of land and water along the way.

"Brother Shengtao, calm your anger."

Finally, two men rose from the guests on the right, both dressed in brilliant yellow robes, radiating noble bearing. Every gesture carried an indescribably powerful aura, appearing composed even before the West Long Wang.

These two were branch sect masters ranked among the top five in strength within the Liangdaohuang Sect.

They had come to Xihong specifically to seek out Situ Junrui.

"Since the matter has already occurred, rather than assigning blame, it would be better to think of how to handle it." The man on the left was called Situ Fuhai, the leader of this delegation.

"Zhaowen, sit down first." The man on the right shook his head, waved his hand to release an aura, and helped Qi Zhaowen to his feet.

"Thank you, Senior Shi."

Though he was a West Palace Dragon Son approaching the late Tianyan Siji stage, Qi Zhaowen did not dare show the slightest disrespect before this man, and bowed again with utmost reverence.

If not for the presence of these seniors from Beihong today, he would have been flayed alive by his father at the very least.

"Forgive me for the embarrassment before you all." Qi Shengtao took a deep breath and settled back onto his throne.

Logically speaking, with his own son slaughtered in Xihong, by every measure it was time for this Long Wang to step forward personally.

Yet a few concerns welled up in his heart.

This concern stemmed from his trust in Qi Zhaowen.

The West Long Wang believed this son would never dare deceive him, which meant the other party truly had intended to compete with that girl Senior Zi Xian. But upon sensing something amiss, he had immediately sent a message to stop the two, then hurried back to the Long Gong to report.

Yet the Third and Sixth were still dead.

How much time had passed in between?

There was absolutely no way they had received the message and rushed back in time.

The West Long Wang's fingers clenched tight. It could only mean that a gang of murderers was hiding right beneath his nose, completely still, these great demons having never left from beginning to end…

Yet even when he had personally patrolled Xihong earlier, he had detected no trace of anything amiss.

Moreover, these were two Dragon Sons comparable to the Tianyan Siji stage, not two pigs to be slaughtered at will! They were killed just like that, the entire process so swift that the West Long Gong hadn't had any time to react at all.

Even battle-hardened Qi Shengtao now felt a creeping chill in his heart.

This was clearly a conspiracy aimed at the West Long Gong!

"So, can you tell this King now who the other party is?" Qi Shengtao looked toward Qi Zhaowen.

"Your son… your son suspects that…" Qi Zhaowen swallowed hard.

"It was the Wan Yao Dian who made the move."

Just then, a clear voice cut off his words. Under everyone's gaze, Senior Zi Xian stepped slowly into the great hall.

The guests on both sides raised their brows slightly, clearly recognizing the identity of this noble lady.

Whatever they thought, they all cupped their hands in unison.

"…"

Qi Shengtao gazed down at Senior Zi Xian in silence, waiting for her explanation.

Senior Zi Xian deliberated for a moment, as if organizing her words. When she raised her head again, a single sentence plunged the entire hall into Tianyan Siji: "It also said that its master wants your life, and this stretch of land and water in Xihong will belong to the Wan Yao Dian from now on."

A pin drop would have been deafening.

Qi Shengtao's eyelids twitched violently. Beneath his wide robes, every muscle in his body was convulsing. After what felt like an eternity, he let out a heavy breath: "You mean it? Only one?"

Hearing this, the people below finally withdrew their gazes.

It was clear this old dragon still maintained his reason.

"Perfect Tianyan Siji." Senior Zi Xian knew exactly what the West Long Wang wanted to know.

"And it said it has a master?" Qi Shengtao slowly swept his gaze across both sides.

The crowd from the Liangdaohuang Sect wore dark, unsettled expressions; they had come to search for Situ Junrui, never expecting to help the West Long Gong guard this land and water.

Only Xue Yan, whose position ranked just below those two, felt a surge of excitement on his face. He had thought this bird-dropping place would be rather dull, yet upon arriving, he witnessed the fall of two Heaven Realm great demons. Tsk, even a small place can cause a huge commotion.

