However, the question of who would strike the first blow, and how, became a major problem.
Facing this mysterious, bizarre, wildly lawless, and utterly arrogant man in white, none of the sect heads from the Ten Great Sects, the Three Caves and Five Mountains, or the masters of the Wind-Cloud and Fire Cloud Branches dared to act rashly. Each was more cautious, more careful, and more apprehensive than the last.
Of course.
Caution aside, apprehension aside, they absolutely could not lose face in their formation, nor could they let their opponent see through them.
"Evil Demon!
Cease your insolence!
Today is your death day!"
The Sect Head of the Fenghui Sect took the lead, flashing into mid-air. As radiance shimmered around him, he summoned a fiery flying sword. The Nascent Soul within his Purple Palace stirred, and torrents of Spiritual Power erupted like a volcano, causing the natural spiritual energy of the world to crackle and pop.
Simultaneously, the dozen or so Supreme Elders of the Fenghui Sect, all possessing Nascent Soul cultivation, also activated their Nascent Soul Spiritual Power and summoned their flying swords. Then, without hesitation, the sect heads and branch masters from the Ten Great Sects, the Three Caves and Five Mountains, and the two major branches rushed forward. They all activated their Nascent Soul Spiritual Power, summoned their flying swords, and surrounded Gu Qingfeng in the void—over thirty of them in total.
These individuals were either sect heads, branch masters, or Supreme Elders—none were pushovers. They knew that the more critical the situation, the calmer they must remain. They circulated their Spiritual Power, summoned their flying swords, poised to strike at the slightest sign of trouble.
"What's the matter? Don't dare to make a move?"
The man in white, Gu Qingfeng, stood calmly in the void, hands behind his back. He neither summoned a flying sword nor circulated Spiritual Power; not even a flicker of light shone upon him. His expression was indifferent, his eyes tranquil, a contemptuous smile playing on his lips. "With courage like yours, you still try to play the leader in a brawl?"
Before the sect heads could respond, a young man below roared furiously, "Gu! You're at death's door, yet you still dare to be so arrogant? You truly have no regard for your life! Master, esteemed Elders and Seniors, this Evil Demon is surely bluffing. Do not fear him!"
The speaker was none other than Jin Can, the Heir Apparent Disciple of the Fenghui Sect. He glared venomously at Gu Qingfeng, gnashing his teeth. "Evil Demon! Weren't you incredibly arrogant before?
If I recall correctly, you boasted you would obliterate me?
Isn't that right?"
As the Heir Apparent Disciple of the Liuli Great Region's number one sect, the Fenghui Sect, being frightened into soiling himself by Gu Qingfeng earlier was an absolute humiliation for Jin Can. Therefore, he was determined to wash away this disgrace today. This very moment presented a perfect opportunity; even if he couldn't erase the shame, he would certainly make a name for himself.
Such a grand spectacle was unprecedented since the Great Calamity. He had no intention of missing this chance to show off.
However.
He wasn't the only one. Xiao Fan, the successor of Jiangzhu Mountain, and Renshen, the successor of Liuren Mountain, also stepped forward, their faces regaining their former brilliance as they arrogantly jeered, "Petty Evil Demon! Earlier, you used despicable means to try and harm me! Hmph!
Let's see how you act arrogant now!"
"Evil Demon!"
Elder Jin Yu of the Fenghui Sect also stepped out, pointing at Gu Qingfeng and shouting angrily, "Didn't you swagger before me earlier, warning this old man that if I dared to activate the message talisman, you would make me beg for death?
This old man has already activated the talisman, and my Fenghui Sect's Sect Head has arrived with over a thousand Elders and ten thousand disciples. How will you make me beg for death now?"
"Ignorant fool who courts death!"
At this moment, Gu Qingfeng was tightly surrounded by over thirty Nascent Soul experts, with tens of thousands gathered at Liuren Mountain. Seeing Gu Qingfeng remain silent, Jin Can deduced he didn't dare to act. He sneered, leaped into the void, pointed at Gu Qingfeng, and declared arrogantly, "Hmph!
Today, I'll lend you ten thousand times the courage! Do you dare to touch a single hair on my head?"
Before his words faded, Gu Qingfeng's figure suddenly vanished.
His disappearance instantly alarmed the over thirty Nascent Soul experts surrounding him, for they shockingly realized they could no longer sense Gu Qingfeng's aura at all.
"You little brat. Earlier, seeing how young you were, I couldn't bear to ruin your future, so I spared your life."
The voice came from an unknown direction, frightening Jin Can out of his wits. He tried to turn and flee, but dusk suddenly descended. A man in white appeared without warning right in front of him—none other than Gu Qingfeng. In an instant, a hand shot out and seized Jin Can by the throat. "Since you insist on seeking death, I'll grant your wish!"
"Save me...
save me..." Jin Can's face twisted in terror as he screamed madly.
"Save you?
When I want to kill you, no one in all heaven and earth can save you!
Not even the Heavenly King himself!"
As the words fell, his hand rose and struck down. With a *bang*, Jin Can didn't even have time to grunt before his entire body exploded into a bloody mist, leaving not even a speck of residue behind.
This scene happened far too quickly, far too suddenly.
So fast that no one present could react in time, and so sudden that everyone's minds went blank!
"Evil Demon! Give me back my disciple's life!"
Witnessing his own direct disciple, Jin Can, being smashed to pieces by Gu Qingfeng's single palm, the Sect Head of the Fenghui Sect's eyes instantly turned crimson. Casting aside his apprehension, he brandished his flying sword and charged straight at him.
However, Gu Qingfeng didn't even glance his way. He flashed downward and roared, "You little brat, and you too!
Kneel and await death!"
His hand rose and struck down, clamping onto the head of Jiangzhu Mountain's successor, Xiao Fan. With a *bang*, blood gushed from Xiao Fan's seven orifices, and his legs were mangled into a bloody pulp.
At the same time, the Sect Head of the Fenghui Sect arrived with his sword. This single strike was like a whirlwind, arriving in an instant. Its profound mystery resembled the Arctic's frigid ice, transforming into millions of icy soul silver needles that swept forth like a violent storm of pear blossoms—utterly terrifying.
Yet, what was unbelievable was that when the Sect Head of the Fenghui Sect's sword struck, Gu Qingfeng merely had a murky radiance flicker around his body, burning fiercely like flames.
When the Sect Head's sword pierced through and touched the fiery radiance, it immediately emitted crackling sounds. Then, the flying sword in the Sect Head's hand disintegrated into dust like shattered glass. This sight not only horrified the Sect Head of the Fenghui Sect but also left the other Nascent Soul experts and thousands of Transcendent True Persons present in disbelief.
The Sect Head of the Fenghui Sect was a Nascent Soul expert. The flying sword in his hand was the Arctic Frigid Ice, painstakingly tempered for a thousand years. The sword technique he executed was a profound mystic art. No one present was absolutely confident they could block this strike. Yet, it had merely touched the Evil Demon's Spiritual Power and disintegrated.
What was even more terrifying, more spine-chilling, was that the Evil Demon hadn't even moved during this, hadn't even spared a glance, completely disregarding the attack. He directly seized Renshen by the throat and shouted fiercely, "Brat!
You treat my words as wind past your ears? Kneel before the old master and await death!"
Gu Qingfeng hauled Renshen, took a step, and appeared before Elder Shi Tong. His hand rose and struck down. With a *bang*, blood gushed from Renshen's seven orifices, his legs mangled into a bloody pulp as he knelt beside the old master.