Chapter 55: Sect Annihilation

Young master, could these medicinal pills be from extraterritorial… Young master, you must never do foolish things, dealing with demons; even if we risk our lives, we will keep you safe.

Yes! I swear to escort the young sect master to Yunhai City with my life!

Hearing these impassioned words,

Su Chen's heart stirred slightly, but he smiled lightly on the surface: 'These medicinal pills, talismans, and spiritual treasures all come from legitimate sources; besides, would those meat‑eating, blood‑sucking lot even know how to refine pills or talismans?'

'You don't believe me? I'll show you these talismans right now.'

'This talisman is called the Thunderfire Talisman, though it is only of spiritual grade; activating it summons the Nine Heavens Startling Thunder, which can heavily injure a Martial Ancestor realm cultivator, and below that realm it leaves no corpse.'

Thunderfire Talisman?

Summon lightning?

Hiss!

All the cultivators present sucked in a breath of cold air, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief, for in cultivation thunder is the greatest taboo—when a cultivator breaks through to the Martial Ancestor realm they draw heavenly tribulation, which is therefore called Heaven's Punishment.

Moreover, those who can command the power of lightning in the cultivation world are exceedingly rare.

In Heilong's view, merely cultivating a technique that can condense lightning power is already monstrous.

To be able to manipulate the heavenly tribulation at will without breaking through is practically the Thunder God descending to the mortal world.

I'd stake my life on it—they wouldn't believe it, but this Thunderfire Talisman truly can summon heavenly thunder.

Su Chen, before the assembled cultivators, pinched the hand seal and was about to expend the Thunderfire Talisman.

'Su Chen!'

Suddenly.

From outside the sect came an angry scoff; Wang Yaoshi appeared with a few teleports, stepped before Su Chen, pointed straight at him, and shouted indignantly: 'I have recorded every word you just said with the recording stone.'

'You, in front of all the sect's disciples and elders, intend to take this group to Yunhai City to meet with Sect Leader Su Changfeng!'

'Now I will hand this recording stone over to Young Sect Master Ye Xuan—evidence in hand, you're finished!'

Wang Yaoshi dropped these harsh words.

Seeing Su Chen surrounded by many followers, he decisively chose to retreat, his form turning into a rainbow light that vanished.

Before leaving, he also used his divine sense to send a voice transmission over a thousand li, the sound deafening, wishing that every nearby clan and sect would hear: 'Su Chen is panicking, he has summoned the sect disciples to march on Yunhai City!'

'Young Sect Master Ye Xuan predicted correctly—they intend to use Yunhai City's Wall of Gods and Demons to summon an extraterritorial heavenly demon.'

'I, the apothecary, heard it myself! Su Chen plans to use a secret treasure granted by the heavenly demon to boost his cultivation.'

……

This hoarse, exhausted shout, amplified by the divine sense, once released could not be contained.

Heilong's face immediately darkened, his body instinctively shooting forward to catch up with Wang Yaoshi and drag him back.

But Wang Yaoshi had already prepared an escape route, landing inside the teleportation array and departing via it.

By then, the hidden guards sent by Ye Xuan to monitor the Tianxuan Dao Sect had already been assembled.

If Heilong pursued now, it would cement the notion that Su Chen is colluding with the extraterritorial heavenly demon.

Wang Yaoshi's move was meant to provoke Su Chen into a furious, reckless slaughter, thereby convincing the cultivators of the Eastern Wasteland Region of this accusation.

'Hmph!'

A cold snort sounded.

Su Chen rubbed the Thunderfire Talisman in his palm. Standing in the most conspicuous spot, he looked at Wang Yaoshi, who was about to board the teleportation array, and said: 'Never mind whether you can activate that array—do you think you can escape my grasp?'

'Screech!'

The thunderfire turned into golden radiance and dissipated.

Above the firmament, a sudden omen arose—a pitch‑black tribulation cloud appeared.

Accompanied by a rumbling roar.

The nine disciples present had not yet reacted when, in the next instant, a silver streak flashed in the distance and vanished, slicing a gully into the ground beneath the buildings.

