Chapter 314: The Insect Nest Visits

Although Luo Feng had been in Raindrop City for a long time and had heard that lower-tier Chaotic Source beings would sneak in to attack, he had yet to encounter any. His mind was entirely focused on cultivation, and he hadn't even applied for the 'Elder Assessment.' For Luo Feng, taking on the role of an elder would divert his energy; he needed to concentrate more on his cultivation now!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! Outside the main building of the Pill Tower, figures descended, completely blocking the main entrance. This caused the customers who came to buy pills to tremble with fear, and they immediately scattered, keeping their distance!

It was the Insectoid Nest!

"Insectoid Nest cultivators! It looks like a major conflict is about to break out between the Insectoid Nest and the Pill Tower. Let's not get caught in the crossfire!"

Numerous customers quickly departed! There was an uproar around the main Pill Tower building, and the attendants and mid-to-high-level staff looked warily at the figures of the cultivators outside the main building.

"Why are so many from the Insectoid Nest here?"

"Since God-Emperor Luo Feng joined our Pill Tower, we've been expanding our business for 1500 eras, and the Insectoid Nest has remained quiet. Are they finally making a move today?" The Pill Tower members were somewhat flustered and immediately reported the situation. Soon, the news reached Tower Master Chang Qing and Luo Feng!

"Brother Luo Feng, these Insectoid Nest members have come out in full force and surrounded the main Pill Tower building," Tower Master Chang Qing transmitted. "However, they are bound by the laws within Raindrop City and wouldn't dare go too far! They're probably here to negotiate. Let's see what they want first!"

Luo Feng was a little curious. The Insectoid Nest had endured for so long; were they finally losing their patience?

Inside the main Pill Tower building! A tall, scaly man led a group of cultivators into the main hall. This tall, scaly man had cold eyes, and a thick, scaly tail was particularly conspicuous. As he walked into the Pill Tower, the entire vast space of the Pill Tower seemed to twist around him as its center! His icy gaze and invisible might made the Pill Tower members tremble with fear.

"Elder Sarlo, why bother bullying mere juniors?" Tower Master Chang Qing appeared, and the Pill Tower's formation naturally activated, suppressing the terrifying aura of the tall, scaly man. Elder Sarlo was one of the seven high-ranking members of the Insectoid Nest, an Elder-level existence!

"Tower Master Chang Qing!" Elder Sarlo's gaze was cold. "I am not here for you!"

"Oh?" Tower Master Chang Qing realized the Insectoid Nest's intentions were not quite what he had expected.

"Bring out your Pill Tower's Alchemist Gu Qingyuan," Elder Sarlo said coldly.

"Gu Qingyuan?" Tower Master Chang Qing raised an eyebrow slightly, then instructed, "Go invite Gu Qingyuan here!"

"Yes!"

A subordinate immediately retreated.

"Alchemist Gu Qingyuan, whom Elder Sarlo mentioned, is one of our Pill Tower's seven High-Grade Alchemists, and I hold him in high regard!" Tower Master Chang Qing chuckled.

"I wonder how he offended you?" Elder Sarlo glanced at Tower Master Chang Qing.

Tower Master Chang Qing earned resources through alchemy, while Elder Sarlo was a combat-oriented individual who frequently hunted in the Dark Saint Realm. Naturally, he didn't hold Tower Master Chang Qing in high esteem.

"You'll find out soon enough, Tower Master Chang Qing!" Elder Sarlo said indifferently.

Tower Master Chang Qing frowned slightly. Both sides fell silent, and neither group dared to speak.

Soon, Alchemist Gu Qingyuan appeared!

He was a plainly dressed middle-aged man, with the strength of a God-Emperor Mid-stage Insightful Practitioner, but his alchemy skills were truly remarkable! When Tower Master Chang Qing wasn't personally refining pills, the highest alchemy skills in the Pill Tower belonged to these seven High-Grade Alchemists.

"You've arrived," Gu Qingyuan said, looking at Elder Sarlo and the others.

