Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1545: Chapter 637: Red Robe Guest vs. Cloud Pot Daoist

Yue Qingshan is dead.

Although the contract for the Five Victories Martial Arts Competition explicitly states "life and death are allowed," with all three parties signing it, a spirit contract as evidence, and the sect’s steward witnessing it, no one could find any fault in the rules.

But rules are rules, and human feelings are human feelings.

The death of a Nascent Soul Cultivator compared to ten Golden Core Cultivators is not the same.

Existences like Divinity Transformation and Cultivating the Void remain in seclusion for years, rarely appearing. A Nascent Soul Cultivator in such a situation is a pillar of the area, a ruler of storms, a sky to countless disciples.

Now, such a person has died on the Martial Arts Arena!

The corpse is already withered and grey, the skin and flesh sucked dry of all life, leaving only a hardened shell.

The earth cloud has also completely dimmed, its nature remaining in Cloud Heart eroded by Poison Annihilation, scattered like a worm-eaten rotten wood.

The Territorial Expansion Alliance cultivators carried Yue Qingshan’s corpse back.

Qiu Lei’s knuckles slightly whitened.

He said nothing, merely placing a hand over Yue Qingshan’s face, allowing earth-colored mana to slowly seep in, reluctantly closing those eyes that refused to rest.

Within the Territorial Expansion Alliance seat, someone whispered, "This hatred cannot go unavenged."

Another gritted their teeth, "Tan Zhu, this demon, is too murderous! It’s just martial arts; must it come to this?"

The White Cloud Village cultivators showed complex expressions.

They stood with the Territorial Expansion Alliance, naturally sharing the same enmity. But having witnessed Tan Zhu’s three quasi-divine skills, exhibiting a crushing battle posture, beneath this shared hatred lay a deeply buried chill.

"Poison Annihilation Wanderer... truly lives up to the name," You Yunshou sighed deeply.

On the Nanming Village side, there was similarly little joy.

With deep-set eyes, Chun Yangzi contemplated.

Ning Zhuo also realized: the battle was won, but the turmoil has just begun.

As expected by everyone, this news triggered widespread discussion at Wanxiang Sect’s Main Mountain Gate.

The death of Yue Qingshan quickly became as if a giant stone had been hurled into a lake, stirring up layers of waves.

"Have you heard? In the third Martial Arts Competition, Yue Qingshan from the Territorial Expansion Alliance died."

"Not just died! It’s said he had the Five-layered Detoxification Technique, Green Jade Round Mirror, white short incense, Silver White Sand Curtain, Water Blue Light Shield, Platinum Talisman, all antidotal treasures. The result? Still swallowed whole by the Poison Annihilation quasi-divine skill."

"This was no duel; it was a Demon Cultivator showing brutality!"

"The contract stated life and death are allowed, so how can Tan Zhu be blamed?"

"Hmph, that’s true, but the martial arts competition could have ended with restraint. He clearly had the strength to stop, yet he chose to poison Yue Qingshan. How dare Nanming Village take in such a demon path fiend?"

"Nanming Village is desperate enough for the Sun Raising Yang Locking Cloud Altar to accept anything."

"But that was a Nascent Soul, after all!"

"Yes, a Nascent Soul Cultivator. In many regions, they are figures who can establish sects. Even Wanxiang Sect, with its vast undertaking, can still continue the Martial Arts Competition despite losing a Nascent Soul. In an ordinary sect, the Main Mountain Gate would have been shaken."

"That’s why they say, ’As expected from Wanxiang Sect.’"

Some remarks were mere sentiments, while others carried evident provocation.

Soon, more voices rose to denounce Tan Zhu.

Someone cynically noted, "Tan Zhu’s lifespan is nearing its end, naturally unafraid of forming enmities. He can kill and then brush it off, letting it be buried with him. But Nanming Village remains at Flowing Cloud Peak, and Ning Zhuo continues with Wanxiang Sect. This debt will have to be repaid eventually."

The winds shifted several times a day.

On Danxia Peak, Wang Yu listened to the report, sitting alone for a long while.

Danxia Peak’s clouds and mists were always splendid, with Fire Vein Qi rising from deep within, casting a warm red glow over the mountain’s pavilions.

Yet today, Wang Yu felt the mist seemed somewhat dull.

He stood before the window, watching distant fire clouds floating, his expression complex.

A subordinate spoke softly, "Peak Master, public outcry against Tan Zhu involves Nanming Village. Should we secretly intervene to calm it down?"

Wang Yu did not answer right away.

What surfaced in his mind was the scene of Zhong Limei drawing three hundred years of Elixir Qi before the Nanming Fire Furnace.

Three hundred years of Elixir Qi! It wasn’t three hundred days, nor thirty years.

This was essentially the heaviest accumulation of a lifetime for a Pill Master!

Yet, Zhong Limei wore a calm expression, as if he was extracting normal furnace ash, not his life’s foundation.

Wang Yu sighed softly within.

Only he and Tan Zhu (Zhong Limei) knew that the order for Yue Qingshan’s death came from Wang Yu.

"What will your reaction be next?" Wang Yu unconsciously moved his gaze toward Heavy Array Peak.

Heavy Array Peak.

Inside the Array Tower at the mountain’s summit, Dong Chen sat silently.

Before him lay a green-black array plate. Light and shadow flowed over it, replaying scenes from the Miasma Poison Martial Arts Arena repeatedly.

Yue Qingshan stood atop the earth cloud, with mud and stone pouring skyward.

Tan Zhu raised his hand, turning poison smoke into stone.

Yue Qingshan formed his five-layered defense.

Tan Zhu clenched his five fingers together, allowing poison to emerge from within the defense.

Yue Qingshan fell.

The scene paused at the moment Yue Qingshan crashed into the mire.

Dong Chen’s fingers rested on the edge of the array plate, softly rubbing. The skin at his knuckles whitened slightly from exertion.

He was not one to openly express emotion, but now a deep, dark fear flickered within his eyes.

Yue Qingshan appeared to be a Territorial Expansion Alliance cultivator, but in truth, he was Dong Chen’s friend, sharing life-and-death camaraderie.

Back then, both were in the early stage of the Golden Core. During an earth vein collapse, Yue Qingshan guarded Dong Chen’s array eye for three days. Throughout those three days, earth fire surged, mountain water flooded, and Yue Qingshan was burned till half his body was charred, yet he steadfastly safeguarded that array eye.