As Liu Tianji finished speaking, someone immediately stepped forward.

"If Elder Liu hadn’t divined my fate, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Whoever Elder Liu pledges his loyalty to is the person I will serve."

"Me too!"

"And me!"

"I’m with him!"

"And me!"

"Count me in!" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

One after another, they stepped out. In an instant, aside from one deceased Hall Master, seventy-two people had stepped forward, all willing to follow Liu Tianji. Any resources they had obtained, allowing them to cultivate to this day, were all thanks to him—not the so-called Alliance Hierarch.

They would follow whatever path Liu Tianji took.

Liu Tianji looked at Wu Tian with reverence, remembering his ancestor’s words. In the future, a true immortal would appear to change this corrupt Underground World. Liu Tianji was certain this person had to be Wu Tian, and he was willing to follow him.

Just moments before, the several Hall Masters had been confident they could rally the crowd to kill Wu Tian and Liu Tianji. Now, their faces were deathly pale, their eyes practically bulging with disbelief.

Only a dozen or so people remained on their side. They had intended to overwhelm their opponents with superior numbers, but the tables had turned, and now they were the ones who were outnumbered.

"What is the meaning of this?" one Hall Master roared at the disciples who were now siding with Liu Tianji and Wu Tian. "It was the Righteous Alliance that fed you and gave you a respectable status! How can you betray the Righteous Alliance?"

The disciples exchanged glances before letting out self-deprecating laughs.

"Fed us? Given us a respectable status? How ridiculous!"

"We joined the Righteous Alliance to uphold the Righteous Path! Besides, we’re disciples, not your servants! And how have you treated us? Whenever you’re in a bad mood, you find fault with us and beat and curse us as you please!"

"Only those who grovel and flatter you receive slightly better treatment!"

"But that’s no different from being a dog!"

"Only Elder Liu has ever treated us like human beings!"

"That’s right!"

The resolute voices of the disciples willing to leave the Righteous Alliance and follow Liu Tianji’s path left the Hall Masters and their lackeys stunned. The Hall Masters glanced at each other, wondering if they were dreaming.

They didn’t even think they had done anything wrong. Was it really so excessive for a superior to vent frustrations on a subordinate when in a bad mood? That was a perfectly normal occurrence. They were scolded by higher-ups like Zhao Tianxia, so of course they took it out on lower-ranking disciples. If their mood was particularly foul, a few kicks and punches were to be expected—that was common practice. This was how it had always been in the Righteous Alliance, and such situations were also common among the other factions in the Underground World. The Hall Masters felt they were merely acting in accordance with the norm. How could they be at fault?

However, the Hall Masters’ lackeys turned pale, and some began to tremble, feeling certain they would not escape with their lives today. A few disciples were so frightened they wet themselves.

Liu Tianji turned to Wu Tian and asked, "How should we deal with these men?"

Wu Tian responded with a faint smile. "Kill them." His tone was devoid of any emotion, as if he were ordering the extermination of ants, not people.

"Yes!" Liu Tianji nodded, preparing to give the order.

"Wait!" The Hall Masters, now gripped by panic, hastily cried out, "We were wrong! It was our fault!"

"That’s right!"

They turned to the disciples who wanted to leave. "Come back! We won’t hit you anymore."

"Right!"

"We’ll be like brothers and get along!"

The Hall Masters clung to a sliver of hope. They still didn’t understand what they had done wrong, but for the sake of survival, they had no choice but to say such things.

But would any of the disciples believe them?

Perhaps these Hall Masters thought of themselves as decent people. But as the saying goes, those involved are blind, while the onlookers see clearly. In the eyes of these disciples, the Hall Masters were no better than beasts who would beat them for no reason at all.

Who would believe the words of such men?

"Kill them!" Liu Tianji commanded. He was a descendant of Liu Bowen, but he was no scholar. He had spent all these years in the Righteous Alliance for the sole purpose of using its power to find a certain person.

And now, he had found him.

"Yes!" The disciples nodded and lunged at the remaining Hall Masters.

Even ants can kill an elephant.

Facing the swarm of disciples, the Hall Masters were immediately forced into a retreat. Although the Hall Masters had far superior Cultivation and Daoist Magic, there were several reasons for their defeat.

First, they lacked the sheer momentum of the vengeful disciples.

Second, the disciples, burning with the desire for revenge, were able to unleash one hundred and twenty percent of their strength.

Third, Wu Tian’s gaze alone placed an immense, untold pressure upon the Hall Masters.

"Aargh!"

Before long, the Hall Masters and their lackeys were chopped into mincemeat. Even then, the disciples kept hacking away, their teeth gritted in fury. It was a clear sign of how deep a grudge can run when one is beaten for no reason.

Perhaps to the bullies, it was just a fleeting impulse or a cruel joke. But to the bullied, it was a deep-seated hatred. Given the chance, it had to be repaid.

Seeing that Peach Blossom Spring was unharmed, Wu Tian smiled. But thinking of his two men, Lin Fa and Yin Fengxue, he commanded, "Follow me to the Heavenly Demon Palace!"

"Yes!" Liu Tianji and the others immediately responded.

The little one, however, stood there unhappily.

Qin Yuhan held her and asked, "Do you think Daddy is too bloodthirsty?"

"No, you misunderstand, Mommy dearest," the little one said, shaking her head with a serious expression. "I just think it’s completely unfair that Daddy never gives me a chance to get in on the action. That’s what’s most outrageous about him."

Qin Yuhan was left speechless.

「Heavenly Demon Palace」

A number of people had remained at the headquarters, all having decided to pledge their allegiance to Beiming Fenghua. At that moment, they were gathered together, preening in their own supposed wisdom as they discussed world affairs. Such was the way of people on the surface, and so it was in the world below.

"So, do you think our Queen, Beiming Fenghua, will succeed in killing that Wu Tian fellow this time?"

The question was met with immediate agreement. "Of course she will!"

"Definitely!"

"Or do you actually believe what that spineless former Palace Master and that bastard said was true? ’Offending Wu Tian is a path to certain death’? That’s the most exaggerated nonsense I’ve ever heard!"

"Exactly! Hahaha..."

They all broke into scornful laughter. A few of the men, considering themselves handsome, were already preening. When Queen Beiming Fenghua returns, maybe I should dress up. I might get a chance to become her consort.

Suddenly...

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Figures came Breaking the Void, riding on Flying Swords.

They were too far away to see clearly, but the disciples of the Heavenly Demon Palace were already cheering. "The Queen is back!"

"Yes, it must be the Queen! Everyone, quick, form a line to welcome her back!"

Some of the men even began to hastily touch up their makeup, vying for the chance to become her consort.