"Damn it all!
Let's head back to Zhongyang City immediately!"
After receiving the news, the high-ranking officials from various major powers were fuming with rage, hurriedly making their way back toward Zhongyang City.
Those stationed in Zhongyang City represented only a portion of each faction's forces; many others were still scouring the Tianxiong Domain in pursuit of Xuanlong Daozhang and Ye Yunfei.
"Something's wrong!
It seems something has happened to Zhiyuan!"
Above the Tianxiong Domain, inside a flying vessel rapidly speeding towards Zhongyang City, a tall, lean elder in flowing robes, his entire body pulsing with sharp sword radiance, suddenly changed expression.
This elder was precisely Young Master Jing's grandfather, a Grand Elder of the Sword Emperor Pavilion!
For the past two days, his mind had been uneasy, especially after hearing about Zhongyang City's misfortune. Now he was utterly frantic, for he had suddenly deduced that the Soul Power mark he had left within his precious grandson's Soul Sea seemed to have been shattered. His grandson was in trouble!
"Who did this?!
Who dares to touch my grandson!"
The Grand Elder flew into a rage, unable to hold back his furious roar.
"If Zhiyuan is truly dead, it's most likely related to Xuanlong Daozhang and Zisheng Zhenjun's disciple!
Hmph!
Just you wait, I will definitely settle this score with you!"
The Grand Elder gnashed his teeth as he spoke, his gaze filled with venom.
Since Young Master Jing had been staying in Zhongyang City, the elder immediately guessed who was most likely responsible.
"Full speed back to Zhongyang City!"
The Grand Elder howled.
Soon, one by one, high-ranking officials from the major powers arrived back at Zhongyang City, witnessing a scene of corpses strewn everywhere within the city, a river of blood. All forces left behind in Zhongyang City had been annihilated!
Not a single survivor remained!
Roars of fury immediately shot into the sky, shaking this entire expanse of heaven and earth.
"Hahaha...
You lot had a jolly good time chasing me these past days, didn't you? Consider this a bit of interest.
Moreover, this is only the beginning. Wait and see. I've remembered all your factions. I'll come knocking on your doors, one by one, to settle accounts!"
Suddenly, a tall, lofty figure manifested, clad in Daoist robes, holding a whisk, standing in the air above Zhongyang City, heartily laughing. His laughter rolled like thunder, booming in everyone's ears.
"That's Xuanlong Daozhang!
He looks exactly like the drawings from ancient times!"
Someone cried out in shock upon seeing that imposing figure.
Of course, this was merely an imprint Xuanlong Daozhang had left behind.
"Xuanlong!
Was it Zisheng Zhenjun's disciple who killed my precious grandson?!"
Suddenly, the tall, lean elder blazing with sword radiance soared into the air, glaring furiously at Xuanlong Daozhang as he demanded sharply.
"We killed most of the people in this city together. How would I know which one was your precious grandson?"
Xuanlong Daozhang replied dismissively, curling his lip.
"This was my grandson!"
The lean elder waved his hand, and the figure of a young man appeared beside him — it was precisely Young Master Jing, who had been slain by Ye Yunfei earlier.
This lean elder was a Sword Emperor Pavilion Grand Elder.
"No impression. Someone of that level is as insignificant as an ant to me. With a casual shake, I can crush hundreds to death. Why would I bother remembering his face?"
Xuanlong Daozhang said offhandedly.
"If it wasn't you, it was Zisheng Zhenjun's disciple!
Give me back my grandson's life!"
The Grand Elder roared.
Boom...
In his violent rage, the Grand Elder gripped his longsword and slashed toward Xuanlong Daozhang.
"Xuanlong, die!"
At the same time, four or five other elders with terrifying auras also attacked, bombarding Xuanlong Daozhang.
"Haha, this is just an imprint of mine.
Just wait. I'll come to settle scores with you all sooner or later!"
Xuanlong Daozhang laughed uproariously.
Then, he was blasted into fragments, vanishing into nothingness.
