Chapter 54: A Bloody Slaughter

Qingfan the Immortal was stunned by the sheer strength of Ji Ning's divine sense, which originated from his soul and could not be faked. Ji Ning's ability to single-handedly suppress all the World-level cultivators in the Eastsmoke branch had already revealed that he was far beyond ordinary World-level cultivators. Moreover, his earlier tone had hinted at his true power.

"Brother Ji Ning," Qingfan the Immortal said, her tone now much more deferential despite her shock, yet she still spoke urgently, "This is the headquarters of our Huilan Sect's branch, guarded by numerous grand formations personally laid down by our founder, Daolord Huilan! No matter how powerful you are, can you truly overcome the sect's guardian formations? Your actions are far too reckless!"

Ji Ning glanced at her. "Just watch, Qingfan the Immortal."

"Then I'll watch," Qingfan the Immortal gritted her teeth. "That fool of a sect leader may be stupid, but he won't hold back when controlling the guardian formations."

"If I truly cannot prevail, I can always retreat into your grotto," Ji Ning said with a smile, looking at Qingfan the Immortal.

"You..." Qingfan the Immortal was stunned.

Indeed, Ji Ning stood right at the entrance of her grotto, able to retreat at any moment.

Ji Ning then gazed into the distance at the main hall of the Eastsmoke branch, his eyes turning cold. The choice was now up to the Eastsmoke Sect Leader.

If the Eastsmoke Sect Leader chose to let the matter rest and allow Ji Ning to leave, Ji Ning would not pursue it further, and the affair would be settled. After all, it was common for cultivators to be driven by greed for treasures, and Su Youji had suffered no real loss. This matter could easily be overlooked.

But if war broke out...

That would be a different outcome. Facing the guardian formations, Ji Ning was not confident, so he could not afford to show mercy.

...

Main Hall of the Eastsmoke Branch.

"Who is he, and where did he come from?" The Eastsmoke Sect Leader had a rather handsome face, but his eyes were icy cold.

"No idea where he came from."

"With such powerful divine sense, he is no ordinary World-level cultivator. He might even be strong enough to enter the Twelve Palaces, or perhaps he is already a member." There were three World-level cultivators in the hall. Normally, the World-level cultivators of the Eastsmoke branch stayed in their own residences; only three were on duty in the main hall.

The Eastsmoke Sect Leader's face darkened.

"Sect Leader, what should we do?"

"Should we activate the formations and let him leave?"

The other three World-level cultivators all looked at the branch sect leader.

The Eastsmoke Sect Leader pondered carefully. "It seems this Fire Immortal's master is quite powerful, but no matter what, he's just a World-level cultivator. Even if he's from the Twelve Palaces, so what? Here, I can still kill him!"

The great sovereign had long given orders, and the members of the Twelve Palaces had also sworn lifeblood oaths.

They were forbidden from killing each other.

But this did not prohibit other World-level cultivators of the Mangya Kingdom. Although those who entered the Twelve Palaces were generally the most powerful among World-level cultivators, over the long years, there had been cases where 'Twelve Palaces World-level cultivators' were killed by ordinary World-level cultivators in the Mangya Kingdom. To that, one could only say: serves them right!

Daolords would not intervene; dying at the hands of a World-level cultivator was their own fault.

"If a follower of his has so many treasures, he must have even more." The Eastsmoke Sect Leader grew increasingly greedy and eager. "No matter what, he's just a World-level cultivator. The sect leader said that no matter how powerful a World-level cultivator is, they cannot overcome the branch's guardian formations."

"Kill."

"Kill him."

The Eastsmoke Sect Leader made his decision immediately.

Greed, confidence in the guardian formations, and the humiliation of Ji Ning's arrogance drove the Eastsmoke Sect Leader to his resolve.

"Hum——" The Eastsmoke Sect Leader willed it, and his mind merged completely with the sealing formation of the Eastsmoke branch, instantly sealing it completely, forbidding all entry and exit. This sealing formation was always active; when Ji Ning had entered earlier, he had used the pretext of 'I want to join the Huilan Sect' and was led inside.

Otherwise, Ji Ning would never have been able to break in; the sealing formation would have stopped him, and other offensive formations would have been quickly manned by World-level cultivators.

"To trespass into our Huilan Sect and act so arrogantly, you truly seek death." The Eastsmoke Sect Leader's mind was one with the sealing formation, and his voice, amplified by the formation's power of heaven and earth, echoed throughout the Eastsmoke branch. "By my command, all disciples, quickly take control of all formations and kill him."

Normally, divine sense transmission would be more covert, but with Ji Ning's divine sense suppressing everything, he could only issue orders through the formation.

"Yes."

"Quickly take control of the formations."

"Hurry."

Some World-level cultivators hesitated. After all, the Eastsmoke Sect Leader's attempt to seize the treasures of another's follower was unjust. Moreover, the opponent's powerful divine sense indicated great strength. These hesitant cultivators began to deliberately delay, wanting to see what this mysterious strongman would do.

But other World-level cultivators immediately obeyed, and some who were close to the Eastsmoke Sect Leader quickly flew toward the formation cores. "Kill him, and we'll get a share of the spoils."

"To dare come into our branch headquarters, how overconfident."

If they rendered meritorious service, a group of World-level cultivators demanding a share of the treasures would be hard for the Eastsmoke Sect Leader to refuse, as World-level disciples held high status.

...