"Everyone, you came to find a person, but now the trail leads to a powerful enemy. Will you stop searching? Will you not seek revenge? Think carefully: in this land and water of West Hong, who else dares to act against your two families?"

Qi Shengtao laughed instead of getting angry, no longer looking at the Liangdaohuang Sect, but turning his gaze to the other side.

In the shadows, sturdy figures stood with expressions of Tianyan Siji, appearing almost nonexistent under the shroud of black clouds.

But the moment the West Long Wang cast his gaze over.

The slightly withered old man at the very front slowly raised his head, his eyes calm, unaffected by this old dragon's clumsy provocation.

After a brief stare-down, he leisurely stood up: "If it truly is this so-called Wan Yao Dian, then let us fight to the death. The Yue family has nothing left to fear."

The Yue family once possessed a genius son who could lead the entire clan one step further, but he went mad. It was only with great difficulty that they cultivated another, Yue Tiance; though not as dazzling as his elder brother, he was still an exceptionally promising seedling.

In the end, both brothers died outside.

As for others of mediocre talent, after the lifespans of us old ones are exhausted, where would they find the qualification to support the Yue family?

The Yue family can already be considered to be in a state of half-extinction.

If not for someone stirring up trouble in the midst, preventing the Yue family from freeing their hands for so long, they would have come long ago; why would they wait until now?

"Elder Yue is straightforward!"

Qi Shengtao raised his wine cup.

This old man is the clan-protecting elder of the Huo Lin clan; his strength needs no elaboration. With his assistance, it is truly a great fortune.

Of course, more importantly, since everyone is here to find someone, and the Yue family has already gotten involved, would it not seem too cowardly if the Liangdaohuang Sect just watched from the sidelines?

Indeed.

Situ Fuhai pondered for a moment, then slowly raised his wine cup: "In this place of Hongze, unless they are raised by immortals, if they harm Shen Zongzhu of our Liangdaohuang Sect, they must pay a price."

"Provided, of course, that they truly did it."

As the words fell, everyone in the hall raised their cups and drank in one gulp.

Qi Shengtao gently wiped the corner of his lips: "Whether it was them or not, simply capture them and interrogate them, no? Could it be that everyone's status in North Hong is established by arguing reason with others?"

As he spoke, his peripheral vision glanced past Zi Xian within the hall.

He did not use words to provoke her as he did with the others.

For the Purple-Bearded White Dragon clan, existences like the Wan Yao Dian, which are ruthless, violent, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and constantly stir up slaughter, are inherently the things they despise most.

These lowborn breeds who love to meddle in others' affairs do not need anyone to remind them; they will voluntarily get involved. They haven't changed in hundreds of thousands of years, and this time will be no exception.

"..."

Zi Xian noticed the gaze cast by the West Long Wang and roughly guessed the other's thoughts.

Her already displeased heart now felt even more stifled.

She was indeed worried about the situation spiraling out of control. After all, although the Eastern Hall Master of the Wan Yao Dian had not acted against her, his words showed no intention of friendship; he seemed like a group of madmen who only knew slaughter and arrogance. Who could guarantee their rage would be limited to the scope of the West Long Gong?

Therefore, before coming to the Long Wang Hall, she had indeed sent a message to her family first.

So annoying! How can there be such a group of ruthless killers in the world with no purpose, making it impossible to guess their intentions at all?

Even for such a major event as contesting West Hong, it seemed merely to retaliate against the West Long Gong's offense, feeling they had lost face, rather than truly wanting West Hong. It was simply absurd to the extreme.

West Hong, Banshan Sect.

Inside the dim main hall, the youth in black robes slowly opened his eyes.

Although Huang Wenfa and Yan Chongzhang quietly accompanied him on both sides, the lingering fear on their faces could not be concealed. They had long sensed the sudden change in the sky outside; the only reason they remained here was to know whether this matter had any connection with Shen Zongzhu before them...

That is right, even though Shen Yi had never left the Banshan Sect, and hadn't even lifted an eyelid.

