Chapter 144

Chapter 144: The Social Butterfly of Godfall Ridge

Boom!

Qi Wuhen fought with increasing ferocity. Grasping a divine spear with one hand and unleashing thunder techniques with the other, nine Dao Palaces manifested behind him. They seemed to command the Nine Heavens as nine layers of Divine Thunder devoured the heavens and earth, leaving Meng Baiyu utterly exhausted.

"So much for Senior Brother Seven, it seems," Qi Wuhen sneered.

The divine spear thrust forward, plunging the sky into sudden darkness. Eight copies of Qi Wuhen abruptly appeared in all directions of the world, joining their true self to attack Meng Baiyu simultaneously.

"Book of Eternal Silence!"

A stone-carved ancient tome materialized before Meng Baiyu. On its surface, tadpole-like characters shimmered. As Meng Baiyu poured his spiritual power into it, one ancient character flashed brilliantly.

An instant later, the heavens and earth descended into primordial silence. The sea of thunder dried up, and the eight Qi Wuhens vanished like burst bubbles.

As Qi Wuhen thrust his spear, all his strength dissipated. The divine spear dulled abruptly.

The power of eternal silence descended. Qi Wuhen’s raven-black hair visibly turned snowy white. In the blink of an eye, the spirited youth became an elderly man with gray hair.

"Senior Brother Seven is truly powerful!" the beautiful woman exclaimed eagerly.

"Final Radiance," said the young man in linen beside Bu Linglong, shaking his head. His words were sparse and clipped.

He held no confidence in Meng Baiyu.

Bu Linglong offered no reply. This linen-clad youth also belonged to the Taihao Heavenly Sect, possessed strength exceeding Meng Baiyu’s, and maintained habitual silence.

"Four Poles Reincarnation!"

A cold resolve flashed in Qi Wuhen’s eyes. Clenching the divine spear, he pushed the Four Poles and Eight Wastelands Scripture to its limit. Cyclical power surged forth.

Within moments, the spear reclaimed its luster. His body reversed its aging, regaining its youthful form. His life force blazed with the fury of the sun.

Boom!

The divine spear radiated blinding brilliance as the power of reincarnation engulfed the world.

The light of that ancient character faded, bound as if by invisible chains. It could release no force whatsoever.

A look of utter shock overcame Meng Baiyu.

Ding!

But at this precise instant, Bu Linglong flicked her finger. A streak of silver light shattered the cycle and pierced through Qi Wuhen’s profound technique. Meng Baiyu, stunned only momentarily, immediately seized the chance to escape.

A shadow fell over Qi Wuhen’s face. He leveled his spear at Bu Linglong. "You cheat!"

Had Bu Linglong not dismantled his technique just now, Meng Baiyu would surely have perished under his cyclical powers.

"The Taihao Heavenly Sect amounts to nothing," Qi Wuhen declared with profound contempt.

"Senior, they cheated!"

Ye Xian’er now voiced indignation on Qi Wuhen’s behalf. Though she despised the arrogant Qi Wuhen, she detested Bu Linglong and the Taihao Heavenly Sect’s rule-breaking even more.

"Watch the show quietly," Ye Xu replied.

Unless matters went too far, he had no intention of intervening.

"Junior Brother Meng was not a match for others, so he lost." Bu Linglong smiled lightly, seemingly untroubled by Qi Wuhen’s mockery, "If Sir still wants to fight, my Taihao Heavenly Sect will see this through to the end."

"Tsk tsk…"

Qi Wuhen wore a look of disdain, "A pack of shameless curs, I have no desire to keep you company."

Qi Wuhen turned around to enter the Red Dust Demon Sect, saying to Li Ruofeng, "Kid, lead the way quickly. I need to meet Nangong Zhandao."

Li Ruofeng was stunned, completely unable to process the situation.

"This lad is sharp—he saw through Bu Linglong’s intention." The tall man’s lips curled slightly at the corners, muttering, "He’s an intriguing opponent."

"How did he just leave?" Ye Xian’er also asked, confused.

"He, naturally, chickened out." Ye Xu said with a laugh.

Qi Wuhen was arrogant, but he wasn’t a fool.

The young man in linen and Bu Linglong both surpassed Meng Baiyu in strength; after a battle that left his vital energy damaged from fighting Meng Baiyu, engaging the young man in linen or Bu Linglong again offered zero chance of victory.

At that moment, taking refuge in the Red Dust Demon Sect was clearly the best way to ensure his safety.

Swish!

A blurred shadow flickered past like a fleeting light, and Bu Linglong appeared ahead of Qi Wuhen, blocking his path.

