Chapter 346 - Qi Heng (2/2)
“This is how your so-called large sects operate! It’s so outrageous that it infuriates both men and god alike!” The furious independent cultivators began to surround the disciples of the Order of the Divine Fire, all of whom looked frightened and horrified.
Xiao Chen raised his head and guffawed, but tears soon streamed down his face. “I was an orphan. It was my Master who picked me from the foot of the mountain, raised me, taught me magic spells, but the Ling family and the Order of the Divine Fire traitors killed him before he could enjoy his golden years! Do they or do they not deserve death?!”
“They do! They do!” The crowd’s cries, emboldened by fury, reached far and wide. Many faraway independent cultivators had rushed over to the public square. “Where are the traitors from the Ling family and the Order of the Divine Fire?!”
The independent cultivators congregated without an end. Many even flew over on their swords without caring for the League’s prohibition. These people had suffered too much at the hands of the large clans, and there was never a place where they could air their grievances. Their unsatisfaction had snowballed into a deep grudge. When they saw members of the Order of the Divine Fire, they immediately attacked without another word.
In just minutes, the disciples of the Order of the Divine Fire were left severely injured. Some even met a violent death on the spot. Wan Gufeng and Ling Ruoxu were long frightened out of their wits. Even with their Nascent Soul Realm cultivation, they dared not strike out against these mob of independent cultivators.
The two Wardens of the League kept shouting at the mob to stop, but they had lost complete control over the situation. Seeing more and more independent cultivators gather at the public square, they dared not make a swift movement. If their actions cause a riot, it would likely be the city’s worst catastrophe in nearly a hundred years. Panicked, the white-robed Warden told the disciples behind him, “Get the Qilin Squadron and all envoys to come here and suppress the crowd! Go now!”
The situation soon dissolved into utter chaos. Even members of the sects near the Order of the Divine Fire got caught in the crossfire. The blue-robed elderly man from earlier finally lost his patience and yelled, “Enough!” The breakout of his Nirvana Realm aura swiftly sent a jolt down every independent cultivator’s soul.
One independent cultivator sneered. “What’s wrong? Will you shield the scums from your so-called distinguished Orthodox sects?”
The blue-robed older man’s expression turned dark. He said coldly, “We’ll mete out our punishment! It’s not up to a mob like yours to dictate what we do!”
The cultivator laughed out loud. “If we’re a mob, then what are you?” A nearby cultivator grinned. “A nest of rats and wolves.”
“Haha! Exactly! A nest of rats and wolves!”
“You bastards!” the blue-robed elderly man yelled, turning ashen in the face. Someone beside him stopped him, saying, “Senior Brother, keep calm. We’re here for the Devil’s Practice follower. Don’t cause trouble.”
“Hmph!” The older man flicked his sleeves. “I’ll consider it two puppies yapping!”
“Haha! Come and bite us then, you old dog! Can you bite thousands of us?”
The older man was so furious that he was shaking. He would have just killed all these fools if he were outside, but he would be no different from the Devil’s Practice follower Xiao Chen if he goes on a rampage in front of so many Orthodox cultivators.
Little did he imagine that there was indeed a stark difference. When Xiao Chen killed, he at least did it openly. He wouldn’t spout righteous nonsense while committing dirty deeds behind everyone’s back. The independent cultivators began to yell in unison, “The Ling family and the Order of the Divine Fire have no right to call themselves Orthodox sects! Disband! Disband!”
Their cries were so loud that they could shake heaven. Suddenly, a figure in red treaded through the air in their direction. “Thank you for your concern, but we’ll settle our affairs internally.”
The elderly man in red landed next to Wan Gufeng. He looked even older than Wan Gufeng. Instead of looking like he had found a savior, Wan Gufeng shuddered. He lowered his head and saluted the man. “Disciple Wan Gufeng pays his respect to Master Qi Heng!”
Elder Qi Heng from the Order of the Divine Fire was in the Nirvana Realm. The frosty old man held his hands behind his back and said emotionlessly, “Just take your own life for committing such a grievous crime.”
Alarmed, Wan Yanyan looked at him and started pleading. “No! Didn’t Grandpa get your permission to go to the Human World…”
Wan Gufeng immediately shouted, “Shut up, Yan’er!” Then, he saluted to the Orthodox cultivators with a wry smile. “In a momentary lapse of judgment, I was misled into committing a grievous crime. Today, I will end my life to make up for my offense!” He slammed both palms on his forehead with a loud thump. Blood flowed out of his seven apertures as his soul shattered, and he died just like that.
“Grandpa!” Wan Yanyan threw himself at Wan Gufeng’s body, unable to stop wailing with grief.
With his hands still clasped behind his back, Qi Heng loudly announced, “This person had killed himself as punishment for his grievous crime! The Order of the Divine Fire will write this person’s name off our records!”
With that, Qi Heng washed all responsibility off the Order of the Divine Fire. Those nearby said nothing. What else could they say when Gu Wanfeng was dead? However, they were confident that Wan Gufeng wouldn’t be brave enough to go on a rampage in the Human World if he didn’t receive a higher-up’s order.
Xiao Chen scoffed. This was a familiar scene in Violet Manor. Whenever the subordinates ran amok and got themselves in a too-big of trouble that the higher-ups couldn’t explain away, the assistants would have no choice but to “kill themselves to make up for their offense.” That way, they would at least be able to ensure the safety of their families.
If they refused to kill themselves, the higher-ups would send their men to eliminate them or even their whole family and then announce to the world that they had ended their lives to make up for their offense.
The whites of Wan Yanyan’s eyes were filled with wisps of blood. He suddenly raised his head to look at Xiao Chen. “Xiao Chen! You caused my Grandpa’s death! I’ll drag you down to hell with me!” He charged at Xiao Chen, wanting to turn himself into a weapon and release his Soul power.
“Slay!”
Following Guifeng’s bellow, a saber fell on Wan Yanyan and instantly produced a bloody mist. Qi Heng continued to clasp his hands behind his back. With his cultivation, he could very well rescue Wan Yanyan immediately, but he pretended not to see anything.
The shrieking of the gale resounded without an end as dark clouds enveloped the skies above Tianyuan City. Dark cumulus clouds began gathering in the western horizon, signaling rain.
“Now that our Order has punished our traitor, isn’t it time for the Orthodox Path to do the same for the sake of all living creatures in the world?” Qi Heng said emotionlessly, staring at Xiao Chen.