Chapter 539
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The murderous aura oozing from the men in black terrified the disciples guarding the teleportation array formation . They immediately recognized them as cultivators from the Disciplinary Hall . They answered to the three Elders and only appeared when there was a need to mete out large-scale punishments .
Wang Baole was alarmed as well . Thoughts started racing through his head as he tried to think of anything he had done that might have broken any of the sect laws . He couldn't come up with anything . It was clear that he was in a tight spot at the moment . He narrowed his eyes as his mind raced through possible ways to resolve his current problem . He raised his right hand, his voice transmission jade slip already out and ready for him to send a voice transmission to Elder Feng Qiuran .
One of the men in black frowned when they saw the jade slip in Wang Baole's hand and was about to scold Wang Baole impatiently . The middle-aged man leading the team raised his hand, silencing his subordinate . He leveled an icy stare at Wang Baole and spoke again .
"Let's not kick up a fuss . You can either come willingly, or we can make you come with us . "
Upon hearing that Wang Baole raised his eyebrow . He was about to speak when he heard a voice transmission in his ear .
"Fellow Daoist Wang, do not resist . This is nothing serious . Elder Mie Liezi simply has a few questions for you . You should contact Elder Feng Qiuran as soon as possible… right, Yun Piaozi, he's my clansman . "
The person speaking to him was the middle-aged man who was leading the party . Despite his cold eyes, he had secretly sent a message to Wang Baole . Wang Baole could see the imperceptible hint of kindness in his eyes, but it vanished the next moment and was replaced by a chilly stare .
Wang Baole didn't hesitate . He immediately sent a voice transmission to both Yun Piaozi and Feng Qiuran . Then, with an unhappy look on his face, he followed the men in black without a word .
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They weren't far from the grand hall atop the mountain peak . If they traveled at top speed, it wouldn't take them long to reach their destination . The middle-aged leader kept a leisurely pace though . The delay was minimal, but he did give Wang Baole an additional fifteen minutes .
This further proved his good intentions . His subordinates clearly sensed what was going on . They looked at one another but didn't say a word . However, the chilly hostility towards Wang Baole lessened slightly . They pretended not to notice his sending and receiving voice transmissions as they headed to the grand hall .
Yun Piaozi's voice transmission arrived . After verifying the middle-aged man's identity, Wang Baole received a voice transmission from Feng Qiuran . She had only a few words for him .
"So be it . I'll be there shortly!"
Wang Baole still felt uneasy . However, he had done all that he could . He continued to mull over what he had done wrong . He followed the men in black to the grand hall . They arrived at the halls, but the men in black didn't enter . The middle-aged man in the lead eyed Wang Baole and stopped in his tracks as well .
Wang Baole took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes . He didn't enter immediately . He stood outside the hall, cupped his fists and bowed deeply .
"Wang Baole seeks an audience with the Elder!"
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The gates flew open as soon as Wang Baole spoke . A strong suction force surged past the open gates . It ignored Wang Baole's cultivation and whatever protections he had and grabbed Wang Baole like an enormous, invisible hand . It yanked and dragged Wang Baole into the great hall .
Wang Baole heard a loud buzzing in his head . His entire body ached, and his flesh and bones felt as if they were being crushed . He shook violently as if he had been dragged into a tornado . As he reeled back in shock and terror, he heard Feng Qiuran's snort echoing from afar . Then, another strong force approached and began to battle with the invisible hand that was holding him prisoner .
Wang Baole shuddered as a series of loud booms thundered . The invisible hand didn't disappear after it had dragged him into the hall . He staggered and fell to his knees . Blood surged in his body . He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his face turned pale . He lifted his head and saw, seated at the front of the hall, an expressionless Mie Liezi!
Behind him, Feng Qiuran marched through the gates with a dark look on her face .
"Mie Liezi, what do you mean by this?"
Mie Liezi didn't spare Wang Baole a single glance . He lifted his head, his eyes landing on Feng Qiuran as he spoke with a raspy voice .
"Feng Qiuran, you should ask this ambassador from your dear ally what I mean by all this . He's truly gone too far . "
Feng Qiuran frowned and looked at Wang Baole with a questioning look . Wang Baole was breathing heavily . He took a while to settle the blood churning inside his body . Mie Liezi and Feng Qiuran's presence exerted an immense pressure that overpowered him and left him helpless . He couldn't help his bubbling resentment . He grimaced, then cupped his fists and saluted Feng Qiuran .