She still wore a gentle smile, "Sir, you killed two members of my Taihao Heavenly Sect, injured another, and expect to walk away scot-free without any explanation?"

Qi Wuhen’s heart skipped a beat, but his expression showed no change, "Sister, you’re beautiful, but your heart is truly vicious—dead set on taking my life."

"Look, Taihao Heavenly Sect is a renowned power across all realms; you wouldn’t stoop to bullying a rogue cultivator, would you?"

"…"

People stared in dumbfounded shock.

A rogue cultivator?

Could a rogue cultivator slay Yue Changqing first, then Luo Yu, and finally wound Meng Baiyu?

"Sister, you’re only this brazen because you know I lack allies here." Qi Wuhen said lightly, "Here’s the truth: my brother is a disciple of the famous master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

He glanced toward Ye Xu.

Pfft!

Ye Xu spat out a mouthful of wine, utterly unable to hold back.

How on earth did this guy concoct that idea?

"The master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion—ever heard of him?"

Qi Wuhen grinned smugly, "In the Yuan Realm over the last six months, nearly every major event ties back to the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. That esteemed figure has vast divine abilities and is truly omnipotent."

"You picking on me? Fine. But my brother? I doubt he’ll share that sentiment."

Whoosh!

Qi Wuhen gave a slight beckoning motion, and a wine gourd drifted down from the air to land on the ground.

Ye Xu and Ye Xian’er moved into clear view of the crowd.

Bu Linglong studied Ye Xu with intense gravity, but her cultivation proved insufficient to fathom his depths. Verifying the truth behind Qi Wuhen’s claim was impossible for her.

"So this person has been watching the spectacle from the sky all along?"

The crowd glared at the wine and spiritual fruits on the gourd, with veins bulging on their foreheads.

"Brother, you’ve got to say something fair!"

Qi Wuhen threw his arm around Ye Xu’s shoulder in a brotherly, intimate manner.

Ye Xian’er was utterly baffled.

Only Li Ruofeng was struck dumb.

"Mast…Master…"

He stared at Ye Xu, his tongue tied and unresponsive.

Although he had only seen Ye Xu once, he had long memorized Ye Xu’s appearance and naturally knew he was the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

"Qi Wuhen, how did you get to Southern Wilderness all by yourself?"

At that moment, a voice rang out from deep within the void, and a wisp of aura pierced through the emptiness.

Qi Wuhen’s eyes lit up.

Crack!

The void shattered, and a group of young cultivators descended.

There were six in total.

Each was at the saint realm level.

"Sister Meng, I’ve missed you to death!"

Qi Wuhen instantly released Ye Xu’s shoulder and dashed toward the green-robed woman in the lead like an adoring fan, his face full of fervor and admiration, shedding all his arrogance.

The woman wore a green robe, disguised as a man; she had a tall, slender build and an elegant demeanor.

Even in men’s clothing, she couldn’t conceal her unparalleled beauty and grace.

Her cultivation was profound, reaching the late saint realm stage.

Though not as mighty as Bu Linglong, she gave off an aura of being even more terrifying and powerful.

"This guy is so opportunistic."

Ye Xu shook his head with a bitter laugh.

The newcomers were naturally from Godfall Ridge; Qi Wuhen calling the leader Sister Meng undoubtedly referred to Meng Feixian, who was second on the Hidden Dragon List.

Disguised as a man, she was still breathtaking, befitting an heir of the Da Meng Clan.

Bu Linglong’s expression grew slightly tense.

The six people before her were all from the ancient divine clans, their origins self-evident.

Moreover, given how close Qi Wuhen was with them, it seemed impossible for her to deal with Qi Wuhen now.

"What happened?"

Meng Feixian stood unmoving; Qi Wuhen rushed to within a meter of her but appeared blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to advance any further.

Her gaze swept past Bu Linglong and the others as she questioned Qi Wuhen.

"Of course it’s a fight."

Qi Wuhen couldn’t be bothered to explain. He looked provocatively at Bu Linglong and snorted coldly, "If you want to fight, just say so! I can keep you company all the way now!"

"Who doesn’t have teammates?"

The arrival of Meng Feixian and others made Qi Wuhen feel very confident.

Their lineup could be called the new generation all-stars of Godfall Ridge, covering second to eighth place on the Hidden Dragon List; all were heirs of the ancient divine clans.

Most importantly, Qi Wuhen was familiar with each of them and they were close friends.

He had no sect or faction, so there were no conflicts of interest over gain. Thus, among the ancient divine clans in Godfall Ridge, he had many friends and was famously social in Godfall Ridge.

"Were they harassing you just now?"

A man with an eerie aura spoke up. He licked his lips, his eyes revealing a bloodthirsty red glow, and said, "Need me to help you wipe them all out?"

