Chapter 7294 The Mastermind

“Lu Chengzhou, you old fogey! Get the hell out here!”

A furious roar shattered the tranquility of the Violet Cloud Gate. Countless figures appeared in the sky. The auras of half-step Heavenly Sovereigns filled the air like clouds, shrouding the entire Violet Cloud Gate.

Disciples came running out and stared in shock at the sky. They had never before seen so many half-step Heavenly Sovereigns together. And that was not even the most shocking part; what really made them do a double take was that all of them were standing behind one black-robed young man. That black-robed man was merely a Sovereign Lord!

“That’s...”

“Long Chen!”

Countless startled cries rose. As disciples of the human race, it was almost impossible for anyone to not know who Long Chen was. Photographic jades of Long Chen had long since spread far and wide. As Long Chen’s cultivation base grew, his aura changed, but his appearance and domineering air were the same as always.

The half-step Heavenly Sovereigns behind him suddenly spread out and surrounded the Violet Cloud Gate. Let alone a person, not even a mosquito could get past them.

The sound of an alarm only rang out now. The barrier activated, and intense spatial fluctuations shook the entire Violet Cloud Gate.

“They’re running away!” Shi Yu was startled. In front of such a lineup, the Violet Cloud Gate had actually used their grand formation not to reinforce the barrier, but to flee!

Suddenly, the massive Two-Face Ghost Wolf appeared.

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

This one roar tore the formation to shreds!

The central plaza was lit by a massive explosion, and a hidden transportation formation was revealed before everyone. At the center of the massive but broken formation, an elder in azure robes stared at them in horror. This person was none other than the gate master, Lu Chengzhou.

“Big brother, the sea of bitterness is endless, but if you turn around, the shore is right behind you. Master Long Chen already knows everything. You’ve committed a grave sin, and you must take responsibility. Don’t implicate the innocent disciples of the Violet Cloud Gate!” Lu Mingzhou shouted from behind Long Chen.

“You...”

Lu Chengzhou almost exploded into a fiery rage. He had never expected the foolish little brother that he trusted most in this world to sell him out.

“All disciples of the Violet Cloud Gate, get into the Violet Cloud Blood Sacrifice Formation!” roared Lu Chengzhou.

The disciples were startled and didn’t know what was going on, but they did not dare to defy the gate master’s orders. Countless people formed hand seals.

“Violet Cloud Gate, Lu Chengzhou was the one who caused the deaths in Wind Bell Valley. There is solid evidence of this. Today, the sects who suffered losses have come for justice. Do not be deceived by Lu Chengzhou!” shouted Lu Mingzhou.

The disciples were baffled. They didn’t know who to believe. But after all, Lu Chengzhou was the gate master. Lu Mingzhou was basically an extra, someone the gate master had put into that position because he trusted him. He didn’t normally do much in the sect, and so most of these disciples didn’t have much faith in him.

However, they were also facing many terrifying experts, as well as Long Chen. They were all apprehensive.

Shi Yu couldn’t help looking at Long Chen when she saw those disciples hesitating. “Master Long Chen, you should say something. I believe that if you say it, they will trust you!”

“By bringing Lu Mingzhou with me, I have already given them their chance. Their life or death is in their own hands!” said Long Chen.

Long Chen might have tried to explain things before, but ever since turning the Golden Virtue Lotus into his Dao-seed, the angle from which he viewed things had shifted. Before, no matter how he tried to look at things, it was always the viewpoint of one person or another. He could never look at things from the viewpoint of the Grand Dao. But now, things were different.

Their fates were in their own hands. It was not his place to make their choice for them. Why waste words? And if he did speak up and save these people, was this truly a virtuous deed?

On the surface, it might appear virtuous to save them. But what if the people he saved turned out to be evil and committed evil acts? Then whose fault would it be? Even if he could differentiate whether they were good people or bad people, who could say that they wouldn’t change as time passed? Good intentions didn’t necessarily lead to good outcomes. Perhaps the apathy of the heavens was actually the most humane.

“Don’t listen to Lu Mingzhou! He has been bought! Everyone, get into my formation!” roared Lu Chengzhou.

A sword with violet cloud patterns on the blade appeared in his hand. The entire Violet Cloud Gate’s karmic luck began to surge. In the end, the majority of the disciples also chose to listen to Lu Chengzhou’s orders and immediately assembled the formation.

Just then, the Two-Face Ghost Wolf quivered ever so slightly. The Soul Seizing Bell on its neck let out a light sound.

Other than Lu Chengzhou, everyone who had joined the formation suddenly had their heads explode.

As for Lu Chengzhou, let out a miserable shriek. The Violet Cloud Sword in his hand clattered to the ground, and he clutched his head, bending over with blood oozing from every orifice of his face.

Long Chen and Miao Yin were surprised. The Soul Seizing Bell really was a good match for the Two-Face Ghost Wolf! The wolf was able to draw no less power from it than the Sound-Bewitching Sea Demon.

However, while its power was immense, its control was lacking. Those in the Violet Cloud Gate who had not decided to join the gate master were also clutching their heads and moaning in pain. Some of the disciples even fainted. In fact, let alone them, even some of the half-step Heavenly Sovereigns were shaken. It felt like their souls were about to be pulled out of their bodies.

The headless corpses slowly collapsed. The shocking and ghastly sight made Shi Yu sigh.

She didn’t blame Long Chen, and she also didn’t feel like his actions were wrong. But she found it hard to accept that reality could be this cruel.

With a single step, Long Chen appeared in front of Lu Chengzhou. “I don’t like wasting words. Where is that girl?”

Lu Chengzhou couldn’t even breathe without blood gushing out of his mouth. His cultivation was well and truly crippled; after all, he had been the focus of the Soul Seizing Bell’s power. Although he was at the absolute apex of the Heavenly Sovereign realm, this was something he had achieved through time, medicinal pills, and outside resources. His willpower was definitely much weaker than those experts who had reached the level step by step. Of course, if his will had been firm, he wouldn’t have shared such an immense secret with his foolish little brother.

“Dead... I killed her. I knew that this matter couldn’t be concealed forever. But I didn’t think that you’d arrive so fast...”

Lu Chengzhou stared at Long Chen calmly. He suddenly seemed much older. He knew that he was going to die today, and nothing could save him.

“I know that I committed a major sin. I’ll answer anything you ask. I don’t ask that you spare me, only that you let off the innocent disciples!” Lu Chengzhou sighed.

Although the sight of Lu Chengzhou was truly pitiable, the thought of their own dead disciples made the experts from the other factions blaze with killing intent.

“Speak. Who ordered you to do this?” demanded Long Chen coldly.

“It was Lord Brahma.”