txolops Chapter 169 Speechless, Soul-Tethered by Threads
Chapter 169 Speechless, Soul-Tethered by Threads
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Black rain poured down, and a cold wind whipped up the thick fog.
After Lu Ping's body exploded, it turned into a cloud of blood mist. The viscous droplets mixed with the heavy water power of the Guixu Sect splashed indiscriminately onto the bluestone square.
The hissing sound of corrosion rose and fell.
The protective aura of the Cangxuan Sect disciples tainted by the black water melted away instantly, like snowflakes under the scorching sun.
The flesh was burned so deeply that the bone was visible, and the piercing screams drowned out the sound of the wind in the mountains.
This scene became the final straw that broke the camel's back.
"Murder to silence witnesses! The Guixu Sect has gone too far!"
"Give me your life!"
Without needing anyone to give orders, the thousands of Cangxuan Sect disciples had bloodshot eyes.
Grief and humiliation transformed into a palpable killing intent, and the clanging of swords being drawn echoed throughout the room.
Thousands of flying swords of various colors soared into the sky, like a reverse meteor shower, carrying a sharp whistling sound as they tore through the air, sweeping towards Zhou Tianqi and his two companions in the center of the square.
Faced with such a terrifying offensive capable of leveling mountains, the expressions of the two Nascent Soul elders from the Guixu Sect behind Zhou Tianqi changed drastically.
"presumptuous!"
Elder Song on the left roared angrily, his gray hair flying wildly.
He suddenly lifted his hands upwards, and a torrent of azure water surged from his wide sleeves.
A huge phantom image of a black tortoise shell condensed above the three people's heads, with the true meaning of water flowing endlessly on the surface of the shell.
Elder Chen on the right drew a black soft sword. With a flick of his wrist, the sword transformed into hundreds of black water streams resembling venomous snakes, swirling around the Xuanwu phantom to form a second line of defense against strangulation.
The tinkling sounds were as dense as a torrential downpour.
Thousands of flying swords collided with the Xuanwu phantom, erupting in blinding flames and violent ripples of spiritual energy.
Elder Song grunted and left two deep footprints on the bluestone slab.
Even though he was at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, his blood and qi surged violently as he withstood the furious attack of thousands of elite disciples.
"stop!"
Just as the tense standoff was about to escalate into a bloodbath, Zhou Chongyue, standing atop the stone steps, finally made his move.
He didn't draw his sword, but simply took a step forward.
With this step, all the air in the square was sucked out, creating a vacuum zone.
A terrifying pressure unique to the late-stage Nascent Soul realm descended with a thunderous roar, like a hundred thousand mountains.
The thousands of flying swords in mid-air were like a flock of birds that had lost control, and were forcibly pressed down by this pressure, falling to the ground with a clatter.
Those disciples with weaker cultivation levels had their knees buckle and fell to the ground, looking at their elder with horror.
Looking down at him from his high vantage point, Zhou Chongyue's weathered old face was now nothing but an eternal, unyielding icy expression.
He looked at Zhou Tianqi, who was protecting the two Guixu Sect members, and his voice was extremely cold and sharp: "Zhou Tianqi, you brought your elders to my Cangxuan Sect, claiming it was to clear your name. Now, in front of the entire sect, you used your Guixu Sect's Heavy Water Secret Technique to curse and kill the disciple of my sect who identified the murderer. Is this your way of clearing your name?"
Zhou Tianqi stood beneath the phantom of Xuanwu, his green robes fluttering in the wind.
His gaze swept over the remaining bloodstains of Lu Ping on the ground, then looked at the Cangxuan Sect disciples around him who wished they could devour him alive, and a chill rose in his heart.
What a ruthless scheme.
Such ruthless methods.
From beginning to end, the other party never intended to give them a chance to reason.
Lu Ping's death was intended to completely shut down any room for argument at this most sensitive moment.
"Elder Zhou, I'll say it again: this matter was absolutely not done by my Guixu Sect."
