"Good, good, good! How utterly arrogant and careless! Let me see today if your father possesses even a fraction of your nerve!"
The Cloud Millet Sect Master was so angry he laughed.
These hypocrites of the Qin Clan, facing certain death, still dared to spout such nonsense.
But he hadn't expected the Qin Clan successor to be so... straightforward, actually admitting outright to the crime of killing Jin Yang.
He could already sense the countless auras hidden in the surrounding area.
Clearly, the battle between Cloud Millet and the Qin Clan had attracted many prying eyes.
"Enough. Things have come to this; more words are useless. Emperor Qin, since you lack the courage, I'll just smash this turtle shell of yours and then settle this with you properly."
The Cloud Millet Sect Master's hand seals changed. Suddenly, a divine hammer materialized between heaven and earth.
The hammer was pitch black, as as a mountain.
Dao patterns flowed across its surface, brimming with immortal intent.
It was actually a High Grade Dao Artifact!!
"It's the Cloud Millet Sect's hereditary Dao Artifact, the Violet-Gold Divine Hammer!!"
"Dammit!"
"I wonder how many blows from the Cloud Millet Sect Master's hammer the Qin Clan's great array can withstand."
"Who knows? But... this Cloud Millet Sect Master truly lives up to his reputation as an old-school Emperor of the Eastern Territories. Seventh Grade Divine Emperor... probably no one in the entire Eastern Territories is his match, right?"
"The Qin Clan brought this upon themselves, severing Cloud Millet's legacy."
...
"Your Majesty!! Let us out!! We'd rather die fighting than hide away like turtles like this!!"
"Your Majesty!!"
The Qin Clan experts were seething with rage, their eyes burning with hatred.
Although the Qin Clan's strength was indeed slightly weaker than the Cloud Millet Immortal Sect's...
This Chijin City was their home turf! With the home-field advantage, who would win was still unknown!
Thud!
Just then, a dull thud sounded from within the crowd.
The faces of all the Qin Clan experts instantly tightened. They were about to circulate their spiritual power when they saw a Qin Clan disciple, looking panicked, pick up a hammer from the ground.
"E-elders... this... this is just a coincidence! I really have no connection to the Cloud Millet Immortal Sect! This hammer... it's a family heirloom..."
BOOM!!
The vast sky trembled with a deafening hum.
The Cloud Millet Sect Master, gripping the divine hammer with one hand, brought it smashing down fiercely towards the Qin Clan's sacred hall.
Spiritual energy churned, fierce energy raged.
It was as if heaven and earth had turned upside down, a towering mountain plummeting from the sky.
An immensely, crushing force ground the void itself to pieces.
At that moment, a streak of light suddenly erupted from among the Qin Clan members, shooting frantically towards Emperor Qin.
"Father, be careful!!!"
Qin Wei cried out in alarm. His figure flashed, instantly placing himself in front of Emperor Qin.
"Hm?"
For a single instant, this Qin Clan Divine Emperor felt a twinge of... emotion.
How could he not sense the aura rushing towards him? It was merely someone at the Divine Marquis level; they couldn't harm him in the slightest.
But Qin Wei's instinctive action made him understand the meaning of familial love.
Quite suddenly, Emperor Qin felt a pang of guilt.
Just moments ago, he had thought... Qin Wei had betrayed the Qin Clan.
Were there hidden agents from Cloud Millet within the Qin Clan?
Emperor Qin guessed there probably were. Not just Cloud Millet, likely the Ling Clan and the Myriad Daos Demon Sect had also planted spies within the clan.
Over the years, he had reassigned almost all those he distrusted away from Chijin City. Those who remained in the Qin ancestral lands were all supposed to be trustworthy.
But to think... there were still some who slipped through the net!
"Seeking death!"
Emperor Qin's figure flickered, instantly appearing in front of Qin Wei. Sunlight gleamed on his hand as he directly seized the figure charging at him.
"Traitors to the clan shall be executed!!"
Squelch!
Blood sprayed. The Divine Marquis expert was directly crushed into a pulp of flesh and blood.
But just as Emperor Qin looked up at the assembled Qin Clan elders, an terrifying fluctuation of spiritual power erupted from behind him.
BOOM!!
