The news that the chaos region had been destroyed within a single day rapidly spread. As soon as Shui Wuhen returned to the supermonastery, she alerted the Dao Sect that the Corrupt path had publicly broken the agreement, and their experts were currently bathing the chaos region in the blood of the Righteous path.

The Xuantian Dao Sect was completely infuriated. They immediately transmitted this news to the various large Righteous sects. They also immediately dispatched experts to join Shui Wuhen in killing their way into the chaos region.

But the chaos region was located in an extremely isolated and far off region of the Eastern Wasteland. It took several transportation formations as well as a great deal of travel to get there.

As a result, it was already the next day by the time they arrived. The Righteous path had been filled with killing intent and just been about to settle the bill with the Corrupt path when they saw everything within a range of ten thousand miles had been turned into an abyss.

They were all shocked. How was this the chaos region? Even Xiantian experts wouldn’t dare to enter this place due to the lingering destructive aura.

If a Meridian Opening expert tried to go in, they would immediately be annihilated by that destructive aura. This had become a hell on earth.

Let alone them, even Shui Wuhen was dumbfounded. She had been hoping that by leading all these people, she could save Long Chen. Although that hope had been remote, she was extremely confident in Long Chen. Perhaps Long Chen really could have created a miracle and lasted until she arrived.

But when she had left, this place had been a battlefield. Now that she returned, it had turned into this. If there weren’t still some markings in the surroundings, she would suspect that this wasn’t even the chaos region.

Where were the five Sea Expansion experts, where were the Celestials, where was the army of tens of thousands of Corrupt disciples? How could they all disappear? And looking around, she saw no signs of an army leaving. What had happened here?

Although she had no idea what had happened, there was one thing she was sure of. This definitely was because of Long Chen.

Later, the other experts guessed that heavenly punishment had occurred here.

This heavenly punishment wasn’t referring to heavenly tribulation. Heavenly punishment was the wrath of the Heavenly Daos. It was divine punishment, one that would exterminate everything.

They came to that conclusion due to the endless destructive aura remaining on the ground. Heavenly tribulation was used to temper a person’s body. Although it also contained some destructive aura, ninety percent of it was life energy.

But this destructive lightning aura didn’t contain the slightest bit of life. It was entirely destructive. This could only be called heavenly punishment, the punishment of the Heavenly Daos.

“Could it be that the Corrupt path slaughtered too many people, and so the heavens decided to make them pay a price?”

Although this theory was a bit absurd, it was the only explanation that they could think of.

On the same day that the Righteous experts arrived, the Corrupt path’s experts also appeared. The Corrupt path had suddenly stopped receiving any updates about their operation this time, and feeling that something was off, they had sent some experts to investigate.

As soon as they appeared, the Righteous path surrounded them. The Corrupt path had only sent some people to investigate, and they were much weaker than the army the Righteous path had brought. They were instantly caught.

An expert soul cultivator directly soulsearched them. And after that soulsearch, he laughed heartily.

“Five grand Sea Expansion experts, nine Celestials, and eighty thousand Xiantian elites! Hahaha, good! The Corrupt path was really screwed this time.”

From soulsearching, he learned about the general situation. When the others heard these many Corrupt experts had come here to steal the ores but had clearly died here, the Righteous path cheered and clapped.

But just after they began to cheer, they realized the people from the Xuantian Dao Sect were all extremely gloomy. They immediately realized the truth.

Stealing the ores had just been an excuse for the Corrupt path. Their true goal had been to kill Long Chen. In order to do so, they had even been willing to set up an incredibly giant formation.

Thinking of that, they thought of who Long Chen was. He wasn’t even a Celestial, but he had managed to defeat Yin Wushang. That was enough to show that his future accomplishments would be limitless.

But how did such a genius get sent to a place like this? People began to quietly ask this question to the members of the Xuantian Dao Sect, causing their expressions to become even uglier.

“I told you this was a trap, a trap to kill Long Chen, but you wouldn’t believe me. It’s all your fault that Long Chen has died.” Shui Wuhen’s eyes were red, and she raged at a group of elders. No one could survive this kind of heavenly punishment; Long Chen was definitely dead. Thinking of that, Shui Wuhen’s tears streamed down.

“Cough, you can’t put it like that. It was just an accident,” said an elder.

“Nonsense! It was your Zhou family that constantly targeted Long Chen. Did you think no one noticed the fact that you accepted bribes from the Pill Tower to intentionally punish Long Chen?!” raged Shui Wuhen.

There were thousands of Righteous experts here. They were all people who had had mines here, which also meant they were powerful people with their own status. Shui Wuhen’s furious roars immediately drew all their attention.

“You… don’t randomly make up lies to slander my Zhou family!” The elder was also enraged, but he did his best to cover it up, panic flashing in the depths of his eyes.

“Slander? Haha, HAHAHA! Just how many people in the Xuantian Dao Sect don’t know about your Zhou family’s despicable actions? Do I even need to slander you!”

