The angry shout came from beside him, and the face of the demon-god wielding the staff instantly flushed purple, realizing he had just been tricked by Zong Shou's illusionary art.
It was because he genuinely feared for his two companions that he had fled alone, allowing Zong Shou to manipulate his mind and create the illusion that he was facing the overwhelming sword-force by himself.
He was an Shadow Demon, having survived in this world for thousands of years, always the one to deceive others with mental illusions.
He never imagined that the day would come when his very soul and will would be controlled by an outsider.
An immense terror flooded his heart.
This was the bloodline of the Nine-Tailed Mystic Fox? Could the illusions of this direct descendant of the Mystic Fox lineage be this powerful?
And then there was the Illusory Heart Realm—it could truly suppress and unravel all the divine powers and magic of his entire clan!
With this person and this mirror existing, it would surely be a profound disaster for his race!
Even when they were still in the Immortal Realm, he could single-handedly suppress five formless demon-gods. If this one reached the Divine or Sacred Realms, even the royal clans within his lineage would likely be suppressed!
As his figure abruptly retreated, the tight formation between the three finally showed a flaw.
That blood-red sword-shadow also shifted in response. It forcefully struck inward, cleaving between them and completely separating the trio.
Amidst the crisscrossing sword lights and scattering blade shadows, Lu Zhi could only watch helplessly as his two companions were successively severed head from body under the impact of the piercing crimson sword-light!
Clean and swift, as decisive and sharp as could be!
When he finally regained his senses, he saw that the overwhelming scarlet sword-light had retracted, coalescing back into a single entity.
Wielding the nameless sword, Zong Shou once again pointed diagonally towards the formless demon-god opposite him, the one his companions called 'Lu Zhi'.
The coldness in his eyes intensified several degrees.
"I'll ask one more time. Was setting up this ambush truly just because of the Illusory Heart Mirror and my Mystic Fox bloodline? Who else conspired with you? Did the Nine Capitals Immortal Court, the Extreme Bliss Immortal Court, or the Profound Spirit Association participate? If you confess honestly, I can grant you a swift death—"
His tone was light, yet it carried an irresistible, magical authority.
Lu Zhi, at this moment, felt as if he had plunged into an ice cavern.
Under the lock of that sword intent, he found even forming a single thought incredibly arduous.
All thoughts of survival vanished from his chest, leaving only despair.
Yet, precisely because his hope of survival was extinguished, the horror and fear in his heart subsided somewhat.
He cared little about the consequences if he revealed the involvement of powers like the Nine Capitals Immortal Court or the Extreme Bliss Immortal Court.
The life and death of outsiders meant nothing to him.
But since he was doomed to die today anyway, there was no need to comply with Zong Shou's wishes.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. These few factions could never align with Zong Shou. In the future, they would certainly be mortal enemies, and thus natural allies when the Shadow Demon Clan sought to execute Zong Shou.
Moreover, Zong Shou's relentless questioning and repeated pressure today clearly indicated he was after some specific objective.
No matter what, he absolutely could not let Zong Shou succeed.
As for a swift death—Lu Zhi, who had clawed his way to his current realm through sheer tenacity, would hardly fear a mere torture.
Therefore, after merely a moment's thought, Lu Zhi shook his head slightly.
"You dream on! What happened today was orchestrated by our Shadow Demon Clan—"
His words abruptly halted.
Lu Zhi saw the blood patterns flicker again in Zong Shou's eyes, and then his expression became slightly vacant, his mind hazy and muddled: "Our Shadow Demon Clan was invited by the Nine Capitals Immortal Court and the Heaven’s Zenith Cultivation Society. Furthermore, Mu Fang of the Profound Spirit Association and the reclusive Immortal Veyue of the Extreme Bliss Immortal Court were also involved. And the Cloud Realm Dao—"
Before he could utter the final word, a streak of black light suddenly shot in from a distant sky.
Silently, it traveled until it was half a breath's speed away before Zong Shou violently sensed it.
Instinctively, he made a mental command. The Ten Absolutes Dao-Governing Annihilation Sword Array, which had been lying in wait, was instantly triggered.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of sharp sword energies struck the black light simultaneously.
In an instant, the black light was completely pulverized.
But immediately afterward, a cloud of black mist erupted from within, rapidly spreading and expanding in the void.
At this moment, Lu Zhi was also startled, finally waking up. Focus returned to his eyes, replaced by utter bewilderment.
"What did you just do to me? What exactly did I say?"
Zong Shou ignored him, glancing closely at the black mist.
It was poison, and not just any ordinary poison.
Decisively, he unleashed several sparse sword strikes, snatching the demon-god's Nascent Pill into his hand, and then immediately retreated in flight.
Just as the black mist surged toward him, Lu Zhi's Divine Realm immortal body was instantly corroded and assimilated by the toxic fog, becoming a part of it, even though he was already dead and his vital energy dispersed.
Zong Shou inwardly shuddered. Even if Lu Zhi was already dead and no longer possessed the indestructible body of a Divine Realm cultivator, he shouldn't have been damaged and corrupted so easily.
The toxicity of this black mist was conceivable. If used on a battlefield, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Fortunately, the poison spread quite slowly; anyone with slightly stronger cultivation could escape it. Alternatively, a Divine Realm cultivator skilled in wind magic could disperse it.
However, Zong Shou was more concerned with the origin of that black light.