"Did you think we couldn't do anything to you by hiding in the Pill Tower?" There was murderous intent in Elder Sarlo's eyes. "You truly have immense audacity! How dare you ambush and kill two of my God-Emperor Mid-stage Insightful Practitioner subordinates within Raindrop City? According to Raindrop City's regulations against killing cultivators within the city, you deserve to die!"

"Do you have any proof?" Gu Qingyuan looked at them. Elder Sarlo had anger in his eyes; of course, there was no direct evidence! The Insectoid Nest had gone to great lengths to deduce that Gu Qingyuan was the killer.

"Two God-Emperor Mid-stage Insightful Practitioners?" Tower Master Chang Qing remarked, surprised. "Within Raindrop City, to silently kill two such powerful individuals without alarming the city's defense system, even an Elder-level existence would find it difficult."

"He used poison," Elder Sarlo stated. "I asked two friends to help me investigate, to examine past temporal traces and causality, and that's how we determined it was his poison."

"Why would I poison two Insectoid Nest powerhouses for no reason?" Gu Qingyuan countered, puzzled.

"Your only disciple died, killed?" Elder Sarlo looked at Gu Qingyuan. "You suspect those two members of my Insectoid Nest robbed and killed him?"

"Yes," Gu Qingyuan nodded and sighed. "My only disciple died. He had accumulated some resources in the city through his artifact refining skills and cultivated cautiously, but he was still targeted, simply because he purchased a treasure. On his way back to his cave dwelling, he was ambushed and killed. Before he died, he sent me a message, and I learned the identities of the two culprits. Those two culprits were from your Insectoid Nest."

"A message before death?" Elder Sarlo shook his head. "It's entirely possible that other marauders disguised themselves. In Raindrop City, disguises are myriad and strange. To identify a killer in Raindrop City requires sufficient evidence."

Gu Qingyuan looked at Elder Sarlo. "My disciple was weak, and I am just an ordinary alchemist; I don't have the ability to poison two God-Emperor Mid-stage Insightful Practitioners. As you said, Elder Sarlo, identifying a killer in Raindrop City requires irrefutable evidence."

Elder Sarlo stared at the alchemist. He knew very well that the alchemist was the culprit.

"Then my Insectoid Nest must have made a mistake," Elder Sarlo said. "Gu Qingyuan, you'll come with me and cooperate with the investigation to prove your innocence. Take Gu Qingyuan away!"

"On what grounds are you taking him?"

"Why take him without evidence?" Other alchemists in the Pill Tower indignantly protested.

"Elder Sarlo!" Tower Master Chang Qing spoke up, "You want to forcibly take Gu Qingyuan from me without any evidence?"

"Because I am an Elder," Elder Sarlo said, giving Tower Master Chang Qing a cold look. With a wave of his hand, he displayed a spatiotemporal image: "Based on the close contact between Gu Qingyuan and the two deceased in the past spacetime, I suspect he is the murderer. I also have Elder Deyou's warrant, which should give me the authority to take him for investigation, right?"

Elder Sarlo was furious. Two of his core subordinates had been poisoned and killed within the city, and he had tolerated this. How could he command his other subordinates otherwise?

"They can't take Brother Gu away."

"If he's taken, Brother Gu is as good as dead."

"If he's taken, won't they decide whether he's the killer, regardless?" The other alchemists spoke one after another. Gu Qingyuan still commanded considerable prestige among the Pill Tower's alchemists.

"You wish to stop me? I have evidence for my suspicion, I have the warrant from Elder Deyou, who is responsible for enforcing penalties, and I, an Elder, am personally here to apprehend a suspected criminal. Are you going to stop me?" Elder Sarlo stared at Tower Master Chang Qing.

Tower Master Chang Qing knew that if he tried to stop him, he would be in the wrong. With sufficient justification, Elder Sarlo had the right to forcibly apprehend a suspected criminal.

"And you..." Elder Sarlo's gaze swept over the agitated alchemists. "When Tower Master Chang Qing and I are speaking, it's not your place to interrupt. Note down each of their names!"

