"Crack!"
"Snap..."
At the same time, Qin Changsheng's life tablet let out a crisp sound and shattered on the spot.
"This sound..."
Outside the room, disciple Zhang Tao, who was in charge of guarding the life tablets, heard the commotion. His face changed drastically, and he immediately rushed over to check the situation.
As a disciple of the Tianshan Sword Sect, he was acutely aware of the meaning represented by the life tablets.
Every life tablet here represented a powerful individual of the Tianshan Sword Sect.
From the Grand Elders, to the Sect Master, to the Elders...
Without exception.
Each of them infused a wisp of their divine consciousness into their life tablet, making it a unique existence, and also representing their life and death.
As long as the life tablet is intact, the person is alive.
If the life tablet shatters, the person dies.
Therefore,
Zhang Tao rushed in the moment he heard the commotion.
"It's Elder Qin's life tablet..."
"It's broken!"
Zhang Tao's soul was about to fly out, his voice hoarse.
With the life tablet shattered, Qin Changsheng was undeniably dead, with no possibility of survival.
But...
Wasn't Elder Qin in seclusion? How could he have died?
Zhang Tao couldn't comprehend it.
The Tianshan Sword Sect was currently at peace, with no external invasion. Elder Qin was deep within the forbidden grounds; who could have killed him so silently?
Could it be...
Zhang Tao quickly thought of a possibility.
Cultivators who reached the Soul Splitting Stage or higher could roam the heavens and could also separate a wisp of their divine consciousness to be entrusted to other objects, condensing a divine consciousness clone.
Although a divine consciousness clone did not possess the full strength of the main body, it was still immensely powerful.
However...
Some mighty beings with heaven-shattering divine abilities could attack the cultivator's main body through the divine consciousness.
But to achieve this level, who in the current world could it be?
Unbelievable.
Inconceivable.
Just as Zhang Tao was still in disbelief, piercing wails echoed throughout the entire Tianshan Sword Sect.
"Bai, Zi, He!"
"No—"
It was Qin Changsheng's voice.
It came from the depths of the forbidden grounds, reverberating between heaven and earth, becoming his dying cry!
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Not long after Qin Changsheng's voice faded, several figures immediately descended into this small life tablet chamber.
They exuded immense auras.
Some were as sharp as swords.
Some were as solid as mountains.
Their gazes were arrogant.
Their auras were sharp and exposed.
They were the Elders of the Tianshan Sword Sect.
"Is Brother Qin's life tablet still intact?" One of them, with white hair and beard, grabbed Zhang Tao by the arms and inquired.
His eyes were filled with anxiety.
He was Qin Changsheng's elder brother, the Third Elder of the Tianshan Sword Sect, Qin Changkong!
He knew Qin Changsheng was in seclusion, but with such a sudden event, he was naturally extremely worried and rushed here immediately.
"Elder Qin's life tablet..."
Zhang Tao swallowed, lowered his head, not daring to look up at Qin Changkong, and said with difficulty, "It's already broken..."
"What?"
Qin Changkong's eyes instantly widened in rage.
With a flash, he moved past Zhang Tao and darted inside.
At a glance...
Numerous life tablets were all intact.
Only his younger brother Qin Changsheng's was shattered into pieces!
"Ahhh—"
Qin Changkong was instantly furious, roaring at the heavens.
In an instant.
A ferocious aura spread outwards from him at an unparalleled speed, instantly ravaging the surrounding space.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!"
Sharp sword lights descended.
Countless flowers, trees, rockeries, and pavilions instantly turned to dust.
Qin Changkong had lost control at this moment.
His eyes turned a destructive blood-red, chilling one to the bone and making it impossible to look a second time.
"Third Brother!"
"Third Brother!"
"Old Qin..."
The other Elders shouted, trying to stop him from causing further destruction.
"We are also very sad that Old Seventh is dead."
"However, the immediate priority is to figure out how he died, who killed him, and then think about revenge."
"Exactly!"
"Before Old Seventh died, he called out a name, Bai Zi He. Third Brother, do you know this person? What grudge did he have with Old Seventh?"
"Bai Zi He, who is he? What power does he represent?"
The faces of the Elders were all grim.
The Tianshan Sword Sect...
Was ranked among the top three immortal sects in the entire Great Xia!
The Sect Master, the Tianshan Elder, was one of the most formidable experts in the world.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a terrestrial immortal!
Yet their Elder Qin Changsheng had been killed!
This was a blatant provocation, a provocation against the Tianshan Sword Sect!
Blood debt must be repaid with blood!
"Bai Zi He..."
Qin Changkong narrowed his eyes, bolts of lightning flashing within them, cold and sinister: "I don't know this person."
"And Old Seventh never mentioned him."
Everyone was startled.
They were not like Zhang Tao.
They could easily determine that Qin Changsheng's soul had been annihilated, causing his main body, who was in seclusion in the forbidden grounds, to die on the spot.
To achieve this level...
It must be a mighty being in the Tribulation Transcending Stage!
Others...
Were simply out of the question.
Because Qin Changsheng was an expert in the early stage of the Mahayana realm, it was virtually impossible for anyone below the Tribulation Transcending Stage to annihilate his divine soul.
But the Tribulation Transcending Stage...
Was already considered the pinnacle of existence in the known world.
Every mighty being in the Tribulation Transcending Stage was peerless, possessing heaven-defying means and unfathomable divine power.
Even their Sect Master of the Tianshan Sword Sect was only in the Tribulation Transcending Stage, and it was not easy to encounter them!
Even if Qin Changsheng had encountered one, he would not have been foolish enough to provoke them.
"Issue the Tianshan Bounty Order!"
Qin Changkong, unable to contain his rage, said indifferently, "I am willing to offer a Earth-grade magical artifact and one hundred top-grade spirit stones as a reward to find this Bai Zi He!"
An Earth-grade magical artifact, top-grade spirit stones...
This was no small price!
The quality of magical artifacts, from low to high, was divided into Yellow-grade, Profound-grade, Earth-grade, Heaven-grade, and the legendary Primordial grade!
And spirit stones...
Were divided into low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and top-grade spirit stones!
But in today's era of scarce resources and thin spiritual energy, every Earth-grade magical artifact was extremely precious, and top-grade spirit stones were even rarer.
Because...
The spirit stone mines had almost all been depleted!
Every top-grade spirit stone used was one less!
Everyone was shocked by Qin Changkong's generosity and deeply impressed. It also showed the depth of his hatred for Bai Zi He, which was beyond measure.
"Third Brother, I'll add twenty more top-grade spirit stones to help!"
"Me too, I'll add twenty!"
"Me too!"
"..."
Immediately, the Elders took out some of their reserves.
A significant reason why the Tianshan Sword Sect could stand firm was the unity of these Elders, working together to resist powerful enemies!
Of course, the premise was...
That the Sect Master of the Tianshan Sword Sect was indeed a heroic figure, capable of suppressing them all and commanding their submission with supreme authority!
This day was destined to be turbulent.
Qin Changkong, the Third Elder of the Tianshan Sword Sect, issued the Tianshan Bounty Order, offering two hundred top-grade spirit stones and one Earth-grade magical artifact as a reward for information about someone named "Bai Zi He"!
The news spread like wildfire, immediately causing a huge stir.