Chapter 5017 Sinister Plot  

When the Long clan leader raised this topic, the atmosphere instantly grew tense. The Jiang clan leader looked silently at Long Chen on the martial stage.

The Long clan leader also fell silent, seemingly in deep thought. On the other hand, the Zhao and Ye clan leaders exchanged glances, waiting.

Finally, the Zhao clan leader impatiently broke the silence. “What are you up to? We’ve already reached this point, so how can we retreat now? Tell me, who doesn’t want the Earth Cauldron? Who could resist the temptation? We can only be at ease once we eliminate Long Chen. This is the foundation for the rise of the four divine clans. What is there to hesitate about? What is there to consider?”

The Ye clan leader added, “That’s right. There is no longer any room for retreat. We must obtain the Earth Cauldron, so we must kill Long Chen. There is no other option.”

After thinking a bit, the Long clan leader slowly said, “I’m just worried about Long Zhantian. You all know that he is a madman. Even the patriarch was somewhat afraid of him.”

“What is there to fear? The Brahma Pill Valley has received our report, and their experts are on the way. They’ll arrive at the Long clan soon. Are you starting to regret your actions?” demanded the Zhao clan leader.

The Long clan leader sighed heavily, “This is the last time I’ll seek your counsel on this matter. If we release Long Chen now, we can still negotiate. If we don’t, we will be mortal enemies. Mishandling this could provoke Long Zhantian’s wrath, which none of us can endure. Even if he can’t touch us, he can hunt down our disciples until all of them are wiped out.”

When it came to Long Zhantian, the Long clan leader was plagued by immense concern. He vividly recalled how Long Zhantian had gone against the entire Long clan single-handedly. Those memories were haunting him again.

Had it not been for the patriarch, there would have been absolute devastation. Even though Long Qihua had claimed that he could beat Long Zhantian, there was no proof of that.

Back then, every challenger had been confident they could defeat Long Zhantian. Among them was Long Zaiye, who then lost an arm and saw his foundation crippled—an outcome that proved their gross miscalculations.

In truth, the Long clan leader and the other clan leaders had finalized their plan days ago. Yet, witnessing Long Chen effortlessly block a Heavenly Chosen’s full-power attack with two fingers, a sense of unease started to creep over the Long clan leader.

The Long clan leader felt the urge to beat the drums of retreat. Everything would be good if they succeeded. But if they failed and Long Chen escaped, the Earth Cauldron would slip out of their hands, and they would also have to face the bloody reprisal of the father-and-son duo. It would truly mean losing everything.

Sensing the Long clan leader’s hesitation, the Ye clan leader couldn’t help but say, “You are worrying about nothing. Our plan is flawless. When the Brahma Pill Valley’s experts arrive, we will immediately capture Long Chen, giving him no chance to speak. After turning him into a corpse, we’ll hand him over. That way, we will be able to keep the secret and buy a favor from the Brahma Pill Valley.

“As long as we are careful, we can shove the responsibility onto the Brahma Pill Valley. When Long Zhantian comes back, just say, ‘we did everything we could to protect Long Chen, but how could we possibly beat the Brahma Pill Valley’s experts?’ If he has the guts, he can go to the Brahma Pill Valley for vengeance.”

The Zhao clan leader added, “That’s right. Long Chen has constantly gone against the Brahma Pill Valley. After killing the vice hall master of the Flame Divine Hall, he has completely provoked them. We just need to act a bit when the time comes, and I believe the Brahma Pill Valley will cooperate with us. If they take out their anger on Long Chen’s father as well, we can use them to kill him. It’s hitting two birds with one stone.”

After hearing their opinions, the Long clan leader flashed a bitter smile. “I’m just worried about something unexpected. To tell the truth, I can’t help but feel anxious when I see him.”

“Your guts are really small. What are you afraid of? If problems arise, we face them together. Isn’t that so?” taunted the Ye clan leader, pointedly glancing at the Jiang clan leader.

Feeling pressured to declare his stance, the Jiang clan leader recalled Feng Fei’s words. Yet, the allure of the Earth Cauldron and the involvement of the Brahma Pill Valley weighed heavily on his decision. In the end, he nodded reluctantly.

The Jiang clan leader said, “Correct. The four divine clans will rise and fall together. You don’t need to worry about that. But to ensure our success, let’s review the plan one last time to anticipate any potential mistakes and how to handle them.”

The other three nodded and continued to plot. Meanwhile, Long Chen stood on the martial stage, oblivious to the plotting of the old fogeys. He also didn’t care. In any case, the Earth Cauldron was his, so there was no need for him to worry about certain things.

Through observing the battles of Heavenly Chosens, Long Chen wanted to uncover their secrets, strengths, and weaknesses, intending to use this knowledge in future battles.

Suddenly, one of the competitors’ sword was shattered by their opponent’s battle-ax. It was a matter of brute strength overpowering everything. Three consecutive blows hit the same spot on the sword, causing it to break apart.

The sword-wielding contestant was a woman from the Jiang clan. They had once shared a meal together at the same table, though he had fled in just a few bites.

Startled gasps rang out when her sword shattered. Even her opponent was taken aback, not anticipating his attack would destroy her sword and continue its path toward her. He couldn’t stop it.

Just as the strike was about to land fatally, a golden scepter appeared swiftly, intercepting the battle-ax and saving her life in the nick of time.

The woman, visibly shaken and pale with fright, seemed to have lost her composure completely. She even forgot to thank Long Chen. In contrast, her opponent expressed his thanks with a slight bow toward Long Chen.

Long Chen swiftly declared the man the winner and proceeded to oversee the next match. It went without saying that having to oversee all thirty-two battles was tiresome, even for Long Chen.

After all, each bout demanded his unwavering attention, as the slightest slip could result in a lost life. While Long Chen didn’t care about their lives, any death under his watch would be a slap in his face.

Fortunately, Long Chen managed to grit his teeth and endure. The thirty-two matches lasted three days, followed by a necessary three-day break before the decisive matches to determine the top sixteen. After returning to his residence, Long Chen continued training in the dragon blood God Slaying Cross. He was pleasantly surprised by the new insights he gained from observing the battles. They allowed him to refine and enhance his cultivation method for the God Slaying Cross.

In just three days, Long Chen achieved a significant breakthrough, mastering the ability to unleash the God Slaying Cross ten times in one breath. It was a remarkable advancement for him.

After that, Long Chen walked out of his immortal cave of his own accord. As he stepped out, a sense of foreboding gripped his heart.