With the withered old man’s head falling, the myriad sword lights in the sky suddenly retracted, returning to Zong Shou’s sleeve.

Having abided by the rules of this Outer Domain, Zong Shou would not tolerate others who refused to abide by them!

Hong Jiuchen, standing nearby, remained utterly stunned. After a long moment, he finally grasped the reality of the situation and slumped back into his chair.

And now, besides shock, there was also fear!

The sword had been too fast; he hadn't even seen clearly how this Poison Elder had died.

He only knew it was the Sword Intent of Slaughter, yet it felt strangely unlike it.

It was absolutely impossible that it was merely the Sword of Slaughter Path. How could a Martial Dao Sword Intent at the peak of the Soul Intent level—a Spiritual Realm cultivation—possibly slay the Poison Elder, who was nearing the peak of the Immortal Realm?

Countless questions surfaced in his mind, but at this moment, there was no room to dwell on them.

All Hong Jiuchen felt now was terror.

Since Zong Shou could cleave the Poison Elder in one strike, he could just as easily slay him!

Killing him would be effortless.

Only now did regret surface. If he had known this, why insist on hosting a banquet within this Wuxin Immortal Palace?

“This person has been slain by this Sovereign! If your Nine Capitals Immortal Court is unsatisfied, feel free to find someone to argue the matter with Me. Whether we talk or fight will be decided then—”

Having said this, Zong Shou smiled towards Mu Fang and Fu Yue: “Today’s matter is settled. If the two of you have any objections, if you wish to renege, state it clearly now. After careful consideration, I find the words of that Poison Elder held some merit. The Yuanlian Realm must now be managed according to My wishes.”

Both Mu Fang and Fu Yue looked ashen-faced. At this moment, who would dare to be tactless enough to voice an objection? Forcing a smile, they both rose.

“We understand, and we shall certainly abide by the agreement!”

“That is for the best!”

Only then did Zong Shou smile, draining the immortal brew in his hand before rising to his full height: “Since that is the case, today’s banquet may be concluded. The food here is excellent, and the music and dancing are superb. I am quite satisfied.”

He glanced around, hesitating momentarily whether to eliminate Hong Jiuchen as well.

This Wuxin Immortal Palace was truly remarkable, truly enviable.

His eyes narrowed, his gaze flickering uncertainly. Zong Shou still shook his head and walked toward the exit of the hall.

He killed that Poison Elder because the man had violated the rules of the Outer Domain.

For Hong Jiuchen, however, there was not sufficient reason—a pity...

Although this man was rather repulsive.

And at this moment, his time was short, leaving him no leisure to refine and claim this Immortal Palace.

Exiting the Wuxin Immortal Palace, Zong Shou moved through the void. He did not return to the Yuanlian World, but instead headed beyond the Boundary River.

The situation within the Yuanlian Realm was now settled. All that remained was a decree to formally apportion the territories and finalize the distribution of rewards based on merit.

The remaining loose ends required nothing of him; Ruolan and the others could manage them well enough.

He doubted Fu Yue and Mu Fang possessed the courage to go back on their word.

It was his own situation, however, that finally presented trouble.

As he traversed the void, having left only a few worlds behind, a talisman floated up beside Zong Shou.

It burned in mid-air, turning to ash that scattered away.

This was the talisman Shen Yuexuan had gifted him that day.

He wondered what profound secret method the person currently hunting for his trace across dozens of worlds had used.

To cause this spiritual talisman, which should have lasted another month, to have its magic utterly depleted and its spiritual energy dispersed in just a single day.

At that precise instant, the bloodline within his body surged once more, causing a faint white flame to erupt around Zong Shou.

“Is this the Flame of Burning Sky?”

Zong Shou looked over his own body, his eyes filled with strangeness.

He felt that in this brief moment, his Burning Sky bloodline had grown significantly purer.

The might of this faint white flame was also clearly much stronger than before.

Yet, he knew no reason why. Ever since he integrated the Soul Imprint of the Water Qilin years ago, bringing his body into balance, he had not intentionally sought to strengthen this inherent bloodline power.

He had even set aside the Soul Imprints of the Water Qilin and the Thunder Luan, locking them away.

Not only had he refrained from delving deeper, but he had actively suppressed them.

This was only because he did not wish for the Yin and Yang energies within him to fall out of balance again.

But now, this Blood of the Lu Family’s Burning Sky seemed to be evolving out of thin air.

And because of this change, the Blood of the Nine-Tailed Mysterious Fox, along with the connection imprint between the Water Qilin and the Thunder Luan, all reacted.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, they stretched their forms, adding scales, fur, and feathers.

Mysterious and profound runes abruptly surged from the depths of his heart before quickly settling into his memory, causing a slight throbbing pain in his mind.

Zong Shou understood that these were mostly secret inheritances from these various divine abilities and bloodlines.

He could reflect on them later and study them, which would surely bring him considerable benefit.

But what exactly was happening right now?

He clenched his fist, sensing that his strength had grown considerably in just this short span.

Where he previously possessed the strength of thirty-eight mountains, he now possessed the might of forty-four Minor Sumeru Mountains.

Furthermore, faint wisps of moisture clung to his skin.

Even within the Flame of Burning Sky, they did not dissipate.

This must be the enhancement to his physical body following the bloodline’s advancement.

“Could it be... that person?”

This was the only explanation Zong Shou could conceive—the cause was not internal, but must be external force.

“It must be the Marrow-Burning Spirit Sacrificial Art!”

A clear, cool voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

Zong Shou turned back in surprise to see a handsome and delicate youth stepping through the void from behind.

Zong Shou could not help but raise an eyebrow, his eyes filled with surprise.

“It is Brother Cha!”

This person had actually managed to trace his whereabouts and follow him—

Cha Houhu nodded slightly, then looked Zong Shou up and down.

“As I understand it, the Lu Family of Burning Sky possesses a secret technique. By gathering at least thirty-six relatives of the same lineage, they burn their marrow and infuse it with spirit blood, which can greatly enhance the purity of the ancestral bloodline. This is the first time I have witnessed it!”

Saying this, Cha Houhu smiled again: “Legend holds that the twenty-four branches of the Lu Family mostly maintain this method, allowing a few individuals in every generation to retain the pure blood of Burning Sky. Houhu was initially amazed that your esteemed mother, despite having lost status within the Lu Family long ago, could still command such resources to employ this secret art of the Lu Family. However, looking at it now, the person employing the Marrow-Burning Spirit Sacrificial Art likely has ill intentions.”

Zong Shou fell silent. At this moment, the Burning Sky bloodline within his body was practically boiling; suppression was impossible.

It was estimated that in half an hour, that person would be able to locate him.

Thirty-six clansmen of the Lu Family, burning their marrow.

Even if they did not die, their lifespan would likely be greatly reduced afterward. This person was truly willing to disregard everything just to hunt him down—

This so-called Marrow-Burning Spirit Sacrificial Art truly provoked disgust.

It was also the first time he learned that the Lu Family, which dominated eight hundred worlds, possessed such a cruel secret technique, such a brutal practice.

“Are there any hidden dangers, any cost?” (To be continued) RQ