Chapter 467: Change at the Border (2)

Chapter 467 -340: Change at the Border (2)

“Rest assured,” Lu Ruikai said with a reassuring smile. “Zhu Zhengping is a man of status in the Profound Yin Sect. He wouldn’t stoop so low as to deal with you himself. At most, he’ll just pay you a bit more attention.”

“Oh.”

Yu Changsheng nodded, but he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of doubt.

‘This Celestial Slaughter Golden Lotus… Zhu Zhengping probably prepared it for one of his own disciples. If he finds out it ended up with me, I wonder how he’ll react…’

As these thoughts troubled him, Yu Changsheng suddenly shook his head and exhaled sharply.

‘Forget it. If he finds out, he finds out. What’s done is done.’

Just as he was thinking, Zhu Zhengping was observing the reactions of the various sects with a faint smile, about to speak again, when suddenly a jade tube glowing with red light tore through the void and shot toward him.

Zhu Zhengping’s expression changed. He reached out, caught the crimson jade tube, and pressed it to his forehead to perceive its message.

‘A red Communication Jade Tube… an urgent sect message. Has something serious happened?’

The sudden development left the other Sect Elders bewildered. They waited in silence. After a moment of communion with the message, Zhu Zhengping abruptly crushed the jade tube in his hand. His cultivation aura surged, reaching for the heavens. He whipped his head around, his face a mask of fury, and glared at the Spirit Dragon Sect!

“Xuan Long! Do you have an explanation for this?!”

As the crowd watched in bewilderment, Zhu Zhengping’s furious voice boomed out. It was like the tolling of a colossal bell at the dawn of creation, a rumbling thunder that scattered the clouds and resounded across the heavens.

Along with his voice, an astonishing aura erupted, suppressing everything in all directions. It pulsed violently with his rage, transforming into a terrifying pressure that blanketed the area and bore down on the Spirit Dragon Sect’s delegation.

“What?”

The others were bewildered, and a flurry of speculation arose among them. Lu Ruikai narrowed his eyes, exchanged a glance with Ruan Hao, and gave a slight nod before pulling Yu Changsheng back two steps.

Xuan Long was taken aback by Zhu Zhengping’s sudden outburst. His expression changed, and with a look of confusion, he quickly waved his hands and asked:

“Fellow Daoist Zhu, what is the meaning of this? Why such a show of force? Everything was fine just a moment ago.”

The other Sect Elders reacted similarly. They watched the scene with baffled expressions, each forming their own theories. However, they all instinctively distanced themselves from Xuan Long True Monarch.

‘Right, what’s gotten into Zhu Zhengping? What could have been in that jade tube to make him fly off the handle like that?’

As speculation mounted, Zhu Zhengping took a deep breath. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes as he stared daggers at Xuan Long True Monarch and began to explain:

“Just now, I received an urgent sect message! The defensive line on the Southwest Border of the Martial Continent has fallen! The Qingzhou Military is advancing in full force, poised to strike!”

“The Yang Family of the Southwest has rebelled! The Purple Mansion Great Powers from the Purple Rainbow Sect and my own Profound Yin Sect, who were guarding the Southwest Border, were lured away by Spirit Dragon Sect cultivators! They, in league with Purple Mansion Cultivators from Qingzhou, ambushed our two Great Powers! One is dead, the other grievously wounded!”

“What’s more, members of the Dark Stream have emerged, aiding these villains! The entire Southwest—the Yang Family, the Spirit Dragon Sect—they have all completely turned traitor! The border has been breached, the casualties are innumerable, and the situation is critical!”

Every word from Zhu Zhengping landed with the force of a hammer. His gaze was murderous, his face contorted with rage. His voice was like a silent thunderclap, each revelation a monstrous wave that crashed into the minds of all present.

In an instant, the color drained from everyone’s faces, their eyes filled with disbelief. The leaders of the various sect delegations shot to their feet, their gazes converging on Xuan Long Master as one.

Everyone knew in their hearts that Zhu Zhengping would not lie about something like this.

Xuan Long Master was stunned. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead and streamed down his face. Under the immense pressure, he gritted his teeth and spoke, his voice laced with disbelief:

“How can this be possible?! I knew nothing of this! How could my Spirit Dragon Sect collude with Qingzhou and betray the Martial Continent? Our sect’s roots are here! How could we ever do something so treacherous as to dishonor our ancestors?”

“There must be a misunderstanding, some hidden truth behind all this! I implore you all to calm your anger! Give me time, and I swear I will get to the bottom of this!”

Xuan Long Master cupped his fists, his eyes bloodshot as he felt the weight of their collective gaze. He explained hurriedly, his voice hoarse.

