Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 431: Wrathful Retribution

Clang...

The token continued rolling across the ground before suddenly vanishing.

A sinister, effeminate laugh echoed through the hall. "Hmph... That Old Geezer Fang and that decrepit fool Shentu just won’t rest until they drag me into this mess. Even hiding here, I can’t have peace..."

The next moment, a figure materialized before the crowd.

This man had a tall and slender build, appearing no older than twenty, with an exceedingly handsome face. His smile was dazzling, yet there was a dark and brooding aura surrounding him.

At some point, the token had already landed in his hand.

There had been no perceptible fluctuations. Only when this man revealed himself did the crowd suddenly realize his presence, their hearts filled with shock. It was clear—this was the Core Formation cultivator named Pei Qin!

Whoosh!

Pei Qin extended a hand, pulling the unconscious cultivator surnamed Liu toward him. Seizing him by the throat, he released a surge of multicolored spiritual light, which flooded into the injured cultivator’s body.

A pained groan followed.

Liu abruptly regained consciousness, his face contorted in agony.

Pei Qin grasped his jaw and forced his head upward, compelling him to open his eyes.

Their gazes met. Liu’s expression turned vacant, as if trapped in excruciating torment. His body convulsed uncontrollably.

Pei Qin’s eyes flickered with an eerie light—he was using some kind of bizarre technique to interrogate him.

Moments later...

Liu collapsed into complete unconsciousness.

Pei Qin let out a cold snort and tossed him toward the gatekeeper. Just as his figure began to fade, about to vanish into thin air, he suddenly paused. His gaze swept across the hall, lingering on the gathered cultivators with an unsettling smile.

"The Small Cold Domain is in peril. All righteous cultivators must stand together. Disciples of the Eight Major Sects, hear my command—accompany me two hundred li south of the Chaotic Island Waters to face the enemy. The rest of you are free to leave—just run north. But let me warn you, do not entertain any foolish thoughts. I remember your faces. If I don’t see you on the battlefield and later find out you fled... Well, then, we shall see if those self-righteous old fossils will be willing to execute their own kin in the name of justice. Haha..."

As his words lingered in the air, Pei Qin had already vanished.

The hall fell into an eerie silence.

Suddenly, a figure darted toward the stone chambers. Then, the sound of rushing wind filled the room as countless cultivators, those unaffiliated with the Eight Major Sects, scrambled frantically toward the exit, eager to escape.

Only a handful of people remained standing, motionless, exchanging uneasy glances.

Before leaving, the fleeing cultivators shot them various looks—some with pity, some with ridicule, others with schadenfreude.

Qin Sang’s expression turned grim.

The exit was within reach, but his legs felt as if they were filled with lead, refusing to move.

In that last moment before Pei Qin vanished, Qin Sang had distinctly felt the Core Formation cultivator’s gaze pierce through his mask, settling directly upon his face. This mask was not some high-grade artifact—it could not block the spiritual consciousness of a Core Formation expert. Qin Sang had never expected to be implicated in such a way.

Now that Pei Qin had seen his true face, there was no room for maneuvering.

If Pei Qin truly meant what he said, even Qi Yuanshou wouldn’t be able to protect him.

Soon, the hall was nearly empty, leaving only those few who had no choice but to stay behind. The gatekeeper clasped his hands together and said, "Daoists, this trade fair is now over. Please take your leave."

Then, he strode away without another word.

This trade fair had an unusually low number of disciples from the Eight Major Sects. Including Qin Sang, only nine of them remained. He scanned the group but found no fellow disciples from Shaohua Mountain.

Fortunately, disciples from the Eight Major Sects were all competent cultivators. Among the nine present, three were at the late stage of the Foundation Building Realm.

A tall cultivator turned toward them and spoke. "I am Cang Ling from Cunyang Sect. How should I address you two?"

Qin Sang knew there was no point in hiding anymore. He reached up, removed his mask, and responded, "Qin Sang, from Shaohua Mountain."

"Fan Zhen, Yuanshen Sect."

