Chapter 238: Emerging from the Depths
Chapter 238: Emerging from the Depths
Chapter 238: Emerging from the Depths
Amidst the relentless assault of numerous adversaries, two Foundation Building cultivators struggled to defend themselves for a short while before their Spiritual Weapons shattered.
A swarm of Poisonous Bees descended upon them, crawling over their bodies. With a few stings, the two cultivators stiffened and fell to the ground.
Wang Hong stepped forward, feeding each of them an antidote pill. He then delivered two powerful punches to their dantian, dispersing their Spiritual Power.
Wang Hong crouched down and removed the eerie masks from their faces.
"Is it you?"
This mid-level Foundation Building cultivator was not only recognized by Wang Hong but had also fought alongside him against formidable enemies in the past.
They had previously shared a Flying Boat, besieged by tens of thousands of flying Demonic Beasts, and had been fortunate enough to survive.
As for the other cultivator in the early stages of Foundation Building, Wang Hong didn't recognize him. He seemed to be a newcomer to Boundary City.
Among the initial group of over three thousand Foundation Building cultivators, they might not have been close, but they were at least familiar with each other's faces.
"Wang Daoist friend, I apologize. We serve different masters, and I personally didn't want to be your enemy. It's just that I never expected you to conceal your true strength so well. We were all deceived by appearances."
In his memory, Wang Hong was friendly, possessed exceptional Alchemy skills, enjoyed fine cuisine, and had once roasted Demonic Beast meat for everyone on the Flying Boat while sharing drinks and food.
If circumstances allowed, he would rather be friends with Wang Hong.
"Wang Daoist friend, can we, for the sake of our past friendship, allow me a swift end?" The mid-level Foundation Building cultivator asked.
"That is certainly not a problem. However, I hope that, in light of our past friendship, you can also inform me of the mastermind behind this, as well as some other relevant information."
Wang Hong agreed seemingly straightforwardly, but the implication was that he would need to be provided with this information before granting a swift death. Otherwise, a painless demise would be impossible.
"You came here to kill me, and you expect me to show you friendship?"
The mid-level Foundation Building cultivator pondered for a moment and then nodded. "Fine, what do you want to know?"
He had come to realize that, given his impending demise, revealing these secrets was inconsequential to him. He had not originally wanted to participate in this mission but had been compelled by pressure, only to meet with total defeat.
"I want to know who is the mastermind behind this operation," Wang Hong inquired without hesitation.
"If you wish to know, then I'll tell you. Have you ever heard of the Qi Clan within the Beast Spirit Sect?"
"As for the Qi Clan, I have heard of them," Wang Hong replied.
Wang Hong was no longer a newcomer to the Cultivation World, and he had some knowledge about the internal affairs of various Sects. The Qi Clan was a powerful family within the Beast Spirit Sect, consisting of three Golden Core cultivators. Their clan leader had already reached the peak of Golden Core and was rumored to have a high chance of advancing to the Nascent Soul stage.
In addition to the Golden Core cultivator, the Qi Clan also had a mid-level and an early-stage Golden Core cultivator. As for the Foundation Building stage, including the cultivators affiliated with the Qi Clan, there were at least several hundred of them.
In the Beast Spirit Sect, the Qi Clan held immense power as long as the Nascent Soul ancestors didn't intervene.
"Yan Xianghe, you have quite the audacity! You dare to betray my Master. Aren't you afraid of having your soul extracted and refined?" Another early-stage Foundation Building cultivator, witnessing Yan Xianghe's betrayal, fumed and shouted.
"Given our current situation, do you think there's any way out for you? We're all doomed, so what do I have to fear? Wang Daoist friend, this loudmouthed guy is surnamed Qi and is the Named Disciple of the Qi Clan's early-stage Golden Core cultivator. Regarding the specific reasons for this attack on you, I don't know much. He's the one who's most familiar with the details."
Yan Xianghe spoke coldly, fueled by his deep resentment towards the Qi Clan for bringing him to this dire state.
Understanding this, Wang Hong would undoubtedly subject the Qi Clan cultivator to thorough questioning.
"Yan Xianghe, you won't have a good end! And you, Wang Hong, if you dare to kill me, my Master won't spare you. The world is vast, but there won't be a place for you anymore. You'd better release me immediately and accompany me to the Beast Spirit Sect to meet my Master, apologize in person. I could even speak on your behalf, and perhaps we could resolve this peacefully."
The Qi Clan cultivator continued to resist, clinging to a glimmer of hope. He first attempted to threaten Wang Hong and then resorted to persuasion. As long as there was a chance, who would willingly embrace death?
"Wang Daoist friend, you mustn't believe these words. The three Golden Core cultivators of the Qi Clan are petty and vengeful. If our friend here really goes to them, he's likely to face torture and a fate worse than death."
Yan Xianghe quickly interjected, understanding that if Wang Hong believed the Qi Clan cultivator's deceit, he, too, would be handed over to the Qi Clan's Golden Core cultivators, resulting in unimaginable consequences.
Of course, Wang Hong wasn't inclined to trust such deceitful words. Compromising wasn't his style.
"I won't easily fall for such childish persuasion. Please, Yan Daoist friend, tell me what you know."
Yan Xianghe then honestly recounted the entire sequence of events. As a peripheral member of the plot, he wasn't privy to many details.
However, when he reached the part where they originally intended to kill both him and his Elder Brother but later changed the target to just him because Elder Brother had already left, Wang Hong deduced that one of the Qi Clan members was the true mastermind behind the hiring of Shadow Kill.
With Yan Xianghe's confession complete, he looked at Wang Hong with hopeful eyes. After all the discussions, he hoped Wang Hong would spare his life.
Wang Hong's gaze shifted to the still unconscious Wen Lan and the lifeless body that had fallen to Yan Xianghe's hand. Both of these individuals had met their end because of Yan Xianghe.
If he spared Yan Xianghe, how could Wang Hong explain to Wen Lan, to his deceased subordinate, and to the rest of his followers? How could he maintain his authority and reputation?
Wang Hong glanced at Yan Xianghe and then at the remaining eight subordinates. He whispered softly, "Give him a swift end."
Upon hearing these words, Yan Xianghe's eyes, which had once held a glimmer of hope, instantly turned bleak, and he collapsed to the ground in resignation.
"Hahaha! Yan Xianghe, you spoke so much, but you're still doomed to die! Hahaha..."
The Qi Clan cultivator, seeing Yan Xianghe's fate, mocked and laughed from the sidelines. In response, one of Wang Hong's subordinates struck him in the face with a punch, knocking out several of his teeth.
Yan Xianghe made no resistance as one of Wang Hong's Foundation Building subordinates delivered a powerful blow that shattered his head, leaving his body lifeless. Wang Hong then arranged for Yin Ze to purchase a high-quality coffin to preserve the Qi stage cultivator. He intended to bring the remains back to Azure Void City for the deceased's family.
With the bodies properly taken care of, the group began to clean up the battlefield, collecting all the spoils and handing them over to Wang Hong.
At this point, everyone was wounded, except for Yin Ze. Wang Hong had initially allowed him to participate in the battle, but it had been a futile endeavor. Unlike the other subordinates, who were well-trained and coordinated, Yin Ze's involvement had been ineffective.
Wang Hong ordered him to hide and engage in sneak attacks, but against the Foundation Building cultivators on the battlefield, his efforts were as insignificant as scratching an itch.
Wang Hong instructed everyone to return and tend to their injuries, deferring discussions on other matters until they had recovered.
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