44: Chapter 44

"Hand over the ice soul snow lotus, little handsome one, and this sister will let you leave safely," a still-charming Outer Sect Elder Ji of the Joyful Union Sect flirtatiously laughed.

"Sigh, what's the use of being able to fight? Even if you defeat that Ice-Armored Earth Dragon, you still can't take the treasure."

"The Azure Nether Sword Sect and Joyful Union Sect are truly shameless. Unable to defeat that Ice-Armored Earth Dragon themselves and lacking the skill to retrieve the ice soul snow lotus, they only know how to bully others with their influence."

"Shh, keep your voice down! If the two Sects hear us, we'll be in deep trouble too."

"Pitiful, but there's no other way! After all, they are two Hegemon-level Forces."

The crowd watched this spectacle with varied expressions—some pitying, some gloating, some indifferent, but most clenched their fists and sighed softly at the injustice of the world.

Ye Hao scanned the crowd, the Chaos Heavenly Evolution Art rapidly circulating within him.

The leaders of the Azure Nether Sword Sect and Joyful Union Sect were both Elders at the Foundation Establishment First Layer Realm. In a one-on-one fight, Ye Hao could take their lives within three moves, just like the Ice-Armored Earth Dragon lying nearby.

But such an action would likely provoke retaliation from the two Hegemon-level Forces.

If you add the grudge with the Crimson Firmament Sect at the Secret Realm entrance...

Offending three Hegemon-level Forces at once—Ye Hao felt that even his Revered Master might struggle to handle it.

"There's only one ice soul snow lotus. Should I hand it over to your Azure Nether Sword Sect, or to your Joyful Union Sect?"

Outer Sect Elder Cai of the Azure Nether Sword Sect chuckled, "Kid, don't bother with such clumsy attempts to sow discord. Just hand over the ice soul snow lotus. How the treasure is distributed afterward is none of your concern."

Just as Ye Hao was weighing his options, a Fairy in a white dress arrived by his side.

"If you have the skill, come and take what belongs to my Dao Seeking Sect?" Her voice was icy, carrying an undeniable authority of a superior.

Elder Cai's face turned pale and then flushed, his gaze shifting between Fairy Qiyue and Ye Hao.

That kid's combat prowess was already exaggerated, and this woman was clearly even more formidable. If he truly had the skill to take it, he wouldn't be just an Outer Sect Elder.

After weighing the situation briefly, Elder Cai sneered, "My Azure Nether Sword Sect has many powerful cultivators. Even if you take that ice soul snow lotus today, so what? Your Dao Seeking Sect has already offended the Hegemon-level Force Crimson Firmament Sect. Do you really want to have dealings with our Azure Nether Sword Sect as well?"

This was using Sect background to bully others.

Ye Hao whispered, "Elder Qiyue, maybe we should just forget it. I'm worried about Revered Master..."

"Noisy!"

Fairy Qiyue uttered only two words, her fair jade-like hand curling her fingers slightly. A speck of moonlight at her fingertip instantly transformed into a silver thread barely visible to the naked eye, piercing through the wind and snow to penetrate Elder Cai's forehead.

With a "thud," the white-haired old man fell stiffly into the snow, lifeless.

The crowd gasped, the surroundings falling into dead silence as they stared in disbelief at the scene.

"She actually dared to make a move."

"Are all the Disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect this hot-tempered? That was someone from the Azure Nether Sword Sect, a Hegemon-level Force."

"How did that woman strike? I didn't see it at all. I thought the Azure Nether Sword Sect Elder had fallen asleep from old age."

The Outer Sect Elder Ji of the Joyful Union Sect instantly turned deathly pale, two drops of cold sweat trickling down her spine.

Her Realm was on par with Elder Cai's. If the other party could kill so easily, and if she had been the one speaking earlier, her fate would likely have been the same.

This woman looked young but was likely a powerhouse at the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer or above.

Thinking this, Elder Ji couldn't help but shiver, toning down her flirtatious demeanor and not daring to lift her eyes to look at the ice-cold woman.

She waved her hand, and the Joyful Union Sect Disciples immediately cleared the path.

Fairy Qiyue slowly withdrew her gaze, sweeping it indifferently over the surroundings, her eyes carrying a detached, aloof air. Squashing that annoying snow bug had lifted her spirits considerably.

She turned her head toward Ye Hao and asked softly, "What were you saying just now?"

Ye Hao chuckled wryly. This Elder Qiyue's temper was somewhat similar to his Revered Master's.

"Nothing. Shall we leave now?"

Fairy Qiyue's eyes brightened slightly as she shook her head gently. "It seems there are still two annoying snow bugs."

At that moment!

Two figures, wrapped in sharp Sword Qi, shot into the snow valley from outside, landing and stirring up a cloud of snow mist.

The newcomers were two Inner Sect Elders of the Azure Nether Sword Sect, powerhouses at the Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer. After receiving Elder Cai's message talisman, they had rushed here immediately.

The two scanned their surroundings, their gazes falling on Elder Cai's body in the snow.

Elder Zhu's face darkened as he looked toward the still-charming Elder Ji of the Joyful Union Sect. "Daring to kill someone from my Azure Nether Sword Sect—you have quite the nerve."

"Where is the ice soul snow lotus? Hand it over obediently, unless you want this old man to resort to harsh measures."

In their view, the only ones in this place who would dare to kill without fearing the Azure Nether Sword Sect must be the Joyful Union Sect, another Hegemon-level Force.

As soon as they finished speaking, a Disciple from the Azure Nether Sword Sect stepped forward to report.

"Elder Zhu, it wasn't the Joyful Union Sect who killed Elder Cai. It was that group over there!"

Hmm?

Elder Zhu looked in the indicated direction. His gaze first fell on Ye Hao, and seeing he was only at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, a trace of disdain flashed in his eyes before he turned to Fairy Qiyue beside him.

"People from the Dao Seeking Sect?"

The Disciple added, "Elder, the ice soul snow lotus is also with them."

"Arrogant!" roared the other Elder beside Elder Zhu. He took a step forward, the pressure of the Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer instantly spreading out, the Qi fluctuations around him surging incessantly.

If the Joyful Union Sect had dared such an act, he wouldn't have found it surprising.

The two Hegemon-level Forces had long-standing frictions. For the Azure Nether Sword Sect, Elders like Cai—Outer Sect Elders—numbered in the hundreds if not thousands.

If one died, so be it; it just provided another pretext to hold the Joyful Union Sect accountable.

But it turned out it wasn't the Joyful Union Sect. A mere upstart like the Dao Seeking Sect actually daring to provoke the tiger—that was what infuriated him.

"Die!"

Before the words fully faded, the man's right hand suddenly formed a hand seal. The green spiritual power around him surged violently, transforming into a sword-shaped energy column as thick as a bowl, tearing through the wind and snow with a sharp whistle as it shot toward Fairy Qiyue without warning.

Just as everyone thought the white-dressed Fairy and her companions were doomed, the woman stood unmoving, not even lifting an eyelid.

Only when the Sword Qi was less than ten feet away did she slowly raise her delicate hand, a wisp of silver radiance like moonlight condensing at her fingertip, which she gently flicked forward.

The formidable green Sword Qi, upon colliding with the silver radiance, vanished like mud into the sea without even a ripple, instantly dispersing into specks of light.

The unexpected strike came and went quickly.

Before the crowd could recover from their shock, the wisp of silver radiance at the white-dressed Fairy's fingertip shot out like a shadow, piercing the forehead of the Elder who had attacked.

With a "thud," another body lay in the frigid snow.

The crowd felt a chill rush from their feet up their spines, a sobering realization dawning on them.