Ren Yuanhao thrust the Thorn Spear forward, pinning Allen’s entire body to the sandy ground.
At the moment of his last breath, the Earth Element innate core seemed to activate a special ability akin to spacetime transfer, rapidly leaving Allen’s body.
“A pity, this man, to step into the divine realm, he didn’t hesitate to sacrifice his life, but in the end, he was merely a victim of ultimate power.”
Ren Yuanhao retracted his spear and slowly walked towards Liu Yu’s corpse.
“Brother Liu Yu, although the desert is very hot during the day, it becomes quite cold at night, and jackals are known to prowl. To prevent your body from being carried away, I can only bury you in this cold sand.”
With a casual wave of his hand, a fierce wind arose, and a sand pit more than ten meters deep appeared before him.
Ren Yuanhao leaped to the bottom, carefully placing Liu Yu’s body, and then used the power of wind to fill the pit, marking it with his own blood.
“Rest assured, if I, Ren Yuanhao, manage to return alive, I will definitely take your remains to the place you most wished to return to.” Ren Yuanhao lit a cigarette, his pupils veiled with moisture, then suddenly burst into loud laughter, “Brother Liu, if I don’t come back, then it means we shared hardships, and we’ll be buried together in the sea of sand, going and returning together.”
As he spoke, an elder in flowing white robes, holding a long saber and a wine gourd at his waist, stood above the sand pit, his face flushed from drinking.
Ren Yuanhao’s gaze sharpened. Was that not Fang Moyu, the current Sect Master of the Chi Xiao Sect?
“Senior Fang, how come you are here?”
Fang Moyu laughed heartily, “Naturally, I’m here for the same purpose as my brother. Those scoundrels kidnapped our sect’s Saintess Liu Furong, how could I, as an elder, ignore it!”
“Sister Furong was also kidnapped?” Ren Yuanhao’s eyes turned sharp.
Fang Moyu nodded, “With the rise of heretical and demonic forces, how can we cultivators let you go alone to be a hero? Why don’t you come up and see the magnificent spectacle of the Four Directions Desert!”
Ren Yuanhao leaped up and looked around.
Across the vast desert, flags of various colors suddenly appeared. At a rough glance, there were at least a dozen sects!
“Senior, are these sects here to help?”
“Of course. With all five elemental abilities appearing, and the rise of Mandara genes and cloned cells, these things are the culprits affecting the normal operation of this world. Therefore, we must unite. Perhaps there is still a chance to fight.”
As Fang Moyu was speaking, disciples from his sect also hurried to catch up on horseback.
In a certain green-clad contingent to the southeast, a young woman waved her fair and clean white hand towards Ren Yuanhao from afar.
“Little brother! Look here!”
Ren Yuanhao followed the sound and saw a woman in a green robe on a tall horse, grinning. It was none other than Ying Caiwei of the Qing Feng Sect!
Beside her were her senior sisters Zhi Xuan and Zhi Ran, and their group of disciples, about ten in total, all possessing remarkable beauty.
“Excellent, so it’s Sister Caiwei!”
Ren Yuanhao had already emerged from the grief of Liu Yu’s death. After all, his death might just be the beginning. What he wanted most now was to prevent more people from falling into a deadly situation.
As they were speaking, six more people in flowing white robes approached on horseback from another direction. A woman with a face like a painting stood on her horse and began to greet Ren Yuanhao from afar.
“Ren Yuanhao, to be doing such important business and not calling us? Are you looking down on us senior brothers and sisters?”
Ren Yuanhao peeked over and saw the Six Sons of the Chao Yang Sect, led by Han Ling Shuang, rapidly approaching.
“So it’s Senior Sister Ling Shuang, long time no see!”
Just then, the Saintess of the Mu Yun Sect and others also arrived with dozens of people, followed closely by the Yue Han Sect and the Cang Long Sect.
“Everyone, long time no see.”
Ren Yuanhao cupped his fists and greeted them from all directions.
“Brother, our Cang Long Sect owes you a favor. For such a major event, not calling us? You’re treating us too formally.”
“That’s right. Since we parted ways at the dueling grounds, our Yue Han Sect has been grateful for your kindness. Here, we’ve brought over a hundred pots of Fire Burning Knife, for everyone to drink to their heart’s content!”
“Excellent, let me, Yao Yue Sheng, toast you!”
The Saintess of the Mu Yun Sect was the first to accept the Fire Burning Knife, sending the wine gourd through the air towards Ren Yuanhao. She herself danced like a celestial maiden from the heavens, and the clear, hot wine instantly burned down her throat, causing immense discomfort.
“Good, Saintess, I, Ren Yuanhao, will not refuse such kindness!”
Ren Yuanhao also grabbed a Fire Burning Knife and began to drink heartily, his dominance drawing bursts of laughter from the surrounding crowd.
The remaining sects, having heard of Ren Yuanhao’s deeds to varying degrees, came forward to toast him. After about ten minutes, Ren Yuanhao had already drunk seven or eight pots of Fire Burning Knife.
“Brother Ren indeed has a great capacity! What so-called ‘Number One Warrior’ in this desert, seeing your drinking capacity, would probably hide and dare not come out, like a young girl meeting her beloved!”
“Hahahaha, your metaphor is amusing. I think no one in this desert dares to compete with Brother Ren in drinking; it would be overestimating their own abilities!”
“Right, everyone, we hundreds of people don’t have an alliance leader. This is not proper, greatly not proper!”
The three men speaking had identical faces; they were triplets. As soon as they finished speaking, the Second Elder of the Cang Long Sect said, “This alliance leader must be someone of high virtue, pure character, and exceptional martial arts. I think everyone present might possess one or two of these qualities. However, there is only one person who possesses all three!”
“Who?”
Everyone crowded forward.
“Who else could it be? Isn’t it obvious! Besides Brother Ren, who else deserves this title!”
The Second Elder laughed loudly, and the crowd joined him.
“Excellent, excellent! Elder, you are right. If we choose from each sect, there will inevitably be murmurs. Moreover, when it comes to martial arts, intelligence, and character, besides you, Brother Ren, none of us will be convinced by anyone else!”
Ren Yuanhao was about to decline when Fang Moyu stopped him, saying, “Kid, remember, daring to place yourself at the forefront is not always a bad thing.”
“Senior speaks wisely,” Ren Yuanhao pulled out the Thorn Spear and shouted with his arm raised, “Good, since everyone esteems me, I, Ren Yuanhao, will not refuse!”
At that moment, the sand danced wildly, swirling and churning. The sky-obscuring yellow sand crashed down like a tidal wave. From within the sea of sand, an extremely sharp voice echoed, “A mob of rabble, facing impending doom and still choosing an alliance leader? How utterly laughable!”
As soon as the voice finished, a finger descended from the sky, landing directly in Ren Yuanhao’s hand.
The moment Ren Yuanhao saw this finger, his face instantly turned pale!
“Old man!”
“Oh? I thought you were so carried away that you’d forgotten even your parents? Ren Yuanhao, there are still many more entertainment programs waiting for you and your rabble. I won’t keep you company any longer!”