Chapter 1697: Hidden Cards

Even an Immortal King like Li Beique felt a chill course down his spine beneath Su Yi’s cold, forceful gaze.

A moment later, his expression darkened, and he bellowed, “Shen Mu, you brutally murdered Immortal King Chi Meng. You’ve brought catastrophe upon yourself. There’s no way we’ll let you off!”

This shout broke the deathly silence. The crowd had been overcome with astonishment, but now, they reacted as if awakening from a dream. They finally realized that Su Yi and Li Beique were preparing to fight next!

“That so?” Su Yi said calmly. “How about I send you to your death first?”

One look at him, and it was obvious that he didn’t take Li Beique seriously at all. Had he behaved like this earlier, everyone would have sneered and dismissed him as a mere moth to the flame.

But how could they think that after seeing him kill Immortal King Chi Meng?

His current display of sheer momentum put pressure on even some of the Immortal Kings!

Li Beique’s heart silently clenched. He was indeed an older-generation Immortal King, but his cultivation was the same as Chi Meng’s. He too was in the early-stage Miracle Realm. Thus, he dared not take Su Yi’s threats lightly!

“As I’m sure everyone can see, Shen Mu’s origins are highly suspect, as is his cultivation base. This validates the concerns we all expressed earlier,” said Li Beique. “Now, he’s brutally murdered Immortal King Chi Meng, and he’s still wantonly aggressive and impudent. We cannot hesitate. Let’s attack and kill him together!”

“That’s right. We ought to do just that!” Immortal King Xie Kuiyuan of the Church of the Pure One said gravely. “A violent maniac like him snuck into the Divine Hunt. It’s obvious he did so with malicious intent. We must punish him severely!”

His gaze was cold and sharp. Murderous intent seethed around him.

Shen Mu was an Immortal Lord, yet even Immortal Kings like them sensed grave peril. If they didn’t kill him now, he was sure to become an enormous latent threat. They wouldn’t even be able to eat and sleep in peace!

“That’s exactly what I had in mind.”

“The boy ought to be executed!”

Numerous other Immortal Kings stepped forth to voice their agreement. Their combined murderous intent soared into the heavens.

The atmosphere was stifled and tense. Some of the onlookers looked stricken as they realized that Chi Meng’s death had thoroughly provoked the other Immortal Kings. They planned to kill Shen Mu no matter what, consequences be damned!

He’s finished…

Zhuo Yun’s heart was on tenterhooks. A whole group of Immortal Kings was attacking without regard for their reputations. How could Shen Mu possibly be a match for them?

He instinctively looked at his martial uncle, Zhen Yan.

“Amitabha!” Immortal King Zhen Yan of Lotus Temple clasped his palms together and sighed. “Might you listen to this humble monk?”

Xie Kuiyuan said coldly, “Zhen Yan, if you’re hoping to convince us to stay our hands, better not to say anything. It’ll only damage the peace!”

Zhen Yan shook his head. “I’d just like to say that Daoist Brother Chi Meng has already paid a bitter price for his reckless behavior. Aren’t you afraid of sharing his fate?”

The Immortal Kings’ expressions instantly darkened.

“Zhen Yan, do you really think we’ll fail to take down a single Immortal Lord even after joining forces?” Li Beique was so angry that he laughed. The others glowered at the old monk too.

Zhen Yan couldn’t help but let out a long sigh. “If you pile mistake upon mistake, it’s sure to lead to consequences greater than you can bear. The Sea of Bitterness is without end. Why not turn your heads to see the shore behind you?”

But before anyone could respond, he shook his head. “Nevermind. This humble monk shan’t waste his breath any further. Decide your course for yourselves.”

With that, he stepped back and lowered his head in meditation, not moving a muscle.

Zhuo Yun was shocked.

Martial Uncle’s behavior is a bit strange. It seems he… thinks poorly of those Immortal Kings’ chances?

But before he could give the matter any further thought, Tang Jinhong said with a dark expression, “Everyone, aren’t you afraid that the whole Immortal Realm will laugh at you if word gets out that you joined forces to suppress a junior?”

“Brother Tang, you already said you wouldn’t get involved in this, so why ask such a question?” Xie Kuiyuan said with cold indifference. “I’ll be straight with you. It doesn’t matter who speaks up on his behalf! Neither you nor anyone else can save Shen Mu from certain doom!”

His staunch murderous intent shook the heavens.

Tang Jinhong’s expression shifted erratically, but in the end, he just sighed helplessly and said nothing more.

The gathered Immortal Lords realized that it’d be hard for Shen Mu to escape this even if he grew wings!

After all, even Immortal King Zhen Yan of Lotus Temple and Ancestor Tang Jinhong had chosen to stay out of this. If they were too afraid to get involved, who else could possibly help Shen Mu?

And how could Shen Mu possibly fight so many Immortal Kings by himself?

From beginning to end, Su Yi just watched coldly, not saying a word. It was as if he didn’t even notice how precarious his predicament was.

Others noticed his composure, and many of them looked conflicted. Most of those present had no grudge against Su Yi, and they knew that the accusations against him were ludicrous and unfounded.

They admired him for his strength and unflappable calm, and they felt grief-stricken and helpless at his misfortune.

But it was then that Su Yi broke his silence. “Just the seven of you?”

This question left the crowd completely gobsmacked.

What does he mean, ‘just?’

Aren't seven Immortal Kings more than terrifying enough?

Xie Kuiyuan said coldly, “Do you think we’re no match for you?”

