Chapter Thirty-Two: A Major Incident Occurs!

The display of Master Liuguang, ranting like a shrew, was indeed far more intimidating than when he acted serious.

Everyone present knew him well; many had already borne witness to the real Master Liuguang. If he said he’d destroy Wang Li and the divine artifact, he absolutely meant it and would see it done.

When it came to being ruthless and unscrupulous, none of the seven demonic overlords present could match him.

This was evident even from the three disciples he had trained.

The assembled overlords ceased their actions, and as the ripples in space calmed, their figures became visible.

“You bastards are just asking for it, forcing me to use my ultimate move!” Master Liuguang spat out harshly. “I’ll ask you one last time—can we talk or not? If not, then get out of here! If you want to negotiate, name your price, but don’t send the old guard to meddle. I swear, if it comes to it, I’ll burn everything to the ground. No one will walk away with anything!”

“Liuguang, you little wretch, mind your tongue! I am a peer of your master, after all!” The Lord of the Wujimen, Patriarch Youqing, jabbed a finger at Master Liuguang’s nose. “You have no respect at all. Do you think the Seven Demonic Sects are just here for show? Or do you think your Eight Clans have united to hog all the spoils for yourselves?”

“Oh, how shameless of you, Youqing. Didn’t you just finish hurling insults at me?” Master Liuguang sneered. “Seniority is a joke. You’re what—thirty thousand years old? And only at the mid-stage of the Earth Immortal realm? I’m not yet a thousand, and I’ve already reached the peak. In our world, strength speaks louder than age. Do I need to teach you that lesson?”

“My fists are harder than yours, so what if I insult you? I could beat you up and that’d be just fine too!”

“The strongest makes the rules. If you lack the strength, then act your age and step aside. Stop hiding behind your years to pull rank. And you dare call yourself my master’s equal? Do you even know what level he’s at? You’re nothing in comparison. Honestly, you’re as shameless as an old woman licking her own teeth!”

“You insolent brat! You’re a disgrace!” Patriarch Youqing’s face turned beet-red with anger, but for all his rage, he couldn’t find the words to retort.

He had lived a life of privilege for tens of thousands of years—when had this old devil ever had to stoop to a street quarrel? After just a few words, he was already losing ground.

The other six sect leaders, seeing their peer humiliated, naturally felt compelled to intervene.

The Mistress of the Hehuan Sect, Willow Catkin, chimed in, “My, Little Liuguang, you’ve grown so bold these last few centuries. If it weren’t for my mercy back then, you’d have been dust by now. Who was it, I wonder, who once begged me to spare his life? Now you’re all grown up, you forget your debts, is that it?”

The Master of the Corpse-Taming Sect, Daoist Xieke, pointed his sword at Liuguang. “Liuguang, you destroyed my immortal corpse in the past—that’s a score yet to be settled. Keep acting up and I won’t show any mercy this time.”

“Enough talk! Let’s see if his peak Earth Immortal strength can withstand all of us together!” The Lord of the Specter Sect, Ji Tian, stood wreathed in shadows, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

Master Liuguang eyed them with disdain, then fixed his gaze on a pale-faced, middle-aged man at a distance. “Of all the Demonic Seven, only you, Xiaoyaozi, are worth talking to. Why don’t you explain the true purpose of your sects’ visit? Don’t give me some flimsy excuse about wanting to seize Wang Li. We all know you couldn’t even get into this space of mine—nor could your old monsters back home!”

Xiaoyaozi glanced at his allies, hesitating, wanting to speak but unable to find the words.

The Chief of the Ultimate Dao, King Dongshan, scowled. “What’s there to be embarrassed about? Just tell him. If we don’t, he’ll really start believing he’s invincible.”

“They Eight Sects don’t care for propriety, but let’s not stoop to their level. Xiaoyaozi, tell them, lest they accuse us of being unrefined,” grumbled the Grand Commander of the Abyss of Ten Thousand Beasts, Red Phoenix, her tone thick with resentment.

