The Sect Master of the Chasing Life Dark Gate let a vicious smile creep across his face. "This is merely collecting a bit of interest first. Our greatest target remains that scoundrel Jiang Chen. He killed my Chasing Life Dark Gate brothers back in the day, and now the whole world is hunting him down. Sooner or later, he'll come fleeing back to the Sixteen Kingdoms Alliance. Every last one of you needs to keep your eyes wide open and watch for him."
The people below all had fervent gleams in their eyes.
Clearly, the moment they heard the name Jiang Chen, everyone immediately thought of the enormous bounty posted by the Imperishable Heavenly Capital.
Old Qiu, a remnant of the Purple Sun Sect, said hatefully, "That brat is the sworn enemy of my Purple Sun Sect. If we can capture him, we absolutely must deliver him to the Imperishable Heavenly Capital to claim that bounty!"
The Chasing Life Dark Gate's Sect Master sneered inwardly, filled with disdain. *Deliver him to the Imperishable Heavenly Capital for the bounty? What an idiot! The Imperishable Heavenly Capital may be openly hunting Jiang Chen, but they have no idea that my Heavenly Sect has also placed an internal bounty on his head — and the reward is no less than the Imperishable Heavenly Capital's.*
Of course, apart from the upper echelons of the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect, no one below knew any of these details.
In everyone's estimation, capturing Jiang Chen would mean claiming a massive bounty from the Imperishable Heavenly Capital.
"The Tiangui Kingdom matter needs to be expedited. We of the Chasing Life Dark Gate pride ourselves on efficiency. So many days have passed without word — send more people to check on the situation." The Sect Master was clearly growing dissatisfied with his subordinates' efficiency.
Just then, a faint chuckle drifted through the void: "No need to send anyone. They won't be coming back."
The voice was utterly abrupt. It rang out without the slightest warning, and everyone in the hall leapt to their feet in shock.
"Who? Who's there?"
"Somebody— who are you?"
Some people even had the illusion that one of their own was speaking out of turn. But the voice seemed to have materialized from thin air — it didn't belong to anyone present.
The Chasing Life Dark Gate's Sect Master narrowed his eyes, unleashing his full spiritual sense, his expression turning grave in an instant. "Who goes there? What friend graces our Nine Yang Heavenly Sect branch without so much as announcing himself in advance?"
"Announcing in advance?"
The eerie voice came again, but this time from a completely different corner.
"Announcing in advance — I was afraid every last one of you might slip away."
The voice jumped from here to there, as if it had instantly appeared in countless locations at once. The impression it gave was that someone in the void was teleporting nonstop.
The Chasing Life Dark Gate's Sect Master's face turned cold. "Who exactly are you? Since you've come, why bother playing these ghostly tricks?"
"Playing ghostly tricks — isn't that the Chasing Life Dark Gate's specialty?"
The voice seemed to reverberate throughout the great hall, yet no matter how desperately everyone searched, they couldn't pin down the speaker's exact location.
Even the Sect Master himself, with his spiritual sense fully deployed, couldn't detect the slightest flaw.
In that moment, the Sect Master felt a jolt of alarm deep in his heart. Ever since his fortune had turned and his strength had soared, he had gradually cultivated an air of haughty superiority.
He had come to believe that within the territory of the Sixteen Kingdoms Alliance, no one could possibly threaten his existence. And behind him stood the towering backing of the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect.
These years of smooth sailing had carried him from the underground into the light, and his mentality had shifted dramatically as a result.
Now, to be toyed with like this on his own turf — naturally, he was furious.
"You dare mock me like this? Do you not take my Nine Yang Heavenly Sect seriously?" Every other word was "Nine Yang Heavenly Sect" — this Sect Master certainly knew how to ride on coattails.
When the others heard the words "Nine Yang Heavenly Sect," it was as if they'd swallowed a calming pill. The panicked atmosphere settled back into composure.
"The Nine Yang Heavenly Sect? I've heard that several of their true disciples were killed — a source of shame more than once or twice. Is that the Nine Yang Heavenly Sect you mean?"
"Insolent!" At such a brazen insult, every person in the room sprang to their feet.
"To insult our Heavenly Sect's dignity — he deserves death!"
"Sect Master, you must not let this scoundrel leave alive! He must die!"
"Right! Offending our Heavenly Sect's majesty — death is certain!"
The Chasing Life Dark Gate's Sect Master, however, was secretly cursing inwardly. *Die? Easy for you to say.* They hadn't even caught sight of the man's shadow — who would end up dying was anyone's guess.
The man kept his composure and barked, "Everyone, stay calm! Form your formations and stand ready!"
At his command, everyone sprang into action.
"Friend, whether you're friend or foe, that's your choice to make. If you're an enemy of the Heavenly Sect, go straight to the Heavenly Sect headquarters. There's no need to come here to our branch and strut around."
The words sounded tough, but they had already begun to show a hint of submission.
"The Heavenly Sect headquarters — I'll get there in time. But as you yourself said, I came here simply to collect a bit of interest first."
"What do you mean?" The Sect Master's expression hardened.
"Nothing special. Just came to send you on your way to the afterlife." The voice was utterly indifferent, as if speaking the most mundane sentence imaginable.
Yet those words made every person in the hall feel their hearts skip a beat.
"Arrogant!" The Sect Master suddenly thrust both hands forward and grabbed at the air. A mirror-smooth treasure erupted with blinding radiance, sweeping across the hall in every direction.