However, even after Xuanlong Daozhang's imprint was shattered, his laughter still echoed between heaven and earth, deafeningly loud.
"Xuanlong Daozhang, Zisheng Zhenjun's disciple, you two killed my precious grandson. I vow I will never rest until I have my revenge!"
The Sword Emperor Pavilion Grand Elder forcefully suppressed the raging fury in his heart and spoke through clenched teeth.
The other high-ranking officials from the major powers were all glowering, their faces dark.
Recently, they had been searching everywhere for Xuanlong Daozhang to no avail, and now they had suffered such heavy losses. They felt humiliated to the extreme.
"It's all because of that kid!
If it weren't for him, Master Huang Gong would have long helped us find Xuanlong Daozhang!"
"Who would have thought that Zisheng Zhenjun's disciple is actually a Geomancer!"
...
Several terrifying elders spoke angrily.
"Everyone, continuing like this, I'm afraid it will be very difficult to track down Xuanlong and that kid.
I have an idea. Let's go invite a divination master to help us deduce their whereabouts.
Perhaps that way we can finally manage to trace them."
Suddenly, the Sword Emperor Pavilion Grand Elder proclaimed clearly.
"A divination master!"
The gazes of the other faction leaders all turned toward him.
"There are several famous divination masters within our Tianxiong Domain. Who should we invite?"
An elder inquired.
"While there are indeed several divination masters in our Tianxiong Domain, none of them compare to Master Xianjizi of the Tianxian Domain in terms of divination ability!
If we can invite Master Xianjizi to help us deduce the whereabouts of Xuanlong and that kid, it will be effortless for him to pinpoint their traces!"
The Grand Elder said slowly.
"Master Xianjizi from the Tianji Pavilion!"
The other faction leaders were shocked upon hearing this.
Master Xianjizi was immensely famous; his name was known across several neighboring major domains.
"I've heard Master Xianjizi is notoriously reclusive and eccentric. It will be extremely difficult to convince him to help with divination,"
One elder said with a frown.
"No need to worry, everyone. Master Xianjizi has some ties with our Sword Emperor Pavilion. As long as our Pavilion Master personally steps in, we should be able to invite Master Xianjizi to assist us.
However, as everyone knows, if you want Master Xianjizi's help, remuneration is absolutely indispensable.
Therefore, I suggest we all pool some resources together for his payment."
The Sword Emperor Pavilion Grand Elder stated.
"That's no problem. As long as your Sword Emperor Pavilion can indeed invite Master Xianjizi, we're willing to contribute to the payment!"
"Agreed!
Master Xianjizi's name is renowned throughout the entire Feixian Continent. If he's willing to come to Tianxiong Domain to aid us, we naturally cannot be stingy."
The other faction leaders all responded in agreement.
"Good. I will return now and have our Pavilion Master approach Master Xianjizi!"
The Sword Emperor Pavilion Grand Elder declared.
At the same time.
Ye Yunfei was already far away from Zhongyang City.
"Hahaha...
Satisfying! So utterly satisfying!
Today, I finally vented a huge breath of this pent-up resentment!
Those bastards are utterly detestable! I had no grudge against any of them, yet they went digging up my tomb, wrecking my arrangements, forcing me into an early emergence!
Today, I collected a bit of interest!"
Xuanlong Daozhang was incredibly excited, laughing heartily.
Inside the Phantom Tower, Ye Yunfei stood before an elderly man without arms.
This old man was an expert from the Sword Emperor Pavilion whose arms had been severed by Ye Yunfei.
"Speak! What exactly is the deal with the Sword Tomb?"
Ye Yunfei demanded coldly.
"Kill me if you want, boy. I won't utter a single word!"
The elder was quite stubborn.
"Not talking, huh.
It's fine. First, let you taste what true, despair-inducing agony feels like. I believe you'll start talking soon enough."
Ye Yunfei gave a cold laugh.
The next moment, Ye Yunfei shoved a pitch-black poisonous pill into the elder's mouth.