Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Six: Li Fusheng

"Eldest Senior Brother, they don't know the rules of the Life and Death Platform! They aren't Inner Sect brothers!"

"In that case, they must be outsiders! Eldest Senior Brother, hurry and capture them!"

"Eldest Senior Brother, they violated the rules of the Life and Death Platform. Even if they were Inner Sect disciples, they would still be in the wrong!"

...

The Outer Sect disciples of Cloud Palace Peak began to clamor. Originally, there were only about two or three hundred cultivators surrounding the platform, but after this commotion, there were now nearly a thousand.

"Are all of these people Outer Sect disciples?" Wang Changsheng asked, looking at the surrounding Cloud Palace Peak cultivators with a solemn expression.

"Yes!" Li Fusheng nodded and said, "There are at least five thousand Outer Sect disciples at Cloud Palace Peak!"

"Five thousand?!"

Wang Changsheng gasped upon hearing this number. How many people were in the Corpse Refining Sect? According to his understanding, the entire sect had fewer than five hundred members; compared to the Outer Sect of Cloud Palace Peak alone, they were outnumbered tenfold.

"Since they aren't Inner Sect disciples, then there's no need for them to leave!" the Eldest Senior Brother said in a deep voice. "Take them all down!"

As soon as the words fell, Wang Changsheng saw a dense crowd of Cloud Palace Peak disciples rushing toward him.

*Boom!*

Just as Wang Changsheng stood stunned, a deafening roar erupted. Immediately after, a massive ball of fire descended from the sky, crashing directly in front of him. Curiously, when the fire exploded, it completely avoided him, leaving him entirely unaffected.

"Run, you idiot!" Li Fusheng roared, "Why are you just standing there?!"

Wang Changsheng immediately realized that the fire must have been Li Fusheng's doing. Just as he took flight with Fang Qing, he noticed the Eldest Senior Brother leading a group of cultivators in pursuit.

"Li Fusheng, help!" Wang Changsheng shouted at the top of his lungs.

With the Eldest Senior Brother at the Golden Core stage, Wang Changsheng stood no chance of outrunning him, especially while carrying Fang Qing. After all, Wang Changsheng was only at the first level of the Huayuan stage, having broken through only recently; compared to a Golden Core cultivator of Cloud Palace Peak, he would be overtaken in an instant.

Li Fusheng, who had already pulled ahead, heard the shout and looked back. He saw Wang Changsheng falling far behind and realized that in a few more moments, he would be caught by the Eldest Senior Brother.

"Useless!" Li Fusheng spat out a curse.

He turned around instantly, reached Wang Changsheng's side, grabbed him with one hand and Fang Qing with the other, and fled toward the entrance of the Cloud Palace Peak mountain gate.

"They're heading for the Inner Sect! Everyone, chase them!"

"Follow them! If they run into the Inner Sect, they'll die even more miserably!"

"Quick, notify the Inner Sect brothers! We must finish off these rule-breakers today!"

...

Many Outer Sect cultivators were surprised by the direction Li Fusheng had chosen. Running toward the Inner Sect was a dead end. Some cultivators began to wonder: could Wang Changsheng and his companions actually be Inner Sect disciples? If they were, why hadn't they said so? As Inner Sect disciples, breaking the rules on the Life and Death Platform would be a minor matter; there would be no need to flee.

As soon as Li Fusheng rushed through the mountain gate with Wang Changsheng, a group of people emerged from the Inner Sect of Cloud Palace Peak. Without a word, they immediately attacked Li Fusheng.

"Run on your own!" Li Fusheng dropped Wang Changsheng and Fang Qing, his hands moving so fast that Wang Changsheng could barely follow the hand seals he was casting.

*Boom!*

A fissure opened in the sky above Li Fusheng, and a crimson streak of light flew out from it.

"Is that... is that a spear?"

Wang Changsheng had initially thought Li Fusheng was abandoning him, but it appeared he intended to fight. This was Cloud Palace Peak, right at the mountain gate, and with both Inner and Outer Sect cultivators surrounding them, was Li Fusheng sure about fighting here?

"Where was he hiding that spear?" Wang Changsheng wondered, watching it emerge from the void. "And why did it come out of a crack in the sky?"

Caught between enemies inside and out, Wang Changsheng decided to stop running. Crucially, the moment Li Fusheng revealed his artifact, every Cloud Palace Peak cultivator turned their focus toward him, leaving Wang Changsheng and Fang Qing completely ignored.

"Damn it, it's been so long since I've been here that you've all forgotten the reputation of Li Fusheng, haven't you?" Li Fusheng shouted.

