Although Mo Qi had been gone for many days, the atmosphere in Nanyang City remained incredibly tense.

On this day, Nanyang City received a group of powerful experts clad in Imperial Army Armor. At their head was a middle-aged, broad-shouldered man in Silver Armor.

The man was a towering figure with a bushy beard. His eyes were slightly narrowed, but they constantly glinted with a ferocious light.

"Reporting to the General, the matter has been thoroughly investigated. The City Lord of Nanyang City, Zhang He, was slain by a disciple of the Void Sect. He was decapitated."

The middle-aged man’s eyes snapped open, like an awakened lion. His tyrannical aura was mixed with a monstrous hostility, and just being near him was enough to send a chill down one’s spine.

"The Void Sect?" The middle-aged man frowned, his voice low. "This is going to be tricky."

"General, the Mountain and Sea Empire is demanding someone. Surely the Void Sect wouldn’t dare to harbor them?" one of his elite soldiers asked disdainfully.

"What the hell do you know, kid!" the middle-aged man cursed with a laugh, then continued, "Of course the Void Sect wouldn’t dare to challenge our Mountain and Sea Empire. But there’s a certain big shot stationed there, someone we can’t afford to offend. Even the Emperor himself has to show him a degree of respect."

"General, are you talking about... that Array Master who won’t even give face to the Emperor?"

The middle-aged man slapped him across the head and said irritably, "Don’t you know how to watch your mouth, kid? Is the Emperor someone you can just gossip about?"

The soldier who’d been hit just chuckled and asked, "So, General, what’s our plan?"

"This whole matter depends on that person’s attitude. We’ll head to the Void Sect first and feel things out. No matter what, a man of our Mountain and Sea Empire can’t have died for nothing."

...

Meanwhile, within the Void Sect, an urgent meeting about Mo Qi was underway.

"Sect Leader, that Mo Qi is disrespectful to his elders! He acts on his own authority and nearly jeopardized the entire situation!" said Ji Lin, who had just returned from the Earth-level Spiritual Ore deposit, his voice grave.

"When faced with the sudden Beast Tide, not only did he flee, deserting his fellow disciples, but he also deliberately set up a deceptive array to make everyone else cover his retreat. He is a disgrace to our Void Sect! If I hadn’t arrived in time to break the Array that lured the Beast Tide, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

"During the competition against the Wolf Fang Sect, he even incited Liu Hui to leave with him, which nearly caused an irreversible disaster."

"In my opinion, a black sheep like him should have his Cultivation crippled and be expelled from the Void Sect immediately!"

Yun Xuzi sat upon the main seat, listening quietly.

After Ji Lin finished speaking, he looked to the brothers Ye Lei and Ye Dian and asked, "What are your thoughts on this matter, Elders?"

Ye Lei pondered for a moment before speaking. "We aren’t certain if Mo Qi truly fled from battle, but a few points are clear. First, he was the one who initially discovered the Beast Tide and warned us. Second, the Heaven-Deceiving Array he set up played a crucial role in fighting off the Beast Tide later. Third, Liu Hui was only willing to lend his strength because he had Mo Qi’s approval."

After Ye Lei finished, Ye Dian added, "We won’t comment on who is right or wrong. We are simply stating the facts. The rest is for you to decide, Sect Leader."

Ji Lin shot the Ye brothers a look of extreme dissatisfaction. ’What bullshit about "stating the facts,"’ he thought. ’In his view, those two were completely siding with Mo Qi.’

"Sect Leader, let’s put everything else aside for a moment," Ji Lin suddenly said. "A fine talent like Liu Hui cannot be ruined by Mo Qi! If we don’t deal with Mo Qi, Liu Hui’s heart will never truly belong to our Void Sect!"

A sharp glint flashed in Yun Xuzi’s eyes. Those words had struck a chord.

He was already aware of Liu Hui’s performance in the Secret Realm Taixu Road. Adding to that his actions at the Earth-level Spiritual Ore—using his Refining Essence Cultivation to manifest a Domain and kill a Wolf Fang Sect disciple at the Purity Realm—it was nothing short of perfect.

