It was Lin Zhou's voice.
Before the words were even finished, pale golden runes suddenly lit up the ground around the Qingyun Sect. As if coming to life, the runes spread rapidly along the mountain range, instantly weaving into a massive array network. The name of the array flashed by amidst the flowing runes—"Spirit Gathering Array."
"A Spirit Gathering Array?" One of the four clusters of light and shadow was taken aback for a moment, then sneered, "You think you can stop us with such a low-level array?"
They were projections of higher-dimensional beings, and even if their strength was limited, they were by no means something that a mere spirit-gathering array could trap them. But the next second, the smiles on their faces froze.
Suddenly, a murderous aura that made their souls tremble erupt from that seemingly ordinary spirit-gathering array! The pale golden runes instantly turned blood red, and the originally docile spiritual energy, like ignited explosives, frantically condensed and compressed, transforming into sharp blades of energy that slashed and tore at the four clusters of light and shadow!
"This is not a spirit-gathering array! It's... the ancient killing array 'Ten Thousand Spirits Slaughter'!" The figure in the center exclaimed in disbelief.
The "Ten Thousand Spirits Slaughter" is a ferocious array in ancient legends that can annihilate all living beings in a small world. Because its name is too ordinary (often mistaken for a variant of the Spirit Gathering Array), it has long been extinct. I never expected to see it here! It does have the ability to gather spirits, but that is only the surface. Its true core is "gathering spirits for slaughter," turning the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into an indestructible weapon!
"run!"
The four projectiles could no longer maintain their composure, frantically channeling their Dao power and turning to flee. The ferocious aura of this killing formation made them feel the threat of death—even as mere projections, being strangled would damage their very essence!
"You think you can just leave now that you've come?" Lin Zhou lay on the rocking chair, not even lifting his eyelids, and casually flipped his hand in the air.
An invisible force closed in like a giant hand, instantly tightening the spreading killing formation. Crimson runes intertwined to form a cage, imprisoning the four orbs of light and shadow in place! Blades of energy rained down, striking the light and shadow and emitting a "sizzling" sound of dissolving.
"How dare you!" A furious roar echoed from within the light and shadow, accompanied by the crisp sound of shattering laws. "The higher dimensions will not let you get away with this!"
"Noisy." Lin Zhou frowned and tapped his fingertip lightly.
The power of the killing formation suddenly surged, and the blood-red energy blades condensed into a giant axe, which crashed down with a sharpness that could cleave through dimensions!
"No--!"
The screams abruptly stopped.
The four clusters of light and shadow instantly dissipated under the giant axe, leaving not even a trace of energy fluctuation, as if they had never existed. The crimson runes in the air slowly faded, transforming back into a pale golden spirit-gathering array, quietly enveloping the Qingyun Sect. The spiritual energy was even more concentrated than before, as if the world-destroying massacre just now was merely an illusion.
Lin Zhou clapped his hands, stood up and stretched. Just as he was about to go back inside, he heard a familiar voice coming from outside the courtyard:
"Master! We're back!"
It was Xiao Chen and Jiang Li.
The two stood outside the courtyard, still covered in dust and a faint smell of blood, clearly having just returned from the Northern Region. Xiao Chen's left arm was wrapped in bandages, and Jiang Li's red dress was stained, but both had bright eyes, looking at Lin Zhou inside the courtyard with admiration.
Lin Zhou glanced at them, pointed to the kitchen, and said, "Eldest apprentice, go cook. I want to eat meat today." He then pointed to the fallen leaves in the yard and said, "Second apprentice, sweep the yard and pick up the wild fruit pits on the ground."
He paused, then added, "You are not allowed to use spiritual power."
Xiao Chen and Jiang Li were both taken aback, then exchanged a glance and respectfully replied, "Yes, Master."
They knew that their master was telling them to calm down. Having just experienced a life-or-death battle, their spiritual energy was turbulent, and their minds were inevitably restless. Doing some trivial things that didn't require spiritual energy was a good way to settle their minds.
Xiao Chen turned and walked towards the kitchen. The injury in his left arm throbbed faintly even without using spiritual power, but it made him even more clear-headed—the glory he had just experienced in the Northern Region was nothing more than a Dao heart that needed to be tempered by the daily grind of life in front of his master.
Jiang Li picked up a broom and diligently swept away the fallen leaves. Her red robes swayed in the sunlight, making her appear less like an empress and more like a peaceful disciple. Xiao Zhan's soul remained quietly inside her jade pendant; without his master's permission, he dared not reveal himself.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Region, at the headquarters of the Xuantian Sect.
Inside a gloomy hall, Zhao Xuan, the sect leader of the Xuantian Sect, sat at the head of the table. His face was withered, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. He exuded a formidable aura, several times stronger than the elder who had rescued Zhao Feng earlier.
Zhao Feng knelt below the throne, his head bowed low, his whole body trembling, not daring to raise his head.
"Do you know your mistake?" Zhao Xuan's voice was hoarse, yet carried an undeniable authority.
"Your son... Your son knows he was wrong..." Zhao Feng's voice trembled.
"Where did you go wrong?" Zhao Xuan sneered. "Your mistake was in misjudging people, being suppressed by a cultivator from the Southern Region and unable to raise your head? Your mistake was in not being able to mobilize even a Shadow Pavilion assassin?"
"They...they're all at fault..."
“No,” Zhao Xuan interrupted him, “Your biggest mistake is being soft-hearted and indecisive!”
He slammed his hand on the armrest, causing the hall to tremble: "From the moment Xiao Chen showed his face in the Dragon Locking Secret Realm, you should have killed him at all costs! But what did you do? You let him go time and time again, watched him grow, watched him humiliate the Xuan Tian Sect at the Martial Arts Tournament, and watched him gather forces around him that could threaten the sect!"
"You think keeping him alive is for training? Wrong! That's raising a tiger to cause trouble!" Zhao Xuan's voice grew colder and colder. "The Four Regions are about to be thrown into turmoil. My Xuantian Sect is determined to unify the Four Regions and cannot tolerate the slightest hidden danger! You don't even have this much decisiveness. What makes you think you can be the young sect master?"
Zhao Feng felt a chill run through him as he finally understood his father's anger—not because he had lost, but because of his "holding back," and because of the hidden danger that could threaten the Xuan Tian Sect's ambition to unify the four regions.
"Effective immediately, you are removed from your position as Young Sect Master." Zhao Xuan's voice was devoid of any emotion. "Have the Second Brother return from the border to temporarily assume the position of Young Sect Master. You..."
He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes: "Go into seclusion in the Black Wind Mountains. Only come out to deal with your own affairs when you break through—including that girl named Su Wanqing. Either make her completely submit, or..."
"I understand!" Zhao Feng replied through gritted teeth, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes replaced by ruthlessness.
Father is right; he was too lenient. Xiao Chen, Su Wanqing, and everyone who stands in the way of the Xuan Tian Sect should be eliminated!
Zhao Xuan looked at the fierce glint in his son's eyes and nodded in satisfaction. He rose and walked to the window, gazing towards the southern region, his eyes flashing with ambition.
"Qingyun Sect...Lin Zhou...Xiao Chen..."
"These four regions will ultimately be the possessions of my Xuantian Sect."
Outside the main hall, the wind from the Northern Region carried a chill, fluttering the banners of the Xuan Tian Sect and stirring up an even greater storm that was about to sweep across the four regions.
In the courtyard of the Qingyun Sect, Xiao Chen was clumsily starting a fire, Jiang Li was diligently sweeping fallen leaves, and Lin Zhou was sitting in a rocking chair, humming an off-key tune. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere.
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