The Ancient Fiend

After that day, news that a peerless expert was hiding within the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty spread like wildfire. The speed at which it traveled was shocking; in just a few short days, it had spread throughout the middle and upper reaches of the Star River.

It was simply because the might of that single palm strike was too terrifying!

With just one blow, it had annihilated the army of the Wuji Sect from the upper reaches of the Star River. Even the Young Master of the Wuji Sect, Li Qianji, along with a Golden Immortal expert, were left without a trace of their bones remaining. What kind of terrifying strength was this?

Some said this peerless expert was the founding emperor of the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty, an old monster who had survived for endless ages.

Others said it was an unrivaled expert wandering the mortal world in disguise, living in seclusion in the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty, who only struck because the Wuji Sect had disturbed him.

Still others claimed that the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty was built atop a devil's den inhabited by an ancient fiend. They whispered that the Emperor of the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty, in order to resist the Wuji Sect's invasion, had not hesitated to sacrifice hundreds of millions of citizens to purchase that single strike from the fiend.

Various theories clamored for attention.

The third theory was the most ridiculous, yet it was the one people were most willing to believe.

Because on that day, the monstrous demonic might that erupted from the depths of the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty was rarely seen in this world. It made the heavens and earth lose their color and the sun and moon lose their light, as if hell had descended upon the mortal realm. If that wasn't an ancient fiend, what was? If that didn't count, then there were truly no demons in this world.

All sorts of terrifying legends even reached the upper reaches of the Star River. Countless upper-stream forces sent spies to the Wuji Sect to gather intelligence.

However, the victim, the Wuji Sect, was strangely calm.

There was no movement, no reaction, as if nothing had happened at all.

Inside the Great Hall of the Wuji Sect.

Several Golden Immortal experts were gathered together, all with grave expressions. The leader, an old man in luxurious robes, looked full of grief.

He was Li Qianji's father, the Sect Master of the Wuji Sect, Li Wuji.

"Everyone, what level of cultivation do you think that fiend hiding in the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty possesses?" Li Wuji asked in a hoarse voice, obviously not yet recovered from the pain of losing his son.

"Great Luo!"

"This demon is definitely a powerhouse at the Great Luo Golden Immortal level. Only an expert of this realm could annihilate our Wuji Sect's army with a single blow."

"Indeed. If my estimation is correct, this demon is not just a Great Luo, but a standout among them. That kind of might... was too strong."

"Sigh!" Li Wuji let out a long sigh. He knew it would be difficult to avenge his son.

He wanted to let it go, but he couldn't. His hands were clenched tight, and the killing intent in his eyes could barely be suppressed.

That was his only son. Although violent and tyrannical, he was still his son.

But he couldn't afford to offend a Great Luo. The entire Wuji Sect put together couldn't afford to offend one.

"Sect Master need not sigh. Although a Great Luo is strong, they are not invincible. The Wuji Sect indeed cannot deal with a Great Luo Golden Immortal, but we can report this to the Source of the Star River. Such a fiend is intolerable by heaven and earth! His existence will disrupt the order of the Star River, so the higher-ups surely won't sit idly by!" someone suggested.

The fire of revenge instantly ignited in Li Wuji's eyes.

"You are right. My son cannot die in vain! Qianji had no grievances with that fiend; he was only going to wipe out the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty, not kill him. A Great Luo expert like that only needed to reveal his identity to avoid the battle, yet this demon killed my son without a word. I cannot swallow this insult!

Pass on my order: Elder Xuan, take two million catties of Immortal Jade immediately to the Source of the Star River. Ask the higher-ups to execute this demon and restore justice to the world.

Just say this demon is being supported by the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty and demands the sacrifice of a million citizens every year. Say that the Wuji Sect discovered this and sent troops to suppress the demon but was defeated. We implore the higher-ups to take action."

"Yes, Sect Master!" a middle-aged cultivator with a resolute face responded respectfully.

"Sect Master, it will take some time for the higher-ups to send someone. What if that demon attacks our Wuji Sect in the meantime?"

Li Wuji immediately glared and blew into his beard. "He destroyed tens of thousands of my troops with one palm without suffering a single loss. As long as we don't provoke him during this time, on what grounds would he attack the Wuji Sect? Is there no justice, is there no law?!

Furthermore, for an expert of that strength to be holed up in the middle reaches of the Star River, he likely has some important purpose or is hiding from enemies. He wouldn't easily cause side issues, let alone cross hundreds of millions of miles to come to the Wuji Sect.

By the way, restrain the disciples during this period. No one is allowed to go out... forget it, just seal the mountain gates. We wait for the higher-ups to send someone."

"Yes, Sect Master!"

......

Yuhua Immortal Dynasty, Imperial Palace.

Shangguan Wan'er looked at Gu Qingfeng with charming, silky eyes. She was a bit tired after just finishing her cultivation, but the heat in her eyes hadn't diminished in the slightest.

"Master, you are so amazing!"

"You only realized that now? However, you're still a bit lacking compared to your sister; you need to cultivate diligently in the future. Although your sister is usually quiet, her hidden coquettishness is much stronger than your overt coquettishness."

"You're annoying!" Shangguan Wan'er rolled her eyes at Gu Qingfeng. "I wasn't talking about that. I meant your strength, Master. You are truly too formidable. You actually destroyed the Wuji Sect's army with a single palm from across the void."

"They were merely a few flies," Gu Qingfeng said, radiating an aura of pretentiousness.

Yet, women just happened to fall for this. However, there was a prerequisite: you had to actually have the strength.

It was like how a rich man pretending to be poor would be forgiven once exposed; the woman would surely say she loved the person, not the money, and their relationship would improve.

But if a poor man pretended to be rich and was exposed, the woman would definitely think he was dishonest and break up with him.

"Master, you are so domineering. Wan'er loves it," Shangguan Wan'er said, stars twinkling in her eyes.

"If only I could be that powerful one day. The feeling of being the center of attention, making everyone marvel at you, must be wonderful."

"You want to experience it? Sure. This Emperor will give you a chance. Go and destroy the Wuji Sect."

"Huh!?" Shangguan Wan'er was stunned. "Master, you want to destroy the Wuji Sect?"

"Why? Can't I?"

"It's not that, Master. You wiped out their army with one palm; they definitely wouldn't dare to come back. Why travel hundreds of millions of miles just to wipe them out? Do you have a grudge against them?"

"Hmph. I slapped those flies to death, and they dirtied my hand. Yet, they haven't come over to apologize. If they don't deserve to die, who does?"

Shangguan Wan'er: "......"

Shangguan Wan'er was speechless for a long time. She never imagined this would be the reason for destroying the Wuji Sect. Even saying "we need to pull up the weeds by the roots" would have been acceptable, but it was because they dirtied his hand?

Actually, Gu Qingfeng was also quite annoyed. He hadn't expected the Wuji Sect to be so perceptively blind. Why hadn't they sent anyone to seek revenge? It was just one army destroyed by a palm strike; was it such a big deal?

If they didn't send people for revenge, how could he blow the matter up, alert the Source of the Star River, and alarm Marquis Shenwu?

He was still waiting for Marquis Shenwu to deliver himself to his doorstep.