The beautiful woman felt fear upon hearing this.

"Don’t act recklessly."

Meng Feixian frowned slightly. She clearly acted as the eldest sister figure of the group and held the power to decide.

"Everyone, if Qi Wuhen offended any of you, I apologize on his behalf. Let’s leave this matter behind us. What do you say?" Meng Feixian’s aura fluctuated faintly as she smiled gently.

"No way."

Meng Baiyu was cold-faced. "If we don’t punish him, where will Taihao Heavenly Sect’s honor be?"

"You have no right to interrupt here."

Bu Linglong scolded, "Back off!"

"Senior Sister Two!"

Meng Baiyu showed defiance.

However, Bu Linglong gave him a glance that was icy and indifferent. Meng Baiyu’s body shivered; he swallowed the words rising to his throat and stepped back one position.

"Can one apology pay for two lives?" Bu Linglong didn’t seem like she would yield. "If we let this slide, where’s the fairness in it?"

"Fellow seniors, since they’re using Godfall Ridge to pressure Taihao Heavenly Sect, please help me uphold justice, given we all come from the Spirit Realm."

Bu Linglong looked at the four people from the Holy Sect of Transformation and the Empress Nuwa Clan.

"After this is over, I’ll offer willingly what you desire with both hands."

Bu Linglong stated the terms.

"Hahaha…"

A tall man laughed heartily. "Junior Sister, that sounds too formal. We all hail from the Spirit Realm, so in this foreign place, we naturally stick together to get by."

"If they try to intimidate by force, we won’t just sit and watch either."

"That makes sense."

The woman from the Empress Nuwa Clan brushed her hair lightly, winding it around her fingers, with a faint, ambiguous smile.

"Senior, are they really going to come to blows?"

Ye Xian’er clenched her pink fists, full of anticipation.

When the people of Godfall Ridge descended, the crowd automatically ignored Ye Xu and the other two.

Ye Xu and Ye Xian’er had already approached Li Ruofeng. Under Li Ruofeng’s gaze of awe and admiration, Ye Xu lightly said, "Then let them fight!"

"F-Forebear…"

Li Ruofeng finally found his tongue.

"Keep it low-key," Ye Xu made a shushing gesture.

"This junior understands…" Li Ruofeng trembled with excitement, as if even uttering a word to Ye Xu was an immense honor.

"It seems you all insist on tearing off all pretense of cordiality," sighed Meng Feixian softly, looking helpless.

She never expected that the first task after leaving Godfall Ridge would be cleaning up Qi Wuhen’s mess. That guy truly was a troublemaker incarnate.

"We’ll eventually shed all pretenses—so why not now?" The woman from the Empress Nuwa Clan giggled seductively. "The reputation of Godfall Ridge rings like thunder in our ears, but I wonder just how much substance the geniuses emerging from it truly possess?"

"I’ve been meaning to test this too!" roared the towering man, his demonic energy soaring to the heavens.

"Then let’s slaughter until we turn the world upside down!" Qi Wuhen smirked.

The five top prodigies of the ancient divine clans burned with even fiercer battle intent. Their journey wasn’t just to survey the Yuan Realm’s situation—it was also aimed at Nangong Zhandao himself. The ranking on the Hidden Dragon List stuck in their throats like a bone. Without a single decisive battle, they couldn’t command true respect.

"Let’s start by using these otherworldly cultivators as whetstones!" The effeminate man curled his lips into an eerie grin, his entire form melting into the shadows like a predator eyeing its prey.

"You’ve run rampant here for days. Did you truly mistake the Red Dust Demon Sect for a place where you can act wildly at your whim?" Just as the group stirred restlessly, a voice laced with cold fury echoed forth from within the Red Dust Demon Sect.

Qi Ruyu descended through the air, wrath etched upon her face. Since this crowd’s arrival, the Red Dust Demon Sect had been filled with miasma and unrest. Now, they actually wanted to start a massive free-for-all? This was nothing but spitting in their faces!

"A mere Saint King thinks she can stop us?" Meng Baiyu scoffed coldly. "Scram back inside, or we’ll butcher you along with them!" He was itching to battle the Godfall Ridge prodigies and wash away his disgrace—how could he let Qi Ruyu interfere?

Bam!

The moment the words left his lips, Meng Baiyu’s body exploded without warning. Soul and spirit, utterly annihilated!

"Who else wishes to die?"

A frost-clear voice resonated, piercing through the Purple Palaces of everyone present.

At the same moment.

Three figures gradually descended through the void.

There they stood: Nangong Zhandao, Lin Qianmo, and Lan Youruo.