“Hmph, your Shui family isn’t any better!” snorted the Zhou family elder.

“Wuhen, don’t say anymore. If you want to talk about it, wait until we return to the sect. Now isn’t the time,” ordered a lean elder. He was someone beyond the Sea Expansion realm, someone known as an Ancestor-level expert. His voice and aura were both filled with majesty.

By arguing here, the two of them would only cause others to laugh at the Xuantian Dao Sect, so he hastily stopped them.

“We’ll talk once we return to the sect? What will we talk about?! Who is going to listen?! I already said that this was a trap targeting Long Chen, but what did you say? All you said was that you would discuss it later! And wasn’t the result that later became tomorrow, and tomorrow became the day after?! Now, Long Chen is dead. Are you happy?!” raged Shui Wuhen.

“Silence! Shui Wuhen, using my status as vice sect master, I order you to return to your supermonastery immediately!” ordered the elder.

“Fine, I’m going. I want to see just how you would deal with everyone’s ridicule.”

Shui Wuhen wiped off her tears. Wings appeared on her back, and she disappeared from everyone’s gazes.

The Righteous path’s experts all had odd expressions. Everyone here was an old fox. From just their short exchanges, they could tell most of what had happened.

After all, in the Righteous path, these kinds of secret backstabs were far too common. However, only a few people had any sympathies. In fact, there were many more that were delighted in their misfortune; of course, they couldn’t display that. They had to act as if it was a great pity. Fortunately for them, that was the act they were most proficient in.

“Long Chen, a generation’s genius, a hero that died in his prime. How regretful. Let me express my sorrow for your sect.”

“Long Chen was truly a hero. His sacrifice was worth it. I feel like your sect should compensate his family.”

“Long Chen sacrificed himself, but five Sea Expansion experts, nine Celestials, and eighty thousand Xiantian disciples were also killed with him. I feel like you should immediately establish a statue to commemorate his heroic sacrifice.”

…

After a few consolatory words, they said their goodbyes. There was nothing else for them to do, as there had originally been less and less ore coming out of these mines recently. They had only come in order to demand an explanation from the Corrupt path.

But considering how heavy the losses of the Corrupt path were, their own losses were nothing. The Corrupt path was definitely filled with fury now, and it was not suitable to get into contact with them.

So leaving was the best option. The Corrupt path was filled with madmen. Considering how angry they were, there was no telling what kind of crazy things they would do.

They had to return and make their preparations against any possible sneak attacks from them. If they were caught unprepared, it would be troublesome.

Long Chen’s death had nothing to do with them. Actually, the death of a peerless genius wouldn’t bring them any grief. In fact, now they had one less competitor to worry about.

“They want us to build a statue in commemoration for Long Chen? Their heads must have rotted,” muttered the Zhou family elder.

“Shut up! I think your head is the one that has rotted! Don’t think I don’t know what vile acts your Zhou family have committed. But this time, you’ve really gone too far! Don’t let me find any proof, or don’t blame me for the consequences!” roared the vice sect master. With a gloomy expression, he led the Xuantian Dao Sect’s people away.

…

Seven days later, Long Chen appeared in a Huayun auction house within the secular world. In a private room, he was facing Zheng Wenlong.

“Brother Long, thank goodness you’re still alive.”

Zheng Wenlong gave Long Chen a tight embrace and then hit him. “When I heard you were dead, I even thought about killing myself to end it. I would never be able to repay my debt.”

Long Chen laughed, knowing he was just joking. Zheng Wenlong was truly a good brother. Long Chen sensed his sincere emotions.

Long Chen had stealthily arranged to meet Zheng Wenlong here through the auction house. He gave Zheng Wenlong a letter for Shui Wuhen so that she and the others wouldn’t worry. However, for now, it was best if Long Chen remained ‘dead’.

At the same time, he had Zheng Wenlong send some things to Tang Wan-er and the others. Furthermore, he had to continue borrowing more money from him.

The thing that depressed him was that his lightning tribulation had been too terrifying, and he hadn’t been able to gather any spatial rings from it. Following the deaths of their masters, spatial rings would lose the protection of their master’s soul. That made them much weaker, and under the terrifying impact of his heavenly tribulation, they had been completely destroyed.

The only thing Long Chen could do was give Zheng Wenlong a ring with a large batch of medicinal sprouts. As for how Zheng Wenlong sold them, it would be up to him. In any case, it wasn’t enough to repay his debt.

After setting that up, Long Chen told Zheng Wenlong repeatedly not to leak the news that he was alive. He was about to undergo a quiet and peaceful life. If he needed to find Zheng Wenlong, he would contact him secretly.

The two of them set up a secret phrase. When Long Chen went to Huayun auction houses in the future, he would tell them to tell Zheng Wenlong this phrase, and he would immediately come to see Long Chen.

After sending off Zheng Wenlong, Long Chen once more put on his disguise. He then brazenly swaggered right out of the Huayun auction house.