Chapter 847: Bloodthirsty God Shadow

In the vast and majestic mountains, a surging crowd came to a halt. Though numerous, they remained orderly and composed.

"Rest in place and replenish your spiritual power," Hao Tian Xuan Zhen said, stepping onto a mountain peak and gazing intently towards the direction of the Hao Tian family, hoping to see Ye Chen's figure catching up.

"He's not a reckless child; he must have withdrawn safely," Hua Xu said, following him and gently grasping Hao Tian Xuan Zhen's hand.

"The Hao Tian family owes him so much!" Hao Tian Xuan Zhen took a deep breath.

At that moment, he wished he weren't the head of the Hao Tian family. If he weren't, he wouldn't bear such heavy responsibilities and could charge back without hesitation to help his child.

"At this speed, rushing non-stop, it would still take three days and nights to reach the Fan Ren Jie," Hao Tian Xuan Hai said, holding a map as he approached. "This pace is still too slow!"

"Use the teleportation array in the ancient city! Otherwise, we might be caught at any time," Hao Tian Jing Shan pondered.

"No," Hao Tian Xuan Zhen immediately refused. "We're not just one or two people; it's the entire family. The teleportation arrays in ordinary ancient cities can't handle transporting so many, and suddenly appearing in a city full of cultivators would make us too conspicuous. If word leaks out, it would lead to total annihilation."

"But at this rate, we're still in constant danger of being discovered."

"We'll take it one step at a time," Hao Tian Xuan Zhen pondered. "If we do use teleportation, it should be in an ancient city closer to the Fan Ren Jie. Our priority is to avoid areas where cultivators gather, even if it takes a hundred or a thousand times longer—it's worth it."

"In that case, let's hurry on our way!"

"Go," Hao Tian Xuan Zhen said, leaping down from the mountain peak first and leading the charge at the front.

Meanwhile, in an ancient city in Bei Zhen Cang Yuan, the disheveled Xue Qiong summoned the Huan Tian Shui Mu.

"The mission is complete; return to the ninth branch hall immediately." Soon, the Huan Tian Shui Mu trembled, and a commanding voice emerged.

"Division Lord, there was a slight mishap."

"Speak."

"The people of the Hao Tian family... escaped," Xue Qiong said, mustering immense courage, his voice trembling as he dared not look directly at the Huan Tian Shui Mu.

"Xue Qiong, I must have misheard!" From the Huan Tian Shui Mu, a middle-aged man in a blood robe, seated in mid-air, slowly opened his eyes. His blood-red eyes shot out two chilling beams of red light.

"It was my negligence. I..."

"A whole army from the Shi Xue Dian, and you let the Hao Tian family escape? What have you been doing?" Shi Xue Yan Luo interrupted Xue Qiong, furious to the point that the Huan Tian Shui Mu shook violently.

"Division Lord, please calm your anger." Xue Qiong hastily knelt on one knee. "Although the Hao Tian family escaped, we killed Ye Chen."

"Killed Ye Chen?" Shi Xue Yan Luo raised an eyebrow.

"I saw him self-destruct with my own eyes," Xue Qiong said, his heart pounding. He couldn't help but steal a glance at Shi Xue Yan Luo and saw his expression soften, allowing him to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"In that case, the merits offset the faults." After a couple of seconds, Shi Xue Yan Luo said gravely, "However, the people of the Hao Tian family must still die. So many won't disappear without a trace. I'll give you three days—no matter the method, find them. I want to use the blood of the Hao Tian family to consecrate the war banner of the Shi Xue Dian."

"Understood."

"Go ahead! For these three days, you have the authority to mobilize the Shi Xue Shen Ying."

"Shi Xue Shen Ying?" Hearing those four words, Xue Qiong's heart skipped a beat with excitement.

The Shi Xue Shen Ying encompassed the entire intelligence and assassin network of the Shi Xue Dian, answering only to the orders of the division lord. Now that Shi Xue Yan Luo had granted him this supreme authority, how could he not be thrilled?

"Thank you, Division Lord." Xue Qiong panted heavily, his excitement soaring.

"Also, spread the news of Ye Chen's death. I want to see what the Nan Chu Tian Ting can use to fight me now that their commander is gone."

"Understood." Xue Qiong flung his cloak and turned, striding out of the underground palace.

"Division Lord." As soon as Xue Qiong emerged, several commanders surrounded him. Notably, they were all in a sorry state, with some even missing limbs, clearly having suffered in the space rifts.

"How are the casualties in the ninth branch hall?" Xue Qiong surveyed the group.

"Those below Kong Ming Jing cultivation level—over ninety percent died in the space rifts, and many are still missing," one commander replied with his head lowered. "Overall, the ninth branch hall has suffered more than forty percent losses, though the core forces remain intact."

"Take half an hour to regroup on site and stay on standby," Xue Qiong ordered immediately.

"Division Lord, does the higher-ups know about the heavy losses in our ninth branch hall?" one commander asked tentatively.

"Are you trying to get us killed?" Xue Qiong snorted coldly. "Letting the Hao Tian family escape is already a grave offense. If the higher-ups learn of the ninth branch hall's severe losses, none of us will escape punishment."

"But... the higher-ups will find out eventually."

"That's why we need to find the Hao Tian family in the shortest time possible," Xue Qiong said coldly. "To atone for our sins with their blood. As for the casualties, we can replenish them after wiping out the Hao Tian family."

"But we have no idea where the Hao Tian family has fled."

"Can they escape the tracking of the Shi Xue Shen Ying?" Xue Qiong sneered.

"Shi Xue Shen Ying?" The commanders all turned to Xue Qiong.

"The Division Lord has personally granted me the authority to mobilize the Shi Xue Shen Ying."

"Division Lord, the higher-ups have never given such power to any other division lord before—this is the highest honor!" The commanders fawned obsequiously, nearly groveling.

"Everything is to support our operations," Xue Qiong said, straightening his back with immense pride, feeling as if a halo shone above his head, almost ready to ascend.

"It seems the higher-ups value you the most, Division Lord."

"Enough—follow my orders," Xue Qiong said sternly, "Before that, spread the news of Ye Chen's death."

"Understood." The commanders bustled out of the hall.

"The Hao Tian family..." Xue Qiong muttered behind them, his face twisted in malice. But thinking of his authority over the Shi Xue Shen Ying, his expression shifted to one of wild joy.

Soon, news of Ye Chen's death spread from Bei Zhen Cang Yuan across the entire Da Chu.

To make it more believable, the ninth branch hall of the Shi Xue Dian distributed memory crystals depicting Ye Chen's self-destruction for free.

For a time, the whole of Da Chu was in an uproar.

"Is this real or fake? Ye Chen is dead?" In cities teeming with cultivators, many held memory crystals and exchanged glances.

"It's probably true," someone sighed. "It's clear as day in the memory crystal."

"What a pity!" another lamented. "Such a peerless talent, fallen to the Shi Xue Dian—this is a great loss to the cultivation world!"

"Who can argue with that?"

"But who can he blame?" someone said dismissively. "He was too arrogant. As the king of Nan Chu, he should have stayed put in the south, but he had to come to Bei Chu. Fine, he came, but he had to brazenly kill people from the Shi Xue Dian. I say he deserved it—death was his own fault."

"Look, his soul jade is intact; he should still be alive and kicking." In the grand hall of Heng Yue Zong, Hong Chen Xue suspended a spirit jade in mid-air.

"This old man did a quick divination; the Shi Xue Dian must have been tricked!" Wu Ya Dao Ren stroked his beard while gesturing with his fingers, as mystifying as ever.

"From the looks of it, Bei Chu is about to get lively." Zhuge Lao Tou said thoughtfully, stroking his beard.

"From what I can tell, that guy is probably going back to his old ways." Gu San Tong said meaningfully.

"Old ways? What old ways?" The burly Man Shan stared at the group of elders in confusion.

"You know, inviting people for a chat about life."

"What... what do you mean?" Man Shan scratched his head, looking blankly at Zhuge Lao Tou and Gu San Tong.

"Kidnapping."

"...".