Chapter 187 Elder, everyone who fought with Yan Chu is dead.

Outside Cangzhou City, Cuihu Villa.

It was winter, and heavy snow was falling. For hundreds of miles around, everything was covered in silver, and not a soul was in sight.

The lake in front of Cuihu Villa had long since frozen over, covered by a thick layer of snow.

A row of weeping willows stood by the lakeshore, their branches swaying in the cold wind as snow fell from them with a rustle.

In this freezing winter weather, the north wind swirled with goose-feather snow that covered everything. Amidst the vast expanse of white, two figures appeared, leaning close to each other.

The person on the left was a man, tall and dressed in a black robe. His specific features were unclear, but he had a pair of bright eyes that were unforgettable.

Leaning close beside him was a woman.

A moon-white fox fur coat wrapped around the woman's slender figure. The white fluff at the collar was dusted with fine snow, yet the skin at her neckline was even more smooth and translucent than the snow itself.

Over the fox fur, she wore a bright red cloak that fluttered like fire in the cold wind, tearing a brilliant light through the plain white of heaven and earth, like a red plum in the snow breaking through the cold.

The two of them braved the heavy snow, trudging along as they appeared on the horizon...

...

Inside the Villa Master's room at Cuihu Villa.

While the cold wind howled outside, it was warm and pleasant in here.

A brazier in the center burned with a roaring flame, making the room feel warm and cozy.

However, even without this brazier, a bit of chill would have no effect on the people inside the room.

In the main seats of the room sat two people, one on the left and one on the right.

In the seat of honor on the left was a white-browed old man dressed in a brocade robe.

He leaned back in his chair, his fingers occasionally tapping the armrest as he sat with his eyes closed, resting his spirit.

As his eyes opened and closed, a sharp glint could be seen deep within them.

To his right was a young man wearing a blood-red robe. His hands had large knuckles, and his fingernails glinted with a bloody light.

"You are saying that Xu Chuo was killed by Yan Chu?"

"If that is the case, why were you two able to survive?"

The young man stared coldly at Yao Chuan and Zhu Qiming, who were kneeling on the ground. His killing intent was even more bone-chilling than the winter wind.

The fire in the room extinguished with a puff, and the wind and snow outside vanished instantly.

Yao Chuan and Zhu Qiming were trembling with fear, feeling as if their bodies were being scraped by steel knives. They were in unbearable pain and shaking uncontrollably.

The young man before them was the Saint of the Red Lotus Lineage.

The Great Grandmaster Qu Hong.

The old man beside him was the Fifth Elder of the Red Lotus Lineage, Pang Daxing, a Supreme Grandmaster powerhouse.

Within the three lineages of the Holy Lotus Sect, each lineage had its own Saint and Saintess.

A total of six Saints and Saintesses would eventually compete to determine the strongest, who would then become the successor to the Sect Leader.

As the Saint of the Red Lotus Lineage, Qu Hong was only in his thirties but was already a Great Grandmaster.

This kind of talent naturally could not be compared with Yan Chu.

But compared to ordinary cultivators, he was also a top-tier Prodigy, not at all inferior to those on the heavenly pride ranking.

And what made Holy Lotus Cult Members even more terrified than his talent was his ruthlessness.

The Holy Lotus Sect was already a world-renowned evil cult.

They had always taken it as their duty to overthrow the Imperial Dynasty and establish the Vacuum Home.

As the bloodiest and most cruel lineage of the Holy Lotus Sect, to securely hold the position of Saint, Qu Hong's hands had been stained with untold amounts of blood, and he had slaughtered countless living beings.

Yao Chuan and Zhu Qiming were also veterans of the Holy Lotus Sect.

But having heard of Qu Hong's fierce reputation, they were now trembling all over, unable to control themselves, feeling as if a great disaster was about to befall them.

"Saint, please be clear-sighted!"

Zhu Qiming kowtowed on the ground and said in terror:

"The two of us were not at the scene when it happened. It was only through later investigation that we discovered the Branch Master had been killed by that Blade Demon Yan Chu."