“It’s not that.” Su Yi shook his head. With his current strength, he could fight early-stage Immortal Kings one-on-one, but there was almost no way he could win against a group of them, not even if he went all out.

But then, Su Yi said, “But… so long as you don’t run, killing the seven of you shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

…..

Xie Kuiyuan, Li Beique, and the other Immortal Kings burst into laughter.

This Shen Mu really won’t shed a tear until he’s already in the coffin!

“Everyone, no need to waste any more time on talk. Let’s kill him quickly and get this over with!” Li Beique said expressionlessly.

“Very well!”

The atmosphere abruptly transformed. Heaven and earth shook, and the skies were thrown into upheaval.

All seven Immortal Kings erupted with appalling murderous intent as they circulated the full extent of their cultivation bases and attacked with everything they had.

Boom!

A perfectly round bronze disc appeared in Xie Kuiyuan’s hand. Firelight interwove with a surging power of the Laws, stinging the eyes.

Clang!

Li Beique sent a flying sword arcing through the air, its hums shaking the nine heavens.

At the same time, the other Immortal Kings drew their treasures: a flying weaver’s shuttle, a spear, a bell, and a fly whisk, among others.

Every last one of them flowed with colorful light and burst with astonishing power!

Everyone present was astonished, and all of them fled further away. No one dared to linger in the ritual grounds.

The seven Immortal Kings had watched as Su Yi slew Chi Meng, and they obviously didn’t dare to get complacent. They wanted to attack with all their might and suppress him in a single burst.

Everyone else was terrified of being swept into this. They naturally didn’t dare to linger!

Those old bastards sure are ruthless!

Tang Jinhong’s eyelids twitched. How could he fail to realize Xie Kuiyuan, Li Beique, and the others’ intentions?

“They’re taking this too far!” Zhuo Yun was practically dumbstruck. Seven Immortal Kings joining forces like this was already over the line. It was completely shameless.

Who’d have thought they’d immediately summon their immortal treasures, too?

Fellow Daoist Su definitely has something up his sleeves that can resolve this. I’m sure of it!

Tang Yuyan thought to herself. She was more nervous than ever before.

Tang Lingqi reached much the same conclusion.

As for Immortal King Zhen Yan, the pointedly meditating monk? He suddenly seemed to sense something, and he looked up at Su Yi.

It was then that——

“Die!”

Xie Kuiyuan bellowed, and all seven Immortal Kings attacked with their full power.

Boom!!!

All manner of immortal treasures took to the skies, blanketing heaven and earth with a current of destructive power. All of them descended upon Su Yi.

Even just watching from afar, the onlookers felt their hair stand on end, and their souls practically left their bodies. They felt as if the skies were falling, and the apocalypse was upon them!

This was the majesty of an Immortal King!

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

When seven of them joined forces, how could their combined power possibly be ordinary?

But Su Yi’s gaze was as calm as ever. He just gently waved his right sleeve through the air.

Kcch!

A bronze command token appeared, then transformed into a tall, stalwart man fully ten feet tall. He was covered in battered armor, and his eyes were cold and indifferent, without the slightest ripple of emotion.

The Combat Soul Puppet, Lei Ze!

In the face of seven Immortal Kings’ joint full-force attack, the depths of Lei Ze’s gaze silently surged with bloodthirsty light.

A moment later, he bellowed, stomped the earth, and spread his arms.

Boom!

A swath of explosive purple lightning burst from his body, transforming into a purple barrier in front of Su Yi.

Electricity surged, and the Laws circulated within the barrier. It seemed utterly indestructible, like the curtain of heaven.

And it connected heaven and earth!

Boom!

Seven Immortal Kings’ attacks landed at once, throwing heaven and earth into upheaval. A roaring current of firelight swept outward, destroying everything in its path. Its radiance was so intense that the onlookers couldn’t keep their eyes open.

Some of the weaker Immortal Lords were left seeing stars. Their knees turned to jelly, and it took everything they had just to stay upright.

Even the strongest of the Immortal Lords had no choice but to circulate the full extent of their cultivation base to neutralize the aftershock. Even so, their faces paled, and their hearts palpitated with fright.

And this was

after

they’d all moved further away! Despite the distance, the aftershock still reached them.

They couldn’t even imagine what would have happened if they’d remained on the battlefield. How terrifying would the consequences have been?

But before long, all of them were dumbstruck once more, and their eyes went perfectly round.

The puppet had blocked the full-force joint attack of

seven Immortal Kings

!

That curtain-like purple lightning barrier had blocked the treasures and divine abilities of all seven of them! Not one strike made it through!!

“This…” The crowd was wide-eyed and tongue-tied. Now that the dust cleared, they could finally see the tall, mountainous figure standing before Su Yi.

He was dressed in battered armor, and his face was hidden beneath his helmet, but he stood there like an unparalleled god of slaughter. His entire body was swathed in lightning as he supported the electric purple barrier and neutralized the Immortal Kings’ attacks!

His sheer majesty left everyone astonished.

“A Combat Soul Puppet?” Tang Jinhong was stunned. “But what Combat Soul Puppet could possibly be strong enough to defend against seven Immortal Kings at once?”

“Is this his trump card?” Immortal King Zhen Yan’s eyes shone with strange light. “But that puppet looks really ancient…”

All eyes gathered on Lei Ze. Everyone was astonished, flabbergasted, and overcome with disbelief.

Zhuo Yun, Tang Yuyan, and Tang Lingqi were excited. They couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

Just as I thought. He really does have trump cards! Now we’re really in for a show!