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"Elder Feng, I… truly have no idea what's going on . "
"You have no idea?" Mie Liezi laughed suddenly . His laughter was laced with ice .
"Wang Baole, let me ask you . Where did my disciple, Liang Long, go?"
"Liang Long?" Wang Baole froze . He had been thinking during the entire trip here . He had considered many things, but Liang Long had not been one of them . In fact, he had almost forgotten Liang Long entirely .
Now that Mie Liezi had just reminded him, Wang Baole, startled, came to a sudden realization . He recalled he had been ambushed by Liang Long during his first trip to the sword body, and that he had tied him up and left him on a deserted island . The rope he had tied him with could seal all Spirit Qi . With the sword handle spanning such a vast area, trying to find him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack .
That wasn't the important point . The important point was… after he had entered the sword body, he had suffered many obstacles, but he had also gained much from the trip despite all the near setbacks . He had forgotten completely about his encounter with Liang Long . It had been six months since their last encounter .
He had half a mind to deny everything, but Liang Long's master was asking for him now, which wasn't a small matter . This was a mid-stage Core Formation realm cultivator, one of Mie Liezi's disciples . Wang Baole tried to look confused as if he was trying to recall something . Then, after some time, he suddenly looked as if he had suddenly realized something .
"Liang Long… I remember now . He started a fight with me when we first landed on the island . I didn't want to break any rules, and I couldn't beat him in a fight . That's why I tied him up and then avoided him . But he continued to challenge me . He ambushed me during one of my missions, and I was forced to engage in battle with him . He wounded me heavily . I almost died . Finally, I used one of my artifacts to trap him without hurting him . That was how I managed to escape with my life…" The expression on Wang Baole's face was one of resentment and grudge . It was as if he was angry about what had happened but helpless to do anything about it .
"Is that why you killed my disciple in cold blood?" Mie Liezi's expression remained unchanged as he spoke slowly .
"I wouldn't dare! I was only at the early-stage Core Formation realm then . Liang Long was at the mid-stage Core Formation realm . I left my home, my family, and my friends in the Federation, and traveled all the way here to a foreign land . Liang Long, on the other hand, is a true member of the sect, with extensive connections . I have no master here . Liang Long's master is the eminent Elder, yourself!
"With such unequal status and level in cultivation, would I dare to kill him? Can I? I don't know why Liang Long is faking his death, and why he hasn't reappeared . I don't wish to make guesses about why he's doing this, but I do know that I was nearly killed just now . My body and spirit were nearly destroyed . " Wang Baole grew increasingly agitated and aggrieved as he spoke . His entire body began to shake . Finally, he cupped his fists and bowed towards Feng Qiuran .
"I seek Elder Feng to release me from my duties as island lord . I… dare not hold onto this office any longer . I've done my best to stay away and avoid causing trouble for anyone . When the sect had its eye on my business, I handed it over without saying a word . I made no complaints even when the acquisition fees were clearly unfair and unreasonable!
"What else would you have me do? What should I do? I seek Elder Feng's mercy and permission to return to the Federation . Perhaps I… am not suited for this place . " Wang Baole ended his last words with a bitter laugh . He lowered his head and fell silent . Then, he secretly extended his senses and tried to control the rope remotely . The distance separating them might be too great, as he couldn't sense it clearly .
The gears in his head started spinning furiously . Everything he had said earlier both implicitly and explicitly stated that he had been the victim of Liang Long's malicious ploys . He was still thinking about how he could make that seem like it was the truth .
His mind continued to work while he kept an expression of utter misery on his face . He looked utterly defeated . Feng Qiuran fell silent at the sight . She had had her doubts initially, but after hearing what he said, she sighed inwardly .
Even Mie Liezi started to frown . He hadn't believed his disciple, Liang Long, either . He had a clear advantage, but even so, he had been defeated . Mie Liezi knew that his disciple was still alive . He had only gone missing and couldn't be found .
Could it be that Liang Long intended for this to happen? Mie Liezi thought as he narrowed his eyes .