They saw Wang Yaoshi, whose foot was about to step into the teleportation array, his hair standing on end, his body still crackling with arcs of electricity, his face blackened, his eyes rolled back as he collapsed to the ground.

What did they see?

What did the hidden guards lurking in the shadows of the Tianxuan Dao Sect see?

Flames!

Flames ignited on the corpse!

From a single spark to a raging inferno, ultimately Wang Yaoshi's ashes drifted away on the wind.

Wang Yaoshi didn't even have time to utter a pained wail—no, he felt no pain at all.

'No… no, impossible!'

'Swish!'

Not even debris remained on the ground.

The entire Tianxuan Dao Sect fell into dead silence.

Heilong was the first to react, rushing to the spot where Wang Yaoshi's corpse had been to destroy the body and erase traces… he did it so flawlessly there was not a hint of a mistake.

Then he turned his head to look at Su Chen.

Tens of li apart…

A single talisman—he hadn't even gotten a clear look at what heavenly thunder looks like.

And just like that, a person was gone.

Heavens!

'Hiss… no wonder talisman makers are so precious—even pill refiners are a step behind; a palm‑sized talisman can leave no corpse, and though it would take me a moment to fly that distance on my sword, the victim died in an instant.'

'Senior Brother! I roughly estimated the power—below the Martial Ancestor realm there's almost no chance of survival, and even above it one would not die but would be flayed alive; it's truly terrifying!'

"Originally, young sect master, not being frightened into speaking nonsense, with this talisman… we might actually be able to reach Yunhai City alive."

"Hahaha, good! Excellent! The sect master's fortune is profound!"

"The sect cultivators' eye sockets instantly turned red and moist."

"When they looked again at those spirit treasures and talismans, their eyes held no suspicion or doubt, only shock and tears of joy."

"These nine people had originally prepared to burn their cultivation and damage their origins, but they never expected that, at the critical moment, the young sect master would suddenly produce a terrifying talisman capable of easily slaughtering cultivators below the Martial Ancestor realm."

"In a daze."

"These disciples recalled the earlier senior disciples' faces when they left the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect, filled with relief and determination, as well as the young master's words just spoken… 'I hope you don't regret today's choice!'"

"Young Sect Master——"

"The substitute servant, face flushed and neck thick, gasped heavily and said in terror: 'Report to the Young Master!'"

"Lin Jianran, in the hall of the Azure Abyss Sect, personally accused the Sect Master and you of colluding with extraterritorial heavenly demons, and of having correspondence with the demon clan… saying you wish to dominate the Eastern Wasteland, raise humans as livestock, and worship the heavenly demon."

"Ye Xuan flew into a rage; he originally wanted to personally descend to the Eastern Wasteland, but felt it would be beneath his status, so he ordered a Martial Sovereign realm expert to lead five hundred Martial Emperor cultivators to exterminate the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect completely and seize the evidence."

"And… Sect Master Liu, Sect Master Liu, for pleading on behalf of the Sect Master, was imprisoned by Ye Xuan; ostensibly said to be under investigation, but actually used as leverage."

"Young Sect Master, it probably won't take more than the time to finish a cup of tea before the Azure Abyss Sect's disciples surround the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect; you'd better leave via the teleportation array."

"Excellent!"

"Finally, I've awaited this day."

"What damned Son of Fortune, what Heaven's Mandate's chosen— from now on he will hunt the Son of Fortune."

"Su Chen narrowed his eyes, gazing at the distant clouds; it was already dusk, the night curtain low, and the sky was about to turn dark."

"Yes…… Although cultivators' vision isn't much affected by day or night…… Su Chen's mouth curled into a trace of immense, unparalleled, colossal confidence."

"He made the servant who had just come in to report the news look bewildered."

"He turned his head to look at the many disciples who were cracking their fists and palms, eager to try."

"A few lofty words, yet they would stir up a tremendous storm in the Eastern Wasteland: 'All disciples, hear my orders!'"

"Disciples present!"

"Disciples present!"

"The Nine Heavenly Beast Guards all knelt in neat unison; the twin younger sister was startled back to her senses, her heart churning with massive waves, the corner of her mouth twitching into a wry smile— it seems her elder sister's words that she would regret this cannot possibly come true."