The behavior of the seven demonic overlords left the righteous sect leaders exchanging bewildered glances.

Compared to Master Liuguang, who was acting every inch the villain, these so-called demon lords now seemed more like aggrieved children, while Liuguang and his own side looked the part of true antagonists.

The eight great leaders of the righteous path exchanged guarded, then increasingly puzzled, looks.

Given the status of the seven demon lords, it seemed unlikely they were simply playing games.

Moreover, their sudden appearance was suspicious in itself. Master Liuguang didn’t believe they’d come to abduct anyone, and nor did the others.

All those present were the true leaders of the cultivation world in the Heavenly Profound Realm; they had long since surpassed the youthful zeal of “good versus evil.” Having reached the pinnacle of cultivation, they saw through most worldly disputes and were unlikely to gather en masse just to provoke a fight.

This made it all the more likely that something serious—or unavoidable—had brought them here.

With this in mind, the eight righteous giants simultaneously reined in their auras.

Seeing this, the demonic overlords did likewise, and the atmosphere instantly grew calm.

Master Liuguang adopted a grave tone. “Xiaoyaozi, what’s really happened?”

This time, Xiaoyaozi did not hesitate. He answered crisply, “It was the Book of Freedom from my sect that issued a warning. It sensed the possibility of disturbing ‘It.’ That’s why I summoned the other six to the Fragrant Nation to discuss any major events in the world and to seek a solution.”

“But scarcely had we gathered when the Book of Freedom transported us to a secret realm. By the time we escaped, we found ourselves here.”

“Liuguang is right—we never intended to seize this Wang Li. We only heard you discussing him, and perhaps Patriarch Youqing assumed he was important, so he asked for him.”

“So you know nothing about the divine artifact either?” Lady Tianmu interjected, her beautiful eyes narrowed.

Xiaoyaozi looked blank. “What divine artifact?”

Lady Tianmu shot Master Liuguang a reproachful glance. “It’s that thing Wang Li invented—the one that records cultivation techniques and preserves the user’s consciousness for long-term teaching. This scoundrel’s been after me ever since because of it!”

Master Liuguang felt a chill run down his spine at her words.

The others reacted much the same.

Everyone present was well aware that Lady Tianmu was older than all of them combined.

And yet she had the gall to call herself “little sister”? Disgusting!

Even Willow Catkin, with a hide as thick as iron, was appalled at the shamelessness of this old crone.

Nevertheless, Lady Tianmu’s words succeeded in piquing the curiosity of the demonic leaders.

Ji Tian, with the face of a corpse, said coldly, “Such a momentous matter, and you didn’t even tell us before gathering to divvy up the spoils. That’s exactly what we’d expect from your so-called righteous sects.”

“Dead man, just get to the point and stop with the sarcasm,” snapped Master Zhengqi of the Endless Mountain Expanse. “We’re not even on the same side. Why should we go out of our way for you?”

The Lord of the Divine Armory Valley, Golden Sage, chimed in, “Heh, it’s the pot calling the kettle black. Weren’t you the ones who didn’t tell us about the Book of Freedom’s warning? We’re all the same here. Stop using your tired tricks to slander us. If you don’t know who you are by now, you’ve wasted thousands of years—or rather, thousands of years dead!”

“You scum, I won’t bother arguing with you lot!” spat one of the demonic overlords.

When it came to trading insults, the demonic sects simply weren’t a match for the now-unmasked righteous leaders.

As the others bickered, Master Liuguang’s mind was a storm of dread.

He tried to ask, “Xiaoyaozi, when exactly did the Book of Freedom issue its warning?”

Xiaoyaozi calculated on his fingers. “Time flows differently in the secret realm we were pulled into. By my reckoning, it was about two months ago.”

“You’re sure?”

Master Liuguang’s urgency was palpable.

Xiaoyaozi nodded. “Give or take.”

Master Liuguang fell silent for a moment, then suddenly roared, “Everyone, shut the hell up! Something terrible is about to happen!”