Chapter 68

Mingseong (3)

The Lord of Rihuangcheng stood outside the formation. Yet, his presence was distinct.

Their gazes seemed to meet, yet not quite. For a moment, their eyes clearly locked, yet it was so.

It was a very strange occurrence. There was no reason for him to ignore Zheng Yanxin after coming all this way.

She just remained still. The sunlight distorted along the sharp line of her tilted chin.

Silence lingered for a moment. Her head did not turn back.

The silence that enveloped the surroundings gradually turned into unease.

Could it be? Could it be that he didn't recognize her?

It was an unforeseen situation.

Even though the Blood Flame Formation was a supreme technique that transcended the mortal world, the Lord of Rihuangcheng was a peerless expert with a transcendent demeanor in every aspect.

'He wouldn't be deceived by the formation.'

Zheng Yanxin's eyes wavered for the first time.

He maintained his composure even in the Blood Flame Sect's headquarters. This time was different. It couldn't be.

Then, it happened.

-You can take more. I will give you a day.

A whisper like a breeze tickled her ear.

Sap.

It was the moment she took a step.

In an instant, she disappeared along with the leaves that fluttered like petals.

She couldn't be seen by the human eye. She vanished without a trace, as if she had never been there.

"......"

She clearly sensed his presence. She couldn't doubt her sharp senses.

Her eyes, which had wavered for a moment, quickly calmed down. Zheng Yanxin regained her composure very quickly.

I will give you a day. A single word that warmed the heart of someone who had run tirelessly in a blue robe.

She could leave.

'What I saw and heard is true.'

The Lord of Rihuangcheng had come. It was a definite fact.

Her words were mysterious.

It seemed she hoped he would take things that could only be obtained from the Blood Flame Sect.

Did she sense the newly achieved Mara Hongxue Gong?

Perhaps she had even perceived that the Extermination of Demons Qinggang Technique carried the subtleties of the formation.

'You can take more?'

Zheng Yanxin ignored Gao Zongxue's trailing.

She felt the Lord of Rihuangcheng's whisper lingering in her ears for a long time. She slowly fell into deep thought.

What more could she gain?

Her contemplation continued until the red robe covering her body was swallowed by the fading sunset.

* * *

The day changed quickly. She didn't know how she had slept.

Zheng Yanxin slowly left the house, which was left alone after the Seven Demon Dao's departure. The words of the Lord of Rihuangcheng lingered in her mind.

'If I completely break the blood technique, will I gain something? Or do I need to obtain something from the Sect Leader?'

She moved her feet, lost in thought. She had a destination.

She received a message early in the morning, inviting her to a banquet.

The Blood Flame Sect was also a place where people lived. Thanks to Gao Zongxue, the son of San Sida, she was well aware of this.

There was jealousy and rivalry among the sect members, and with the sect's large influence, they enjoyed splendid banquets.

They often said it was a feast accompanied by blood and corpses.

However, it was the first time she had been invited. The Sect Leader himself had requested a meeting. She couldn't refuse.

It wasn't an ordinary matter.

'Gao Zongxue followed me yesterday.'

He must have seen the traces of someone visiting outside the formation. Or perhaps he briefly witnessed the Lord of Rihuangcheng.

During this time, the Blood Flame Sect had given Zheng Yanxin, who was merely a prisoner, a lot of freedom.

Under the pretext of protecting the inspiration of the Grand Master, they had strangely neglected her.

Judging by her treatment alone, it was hard to see them as a villainous sect.

'Today is the last day. I might find out the reason.'

Zheng Yanxin walked slowly. The bright lantern lights were already spreading in her field of vision.

"Was it called the Wavelike Gate? The Gate Master's child's skills were quite formidable."

"He beheaded his brother. His power was quite satisfying. The blood wasn't much."

The banquet was held in the inner courtyard of the Sect Leader's hall. There were many villains.

They asked about each other's well-being, discussed blood techniques and doctrines, and boasted about their exploits, such as attacking sects to absorb their inner energy.

Their fierce auras and mad words created the chaos characteristic of the villainous sect.

"Welcome, Grand Master. We are honored that you have responded to our invitation!"

Gao Zongxue approached Zheng Yanxin with a seemingly respectful attitude. However, his lips curled into a faint sneer.

