The shattered remains of the administrative building were still filled with the residual energy from the battle that had ended only a few minutes ago. Dust drifted slowly through the air, illuminated by faint rays of sunlight filtering through the broken structure, while large cracks spread across the ground.
The once orderly administrative building had collapsed into rubble, its walls were blown apart and its foundation was fractured, leaving behind only a ruined shell that spoke of how sudden and destructive the confrontation had been.
Three figures descended from the sky, their robes kept fluttering slightly as they landed amidst the destruction. At the forefront stood an old man with long white hair and a flowing beard, his presence was steady yet oppressive, his expression was neutral even while knowing that an attack had occurred inside their sect.
This was Zhang Yuze, one of the elders of the Five Element Immortal Sect. His sharp gaze swept across the ruined site, taking in every detail, from the scattered debris, to the residual spiritual energy fluctuations, and the unnatural silence as the aftermath.
Beside him, two more figures landed. They were Chen Mingze, the leader of the Disciplinary Hall, who maintained a calm and composed demeanor, his eyes were already analyzing the situation, while Liu Yìchen, another sect elder, stood slightly to the side, his expression was restrained but attentive. None of them spoke immediately, waiting for the guards to arrive at the site.
A group of guards came running toward them, their movements were hurried and clearly unsettled.
"What happened here?" Zhang Yuze asked, his voice was low but heavy, carrying authority that pressed down on every guard present.
One of them stepped forward, he bowed deeply despite the tremor in his voice. "G…Greetings, elders… we were stationed at the outer perimeter. We… We do not know the full details. Sir Chen would know better."
Zhang Yuze snorted softly, clearly dissatisfied. "Useless," he muttered, though he did not press further.
Chen Mingze raised a hand slightly, cutting off any escalation before it could begin. "There is no need to get worked up, Elder Yuze," he said calmly, then shifted his attention back to the guard. "Where is Chen Fenghao?"
The guard swallowed nervously, glancing back at the others. "W…We will search for him immediately, Hall Master."
They barely had time to move before a disturbance in the air drew everyone's attention upward. A figure was flying toward them, but he looked like he wasn't in a good condition. His flying trajectory was unstable, and when he finally descended, the sight caused even the guards to stiffen.
Chen Fenghao landed heavily, his body was visibly injured, his robes were torn in multiple places, and most striking of all, his right arm was missing. The sleeve hung empty, stained dark red with blood. He dropped to one knee unable to even stand properly as he looked towards the elders. "G…Greetings… elders… Hall Master…"
Chen Mingze did not waste time. With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved a jade bottle from his spatial ring and tossed it toward him. "Take it."
Chen Fenghao caught it with his remaining hand and immediately swallowed the pill inside and within moments, the change was visible. The strain in his expression eased, his breathing steadied, and the bleeding from his severed arm stopped completely. Though the limb did not regenerate, his condition stabilized enough for him to stand again.
"Now speak," Chen Mingze said, his tone was calm but firm. "Tell us what happened from the beginning."
Chen Fenghao nodded, forcing himself to remain composed as he began recounting everything. He spoke of Arthur's arrival, his abnormal strength, the incident with the Iron Blade Gang, and how the rumors had reached him. He explained how he had reported the matter to Elder Tianfeng, and how the elder had personally come to investigate.
"At first… it seemed like a simple test," Chen Fenghao said, his brows tightening as he recalled the scene. "But then… something unexpected occured."
He described how elder Tianfeng had failed to probe Arthur's cultivation, how the situation escalated when the elder attempted to capture him, and then how Arthur overpowered elder Tianfeng. His voice faltered slightly as he reached the end. "After that… there was an explosion and I was thrown away. I… I don't know what happened next."
Silence followed his words. Zhang Yuze's gaze sharpened and asked. "And where is Elder Tianfeng?"
Chen Fenghao shook his head slowly. "I don't know Elder Yuze."
Elder Yuze nodded and without another word, the three higher-ups moved toward the center of the destruction where the confrontation took place. The closer they got, the clearer it became that this was not the result of a prolonged battle, but something that happened in a single attack. At the heart of the collapsed structure, amidst cracked stone and scorched ground, lay a pile of gray ash.
