More than half a year of pursuit, being toyed with by Jiang Chen time and again, and the death of his grandson Gong Qi at Jiang Chen's hands — all of this had pushed Gong Wuji's negative emotions to the level of a Heart Demon.
It was as though he intended to seize this opportunity to vent them all.
Yet to his surprise, Jiang Chen merely offered a contemptuous smile. "Gong Wuji, you're still as fond of bragging as ever, I see. I remember back at Dan Qian Palace, you acted like you owned the world, saying something like 'Sure, I wasn't the one who killed them, but it all counts as my doing anyway,' right? And then you went on about how the strong devour the weak, telling me to surrender like a good boy, didn't you? Later, when your grandson fell into my hands, what did you say? You said if I dared lay a single finger on your grandson, you'd shatter my soul and leave me unable to live or die. Am I remembering correctly?"
Every one of those words had once come from Gong Wuji's own mouth. Jiang Chen mimicked his tone word for word — and the onlookers' faces turned as dark as storm clouds.
This was a slap in the face.
Having finished, Jiang Chen suddenly broke into a smile and said in a leisurely tone, "But as you can see, I'm still alive and well. What exactly can you do to me?"
Even from a hostile perspective, the sect leaders of the Red Cauldron Central Region couldn't help but admire Jiang Chen's audacity.
To still possess such boldness at this point.
Jiang Chen's gaze turned cold as it swept across the sect masters before him. "The Thunder Sound Gate Master, is it? The Giant Kun Sect Master? You had a hand in destroying my Dan Qian Palace and slaughtering my fellow disciples, didn't you?"
Both the Thunder Sound Gate Master and the Giant Kun Sect Master were early-stage Imperial Realm powerhouses, yet under Jiang Chen's frigid gaze, a chill pierced straight through to the depths of their hearts.
The feeling made their skin crawl.
They felt that no matter what, they had to eliminate this uncanny brat today — otherwise the consequences would be catastrophic. A mere early-stage Saint Realm cultivator exerting such terrifying pressure — if he were ever allowed to grow, he could truly threaten the very survival of their sects.
Kill! They had to kill him.
In that moment, the killing intent on Gong Wuji's side surged.
The Thunder Sound Gate Master sneered. "Boy, so what if we destroyed your Dan Qian Palace? So what if we killed your fellow disciples? Do you really think you can weasel your way out today?"
Jiang Chen was furious beyond measure, yet instead he burst into hearty laughter. "Very good. I'm glad you admit it. Killing Ding Rong that day was merely collecting a small amount of interest in advance. Soon, I'll make you pay back every last bit — with interest. Don't worry — I will uproot the Thunder Sound Gate entirely. Otherwise, wouldn't you be dreadfully lonely on the road to the Yellow Springs?"
"What arrogance, boy!"
Hearing him mention Ding Rong, bone-deep pain surged through the Thunder Sound Gate Master's heart. He turned to Gong Wuji. "My Lord, give the order!"
Gong Wuji was just about to give the order when Jiang Chen suddenly smiled again. "Friends from the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect — since you've come, why skulk in the shadows? The mantis stalks the cicada, only to be snatched by the oriole behind — isn't this little scene getting rather stale?"
Gong Wuji actually knew the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect's people were behind them — he simply hadn't wanted to expose it. His sole objective was to capture Jiang Chen.
As for everything else that followed, he couldn't be bothered.
As long as he captured Jiang Chen and brought back the clues to the Myriad Phenomena Extreme Realm, it would be a tremendous merit. And if the Myriad Phenomena Extreme Realm truly had something to do with the Flying Feather Great Emperor's legacy, then it would be a colossal jackpot!
The survival or death of others — he couldn't care less. To achieve great things, some cannon fodder had to be sacrificed!
Seeing Jiang Chen openly expose the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect's presence, Gong Wuji's heart sank.
Most of the Immortal Devastation Sect's people, however, had no idea the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect was following them and were utterly alarmed.
"Ha ha ha! As the saying goes, each generation produces its own talents — how true! The Myriad Phenomena Frontier has actually produced a freak like you. Elder Hao is quite astonished!"
As the words rang out, the Imperial Realm experts of the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect descended into the clearing one by one, striding toward the heart of the area while completely ignoring the large Immortal Devastation Sect force.
At Elder Hao's side, Cao Meng — Cao Jin's uncle — wore a dark expression as he stared intently at Jiang Chen, paying the Immortal Devastation Sect's forces not the slightest heed.
Such arrogance had everyone on the Immortal Devastation Sect's side seething with fury.
"Hao! Are you haunting us like a restless ghost or what?" Gong Wuji demanded angrily.
Elder Hao glanced at him dismissively, his expression flat. "Gong Wuji, I don't have time for your nonsense. Hand over the Overturning Sea Sword, take your people, and get lost!"
Back in Tai'e City, the two had been relatively civil and hadn't completely torn off the mask. After their subsequent battle, even though they both knew they'd been manipulated, the enmity between them had been firmly established — and both knew full well what the other truly sought.
So Elder Hao no longer bothered with any pretense.
His attitude, however, prompted a volley of curses from the Immortal Devastation Sect's side.
"Bullshit! You're the ones who should get lost!"
"What's with the arrogance? The Nine Yang Heavenly Sect thinks it's so great? Who do you think you're scaring?"
Elder Hao sneered and shot a glance at Cao Meng. "Brother Cao, it seems the Immortal Devastation Sect's people aren't convinced."
Cao Meng bared his teeth in a savage grin. His icy gaze swept the scene as he suddenly unleashed his Imperial Realm pressure. "Who's not convinced? Step forward and speak!"
The ally Cao Meng had brought along was roughly equal in strength. Seeing Cao Meng make his move, he naturally wouldn't remain idle — matching his partner, he drove his Imperial Realm pressure outward as well, the two forces layering like twin tidal waves crashing upon the shore and surging toward the Immortal Devastation Sect.
Neither was inferior to Elder Hao — both were on the same tier as Gong Wuji.
Though Gong Wuji was formidable, the Immortal Devastation Sect had no mid-stage Imperial Realm expert of comparable caliber on their side.