But as soon as such a major event occurred, Huang Wenfa's first reaction would be to link it to Shen Zongzhu. After all, besides this lord before him, he truly could not think of a second person so audacious and possessing strength matching such audacity.

"..."

After hearing Ke Shisan's report, Shen Yi resumed flipping through the scrolls.

Things are going quite smoothly.

This time is different from before; after all, West Hong is not as closed off as South Hong. If anything happens slightly, it spreads to the East and the North.

To establish a foothold, one cannot hide oneself as before; instead, one must deliberately create momentum. Only by intimidating the heroes can one buy time to develop.

One must admit, this Dragon Consort Zi Xian is truly as useful as ever.

Not only can she create momentum for oneself, but according to the habits of the Purple-Bearded White Dragons, she should also be able to summon people from the East Long Gong.

Thinking of this, Shen Yi looked at the Dao token in his palm.

According to Senior Ji, the schemes of the East Long Gong actually do not conflict with his own; the goal is the same, only two different paths were chosen.

To be honest, Shen Yi did not have the confidence to truly slay that Immortal.

In the process of stealing the immortal power of the Four Hongs, if even a single accident occurred, attracting the attention of Hongze Daxian, the result would be total defeat.

Having another path to provide a safety net is naturally better.

It is just about needing the Dragon Seal, isn't it?

Shen Yi sensed the small seal within the ring. If he could gather two Dragon Seals and display his strength, perhaps he could exchange for the East Long Wang turning a blind eye; if the other party merely pretended not to see, he could successfully steal the immortal power of the Three Hongs.

By that time, whether accusing the Immortal or simply assassinating him decisively, there would be more room for choice.

"..."

Huang Wenfa and Yan Chongzhang, the master and disciple, exchanged a glance. Just by Shen Zongzhu's calmness after opening his eyes, they dared to guarantee that the fall of the Heaven Realm great demons was ten out of ten likely connected to him.

Moreover, both now had some other thoughts in their hearts.

Wait, the faction fabricated back then to cover for Shen Zongzhu, how has it become more and more like a real one now?!

Even Yan Chongzhang, the originator, began to doubt himself.

Fortunately, he did not ponder for too long before his thoughts were interrupted by a suddenly descending aura.

Moonlight gathered within the hall, coalescing into a cold, clear figure.

Ji Jingxi's complexion looked somewhat off; she hurried to Shen Yi's side, bent down, and said with a complex expression, "The Wan Yao Dian has reappeared, anchored by a Great Demon at the peak of the Heavenly Realm, and has completely torn up relations with the Western Long Gong. I don't know if this is good for us. Besides that, there is also bad news."

"Hmm?" Shen Yi turned his gaze to look.

Ji Jingxi took a deep breath: "The news just received from Senior Zi Xian is that the Liangdaohuang Sect and the people of the Yue family have already arrived at West Hong. They claim they are here to help deal with the Wan Yao Dian, but..."

She did not finish her sentence.

To be sure, the two brothers of the Yue family did not die at the hands of the Wan Yao Dian; they were beaten to death by Shen Zongzhu himself in the Immortal Cave of Yu Nanhong.

Obviously, the Eastern Long Gong's cover-up up to this point has reached its limit.

Although two Heavenly Realm Dragon Princes perished, with the help of these people, the Western Long Gong has not only not weakened but has become stronger than before by countless times.

Just then, Ji Jingxi paused in surprise.

She did not see the expected worry on Shen Yi's face; instead, on that Bai Xi and handsome face of his, a pair of pitch-black eyes slowly lit up, and the faint emotion contained within them... if she wasn't mistaken, seemed to be joy?!

"Understood."

Shen Yi quickly withdrew his gaze and nodded lightly.

He had originally been troubled by the fact that North Hong was a solid block of iron, making people dare not venture there lightly; he never expected these people to walk out on their own.

Tsk, his own Zhong Dianzhu has been stuck in the Earth Realm for a long time without advancing.

(End of this chapter)