"Yes," his subordinates behind him immediately responded, looking at each alchemist. These alchemists were startled and began to panic.

"Gu Qingyuan, don't worry, I will go to Elder Deyou to ensure you receive fair treatment," Tower Master Chang Qing said.

"Thank you, Tower Master, for the trouble," Gu Qingyuan respectfully bowed. He remained calm; the moment he took action, he had prepared for everything.

"Tower Master, you're giving him too much face," a black-clad, black-haired man appeared in the Pill Tower.

"Hmm?"

The cultivators from both sides in the main hall noticed Luo Feng's arrival. Elder Sarlo's expression shifted slightly; he didn't care much about Tower Master Chang Qing. However, God-Emperor Luo Feng's reputation was built upon his defeat of Elder Tianhe.

Boom—! The moment Luo Feng appeared, an invisible, terrifying wave swept out. Elder Sarlo's expression changed slightly, and he stood his ground, his scales glowing with a faint luster, resisting the wave. But his Insectoid Nest cultivators were unable to resist, swept away by the terrifying wave, they could only drift with the current and were thrown out.

"The Insectoid Nest dares to act so presumptuously in my domain?" Luo Feng looked at Elder Sarlo. "Are you Elder Sarlo?"

Elder Sarlo was indignant. "Luo Feng, I have evidence for my suspicion, I have Elder Deyou's warrant..."

"A piece of trash from the Insectoid Nest, daring to investigate a killer? Don't you know what your Insectoid Nest does?" Luo Feng sneered.

Sarlo's face changed drastically. They were all Elder-level beings, and fighting within the city was generally frowned upon, so they usually adhered to the rules.

"You—" Elder Sarlo was somewhat enraged. "You've gone too far."

"Listen well," Luo Feng said, looking coldly at Elder Sarlo, his voice also reaching the ears of the Insectoid Nest cultivators outside the Pill Tower. "My Pill Tower is the most law-abiding. Without irrefutable evidence, no one is qualified to apprehend a cultivator in my Pill Tower. Not even you, nor the Insectoid Nest Master behind you, are qualified."

"You dare to disrespect the Insectoid Nest Master?" Elder Sarlo glared at Luo Feng. The Insectoid Nest Master was an existence close to the three Hall Masters, far stronger than an ordinary Elder.

"Yes, I don't put him in my eyes," Luo Feng looked at him. "You can tell him my exact words: I, Luo Feng, will be waiting for him at any time."

Tower Master Chang Qing, standing nearby, stared at Luo Feng in shock. He was far, far too... far too arrogant! Tower Master Chang Qing had always maintained good relations with all factions in Raindrop City; how could he dare to be so brazen? The other cultivators in the main hall were also stunned.

"God-Emperor Luo Feng?" Gu Qingyuan was also somewhat bewildered. He had already prepared himself, even buying a 'substitute death' treasure. Luo Feng's words stunned everyone; this was openly slapping the Insectoid Nest Master's face.

"Very well, very well. I will certainly convey your exact words to the Insectoid Nest Master, as you wish," Elder Sarlo sneered, then turned and walked away.

Buzz!

The Life-Death Array activated, and a terrifying wave enveloped the Pill Tower complex, trapping Elder Sarlo who was trying to leave. Elder Sarlo felt the array was incredibly heavy; he couldn't break free or escape. He even sensed his life force weakening, unable to recover, which made his expression change.

"What are you doing? Are you going to attack within the city?" Elder Sarlo glared at Luo Feng, a mix of shock and rage on his face.

"You come to my Pill Tower and act presumptuously, then just leave whenever you want?" Luo Feng looked at him. "There's no such good deal. Leave 100 million Chaotic Source Crystals as an apology, or you can stay at my Pill Tower for a while longer."

These words stunned the cultivators from both sides present; they dared not get involved or say another word.

Elder Sarlo, both anxious and furious, immediately sent a message to the Insectoid Nest Master, seeking help.