Volume 11, Chapter 747 – The Death of Elder Zuo

“You… you actually dare to harm me, a steward of the Immortal Alliance? Do you have a death wish?”

Cai De struggled to swallow the blood in his throat, his face filled with shock and rage.

“Harm you? Heh…”

Cheng Hongling chuckled indifferently, her treasured sword flicking lightly. A cold, gleaming arc swept across Cai De’s neck.

Plop…

Cai De’s eyes bulged wide, his large head tumbling from his shoulders.

“I won’t just harm you, I’ll kill you.”

Cheng Hongling calmly withdrew her sword.

Cai De’s Life Soul floated out of his body, howling in hysteria: “You wicked woman! How dare you attack a high-ranking official of the Immortal Alliance! Just wait, the entire Honghua Sect will be buried with me!”

“Noisy!”

Cheng Hongling’s beautiful eyes narrowed. The overwhelming Divine Sense of a Heavenly Tribulation Realm cultivator instantly crushed Cai De’s Life Soul into dust.

“As an Immortal Alliance steward, you ignored Honghua Sect’s plight and repeatedly made trouble for us. I’ve long wanted to kill you. The only reason you lived this long… was because I was merciful!”

Cheng Hongling, imitating Qi Huang’s tone, listed Cai De’s crimes one by one before leaving without haste.

Meanwhile, at the Pingshan Mass Burial Ground, Elder Zuo led a group of Immortal Alliance branch disciples charging into the grove of Golden Fate Blossoms.

“My heavens, no wonder Cheng Hongling and Qi Huang dared let everyone in Huangtian County buy these. The fruits on these trees must number in the thousands!”

“That woman is such a squanderer. If these Golden Fate Blossom seeds were sold, who knows how much they’d fetch!”

“She’s just playing saint. Do those lowly commoners of Huangtian County even deserve such treasures?”

“Exactly. Even us cultivators don’t get that blessing. What right do they have to touch it?”

The Immortal Alliance disciples muttered with jealousy and spite.

“Indeed. We cultivators have no fortune to enjoy them. Why should mere commoners? Hurry, start digging. Once it’s done, each of you will be rewarded with a seed.”

Reаⅾ oո ΚаtRеαԁiոɡСafe

Elder Zuo encouraged them.

“Really? That’s wonderful! Thank you, Elder Zuo!”

The group cheered, rolling up their sleeves, eager to start.

“Qi Huang, oh Qi Huang. Without these Golden Fate Blossoms, let’s see how you face those lowly commoners on the first of next month.”

Elder Zuo stroked his beard, mocking with pride.

“Elder Zuo, what are you doing?”

At that moment, Qi Huang’s voice suddenly rang out.

Elder Zuo stiffened in shock, jerking his head to look. He saw Qi Huang smiling sweetly at him, her big eyes curved into crescent moons.

“How… how is this possible?”

Elder Zuo was dumbstruck. He could not comprehend how this little demoness crossed more than a thousand li in barely a dozen breaths. Even a Heavenly Tribulation Realm powerhouse couldn’t achieve that.

“What do you mean, impossible?”

Qi Huang’s lips curved into a mocking smile.

Elder Zuo’s mind slowly churned back to life, cold sweat soaking his body. Could it be that she was even stronger than a Heavenly Tribulation Realm expert?

“Elder Zuo? What’s wrong? I know I look quite good, but surely you wouldn’t be staring so dumbly?”

Qi Huang strolled closer, waving her delicate, pale hand in front of his face. Since it was daytime, her male persona was dominant, so her behavior was even more mischievous.

‘Impossible. If she were truly stronger than a Heavenly Tribulation Realm cultivator, she would have already ascended. Why would she still linger here? That must have been one of Cheng Hongling’s other doppelgängers earlier. That way, she both intimidates and safeguards the Golden Fate Blossoms.’

Elder Zuo quickly convinced himself. Calming down, his eyes darted as he replied: “Ah, yes. I came here to inspect the Golden Fate Blossoms. I noticed weeds everywhere, so I ordered my subordinates to help weed them for you.”

“Yes, yes…”

The Immortal Alliance disciples rushed to echo his excuse.

“Is that so? Then I should be thanking you, Elder Zuo?”

Qi Huang’s smile turned false and cold.

“No need for thanks! You care for the people of Huangtian County, and so do I.”

Elder Zuo declared righteously.

Reαd οո ΚаtReаdіոɡСαfе

“Is that so?”

Qi Huang smirked, then drew out the Shadow-Retaining Mirror. Playing the recordings of their slanders, she teased, “This is what Elder Zuo calls caring for the people? Calling them lowly and plotting to steal the Golden Fate Blossoms they’ve dreamed of?”

Elder Zuo’s weathered face darkened. Grinding his teeth, he snapped: “Since you already know my intent, I’ll speak plainly. You cannot sell these Golden Fate Blossom seeds. The trees themselves must also be handed over to the Immortal Alliance!”

“Oh? Give me one reason.”

Qi Huang clasped her hands behind her back, pacing calmly.

“The reason is simple: your actions harm the Alliance’s interests. You know this well!”

Elder Zuo stated bluntly.

“The Immortal Alliance’s interests? Heh…”

Qi Huang laughed angrily, then questioned him: “And what of the people of Huangtian County? As the Alliance elder of the Western Radiance Dynasty, you should know how long we’ve been ridiculed for our height and looks. For thousands of years, countless families have died out because men couldn’t find partners. These seeds are their hope for the future.”

