When the incoming two figures arrived, they swept their senses and observed the devastation that spanned for tens of kilometers. The entire scene was the picture of destruction, with countless unprotected lives ended prematurely. Furthermore, the core energy signature that engulfed this area, the one responsible, belonged to an incomparably familiar individual: Duke Zhao.
"How careless," one of the voices reverberated throughout the surroundings with a tinge of simmering anger. It would cause even the bravest of warriors to tremble in their boots. It belonged to Qi Lang, the Guardian of the Bloodforge Continent. Normally, this would fall on his shoulders as neglecting his responsibilities.
However, the Xue Country was slightly special. His overall objective wasn't to prevent the loss of life but to prevent the destruction of the entire continent. The only reason he interfered with An Ge and Chen Xiaowei's actions was because of Wei Wuyin's existence there. If it wasn't for that, he wouldn't interfere with Xue Country's affairs.
In the cultivation world, lives ended swiftly, entire clans can collapse, and thousand-year-old established forces could be annihilated overnight. Therefore, he was absolved and could coldly make remarks like this without a single trace of guilt. While this usually didn't involve Astral Core Realm experts, and thus the resulting fallout wasn't nearly as catastrophic as today.
"…" The man beside him was dressed in a blood-crimson robe that was quite animated. It was as if a river of blood was forged within every strand of fabric. His thick eyebrows were slightly furrowed. Those blood-red eyes carried an innately oppressive and regal might.
While his silky caramel skin helped his countenance, he wasn't particularly attractive or displeasing to look at. If it wasn't for his attire and crown that sat upon his head, with rubies that emitted faint shimmering light, he could easily be lost in the average crowd.
"Do you have an explanation for this, Xue Duan?" Qi Lang directed his cold words to this man, the Bloodforge King, and the leader of the Xue Country. As the Guardian of this continent, while he didn't have a responsibility towards obtaining justice, and he likely still wouldn't if it wasn't for that particular man, he pushed the blame onto the owner of the rabid, chaos-bringing dog that was Duke Zhao.
Xue Duan's frown deepened, a wisp of silent rage within. However, he didn't dare express his displeasure or make a snarky remark. Qi Lang was an elite expert with a full cultivation stage above him, and while he possessed the authority of a Sky Noble while in the Xue Country, the Resident Guardian was not subjected to it. This placed him in a passive situation for a moment before his eyes spotted Zuhei.
Zuhei was sitting quietly to the side on a fragmented piece of a mountain. His aura was faintly being released to reveal his presence deliberately. Those scarlet eyes of his weren't looking at anything in particular, and he had a rather nonchalant expression.
Xue Duan could feel his aura and knew he was the opponent that clashed with Duke Zhao. "Let's see if I can find you one." He flashed, arriving before Zuhei while floating within the air, his robe fluttered wildly giving off a dignified and immortal-like appearance. Despite this showing, Zuhei was entirely unaffected.
He snorted a little, lifted his head slightly back, located an empty spot, and spat out a wad of saliva and snot. Smacking his lips, he eyed this Bloodforge King. His cultivation base wasn't greater than his own, and Zuhei felt he was much weaker than those he killed before.
'Master should just kill his way through. All this roundabout manner seems pointless.' His master had wealth, influence, status, and power, so it would be utterly easy to crush this continent and own it through force. However, when this thought entered his mind, he felt a piercing chill crawl down his spine. He didn't dare look towards it, merely continued playing his role.
'Master usually direct. If he wanted simply to take the continent, he could probably just buy it from the sect or have them bestow it to him. There's more to this.' From the start, he didn't feel that Wei Wuyin's goal was this measly continent, and his plans seemed to be broadening with each passing moment. He couldn't fathom his interest, but it wasn't his purpose to question or make orders.
Claws and fangs; his purpose was that simple, and he enjoyed this. After all, the alternative was an enclosed, painful hellscape until death. Being out and about, killing, and traveling; It was a life he thought he'd never have since that day.
Xue Duan's attempt to pressure Zuhei with his innate imperial bearing was a failure, so he decided to be direct. "Who are you?" A faint sky pressure engulfed the world as he galvanized the world's mana to compress and surround the two. As a Sky Ruler, his strength was mountain-crushing. However, before Zuhei, it was truly useless.
Zuhei stood firmly, his Slaughter Intent fused with his own sky pressure, directly influencing the world's mana to contain horrific killing intent. This killing intent was unprecedentedly sharp and could bring about delusions of injury, blood, and death.
Xue Duan paused for a moment as he felt himself be plunged into a world of blood and death, as he watched a silver wolf the size of a mountain ravage lives of all types without the slightest hint of mercy. The wolf feasted on the flesh and blood of its victims and enjoyed every warm drop. The shrieking wails were particularly heart-clenching.
This was the innate difference of possessing an Intent versus not. The spiritual impact affected his cultivation base and his astral force slowed its circulation by nearly a fifth. "Slaughter Intent!" He exclaimed in his heart as he became vigilant.
No wonder Duke Zhao was killed. His corpse was like twine with organs and flesh being evenly split.
Qi Lang watched from afar, but he didn't interfere during this clash. He knew that this Bloodforge King already discovered Zuhei the moment he arrived, but he was very quiet and observing, clearly wary. This should allow them to see their differences. His gaze swept to see the masked figure standing on a Shadow-Blight Hawk.
His heart trembled for a moment before calming down. He didn't know what Wei Wuyin was planning, but this Bloodforge King was likely going to suffer considerably, especially considering the orders he was given.
