Volume 10, Chapter 677 – Qi Huang Takes the Stage

The moment Cao Hong and his group appeared, the doubts lingering in Qi Huang’s mind were instantly resolved. She had been wondering why the Immortal Alliance’s reinforcements had so openly joined the convoy while appearing so unimpressive. Now she understood, the real reinforcements had been hiding inside Zhao Xi’s sachet.

“You… you all… who are you?”

Zhao Ming could never have imagined that several towering, burly men would leap out of his daughter’s sachet. He was so frightened that his face turned pale and his entire body trembled, though his right hand still clutched tightly at the item known as the Heaven-Mending Crystal.

“Immortal Alliance, Cao Hong! Surprised? Didn’t see this coming, did you?”

Cao Hong mocked casually.

“Cao… Cao Hong… Immortal Alliance’s Vice Leader?”

Zhao Ming stammered as he confirmed, his lips drained entirely of color.

“Vice Leader? What Vice Leader? I’m the Leader! The mighty Emperor of Xuanwu dares show so little decorum?”

Cao Hong’s expression darkened, then he raised a hand and commanded, “Hand over the Heaven-Mending Crystal obediently, and you’ll avoid unnecessary suffering.”

“Impossible! This is for healing my daughter’s injuries!”

Zhao Ming frantically stuffed the Heaven-Mending Crystal into his clothes.

“Refuse a toast, and you’ll drink punishment instead.”

Cao Hong’s gaze sharpened, his Divine Sense locking Zhao Ming and yanking him forward in an instant. He sneered coldly: “The Heaven-Mending Crystal, the number-one healing sacred medicine in the cultivation world, do you really think it’s something someone with your daughter’s defective, inferior bloodline can make use of? Letting it fall into your hands all these years has been a complete waste.”

Zhao Ming trembled with rage, but his body was immobilized; he couldn’t even blink, let alone speak in retort.

Finishing his words, Cao Hong snatched the Heaven-Mending Crystal away with one smooth motion and casually tossed Zhao Ming onto the ground.

“Give it back to me!”

Zhao Ming lunged forward, clawing to grab it back, but was instantly pinned down by two disciples standing behind Cao Hong.

Qi Huang stared, momentarily stunned. From what she knew, the cultivation world had thousands upon thousands of healing elixirs, many claiming the power to revive the dead. Yet she had never seen people fight so viciously over one before, especially individuals of such high status.

‘What’s so special about this Heaven-Mending Crystal?’

Qi Huang couldn’t help speculating. She quickly pulled out a disguise outfit from her spatial ring and began changing, preparing to seize the crystal for herself later and study it thoroughly.

Rеαⅾ оո ΚαtRеаⅾіոɡСafе

“The Heaven-Mending Crystal… such an incredible healing treasure, and yet there’s only this little bit left.”

Cao Hong examined it for a moment, a faint regret flashing across his face.

“Leader, what should we do with this man? Should we just kill him? Keeping him alive serves no purpose.”

One of the disciples pressing Zhao Ming down asked coldly.

Only then did Cao Hong turn his attention fully to Zhao Ming, his face radiating murderous intent.

“If… if you still want more Heaven-Mending Crystals, you’d better not act rashly!”

Zhao Ming struggled to speak, desperately grasping for any chance at survival.

“Oh? You have more of them?”

Cao Hong’s interest was instantly piqued.

“Of course I do. Did you really think I’d carry all of them with me?”

Zhao Ming shot back, forcing a hint of confidence into his voice.

Cao Hong fell silent, clearly pondering whether Zhao Ming was lying.

“Leader, he’s bluffing. He’s just trying to save his life,” one disciple asserted.

Cao Hong frowned slightly, then said, “Lock him up for now. Better to believe it might be true than risk losing potential treasures.”

“Yes, Leader, wise as always,” the disciple flattered.

Cao Hong extended his Divine Sense outward, realizing that the spatial ring he occupied was currently inside a carriage. It would be inconvenient to exit directly here, so he maneuvered the ring to fly out.

Inside the carriage, the Grand Preceptor Yang stared blankly, stunned as he suddenly saw the ring floating away. He reached to grab it but caught nothing but air.

Cao Hong guided the ring to the center of the encampment before manifesting with his disciples.

Outside, the group serving as bait and their accompanying family members had never imagined someone would appear out of thin air. The atmosphere instantly plunged into a stunned silence.

Rеаⅾ оn ΚαtRеαԁingСafe

“Where did they come from?”

Someone asked dumbly.

“Not good! They’re wearing Immortal Alliance uniforms, they must be Immortal Alliance members!”

The sharper-minded among them recoiled in fright.

“If they’re from the Immortal Alliance, then they die here!”

Jiang Wuzun, humiliated earlier, seized this opportunity to regain face. Without hesitation, he charged toward Cao Hong and his group, his injured arm still bandaged but his confidence unshaken.

“So fast!”

Someone among the baited group exclaimed.

“Kneel.”

Cao Hong merely cast a casual glance at Jiang Wuzun. A vast wave of Divine Sense erupted from his early Heavenly Tribulation Realm cultivation, tearing through the air like a mighty river. The oppressive force was nothing Jiang Wuzun’s earlier minor “ripples” could even compare to.

