Sage Monarch

In the shortest of moments, the situation changed dramatically.

Who could have predicted that the Executors of the Ancient Road would be so shameless as to launch an ambush like this? Three of the executors were attacking the sectlord, and one was attacking Yang Qi. These four were Terrifying experts whose energy arts were far beyond those of the junior superintendent.

Each and every executor was a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering force. In ancient times, they had essentially ruled the Ancient Road to the Gods, and although their power had waned since then, they were still a force to be reckoned with. And this group had unleashed their attack with such suddenness that it was virtually impossible to defend against.

"How shameless!" the sectlord growled. He prepared to use his energy arts to protect Yang Qi, but how could the three executors simply let him? They blocked his move, then howled as they attacked him from three directions, each attack a killing move pushed to the ultimate level.

"River of Gods; Setting Sun!"

"Heaven-God Adjudication!"

"Vast Net of Law!"

The three attacks were all targeting different weak spots on the sectlord. One was a punch, the other a palm strike, the third a kick. And they were all manifestations of consummate energy arts unique to the Executors of the Ancient Road. When these three attacked in unison, even a god would have difficulty mounting a defense.

Bam!

The sectlord's connection to Yang Qi was severed, removing the protections he had set in place moments before; Yang Qi was instantly in a very dangerous situation. With the sectlord wrapped up in fighting three executors at the same time, it was obvious that he couldn't provide assistance.

"Will-Convergence Nirābhāsa!"

The sectlord thrust his palm out three times to meet the incoming fist, palm, and leg. Upon contact, three streams of power entered him, but he quickly sent them flowing in different directions. The leg strike, he sent slamming into the executor who had unleashed the palm attack. The palm attack, he sent back to the executor who had struck with his fist. And the fist strike was redirected to the executor who had attacked with his leg.

The three executors were sent staggering backward under the force of their own blows, their expressions that of deep surprise.

"So, it's the Will-Convergence Nirābhāsa Motionless-True-Ego Divine Art," one of the executors said. "Well played, Sectlord. You've cultivated that energy art to the ultimate peak. But it's not going to be enough to save your disciple!"

Thump. Swish. Rustle.

The three executors attacked again, using a string of complex and varied moves that left all onlookers dazzled. As for the sectlord, he managed to negate their attacks and shove them back. However, he barely had time to catch his breath before they were upon him again. Although he wasn't hurt, he had no way to help Yang Qi.

Truth be told, the three executors were starting to get nervous. Virtually any other Terrifying expert would be almost instantly killed if these three joined forces against them. After all, the Executors of the Ancient Road were the bane of ordinary cultivators, just as the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth was the bane of hell-born fiend-devils.

However, not even their combined might was enough to injure the sectlord, and in fact, the counterblows were causing them to reel. Apparently, the sectlord was nearly at the mid Terrifying level.

As the three executors kept the sectlord pinned down, the remaining executor was attacking Yang Qi. Considering the level of his cultivation base, the executor was like a hawk pouncing on a hare. Yang Qi had no way to escape, and was under such pressure from his Terrifying will that he could hardly use any of his energy arts.

The onlookers could only watch as the executor grabbed Yang Qi, lifted him over his head, and sealed his energy arts.

"Got him!" he shouted.

The other three executors immediately turned and shot backward, rejoining the fourth. Then, all four of them joined forces to release a palm attack on the sectlord.

The sectlord spun in place as he negated the attack power of the palm. However, in the time it took him to do that, the four executors and the junior superintendent opened a spatial rift and jumped inside. In the blink of an eye, they were gone. The sudden turn of events happened so quickly that no one could react. Some of the elders had been preparing to rush forward, but by the time they did, Yang Qi was apprehended.

"Damnation," the sectlord said, his expression one of grief. "The Executors of the Ancient Road have become even less trustworthy than they were in the past. Back then, they were fierce and violent, but at least they kept their word. Now, they've become profoundly treacherous."

Peaklord Memory, the little girl, floated down next to the sectlord. "Sectlord," she said, "Yang Qi saved our entire sect. We have to rescue him."

"Rescue him? How?" said a rumbling voice. It was none other than Peaklord Grand Might, who was actually feeling quite pleased. "He's been taken captive by the Executors of the Ancient Road, and will definitely be executed. If we try to wage war on the executors, we'll be like an egg thrown against a boulder. Do you really want to put the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect on the path to destruction? Besides, for all we know, this entire thing might be a ploy. What if this Yang Qi was working with the junior superintendent all along, just to gain our confidence and make us think he saved us? Then, he could come back and seize power. I say that if he returns, we should kill him and take all of his magical treasures and energy arts!"