Another late-stage Foundation Building cultivator pulled back his hood, barely sparing Qin Sang a glance as he spoke in a cold tone.

Qin Sang’s heart stirred. Ever since Senior Qingzhu attacked Yuanshen Sect, slaying two Golden Core cultivators, relations between Shaohua Mountain and Yuanshen Sect had nearly collapsed. Although outright war had been avoided, the two sects now stood on the brink of enmity.

Their disciples harbored deep-seated animosity toward one another.

Qin Sang had previously spent time at Xuanlu Stronghold and later at Qingyang Market, encountering very few cultivators from Yuanshen Sect. Now, seeing Fan Zhen’s attitude, he found it to be exactly as expected.

With Fan Zhen acting so aloof, Qin Sang naturally had no intention of humbling himself. Ignoring Fan Zhen, he clasped his hands toward Cang Ling and said, "Daoist Cang, you have the highest cultivation among us. You must already have a plan. Why not share it with us? I will follow your lead."

Cang Ling gave a bitter smile. "That senior is venting his anger on us and refuses to reveal anything about the situation ahead. We’re completely in the dark, and I can’t think of any effective strategy. However, lingering here is unwise. If we arrive late and miss a critical moment, he’ll only use it as another excuse to reprimand us. If none of you wish to defy his command, we should set off now and discuss our approach on the way."

Hearing this, the group’s resentment deepened.

Someone gritted their teeth. "Judging by his behavior, he’s most likely from a demonic sect!"

"That senior wasn’t entirely wrong, though." An elderly cultivator let out a dry laugh. "The Small Cold Domain is in danger, and as cultivators, it is our duty to stand against it. Haha..."

No one responded, leaving the old man looking rather embarrassed.

Does he even believe his own words?

Qin Sang shot him a sidelong glance and said, "Mind your words, everyone. Daoist Cang is right—regardless of how we feel about this, we have no choice but to go. Let’s move."

With that, Qin Sang and Cang Ling took the lead, flying out of the hall, and the others followed suit.

The Yuncang Marshlands stretched endlessly, where water and sky merged into one, with thousands of islands scattered throughout.

Fish swam deep below the surface, while birds soared freely above—a scene of utter tranquility.

There was no sign of an impending battle.

"Everyone, don’t be too discouraged. Since this isn’t a full-scale assault, Tianxing Alliance’s forces may not be as strong as we fear. Besides, Senior Fang and the others surely didn’t call upon only us for reinforcements. The Core Formation cultivators will be handled by them. We should observe and act accordingly. If the opportunity arises, we can turn the tables and slay a few of Tianxing Alliance’s scoundrels to earn merit. If the situation proves unfavorable, we can fight while retreating, looking for a way to escape. Even if our sects later hold us accountable, we’ll have an excuse. What do you all think?" said Cang Ling

The group flew south in a simple battle formation, suppressing their aura to avoid detection. free𝑤ebnovel.com

Cang Ling’s words resonated with Qin Sang. Looking at the expressions of the others, he could tell they were tempted by the plan as well.

Qin Sang remained vigilant, gazing far into the distance, lost in thought. He preferred not to cooperate with others, as it meant he couldn’t fully utilize his treasures, significantly weakening his combat strength.

However, when life was on the line, survival took priority over everything else.

Still, in this vast world, where could he possibly flee?

Suppressing his thoughts, Qin Sang observed the Chaotic Island Waters, realizing that the battlefield was still far away. Seizing the moment of respite, he transmitted a message to Cang Ling, "Daoist Cang, do you recognize a Daoist Han from your sect? He was once the head of the Han Family and is an old friend of mine. It’s been years since we last met, and I wonder how he is faring."

"You must be talking about Senior Brother Han? Of course, I know him!"

With a tone of envy, he added, "Senior Brother Han possesses extraordinary talent and had an enviable stroke of fortune. He was taken in as the last disciple of a senior uncle, who is personally guiding him in cultivation within their cave dwelling. From what I’ve heard, he’s on the verge of completing his cultivation and preparing for Core Formation. The next time you see Senior Brother Han, he might already be a Golden Core cultivator!"

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