At the edge of a winding and twisting mountain range, there was a vast palace complex. This palace architecture was entirely dark black, and the whole area was shrouded in a special black mist. Even during the daytime, it appeared extremely dim.
In a massive palace, a group of people stood in two rows.
A middle-aged man knelt on one knee to report, and before him, piles of minced meat and broken bones had already been heaped up, along with shattered clothing.
At this moment, everyone had grave expressions, standing to the side and waiting.
A group of young geniuses had perished, three fifth and sixth level Martial Emperors had fallen, and most importantly, an eighth level Martial Emperor elder had fallen. This was an extremely serious matter for their sect, requiring the sect master’s decision.
Before long, a figure shot out from the back mountain, swiftly flying to the entrance of the black great hall and striding inside.
This elder had dishevelled black hair like hemp, thick eyebrows and large eyes, a rugged face, with coarse wrinkles piling on it, and his chin covered in black stubble.
His black eyes were like an abyss or a sea. He wore a coarse black cloth robe, his body burly and imposing without anger.
As soon as he entered, everyone fearfully lowered their heads and cupped their hands, chorusing, “Sect Master!”
This black-haired elder was none other than the Demonic Void Sect Master, a half-step Martial Saint powerhouse.
The Demonic Void Sect Master said nothing, striding up to the reporting middle-aged man. His gaze scanned the piles of minced meat several times, and his divine sense probed them. His expression changed abruptly as he exclaimed in shock, “Killed by a Martial Saint!”
At these words, everyone jolted.
They had previously speculated about these deaths. It might have been the work of a ninth level Martial Emperor, or perhaps a half-step Martial Saint, just with crueler methods.
But they had never expected it to be the hand of a Martial Saint!
Below Martial Saint, all were ants. Their entire Demonic Void Sect could not contend against it at all.
“Why would a Martial Saint attack our three sects’ people?”
“Martial Saints, we probably only have them in the Ji Family and the Two Gates. Our Demonic Void Sect relies on the Ji Family, so the Ji Family should not possibly act. The Two Gates know full well and maintain balance with the Ji Family, their waters not crossing paths. They would not send a Martial Saint here, would they? Not just our Demonic Void Sect, but the people from the Cold Moon Sect and Incinerating Sun Sect were all killed too. Who exactly made a move here?” A white-haired elder could not help speaking up.
“Could it be a beast race Martial Saint?” Another elder guessed.
“The beast race in Yang Province is concentrated in the eastern region, closely watched by the Ji Family. A Martial Saint is the existence that guards the entire beast race. They should not come all this way to attack our three sects’ people.”
The Demonic Void Sect Master said, “Moreover, if they truly wanted to deal with our three sects, the three sects would probably no longer exist.”
“If someone intended to eliminate us as the Ji Family’s lackeys, they would not leave any traces. Perhaps that Martial Saint powerhouse was just passing by, happened to see something good, and casually wiped them out.”
The others’ faces immediately turned ugly. Casually wiping out an eighth level Martial Emperor and the others?
One must know, an eighth level Martial Emperor was a core force of their Demonic Void Sect.
“However, it is also possible that some force wanted to make a small gesture to assert their authority.”
At this point, the Demonic Void Sect Master’s face became even more阴冷 and grave as he said, “This matter, quickly report it to the Ji Family in detail. For someone to attack our three sects, it might be certain forces trying to stir up trouble. If it is not the Two Gates or the eastern beast race, but a Martial Saint level powerhouse from another province has come, the Ji Family will absolutely not sit idly by.”
The elder beside him nodded and was about to send someone out. However, at that moment, another figure hurriedly ran in, knelt on one knee, cupped his hands, and reported, “Report! Sect Master, someone seeks an audience. He says he saw someone hastily passing through that area.”
Everyone jolted in surprise. The Demonic Void Sect Master immediately said, “Bring him in.”
With that, the Demonic Void Sect Master strode out, flicked his black robe, and sat on the main seat in the hall.
After the reporter withdrew, a green-robed elder hurried in with trepidation, bowed at the waist in salute, and said, “Greetings to Sect Master Qiu!”
The Demonic Void Sect Master directly said, “Tell us what you know. If it is useful, our Demonic Void Sect will surely reward you handsomely.”
“Yes!” The elder quickly nodded and said, “This subordinate happened to pass by that area and saw a youth stepping on a flying treasure hastily departing. When I went over, I discovered the minced meat corpses. To avoid misunderstanding, I left first. Only later did I learn that it was your sect’s people who were killed, so this subordinate hurried here to report.”
As he spoke, the elder took out a painting and handed it over, saying, “This is a portrait of that youth.”
A Demonic Void Sect elder took it, unrolled the scroll, and a painting of a youth stepping on winged treasure appeared before the Demonic Void Sect Master and the various elders.
Everyone revealed expressions of surprise and puzzlement.
That was merely a youth around twelve years old. With an eighth level Martial Emperor dead, if he had been present, how could he possibly still be alive?
Could the Martial Saint have spared him?
Of course, they could not possibly think that the elder reporting this had killed them. This elder was merely a sixth level Martial Emperor.
“Are you certain he came from that location?” The Demonic Void Sect Master asked the elder.
The elder nodded, “This subordinate heard the battle commotion from there and went over. The position from which that youth flew out was no more than a few hundred miles from that place. The direction and position he fled in were directly facing away from the rear. Nine times out of ten, he saw the scene at the time, unless, like me, he only arrived there afterwards.”
The Demonic Void Sect Master frowned slightly and asked, “Where did he go?”
“The direction that youth fled in was towards Fenglong City.” The elder answered.
The Demonic Void Sect Master immediately waved his hand and said, “Elder Chu, go quickly and capture that youth!”
“Yes!” A sturdy black-haired elder nodded, stepped out from the crowd, and briskly left the hall.
“Elder Yan, take him to receive the reward.” The Demonic Void Sect Master said again.
“Thank you, Sect Master Qiu!” The elder hurriedly thanked him and followed an elder out.
“Sect Master, what about the Ji Family side?” The elder closest to the sect master asked.
“Wait until the information is confirmed, then decide.” The Demonic Void Sect Master said.
“Yes!” The elder nodded.
The pile of minced meat before them was the remains of the Demonic Void Sect’s young disciples, fifth and sixth level Martial Emperors, and the eighth level Martial Emperor elder.
Lin Xiao, to avoid trouble, had not destroyed the corpses but left them for the three sects to identify.
Once identified, they would not suspect him.
And the Demonic Void Sect had only taken the remains of their own elders and disciples. The clothing on these corpses could still be distinguished.
The remains of the other two sects were left for the Cold Moon Sect and Incinerating Sun Sect, to avoid them thinking it was the Demonic Void Sect’s doing.
The events in the Demonic Void Sect would not take long to reach the other two sects, where similar speculations arose, and they all dispatched powerhouses to investigate.
Lin Xiao, who had personally witnessed the gruesome deaths of the three sects’ people, was not too worried that the three sects would trace it back to him.
After several days of flight, he finally saw a city and entered it.
This city was Fenglong City.
