"Gold Crane, you...
You seven Chixiao People...
Have you also submitted to the Immortal Dynasty?"
The one who asked this was Nebula Immortal Official Lord Xun, the chief steward of this Northwest operation.
As an old Immortal Official of the Immortal Dynasty who had experienced the madness of the late Ancient Times and even clashed with the Chixiao People, it did not mean he hated or despised them. In his heart, he was very clear: without the Chixiao People of those years, the Immortal Dynasty might still be the tyrannical, hegemonic Immortal Dynasty of old, not the diligent and people-friendly one of the Present-Ancient Era. In a sense, he held great respect for the Chixiao People.
Seeing that even Gold Crane and these Chixiao People had submitted to the Immortal Dynasty now left him somewhat unable to believe it, somewhat unwilling to accept it.
"Lord Xun, we joined the Chixiao Sect in the Ancient Times out of life's desperation, truly with no other choice. Hence, we committed the crime of rebelling against the Immortal Dynasty. After the Present-Ancient Era began, we have deeply recognized the monstrous crimes we committed and feel profoundly remorseful. Now, by submitting to the Immortal Dynasty, we wish to atone for our past sins. We hope the Immortal Dynasty will give us a chance to redeem ourselves through meritorious service."
"You..." Lord Xun was utterly speechless, at a loss for words.
Although everyone said the Chixiao People's rebellion against the Immortal Dynasty in the Ancient Times was a crime of insubordination, Lord Xun did not think so. In his view, the Chixiao People were not guilty but had performed great deeds—at least for the cultivators of this world.
But now, even Gold Crane and these Chixiao People themselves believed they were guilty. What could he, an Immortal Official of the Immortal Dynasty, say?
"Lord Xun, it was the Chixiao Sect that rebelled against the Immortal Dynasty back then, not us of the Crimson-Letter Sect."
Then, Banner Master Minghui of the Changhong Branch Hall also clasped his hands and said, "In the Ancient Times, the Chixiao Sect defied the heavens, committed insubordination, and attacked the Immortal Dynasty—truly seeking death. In the Present-Ancient Era, we of the Crimson-Letter Sect choose to follow the will of heaven, submit to the Immortal Dynasty, and stand irreconcilably opposed to the Chixiao People!"
Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed from mid-air.
This roar was like the bellow of a azure dragon, or the cry of a furious elephant, utterly astonishing, shaking the entire Great Northwest.
Everyone knew this was the roar of the Dragon-Elephant.
"You ungrateful, traitorous beasts who have abandoned your ancestors and your sect!"
Awoo!
A dragon's cry shook the heavens.
A furious elephant subdued the earth.
In the distant sky, a figure had appeared at some unknown time.
A man.
He was a middle-aged man with a broad, powerful build and a face full of rage. He wore gray robes, his gloomy face marked by a long, narrow scar on his right cheek. Blood energy surged around him, and his murderous aura was like a fierce gale. Even from a great distance, those within the Immortal Estate could feel the intense killing intent in this man's eyes.
Seeing this man, seeing the scar on his face, many were stunned.
They all recognized his identity.
He was the old Chixiao veteran stationed at the Changhong Branch Hall, known as Scar-face Kui, also called Elder Kui. Back in the days of the Chixiao Sect's Black Underworld Banner, he was a notorious madman known to all for fighting without regard for his life, one of the eight mad ghosts under Lord Blackwater, and his strength was exceptionally ferocious.
When they saw Scar-face Kui, the expressions of those from the Crimson-Letter Branch Halls who had submitted to the Immortal Dynasty changed repeatedly. Even the seven Chixiao People, including Gold Crane, were startled, because they knew better than anyone how savage Scar-face Kui was—especially when enraged, he was absolutely a mad ghost.
But shock was one thing.
Since they had decided to submit to the Immortal Dynasty, they were naturally mentally prepared.
"Minghui!
You beast! To think you were the old Banner Master's personal disciple! We entrusted the Changhong Branch Hall to you, and you, damn you, actually led the branch's people to defect to the Immortal Dynasty!"
