A Cunning Pervert in the Cultivation World

The more he thought about it, the clearer it became.

The old fox wasn’t defending his position aggressively because he didn’t need to win here.

He only needed to keep Li Feng in this place a little longer.

Just as Li Feng’s thoughts were spiraling, Prime Minister Mu suddenly frowned slightly and spoke with concern,

”Envoy Li, your expression suddenly changed. Is something wrong?”

The old man took a small step forward, his voice full of apparent sincerity.

”If Envoy Li is still worried about the demonic cultivators, why don’t we investigate together right now? This old man can immediately gather all the recent guests and servants. With Envoy Li’s sharp eyes, we might be able to root out any hidden threats tonight.”

He gestured politely toward him.

”It won’t take long. What does Envoy Li think?”

Prime Minister Mu’s eyes carried a trace of eagerness, as if he truly wanted to cooperate.

But to Li Feng, every word now sounded like another layer of delay.

The old fox was still trying to keep him here.

’Dammit... Just what is this bastard plotting?’

Li Feng cursed inwardly, his mind spinning rapidly.

He had already killed one of their people and openly provoked the old man.

Yet instead of trying to drive him away, Prime Minister Mu was doing everything possible to make him stay longer.

That eagerness was too unnatural.

’Think... Think! What happened recently that stood out the most...’

Just as Li Feng’s expression grew increasingly dark, he suddenly cast a cleaning spell on himself and bowed slightly.

”Prime Minister Mu’s kindness is appreciated,” Li Feng replied calmly, ”but there is no need. This junior has already troubled you enough tonight. The sect is still waiting for my report regarding tonight’s palace incident. I cannot delay any longer.”

He cupped his hands firmly as he walked toward the two women.

”Sister Yue, Senior Lan, we’re leaving.”

Without giving Prime Minister Mu any chance to speak again, Li Feng turned around and walked toward the exit with steady steps.

Yue Lan and Lan Suyao exchanged a quick glance before quickly following behind him.

They could ask questions later.

’Hmph! Since this old fox wanted to keep him here so badly, it was better to leave and think calmly.’

As he walked, Li Feng couldn’t help but frown.

’But that’s strange... where are all the other high-ranking officials...? Such a huge commotion should have at least drawn the Empress or—’

Suddenly, the night turned even darker.

The moonlight that had been shining brightly above them vanished completely, as if swallowed by something.

Thick, unnatural black clouds rolled in from all directions at an alarming speed, covering the entire sky above the Prime Minister’s mansion and even extending toward the imperial palace.

A heavy, oppressive aura descended.

Li Feng’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

His eyes narrowed dangerously as he looked up at the suddenly pitch-black sky.

Then, to his shock...

He saw it.

Many thick, pitch-black walls suddenly appeared from the heavens and fell down onto the imperial palace.

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

The drops fell silently, yet each one carried a terrifying force as the whole inner palace seemed to turn into a maze.

Behind him, everyone else also looked up in horror.

The guards and the two Golden Core experts behind Concubine Bai were frozen in shock.

None of them understood what was happening, but the sheer malevolent aura made their souls tremble.

And unknown to everyone present...

Prime Minister Mu stood quietly in the back as the corners of his old lips slowly curved into a cold, satisfied smile.

_

_

_

Meanwhile, at a unknown distance away,

CRACK!

A sharp crack suddenly appeared in the air above one of the tallest buildings in the imperial palace, which was now surrounded by a dark, ominous wall.

A glowing Divine Brick shot out from the spatial tear, followed immediately by a cloaked figure.

Thud.

”...!!”

Shadow fell heavily onto the roof on one knee, clutching its chest.

Its skull mask showed clear signs of cracking, and the dark, shadowy substance that made up its body flickered unstably, as if severely damaged.

”~!”

The Divine Brick hovered in front of it urgently, vibrating intensely as it tried to reconnect with their master and report everything that had happened.

But before they could complete the connection—

”...So you are the [Unseen].”

A calm, androgynous voice echoed from a distance away in front of them.

Shadow and the Divine Brick immediately turned to look and saw a cloaked figure was calmly standing on the edge of the roof, quietly observing them.

Even though the voice sounded neither fully male nor female, the aura it emitted was deep and unfathomable.

The figure murmured again, its tone cold and indifferent.

”It seems you survived... Strange... everything is so strange.”

The cloaked figure slowly walked toward them while continuing to murmur to itself:

”Lan Suyao was supposed to be dead and... Yue Lan wasn’t supposed to be here...”

”We expected the Azure Moon Sect Leader’s intervention but why is Li Feng...”

The figure calmly talked to themselves as Shadow slowly stood up, its flickering body emitting a dangerous aura.

”...It seems it was the right call to move up the plan a bit.”

Then the figure stopped as a pair of strange amber eyes slowly glowed beneath the hood, staring straight at Shadow.

”But before that, you are the most variable piece... and so you needed to be taken out first...”

A terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from the cloaked figure.

”~!!”

The Divine Brick spun violently, urgently urging Shadow to hide inside it.

But to its surprise—

”...”

Shadow remained silent and slowly got into a fighting stance, even though its body was flickering unstably and its skull mask was cracked.

”?!” The Divine Brick trembled with anger and anxiety at this fellow’s stubbornness.

However, it soon felt something from Shadow... a deep, burning anger... and heavy shame.

Shame from failing Li Feng.

Shame from being ambushed so carelessly and being so overconfident in it’s ability.

Right now, Shadow had no intention of hiding.

Even if it was heavily injured, it refused to run away like a coward.

Not after it had already disappointed its master once tonight.

The Divine Brick was so speechless that it wished it could talk and scold—

”I know you wouldn’t run.”

The cloaked figure smiled.

And the moment those words finished—

BOOOOMMMM!!!

A massive explosion of crimson flames suddenly erupted across the rooftop.

ROAR!!!

Golden-crimson flames roared to life like an awakened ancient phoenix, lighting up the entire dark sky.

The intense purifying heat and destructive power swept everything in front of Shadow.

Shadow was forced to retreat several steps, its slit white eyes narrowed sharply beneath the hood at the strange flames.

From within the blazing sea of phoenix flames, the mysterious cloaked figure stood tall, completely unfazed.

With a calm gesture, it slowly raised its right hand.

Whoosh!

The golden-crimson flames that had been raging around Shadow suddenly twisted and converged violently toward the cloaked figure’s palm.

In an instant, the flames condensed into a magnificent flaming bow... long, elegant, and radiating terrifying power.

The bow was entirely formed from pure phoenix flames, yet it carried an ancient and noble aura.

Then the cloaked figure calmly pulled the string.

And a flaming arrow instantly materialized on the bow, burning far hotter and brighter than anything Shadow had seen.

Tzz...

Tzz...

Tzz...

The air itself twisted and distorted from the intense heat.

The surrounding tiles on the rooftop began to melt into glowing red lava.

The dark clouds overhead churned violently as the extreme temperature evaporated everything in its path.

The cloaked figure’s amber eyes glowed brighter as it aimed the flaming arrow directly at Shadow’s chest.

”Witness... the power of the Crimson Phoenix.”

Then the figure released the string and murmured softly,

”Heaven-Burning Bow.”