“As cultivators, our first duty is the Alliance’s interests, not the concerns of lowly mortals. Without the Alliance, there would be no Honghua Sect.”

Elder Zuo declared firmly.

Qi Huang burst into laughter at his shamelessness, bluntly exposing him: “Sorry, but let me interrupt you. Honghua Sect grew to what it is through our own efforts and the support of the people of Huangtian County. It has little to do with the Alliance.”

Hearing this, Elder Zuo reacted like a dog whose tail was stepped on, barking furiously: “Outrageous! Such blasphemy! Are you not afraid of the Alliance’s punishment?”

“Whether my words are true or not, Elder Zuo knows best. Haven’t you and Steward Cai set traps for me and Honghua Sect repeatedly? Like the Evergreen Conference, and that forced appointment of an Imperial Consort.”

Qi Huang listed the offenses one by one.

“Nonsense! To slander me is a crime in itself.”

Elder Zuo naturally denied everything.

“Deny it all you want. I never expected you to have a conscience. People like you don’t have one.”

Qi Huang sneered.

“Sharp-tongued brat! Enough talk. These Golden Fate Blossom trees and seeds must be handed to the Alliance today, and you are forbidden from telling others. Otherwise, Honghua Sect will be erased from the Alliance!”

Elder Zuo impatiently laid out his demand. Since he had been exposed, there was no need to pretend.

“So you want me to hand over these blossoms, yet keep quiet about it? Then how am I to explain myself to the hundreds of thousands of people of Huangtian County on the first of next month?”

Qi Huang asked, feigning curiosity.

Rеаԁ oո ΚatReaⅾіngCafe

“That’s your problem!”

Elder Zuo snapped.

“Heh…”

Qi Huang’s smile turned icy. “What a fine Elder of the Alliance. Just now you called me an Alliance cultivator, but now you care nothing for my life or death? So the Alliance is nothing but a bloodsucker, always taking and never giving. In that case, why should I need it?”

“Impudent! To sacrifice for the Alliance is your honor. You foul girl, are you so arrogant just because your Divine Sense is stronger? Today I will capture you and these Golden Fate Blossoms together and bring them back for merit.”

Unable to endure further, Elder Zuo summoned his treasured sword and lunged at her. Being at the early Divine Realm, clad in specially-made attire, he brimmed with confidence.

“Hmph!”

Qi Huang snorted coldly, sending her Divine Sense surging forth, blanketing Elder Zuo.

His body froze instantly, locked as if time itself had stopped. Only his face, twisted in shock, revealed the terror in his heart.

The other Immortal Alliance disciples nearly lost their souls in fright, their legs trembling too much to move.

“Are you wondering why, even clad in garments crafted by the Nine Nether Demon Cats, you’re still suppressed by me?”

Qi Huang mocked, then explained casually: “It’s because I am kind!”

Elder Zuo’s mouth twitched, he felt deeply insulted.

But Qi Huang wasn’t joking. Because she had once shown kindness to the Nine Nether Demon Cats, she received Mimi’s gift.

“Oh, I nearly forgot. It was I who had you plant ghost tomatoes.”

Qi Huang bragged with glee.

“……”

Elder Zuo’s eyes bulged in disbelief.

“You tended vegetables for me all this time. I had planned to spare your dog life, but you insisted on seeking death. Don’t blame me.”

Qi Huang’s face showed mock regret. With a thought, Elder Zuo’s body and soul exploded like a watermelon.

The remaining disciples shrieked in terror, fleeing in all directions. But before they took more than two steps, they met the same fate as Elder Zuo, bursting apart into a rain of blood that splattered beneath the Golden Fate Blossoms.

“Ah, Immortal Alliance. My Golden Fate Blossoms are in need of fertilizer. Keep sending people, I’ll see how many of you I can bury under my trees.”

Qi Huang laughed maliciously.

Rеаԁ οո КatRеαԁіոgСαfе

Several days later, news of Elder Zuo’s disappearance reached the Immortal Alliance’s main headquarters.

“Honghua Sect! Cheng Hongling! Qi Huang!”

Cao Hong nearly burst a vessel in his brain. Even without thinking, he knew what had happened, and immediately reported to Lu Lin.

“An ant from such a minor sect… how dare she?”

Lu Lin could scarcely believe it and quickly convened dozens of high-ranking officials.

“So Elder Zuo must have been killed by Cheng Hongling and her doppelgänger.”

“How dare she? That ant of a minor sect, does she have a death wish?”

“I suggest we immediately send troops to Honghua Sect and slaughter them all!”

“But the problem is, we have no proof!”

The high officials roared in fury.

Lu Lin waved his hand grandly: “Send my order. Summon all top-ten ranked elders of the Alliance currently at headquarters. Have them head to Honghua Sect and secretly seize the Golden Fate Blossoms.”

“Why secretly? We’ve already lost one elder. I say demand them openly. They wouldn’t dare refuse.”

Elder Kang suggested.

“Yes, if they refuse, we’ll destroy them. Huangtian County has how many people? Who cares about those lowly commoners? Over-caution will achieve nothing.”

Another elder chimed in.

“Precisely because we lost an elder, we must act in secret. That way, we can also conveniently kill Cheng Hongling.”

Lu Lin’s face twisted with ferocity.

“Brilliant, Alliance Leader. Without evidence, we cannot openly move against her or Honghua Sect. By acting covertly, we gain the Golden Fate Blossoms unnoticed, and can also slay that presumptuous ant at will. Truly killing two birds with one stone.”

Cao Hong applauded loudly.