"That Yan Chu is a Supreme Grandmaster. We were no match for him and could only cower inside Cangzhou City, not daring to make a move!"

This was what he and Yao Chuan had agreed upon—to push everything onto Yan Chu and hide the fact that they had already defected to him.

This had also received Shen Zuirong's approval.

They were well aware of the methods of the Red Lotus Lineage.

If it were known that the two of them had betrayed the sect, death would be the lightest punishment; they would surely face a fate worse than death.

"Yan Chu! When on earth are you coming?"

Zhu Qiming screamed in his heart.

Shen Zuirong had promised him that Yan Chu would arrive soon and told them to temporarily stall the Saint and the Fifth Elder.

But every second they stayed here felt like an extreme agony.

Puh!

Qu Hong, with a cold expression, extended a finger, piercing a blood hole into Zhu Qiming's shoulder. Blood Baleful Power continuously eroded the wound.

"Ugh..."

Zhu Qiming let out a muffled groan but did not dare to scream, remaining respectfully kneeling on the ground.

"Do you two think this Saint is a three-year-old child? So easily fooled?"

"Why didn't you report this sooner?"

"Tell the truth. Have you already joined Yan Chu? Have you betrayed my Holy Sect?"

Qu Hong's eyes were sinister, and his tone was cold.

Although the two in front of him masked it well, he did not believe things were that simple.

Otherwise, if Xu Chuo was dead, why hadn't they reported upward sooner?

Why did they only reveal the news of Xu Chuo's death after the two of them arrived at Cangzhou Prefecture?

"Old Zhu..."

Yao Chuan felt anxious as he watched Zhu Qiming's miserable state. In just this short time, the Blood Baleful Power had already consumed nearly half of the other man's vitality.

If it wasn't removed in time, his entire body would be eroded to death.

"Saint, we both have the seven worm heart-corroding pill planted by the Holy Sect within us. How would we dare to betray you?"

"It is just that the Branch Master was only killed recently, and we only just discovered the killer!"

"Useless!"

Qu Hong was in a violent mood and did not listen to their explanation at all, sweeping his sleeve.

A blood-colored gale howled, instantly sweeping the two of them dozens of meters away. They crashed through the room's walls and fell into the courtyard.

Puh! Puh!

Yao Chuan and Zhu Qiming both spat out mouthfuls of blood mixed with fragments of their liver, staining the snow on the ground blood-red.

The two felt excruciating pain in their internal organs and exchanged bitter smiles.

The Saint Qu Hong was no ordinary Great Grandmaster; he was now at the Great Grandmaster Peak. They had no power to resist him at all.

And looking at his appearance, he didn't believe a word they said.

On one hand, they were poisoned by the Holy Lotus Sect, and on the other, they were marked with a Primordial Spirit Mark by Yan Chu. Being caught in the middle was truly agonizing.

Qu Hong walked out of the room expressionless. The heavy snow above the courtyard instantly stopped, and the snow on the ground began to melt.

"It seems that if I don't give you some suffering, you don't intend to tell the truth!"

"Saint!"

Just as Yao Chuan and Zhu Qiming turned pale, thinking they were about to be killed, the Fifth Elder Pang Daxing inside the room spoke up, advising:

"Now that Xu Chuo is dead, the various branches within Cangzhou Prefecture still need to be reorganized. Why not temporarily spare their lives so they can atone for their crimes with meritorious service?"

"After all, that Yan Chu is not easy to deal with!"

Hearing this, Yao Chuan hurriedly crawled forward a few steps on his knees and kowtowed:

"The Fifth Elder is wise!"

"That Yan Chu's name shakes the world; everyone who has fought him is dead!"

"We also wanted to avenge the Branch Master, but our strength is simply too low..."

"Hmph!"

Qu Hong swept his sleeve again, sending Yao Chuan flying dozens of meters. He crashed through the courtyard wall and snapped several trees in the villa before coming to a stop.

"What 'shaking the world' bullshit?"

"Everyone who fought him is dead? Those who fight this Saint find it hard even to die!"