Chapter 4733
“Master, what should we do?” the old man asked.
“Didn’t Sun Moon City seek revenge on Kai?” Huo Qing questioned.
“They did. Lin Kefan personally led the mission, but… but…”
The old man hesitated, unsure how to phrase his response.
“But what? Spit it out already!” Huo Qing frowned.
“But Lin Kefan didn’t capture Kai. Instead, it seems he invited him to Sun Moon City,” the old man explained.
“When they left the Xiao Dynasty, they were chatting and laughing—Lin Kefan even seemed to be flattering Kai. I have no idea why.”
“Oh? Is that so?” Huo Qing’s expression darkened in confusion.
“Lin Kefan is in the Immortal Realm, a proud and highly talented cultivator. Why would he humble himself before Kai?”
“Could it be that he discovered someone backing Kai and adjusted his attitude accordingly?” the old man speculated.
“That’s possible,” Huo Qing admitted, “but even if Kai has a powerful backer, could they really be stronger than Sun Moon City?”
Sun Moon City was one of the top forces in the Heavenly Realm. Kai was merely a Mahayana cultivator—what kind of backing could he possibly have that rivaled Sun Moon City?
Huo Qing found the idea hard to believe. At this point, he had no insight into who or what might be supporting Kai.
“Master, if Kai forms an alliance with Sun Moon City, the Ten Palaces will be in grave danger. We need to plan ahead,” the old man warned in a low voice.
“You’re right. We need to act now.” Huo Qing nodded before giving his order.
“Send an emergency edict. Have my father dispatch some masters here immediately.”
The old man’s eyes widened in surprise. “Master, you want to assist the Ten Palaces?”
“Hmph, hardly. The destruction of the Ten Palaces means nothing to me. In fact, if they fall, I might get the chance to rebuild them in my own image.”
“My real concern is Kai. If he turns against me, it’ll be just the two of us against him—and if that happens, we won’t even have a chance to escape.”
Huo Qing understood all too well: if Kai allied with Sun Moon City, the Ten Palaces wouldn’t stand a chance.
The Ten Palaces could be wiped out for all he cared. But he couldn’t afford to die—he was merely using the Ten Palaces to polish his reputation. Eventually, he might be transferred to a more prestigious position elsewhere.
“I understand.”
Without hesitation, the old man pulled out a token and crushed it.
As the token shattered, the void trembled, and a deep, ancient voice echoed slowly.
“What happened?”
The voice carried an overwhelming presence, as if it could pierce through the very fabric of the universe.
“Father, I am in danger…” Huo Qing said urgently.
“Hmm.”
The old voice responded with a simple hum before falling silent.
Huo Qing narrowed his eyes, his expression turning slightly grim.
“Master, don’t worry. The master will surely send reinforcements,” the old man reassured him.
Huo Qing nodded, then lay back on the bed, absentmindedly playing with the child’s severed head.
Kai followed Lin Kefan and the others as they made their way back to Sun Moon City.
However, before they had traveled far from the Xiao Dynasty, several terrifying auras suddenly surged toward them from the distance.
Lin Kefan frowned slightly. “Who dares to approach us so recklessly?”
Hua Zhangweng and Mo Shaying exchanged glances, their faces filled with shock. The approaching auras were overwhelmingly powerful.
In the blink of an eye, the figures arrived before them.
Leading the group were none other than Xuan Bin and Zhou Tang!
The two had previously taken Kai’s fairy stones to help recruit allies, and now they had returned with reinforcements—several formidable cultivators.
Each of them was a peak ninth-rank Mahayana cultivator, driven by their insatiable thirst for fairy stones.
“Release Mr. Chen, and I’ll spare your lives.”
Xuan Bin’s voice was cold as he fixed his gaze on Lin Kefan and his companions.
As he spoke, the surrounding cultivators released their auras, the air thick with tension as they prepared to strike at any moment.