His words were nothing if not shocking.
The implication was clear: he was telling Gu Tai to commit suicide in front of everyone.
For a moment, everyone—whether from Biluo Sword Valley or Red Lotus Valley—was left dumbstruck, their expressions a mask of terror.
Who was Gu Tai?
He was one of the esteemed Elders of Biluo Sword Valley, a man of high status and great influence who commanded respect wherever he went. Even in the entirety of Yuning Mountain, he was considered a prominent figure. Yet now, a young man had forced him into this humiliating predicament.
What they found most unfathomable was that this man came from the secular world!
Furthermore, he has never received any training from a Sect on Yuning Mountain. Given time, once he establishes a firm foothold here… The very thought sent a chill down their spines, terrifying them to the core.
A Heaven Saint defeating a Half-step Divine Conquest expert. How many people in all of Yuning Mountain could accomplish such a feat?
Even Liu Qingmei couldn't process the reality of it so quickly.
"I am an Elder of Biluo Sword Valley, and the rest of our forces are nearby," Gu Tai said, his expression flickering as he stared at the Ancestral Sword quivering at his feet. He finally raised his head and spoke with a sinister tone, "By humiliating me like this, do you not fear that Biluo Sword Valley will hunt you down with its full might? If you stop now, this matter might still have room for de-escalation. Otherwise…"
Yes! Chen Yang is incredibly strong! Not even thirty years old, yet he's a Heaven Saint who can defeat a Half-step Divine Conquest expert. But ultimately, he hasn't transcended the Saint realm. Even if he's unrivaled among his peers, what other path is there for him but death if he provokes the experts of the older generation?
"Heh…" Gu Tai chuckled. His smile was a mixture of bitterness and mockery, but it held an even greater measure of conviction. How could a mere bumpkin from the secular world possibly imagine the vastness of Yuning Mountain or the power of Biluo Sword Valley? It's like a countryman visiting the city for the first time—a classic frog in a well. Does a mere firefly dare to vie for brilliance with the Bright Moon? How utterly absurd!
Chen Yang idly fiddled with the red flower, seemingly completely absorbed in it, saying nothing.
"What, are you still going to be stubborn?" Gu Tai sneered. "Fine! I'll have you know that the rest of Biluo Sword Valley's forces will be here within half an hour. When they arrive, not only you, but even the entire Red Lotus Valley will be unable to withstand our wrath."
Seeing Chen Yang remain utterly impassive, Gu Tai's mouth twitched. A knot of dread tightened in his stomach. If this lunatic disregards everything and is dead set on killing me, I won't be able to escape.
"Gu Yang!" Gu Tai shouted at one of the disciples, perhaps to bolster his own confidence or to add weight to his threats. "Where are the rest of our Sword Valley's forces now?"
The young man named Gu Yang, whose face was already deathly pale, turned a shade of mottled purple. He stammered for a long moment, unable to form a complete sentence.
"What is it? I'm asking you a question!" Gu Tai's voice grew sharp, and his grim expression began to subtly change as an ominous premonition crept into his heart.
"R-Reporting to the Elder," the disciple stammered. "We just received news that a map fragment has appeared in Shisu Town! So… so the others have diverted course to head there. They said… they said Red Lotus Valley is already a fish on the chopping block, so letting them be for a while longer doesn't matter."
Gu Tai was speechless. So was everyone else.
What… What is this?
Darkness clouded Gu Tai's vision. He staggered back several steps, nearly collapsing to the ground. Just moments ago, he had declared with absolute certainty that his reinforcements were only half an hour away, that only death awaited Chen Yang. But now…
This is sabotage!
It wasn't just him; every other member of Biluo Sword Valley looked ashen-faced, as if they had just lost their parents.
"Heh heh."
Shen Shaotian, who had been silent all this time, suddenly started to laugh. It was an exaggerated, almost demonic cackle that filled the dead-silent clearing. He said nothing, but that laugh alone was like a sharp dagger plunging deep into the hearts of Gu Tai and every Biluo Sword Valley Disciple present.
PFFT!
Gu Tai coughed up a mouthful of blood, his limbs nearly seized by convulsions. This… It was as if he thought he was backed by a great mountain, only to find himself utterly alone and helpless.
Trembling, Gu Tai looked up at Chen Yang. "Chen Yang, I am an Elder of Biluo Sword Valley. Must you really kill me?"
Chen Yang remained silent.
Next, Gu Tai looked toward Liu Changzheng, his gaze a clear warning for the Red Lotus Valley Master to intervene and persuade Chen Yang.
Liu Changzheng acted as if he saw nothing, a faint smile even tugging at his lips.
Is he mocking me?
Gu Tai angrily averted his gaze and continued, "I admit it, Chen Yang, you are powerful. But this is Yuning Mountain. As someone from the secular world, it would be wise for you to act with more discretion. There's an old saying: you can run, but you can't hide. You are still young. Don't throw away your future."
To an uninformed observer, it might have sounded as if Gu Tai genuinely had Chen Yang's best interests at heart. Compared to his earlier arrogance, his current attitude was worlds apart.
"Are you finished?" The ever-silent Chen Yang finally spoke. "If you're finished, then get on with it."
Gu Tai fell silent. His face instantly darkened, and raw fury blazed in his bloodshot eyes. Did he not hear a single word I said?
Chen Yang flicked his finger, and the red flower shot out.
Afterward, a streak of rainbow light suddenly flashed across the sky. By the time Gu Tai registered what was happening, the rainbow light was already descending, radiating a powerful aura.
BOOM!
A sudden explosion erupted right in the middle of the Biluo Sword Valley disciples. In an instant, chaos reigned as bodies were sent flying. Half of the disciples were killed on the spot, while the rest shrieked in agony amidst spreading pools of blood that stained the ground.
Everyone, Gu Tai included, was profoundly shaken by the brutal scene. It was too vicious.
"Send yourself on your way," Chen Yang said, his hands clasped behind his back.
Gu Tai's eyes looked as if they might split with rage. Knowing his death was imminent, he finally looked down at the Ancestral Sword before him and gritted his teeth. "Chen Yang, Biluo Sword Valley will not let you get away with this."
SHIIING!
Gu Tai drew the Ancestral Sword. In the afterglow of the setting sun, it gleamed with a dazzling light, like a river of stars hanging from the sky. Watched by countless eyes, Gu Tai, his path to survival completely severed, raised the Ancestral Sword to his own neck.
"I'll be waiting for you," he let out a final, desperate roar.
A flash of sword light.
Blood sprayed through the air, like a crimson rose blooming against the vast sky.
An Elder of his generation from Biluo Sword Valley had fallen, forced to commit suicide under the watchful gaze of all. The surviving Biluo Sword Valley disciples stared with vacant eyes, the blood freezing in their veins.
Liu Qingmei's expression was one of utter shock. Only a few months had passed since she last saw him. This young man has already grown so powerful, and his murderous aura… it's horrifying. She had seen it clearly: at the exact moment Gu Tai took his own life, Chen Yang hadn't even batted an eyelid. What kind of iron will must one possess to remain so impassive, as still as a mountain?
「At that same moment, Gu Zhiqing was about to reach the mountaintop.」