Chapter 1488: Rong Shao’s Righteousness

Translator: CinderTL

With a flick of his sleeve, Rong Shao unleashed several streams of spiritual power, drawing the critically injured Rong Caizhe and his three companions before him, suspending them horizontally in mid-air.

All four had suffered near-fatal wounds to their waists, struck by the spear’s sweeping arc, nearly cleaved in two. The shock of the intense pain had left their consciousnesses blurred.

Rong Shao channeled his spiritual power to mend their ravaged bodies, purging the residual violent energy from the spear that lingered within them. The injuries were quickly stabilized, their life signs no longer flickering like dying embers.

Rong Caizhe, the first to receive treatment, regained consciousness and immediately noticed Rong Shao beside him and Song Wen standing atop the mountain peak. With a pained gesture, he pointed at Song Wen, his voice trembling with grief and indignation.

"Elder Rong Shao... this disciple was nearly killed by him! I beg you to avenge me!"

Rong Shao’s expression darkened as he rebuked Rong Caizhe sharply.

"Nonsense! If Fellow Daoist Gu Huang hadn’t shown mercy, you would all be dead by now. Instead of gratitude, you dare to bite the hand that spared you?"

Rong Caizhe fell silent, stunned.

Beaten to the brink of death, and I’m supposed to thank the attacker?

At that moment, Rong Shao turned his gaze toward the three guards.

"You three are no different. Hurry and thank Fellow Daoist Gu Huang! Among you, two are at the early-stage void refining realm and one at the mid-void refinement stage. Yet you were utterly helpless against Fellow Daoist Gu Huang, who is also at the mid-void refinement stage and even injured. You’re all utterly useless."

The three guards dared not question Rong Shao’s decision as Rong Caizhe had. Hearing his words, they spoke in unison:

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Gu Huang, for showing mercy."

Seeing this, Rong Shao shot a sharp glance at Rong Caizhe.

Rong Caizhe trembled, daring not to defy him further. He quickly said:

"Thank you, Senior Gu Huang, for sparing my life."

The icy aura around Rong Shao softened slightly, his expression becoming somewhat gentler.

"Don’t feel too humiliated. Fellow Daoist Gu Huang is..."

"Ahem!"

Song Wen cleared his throat loudly, forcefully interrupting Rong Shao’s words.

If Rong Shao continued, he would reveal Song Wen’s true identity as a core disciple of the Divine Blood Gate.

"There’s no need to thank me," Song Wen said in a deep voice. "You should thank Senior Rong Shao. If not for his intercession, your souls would have long since returned to the heavens. In the past, anyone who offended me and lacked sufficient strength has never survived my wrath."

Rong Shao nearly revealed Gu Huang’s identity, a flicker of awkwardness crossing his face before he quickly regained the aloof demeanor befitting a "high-ranking expert."

"You must remember this lesson well," he admonished Rong Caizhe and the others. "Do not let your family’s influence make you arrogant and dismissive of others."

After reprimanding them, Rong Shao turned to Song Wen, his tone sincere and earnest.

"Young Friend Gu Huang, I am deeply grateful for your mercy in sparing their lives. Though we have only known each other for a short time, I feel a profound connection with you, as if we were lifelong friends who truly understand each other. If you wouldn’t mind addressing me as ’Fellow Daoist Rong Shao,’ setting aside formalities, I would be honored."

Song Wen’s heart suddenly turned cold. He glanced at Rong Shao with a strange look in his eyes.

If these words had come from a beautiful woman, he might have accepted them gladly. But they were spoken by a handsome man...

Moreover, he hadn’t done anything particularly remarkable. Why was this man suddenly claiming him as a close friend?

Rong Shao appears righteous and dignified on the surface. Could he have some hidden preferences? Or is he not as simple as he seems, and is merely trying to curry favor with me?

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Song Wen’s lips twitched slightly, forcing a strained smile.

"Respect is better shown through action than words! Greetings, Fellow Daoist Rong Shao."

"Excellent!"

Rong Shao beamed with delight, flipped his hand, and produced a jade bottle, tossing it to Song Wen.

"Here are the three Molting Armor Pills you requested. I had to visit several seventh-rank alchemists to acquire them."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Rong Shao."