Chen Mingze stepped forward and crouched down, his expression turning serious. He reached out, scooped a small amount of ash into his hand, and infused it with spiritual energy. The particles trembled slightly as faint remnants of aura surfaced, it was fragmented but still recognizable.
A few seconds later, his eyes snapped open.
"This…" he said quietly, his voice carrying a bit of sorrow though no one knew if it was genuine or fake, "is Elder Tianfeng's remains."
Chen Fenghao staggered slightly and stuttered. "W…What…? How is that possible?"
Not only him, even the elders were also surprised after hearing what Chen Mingze just said, Zhang Yuze and Liu Yìchen were visibly shaken.
Elder Tianfeng… was dead?
For a moment, none of them spoke. The implications were too heavy to ignore. Elder Tianfeng was at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, and they couldn't imagine how he was killed so fast. It had to be noted that golden immortals were generally considered to be the top powerhouse of the planet they were in.
To eliminate such a person so quickly. Unless… all three of them looked at each other and arrived at the same conclusion.
"Great Unity Immortal…" Liu Yichen muttered with a grave tone.
But it still confused them, how could a person who had just ascended possess such cultivation. Only a person who was at the Great Unity Immortal realm could kill a cultivator at the Golden Immortal realm as fast as how elder Tianfeng was killed.
Zhang Yuze immediately frowned and shook his head. "No, that doesn't fit the situation."
Chen Mingze straightened slowly, his expression was thoughtful as he added. "If he truly possessed that level of cultivation… he would not have fled the mine."
The logic was undeniable, someone at that level would have no reason to avoid confrontation. Even their sect only had two Great Unity Immortals, the sect master and the grand elder who almost always remain in seclusion. So, they had a valid point to think Arthur wasn't at that level.
"It must be a heavenly treasure," Zhang Yuze said, his eyes narrowing as a faint glint appeared within them. "An artifact that is capable of concealing cultivation… and amplifying strength. Or it might be an offensive artifact that can help a cultivator to kill someone above their cultivation level."
The possibility hung in the air. Whatever the artifact was, it was extremely dangerous… and extremely valuable.
A greedy glint appeared in their eyes, if they could possess the treasure. But none of them were reckless enough to act on impulse. If Arthur could kill a Golden Immortal once, there was nothing stopping him from doing it again, so they were already thinking about their next step.
Hall Master Chen Mingze turned toward Chen Fenghao and asked. "Show us his appearance."
Chen Fenghao nodded immediately and formed a projection using spiritual energy. Arthur's figure appeared clearly in the air before them.
The three studied it carefully, committing every detail to memory.
"We will report this to the Sect Master," Chen Mingze said finally. No one objected, this had already escalated beyond the mine.
The elders and hall master Chen then left the place to notify the sect master about what happened here.
…
Within a single day, a piece of news spread across multiple regions like wildfire. What began as an internal incident within the Five Element Immortal Sect quickly turned into something far greater.
The Five Element Immortal Sect had put a bounty on a dangerous fugitive's head.
And the bounty was not a minor one and it was not something any cultivators could ignore. The amount was so large it shook the entire region, it was five million spirit stones. It created a sensation as it had been ages such a high amount was put up against anyone.
The number alone was enough to ignite greed in even the most disciplined cultivators. And alongside it came another incentive, anyone who provided credible information about the fugitive would receive fifty thousand spirit stones.
Information networks exploded into activity, brokers began trading rumors at unprecedented rates. Sect disciples whispered in hushed tones and independent cultivators reduced their cultivation time, hoping to stumble upon a clue.
"It's been decades since a bounty like this appeared…"
"Who is this person?"
"They say even a Golden Immortal died…"
"That kind of reward… even sect elders would move for it…"
Transit points became overcrowded almost instantly. Teleportation arrays were heavily monitored, and every exit route from the planet was watched closely.
Everyone shared the same thought, they knew that the first thing the fugitive would do after hearing such a huge bounty was placed on his head was to leave the planet.
And so, they waited for the fugitive to fall in their trap.
…
But the irony was almost laughable. Because while the entire world was preparing to chase him… Arthur was already gone from the planet.
The moment he left the mine, he had not waited even for a second. After multiple teleports that carried him far beyond the sect's range, ensuring no one could trace his exact path, he activated the Obelisk and disappeared from the immortal world.
***
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