Chapter 21
"But Li Wei's family tried to destroy my entire family. He even wanted to force my sisters into marriage with him. As his master, shouldn't you also take responsibility for this?" Xiao Ming's voice was calm, yet the sharp edge in his words was impossible to ignore.
"This…" Wei Zhen's expression stiffened. The forced smile that had graced his lips moments ago disappeared entirely, replaced by a serious, almost panicked look.
He was about to speak further when Xiao Ming continued, his tone casual yet brimming with authority. "Don't worry. I'm not unreasonable. As long as you can take one move from me, I'll forget what Li Wei and his family have done. How about that?"
Wei Zhen blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected proposition. One move? The seemingly dire situation suddenly felt far less threatening. He chuckled inwardly, thinking, This boy may be strong for his level, but he's still only at the Void Essence stage. One move from him couldn't possibly harm me.
Calculating quickly, Wei Zhen decided to play along. Even if Xiao Ming's attack was formidable, Wei Zhen was confident in his ability to fake an injury to appease the young master's ego. The risk seemed laughably small, and the reward—a peaceful resolution to a situation that could have cost him dearly—was too good to pass up.
"Yes, yes. I am indeed guilty of failing to teach my disciple well," Wei Zhen said, adopting a tone of righteous humility. "The punishment that young master deems fit, I will respectfully accept."
A flicker of amusement crossed Xiao Ming's face as he saw Wei Zhen's confident posture. How naive, he thought. Without wasting any more words, he moved.
The atmosphere in the hall shifted drastically. Xiao Ming's playful demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by a calm and focused expression. His sharp gaze seemed to pierce through everything, and the oppressive aura around him grew thicker with every passing moment.
"Eternal Domain," Xiao Ming whispered, his voice carrying an almost divine resonance.
A wave of energy burst forth, spreading outward with Xiao Ming at its center. The disciples and elders instinctively stepped back, feeling an overwhelming pressure. However, the energy did not harm them. It was clear who the intended target was.
Wei Zhen barely had time to react. The moment the wave of energy touched him, the world around him changed entirely. Gone were the walls of the Roaring Lion Sect's grand hall, the rows of disciples, and the imposing throne he had once occupied. In their place was an endless expanse of white.
"What… is this?" Wei Zhen muttered, his voice echoing in the emptiness. A flicker of panic flashed across his face as he realized that his spiritual senses couldn't penetrate the space.
As he struggled to understand what was happening, an unbearable pressure began to press down on him. The energy in this strange domain seemed alive, and it was tearing through his defenses effortlessly. Wei Zhen's confidence evaporated, replaced by sheer terror.
"No! This can't be possible!" he shouted, his voice tinged with desperation. He poured every ounce of his cultivation into resisting the force, but it was futile. Within moments, his body began to disintegrate, and he could do nothing to stop it. His screams faded into silence as he was reduced to nothing more than ash. Only his storage ring remained, hovering in the void.
Outside the domain, the disciples and elders watched in stunned silence. To their eyes, it looked as if Wei Zhen had simply frozen in place after Xiao Ming's attack. But then, without warning, his body crumbled into ash, leaving behind only a faint trace of his existence.
The hall erupted into chaos.
"What just happened?!"
"Did you see that? Sect Master Wei… he just turned into ashes!"
"What kind of monstrous technique was that? Even a Transcendence-level cultivator couldn't defend against it!"
Even Elder Su, Xiao Ming's protector, was left speechless. He had known that Xiao Ming was no ordinary core disciple, but the power he had just displayed was beyond his expectations.
"That energy…" Elder Su muttered to himself, his expression grim. "If I were still in the Transcendence realm, I would have suffered the same fate as Wei Zhen."
Despite the chaos in the hall, Xiao Ming remained unfazed. He cast a disinterested glance at the remaining elders and disciples but made no move to harm them. With an air of indifference, he turned and left the hall.
Outside, Xiao Ming's golden guards had already completed their task. The Roaring Lion Sect's treasury had been emptied, and Wei Zhen's storage ring was securely in Xiao Ming's possession.
For Xiao Ming, this was merely a stepping stone. The resources he had gathered would ensure the Xiao family's survival and growth. As for the Roaring Lion Sect seeking revenge? Xiao Ming smirked at the thought. With Wei Zhen gone, the sect's downfall was inevitable. The neighboring factions, long oppressed by the Roaring Lion Sect, would surely take advantage of their weakness.
The journey back to Moonshade City was uneventful. The chariot returned to Moonshade City swiftly, and Xiao Ming entered the Xiao family mansion, Xiao Ming wasted no time seeking out his father.
"Dad, I want our entire family to move to Divine Blue City," Xiao Ming announced, his tone firm and resolute.
Xiao Haoren, the patriarch of the Xiao family, looked at his son in shock. Divine Blue City? For a man content with being the boss of Moonshade City, the idea of relocating to a place as grand as Divine Blue City was unimaginable.
"Move… to Divine Blue City?" Xiao Haoren repeated, disbelief written all over his face.
Seeing his father's reaction, Xiao Ming explained patiently, "Father, I am now a core disciple of the Divine Blue Sect. I have the strength and influence to ensure our family's safety and prosperity there. It's time for us to rise."
Divine Blue City, situated at the foot of a mountain range protected by the Divine Blue Sect, was massive—more than a hundred times the size of Moonshade City. It was a hub of commerce, power, and opportunity. After some discussion, Xiao Haoren finally agreed.
It was decided that Xiao Ming would return to the Divine Blue Sect first and make the necessary arrangements. Once everything was ready, the entire Xiao family would move to Divine Blue City, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.