319: Famous throughout the world

After sensing the lingering, heart-stopping Soul Power, Venerable Ming Gu, the long-famous One-star Dou Zun, made an immediate decision without any hesitation.

Sect prestige, the blood feud of the elders —in the face of his own life and long-term future, all of it was utter nonsense!

He took a deep look at the chaotic battlefield, engraving the terrifying soul aura into his mind.

Immediately, his figure flickered, disappearing into the air like a phantom, silently returning to the Xuanming Sect headquarters at a speed faster than when he arrived.

Returning to the gloomy main hall, the terrified elders below were still kneeling, awaiting the Sect Master's thunderous rage and next instructions.

However, when Venerable Ming Gu spoke, his tone was unexpectedly calm, even carrying a hint of weariness and retreat that was hard to detect.

"The events of today, and everything concerning the Black Wind Mountain Range, are classified as the Sect's highest secret. All disciples who know of it are hereby placed under a gag order. No one is allowed to discuss or investigate further. Violators will have their cultivation abolished and be expelled from the Sect!"

This command caused the elders below to exchange astonished glances.

Three elders died, including the Second Elder, and he was just going to let it go?

Not even an investigation?

Before they could raise any questions, Venerable Ming Gu continued, his tone turning ethereal.

"This Venerable One has been in seclusion for many years. Recently, I have had a feeling that the bottleneck that has troubled me for years seems to be loosening. Having been stagnant at the One-star Dou Zun realm for over a decade, it is time to travel abroad and seek an opportunity for a breakthrough."

He glanced at the crowd below and said faintly.

"While This Venerable One is away, all Sect matters will be temporarily handled by the First Elder. All of you must strictly guard the Sect and must not venture out to cause trouble easily."

These words completely stunned all the elders.

The Sect Master was leaving just like that?

And at a time when the Sect had suffered such heavy losses?

Why did this sound so much like running away?

Venerable Ming Gu did not give them time to react or question him.

As soon as his voice faded, the space around him subtly twisted, and his figure slowly dissipated from the main seat in the hall, leaving only an echo reverberating within the hall.

"All of you... take care of yourselves."

The next moment, Venerable Ming Gu's figure appeared in the distant sky outside the Xuanming Sect's gates.

He did not look back, accelerating to the extreme, fleeing rapidly in the opposite direction from the Black Wind Mountain Range and the potentially existing Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster —a true example of making a swift getaway!

"Hmph, a bunch of fools, what do they understand?"

"This Venerable One is a Dou Zun Expert! As long as I am alive, relying on this title, even if the Sect temporarily declines, I can rise again at any time in the future, or even establish a new, stronger Sect!"

"But if I confront that potentially existing Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster for the sake of so-called face, and die, then I will truly be worthless!"

"First, I'll go out and avoid the limelight, travel for a few years, and see how the situation develops. It won't be too late to return and regroup then."

"If the opponent is too powerful, at worst, I'll just change locations and start over! The strength of a Dou Zun is highly sought after everywhere!"

Thinking of this, Venerable Ming Gu accelerated his escape even further, terrified that slowing down even slightly would allow the terrifying existence he imagined to catch up.

Sect foundation and the blood feud of the elders —in the face of absolute disparity in strength and the crisis of survival, they all seemed so pale and ridiculous.

Paper, after all, cannot wrap fire.

The news that three Dou Zong Elders of the Xuanming Sect, including Chen Ming, the Peak Dou Zong Second Elder, were counter-killed in the Black Wind Mountain Range by a Three-star Dou Zong suspected to be named Jiang Donghua, spread with astonishing speed throughout the entire Northern Region of Central State as if it had grown wings, and continued to diffuse into more distant regions.

Initially, almost everyone who heard this news scoffed at it, believing it was absolutely an absurd fabrication made up by some bored person!

"Are you kidding me? A Three-star Dou Zong counter-killed three high-level Dou Zongs, including a Peak Dou Zong? Do you think Dou Zongs are cabbages in the field that can be chopped down at will?"

"Haha, this exaggeration is beyond measure! I think the Xuanming Sect offended some major power, got silenced, and was too embarrassed to admit it, so they fabricated such an outrageous excuse, right?"

"If a Three-star Dou Zong had that ability, I'd eat this table right now!"

Voices of doubt and ridicule dominated the narrative.

After all, this achievement was too shocking, completely overturning people's understanding of the power hierarchy within the Dou Zong realm.

Challenging those above one's level was common, but to use the power of a Three-star and achieve such a heaven-defying counter-kill while the opposing side had a Peak Dou Zong anchoring the formation —this could no longer be described as genius; it was a myth!

However, as more details emerged, along with corroboration from mercenaries and rogue cultivators who were on the outskirts of the Black Wind Mountain Range and felt the clash of those terrifying auras, plus the most crucial and undeniable fact —the Sect Master of the Xuanming Sect.

Venerable Ming Gu, the One-star Dou Zun, after personally investigating the incident location, returned to the Sect not only without launching bloody revenge but immediately announced his seclusion, and then silently left the Sect shortly after, supposedly to travel abroad —the entire narrative began a 180-degree reversal!

Venerable Ming Gu's reaction was more convincing than any rumor!

A Dou Zun Expert, after his own Sect suffered such a tremendous humiliation, not only failed to unleash thunderous rage but instead chose a method that amounted to retreat. The implications behind this made all major powers feel a chill down their spines!

"Could the rumors be true? Is there a terrifying existence standing behind Jiang Donghua that even Venerable Ming Gu dares not provoke?"

"Hiss... What level of power could force a Dou Zun to choose to temporarily withdraw? A Venerable One? Or perhaps a Saint?"

"It seems the Xuanming Sect has truly hit a brick wall this time! No wonder Old Freak Ming Gu ran faster than a rabbit!"

Speculation and shock replaced doubt. People began to re-examine the mysterious young man named Jiang Donghua.

"A Three-star Dou Zong cultivation, yet possessing the terrifying combat power to defeat a Peak Dou Zong —if this young man doesn't possess some shocking secret art, then he must have a profound background that we cannot imagine!"

"Jiang Donghua, this name was never heard before; it's as if he appeared out of thin air! His appearance immediately stirred up the Northern Region!"

"Terrifying! Absolutely terrifying! Such a person must never be provoked!"

In the following days, as discussions deepened and time passed, the name Jiang Donghua, along with his legendary achievements in the Black Wind Mountain Range, swept like a storm, not only across the entire Northern Region of Central State but also beginning to spread toward other areas of Central State.

Countless powers placed this name on their list of people who absolutely must not be provoked, and they mobilized all their resources to try and unearth more information about this mysterious expert.

As time passed, Jiang Donghua became famous throughout Central State. Although he himself had not appeared, he had already become an idol worshipped by countless young cultivators, as well as an object of apprehension and focused attention for established powers.

The existence of his reputation was like a massive stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up layer upon layer of long-lasting ripples across the vast land of Central State.