The cultivators of the Martial Hall exchanged glances, unease plain on their faces.

The rules were clear enough: any cultivator of the Myriad Immortals Alliance who killed a cultivator of the Five Elders Council could apply to the Martial Hall for a corresponding reward. Slaying four hostile Nascent Soul cultivators would count as a major achievement in any province.

The problem was that the man before them had been far too thorough. Nothing remained of the four Five Elders Council cultivators—no valuable body parts, no remnant souls.

The feat itself was dazzling. Its practical significance was another matter.

Refusing to grant a reward outright would damage the Martial Hall's reputation if word spread. But granting one came with its fair share of difficulties. The Congyun...