Chu Hongyi was stunned for a moment, her expression turning blank. She couldn't understand why Senior Brother Tang was acting this way! He was usually so aloof and arrogant. Other than their Master, he never listened to anyone else. She had certainly never seen him bow and scrape like this!

However, Senior Brother Tang must have his reasons for stooping so low! With this thought, Chu Hongyi took a deep look at Chen Zheng, then at her parents. She sighed silently and bowed to Chen Zheng as well.

"Junior Sister Hongyi, why are you bowing to him?"

Just then, a young man suddenly appeared behind Chu Hongyi, glaring at Chen Zheng as he demanded an explanation.

"Because I want to!" Chu Hongyi glanced back at the young man before turning to Chen Zheng again. After a moment of thought, she said, "Ancestor Chen, although I may have come from a humble background of rogue cultivators, I still understand propriety. We have paid our respects and are now your disciples. Shouldn't you reward us with something?"

"Hongyi, you're being ridiculous!" Tang Jing scolded, his brows instantly furrowing. "Ancestor Chen is not who you think he is. Ancestor Chen is..."

"Shut up!" the young man interrupted, a sharp glint in his eyes as he stared daggers at Chen Zheng. "Kid! What did you do to Chu Hongyi to make her like this? Tell me, did you bewitch her? Chu Hongyi, wake up! This kid is a fraud! He's not only after your wealth, but your body as well! He is definitely not the Ancestor Chen you imagine!"

Hearing the young man's words, a flood of memories surfaced in Chu Hongyi's mind, and her eyes suddenly grew moist. She looked up at Chen Zheng with tears welling. "Chu Hongyi and I have both paid our respects to Ancestor Chen. We are now one. I refuse to believe that she doesn't know you aren't sincere with her! Ancestor Chen, stop pretending. We realized long ago that you aren't the 'Ancestor Chen' she speaks of!"

GASP!

The members of the Yinsha Sect all sucked in a cold breath.

"Hmph!" Tang Jing's expression turned grim. "Chu Hongyi, have you lost your mind?! I know you resent the Chu Family for mistreating you, but the family elders were responsible for that. You shouldn't take your hatred out on our Tang Family! I, Tang Jing, am the legitimate heir of the Tang Family. Do you really think I wouldn't be willing to give you a few mere Yinsha Pills?!"

"Tang Jing! Stop being so stubborn!" Chu Hongyi retorted coldly, shaking her head. "Your branch of the Tang Family has already been annihilated by the Chu Family! The Chu Family is the Chu Family, and the Yinsha Sect is the Yinsha Sect! If you don't avenge your own family, how can you ever hope for revenge!"

"You..." Tang Jing was taken aback. He spun around to glare at Chu Hongyi, his face contorted with fury. "Those with the surname Chu destroyed our Tang Family! Chu Hongyi, I will exterminate the Chu Family! I will kill every last one of them! You're coming with me to the Yinsha Sect!"

BOOM!

Tang Jing lunged, reaching out to grab Chu Hongyi.

WHOOSH!

With a casual wave of his sleeve, Chen Zheng sent a surge of spiritual power into Tang Jing's body. The man screamed in agony and was blasted backward, only stopping after smashing into a massive boulder.

WHOOSH!

An eerie black fog billowed toward them.

SWISH!

Everyone's gaze fell upon the fog.

"Who... are you!"

A moment later, the black fog coalesced into a man and a woman. The young woman stared at Chen Zheng, her expression incomparably cold as she spoke. Simultaneously, she raised her right hand, her fingers clawing toward the space between Chen Zheng's brows.

"Little girl, your claws are too dirty," Chen Zheng said blandly.

"Hmph? You dare insult me? I am the ninth princess under the command of the Youming Saint Emperor! Today, I shall clean house on his behalf!" the ninth princess glared.

CRACKLE!

Then, a streak of blood-red lightning shot out.

"AHH!"

The ninth princess screamed in pain, clutching her right arm as she stumbled back.