“The evidence is irrefutable! What is there to explain? Spirit Dragon Sect! You have some nerve!”

Seething with rage, Zhu Zhengping sneered at Xuan Long Master. His gaze flickered over the members of the other sects before locking back onto Xuan Long Master, his killing intent now palpable.

‘Zhu Zhengping knew this was no small matter. It didn’t just involve the Spirit Dragon Sect and the Yang Family; the Dark Stream was caught up in it as well.’

‘The Dark Stream’s relationship with his own Profound Yin Sect was already a complicated one. At this critical juncture, if the Profound Yin Sect wished to avoid suspicion, it had to make its stance crystal clear and completely sever any perceived ties to the Dark Stream.’

‘And the Spirit Dragon Sect was the obvious choice to make an example of.’

Just as he expected, when Zhu Zhengping finished speaking, the leading elders of the other sects remained silent. Though they understood the situation, they simply watched his actions, their gazes filled with scrutiny.

After a long moment, a single, ethereal voice drifted through the void.

“Fellow Daoist Zhu, the Yang Family and the Spirit Dragon Sect alone… aren’t enough to breach the Southwest Border. The members of the Dark Stream are an unstable element as well.”

The others remained silent, but it was clear they agreed with the sentiment.

Zhu Zhengping snorted, turning back to Xuan Long Master with a series of cold laughs:

“The Dark Stream has turned traitor, and those rats should naturally be exterminated. But the Spirit Dragon Sect, as a main perpetrator, must be held accountable! Xuan Long Master, this matter is no longer open for discussion!”

Zhu Zhengping paused and exhaled. With a great wave of his sleeve, an immense power enveloped Xuan Long Master, manifesting as a pair of colossal, blood-red hands that descended from the heavens and smashed down upon him.

“Traitors to the Martial Continent must die!”

RUMBLE!

The Blood Palm blotted out the sky, the lines on it starkly clear. Zhu Zhengping’s hair and beard flew wildly as he thrust his arm downward. The very elements roiled as the Blood Palm descended with the force of a tidal wave, rumbling as it fell!

The offensive might of a Purple Mansion Peak cultivator was enough to make the heavens themselves seem to change color. Sensing the power of the attack, everyone’s expression turned grave as they led their disciples in a hasty retreat.

As for Xuan Long Master, who was at the very center of the attack, his face paled dramatically. A look of pure terror crossed his features. He swallowed hard, flying backward as he tried to explain:

“Fellow Daoist Zhu, calm your anger! This is not what it looks like! There must be some other reason, I beg you to see reason!”

“Hmph!” Zhu Zhengping snorted, showing no intention of holding back. On the contrary, his attack intensified as the Blood Palm continued its descent, shrouding Xuan Long Master.

“Zhu Zhengping! You’ve gone too far!”

Seeing that his explanations were falling on deaf ears, Xuan Long Master’s eyes turned crimson. He let out a hoarse, guttural roar at Zhu Zhengping, then looked up at the terrifying might descending from the heavens and hastily performed a finger technique.

Instantly, a white light flared. As Xuan Long Master thrust his hands upward, the colossal shadow of a hundred-zhang-tall White Dragon materialized between heaven and earth. Its draconic might washed out for a hundred li as its ferocious head charged toward the giant, descending palm!

ROOOOAR!

BOOM!

A violent aftershock radiated out for a hundred li, and for a moment, the air itself went still. From the collision, Zhu Zhengping emerged with his expression unchanged, continuing to press his palm down. Xuan Long Master, however, stumbled back three steps, the color draining from his face as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The illusory White Dragon shattered inch by inch, while the Blood Palm, merely impeded for an instant, resumed its unstoppable descent. Like the heavens themselves collapsing, it crashed down and struck Xuan Long Master dead on.

“NO!”

Xuan Long Master roared in terror and fury, resisting with all his might. But in the face of such absolute power, all his efforts were in vain.

“A frog in a well, daring to resist the might of the heavens?!”

Zhu Zhengping snorted, his expression cold and indifferent. As the Blood Palm enveloped Xuan Long Master, he fiercely clenched his fist. In that instant, a massive shockwave erupted, and in the next, a violent tide of Spiritual Qi swept out in all directions.

A flash of purple light shot out. On closer inspection, it was a miniature version of Xuan Long Master, his face a mask of terror as he tried to flee. But in the next moment, with a wave of Zhu Zhengping’s sleeve, the miniature figure froze abruptly, then shattered into motes of light, dissipating completely into the world.

Xuan Long Master had fallen.

And all between heaven and earth fell silent.