Chapter 483: Framed
Previously, Zhao Dong would have stood no chance. But the Zhao Dong of today was a completely different person.
His eyes narrowed. As Jiang Feng lunged, he swiftly dodged and counterattacked the young disciple. Since he was facing a two-pronged attack, he naturally targeted the weaker one first. Zhao Dong moved with incredible speed, like a bolt of lightning. The young disciple didn't even have time to react before Zhao Dong's hand closed around his neck. He had no chance to beg for mercy before Zhao Dong snapped his neck. His eyes, wide with disbelief, stared blankly; he couldn't believe Zhao Dong had dared to kill him right in front of the Great Elder. He died, unable to rest in peace.
"How dare you!" Seeing his disciple killed right before his eyes, Jiang Feng was utterly enraged. He let out a furious shout, "Ten Thousand Sword Heavenly Thunder Technique!" as his body soared into the sky.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Ominous thunderclouds gathered in the sky.
Jiang Feng pointed his sword, and a lightning bolt as thick as a bowl shot down from the heavens, aiming straight for Zhao Dong.
Zhao Dong scrambled to dodge, but a lightning bolt still pierced his lower abdomen.
A Martial Saint can control the forces of nature. How terrifying!
Not daring to delay, Zhao Dong swallowed a Healing Pill, then forcefully pushed off with his right foot, launching himself into the air toward Jiang Feng. He concealed his right fist behind his back as a torrent of Spiritual Energy began to rapidly converge.
From a distance, Zhao Dong, shooting toward the heavens, transformed into a golden orb, carrying an immense pressure that seemed to defy the very sky.
"Seeking death!" Jiang Feng roared. He swung his longsword, and three bolts of lightning instantly descended.
With a thunderous shout, Zhao Dong unleashed his hidden fist with its full force. "Profound Dragon Fist!"
ROAR!
A dragon's roar echoed as a massive golden dragon burst forth from his fist, colliding heavily with the three bolts of lightning.
BOOM!
A shockwave erupted from the impact.
SPURT!
A mouthful of blood sprayed from Zhao Dong's lips, but the three lightning bolts were also shattered.
The golden dragon continued its ascent.
Jiang Feng's mind went blank with terror.
"No! How can you be so strong!?"
The next moment, the golden dragon smashed violently into Jiang Feng. His Spiritual Energy defense shattered on contact.
SPURT!
As bright red blood sprayed through the air, Jiang Feng's body plummeted toward the earth like a cannonball.
THUD!
He smashed a deep crater into the ground, feeling as if every bone in his body was about to break.
Zhao Dong staggered as he landed, not faring much better.
At that moment, however, Jiang Feng had already recovered enough to stand up again.
Zhao Dong didn't dare to linger and turned to flee. Jiang Feng wanted to pursue, but his severe injuries prevented him from mobilizing any more Spiritual Energy.
"Zhao Dong! You goddamn bastard! You deserve to die!" Jiang Feng roared at the sky.
「Meanwhile」
The commotion had attracted the disciples and elders of the Qingyun Sect.
Dongfang Shi hurried over to Jiang Feng, took out a Healing Pill, and handed it to him. "What happened?" he asked anxiously.
Jiang Feng's face was ashen. How could he admit to trying to murder someone for their treasure?
His eyes darted around for a moment before he answered angrily, "Was that boy, Zhao Dong, the one you brought back?"
"Yes, he was," Dongfang Shi replied, confused. "He was the winner of the Sermon Assembly. Is there a problem?"
"Hmph! A problem?" Jiang Feng scoffed. "That boy just snuck into the treasure pavilion and stole the Enlightenment Stone! My disciple and I tried to stop him, but he killed my disciple and even wounded me!"
"What?" Dongfang Shi was incredulous. "He... he stole the Enlightenment Stone? How is that possible?"