"This man commands the Youming Divine Thunder of the Youming Saint Emperor! You... Who in the world are you?" Tang Jing stammered, staring at Chen Zheng with a mixture of shock and utter reverence.

"The Youming Saint Emperor? Youming Divine Thunder... The Youming Saint Emperor actually sent you to deal with me?" Chu Hongyi cried out in astonishment.

"You!" The ninth princess's gaze was fixed firmly on Chen Zheng.

"The Youming Saint Emperor is an old acquaintance. I once slew a wisp of his avatar, and he sent people to hunt me down. Since he sent you, I might as well eliminate you along the way. You're the ninth princess, aren't you? Remember this for your next life. Don't be reincarnated as a human. You lived as a pig this time, so continue being a pig in the next," Chen Zheng said with a faint smile. He took a single step forward and pointed a finger at the princess's forehead.

WHOOSH!

In that instant, the Youming Divine Thunder struck her squarely between the eyes.

POOF!

The ninth princess's physical body instantly disintegrated, leaving only her Primordial Spirit behind. Trembling uncontrollably, her Primordial Spirit spun around and fled for its life.

"You can't escape!" Chu Hongyi growled, her figure flickering as she gave chase.

"Hongyi!" Tang Jing cried out in alarm. He tried to grab her but froze in place, utterly dumbfounded. He found himself completely immobilized.

"My... my Primordial Spirit... I... I can't move!" the young man choked out, his throat bobbing.

"Get back here!" Chu Hongyi caught up to the ninth princess's Primordial Spirit and threw a palm strike, but it had no effect. The princess's speed surged, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished deep into the mountain forest.

"Damn it!" Chu Hongyi cursed, preparing to use a secret technique to continue the pursuit.

"Enough," Chen Zheng said, waving his hand dismissively. "You have already become my disciple. There's no need to concern yourself with other matters."

"Yes... Thank you, Ancestor Chen!" Chu Hongyi was stunned for a moment, but then a look of sheer ecstasy spread across her face as she kowtowed deeply.

What... it's over just like that?

Tang Jing was dumbfounded.

Damn it! Chu Hongyi pledged herself to a fake Ancestor Chen! The whole plan is a bust! She pledged herself to a fake! How unbelievably awkward! Wait... that's not right. She must have made a mistake. But how? How could she have made a mistake? Why?!

Tang Jing couldn't figure it out. Not only him, but no one else could either.

Chu Hongyi! How could she have mistaken Elder Chen for someone else?

"Young Master Tang, let's go," Chen Zheng said, retracting his gaze and nodding at Tang Jing.

"Ah? Oh, right! This way, Elder Chen! This is the Yinsha Sect's treasure vault. Feel free to choose anything you like. It's fine even if you want to empty the entire vault!" Tang Jing was stunned for several seconds before snapping back to reality. He nodded quickly and respectfully ushered Chen Zheng into the vault, walking beside him and introducing the various magical treasures.

"Hmm? This immortal artifact isn't bad." Chen Zheng's gaze swept over the treasures, finally landing on a Purple Gold Bagua Furnace. "I'll take this one."

"Yes, yes!" Tang Jing hurriedly agreed, personally retrieving the furnace.

"This is... the Purple Xiao Divine Fire Furnace! If I remember correctly, this is an exquisite immortal artifact! No, wait... it's said to be a material for refining Samadhi True Fire!" As Tang Jing got a clear look at the Purple Gold Bagua Furnace, his eyes lit up. But the light quickly dimmed, replaced by a bitter expression. "Although it's an exquisite immortal artifact, it's a damaged one. Its power is far less than that of a complete one, I'm afraid..."

Tang Jing trailed off.

Right now, his mind was in total chaos. He had come to find Chu Hongyi specifically to help her seize control of the Yinsha Sect. Since he and Chu Hongyi were engaged, he naturally hoped she would become stronger so she could protect him in the future. Moreover...

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