Shen Yun glanced at the other three pale-faced Grandmasters. None of them wanted to run away, as Qing Guang, who hadn't managed to get very far, was the perfect example of what would happen. He hesitated for a moment.
"Leave them for Wei Er and the others to handle. Also, Little Nine, change the BGM to something more upbeat."
"You are the wind, you are electricity, you are the only myth..."
"Stop, stop, stop. Change it again." Shen Yun's face darkened with exasperation.
"The dancing lightning at your fingertips is my unwavering faith in this life..."
"Hold on, that's not even a real song, okay?" Shen Yun smiled wryly. "Never mind."
However, with Little Nine's interruption, the inexplicable sense of oppression had indeed eased considerably. But the Grandmasters in front of him, who were usually capable of Summoning Wind and Rain, were not as comfortable. Every slight change in Shen Yun's expression left them trembling in fear. At the same time, they felt an overwhelming sense of bitterness.
The last time a Grandmaster perished was on the battlefield between two nations seven years ago. This time... in just three short days, it was highly likely that three Grandmasters had fallen! Or perhaps even six! They had cultivated bitterly for a century to attain the Dao and achieve longevity. Yet now, just like those mortals unable to cultivate, their lives were entirely in someone else's hands.
SQUELCH!
With one final punch, Wei Er shattered Qing Hao's internal organs right through his so-called precious armor. Spiritual Power ravaged his body, destroying both his body and soul.
The other Grandmasters shuddered in unison. It was too fast. Even though Qing Hao had lost all will to fight, this was still far too fast!
"You lot..." Drenched in blood, Wei Er glared fiercely at the remaining three. "Are now captives of my Jiuzhou Sect, understood?"
"Understood, understood!" The three of them breathed a collective sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly. "Rest assured, sir. Since your esteemed sect has a peak Grandmaster, we will certainly not overstep our bounds."
A peak Grandmaster could wield the might of heaven and earth. Just standing there exuded a massive deterrent force! It was safe to say that if the Shen Yun standing before them went to war with the Azure Emperor, even if they remained in the Cyan Cloud Pavilion, they absolutely wouldn't intervene, as that would be courting death.
"Master Shen," Wei Er flew to Shen Yun's side. "Thank you for this."
"There's no need for such words." Shen Yun raised his palm, glancing at Qing Hao's corpse on the ground. "What do you plan to do next?"
Killing a few ordinary Grandmasters wasn't difficult, but it seemed that the Azure Emperor was the real trouble.
"Establish our dominance, of course!" Wei Er revealed a decisive expression. "In this world, nothing establishes dominance better than killing a peak Grandmaster. We originally planned to lure that Azure Emperor here and then obliterate him with highly destructive missiles. Now that we have you, Master Shen, our chances of success are even greater."
Even if world-ending nuclear weapons couldn't be used recklessly, ordinary missiles could still be disguised as sect magical treasures.
"Lure him?" Shen Yun quickly caught the main point.
"That Azure Emperor is extremely extravagant, and his vanity is known to all. Just a little provocation..." Wei Er had long been prepared. This was actually one of the backup plans they had set up over the past few days, but the moment they made their move, they had already decided to put it into action.
"Master, if that's the case, we can send a letter of challenge..." Little Nine muttered in Shen Yun's mind for quite a while.
Shen Yun's eyes grew brighter as his gaze shifted to Qing Hao's corpse below. "Where is that Azure Emperor's residence? I just need the general direction and distance."
"Are you thinking of..." Noticing Shen Yun's gaze, Wei Er suddenly grew excited. "Can you even do that?"
"It's not hard," Shen Yun said casually.
"Just don't scare him so much that he doesn't dare to show up." Wei Er provided the direction and distance.
Raising a hand, Shen Yun swept out his Spiritual Power, directly lifting Qing Hao's corpse. He stripped off the precious armor, then summoned Qing Guang's sword and infused it with Spiritual Power.
"Go!" he shouted softly.
Lightning flickered on the sword as it instantly pierced through Qing Hao's corpse, streaking off toward the horizon.
The remaining three Grandmasters trembled in horror once again. A madman, this guy was definitely a madman! To string up the Azure Emperor's disciple's corpse using the disciple's own Lifebound Magical Treasure for all the world to see... this was a provocation with absolutely no bottom line! No, it was a declaration of war! A battle to the death!
They could already imagine the Azure Emperor's fury.
***
Meanwhile, a longsword tore through the sky, carrying a corpse along with bursts of lightning.
Along the way, any Grandmasters who occasionally flew up to investigate were frightened into a hasty retreat. This was catastrophic! A major event had occurred! There were only about twenty Grandmasters in the empire, and they all knew one another. The Grandmaster most valued by the Azure Emperor in the Cyan Cloud Pavilion had been killed, and his corpse was being returned in such a manner. No matter who had done this, it was enough to trigger a storm of blood and gore!
For a time, all ordinary Grandmasters without the backing of a peak Grandmaster decided to enter secluded cultivation to avoid this turbulent period. The longer one lived, the more one feared death.
In Cyan Cloud City, within a resplendent palace, the Azure Emperor—who was still completely oblivious—was preparing to dine. He was an elderly man with snow-white hair but a youthful face. His skin was fair and tender, devoid of a single wrinkle, and he carried himself with a tall, straight posture. The contrasting auras of ancient vicissitudes and youthful vigor mingled seamlessly within him.
He was surrounded by maidservants in sheer white muslin. As they crowded around him, they scattered flower petals and perfume from their baskets at his feet. Accompanied by the melodious sounds of string and bamboo instruments, it painted a picture of a peaceful Immortal Palace. Among them, a charming maidservant in green hugged a fluffy, cute puppy, following closely by the Azure Emperor's side. It seemed her status was quite high.
Suddenly, the Azure Emperor stopped in his tracks. He turned his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. His expression... gradually stiffened.
"What audacity!"
With a furious roar, he abruptly swept his wide sleeve. Before any of the surrounding women could even let out a scream, they instantly exploded into a mist of blood and were reduced to gory slush. The Immortal Palace was instantly transformed into Hell. The thick stench of blood made the Azure Emperor frown.
He beckoned with his hand, and an object flew up from the blood-soaked floor. It was none other than the pet puppy, now licking its bloodstained fur.
"Someone," the Azure Emperor ordered softly. "Clean this place up. Take Little Jie for a wash. If he isn't washed clean... you can end your own lives."
"Yes, sir!"
The maidservants who rushed over didn't tremble in the slightest as they took the puppy from the Azure Emperor's hands. Their eyes were utterly numb. Only when they saw the corpse of the green-clad woman did a trace of horror flash in their eyes. Just what had happened for even a Cultivator like the maidservant in green to be killed?
Meanwhile, the Azure Emperor vaulted into the sky, descending upon the city streets with a rolling gale. There, a longsword stood embedded in the stone pavement. The surrounding residents, along with their houses, were swept up by the fierce wind, their screams echoing continuously. The rest of the commoners in the city fell to their knees, their bodies trembling as they prayed for the Azure Emperor's anger to subside quickly.
The Azure Emperor was indeed enraged to the extreme. Ever since advancing to a peak Grandmaster a century ago, he had never been as furious as he was today. He knew that he would inevitably be ridiculed by all the Grandmasters in the world.
"Preposterous!"
Violent winds erupted around him, changing the color of the sky and earth. Several swirling tornadoes actually descended from the high heavens.