When Meng Hao saw the Nascent Soul Cultivator approaching, he used the Bloodburst Flash without hesitation, disappearing and then reappearing several dozen meters away.
“Eee?” said the Western Desert Cultivator. He was about to continue in pursuit when Hanxue Zong flew up into the air, clutching the trembling Zhou Dekun in hand.
“There’s no need to cause trouble for him,” said Hanxue Zong coolly. “We came here to invite only the most outstanding Cultivator to join us. Now that we have Grandmaster Zhou, that other guy is unessential.”
“I’m not the most outstanding!” cried Zhou Dekun, his scalp going numb. “Dammit, I’m really not, okay!? This is a mistake! A misunderstanding! I was putting on an act just now. Really, it was an act! I’m not a Grandmaster, I’m just a regular old Furnace Lord from the East Pill division. That guy is the real Grandmaster. It’s true, he’s the Grandmaster. Take him, okay!?!?” He wished to weep, but no tears would come out. His deception had been too good and he had completely lost control of it.
He began to tremble and wail mournfully.
“There’s no need to act this way, Grandmaster Zhou,” said Hanxue Zong, laughing disapprovingly. “I was watching you this entire time, and couldn’t possibly be mistaken. Whatever method you used, you were able to spot the clues and identify the final main ingredient. That, is true skill! I, Hanxue Zong, could not possibly be mistaken. You are the true Grandmaster of the Dao of alchemy. The act you are putting on right now, unfortunately, is simply too fake!”
“Correct,” said Yan Song. “From the moment I arrived until now, Grandmaster Zhou has been tuned in to all of the fine details, and has grasped each key moment. Whether it be the pill aroma or the lightning as the main ingredient, Grandmaster Zhou consistently had an expression of praise for the junior generation. Enlightenment regarding the Dao of alchemy is something that cannot be faked. I do not possess such skill, nor do other alchemists. Only Grandmaster Zhou has this skill. There are few people I truly admire, but as of today, there is one more on my list: Grandmaster Zhou!” With that, he clasped hands politely and bowed.
By this point, Zhou Dekun was actually wailing. He felt as if he were the one who had been scammed, not by others, but by himself…. The tears were welling up in his eyes. He looked down at the beautiful girls, and he already missed them. He thought about the barrenness of the Western Desert, and how frightening of a place it was, and he began to tremble and blabber more explanations.
“I’m really not a Grandmaster. I was in the wrong. Truly, in the wrong! I won’t pretend to be a Grandmaster anymore. Take him, okay! You should take him! Dammit! He’s the real Grandmaster….” Zhou Dekun’s heart grew dark and filled with regret. It didn’t matter what he said now, no one would believe him.
“Quit the act, Grandmaster Zhou,” said Hanxue Zong, laughing. “Even if he is a Grandmaster, you, Grandmaster Zhou, are the very person I have been waiting for!” Holding Zhou Dekun in hand, he flew up into the air.
The Western Desert Nascent Soul Cultivator gave Meng Hao a final cold glance, then turned and flew up into the sky. It was at this point that suddenly, a voice filled all of Holy Snow City.
“Screw off!” The words caused Heaven and Earth to shake. The protective spell formations outside of the city fell to pieces as if a massive wind had blown across them. Up in the sky, ripples could clearly be seen that were emanating out from the ground beneath Holy Snow City. As they passed the city walls, they turned into a cyclone that instantly shredded into pieces all of the beasts and Cultivators who were waiting there. In the blink of an eye, everything in the area thousands of kilometers around Holy Snow City was gone.
As the ground quaked, the minds of all of the Cultivators in the city reeled, and their faces filled with shock.
Hanxue Zong’s face fell. The Nascent Soul Cultivator’s body trembled as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. His face filled with astonishment. Yan Song also coughed up some blood before he hastily shot up into the air.
“Let’s get out of here!” said Hanxue Zong, his eyes flickering grimly and keeping a firm grip on Zhou Dekun, whose face was stained with tears. Then, glowing light surrounded the four of them, and their bodies began to grow blurry as a teleportation spell activated.
“This is really a mistake, okay? I was really faking, I’m really not a Grandmaster! He is! He….” Zhou Dekun’s plaintive cries echoed out in the air. Down below, the hundreds of Cultivators watched on with looks of fury and helplessness.
“Grandmaster Zhou!!”
“Dammit, they came for Grandmaster Zhou!”
The faces of the four Elders were unsightly, but they could do nothing but watch as Hanxue Zong and the others disappeared.
Zhou Dekun’s cries fell upon the ears of all the onlookers, causing their hearts to fill with sorrow.
“Who would ever have thought that at the critical Mo