Song Wen accepted the jade bottle without inspecting it and immediately stored it in his storage ring.

He then shifted the topic, asking, "Fellow Daoist, you’ve returned alone. Why isn’t Senior Rong Yiwen with you? Is he not in South Pill City?"

Rong Shao replied, "Elder Rong Yiwen is indeed in South Pill City, but he’s currently refining a crucial medicinal pill and cannot leave his post. I’ve left him a message, though. Once he sees it, I’m sure he’ll either come to see you personally or find a way to contact me."

"I appreciate your efforts, Fellow Daoist," Song Wen said.

Just as Rong Shao was about to respond, his expression suddenly darkened, and his gaze swept down to a stone pit below.

Su Fan lay in the pit, drenched in blood and looking utterly wretched.

Yet in his hand, a yellow-brown talisman had inexplicably appeared.

"Earth Evasion Talisman!" Rong Shao’s face grew grim. "Does a mere early-stage void refining cultivator truly believe he can escape before this venerable one?"

With a twist of his right wrist, his five fingers curled into sharp claws.

A phantom shadow of a cyan claw shot forth from Rong Shao’s hand, instantly expanding to dozens of meters in size as it plunged toward the stone pit.

Several fragments of yellow talismans floated up from the pit as Su Fan’s figure vanished into the rock.

The phantom claw pierced the ground, shattering the stone like tofu.

With no resistance, the claw plunged deep underground, leaving behind a massive crater.

Two breaths later, the phantom claw returned, bursting back to the surface.

This time, the claw was clenched tightly around a human figure, which it dragged before Rong Shao.

Su Fan stared at Rong Shao, his face ashen.

"A Body Integration Stage... cultivator?"

Earlier, a single strike from the mid-void refinement stage cultivator had severely injured him, yet he had still clung to a sliver of hope for escape. But now, facing this Body Integration Stage cultivator, he felt utterly powerless to resist.

Regret gnawed at his heart.

If only I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have been so foolish as to provoke that mid-void refinement stage cultivator.

"Elder Rong Shao," Rong Caizhe said, glaring at Su Fan with hatred, "it’s him! If he hadn’t deliberately misled me, this junior wouldn’t have provoked Senior Gu Huang for no reason."

Rong Shao’s gaze turned icy as he fixed his eyes on Su Fan.

"Since you are the true culprit, you will pay with your life. Every wrong action has its consequences."

Su Fan suddenly felt the phantom claw tightening, its immense force crushing his body as if it would shatter him at any moment.

"Senior, please understand..."

Realizing he was about to die, Su Fan desperately pleaded for mercy.

"I never intended to become enemies with the Rong Clan," he rasped. "But Rong Caizhe coveted my wife’s beauty and forcibly imprisoned her. Her fate remains unknown to this day. That’s why I confronted him—to rescue her."

As he finished speaking, the phantom shadow’s claws ceased tightening, granting Su Fan a temporary reprieve.

Rong Shao’s expression hardened, his eyes flashing with icy fury as he glared at Rong Caizhe like daggers.

"Is what he says true?"

His voice was soft, yet it carried the weight of a thousand mountains, causing the surrounding air to freeze.

A flicker of astonishment crossed Rong Caizhe’s face.

I only imprisoned a rogue cultivator’s wife, he thought. Why is Elder Rong Shao making such a fuss over this trivial matter?

But when his gaze met Rong Shao’s chilling stare, his arrogance instantly froze, replaced by bone-deep terror.

Daring not reveal his true thoughts, Rong Caizhe could only nod timidly.

"Y-yes... it’s true."

"Rong Caizhe!" Rong Shao roared, his voice like thunder cracking through the air. "With your meager Divine Transformation cultivation, you should be focusing on improving your strength and cultivation, not abusing your family’s influence to commit atrocities! Though the Rong Clan follows the demonic path, we are a dominant force, with cultivators from all directions bowing before us. Yet you, you worthless wretch, are tarnishing our reputation bit by bit!"

"I... I kept it secret," Rong Caizhe stammered, trembling. "No one knows."

"If no one knew, this man wouldn’t have come seeking you out!" Rong Shao thundered.

(End of the Chapter)

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