The atmosphere on the scene had been razor-tight, but Jiang Chen's sudden burst of laughter turned it peculiarly bizarre — even awkward.
"Kid, with death knocking at your door, what do you have to be smug about?" Gong Wuji glared at him.
This time, Elder Hao did not bicker with Gong Wuji. Instead, he fixed Jiang Chen with a furious glare, his face twisted with bitter hatred. "Jiang Chen — was it you who killed my sect's true disciple Cao Jin?"
Two mid-stage Imperial Realm powerhouses pressed their questions simultaneously, their formidable Imperial Realm pressure surging forward like Mount Tai and Mount Wangwu bearing down with relentless force.
Forget Jiang Chen — even the warriors surrounding him felt their breathing tighten, as though the very power of heaven and earth were crushing them into immobility.
Every pair of eyes on the scene converged on Jiang Chen.
The curiosity was palpable. Could it really be that the Nine Yang Celestial Sect's true disciple had perished at this young man's hands? If so, then this kid was far more monstrous than anyone had imagined.
True disciples — especially those ranked among the top ten — were all peak Saint Realm cultivators, or at the very least half-step into the Imperial Realm.
In that moment, the representatives of the fourth-rank sects from the Red Cauldron Central Domain felt an unexpected twinge of unease. Invading the Myriad Manifestation Region should have been a cakewalk — a one-sided slaughter, a pleasant sweep of plunder. It was precisely because of this Jiang Chen's appearance that a shadow had fallen over the whole affair.
And if they failed to eliminate him today — if they gave this young man even a little more time to grow — the consequences for those sects in the Red Cauldron Central Domain would be nothing short of catastrophic!
The sect masters of the Thunderclap Sect and the Giant Kun Sect exchanged a meaningful glance, silently encouraging each other. No matter what the price, they had to cut out this cancer today.
At the same time, they felt a pang of relief. Thank heavens this brash Jiang Chen had offended two first-rank sects at once — with both Gong Wuji and Elder Hao targeting him, there was no way he could escape death today!
"Kid, you think that if you stay silent, I have no way of confirming it?" Cao Meng snarled, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.
Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. "And who are you supposed to be?"
Cao Meng flew into a rage. If Elder Hao hadn't repeatedly warned him of the gravity of this matter, he would have unleashed his killing move on the spot and finished Jiang Chen off.
He drew a deep breath, his tone turning sinister as he fixed Jiang Chen with a piercing stare. "Listen carefully, boy. Cao Jin is my nephew. Whether or not you killed my Cao family's bloodline, I can determine with a single test. Don't even think about denying it."
Jiang Chen slapped his own forehead. "So you're Cao Jin's elder?"
"Kid, don't try to play nice with me — save that trick!" Cao Meng snorted coldly.
"You're overthinking it. I just wanted to tell you — yes, I killed Cao Jin. There was also a fat man and an alchemist. I killed them both."
Jiang Chen's smile was placid, his admission delivered with startling nonchalance.
A layer of frost seemed to settle over Cao Meng's face, and savage light blazed in his eyes. "Good, good, good — so long as you admit it, boy."
Jiang Chen continued in a leisurely tone, "Oh, and there was a man named Ding Tong — one of yours, wasn't he? He's dead too. Oh, and I almost forgot — there was a spy planted in my Dan Qian Palace. He thought he was so clever and covert, but his cover was blown long ago. After we entered the Myriad Manifestation Extreme Realm, I sent him on his way as well."
At the words "Myriad Manifestation Extreme Realm," Elder Hao's heart lurched. He hissed, "Jun Mobai — was he also killed by you?"
"I suppose you could say that."
Jiang Chen raised his arm and pointed at every person present. "When all of you are buried here today, this debt will be credited to my name all the same. Is that clear enough for you?"
Everyone froze.
Cao Meng burst into laughter. "Kid, broad daylight, and you're already dreaming!"
Gong Wuji shouted, "Stop wasting breath on this brat — suppress him first, and deal with everything else later!"
Elder Hao nodded as well. When Jiang Chen had spoken those words, something had clenched painfully in Elder Hao's chest, and an inexplicable wave of panic had surged through him.
This feeling should not have existed. Yet that strange dread within his divine sense had come so suddenly, so inexplicably.
In that moment, his resolve crystallized.
Suppress Jiang Chen first — then fight the Indestructible Heavenly Capital for the spoils!
"Brother Cao, Brother Sun — take this kid down first!" Elder Hao sent via voice transmission to Cao Meng and the Sun-surnamed powerhouse.
In an instant, every Imperial Realm expert locked onto Jiang Chen and bore down on him as one.
The next moment, Jiang Chen's hand flickered, forming a rapid series of seals. The entire world transformed in the blink of an eye.
"Hmm? What's happening?"
"No — this is a formation!"
"Where did that kid Jiang Chen go?"
A jolt of alarm shot through everyone. They could hardly believe it — this Jiang Chen truly had an endless arsenal of tricks. Right under their very noses, he had activated a formation array.
Normally, deploying a formation required prior setup — and traces of the arrangement should have been visible on the ground.
Yet there had been absolutely no signs of any formation being laid in this area.