The plaza in front of the Lotus Tower was in shambles. There was no longer any semblance of order. More and more people joined the fray. Even ordinary cats and dogs were emboldened to step forward and denounce the abbotess like their lives and honor depended on it. People were shouting over each other and it was difficult to make out any coherent words from the din. They even started pushing and shoving, trying to force their way to the front and make themselves heard.
Abbotess Liang stood still, not doing anything. She maintained a steady perimeter around with her spiritual aura but the space between her and Long Yifei was now filled with scores of ugly men. Their faces were ones of desperation and rapture, as if under a spell that deprived them of common sense and self-respect. She didn't know what to do or how to disperse this crowd without using force. She also wanted to see what other tricks Chen Wentian had in store.
Chen Wentian didn't move either but he knew what he wanted to do. Everything was within his scheme. He had simply been waiting for the right moment, which happened to be now.
"Fei'er." He whispered into her ear, "Listen closely. I will cause a pretty big distraction for the next part of my plan. At the same time, I will give you a set of robes and a mask. Quickly wear the outfit and it will hide your aura. The mask has a disguising effect and it will hide your face. Then, Chen Mo will take you into the crowd where you can blend in and maybe make an escape later. Understand?"
Long Yifei obediently pinched his waist.
"Good… begin!"
Chen Wentian's spiritual energy burst out. A circular wall of blue flame erupted around him and his disciple and shot high into the sky. Everyone gasped and looked on in awe. While they focused on the flames, nobody had any idea what was happening.
Inside the flames, Chen Wentian took out a set of baggy clothes that would fit a normal man. They were plain and would not attract any attention. Long Yifei put them on with lightning speed and then covered her head with the silky mask that was also provided.
The camouflaging mask was made of the same material as camouflaging spatial bags. It was extremely expensive but something he could barely afford with the newfound income from the Camouflaging Sasquatch hairs. The mask wasn't something that could fool a Spiritual King by itself. However, within a crowd of thousands, it was enough to confuse them for just long enough to get the job done.
Long Yifei then felt a jerk at her feet as a black shadow pulled her behind Chen Wentian, through the flames, and into the crowd. The tightly packed mass of men was forced apart by Chen Mo and closed back up just as quickly. They were slippery as shadows and nobody noticed.
All of this happened in less than two seconds. When the flames subsided, only Chen Wentian was left standing. Long Yifei was nowhere to be seen.
An incoherent screech came from Abbotess Liang, "You mongrel! Where did you take her! Where did she go!"
Chen Wentian smiled which simply enraged her more.
"Who? I don't know what you're talking about." He said, "Are you getting senile? Do you need to lie down for a bit?"
Abbotess Liang scanned the sea of faces with her eyes as well as her spiritual sense but found nothing. Long Yifei was no longer here. A surge of panic filled her mind. She felt her prized disciple slipping through her fingers and she could not comprehend it. She couldn't accept it.
"Insolent! Impossible!" She shouted. "Where is she!"
Her composure was gone. She was more like a crazed witch than a noble immortal queen. She was about to lose it.
"Abbotess Liang!" Ming He called out sharply, "Is this how a Spirit King should behave? Trying to kidnap another immortal's disciple and throwing a tantrum out of nowhere. Is this how all women of the Sororal Order behave…"
Boom!
A purple explosion consumed a section of the plaza, blowing away Ming He's last few words of insolence. Abbotess Liang was finally tired of being talking to a bunch of ants. She was tired of holding back. She was tired of this subcontinent and this sorry excuse for a city.
A gust of wind blew away the dust, revealing a gruesome sight. A circular field of red appeared on the ground where previously stood hundreds of men. The weakest ones had been directly smashed into meat paste. Stronger ones managed to keep an intact body but they still could not keep their worthless lives.
Abbotess Liang floated over to the front of the massacre where a bloodied body stirred. It was Ming He; he was still alive though barely. He was covered from head to toe in blood. Blue light from some sort of protective treasure glowed weakly for a few moments before blinking out of existence.
"Anything else you want to say?" She asked, her voice low and dangerous.
Ming He did not make a sound, even from pain. His insides were shattered and his throat was filled with blood. He gritted his teeth and stared up defiantly, seemingly without regard for his life. He made his intentions clear even though he could not speak.
She scoffed at the useless display of bravery. She reached down to end his life as painfully as possible when a brash voice stopped her.
It was Tian Yunhao. "Evil woman! You dare to kill so wantonly here? This is the Eastern Sanmu Metropolis, not somewhere you can do as you please! Stop now or suffer the consequences!"
Abbotess Liang whirled around to face him. She made a sweeping gesture with her hand and a horizontal arc of purple energy swept through where he stood.
"Ahhh!" Tian Yunhao screamed like a slaughtered pig as he was blown off his feet.
A grey light emerged around his body, forming the shape of a shield, blocking most of the damage.
While he survived, those unlucky enough to be around him did not. The purple arc swept through the crowd like a scythe reaping rows of wheat. People were cut down where they stood, unable to react, unable to do anything. When they finally understood what was happening, their upper bodies were no longer connected to their legs. There was a gaping gap where their stomach once was which they could see clearly as they tumbled to the ground. They were only given a few last moments to consider their misfortune and question why they had antagonized a Spirit King before the last bit of life left them.
Abbotess Liang laughed shrilly and made a motion with one finger. Tian Yunhao was pulled out of the sea of carnage by her spiritual force. His body zipped to her and his neck landed neatly in her hand.
"Bark! Bark! Keep yapping, I'm waiting!"
Tian Yunhao only gave a weak whimper which did not satisfy her. She slapped him across the face, leaving three bloody trails from her nails.
He responded with a pitiful wail.
"I am so sick and tired this dirty, poor place." She muttered and turned to Chen Wentian, "I came here out of the goodness of my heart to find a disciple and this is how you people treat me…"
"And you!" She snarled at him, "Where is she! Tell me now or I kill this useless person!"
She lifted Tian Yunhao higher into the air, causing his arms and legs to flail around in a panic.
Chen Wentian simply laughed, "You said yourself he's a useless person. Why do I care if he dies? Now, if you broke your own legs, I might consider it."
"Fine!"
She squeezed her hand but before she could finish the task…
Woosh!
A powerful surge of steel-gray spiritual energy engulfed Tian Yunhao, protecting him from further harm.
---
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