Emperor Qin had no time to dodge. Or rather, it never occurred to him that the person standing behind him would attack him.
A glint of soul light flashed in Qin Wei's eyes. Sword intent tore through the air from a golden talisman in his hand.
Without giving Emperor Qin any chance to react, it slammed squarely into his back.
Splat!
Even with Emperor Qin's cultivation, being struck at such close range by a spirit talisman sealing a Sword Principle sent him flying backwards. The aura around him instantly faltered.
Simultaneously, the divine hammer in the sky finally struck the ancient array.
Splat!!
If Emperor Qin had been resisting with his full strength, this hammer blow couldn't have harmed him in the slightest.
But now, Qin Wei's sneak attack had thrown his mind and spirit into chaos, leaving him genuinely injured by the hammer's impact.
Crack!
Webs of cracks, like spiderwebs, instantly spread across the ancient array.
The Cloud Millet Sect Master sneered coldly and waved his hand lightly.
"All elders, follow me! Break this array!!"
BOOM!!
Countless spiritual lights bloomed in the sky, like falling stars, crashing down with immense force.
Emperor Qin's already unstable aura churned violently; he nearly stumbled and fell.
This ancient array was controlled by his spiritual power. The countless attacks falling on the array felt like blows landing directly on his body.
Yet, even now, he looked unwillingly at Qin Wei behind him, his eyes filled with an indescribable desolation.
"Why?!"
"All... for the great cause of Cloud Millet!!! Let's do this!!"
After speaking, Qin Wei's eyes seemed somewhat dazed.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing?
'Let's do this'? That sounds... kinda tasty.
BOOM!!
A world-shaking roar came from overhead as countless Cloud Millet elders descended from the sky.
But now, they too looked somewhat confused.
Since when had this Qin Clan successor become a hidden agent for their Cloud Millet Immortal Sect?
Who had the capability to turn Qin Wei?
For the great cause of Cloud Millet?
What great cause did their Cloud Millet... still have?
"Good, good, good! The great cause of Cloud Millet? Your great cause is to destroy my Qin Clan? What splendid methods!" Emperor Qin, furious beyond measure, laughed bitterly. He glanced up at the descending Cloud Millet elders, then suddenly thrust out his hand, directly seizing Qin Wei.
"Speak! Why did you betray me!!!"
"Shallow!! The great cause of my Cloud Millet Sect could never be merely destroying your insignificant Qin Clan! You are merely stepping stones for my Cloud Millet Sect to reach the pinnacle of the Sacred Dynasty! My Cloud Millet Immortal Sect will eventually replace the Sacred Church!!!"
Qin Wei roared furiously, his voice echoing through the heavens. Besides the daze in his eyes, there was also a trace of... a veiled profundity.
Dammit!!
These aren't the words I wanted to say!
These expressions aren't the ones I wanted to make either!
Ling Xiao!! You bastard, didn't you say you wouldn't kill me if I obeyed?!
Liar, you big, fat liar!
The entire Chijin City suddenly fell deathly silent.
Everyone stared in shock at the Qin Clan successor held in Emperor Qin's grasp, their eyes filled with intense fear.
Replace what?
Even the previously aggressive Cloud Millet elders stood frozen in mid-air, their mouths agape, trembling uncontrollably.
"Replace... the Sacred Church?"
Emperor Qin looked bewildered, especially when he saw the veiled profundity in Qin Wei's eyes. His heart sank with a thud.
Son Wei... which side are you really on?
Could it be... that all his actions today were actually to protect the Qin Clan?
Once the Violet-Gold Divine Hammer appeared, the Qin Clan's great array was doomed to break eventually.
Given the Cloud Millet Sect Master's strength, the Qin Clan... was likely doomed.
So Qin Wei pretended to betray the clan, ambushed him, even went so far as to help break the ancient array... all just to... gain the trust of others?
And then, by saying these treasonous words, he aimed to plunge the Cloud Millet Immortal Sect into eternal damnation?
DAMMIT!!!
Such righteousness!
My son, such righteousness!
How could he not feel the auras hidden in the world around them now?!
Once the Cloud Millet Immortal Sect dared to insult the Sacred Church, today... they would be utterly and completely doomed.