Zhou Tianqi pushed aside Elder Song, who was blocking his way, and met Zhou Chongyue's gaze without fear. His voice, amplified by spiritual energy, resounded throughout the entire area:
"Didn't you all notice? The heavy water power erupting from Lu Ping's body is spreading from the depths of his heart meridian. The heavy water of my Guixu Sect is an extremely yin and cold substance. If one does not cultivate the sect's inner cultivation method from childhood, one's meridians will be severed once one comes into contact with it."
Zhou Tianqi pointed around, his logic clear and concise: "How could Lu Ping, a disciple of the Cangxuan Sect, possibly hide heavy water in his heart meridian and survive? Clearly, someone used a secret technique to seal a drop of heavy water within his body. At the right moment, it will be manipulated to detonate his heart meridian. This vicious puppetry method is the true way to silence someone!"
Upon hearing this, several highly skilled elders in the room frowned and fell into deep thought.
Zhou Tianqi's statement is not without merit.
Once heavy water enters the body, it is very difficult for an outsider to detonate it so secretly and precisely.
However, before the elders of the Cangxuan Sect could think it through, even more intense curses erupted from the crowd below.
"Still trying to deny it! Heavy water is a unique secret of your Guixu Sect. In the entire Eastern Continent, who else but you could obtain such a rare and precious treasure?"
An inner disciple from Falling Maple Peak stepped forward, pointing his finger at Zhou Tianqi and angrily shouting, "What about that jade token with your name on it? How do you explain it when someone personally witnessed your Guixu Sect elders entering and leaving the Red Maple Forest? Does this mean the whole world is conspiring to frame you?!"
"Indeed! The Heavenly Fire has been stolen, and only water-based techniques can suppress it. The Second Elder's death at the hands of the Ink-Water Sword Intent is irrefutable proof. Your current eloquence is merely a ploy to buy time and cover the retreat of your accomplices who stole the Heavenly Fire!"
The disciples of Cangxuan Sect completely ignored any analysis.
They only believe what they see.
They saw the Guixu Sect's logo, sensed its aura, and witnessed their fellow disciples die under its magic.
Anger has clouded reason.
Elder Song trembled with rage upon hearing these foul words.
As a high-ranking elder of the Guixu Sect, he was respected wherever he went.
Today, I came here with the chief disciple to reason with them, but I was insulted by a group of juniors. How can I swallow this insult?
"A bunch of idiots!"
Elder Song, enraged, laughed coldly, pointing at the clamoring disciples and shouting, "If my Guixu Sect truly wanted to kill Wang Tianying, he wouldn't last ten rounds in a direct confrontation. Why resort to such underhanded assassination methods? If we truly wanted to steal your Heavenly Fire, we would openly storm your mountain gate and take it! Why resort to such sneaky tactics, leaving behind our identity tokens? It's utterly ridiculous!"
These angry words, tinged with the Guixu Sect's usual arrogance, even if they contained some truth, were nothing short of adding fuel to the fire for the Cangxuan Sect members.
"Arrogant!"
One of the Nascent Soul elders from the Cangxuan Sect could no longer contain himself and drew his longsword: "The Guixu Sect truly doesn't take my Cangxuan Sect seriously. Since you admit you have the strength to kill and plunder, then don't even think about leaving this mountain gate alive today!"
In an instant, the killing intent that Zhou Chongyue had just suppressed erupted again like a volcano.
Several elders of the Cangxuan Sect also locked onto the three people in the center, their spiritual energy surging, and it looked like they were about to make a move.
Zhou Chongyue stood on the stone steps, looking down at the situation that was about to spiral out of control, her eyes filled with a melancholy.
He actually knew that Zhou Tianqi's analysis made a lot of sense.
Heavy water can be stolen, tokens can be picked up, and even ink-wash sword intent can be forged.
This scheme was too obvious, too deliberate, so deliberate that it didn't seem like something a dominant sect would do.
but.
Can Zhou Chongyue retire?
At this moment, the anger of the entire sect had reached a point where it could not be contained.