As the spear flew into his hand, Wang Changsheng saw a complete, earth-shattering transformation in Li Fusheng’s aura. His appearance changed as well, to the point where Wang Changsheng could no longer recognize him. The round, chubby man from before was gone; he was now lean, clad in a suit of war armor, holding a long spear, and wearing a feathered crown. He looked incredibly imposing.

Li Fusheng swung his spear at the group that had emerged from the Inner Sect.

"It's Li Fusheng! It's Li Fusheng, run!"

"Flee! Go find the Saintess! Li Fusheng has gone mad again!"

"Find the Saintess, or I'm dead! Who on earth provoked this guy?!"

...

The cultivators who had charged out of the Inner Sect to attack Li Fusheng turned pale and let out cries of alarm upon seeing his current appearance. As for the Outer Sect cultivators who had followed them, they were completely dumbfounded. They didn't know who Li Fusheng was, but seeing him dare to fight at the Inner Sect gate—and watching the Inner Sect brothers scramble in terror—they realized he was definitely not from Cloud Palace Peak, yet he was someone even the Inner Sect brothers feared.

"This has gotten out of hand!" The Eldest Senior Brother stopped outside the gate, his face grave as he watched the majestic Li Fusheng. Although he was called "Eldest Senior Brother," he was only the leader of the Outer Sect. His status was high there, but compared to an Inner Sect disciple, he was nothing. Seeing that even the Inner Sect disciples were terrified of Li Fusheng, he knew the situation had escalated.

"Want to run?" Li Fusheng saw the Inner Sect disciples turning to flee and attacked immediately. "Didn't you have plenty of nerve just a moment ago?"

He lunged with his spear, and in an instant, one of the Cloud Palace Peak disciples was knocked aside.

"He's that strong?" Wang Changsheng watched, stunned. This was the first time he had seen Li Fusheng fight in this form, and his strength was truly shocking.

After the first strike, Li Fusheng continued to pursue the fleeing disciples. Such a massive commotion had already alerted many other Inner Sect disciples. Within a few breaths, more arrived, but upon seeing Li Fusheng’s imposing figure in the air, they all looked on in astonishment.

"Isn't that Li Fusheng? Who provoked him this time?"

"Who knows which unlucky fool it was? Out of everyone, why provoke Li Fusheng?"

"Has the Saintess arrived? If she doesn't come soon, people are going to die!"

...

Many Inner Sect disciples discussed the situation, but not a single one dared to step forward to stop him.

"Li Fusheng, stop!"

Just as Li Fusheng was about to strike down another disciple, a roar shattered the sky, causing even the earth to tremble slightly.

"She's here!"

"The Saintess has arrived!"

Wang Changsheng saw a figure draped in light silk rushing out from the Inner Sect—it was the Cloud Palace Peak Saintess, Caiyun.

"Li Fusheng, have you lost your mind?!" Caiyun did not attack him directly; instead, she rescued the disciple and retreated. It was clear she was very wary of him.

"Die!" Li Fusheng ignored her, raising his spear and striking directly at her.

*Screech!*

Wang Changsheng didn't know if he was hallucinating, but as the spear swung down, he heard the cry of a bird. A blaze of fire ignited on the spear, slowly taking the shape of a phantom—if Wang Changsheng wasn't mistaken, it was a Fire Phoenix!

"Is that really a Fire Phoenix?" Wang Changsheng was awestruck. It wasn't a true phoenix, of course, but a manifestation of fire; even so, it was enough to shock him.

Caiyun's expression turned grim as the spear and the encroaching heat of the phoenix scorched the air around her.

"Move!" she shrieked. A surge of power erupted from her as she drew a long sword and met the spear. She knew Li Fusheng's strength well; she could not let this blow land. She might be able to withstand it, but the disciples nearby would be obliterated.

*Which idiot went and provoked Li Fusheng?!* she cursed inwardly. *Wasn't it already sent down that no one should provoke him?*

Despite her internal grumbling, her movements were swift. In a flash, her sword collided with the spear.

*Boom!*

An explosion rocked the area as the fire-forged phoenix opened its massive maw and tore toward her.

*Pfft!*

Having taken the hit head-on, Caiyun spat out a mouthful of blood. Using the force of the rebound, she barely managed to dodge the full impact of the phoenix. She retreated hundreds of feet before coming to a stop, wiping the blood from her lips as she stared at Li Fusheng with a heavy heart.

*It seems the gap between us is still vast,* she thought solemnly. She had hoped that after emerging from her secluded cultivation, she would be able to contest him, but the recent exchange proved that the distance between them was only growing.