The night was as dark as ink. The imperial capital once held the reputation of a city that never slept, yet its former prosperity and liveliness had vanished. The entire city felt desolate and silent.

Faint sparks of firelight could be seen in the distance. Patrol soldiers were still roaming the streets day and night, hunting down so-called rebels.

Before long, Ling Feng arrived at his own General Weiyuan's Mansion.

This place had originally developed into a branch of the Divine Ling Sect. Ling Feng had hoped that the disciples of the Divine Ling Sect would leave the Xianzong Mountains and compete directly with the geniuses of the imperial capital. Only through such trials could the sect gradually rise onto the right path and become a first-rated sect within the empire.

Because of that very decision, when the coup erupted, the sect's elites who remained in the imperial capital had all been imprisoned here.

That included Luo Jianying, Jiang Wanqing, and many others.

Su Hongxiu was here as well. She had once served at Ling Feng's side.

Along with them were many young elites of the Divine Ling Sect. Every one of them had been locked away here with their cultivation completely crippled.

"Ah!"

A scream suddenly tore through the night.

One of the Divine Ling Sect disciples began to tremble violently. Dark energy surged across his face as if he were enduring unbearable agony.

"No... I don't want to die. Senior Brother, save me. Please save me!"

The disciple stared desperately toward Luo Jianying.

A black flame suddenly erupted across his body. It wasn't actual fire. It resembled a cloud of black granular mist that began to break his body apart piece by piece. The destruction started from his calves and slowly spread upward. His entire body gradually transformed into a layer of black sand that scattered into the air with the slightest breeze.

This was not the first such death.

Over the past several days, more than one disciple had already died in exactly the same way before everyone's eyes.

"Junior Brother Sun!"

Luo Jianying clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned pale. Yet, all he could do was watch as his fellow disciples died one after another.

Their deaths came without warning.

Before they were imprisoned here, every one of them had been forced to swallow a strange medicinal pill. That pill had sealed their cultivation. It now lingered inside their bodies like a ticking bomb. At any moment it could mercilessly devour their lives.

"We... we will die like that too."

"Heavens, I do not want to die!"

Nearly every day one or two disciples would perish. No one knew who would be next. Every person lived under a crushing cloud of terror.

"Everyone calm down. Do not panic."

Jiang Wanqing took a deep breath and tried to steady the crowd. Yet in such circumstances, who could truly remain calm?

"Junior Brother Luo, say something!"

Jiang Wanqing turned to look at Luo Jianying.

Over the past year Luo Jianying had surpassed everyone and become the most outstanding disciple of the Divine Ling Sect. His cultivation had already surpassed hers.

To the disciples gathered here, Luo Jianying had become their spiritual pillar.

"What is there to say, Senior Sister Jiang? Let it go. We have only one path left now. We wait for death."

Luo Jianying let out a tired sigh.

"You have felt it too. That strange medicinal pill is constantly converting the elemental force in our bodies into a very unstable energy. When all of our elemental force is completely converted, that moment will likely be the moment of our deaths. At this rate even I will not last more than a month!"

"In our current state we cannot even restrain a chicken. Forget Human Emperor experts. Even the guards outside could slaughter us easily. What solution could we possibly have? Who would come to save us?"

Luo Jianying sighed again.

In the past he always carried confidence and hope. This time he felt as though he had fallen into a pit of endless despair.

There was no hope.

Not even the faintest trace.

"But... I think..."

A weak voice suddenly spoke from nearby.

"I believe... Sect... Sect Leader will definitely come and save everyone."

Luo Jianying turned his gaze and saw Su Hongxiu leaning weakly against the wall.

Her cultivation had always been relatively low. She lacked the elemental force needed to resist the power of the pill. Over the past several days her body had grown weaker and weaker. She looked exactly like the disciples who had died before her.

"Perhaps..."

Luo Jianying clenched his teeth.

He knew Su Hongxiu was probably about to die. Leaving her with a little hope in her final moments felt like the least he could do.

If he could choose, he would rather Ling Feng never return.

The imperial capital had become a deadly trap. If Ling Feng came back now, he would be walking straight into danger.

"Hongxiu..."

Jiang Wanqing struggled to her feet and slowly walked toward her.

"Hold on, Hongxiu. Do not give up. When the Sect Leader returns you must still be here to see him."

"I..."

Su Hongxiu's eyes turned slightly red. She shook her head weakly and forced a faint smile.

"Sister Qing... I am afraid... I will not be able to wait for him..."

As her words faded, black mist slowly began to rise from her body.

Every disciple in the hall felt their hearts sink.

They all understood what it meant.

Su Hongxiu was about to die.

She had finally reached her limit.

"Stay strong, Hongxiu. Do not die. Please do not die!"

Jiang Wanqing burst into tears. She hugged Su Hongxiu tightly and shook her again and again.

Yet she could do nothing.

She could not even channel her own elemental force into Su Hongxiu's body to help resist the medicinal strength of the pill.

...

At that same moment Ling Feng had finally arrived at General Weiyuan's Mansion.

"Hmm?"

He suddenly heard the heart-wrenching cries and immediately activated Boundless Vision. In an instant he located Jiang Wanqing.

"Something has happened to Hongxiu."

Ling Feng's brows tightened. His figure flashed as he slipped past the layers of guards outside the mansion and entered the compound without a sound.

His speed was too fast. The darkness of night concealed him perfectly. No one noticed anything unusual.

Some guards even heard the cries from inside the hall and responded with mocking laughter.

They had witnessed scenes like this many times already.

In the next instant Ling Feng arrived outside the grand hall where the Divine Ling Sect disciples were imprisoned.

Several guards suddenly noticed a shadow before their eyes. Their vision blurred and they fell directly into an illusion.

Ling Feng entered the hall in a flash.

In the blink of an eye he appeared beside Jiang Wanqing.

"Wanqing. Let me take a look."

"Huh?"

Only then did Jiang Wanqing realize that a man in black had suddenly appeared beside her. The disciples throughout the hall were also startled.

None of them had sensed anyone entering.

"It's me!"

Ling Feng removed the mask from his face and made a quiet gesture to the crowd.

"There is no need to worry. Since I am here, I will take everyone out of this place."

"Sect Leader!"

Luo Jianying's eyes filled with tears.

Ling Feng had truly returned.

In the moment when everyone had fallen into the deepest despair, he had appeared like a god descending to save them!