"He couldn't be more right," said Peaklord Spiritwall. His son had been killed just now, so it was little wonder he hated Yang Qi.

Peaklord Nāropa nodded. "It does make sense. Not only should we hold back from trying to rescue him, if he suddenly returns, we should immediately put him to death. He's nothing less than a mortal malady for the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect!"

Many of the other peaklords and chief elders were wrapped up in similar thoughts. Yang Qi had truly put on an impressive show and provided a huge service to the sect. If he did come back, Memory Peak would become incredibly important, which wasn't necessarily a good thing for them. In fact, in some ways, it was good that the executors had taken him away to be executed.

However, there were others who were sighing over the fact that the sect had lost an important genius. Yang Qi was like a shooting star who had blazed to glory in the sect, only to disappear shortly after. It was obvious that he was going to be a legend going forward.

In response to the suggestions of Peaklord Grand Might and those on his side, the sectlord's face turned icy.

"Shut your mouths," he said.

The peaklords had never seen the sectlord look this angry, and it caused their faces to first flush, then drain of blood.

"Elder Brother Sectlord... what's going on? We're only talking about one little disciple, right? Is he really worth making such a big fuss over?"

"You really are quite petty and narrow-minded, aren't you, Peaklord Grand Might?" the sectlord replied in a harsh tone. "You see, I know full well who the spy is. And although you aren't him, your aspirations are far more sinister. Let me ask you something. If it had been your son who, gasping on his deathbed, had been ambushed and taken away by the executors, would you still be hatching such plots? I think not. Peaklord Grand Might, you will take responsibility for everything that happened here today. And I'm hereby revoking Sorrow Might's qualifications to be baptized by the psychic scaling systems."

Eyes burning with venom, Peaklord Grand Might said, "Sectlord, you—"

"What," the sectlord interrupted, his own eyes flickering with killing intent. "Are you going to defy my orders?"

When Peaklord Grand Might sensed the killing intent, he shivered inwardly. Bowing his head, he reined in his venomous anger and said, "I would never, sir."

"Leave. Return to Grand Might Peak and go into seclusion to think about your mistakes. Work on your cultivation for the next thousand years, and don't you dare leave your mountain peak before then. Got it? If you do, then don't blame me for being vicious and merciless." Returning to his throne, the sectlord sat down. "As for you, Peaklord Nāropa, and you, Peaklord Spiritwall, you two will also go into seclusion to contemplate the error of your ways."

In the face of the sectlord's wrath, the three peaklords shivered like cicadas in winter. They were fully aware of what kind of person the sectlord was. Although he was usually calm and collected, if riled, he would kill without hesitation, and without showing the least bit of mercy.

Hundreds of millions of years ago, when the Great Necropolis had first appeared and the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect had entered to explore it, they had encountered amazing treasures that significantly boosted the energy arts of some of the chief elders. Because of that, things in the sect changed rapidly, and eventually, rebellion broke out, with some of the chief elders banding together to try to overthrow the sectlord and install a usurper in his place.

However, the sectlord didn't stand idly by. In the end, eighteen chief elders were executed, and the usurper was imprisoned and sealed for all eternity.

Now that everyone had finally realized how angry the sectlord was, no one dared to utter a peep.

"Now, let's discuss the matter in detail," the sectlord said. "We absolutely have to rescue Yang Qi. It's a rare thing for the sect to get a genius like him, so there's no way we can allow him to perish. Furthermore, we also have to address the issue of the spy."

Suddenly, the sectlord slapped the arm of his throne, startling everyone present. At the same time, the greyspace of the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect shrank down, growing much stronger in the process.

It was something done when there was the threat of a great enemy on the outside. It would also prevent anyone from leaving. Clearly, the sectlord was preparing to deal with whatever spy or spies lurked in the council of chief elders.

**

On an enormous pathway out in the depths of the Great Necropolis, the four executors and the junior superintendent finally stopped to rest, dropping down onto an enormous plane of existence. It was a huge place, roughly on the level of a hundred and twentieth ranked immortal world.

Only the superpower sects could operate in these depths; ordinary people would never come here. No one in the Great Necropolis knew how big the place really was, to the point where it seemed endless. Looking out, Yang Qi saw that all of the immortal worlds in this area were at least at the hundredth rank, if not higher. And they were all thriving, with living beings, sects, nations, societies, and the like.

In fact, the hundred and twentieth ranked world they were on was actually rather small. He could even see a two hundredth ranked world off in the distance.

1. Nirābhāsa means "a void of empty semblance or appearance; a void of illusion or unreality".