Chapter 143: Chapter 141: Massacre
When Hua Xiaoling heard the rejection, her expression soured.
Anyone could see that the Nangong Family’s group included many Loose Cultivators, who were all standing in the last row.
However, these Loose Cultivators were all desperados whose Cultivation was far higher than that of other Independent Cultivators. They were willing to lay down their lives for the Nangong Family, which was the only reason they had been accepted into the group.
Logically, the ten members of the Hua Family were also serving the Nangong Family, and with Hua Xiaoling as their leader, it should have been a simple matter to ask them to take in a friend. But they had refused.
"If that’s the case, then I, Hua Xiaoling, will withdraw from your group as well!"
Hua Xiaoling said coldly.
Although the hundred people from the Sealed Ancient Land were selected to follow the Seven Great Families and Three Major Sects, there was no mandatory requirement after the selection. They could decide freely.
But throughout history, no one had ever refused to follow a Noble Family or Sect group. After all, the people from the Sealed Ancient Land had very low Cultivation. With the protection of a Noble Family or Sect, their chances of survival were naturally much higher.
And yet, Hua Xiaoling had just refused outright, and all because of that boy who had suddenly appeared!
In that instant, many eyes were drawn over, and the expressions on the faces of Nangong Jinjie and his followers turned exceptionally grim.
This was the first time they had been rejected by someone from the Sealed Ancient Land—and perhaps the first time in history anyone had refused to join a Noble Family or Sect’s group. If she went through with it, it would surely become a great laughingstock for generations to come, and the Nangong Family would naturally be disgraced along with them!
Of course, if she did this, the Nangong Family would certainly not let the matter rest. The members of the Hua Family would likely be in danger.
When Hua Xiaoling said this, the expressions of the Hua Clan Leader and the other clan members changed drastically.
However, Jiang Jichen was not as reckless as Hua Xiaoling.
He knew that if Hua Xiaoling actually refused to join the Nangong Family’s team, it would inevitably implicate the entire Hua Family group!
Jiang Jichen naturally didn’t want to see that happen. Besides, Hua Xiaoling would be safer with them than with him.
So, before anyone else could speak, Jiang Jichen spoke up first. "Sister Xiaoling, don’t be impulsive. I can just enter later!"
At the same time, the Hua Clan Leader secretly sent a voice transmission to Hua Xiaoling, saying, "Ling’er, you must think of the Hua Family team. With your Cultivation, you’ll be much safer under the protection of a Noble Family. As for that boy Jiang Jichen, you’ve seen his Cultivation. You don’t need to worry about him at all."
Hearing her Clan Leader’s words, Hua Xiaoling could only secretly send a voice transmission back to Jiang Jichen, telling him to take care.
However, Nangong Jinjie and his group were now looking at Jiang Jichen with eyes full of killing intent.
It wasn’t just Nangong Jinjie; Lin Qing and his followers also glared at Jiang Jichen, their eyes filled with hatred.
But now that the Teleportation Altar was open, no one could afford to linger. They rushed into the Teleportation Array one after another.
The last group was the Loose Cultivators, who now numbered nearly ten thousand. Jiang Jichen was one of them, standing among the crowd of Independent Cultivators.
Jiang Jichen could feel the wariness between these Loose Cultivators. As they stepped into the Teleportation Array, they were on high alert, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Because the Teleportation Array would only be active for a limited time, everyone rushed toward it at top speed, afraid they would miss their chance if they were too slow.
Jiang Jichen also employed his Step Technique, weaving through the crowd. He quickly stepped onto the Teleportation Altar and vanished on the spot along with a group of others.
The Hua Family Patriarch and the Grand Elder were standing together. Suddenly, the Grand Elder spoke up. "Clan Leader, I heard that Jiang Jichen entered our clan’s forbidden grounds!"
The Patriarch replied indifferently, "He is Ling’er’s husband, so he naturally has the right. Why do you ask, Grand Elder?"
The Grand Elder pondered for a moment before saying, "Frankly, everything is for the sake of the Hua Family, for the sake of undoing the bloodline seal within us. There is no right or wrong in this. I have heard that the deepest part of the Hua Family’s forbidden grounds holds the secret to undoing our bloodline seal. And from what I know, Jiang Jichen actually reached the very end of the forbidden grounds. Surely the Clan Leader is aware of this?"
The Hua Family Patriarch thought for a moment and said, "Old Sixth, I can’t be bothered to argue with you about what’s past. However, Jiang Jichen just sent me a voice transmission. He does indeed have a method to undo the Body Immortal bloodline seal on the people of the Sealed Ancient Land. He said he would tell Xiaoling in the Training Land. But I have a question... Ten years ago, Xiaoling’s parents perished in the Ancient Ruined City. I wonder, Old Sixth, if you had anything to do with that?"
Hearing the Patriarch’s words, the Grand Elder’s expression finally changed. Still, he responded coldly, "Clan Leader, I have told you before, the deaths of Xiaoling’s parents had nothing to do with me!"
The Hua Family Patriarch, Hua Shanyue, said coolly, "I hope that’s the truth. Otherwise, when Ling’er returns from the Training Land and uncovers the truth, you’ll be the first person I come for!"
With that, the Hua Family Patriarch flicked his sleeves and strode away.
...
Jiang Jichen felt his body jolt, and then he found himself standing in a strange, unfamiliar land.
However, before he could even react, he heard screams rising and falling all around him. He felt waves of Spiritual Power, and saw the glint of sabers and the shadows of swords flashing everywhere.
PSHH!
Even he, caught completely unprepared, was struck by a strand of Sword Qi that left a shallow, bloody gash on his body.
That strand of Sword Qi was actually terrifyingly powerful. If his Dao of the Flesh Body hadn’t already reached the Innate Body Refining Fifth Layer, Perfection Realm, that single strike would have been enough to cut him to the bone.
However, Jiang Jichen’s reaction was incredibly swift. He casually executed Illusory Indeterminacy and dodged several more attacks.
Only then did he have a moment to observe his surroundings.
Corpses lay everywhere, the ground was soaked in blood, and severed limbs were scattered about... It was an utterly gruesome scene.
Jiang Jichen could tell that these were the people who had stepped onto the Teleportation Altar with him. There had been over a hundred of them, but now only about ten remained. Surrounding them stood about thirty disciples from Noble Families and Sects, all with astonishingly high Cultivation.
