Chapter 1766: Divine Sky Sect Leader

The maidservants, who typically vied for the Second Young Master's favor, appeared amicable on the surface but secretly fought tooth and nail, each trying to outdo the others.

When the patriarch gave them permission to come today, they were overjoyed, believing it signified his approval. They thought they must perform exceptionally well on this journey, hoping that even if they couldn't become the Second Young Master's main wife, securing a position as a concubine would still be a significant step forward.

Little did they know, their joyful arrival would lead to such a tragic end.

Wang Neishi's face went pale as he watched his maidservants perish before his eyes. His initial reaction was fury, but realizing his father was responsible, he dared not express his anger.

"What are you doing?" Xie Daoyun exclaimed, astonished and enraged, casting aside all other considerations.

Wang Youjun had acted too swiftly for anyone to react.

Wang Neishi secretly admired the young woman, who, despite her delicate appearance, possessed such fierce resolve.

Wang Youjun shrugged indifferently. "Of course, it's to break this lightning formation. Look, hasn't the lightning storm diminished significantly?"

Xie Daoyun did notice the lightning storm had diminished, but she retorted, "But they were living people! Is that the point?"

Wang Youjun's expression remained unchanged. "If not for our Wang family, they would have died years ago. They've lived many extra years and enjoyed lives of luxury; in fact, they profited. What does it matter if they contribute a little effort for me now?"

Xie Daoyun trembled with rage. Yun Jianyue subtly took her hand in comfort; as the leader of the Demonic Cult, she was well accustomed to such brutality.

Ignoring her, Wang Youjun moved to the edge of the stone forest. After assessing the remaining intensity of the lightning storm, he suddenly acted again. A colossal hand materialized in the void, seizing dozens of his lowest-ranking subordinates and flinging them into the formation.

The unfortunate individuals screamed, attempting to resist, but they were no match for Wang Youjun and were swiftly hurled into the center of the stone forest.

Sparks flew amidst the lightning, and their flesh and blood rapidly dissolved.

A chill went through the onlookers. These lightning storms were utterly terrifying; even Yun Jianyue's expression faltered. Comparing these bolts to the lightning-element cultivators she knew, even the Grandmaster Xuan Bajing's lightning skills were nowhere near as potent.

The remaining Wang family members finally understood. It became clear why the patriarch had brought so many people on this journey: they weren't meant to contribute strength, but to serve as cannon fodder. Unwilling to remain, they frantically ran back towards the large ship they had arrived in.

Wang Youjun sneered. "I was initially somewhat hesitant, but since you've made your own choice, you can't blame me."

He manipulated a talisman, and almost immediately, a pair of immense hands extended from the void again, seizing all those individuals and flinging them directly into the deeper reaches of the stone forest.

Though these individuals were all hand-picked experts, they unleashed their most powerful abilities in an attempt to defend themselves. Alas, countless arcing bolts of lightning struck, reducing everything to ashes.

Gazing at the still-steaming remnants within, Wang Youjun nodded in satisfaction. "Indeed, it's almost done. While some lightning influence remains, our cultivation levels are sufficient to withstand it."

Besides his son, Wang Neishi, four elders of the Wang family stood beside him. They were his contemporaries and nearly as powerful.

They remained remarkably calm throughout, presumably having known all along that this would occur.

Xie Daoyun felt a chill run through her. "You are nothing but demons in human guise!"

She remembered how the people of Wang Family Village had proudly boasted that under the Wang family's protection, their surroundings were blessed with favorable weather and no demons dared approach. At the time, she had greatly admired them, believing the Wang family patriarch to be a benevolent benefactor.

Now, she realized, it had all been a lie!

She pulled Yun Jianyue's hand. "Sister Yun, let's leave!"

She no longer wished to be associated with these monsters, much less assist them.

"Leave? Do you think you can?" No sooner had Wang Youjun spoken than the four Wang family elders subtly surrounded the two women.

In this situation, he naturally couldn't allow anyone to leave, especially since Xie Daoyun's expertise in formations might still prove useful.

"Oh? Do you intend to stop me?" Yun Jianyue raised an eyebrow, a cruel smile playing on her lips.

Wang Youjun stated calmly, "I know your cultivation is profound, and in a one-on-one fight, I might not prevail. However, with several of us combined, you stand no chance."

"Perhaps not," Yun Jianyue scoffed. While her opponent spoke the truth, as the Demonic Cult leader who had fought her way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, she would not easily surrender to fate.