Indeed, after Zuhei revealed his Slaughter Intent, unharmed self, and incredibly potent aura, Xue Duan's momentum was shattered. He was hoping Qi Lang would interfere at this moment, but he remained a silent observer. Now he was stuck in an awkward position.
If this was within Xue Country's Bloodforge City, its capital, he wouldn't fear Zuhei. He wouldn't even fear Qi Lang. There was a powerful Astral Array that had been established and reinforced by numerous Bloodforge Kings. Even if a Third Stage Astral Core Realm powerhouse descended, they could only leave their lives behind or flee.
However, he was in the Scarlet Ash Prefecture.
Fortunately, Zuhei reigned his Intent and spoke, "I was hired to protect, and that man threatened my employer's life. I acted in accordance with my job requirements and removed that threat. He declared publicly that the entire Xue Country intended to kill my employer, and it seemed to be a premeditated incident. If you want witnesses, we have quite a few" This explanation was very apathetic, treating Duke Zhao's life like flies on a hot summer. He pointed towards Wei Wuyin and into the distance where the old man brought the others away with a careless expression.
Xue Duan's eyebrows flared up and anger burned within his gaze, but he didn't act. Instead, he turned towards Wei Wuyin, spotting Chen Xiaowei. When he did, his eyes shrunk to needlepoint because Qi Lang decided to send him a spiritual transmission at this moment.
It was as if he was waiting for this exact moment. "That's Wei Wuyin, the Heavenly King and Alchemic King of the Myriad Monarch Sect. He's on a traveling vacation to explore the continent. Tread carefully." This message was like a thunderbolt to Xue Duan's mind.
If it was someone else who said those words, he would be skeptical, but Qi Lang was tasked with knowing the identities of any and all disciples and elders who came into the continent. If he said it was so, it must be so. As for Zuhei, it only supported the claim. After all, Wei Wuyin had the qualifications to hire a peak-tier expert at the Second Stage of the Astral Core Realm as a protector in a continent while he was still weak.
It's only been four years since his arrival, and supposedly, he was still trying to find ways to advance using the flawed Haven Heart Qi Method. However, that was incredibly difficult. Because the split meant the tribulation would be split and the effects would be reduced. Unless one had a way to double the tribulation's force and benefits, the person would inevitably be stuck as a pseudo-Astral Core Realm. Of course, if they could merge their Natal Souls, that would change the matter entirely.
In the end, he gave Zuhei one last glance before ignoring him. He flew towards Wei Wuyin, but his regal pressure and authority were like snow on a scorching morning. It disappeared without a trace. He didn't even dare to be in a slightly higher elevation than Wei Wuyin, keeping his approach leveled.
Wei Wuyin inwardly shook his head. The rules of the sect made it very difficult for Wei Wuyin to directly interfere with the Xue Country unless a situation like earlier occurred where the country acted against him first. With the 'audience' and 'silent confession' of Duke Zhao, he was well within the rules and his rights to eliminate Xue Duan and uproot the entire Bloodforge Royal Clan.
And Xue Duan knew this.
However, he would still have zero influence on the selection of its next leader. That was a democratic matter dealt with by the natives themselves. He wasn't at a level he could treat the rules of the sect as glass, shattering them as he pleased, nor did he wish to develop into such a person. Rules and principles were there for a reason. If the higher-ranked officials regarded them as a paltry joke, then they would soon become chains that restrained the weak for convenience, and that often bred discontent and unfavorable civil results.
Likely cursing Duke Zhao's ancestors, Xue Duan had an amicable smile as he greeted Wei Wuyin. "Heavenly Ki-, I mean, Alchemic King, it's a pleasure to meet you." He corrected himself, realizing that Wei Wuyin's faceless mask had a meaning to his incognito status.
"…" Wei Wuyin remained silent.
This caused Xue Duan to feel an unfathomable pressure. 'Could he intend to kill me?' The thought bred unreasonable fear as he observed the mask that was as blank as nothing. In the silence, a soft gulp resounded. He didn't know what to do. The aura Wei Wuyin emitted was quite intense, and he was subconsciously affected.
Qi Lang sent another well-timed spiritual message towards his way. "Wei Wuyin was renowned for his ruthlessness. Chances are he'll act against you soon. Unless…"
The first two sentences clutched his heart in a vice grip. How could he not know of the recent moves made by Wei Wuyin? He eliminated an entire Sky Noble Faction and organized his beheading! He blew a hole through a planet's sky layer with the permission of the sect's upper-echelon! He eliminated an entire clan, condemning hundreds of thousands to a desolate lifestyle!!
Ruthless? Influence? Status? Backing? Ability? Wealth? Did he lack any of it?! Before just the title 'Heavenly King', he was simply an ant. One of the five million experts of the starfield? Pfft. How could that matter when you could move every force imaginable in the Myriad Monarch Astral Territory with a bounty/call?
So he tugged heavily on that unless…
That unless was his lifeline because he truly didn't know what to do. How could he, a King, be so lost?
Perhaps it was Wei Wuyin's casual hiring of an expert at the same realm yet far beyond his battle prowess before him. Or the threat that was caused by the idiot Duke Zhao! A single wrong move and his legacy as king was kaput!
Qi Lang continued, "I talked to him earlier. He said he was seeking a beautiful, virgin concubine during this vacation. His weakness towards beauties seemed quite potent, and it was said he condemned the entire Ji Clan of my sect because of a favor to one."
It was these words that started the cascading ignition of a sequence of events that was now unstoppable!