Scar-face Kui charged through the air, his tiger-like eyes blazing with killing intent, roaring furiously, "And you little bastards! You're all descendants of the Chixiao People!
You carry Chixiao blood in your veins! How dare you defect to the Immortal Dynasty?"
Banner Master Minghui of the Changhong Branch Hall, Wan Dongfang, and the others of the Nine Dragons Eighteen Elephants were all terrified. Especially Banner Master Minghui, his face pale with fear, sweat pouring down, forcing himself to suppress the dread in his heart as he stammered in response, "Scar-face Kui, your Chixiao Sect recklessly committed insubordination back then, were judged as Immortal Dao felons! We of the Crimson-Letter Sect don't want to bear that black mark for you! Today...
today we...
we submit to the Immortal Dynasty...
it is... it is following the will of heaven! We...
we will uphold righteousness by cutting ties with kin, and exterminate you...
you Immortal Dao felons!"
"Exterminate us, the Immortal Dao felons?
Hahahahaha..." Scar-face Kui threw his head back and laughed, his laughter like thunder, again resembling the roar of the Dragon-Elephant. As he raised his hand, a blackish-brown glaive appeared in his grip. Pointing it at Minghui, he roared, "Today, this old man will slaughter you traitorous beasts who have abandoned your ancestors and sect first!"
Scar-face Kui, holding his glaive, charged over like a tornado.
Within the estate.
Over a hundred Hundred Tribulation Elders and over a thousand Nine-Star Immortal Officials and Dharma Idol Great Venerables all faced a great enemy. Especially when the murderous Scar-face Kui, glaive in hand, his blood energy boiling and the Dragon-Elephant's roar echoing, it caused their minds to tremble.
Were they afraid?
No!
Not afraid!
Were they terrified?
No!
Not terrified either.
It was a shadow.
A shadow left from that mad era of the late Ancient Times. None of them could forget: the sky filled with the roars of Dragon-Elephants back then, the sky filled with Dragon-Elephant spirits, the sky filled with Chixiao People, the sky filled with blood-shattering gales, the sky filled with Chixiao glaives...
Even now, remembering it made their hearts tremble, their souls still shaken.
However.
Compared to them, the dozen or so Immortal Dynasty Nobles standing within the Immortal Estate's radiance did not seem to regard Scar-face Kui with any concern—not even the slightest bit. The leader, Liuguang Jiaoying, still had his arms crossed, his arrogant head held high, his expression particularly haughty. Gazing at the charging Scar-face Kui, his eyes were filled with disdain, a contemptuous smile hanging at the corner of his mouth.
"Scar-face Kui, in the presence of the Immortal Dynasty's esteemed lords, it is not your place to act recklessly!"
Awoo!
Another Dragon-Elephant roar exploded. The one who made a move was neither a Nine-Star Immortal Official of the Immortal Dynasty, nor a Hundred Tribulation Elder, nor even an Immortal Dynasty Noble—it was Gold Crane, also a Chixiao Person.
He too held a glaive, protected by a blood-shattering gale around his body. Leaping into the air with a Dragon-Elephant roar, he actively intercepted.
"Gold Crane!
You beast!
They submitted to the Immortal Dynasty, but you, damn you, as a Chixiao Person, are willing to be the Immortal Dynasty's running dog too!
Has your damn conscience been eaten by dogs?"
Scar-face Kui raised his glaive with both hands and swung it down with a force like splitting heaven and earth. Gold Crane raised his glaive to block but was shaken by the blow, grunting as he staggered back.
"How can you, damn you, face the brothers who died at the hands of the Immortal Dynasty back then?! How can you face the Great Hidden Dragon-Elephant that protected you?! How can you face the Chixiao Sect that took you in?! How can you face the Monarch who gave you a second life?!"
Scar-face Kui, like a madman, swung his glaive again and again, striking blow after blow, forcing Gold Crane to retreat continuously.