"In any case, without me, you cannot depart on that flying vessel," Wang Youjun said coldly. "Moreover, you still need my help to find your friends. It's best you come with us obediently. Unlike those ordinary consumables, you have proven your capabilities. As long as you remain loyal to the Wang family, you will naturally enjoy endless glory and wealth."

Yun Jianyue merely smiled. "Indeed, you hold all the advantages. However, you possess one weakness."

"What is it?" Wang Youjun frowned.

"You don't have enough time," Yun Jianyue scoffed. "Just now, while you were speaking to me, your gaze kept flickering towards the stone forest. It's clear you've temporarily dispelled the accumulated lightning storm in this area using all those lives, but in a short while, the storm will regenerate."

"If you genuinely try to fight me, even if I can't win, I can certainly stall until the lightning storm fully regenerates. And by then, you won't have so many lives to sacrifice as you did just now."

Wang Youjun's expression shifted, and he couldn't help but gaze intently at her. "Young lady, you are truly exceptional, with remarkably keen insight. Very well, wait for us here. Once we emerge, we will escort you back to the mainland and fulfill all our promises."

"First, tell me, what exactly are you searching for on this expedition?" Yun Jianyue demanded, her gaze fixed on him.

Wang Youjun hesitated for a moment, but then, glancing at the situation within the stone forest, he quickly responded, "We are here to retrieve the remains of the Divine Heavens Sect's former leader. As his followers, we cannot allow the sect leader's body to be left exposed in the wilderness."

Yun Jianyue chuckled. "You're trying to fool me. Someone like you, who ruthlessly reaps souls and treats your own subordinates as cannon fodder, would loyally come to retrieve the former leader's body? What a joke."

Xie Daoyun secretly admired her. She had been too consumed by anger, but Sister Yun's keen intellect had pieced together the truth from the limited information available.

A flicker of anger crossed Wang Youjun's eyes; clearly, he was unaccustomed to being manipulated in this manner, given his status. However, with his vulnerability exposed, he could only suppress his rage. "Sect Leader Sun carried three extremely valuable talismans with him."

At this, Yun Jianyue understood. The talismans were likely far more precious than he let on, prompting him to incur such great cost to seek them out.

"Very well, we'll accompany you," Yun Jianyue stated.

"Sister Yun!" Xie Daoyun exclaimed, immediately distressed. She absolutely did not want to help this man.

Yun Jianyue secretly transmitted a message to her: "We must seize the opportunity to acquire Sun En's talismans. If they obtain them and return, we will have no chance of survival."

Currently, both sides were somewhat evenly matched, but if the opponents acquired those three valuable talismans, their combat power would undoubtedly surge, rendering the two women utterly outmatched. Their only chance lay in staying close and seizing an opportunity.

Xie Daoyun, being intelligent, immediately grasped the implications and ceased her objections.

Wang Youjun frowned. After revealing his objective, he was now reluctant for them to accompany him.

However, seeing the lightning storm begin to reform, he had no time to waste. "Then follow," he instructed.

With that, he secretly ordered the other elders to remain vigilant for any unusual moves from the two women.

Once the group entered the stone forest, sure enough, the terrifying lightning from before ceased to appear.

However, occasional small bolts of lightning still flickered past, but the remaining individuals were all peak experts, each possessing their own methods to handle them.

Nevertheless, everyone felt a destructive life force seemingly seeping into their bodies. They knew that once enough lightning elements accumulated internally, even without the horrifying direct strikes, they would still perish on the spot.

The group dared not waste a single moment, frantically pressing forward.

Just as they emerged from the stone forest, the terrifying lightning storm reformed behind them.

Even from a considerable distance, they could feel its terrifying power, and everyone's faces turned pale.

Yun Jianyue couldn't help but ask, "How will we get out later?"

"No need to worry," Wang Youjun replied nonchalantly, his eyes fixed straight ahead. "Sect Leader Sun carries a High Divine Heavens Talisman, capable of controlling lightning."

A hundred zhang ahead, a raised platform stood, accessible by stairs on all four sides. At its apex, a massive stone chair held a charred skeleton.

It appeared to have been reduced to this state by terrifying bolts of lightning.

Despite being mere remains, it still emanated a terrifying aura that made everyone's hair stand on end.

Even more striking were three talismans hovering in mid-air, slowly revolving around it. These were unmistakably the three divine talismans passed down through generations of Divine Heavens Sect leaders!