Chapter 767: Stirring Up Trouble

“Damn it!” a disciple from the Five Elements Sect cursed, clutching his chest as he glared at the two arrogant men.

“I’d advise you not to provoke them,” Zi Yuexi said faintly. “The Five Elements Sect no longer has what it takes to contend with the Guiyuan Sect or the Illusion Transformation Sect.” With that, she continued on her way. She had only saved the disciples because she didn’t want to watch them die for nothing; she had no other intentions.

Watching Zi Yuexi’s retreating figure, the Five Elements Sect disciples clenched their fists. One of them slammed his fist into the ground in frustration. “Hmph! The Illusion Transformation Sect and the Guiyuan Sect,” he said, his face dark. “Back when our Sect was at its peak, they were nothing but respectful. Now that we’ve fallen on hard times, they dare to be this arrogant. They have no respect for us at all!”

“Let’s go. We need to report to Elder Shui. The Sect Leader of our Yao Sect is back, too. This time, they’ll be in for a world of hurt!” one disciple suggested. At his words, the others helped each other up and headed deeper into the Five Elements Sect.

Meanwhile, the Guiyuan Saint Child and the Illusionary Saint Son had already flown into the Five Elements Sect on their Flying Beasts, arriving at the Central Square. The crowd gathered there noticed the two figures in the sky and immediately began to whisper.

“Isn’t that the Guiyuan Saint Child from the Guiyuan Sect and the Illusionary Saint Son from the Illusion Transformation Sect? They just flew right in on their Flying Beasts. That’s a blatant slap in the face to the Five Elements Sect!”

“The Guiyuan Sect and the Illusion Transformation Sect have always been suppressed by the Five Elements Sect. Now that the Five Elements Sect is in decline, they finally have a chance to walk all over them!”

“Serves them right. The Five Elements Sect is just asking for it this time. Most of the Martial Artists here are already unhappy with how the Five Elements Sect is handling things. When Chen Yu finally shows up, they’ll probably attack him all at once. After that, I doubt the Five Elements Sect will have a place left in the Southern Domain!”

Low murmurs rippled through the crowd. By now, the Guiyuan Saint Child and the Illusionary Saint Son had descended from the sky. They frowned as they looked at the people filling the Central Square.

“What are you all standing around for?” the Guiyuan Saint Child demanded, his partner the Illusionary Saint Son looking equally displeased. “Didn’t the Five Elements Sect say they were hosting a banquet for us? Where’s the feast? Where are the women?”

“Um, to answer the Saint Child and Saint Son,” an Elder from a minor power immediately stepped forward, fawning. “The Five Elements Sect hasn’t prepared a banquet. In fact, no one from the sect has shown up at all. The disciple who led us here just told us to wait, and nothing more.”

“What? They’re just making us wait out here? The nerve! Do they really still think they’re the number one Sect in the Southern Domain?” the Guiyuan Saint Child sneered. He strode to the front of the crowd, faced a massive stone tablet, and brought his palm down in a vicious chop. The huge monument instantly shattered into rubble!

Seeing the Guiyuan Saint Child’s explosive rage, the Martial Artists present couldn’t help but shrink back. The Guiyuan Sect was arguably the second-largest Major Sect in the Southern Domain, not much weaker than the Five Elements Sect had been in its heyday. The Guiyuan Saint Child was the Sect’s top genius, having reached the Tier Five Spirit Emperor Level at a young age. He was a shoo-in for the next Sect Leader.

Although the crowd was unhappy with the Five Elements Sect’s arrangements, they didn’t dare to be as brazen as the Guiyuan Saint Child. After all, the Five Elements Sect had once been a Super Sect. As the saying goes, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse, and they all understood that well enough.

“Haha, smashing a stone tablet is hardly satisfying. Let’s destroy this thing, too!” Seeing the Guiyuan Saint Child take action, the Illusionary Saint Son couldn’t hold back any longer. With a loud laugh, he rushed toward a statue at the far end of the square and raised his hand to strike. Milky-white Spiritual Power condensed into a greatsword, carrying a fierce and Powerful Qi. If it struck the statue, the sculpture would instantly be reduced to a pile of rubble.

SWISH…

But just as the Illusionary Saint Son’s greatsword of Spiritual Power was about to strike the statue, the air split with a piercing sound. A streak of purple-black light instantly appeared before him, shattering the Spiritual Power blade and shooting toward his neck.

The razor-sharp Sword Intent forced the Illusionary Saint Son to retreat explosively, his figure darting backward at high speed. Even so, the purple-black Sword Qi still managed to slash through his sleeve, leaving a bloody Sword Mark on his arm.

“Who’s there?” the Illusionary Saint Son bellowed, looking up toward the statue.

A young man dressed in sharp, black attire now stood atop the statue. No one knew when he had appeared. His face was an exact match for the sculpture, leaving the crowd momentarily stunned.

The young man was, of course, Shen Haoran. The statue beneath his feet had been carved by the disciples of the Five Elements Sect to commemorate his achievements in that great war.

After emerging from the Red Flame Spiritual Vein, Shen Haoran had returned to his private courtyard. But upon his return, he found several injured Yao Sect disciples. ‘I was originally planning to wait for the Blood Evil Alliance to arrive before revealing myself,’ he thought, ‘but my own Martial Artists have been beaten. As their Sect Leader, how could I not step forward?’

“Who are you? How dare you attack me!” the Illusionary Saint Son snarled, glancing at the shallow Sword Mark on his arm.

“Hmph. Who do you think you are?” Shen Haoran said with contempt. “Even if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t need a reason!” ‘This bastard tried to destroy my statue. I’m already showing him mercy by not killing him on the spot!’

“Such arrogance,” the Guiyuan Saint Child chimed in, stepping forward to mock Shen Haoran. “Even your Five Elements Sect’s own Sect Leader would have to show the Illusionary Saint Son some respect. Yet a lowly disciple like you dares to speak to him like that? It seems the Five Elements Sect is not only lacking in strength but in manners as well!”

“‘Illusionary Saint Son?'” Shen Haoran repeated, his brow furrowing.

“What, scared now?” The Illusionary Saint Son lifted his chin, speaking with haughty arrogance when Shen Haoran didn’t reply. “If you’re scared, kneel and call me ‘Grandpa’ a couple of times. I might just spare your life.”

“Tsk, my friend,” the Guiyuan Saint Child said with a sneer. “Since when did you develop such a crude taste? Taking a guy like this as your grandson will only lower your status!” His words triggered a wave of derisive laughter from the surrounding factions. ‘In their eyes, Shen Haoran was just some insignificant disciple from the Five Elements Sect. Judging by his clothes, he looked like a mere Outer Disciple. Someone like that could be killed without consequence. Given the Five Elements Sect’s current weakness, Chen Yu would never risk a conflict with the Guiyuan Sect and the Illusion Transformation Sect over a single Outer Disciple.’

Gazing at the jeering crowd, Shen Haoran’s eyes narrowed slightly. ‘It seems these people have truly forgotten the prestige of the Five Elements Sect. In that case, I’ll have to remind them of the fear they once felt when the Five Elements Sect held dominion…’