If he were to let Zhou Tianqi and the other two leave unscathed today, it would be tantamount to telling the ordinary disciples that the higher-ups of the Cangxuan Sect are a bunch of cowards.
In addition, spies from other sects were watching from the outside.
The prestigious number one sect in Dongzhou was attacked, its elders killed, and its disciples ruined, yet in the end, the attackers were released based on a few unsubstantiated arguments.
Do they even care about the reputation of the Cangxuan Sect?
When the greater good comes first, the truth often becomes less important.
"Zhou Tianqi".
Zhou Chongyue spoke slowly, his voice drowning out the clamor of the entire hall: "I don't care if there's anything suspicious about this, nor do I care how you try to prove yourself. But Wang Tianying died because of your sect's techniques, and Lu Ping also died because of your sect's Chongshui. Since you've come here representing the Guixu Sect, you must give the Cangxuan Sect an explanation."
Zhou Chongyue raised his golden longsword, its tip pointing directly at Zhou Tianqi: "Surrender and hand over control of your Qi Sea. I will imprison you in the sect's dungeon. I will write a letter requesting your sect leader to come to Cangxuan Sect for a confrontation. Until the truth comes out, none of you three may leave Cangxuan Sect."
He relinquished control of the Qi Sea and imprisoned him in the dungeon.
This would be an utter disgrace for any cultivator.
Not to mention the top prodigy of the Guixu Sect and two Nascent Soul elders.
This is tantamount to handing over one's life and dignity entirely to the enemy to manipulate.
"How dare you, Zhou Chongyue, bully me like this!"
Elder Chen could no longer contain himself. His dark, soft sword emitted a sharp cry: "We, the people of the Guixu Sect, would rather die standing than live kneeling! If you want to lock our Qi Sea, you'll have to fill it with your life!"
Elder Chen's body surged with moisture, unleashing the full power of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
He was prepared to fight to the death to break through the encirclement; even if he died here, he would not bring shame upon his sect.
Elder Song's face was also resolute. The phantom of Xuanwu let out a deafening roar, desperately protecting Zhou Tianqi: "Young Sect Master, find a chance to break through. We two old bones will fight to the last drop of blood to protect you and carve a bloody path. As long as you return to the sect and inform the Sect Master, our Guixu Sect will surely flatten this mountain and avenge us!"
The two elders faced death without flinching, and the atmosphere reached a freezing point.
Several elders of the Cangxuan Sect unleashed their natal magic weapons, surrounding the three of them.
Killing can happen in the blink of an eye.
At the far back of the crowd, Gu Yan, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, coldly watched this scene.
Everything is proceeding according to the script of the mastermind behind the scenes.
As long as Zhou Tianqi resists here today, as long as even a single drop of blood from the Guixu Sect is shed here.
Therefore, a bloody battle between the two factions will become a foregone conclusion.
Therefore, a bloody battle between the two factions will become a foregone conclusion.
At that time, the entire Dongzhou will be drawn into the quagmire of war, and no one will be able to remain unscathed.
"Senior Brother Zhou, what would you choose?"
Gu Yan muttered to himself.
In the center of the square.
Zhou Tianqi looked at the two elders who stood in front of him, ready to die.
He then glanced around at the Cangxuan Sect disciples who were like wolves and tigers, their eyes filled with nothing but hatred.
His fists were clenched tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, and blood dripped from between his fingers onto the bluestone slab.
escape?
With his cultivation level and the two elders' desperate cover, there might still be a glimmer of hope for him.
But if they escape, it would confirm the Guixu Sect's guilty conscience and fear of punishment.
When that time comes, the Cangxuan Sect will have a legitimate reason to attack, and will surely mobilize the entire sect to attack the Guixu Sect immediately.
For the sake of his own dignity, are countless fellow disciples of the Guixu Sect to perish on the battlefield? Are the entire Eastern Continent to be turned into a living hell?
As the chief, as the future patriarch.
Some humiliations he had to swallow.
"Elder Song, Elder Chen, put away your magic weapons."
Zhou Tianqi's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority.
"Young Sect Master!"