His intent swept out again like a ripple, the bloodlust in his eyes deepening, scrutinizing the surrounding several worlds.
A moment later, Zong Shou frowned and withdrew his divine sense.
The location he sensed showed no abnormalities, and no one was present.
He found nothing suspicious around this river of worlds either.
He mentally contacted Ao Kun, who was lying in wait not far away, but the two Saints there had also found nothing.
Zong Shou understood. The person who attacked must possess either a divine ability to conceal themselves from his World-Burning Blood Eyes or a supreme treasure that allowed for complete concealment of their tracks.
They managed to escape safely even under the dual scrutiny of his Blood Eyes and the Illusory Heart Mirror.
Regardless of which it was, it indicated that this person's background and origins were exceptionally extraordinary.
He recalled the final four words Lu Zhi had spoken:
And the Cloud Realm Dao—
Dao what? The Cloud Realm Dao Gate? Or perhaps the Dao Spirit Dome?
Did the Cloud Realm Dao Gate truly participate in this plot to ambush him, orchestrated by these Shadow Demons?
He remembered the agreement: he, Zong Shou, could not return to the Cloud Realm for twenty years, and in return, the Dao Gate promised not to actively antagonize Zong Shou or Great Qian during those twenty years.
What did this action today signify? Was the Dao Spirit Dome truly that confident? Or had some major incident occurred in the Cloud Realm, leading them to disregard the previous pact?
Though countless thoughts swirled without yielding an answer, Zong Shou's gaze gradually sharpened.
If it truly was someone from the Dao Gate, then it was a pity he hadn't secured concrete evidence this time. Otherwise, once he settled matters here, he could consider returning to the Cloud Realm.
However, since this person went to such lengths to scheme against him, there would inevitably be a second attempt after today. With precautions in place, he doubted he wouldn't manage to grasp this person's tail.
Still, the Cloud Realm itself needed his renewed attention. He had been gone for only a few months; who knew what had transpired? Had the contention for the (Yushu/Cosmic Codex) concluded so quickly? Or had Wei Xu encountered a mishap crossing his tribulation into a higher realm?
A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind, and then Zong Shou let out a low chuckle.
Although he hadn't heard the most crucial part from Lu Zhi, those initial few sentences were already enough! They left him completely satisfied.
"Invited by the Nine Capitals Immortal Court and the Heaven’s Zenith Cultivation Society. Furthermore, Mu Fang of the Profound Spirit Association and the reclusive Immortal Veyue of the Extreme Bliss Immortal Court were also involved—"
He clenched his fists violently, and a burst of air exploded around him.
Zong Shou's eyes were filled with icy coldness.
It was one thing for the major powers like the Nine Capitals Immortal Court, the Profound Spirit Association, and the Extreme Bliss Immortal Court to be involved. Hong Jiuchen's resentment was expected, and the Nine Capitals Immortal Court possessed sufficient strength to stage a comeback. It was also inevitable that Mu Fang and Veyue would oppose him.
But for the Heaven’s Zenith Cultivation Society to dare participate—they were truly courting death!
The void behind him suddenly shifted. An intensely familiar, delicate fragrance appeared right behind him. Silently, a pair of small hands, disregarding any onlookers, embraced his body tightly from behind. Though no words were spoken, the feeling of attachment and longing was clearly palpable.
Zong Shou felt a warmth spread through his heart, and the killing intent in his eyes gradually subsided.
At this moment, Feng Taiji and the others had also finished dealing with their respective opponents and moved over, all looking at him with strange expressions.
Zong Shou paid no heed to their gazes, pulling the delicate body of Ruoshui close to him.
First, he glared fiercely at the person capable of such a feat [referring to Zhaoyanran, who was likely the one embracing him], and then he turned to face the crowd, apologizing: "Zong Shou is late, I have caused you all to suffer! Today, thanks to everyone's efforts, my Great Qian Immortal Dynasty stands as firm as a mountain against the surging tide, unshaken. I am deeply grateful to all of you. I will certainly reward you handsomely in the future!"
If they were his direct subordinates, such formality would not be necessary. But most of the people present were from the Sword Sect, the Buddhist Schools, and the Dao of the Common People.
Everyone here, including Feng Taiji, was overwhelmed with gratitude.
Even those Immortal Realm cultivators who had previously harbored minor complaints about Zong Shou’s long absence—leaving them to struggle against the simultaneous assault of these major factions in Yuanlian—now harbored no resentment whatsoever.
Having witnessed Zong Shou’s might in easily slaying five formless demon-gods just moments ago, the emotions in their hearts were still far from settled.
Even though the five Divine Realm Shadow Demons had their true combat strength suppressed below the Divine Realm by the Illusory Heart Mirror, Zong Shou’s casual, effortless demeanor suggested he still held considerable reserve power.
They felt that this man was truly unfathomably deep. How could such a contemporary hero fail to secure a foothold in the Yuanlian Realm? If they were to follow Zong Shou to establish themselves in Yuanlian, they couldn't expect to do so without paying some price. This time, their losses, though significant, were negligible compared to the rewards.
Zong Shou then looked at Feng Taiji, observing him with a touch of surprise as he sized him up. He felt that this man had completely transformed. Already a talented individual, in just a few months, he had become even more outstanding. (Your support is my greatest motivation for welcoming you here.)RV