After being jilted by the saintess at the beginning, why is she crying?

"Zhao Yuanlong, this pawn planted in Fengming Kingdom for so many years... has he really been rendered useless like this?"

Seated in the main seat was a burly old man with hair and beard that stood up like steel needles.

His eyes flashed with lightning as he opened and closed, exuding an imposing aura even without anger. He was none other than Lei Tianming, the former sect master of the Thunder God Sect!

His voice was deep, yet it was like muffled thunder rolling through the palace, making people's eardrums tingle.

"Reporting back to the former sect leader—"

"Your Highness," a Golden Core elder bowed and replied, his tone tinged with surprise and doubt.

"Judging from the last few scattered messages and the scene before the soul lamp went out, Zhao Yuanlong did indeed fall into the hands of that kid named Lin Fengmian."

That kid… he's incredibly strange! Su Miaoxue probably left him some incredible life-saving trump card before she went into seclusion; otherwise, with Zhao Yuanlong's early Nascent Soul cultivation and the array, there's no way he would have failed!

"Hindsandwich?"

Lei Tianming snorted coldly, his spiky beard trembling slightly.

"Even if a mere Foundation Establishment stage brat has some trump cards, how much power can he possibly unleash? Zhao Yuanlong, that piece of trash, can't even handle this small matter properly; he deserves to die!"

Beside him stood a middle-aged man with a cold expression and piercing eyes. He was none other than Lei Tianming's eldest disciple, Chu Yi, the current Holy Son of the Tianlei Sect.

Chu Yi said in a deep voice:

"Master, please calm down. Although Zhao Yuanlong is dead, it is irrelevant to the overall situation. Now, our Heavenly Thunder Sect has initially gained control of the Six Paths Immortal Alliance's discourse power. Those women in Wonderful Flower Valley only know how to refine pills and cultivate flowers. What do they have to compete with us?"

The nine immortal sects under the Phoenix Cry Kingdom have exhausted their resources and lost many talents in the past hundred years in order to guard the Demon Abyss.

The newly risen Great Yan Dynasty is nothing more than a hastily assembled group of rogue cultivators, riddled with internal strife, and not worth worrying about.

He paused, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes:

"What we really need to be wary of is the Black Temple. They operate in the shadows, while we operate in the light. Their actions are unpredictable, and their resources are probably no less than ours."

Lei Tianming nodded slightly, clearly agreeing with his eldest disciple's analysis, but the anger on his face did not dissipate:

"I know all that you've said. But... I have a personal grudge against Su Miaoxue!"

His eyes flashed with lightning, revealing a deep-seated hatred:

"Three hundred years ago, to avoid disaster, my Heavenly Thunder Sect announced a period of closure. It was Su Miaoxue who, relying on her status as Empress, forced us to fulfill our agreement, forcing me to send your uncle, my junior brother Luo Jian, whom I consider like a brother, to the Demon Abyss for assistance!"

And what happened? He never returned, his soul lamp dimmed, and everyone said he had long since perished in the Abyss of Demons!

Lei Tianming's voice trembled slightly with excitement, and the lightning in the hall crackled and popped, making his face look even more ferocious.

"But just a few days ago, a few days before the spiritual energy recovered! Your master actually... actually received a message from your Uncle-Master Luo Jian, three hundred years late! He was actually not dead! But he also mentioned a name—Lin Fengmian!"

Lei Tianming suddenly stood up, and lightning burst forth from his body, causing the black stone chair beneath him to vibrate and hum.

"The one who drove him to despair and caused him to die with his eyes wide open was that little man from Su Miaoxue!"

The hall was deathly silent. Chu Yi frowned, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Lin Fengmian... it's Lin Fengmian again." He murmured the name, his tone tinged with gloom. "It seems that this boy and my Heavenly Thunder Sect are destined to have a showdown."

With a loud boom, a thin bolt of lightning shot out uncontrollably from his fingertip, like an enraged silver snake that flew out of his hand and struck the hard black stone ground beside him!

The hard, lightning-attracting black stone exploded, scorching a small patch. Shards flew everywhere, lightning flashed, and a pungent, burnt smell filled the air.

"I once swore an oath to my inner demons, and I, Lei Tianming, will avenge this humiliation!"

He practically roared it out; his voice was like a thousand thunderclaps, making the entire hall vibrate.

Dust fell from the roof of the palace, and even the thick black stone pillars trembled slightly.

His eyes were bloodshot, his beard and hair stood on end, and lightning crackled and exploded all around him, like a furious thunder god descending from the heavens.

"I will not only ensure Lin Fengmian's utter demise, but I will also bring Su Miaoxue's Phoenix Cry Kingdom to ruin!"

"I'll make him taste the bitterness of losing everything!"

The hall was filled with murderous intent; the air seemed to solidify, heavy and suffocating.

The elders and disciples below kept their eyes down, not daring to even breathe loudly, for fear of provoking the wrath of the enraged old sect leader.

Some elders even subconsciously took a half step back, their backs already soaked with cold sweat.

Just then, a clear female voice rang out from below the hall, carrying a hint of calm confidence.

"Sect Master, perhaps this disciple has a method."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the speaker was a young female cultivator at the Golden Core stage dressed in a purple outfit.

She had a tall and straight figure and a charming face. Her eyes flashed with tiny lightning bolts as they opened and closed. This was an extremely rare innate heterochromatic eye, even rarer in the entire Xuan Tian Continent—the Purple Lightning Spirit Eye!

She was Huang Xuan'er, a top genius who cultivated lightning-based techniques and a third-generation true disciple highly valued by Lei Tianming.

Lei Tianming's gaze swept over her, his rage softening slightly, like a crack appearing in a cloud-covered sky. He sat back in his chair and waved his hand dismissively: "Xuan'er, then tell me, what's your plan?"

Huang Xuan'er stepped forward with composure, bowed to Lei Tianming, and then clearly stated:

"Reporting to the Sect Master, the grand competition among our four major forces is about to begin, and there are still more than forty days to go."

This prosperous era is related to the human race's structure in this remote and sacred land over the past century.

If Lin Fengmian is truly valued and cared for by Su Miaoxue as rumored, he will definitely represent Fengming Kingdom in the competition. At that time, the life-or-death struggle on the arena will be our best opportunity to strike!

Her voice was clear and articulate, each word resonating powerfully in the hall.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yi, the Holy Son below, frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Junior Sister Huang, what if Lin Fengmian turns to cowardice and refuses to fight?"

Huang Xuan'er chuckled softly, a confident smile curving her lips, and said:

"Senior brother, you're overthinking it. According to the intelligence we have, although this young man doesn't like to stand out and seems very steady, he is actually extremely protective of his own and very responsible."

"Like the Lin Peishan incident that just happened, he knew it was a trap but still went to the appointment, which is the best proof."

He would definitely fight in the competition for his wife, Su Miaoxue—for no other reason than Su Miaoxue.

She paused, a flash of purple lightning in her eyes, and then added: