Chapter 3969: Using a Borrowed Knife to Kill

Nine Immortals Island, Nine Immortals Sect.

A sprawling estate with pavilions, towers, waterfront platforms, and long corridors.

Du Tianhe and a tall young man in a green robe sat in a green stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting. "Brother Jiang, congratulations! Our Nine Immortals Sect has gained another Golden Immortal cultivator."

Du Tianhe was all smiles.

The Nine Immortals Sect now had eight Golden Immortal cultivators. Over the past 300,000 years, the sect had lost several Golden Immortal cultivators, suffering heavy losses and not recovering quickly. Most of the eight Golden Immortal cultivators were newly ascended and had not yet cultivated their laws to the minor completion stage.

Entering the path of laws was easy, but achieving minor completion was difficult, and major completion even more so. The young man in the green robe was Jiang Tianfeng, a newly ascended Golden Immortal of the Nine Immortals Sect and Jiang Tianhai's clan brother.

"Brother Du, after all these years, you still haven't found the killer of Tianhai?" Jiang Tianfeng asked with a frown.

"They attended an auction held by the Myriad Immortals Commerce Alliance and didn't act with Brother Jiang. After the auction concluded, they met their demise, leaving no trace to investigate."

Du Tianhe looked troubled.

This matter involved the Myriad Immortals Commerce Alliance, making it impossible for them to investigate. Could they really ask the Myriad Immortals Commerce Alliance to cooperate in investigating the death of a True Immortal cultivator?

Jiang Tianfeng frowned, then pondered for a moment before saying, "I heard that the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple also attended that auction. I also heard from Fellow Daoist Meng that he had some personal grievances with them."

"What? You suspect them?"

Du Tianhe frowned. He wasn't concerned about the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple themselves, but rather that this matter touched upon internal struggles within the Nine Immortals Sect.

The Jiang family and the Meng family were connected by marriage, as were the Gao family and the Zhang family. It was no secret that the Jiang and Gao families were at odds, which also strained relations between the Zhang and Meng families.

"I have no evidence, but Senior Sister Gao is very close to the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple. Since they also attended the auction, it's only right to send someone to ask them about it!"

Jiang Tianfeng said.

Having advanced to the Golden Immortal stage, he spoke with newfound confidence.

Du Tianhe pondered briefly, then nodded and said, "It's reasonable. I'll send someone to inquire with them. However, I must warn you, do not act recklessly without evidence."

"Rest assured, Brother Du, I know..."

Before Jiang Tianfeng could finish speaking, he took out a shimmering blue-green transmission mirror from his robe, infused it with a spell, and the image of a voluptuous young woman in a silver dress appeared on its surface.

The young woman in the silver dress looked grave, as if something important had happened. "Yiyun, what's wrong?"

Jiang Tianfeng asked.

"Ancestor Tianfeng, True Monarch Tianchen personally acted, invading Xuanhuo Island. All the Meng family cultivators on the island were killed. The Tianchen Sect claims that the Meng family ambushed and killed their core disciples."

Jiang Yiyun said.

"What? True Monarch Tianchen wiped out the Meng family cultivators on Xuanhuo Island?"

Jiang Tianfeng's face was filled with shock. Such an act was atrocious; incidents of this nature rarely occurred in the Tianchen Sea Domain. What exactly had the Meng family done to provoke True Monarch Tianchen to act personally?

"It's absolutely true; this news was released by the Tianchen Sect. They also claim that our Nine Immortals Sect instigated the Meng family to deal with the Tianchen Sect's core disciples. Some rumors suggest that the Meng family possessed a Mid-grade Immortal-Slaying Cannon and Mid-grade Chaos Armor, and True Monarch Tianchen coveted these two items, which is why he personally intervened. Other rumors claim that the Meng family found the relics of Immortal Chi Meng; when this news leaked, True Monarch Tianchen attacked Xuanhuo Island to seize them."

Jiang Yiyun said.

"I understand! Tell the other Meng family members to be careful and not to go out alone." Jiang Tianfeng instructed, then put away the transmission mirror.

"The Tianchen Sect is declaring war on our Nine Immortals Sect!" Du Tianhe exclaimed, his face filled with killing intent.