The two elders turned around simultaneously, their faces filled with disbelief.
"I said, put away your magic weapon!"
Zhou Tianqi's tone suddenly hardened, his eyes bloodshot: "If we fight today, we'll fall into the trap of a villain. We represent the Guixu Sect; we cannot act rashly. Listen to me, put down your swords!"
Elder Song's lips trembled, and the veins on the back of his hand gripping the sword hilt bulged.
He looked at Zhou Tianqi's pained yet resolute face, finally sighed, closed his eyes, and dispelled the Xuanwu phantom above his head.
Elder Chen gritted his teeth and sheathed his dark soft sword.
The three, now unprotected, were completely exposed to the Cangxuan Sect's murderous intent.
Zhou Tianqi took a deep breath and calmed the churning spiritual energy within his body.
He didn't look at the clamoring disciples, but stared straight at Zhou Chongyue high above: "Elder Zhou, I, Zhou Tianqi, am willing to hand over my Qi Sea and accept imprisonment."
These words caused an uproar in the room.
No one expected that this top genius, renowned throughout Dongzhou, would actually choose to bow down.
Zhou Tianqi stepped up the stone steps and stopped three zhang away from Zhou Chongyue: "But the Guixu Sect has never killed anyone, much less stolen fire. Today I have bound myself here to preserve the vitality of the cultivation world in Dongzhou, and to prevent the real mastermind from laughing at me."
Zhou Tianqi slowly closed his eyes and activated his Qi Sea defense: "Lock it. I only hope that Elder Zhou will not be blinded by anger and let the real culprit go unpunished."
Zhou Chongyue looked at the young man in front of her, a complex expression flashing in her eyes.
There was admiration, apprehension, and guilt.
Zhou Tianqi's forbearance and strategic vision even startled this old man who had lived for hundreds of years.
With such a figure in the Guixu Sect, it will surely overpower Cangxuan in the next hundred years.
That's why he can't let Zhou Tianqi go today.
"Enforcement Hall, heed my command!"
Zhou Chongyue closed his eyes and waved his hand: "Seal Zhou Tianqi and the two Guixu Sect elders' Qi Seas and imprison them in the Frozen Death Prison. No one is allowed to visit them without my order."
Several black-clad sword cultivators from the Enforcement Hall quickly stepped forward.
The heavy, millennia-old black iron chains dragged on the ground, making a piercing clanging sound.
The chains, with barbs at the tip, pierced through the collarbones of the three men, locking the spiritual energy flowing within their bodies.
The intense pain turned Zhou Tianqi's face deathly pale, but he gritted his teeth and didn't utter a single groan.
The two elders of the Guixu Sect glared angrily as the stewards, who were not even worthy of carrying their shoes in the past, put heavy shackles on them.
"take away."
Under the cold and gleeful gazes of thousands of Cangxuan Sect disciples, Zhou Tianqi and his two companions were led by chains, staggering towards the deepest darkness of the back mountain.
This seemingly tense crisis was temporarily brought to a close with the compromise of the Guixu Sect.
But all the senior executives present understood that this was just the calm before the storm.
Once the news reaches back to the Ruins Sect, those domineering madmen will absolutely not stand idly by and watch their young sect leader be imprisoned.
The real clash between the two factions has only just begun.
The crowd gradually dispersed amidst cheers.
Gu Yan stood there, watching Zhou Tianqi's figure disappear into the path behind the mountain, and gently opened the folding fan in his hand.
"Senior Brother Gu, Zhou Tianqi has really been locked up."
Li Qingge stood to the side, her cold eyes filled with deep worry: "Once the Guixu Sect learns of this, they will surely send a large army to press on our borders. At that time, the Cangxuan Sect will be in grave danger."
"No destruction, no construction. For the mastermind behind it all, this move was played too perfectly."
Gu Yan shook his folding fan and turned to walk towards Tingquan Pavilion.
The situation has become chaotic.
All eyes were firmly drawn to the murder case at Luofeng Peak and the suspicion surrounding the Guixu Sect.
It's time to take what's rightfully yours.