But for such a genius to only follow Mo Qi’s orders... it truly displeased him as the Sect Leader.

Just then, Wang Xinglong’s voice came from outside. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"Sect Leader, I have something to report."

"Come in."

Wang Xinglong pushed the door open and entered. After nodding to Ji Lin and the Ye brothers, he began to speak.

"Sect Leader, I have come today to formally accuse Core Disciple Mo Qi! He has harmed his fellow disciples, acts with utter lawlessness, and has committed multiple offenses, growing more audacious each time!"

Everyone was stunned.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yun Xuzi asked.

Wang Xinglong looked at Ji Lin. "May I ask Elder Ji, where are Elite Disciple Qi Tian and my apprentice, Diao Qing, at this moment?"

Ji Lin frowned slightly. "They disappeared on the day the competition with the Wolf Fang Sect ended. We have yet to find them."

A look of grief appeared in Wang Xinglong’s eyes. He sighed. "They will never be found, because they are all dead."

"What?!" Ji Lin’s face fell in astonishment. "How did they die? Wait, don’t tell me... it was Mo Qi?"

Ye Lei and Ye Dian exchanged a look, both seeing the shock in the other’s eyes.

They had always been aware of the conflict between Qi Tian, Diao Qing, and Mo Qi, but they never imagined it would end in death.

"That’s right! Mo Qi did it!" Wang Xinglong said, his voice filled with grief and rage.

"Hold on!" Ye Lei interjected, having thought of something. "If I recall correctly, both Qi Tian and Diao Qing were at the Refining God Ninth Heaven. Mo Qi, on the other hand, hasn’t even condensed his True Essence yet. I doubt he could have done it, could he?"

Yun Xuzi’s expression grew grave as he looked at Wang Xinglong. "What evidence do you have?"

Wang Xinglong said, "I have evidence, of course. But let’s not be hasty; I haven’t finished speaking. Mo Qi’s crimes don’t end there."

"According to information I’ve received, Mo Qi passed through Nanyang City not long ago and killed Wang Ming, the man our Void Sect had put in charge there. He also crippled the Cultivation of all the remaining disciples. His methods were appallingly cruel!"

"Is this true?!" Yun Xuzi slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet.

In truth, given Mo Qi’s status as a Core Disciple, the matter could be treated as either major or minor. It all depended on Yun Xuzi’s attitude.

If it had been any other Core Disciple, Yun Xuzi wouldn’t have batted an eye—not even if they had slaughtered the entire city, let alone killed the person in charge of it.

But now, Ji Lin’s earlier warning had him strongly considering it.

’If there was a legitimate reason to deal with Mo Qi and make Liu Hui loyal to the Void Sect, that would be for the best,’ he thought.

"Everything I’ve said is true, Sect Leader. If you don’t believe me, you can launch an investigation at any time," Wang Xinglong said.

"Immediately summon Mo Qi and the Elder Council! They are to report to the Punishment Hall within two hours. I will hold a public trial!" Yun Xuzi declared, having made his decision.

Wang Xinglong smiled coldly to himself. ’Mo Qi, let’s just see who can protect you this time!’

...

In front of Uncle Niu’s Kitchen God restaurant, Liu Hui and Jin Sanpang blocked Qin Feng’s path.

"You’re Qin Feng?" Jin Sanpang asked, tilting his massive, fleshy head.

Staring at Jin Sanpang’s impossibly large frame, Qin Feng marveled to himself. ’The world truly is vast and full of wonders.’

"I am indeed Qin Feng," he said. "I heard Young Fellow Mo has returned, so I have come to have him fulfill his promise."

Back then, to convince Mo Qi to cook the life-saving Medicinal Cuisine for him, Qin Feng had spared no expense.

He had not only spent his entire fortune to acquire nine Thunder Shocking Bombs but had also cast aside his pride, gravely injured Wang Xinglong, and hung him in front of the main peak for three whole days and nights.

Afterward, Wang Xinglong had nearly tried to kill him in a frenzy, and he himself had become the laughingstock of all the other Elders.

Everyone thought he had gone mad for believing the words of a mere brat and entrusting his life to Mo Qi.

It was utterly laughable.