Chapter 17

Surrounded by cultivators, their faces pale, Meng Hao struck with thunderous force, his decisiveness and ruthlessness even unbeknownst to himself, now subtly revealed.

But to those around him, Meng Hao was now the top person on Flat Mountain, and even in the entire outer sect, he would surely have a place.

Many cultivators, reflecting on the past half month, felt they understood Meng Hao a bit more. They thought about how, despite his cultivation, Meng Hao did not forcefully seize the goods. Although the杂货铺 (general store) was frustrating, it was still considered much gentler. When they looked at him, they all showed respect and awe.

That day, there was no fighting on the entire Flat Mountain. As Meng Hao left, news of him severing Lu Hong's cultivation spread like the wind. Especially when Lu Hong shouted out the name of Senior Brother Wang Tengfei, the news spread even faster and wider. By nightfall, many outer sect disciples had heard of it, and Meng Hao's name immediately left a strong impression.

East Peak, the highest peak of the Mountain Support Sect, was enveloped in colorful mist, and even the spiritual energy was the best among the other three peaks. The peak was the pinnacle of the inner sect and the place where Sect Master Heluohua was in seclusion.

During the prosperous times of the Mountain Support Sect, the four peaks were all filled with inner sect disciples, with those at the seventh layer of Qi Condensation being common. Unlike now, only Xu and Chen, two inner sect disciples, lived on East Peak, while the other peaks were empty.

At this moment, at the foot of East Peak, there was a cave dwelling, far better than where Meng Hao lived. It could be considered the best cave dwelling for outer sect disciples in the entire Mountain Support Sect, comparable to the inner sect's residence.

Inside, there was a spiritual spring, but it was not half-dry; instead, it flowed abundantly, extremely rich in spiritual energy.

In the entire outer sect of the Mountain Support Sect, only one person had the资格 (qualification) to live there, and that was the sect's genius, Wang Tengfei.

At this moment, Wang Tengfei, dressed in white, sat cross-legged in his cave dwelling, his expression calm, looking at Lu Hong, who was kneeling in front of him. Lu Hong's face was pale, his body trembling, having been completely crippled by Meng Hao.

"Senior Brother Wang, please uphold justice. This person is cunning and devious, and did not flee as you predicted during the day." Lu Hong knelt and spoke softly. Every time he saw Senior Brother Wang, he felt that the other was so perfect that he didn't seem human, a feeling that grew stronger as Wang Tengfei's cultivation increased over the past two years.

"If he had fled, he would have betrayed the sect. I could have arranged for someone to kill him easily." After a long pause, the handsome and perfect Wang Tengfei smiled and spoke. His smile was warm, making people feel close, and the lightness in his words added a sense of nobility.

Lu Hong did not speak, his face full of pleading, kneeling and bowing, his body trembling.

"Enough, this person's actions were ruthless, and he deserves a warning. I'll trouble Senior Brother Shangguan to make a trip, but for the sake of Senior Sister Xu, do not make it too difficult for him. Let him disperse his cultivation tomorrow, hand over the jade treasure, and cut off one arm and one leg as an apology to Lu Hong. Is that acceptable?" Wang Tengfei spoke gently, as if he could decide everything in the Mountain Support Sect. Whether it was Meng Hao's cultivation or his limbs, once he spoke, it no longer belonged to Meng Hao. His smile remained warm and flawless.

"Thank you, Senior Brother. This person... this person is vicious..." Lu Hong gritted his teeth, his heart filled with resentment.

"Then expel him from the sect. Let him fend for himself in the wilderness." Wang Tengfei spoke indifferently, shaking his head and smiling, as if such a small matter was insignificant to him.

At this moment, in the cave dwelling on South Peak, Meng Hao sat cross-legged, looking at the emerald jade gourd in his hand, his expression uncertain. He had expended a great deal of energy in the battle and to reach the fourth layer of Qi Condensation, and now he had very little left. Fortunately, he had obtained this treasure gourd.

Since joining the Mountain Support Sect, it seemed that everything had gone smoothly, but in reality, it was due to his intelligence. If it had been someone else, they would have been in danger during the first distribution of pills.

Even with the protection of the bronze mirror and the mysterious transformation technique, someone had coveted his cave dwelling. If Senior Brother Zhao had not died, Meng Hao's situation would have been dire, and he might have lost his life. That was the first time he had killed someone.

After that, if it hadn't been for the business of the general store, Meng Hao would not have reached his current level. Behind the smooth and successful facade lay the hardships known only to Meng Hao.

But now, everything seemed like a storm about to break. The emerald jade gourd in front of him made Meng Hao silent for a day. He thought of the sect's genius, Wang Tengfei, and the extraordinary Senior Brother, feeling as if a great mountain was pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.

He had considered fleeing the sect during the day, but he knew he was no longer a servant but an outer sect disciple. If he fled, it would be considered a betrayal, and the sect's elders would surely come after him, leading to certain death.

"If I had known that Lu Hong had Senior Brother Wang Tengfei behind him..." Meng Hao muttered, but soon his eyes showed determination.

"I would still have acted. If I didn't, he would have killed me. It's not that I forced him, but he forced me. This enmity would have formed regardless. Unless I had submitted to Cao Yang from the beginning, it would still be the same. Even if I had killed someone, the envy over the general store's business would have led to the same result." Meng Hao's eyes flashed with determination as he looked at the cave dwelling, his expression dark.

"Unfortunately, Senior Sister Xu is in seclusion..." Meng Hao was silent. After crippling Lu Hong's cultivation, he had immediately sought out Senior Sister Xu, but was told that she was in seclusion and could not be disturbed.

"This emerald jade gourd..." The gourd was extremely powerful. When Meng Hao tried it, he found that with his cultivation, he could unleash a force that made his heart race. It seemed capable of shaking a fifth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator, but for some reason, it could not be stored in a storage bag and had to be carried on his person. Unfortunately, Meng Hao did not have enough spirit stones, having spent them all on breaking through the third layer of Qi Condensation, making it impossible to replicate the gourd.

"This sect is not an ordinary place, where life and death are common. If handing over this gourd can save me from disaster, I must hand it over..." Meng Hao was reluctant but had no choice. As he pondered, the night deepened. Suddenly, a cold and eerie voice came from outside the closed cave dwelling, seeping into the room.

"I am Shangguan Song, holding Senior Brother Wang's order. Meng Hao, open your cave dwelling and kneel to welcome me."

The voice was extremely cold, making the cave dwelling feel suddenly chilly. Meng Hao's eyes flashed, and he lifted his head, showing no surprise, clearly having anticipated someone coming.

"It's late