"Grand Master?"

"The Lord of Rihuangcheng has arrived?"

"Hasn't he achieved any significant results yet?"

"Speak up. Speak loudly."

It was a gathering of the leadership. Unlike the ordinary sect members, their behavior was much freer, and they didn't hide their auras.

Zheng Yanxin immediately felt it. There were no allies here.

However, she wasn't lonely. The soft presence of the Lord of Rihuangcheng seemed to envelop her, as it had since last night.

"Those are the words of the ignorant. Please ignore them."

Gao Zongxue said. His expression was different. He led Zheng Yanxin to the seat of honor with a satisfied look on his face.

'This is a place to bring down the unworthy.'

Gao Zongxue thought.

Grand Master Zheng Yanxin had wandered around many places in the sect for a month.

Although changing martial arts was unimaginable for the villains, the Grand Master, treated as a prisoner, had leisurely spent several months under the pretext of protecting the inspiration.

Even with the Blood Flame Formation, it was an excessive behavior.

Naturally, it had offended the higher-ups of the Blood Flame Sect, leading to the incident the previous day.

Gao Zongxue had seen it clearly.

He confirmed it from the side. The noble clan had arrived near the Blood Flame Formation and then disappeared. He couldn't trace the signs of the True Sight. He was an incredible expert.

He immediately reported to his father, San Sida, that the Grand Master was in front of him.

'The noble clan was such a supreme expert. Who knows what strange abilities he possessed?'

The noble clan, the mainstay of the Beijing imperial court, was an old enemy of the Blood Flame Sect. They had encountered each other frequently, experiencing all kinds of mysterious martial arts and incidents.

It was possible that he had communicated with the Grand Master through their unique abilities.

San Sida had a private meeting with the Sect Leader. The banquet schedule was set immediately.

The thirty-six steps leading to the Sect Leader's hall symbolized the authority of the Blood Flame Sect Leader.

It was extremely spacious. Even with luxurious seats on each floor, there was still plenty of space.

"This is a rare-scale banquet, even in the headquarters."

"Enjoy it. At such events, a star of our sect usually falls."

The words of the noisy ones were true. It was a place to interrogate and demote those who had tarnished the authority of the sect leadership.

It was a great opportunity.

'Young Sect Leader? Ridiculous.'

Gao Zongxue's lips curled up.

He clasped his hands and said,

"This humble Gao family has requested this banquet from the Sect Leader. We belatedly wanted to give the Grand Master a good seat. We didn't have enough time to inform you in advance. Please forgive us."

He put on a respectful demeanor and a regretful expression.

His bold face was quite handsome. It even seemed sincere at first glance.

Zheng Yanxin, who had been quietly observing Gao Zongxue, smiled faintly.

His necklace caught her eye. A small jade hung from it.

Poison-Repelling Pearl.

She had heard him boast about it.

It was a treasure possessed by only a few of the sect's leadership, a gift from San Sida to his son.

It was said to be very rare and could instantly neutralize most poisons.

'It will be convenient when using the blood poison given by the Sect Leader.'

She glanced at the Poison-Repelling Pearl and said casually,

"It's a pleasure to be invited."

Unlike when she first entered, she now lacked the spirit to find. Gao Zongxue's eyes sparkled.

The reactions of those around him were reflected in his eyes. Many people who had been on edge seemed disappointed.

"Is it because the Seven Demon Dao has departed?"

"Was he really a useless person?"

Unimaginable words and actions for the righteous sects and the righteous world were rampant.

No one stopped them. Even the Blood Flame Sect Leader, who was looking down from the seat of honor, remained expressionless.

"The ones who should be here have arrived. I will give a toast."

The Sect Leader said. His voice was low.

Silence immediately descended. There was no need to focus attention by infusing inner energy into his voice.

Zheng Yanxin clearly sensed it. There was not a single non-expert in the vast banquet hall.

The extraordinary senses of the villainous experts seemed to encompass the entire inner courtyard of the Sect Leader's hall.

"You are the pillars of our sect. The day to shake the world with your extraordinary talents is approaching. We have brought in the Grand Master to darken the vision of the foolish. By changing the blood technique, we will cleanse the hypocrisy of the world. Let's raise a glass first."