Chapter 1978: A Major Commotion
The Imperial Mountain was vast, containing many gorges. At this moment, in a semi-enclosed gorge, Ji Qingsong followed Lin Feng to this place.
"Is this far enough?" Ji Qingsong looked up at the sky and said, "This gorge is so deep. Even if you need some time to transmit your divine will memories, no one else will see us here."
"Alright, release your divine will." Lin Feng stopped at a certain spot, then turned around and spoke to Ji Qingsong. A wisp of divine will rippled from between Lin Feng's brows, surging toward Ji Qingsong.
Ji Qingsong's soul was formidable, and he was not afraid of Lin Feng launching a sneak attack. He released his divine will, allowing Lin Feng's divine will memories to surge toward him. Indeed, the memories contained an ancient scripture, profound and extensive—a very powerful ancient classic. However, Ji Qingsong did not completely let his guard down; he remained somewhat tense. Only after obtaining the entire ancient scripture and leaving this place would it truly be over.
The valley wind brushed past, carrying a hint of chill. Lin Feng's mind stirred, and several array talismans appeared in his palm. He directly crushed them, and his body instantly vanished from its original spot, shooting toward the sky above. Just as Lin Feng was about to rush upward, a figure silently descended from above the semi-enclosed gorge, soundless and traceless.
"Not good!" Ji Qingsong's expression changed drastically. He suddenly charged toward a mountain peak, his entire body turning into a blur of afterimages.
However, a heaven-shaking dragon-elephant roar burst forth, shattering heaven and earth. The entire gorge seemed to be enveloped by an illusory dragon-elephant giant shadow. Then, rumbling sounds of annihilation rolled out violently, as if heaven and earth were about to crack and shatter.
Lin Feng's body had already rushed out of the gorge. He did not look back, plunging directly into the clouds and mist before distancing himself from the area. The tremendous booming and explosive sounds reached his ears, shaking Lin Feng's heart. Such terrifying fluctuations! They must have alarmed cultivators for a thousand miles around.
As Lin Feng had anticipated, this commotion alarmed the martial cultivators in the surrounding area. Their figures flickered like the wind, their gazes gazing in this direction. They saw that the gorge, beyond the reach of their sight, was undergoing terrifying waves of destruction. Mountains were continuously collapsing, as if heaven and earth were about to cave in. None of them dared to get too close; there must be terrifyingly powerful experts fighting there.
This powerful wave of destruction did not last long before it subsided. When all the smoke and dust cleared, the mountain peaks beside the gorge had completely collapsed, burying the gorge along with them. There was no further movement inside, and no one was seen emerging from it. Only in the distance, a figure pierced through a mountain peak and strolled away into the distance, as if none of this had anything to do with him.
At the same time, another incident occurred within the Ji Clan. Ji Qingsong's son, whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Martial Emperor Realm and was preparing to break through to the Great Emperor Realm, was now dead—killed within the Ji Clan. For the Ji Clan, this was absolutely unimaginable. Someone had dared to kill within the Ji Clan! It was absurd. If word got out, probably no one would believe it. Yet it had truly happened within the Ji Clan, and the deceased was even a member of the Ji Clan's direct lineage.
What made the Ji Clan members even more frustrated was that at the location of Ji Qingsong's son's death, there had been no violent clash, as if he had been killed effortlessly. This was because he would never have dreamed that his nephew, with whom he had a decent relationship, would suddenly strike to kill him.
When the truth was uncovered, the Ji Clan members could hardly believe it. According to Ji Qingsong's daughter-in-law, Ji Jiang had come to find her husband, and then this tragedy occurred. Later, many Ji Clan members also reported that they had seen Ji Jiang's figure. He had indeed returned to the Ji Clan and greeted many people, but he left again soon after.
However, Ji Jiang had not gone to pay respects to his elders, nor had he even visited his parents.
The truth was on the verge of being revealed.
At this moment, Ji Yuan and a group of figures stood beside a corpse, listening to the reports from the subordinates below. Their faces were ashen.
"Why did Ji Jiang kill Ji Bai?" a Ji Clan expert asked. He couldn't understand it, and neither could anyone else in the Ji Clan. What was his purpose?
"Before Ji Jiang disappeared, he went to deal with Lin Feng, and then he vanished. Now he reappears and kills his own uncle. How hateful! What happened to him?"
Just then, a figure arrived like the wind, his gaze fixed on Ji Yuan. Sweat was seeping from his forehead.
"Hmm?" Ji Yuan frowned slightly and asked, "What is it?"
"Lord Qingsong... his soul jade has shattered." The man spoke with difficulty, causing Ji Yuan's pupils to suddenly freeze. A murderous aura flashed in his eyes. This matter was far more complicated than he had imagined.
"Qingsong was a Heavenly Emperor Realm expert, on par with me in strength. Who could kill him? And he had Ji Jiang kill Ji Bai. What secret is hidden in all this?" Ji Yuan's heart trembled. The death of a Heavenly Emperor Realm expert was an earthquake even for the Ji Clan.
