Chapter 404 - 410: The Reckoning Begins

Just then, more people came scrambling out, looking utterly disheveled.

As soon as they emerged, they shouted in a panic.

"Elder Wu, something terrible has happened! Someone impersonated Li Meng, snuck into the Secret Realm, and killed Senior Sister Song Lan Tian and the others!"

The declaration was a bombshell, stunning everyone present.

The once-bustling camp fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Yue Lin and the others from the Ancient Cold Sect felt their hearts lurch, a flicker of guilt flashing through their minds.

After all, Song Lan Tian and those disciples had died by their hands, and they had intended to take that secret to their graves.

But now that it had been brought to light, they couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Song Wanning, however, remained perfectly composed, not a hint of panic on her face.

They glanced at her, and the taut string of tension within them loosened slightly.

"What did you say?"

For a moment, Wu Zongyuan thought he had misheard and asked again.

Only a little over fifty disciples from the Canglan Sect had emerged so far, and he was already growing worried...

"Elder Wu, someone took Li Meng’s identity, snuck into the Secret Realm, and killed Senior Sister Song Lan Tian and the others..."

"He killed more than ten of our people! If his old injuries hadn’t flared up, the few of us would never have escaped with our lives!"

The disciples’ eyes were red with fury, especially after hearing that an outsider had obtained a divine beast cub and been injured during an ambush. They immediately connected the dots.

Upon hearing this, Wu Zongyuan felt a surge of pure rage rush to his head.

It was one thing for their arranged plan to fail, but for Song Lan Tian and a dozen other disciples to be murdered... The sheer audacity of that man!

"Mr. Wu, so that person got in by disguising himself as one of your Canglan Sect disciples?"

"How did you not notice?"

The elders from the other Sects quickly seized on the main point. So the culprit had snuck in right under the Canglan Sect’s nose!

The question made Wu Zongyuan’s blood boil all over again, and his expression turned terrifyingly grim.

’Was I the only one who didn’t notice?’

’None of them noticed either, did they?!!!’

’And now they’re all pinning it on me?’

Murderous intent flared in Wu Zongyuan’s heart. He stared fixedly at the entrance to the Secret Realm. The moment that man appeared, he would make him die without a grave to his name.

The atmosphere outside the Secret Realm grew heavy. When Zhang Shuning emerged, she was baffled by everyone’s expressions but didn’t ask any questions, striding over to Liu Xingzhi’s side.

Seeing she was alright, Liu Xingzhi gave her a quick glance before his gaze returned to the exit of the Secret Realm. Yue Lin, however, looked at Zhang Shuning several times.

’Since Zhang Shuning is fine, I’d better not rush to take out the Memory Stone. I’ll give it to the elders to handle when we get back.’

...

’System, the moment I step out, I need you to teleport me away immediately. Don’t delay for even a second, got it?’

Xiao Heyun checked his disguise. He had relied on this face to get in, and he would have to rely on it to get out.

After all, his true identity had been exposed. The moment he appeared, people would be baying for his blood.

[Rest assured, Host!]

The system agreed earnestly. It knew the situation was critical. The slightest misstep, and the Host would be in grave danger.

It couldn’t afford to take that risk.

And so, after making his preparations, Xiao Heyun finally emerged from the exit of the Secret Realm.

The instant he stuck one foot out, he was immediately targeted by Wu Zongyuan.

His body and head followed, until only half a foot remained inside the entrance.

Seeing the crowd outside, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t panicking. Thankfully, the system gave him the courage he needed; otherwise, he truly wouldn’t have known how to face this.

However, just as the system was preparing to teleport him, Wu Zongyuan recognized Xiao Heyun.

"So you’re the bastard who impersonated a disciple of my Canglan Sect?"

As he spoke, he unleashed a palm strike at Xiao Heyun.

How could the injured Xiao Heyun possibly be a match for a strike from a Divine Separation Stage Cultivator?

He was completely overwhelmed.

"BOOM—"

The palm strike shattered his Dantian, nearly breaking his body apart.

A torrent of blood spewed forth. If the system hadn’t decisively initiated the teleportation, Xiao Heyun’s body would have exploded on the spot!

"Dammit, he escaped!!!"

Someone shouted as they watched Xiao Heyun suddenly vanish.

Xiao Heyun had a divine beast on him, and he was responsible for so many deaths from the Canglan Sect—how could they possibly let him get away?

Wu Zongyuan had expected to obliterate him with a single strike, but instead, he had to watch as the man escaped amidst the chaos. It was like a vicious slap in the face.

Without a second thought, he snapped, "Wait for me here. I’ll be right back!"

The man was heavily injured; he couldn’t have gotten far.

He had to catch him. Even grinding his bones to dust and scattering the ashes would not be enough to satisfy his hatred.

With that, Wu Zongyuan shot off in the direction Xiao Heyun had vanished.

"Gods, who is that guy? Is he really a disciple of the Qingyun Sect? To think he could survive a strike from Elder Wu!"

"Hmph, it was just a cheap trick. Once Elder Wu catches him, he’ll be ground into dust!"

"The man’s methods are extraordinary. Let’s hope Elder Wu can catch him!"

"What’s that supposed to mean? You think our Elder Wu can’t take down some mere Void Refining Stage cultivator?"

"You can’t be too sure. After all, he managed to sneak in with your team to begin with..."

"Say that again?"

The disciples quickly broke into an argument.

Everyone was already resentful that Xiao Heyun had infiltrated their ranks to enter the Secret Realm.

While the disciples argued, the elders from the other Sects also gave chase. They claimed they were going to help, but everyone knew they were after the divine beast.

If there really was a divine beast to be had, there was no way they were going to let Wu Zongyuan take it all for himself.

They even suspected Wu Zongyuan had intentionally let Xiao Heyun escape so he would have an excuse to go after the divine beast alone.

Soon, the only Divine Separation Stage elder remaining at the scene was Liu Xingzhi, who stood unmoved, still waiting outside the Secret Realm.

Jiang Cen still hadn’t come out.

His heart sank. As much as he wished Jiang Cen were dead, he was the one responsible for bringing her here. If he couldn’t bring her back, his Master would be enraged.

Time ticked by, second by second. A long time had passed with no other disciples emerging.

Everyone had all but assumed there were no survivors left inside when, suddenly, a figure shot out. It was Jiang Cen.

Jiang Cen was in a wretched state. Her clothes were torn to shreds, barely covering her body and revealing patches of pale skin. Her once-neat hair was a tangled, bloody mess.

There were even dark bruises on her face that had yet to fade.

Many people frowned the moment she appeared. After all, she was infamous, and few people liked her.

’Fuck, which bitch ambushed me from behind and got me seriously injured!’

’And they stole my Storage Ring, too!!’

The moment Jiang Cen appeared, a voice suddenly rang out in Song Wanning’s mind.

’Hiss... that bitch Zhang Shuning is actually still alive? I guess it’s true what they say: only the good die young, while a menace lives for a thousand years!’

’This trip to the Secret Realm was a total bust for me. All my treasures are gone, and even my Storage Ring was stolen!’