The Enlightenment Stone was a supreme treasure of the Qingyun Sect. Although its function was singular, it was a crucial assistive treasure for Great Grandmasters on the verge of becoming Martial Saints. It could help a peak Great Grandmaster comprehend the forces of nature, enabling them to break through to the Martial Saint realm. For this reason, it was an invaluable treasure to the Qingyun Sect. To lose the Enlightenment Stone was equivalent to severing the path for all of the Qingyun Sect's cultivators to reach the Martial Saint realm.
This was a capital offense.
"We'll know if it's true or not once we capture him and question him, won't we?" Jiang Feng's face was dark.
Dongfang Shi understood the gravity of the situation. Though he was reluctant to believe Zhao Dong would do such a thing, he couldn't question the Qingyun Sect's Great Elder.
He waved his hand hastily. "Activate the Mountain Protection Array! We must capture Zhao Dong!"
"Yes, sir!"
The male disciples immediately rushed off. They had long been consumed by envy and resentment toward Zhao Dong, and they were thrilled to see him in trouble.
The female disciples, however, looked on in disbelief. Still, they didn't dare defy Dongfang Shi and left as ordered. They couldn't imagine how Zhao Dong, a man who blushed at their slightest touch, could possibly steal a sect treasure.
Dongfang Shi glanced one last time at Jiang Feng. Seeing the man's face contorted in anger with no apparent flaws in his demeanor, he finally sighed and departed.
「On the other side」
Zhao Dong was speeding toward the sect gates.
Just as he was about to reach them, however, pale blue ripples suddenly enveloped the entire mountain. The resounding clang of a great bell filled the air.
Even though he was moving at his top speed, he was ultimately trapped inside the gates just an instant before the Mountain Protection Array sealed the mountain.
"Zhao Dong! You stole our sect's treasure, and you refuse to surrender!?"
A group of disciples swarmed in, surrounding him completely.
Zhao Dong's expression was grim. "What are you talking about?" he said sternly. "I didn't steal anything! It was Jiang Feng who tried to kill me for my treasures!"
"Insolence! How dare you slander the Great Elder?" the lead disciple shouted. "The Great Elder himself said you stole our sect's treasure! If you don't surrender now, don't blame us for what comes next!"
Damn it! That bastard framed me! He deserves to die! He deserves to die!
Zhao Dong's face trembled with rage. But the Qingyun Sect was not like the Blood Sect. They had shown him kindness, so he could not bring himself to harm these misguided disciples.
"I want to see Elder Dongfang," Zhao Dong said gravely. "He will surely clear my name!"
"Hmph! You'll be taken to the dungeon first, regardless of who you want to see!"
"Fine. I'll go to the dungeon, but you must let Elder Dongfang see me."
Zhao Dong stopped resisting and allowed the disciples to lead him away.
Watching him go, the sect disciples sighed and murmured among themselves. "Ugh, Zhao Dong is clearly powerful and he even absorbed the Jade Marrow Stone, so why would he still need to steal the Enlightenment Stone? It's just too much!" "His greed knows no bounds. Some people are never satisfied!" "To think I actually liked him. It's disgusting!"
Disgust was written on everyone's faces.
「Within the hour」
The news of Zhao Dong stealing the Enlightenment Stone spread throughout the entire sect.
Zhao Dong went from being the genius praised by all and the dream lover of the female disciples to a reviled thief that everyone wanted to beat down.
「In the dungeon」
Zhao Dong hung from the ceiling, bound by iron chains.
The Formation in the dungeon completely suppressed his Spiritual Energy. At this moment, other than his robust physique, he was no different from an ordinary person.
WHAP! WHAP!
A salt-water-soaked whip lashed viciously across Zhao Dong's body.
"Speak! Where did you hide the Enlightenment Stone? Speak!" the bare-chested disciple bellowed.
Zhao Dong was covered in blood, his clothes in tatters. The whip, infused with Spiritual Energy, tore his skin and split his flesh, creating a grisly scene.