The Meng family was one of the Nine Immortals Sect's ten major affiliated forces, and the Tianchen Sect was one of the Moonlight Alliance's ten major affiliated forces. With True Monarch Tianchen personally wiping out the Meng family cultivators on Xuanhuo Island, the Nine Immortals Sect could not feign ignorance; they had to respond.

Jiang Tianfeng's first reaction was to suspect the Wang family, but he quickly dismissed the idea. The Azure Lotus Immortal Couple were only True Immortal cultivators; how could they cause True Monarch Tianchen to act against the Meng family?

True Monarch Tianchen could not possibly be unaware of the consequences of such an action. Not only did he do it, but he also deliberately leaked the news, making it seem more like retaliation.

If True Monarch Tianchen coveted the Meng family's treasures, he would not have spread the news at all. He would have quietly attacked Xuanhuo Island, seized the treasures, and kept it secret. How could he possibly have released the information?

"The Meng family and the Tianchen Sect have been old rivals, but the Meng family has no Golden Immortal cultivators. How could they possibly have the audacity to offend the Tianchen Sect so grievously?" Jiang Tianfeng was utterly perplexed.

"No matter the reason, we cannot remain silent. This is a good opportunity to send the Qi family to deal with the Tianchen Sect," Du Tianhe said, his face full of killing intent.

If other affiliated forces were wiped out, perhaps it could be overlooked, but the Meng family was a staunch vassal of the Nine Immortals Sect. If the Nine Immortals Sect didn't retaliate, who would still show them respect?

Soon, the Nine Immortals Sect's orders were disseminated.

***

Azure Lotus Island, Azure Lotus Peak.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan sat in a green stone pavilion, deep in conversation.

Wang Changsheng had used a soul-searching secret technique on Bai Tianxue's Nascent Soul and discovered that the Tianchen Sect had four Golden Immortal cultivators, though only two were known publicly. Bai Tianxue was a hidden asset, and with Wang Changsheng having killed her, the Tianchen Sect would certainly not let the matter rest.

Wang Ruyan took out a shimmering blue spell disk, infused it with a spell, and Cui Yao's voice rang out: "Ancestor, True Monarch Tianchen personally acted, attacking Xuanhuo Island. All cultivators on Xuanhuo Island were killed, and there are still many remnants of the Meng family."

"Do not concern yourself with the Meng family remnants. Apart from you, relocate all clan members involved in this matter to the Chaos Continent. This information must not be leaked," Wang Ruyan instructed.

"Yes, Ancestor. I've sent people to spread rumors that True Monarch Tianchen attacked and wiped out Xuanhuo Island because he coveted the Meng family's treasures," Cui Yao said.

"Stop spreading rumors, lest it backfire. We will quietly watch the show," Wang Ruyan instructed.

"Yes, Ancestor."

Cui Yao agreed and cut off the communication.

"The Tianchen Sect lost a Golden Immortal cultivator; no wonder True Monarch Tianchen acted personally," Wang Changsheng said with a smile.

The loss of a Golden Immortal cultivator was a significant blow to any force in the Tianchen Sea Domain. The Tianchen Sect had finally managed to gain four Golden Immortal cultivators, and one was killed on their own territory. True Monarch Tianchen was bound to retaliate.

The Meng family, being a long-standing rival of the Tianchen Sect, naturally became True Monarch Tianchen's scapegoat.

This incident also served as a reminder to Wang Changsheng: when dealing with forces that possess Golden Immortal cultivators, it was still best to act personally.

If he had sent Wang Mengbin to handle this matter, not only would it have failed to harm the Meng family, but Wang Mengbin would also have perished, essentially shooting himself in the foot.

"No force in the Tianchen Sea Domain would let the loss of a Golden Immortal cultivator go unpunished. However, the conflict might escalate, and our Wang family could also be drawn into the war," Wang Ruyan said with some concern.

"It doesn't matter. If a major war breaks out, we'll send other clan members to fight while we remain in secluded cultivation, completely unaware of what's happening outside," Wang Changsheng said with a smile.

Even within the Wang family, few clan members knew they had advanced to the Golden Immortal stage, and outsiders were even less aware.