Ji Ning stood before Qingfan the Immortal's grotto, listening to the voice echoing through heaven and earth: "By my command, all disciples, quickly..." Hearing this command to kill, Ji Ning shook his head gently.

"Quickly, think of something," Qingfan the Immortal urged anxiously.

"Formations require cultivators to control them," Ji Ning said coldly.

"Out."

A black-red gourd appeared in midair beside Ji Ning—the Primordial Water-Fire Gourd. From its mouth flew two dragon-like bolts of lightning: the Water-Mist Divine Thunder, like rolling dark clouds and surging waves, and the Fire-Cloud Divine Thunder, with layers of fire clouds and mist spreading in all directions, intertwining and surging outward!

The speed of Chaos Thunder was already faster than almost all Daolords.

Dao Lightning moved at a terrifying speed, leaving even Daolords dumbfounded, let alone World-level cultivators.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh——"

The Dao Lightning spread in all directions. In the blink of an eye, the Eastsmoke branch, spanning millions of kilometers, was completely enveloped by the Water-Mist Divine Thunder and Fire-Cloud Divine Thunder. The two incompatible forces clashed constantly, rumbling endlessly, their power causing heaven and earth to change color.

"What!"

"How is this possible!"

Those World-level cultivators who had rushed forward, hoping to kill Ji Ning and share the spoils, looked in despair at the Dao Lightning descending from the sky. Its speed was utterly hopeless. In the past, Daolord Wanshan had used nine secret arts to suppress Emperor Melobos; the sheer speed of Dao Lightning was such that even Eternal Emperors could not escape.

"Rumble rumble rumble——" The two Dao Lightnings swept downward.

"No——"

A World-level cultivator blindly raised his divine weapon to resist.

But after the lightning swept over him, he was reduced to ashes, his truesoul completely annihilated.

...

If the two Dao Lightnings were concentrated on a single enemy, they could kill even a peak World-level cultivator in one blow. Against a being beyond the World level, they could heavily injure in one blow and kill in several.

But now, Ji Ning had dispersed the two Dao Lightnings, spreading them wide, so their power was greatly reduced.

An ordinary top-tier World-level cultivator could be killed in one sweep. A World-level cultivator at the perfection stage might last a breath or two before dying. Peak World-level cultivators could generally withstand it, but in this small branch of over three hundred World-level cultivators, there were only about ten at the peak.

"Rumble rumble rumble——" Those World-level cultivators who had responded first to the Eastsmoke Sect Leader and rushed forward were killed one by one under the two Dao Lightnings.

The only peak World-level cultivator who had answered the call, after Ji Ning concentrated a large amount of lightning on him, died within a few breaths.

In less than ten breaths,

the thirty-nine World-level cultivators who had responded to the Eastsmoke Sect Leader and rushed toward the formation cores were all killed. Those who had hesitated or waited to see what would happen survived, as Ji Ning did not attack them.

"Thank goodness."

"Thank goodness I was cautious."

"Thank goodness I despised that fool." The many World-level cultivators in the branch looked up at the endless lightning covering the sky—the black and fiery red bolts intertwining and rumbling—and their hearts trembled.

...

Qingfan the Immortal was also dumbfounded, staring at the endless lightning in the sky and then at the black-red gourd floating beside Ji Ning, from whose mouth lightning poured forth.

"I said, anyone who blocks me will be killed without mercy," Ji Ning's voice, accompanied by the thunder, echoed through heaven and earth. "As long as you don't interfere, I won't harm the innocent."

"You killed disciples of our sect; you will die," the Eastsmoke Sect Leader's angry voice also resounded. "Nineteen disciples, quickly activate the formations and kill him."

The Eastsmoke Sect Leader was completely enraged.

Normally, if an external enemy attacked, they could rely on the sealing formation to hold them off while a group of World-level cultivators quickly took control of the various formations to besiege and kill the enemy. These powerful formations required many World-level cultivators to control, and they couldn't always guard the formation cores; they needed to cultivate, usually staying in their residences and rushing to the cores when necessary.

But this time, Ji Ning was inside the branch!

Even inside the branch, normally they could not be stopped from reaching the formation cores, but Ji Ning had the Primordial Water-Fire Gourd, allowing him to kill them in one fell swoop. However, nineteen World-level cultivators were already at the formation cores, so they could still activate some formations.

"You nineteen, if you don't interfere, I won't attack," Ji Ning's voice echoed. "But if you block me, I swear that no matter how long it takes, I will kill every one of you."

The nineteen World-level cultivators at the formation cores hesitated.

Should they interfere?

If they didn't, at least they wouldn't be in danger. But if they failed to kill this mysterious strongman, being targeted by such a figure would be a huge problem.

"Kill him, and I'll split his treasures equally among the nineteen of you," the Eastsmoke Sect Leader transmitted via the formation, then directly sent a voice transmission.

"Kill."

"We're inside the formation cores; he can't touch us."

"Kill him, and the treasures will be ours."

"If we don't act, fine; but if we do, we must kill him."

Except for three World-level cultivators who chose to retreat and watch, the other sixteen, driven by greed, chose to control the formations. Although fully activating all the grand formations would require about sixty World-level cultivators, and they could only activate a small portion, they still had confidence in the power of Daolord Huilan's formations.

"Rumble rumble rumble——" The many grand formations of the branch were activated!

Ji Ning looked up at the sky, his eyes icy cold.