BOOM…!

With a deafening crash, Jiang Wuzun’s knees buckled instantly, slamming into the ground so hard that his body plowed forward like a living plow, half-buried in earth. His mask flew off, revealing his rugged face, eyes wide in shock, blood slowly trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“Ah!”

The baited side gasped collectively, retreating instinctively, their blades trembling weakly in hand. They had seen Jiang Wuzun’s strength before, yet before this man, he couldn’t even resist. It was terrifying beyond words.

Cheng Hongling reacted similarly, though unlike the others, her fear came not from strength but from the desire to avoid being recognized.

The other female disciples of the Honghua Sect, however, stood calmly watching the scene as though spectating a street performance, pointing and whispering among themselves.

“How did Jiang Wuzun end up tunneling straight into the ground while charging forward?”

Shen Yuan asked curiously. With her Body Refinement cultivation, she naturally couldn’t perceive Divine Sense.

“No idea. Maybe he got scared and tried to crawl into a hole to hide,” Ruan Lingyu analyzed, stroking her smooth chin.

“I think he wanted to dig a tunnel and escape,” Yun Fei countered. “But since the barrier is spherical, he smacked into it instead. Look, he even burst his nose!”

Rеаd oո ΚаtReαԁіոgCafе

The three women’s discussion carried crystal-clear in the silence. Jiang Wuzun trembled with humiliation, his blood surging violently until he spat out a mouthful.

Cao Hong turned his gaze on the trio, displeasure flashing faintly in his eyes.

“Senior Sister, they’re retreating… maybe we should take a few steps back too?” Miao Xiang whispered nervously.

“Coward! Don’t we still have Junior Sister standing tall for us?” Shen Yuan scolded.

“But… Junior Sister already retreated,” Miao Xiang protested meekly.

“Huh?”

The three turned their heads and spotted Cheng Hongling hiding in a far corner. Embarrassed, they quickly shuffled backward.

“Leader Cao, did you get the item?”

At that moment, Zheng Chi’s voice came from outside the protective barrier.

“What? Leader Cao?!”

Hearing the title, everyone on the baited side trembled violently. They knew both the Immortal Alliance’s Leader and Vice Leader were at the Heavenly Tribulation Realm, so if this man was indeed Cao Hong, resisting was unthinkable.

“Got it. Elder Zheng, you’ve worked hard,” Cao Hong replied politely.

“All for the Immortal Alliance. It’s nothing,” Elder Zheng replied, feigning modesty.

Cao Hong glanced around and asked, “Elder Zheng, which ones are bait, and which are rebels?”

Zheng Chi tried to step forward but bumped into the Divine Sense barrier, forcing him to awkwardly request, “Leader Cao, if you would kindly disperse your barrier, I’ll come in and point them out.”

Cao Hong frowned slightly, then released his Divine Sense outward, instantly scattering the protective shield.

“Run!”

Several helpers on the baited side immediately seized the opening, activating their movement techniques and bolting toward the exit.

But most people didn’t move, lacking the courage to even try.

Rеаⅾ οո KatReαdіnɡСаfе

‘Isn’t that just plain suicide?’ Qi Huang shook her head helplessly.

“Daring to flee under this Leader’s very nose? You must be tired of living.”

Cao Hong’s eyes narrowed slightly. His Divine Sense surged forth, forming several colossal hands that extended outward and crushed the fleeing figures into bloody mist in an instant.

This broke the will of the baited group completely. They stood frozen in place, trembling like convicts awaiting execution.

Zheng Chi quickly gathered the designated baited girls together before reporting respectfully, “Leader Cao, these are the ones we used as bait.”

Ruan Lingyu, feeling the need to clarify, raised her delicate hand and said, “Reporting, we weren’t trying to escape. We’re just here for experiential training.”

“Don’t worry, you girls have behaved the best. I’ve been watching carefully, so you won’t be punished,” Zheng Chi reassured her warmly, maintaining fairness as the Grand Elder.

“Ah, yes, yes, we’re the best, hehehe…”

Ruan Lingyu giggled softly, though no one knew why she seemed so delighted.

“So, that means everyone else here is a rebel?”

Cao Hong’s expression hardened as his gaze swept coldly over the crowd.

“Yes,” Zheng Chi confirmed.

“What rebels? We mortals don’t fall under the Immortal Alliance’s jurisdiction! On what grounds do you accuse us?” Jin Xue’s father, Emperor Jin Ze, retorted angrily.

“That’s right! We are emperors of the secular realm! For you to defy us is the true rebellion here!” Tang Yuning’s father, Tang Cong, joined forcefully.

“Well, well! It’s been a long time since anyone dared challenge the Immortal Alliance’s authority. Seems I’ll have to make an example out of you.”

Cao Hong’s smile turned cold, chilling the air.

“Wait!”

A raspy voice suddenly cut through the tension. The crowd turned, startled to see a figure wrapped tightly from head to toe, standing where no one had been before. They shuddered inwardly, had another Immortal Alliance powerhouse arrived?

But what happened next left everyone stunned. The uninvited figure brazenly extended a hand toward Cao Hong and said, “Leader Cao, was it? Hand me the Heaven-Mending Crystal. I’d like to study it.”