“This guy, he can actually still stand up?”
The crowd was drawn by Zhao Hong’s furious roar, but upon seeing her, their first reaction was one of shock and surprise.
Moments ago, Zhao Hong had been sprawled in mid-air, as if on the brink of death.
Yet now, she not only stood upright but let out a deafening roar.
This left everyone present momentarily bewildered, unable to comprehend what was happening.
However, they did not dwell on it too much.
Rumble.
Suddenly, the void above thundered, and as the sound reverberated, the heavens were shrouded in darkness.
Looking closely, the crowd was utterly astonished.
Deep in the ninth heaven, an anomaly appeared.
A massive vortex, situated in the depths of the ninth heaven, churned powerfully.
The vortex was so vast it covered the entire void, as if it could swallow this world at any moment.
Within the vortex, winds and thunder shifted, flames surged.
It resembled the entrance to hell.
At first glance, this phenomenon was startling.
But upon closer inspection, it instilled endless fear.
“This anomaly!”
At this moment, panic set in.
Whether it was the leaders of the major forces or the onlookers watching from afar, all were terrified by the scene in the void.
They had witnessed countless anomalies, but never one so terrifying.
“Look, it’s Zhao Hong!”
However, as the crowd fixated on the anomaly in the void, someone let out a different cry.
And when their gazes turned to Zhao Hong, they seemed to realise why such an anomaly had appeared.
At this moment, Zhao Hong floated in mid-air, her demeanor entirely transformed. Her long hair danced, her eyes blood-red, her appearance akin to a demonic goddess descending upon the world.
Around her, hurricanes swirled, interwoven with elements of thunder and flame, guarding her like sentinels.
These elements, gathered together, were identical to the anomaly in the void, even sharing the same aura.
“It’s her!”
At this point, realisation dawned on the crowd.
The terrifying anomaly was caused by Zhao Hong.
“I want you dead!”
As Zhao Hong spoke, her figure flickered and vanished from her spot.
When she reappeared, she was already before the leader of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect.
Her palm, sharp as a blade, thrust directly towards the neck of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect’s leader.
Seeing this, the leader attempted to dodge.
But Zhao Hong’s speed was too great. With a squelching sound, her palm pierced through his neck, lifting him off the ground.
The leader of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect clutched his neck with both hands, his legs flailing wildly. He struggled, but his efforts were feeble.
Facing the ferocious Zhao Hong, he seemed to have lost all ability to fight, left only with futile resistance.
This was because Zhao Hong’s aura had changed. She was no longer a Fourth Rank Supreme; she had become a Fifth Rank Supreme.
In the realm of martial cultivation, a single rank’s difference was like the gap between heaven and earth.
Even though the leader of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect was a Fourth Rank Supreme, he was powerless against Zhao Hong.
“Her cultivation, how did it suddenly increase?”
Seeing Zhao Hong’s elevated cultivation, many panicked.
But the one most terrified was not the leaders of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect or Nine Stars Heavenly Mountain, but the leader of the All-Heaven Sect.
Despite being gravely injured, after Zhao Hong and Chu Feng’s group were subdued, the All-Heaven Sect finally dared to act, tending to their leader’s wounds.
Under the care of numerous experts, though still severely injured, the All-Heaven Sect leader’s physical body had at least recovered.
Now, he lay among the All-Heaven Sect’s ranks, surrounded by followers, still lofty and revered.
It was clear that, despite kneeling before Zhao Hong and saying such humiliating words earlier, no one within the All-Heaven Sect dared to disrespect him.
But now, his eyes flickered, filled with sheer terror.
When Zhao Hong’s cultivation reached Fifth Rank Supreme, he knew the fate awaiting him.
Swish.
He abruptly stood, ignoring his injuries, and exerted all his strength to flee towards the distant horizon.
He was trying to escape.
Not only him, but the leader of Nine Stars Heavenly Mountain also turned to flee.
Even many elders and disciples of the All-Heaven Sect, Nine Stars Heavenly Mountain, and Wind Thunder Sword Sect rose to escape.
They not only sensed the aura of a Fifth Rank Supreme but also felt the overwhelming killing intent.
They believed that, after enduring such trials, Zhao Hong had now gained power surpassing all present.
She might well unleash a massacre.
To avoid calamity, fleeing now was the best choice.
In fact, the Blood Mist Heavenly Exalted had already escaped.
When the crowd realised the anomaly was caused by Zhao Hong, the Blood Mist Heavenly Exalted had already vanished.
He had noticed Zhao Hong’s transformation before anyone else and fled first.
If even the Blood Mist Heavenly Exalted had fled, they naturally followed suit.
Buzz.
Suddenly, the void trembled, and a powerful aura swept through.
Immediately, whether it was the All-Heaven Sect leader, the elders, or the disciples, all who attempted to flee froze mid-action, as if encased in ice.
It was oppressive might.
Zhao Hong’s oppressive might covered the heavens, enveloping everyone present.
Bang.
A muffled sound rang out.
It came from the leader of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect.
But as the crowd looked, they could no longer see him.
His body had turned into a cloud of blood mist, spreading from Zhao Hong’s side.
At this sight, everyone’s hearts trembled, especially those of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect, who were overcome with grief. Some even broke down, wailing uncontrollably.
They all knew the leader of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect had perished at Zhao Hong’s hands.
A scream of utter panic resounded.
Before this, no one could have imagined that such a fear-filled cry would come from the leader of Nine Stars Heavenly Mountain.
Yet not only did he scream in terror, he began to plead.
“Don’t kill me, don’t kill me. I only wanted to scare them, I never intended to kill them. Besides, the treasures in the stone box world rightfully belong to me. I only wanted to take back what’s mine. I did nothing wrong.”
“I have no grudge against you. Even if you want to protect your friends, you should at least be reasonable, right?”
The leader of Nine Stars Heavenly Mountain had always been synonymous with a fiery temper.
But now, not a trace of that temper could be found.
Instead, the phrase “scared witless” suited him perfectly.
And who could blame him? After witnessing the leader of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect die so brutally at Zhao Hong’s hands, he knew how ruthless she was.
If he didn’t beg, he feared he would be the next to die.
After all, only three had tormented Zhao Hong and Chu Feng’s group earlier.
The Blood Mist Heavenly Exalted, the leader of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect, and himself.
Now, the Blood Mist Heavenly Exalted had fled, the leader of the Wind Thunder Sword Sect was dead, and he could fully imagine the fate awaiting him.
Truth be told, he was filled with regret.
Regret for coveting the mysterious treasures in the stone box world and targeting Chu Feng’s group.
Now, his life was at stake, a truly unworthy trade.
“Can you give me a chance?”
“I’ll show you what kind of person I am.”
“I’ll compensate your friends. I can apologise to them, offer them treasures as amends.”
The leader of Nine Stars Heavenly Mountain grew more terrified.
The once fearless man was now on the verge of tears.