"Who saw Qingsong last? Where did he last appear? Investigate immediately and find out clearly." Ji Yuan's voice carried a sinister tone. Ji Qingsong and his son had both fallen—Ji Qingsong, a Heavenly Emperor, dead, and his son Ji Bai, killed within the Ji Clan by a fellow clansman, Ji Jiang. How could Ji Yuan not be enraged? There must be some hidden secret in all this.
That day, the ancient holy clan, the Ying Clan, was shaken. Ying Cheng had nearly been killed, and a Heavenly Emperor Realm expert had fallen.
That day, the ancient holy clan, the Ji Clan, was also shaken. Ji Qingsong and his son were both killed—one a Heavenly Emperor, the other dying within the clan.
That day, the Ji Clan uncovered many pieces of information. Ji Qingsong had last appeared in several places. Once was at the Imperial Mountain during Ying Cheng's breakthrough, where he had brief contact with Lin Feng. His last appearance was not far outside the Ji Clan, where he happened to encounter Ji Jiang, who was returning to the clan. This was seen by a passing Ji Clan member. After that, Ji Jiang returned to the clan, and Ji Qingsong left. The passerby had even greeted Ji Jiang.
All the clues pointed to one person: Lin Feng.
At the Imperial Mountain, Ji Qingsong had brief contact with Lin Feng. And before Ji Jiang disappeared, he had gone to deal with Lin Feng.
But who dared to say that Lin Feng had done this? Could Lin Feng kill a Heavenly Emperor Realm expert like Ji Qingsong? If the Ji Clan used this excuse to deal with Lin Feng, not only the War King Academy but even others in Holy City Central Continent would mock the Ji Clan. If they wanted to deal with him, they didn't need such an absurd pretext.
But should they just let this matter go and not go after Lin Feng? What was the secret behind the deaths of Ji Qingsong and his son? Could they just forget about it?
The next day, news spread that a powerful clash had occurred at the Imperial Mountain, causing mountains to crack and the earth to split. After receiving the news, the Ji Clan deduced that this was likely the battle where Ji Qingsong had fallen. Clearly, the culprit was not Lin Feng—everyone knew that. But who did it? Behind Lin Feng was only the War King Academy. Could the Ji Clan suspect that an expert from the War King Academy had done it?
The Ying Clan was furious and began searching everywhere for traces of Xiao Wutian.
The Ji Clan was also furious. Their anger toward Lin Feng had escalated to an even stronger level. Although they couldn't prove anything, the deaths of Ji Qingsong and his son were definitely connected to Lin Feng. But they were helpless. They had no reason to prove Lin Feng's involvement, so they couldn't touch Lin Feng, the genius disciple of the War King Academy.
That day, Ji Yuan, an expert of the Ji Clan, arrived at the Ying Clan.
In the great hall, Ying Fa, an expert of the Ying Clan, received Ji Yuan and asked, "Brother Ji Yuan, what brings you to the Ying Clan this time?"
Because of Xiao Wutian's return, the Ying Clan was already in a troubled time, so they got straight to the point.
"Brother Ying must be very eager to capture and kill Xiao Wutian by now," Ji Yuan said with a smile.
Ying Fa nodded and said, "Of course. Not only Xiao Wutian, but once he dies, I will bury his entire tribe along with him."
"Brother Ying is straightforward, so I'll be direct too. Xiao Wutian has managed to escape the Ying Clan's pursuit multiple times, clearly possessing extremely powerful disguise abilities. Now that he has broken through to the Saint Emperor Realm, it will be too difficult for the Ying Clan to capture and kill him."
"What suggestion does Brother Ji Yuan have?" Ying Fa asked.
"On the Qing Xiao Continent, there is a clan capable of uncovering all disguises. Brother Ying must know of them, right?" Ji Yuan asked.
Ying Fa's pupils contracted slightly. Of course, he knew. But that person held a very transcendent status on the Qing Xiao Continent, being a member of the Divine Temple. It would be too difficult to ask for his help, and who knew what price would have to be paid.
"Brother Ji Yuan should understand that although my Ying Clan is an ancient holy clan, he may not necessarily give us face in this matter," Ying Fa said.
"That's why I came to find Brother Ying. If the Ji Clan is willing to join forces with the Ying Clan, it should be more certain," Ji Yuan said.
Ying Fa's pupils contracted, a light flashing in his eyes as he looked at Ji Yuan and said, "The Ji Clan is willing to help? What does it need from my Ying Clan?"
"I want Lin Feng," Ji Yuan said coldly, causing Ying Fa's gaze to freeze. He said, "The War King Academy is also not easy to deal with. If your Ji Clan goes after Lin Feng, even if you drag my Ying Clan into it, you'll have no just cause."
"No, there will definitely be a just cause. And it won't be just the Ji Clan and the Ying Clan. There will also be the Yu Clan. And later, I will even visit the Pei Clan." Ji Yuan's gaze locked onto Ying Fa as he spoke slowly.
At that moment, Ying Fa's heart pounded. Mobilizing four great ancient holy clans to deal with Lin Feng? To resist the pressure from the War King Academy? This lineup was terrifying.
Ying Fa's gaze sharpened, and then he burst into laughter. "Several great ancient holy clans joining forces—could it be just for Lin Feng alone? The ultimate goal is the Heavenly Derivation Scripture on Lin Feng, isn't it?"