"Elder Zongting, something has gone wrong. All personnel dispatched to the Ancient Eastern Kingdom have lost contact."
A member of the Divine Sect Elders reported the latest situation to the Elder.
"The Divine Punishers have gone silent? Could it be that they failed to transmit their messages in time?" the Elder asked, frowning.
The Divine Punishers had never failed before. Even if they were no match for Ning Beichen, it was impossible for them to be annihilated without a single survivor.
"We are still investigating, but border control in the Ancient Eastern Kingdom is quite strict, making it difficult for our people to infiltrate in large numbers. We've had to hire locals to investigate, but they haven't reported back yet."
"Then continue to await their news. The Divine Punishers do not act lightly, but once they do, no one can escape their judgment."
The Elder declared with full confidence.
"Yes, Elder. Your subordinate takes his leave."
Time passed, and night fell.
Elder Zongting, William, returned to his comfortable and luxurious home. Numerous young and beautiful maidservants surrounded him, attending to his every need, much like an ancient emperor.
However, William was not in a good mood today, primarily due to Ning Beichen.
Ning Beichen's actions had continuously eroded the authority of the Divine Sect Elders, causing him, as the Elder, to lose face. He had thought dispatching the Divine Punishers would easily restore their prestige, but after days had passed with no news, William grew increasingly anxious and dissatisfied with the Divine Punishers.
What bothered him most was that he, as the Elder, couldn't control the Divine Punishers. Despite his displeasure, he couldn't reprimand them, which left him feeling incredibly stifled.
While this rule had been in place for countless years and no one had ever dared to defy it, it wasn't something he had enacted upon becoming Elder. However, times were changing, and an ambitious Elder like himself was naturally unhappy with such a system. How could there be a force within the Divine Sect Elders that was beyond his control?
"Bastard!"
William cursed angrily, his mood foul. He vowed to find a way to control the Divine Punishers and make them serve his purposes.
"You girls will accompany me to bed tonight."
Feeling utterly displeased, William decided to channel his frustration into physical exertion. He led several stunning maids into his bedroom, intending to indulge in some "six-in-a-row" pleasure.
Later that night, screams erupted from William's bedroom. Attendants rushed over, only to find William's head missing. Upon questioning the maids, they claimed to know nothing.
Yet, this was not the end.
The next day, William's severed head appeared in the main hall of the Divine Sect Elders, not thrown in, but hung from a rafter by a rope.
Instantly, the Divine Sect Elders plunged into a state of panic.
But the ordeal was far from over. From that day on, high-ranking members of the Divine Sect Elders began to die, invariably decapitated. The situation escalated from widespread unease to genuine fear for their lives. The remaining leaders of the Divine Sect Elders now had to sleep with more than a dozen guards, a level of disarray the sect had never experienced since its inception.
Crucially, they had no idea who the killer was. Some people did suspect Ning Beichen, but it was mere speculation. Even if it were him, they would be powerless.
This agonizing process of slow attrition continued for six days. By this point, the Divine Sect Elders were not just fearing for their lives but trembling. A large number of members chose to withdraw. Their faith, their power, all became insignificant. No one wanted to risk being decapitated in their sleep.
Just as the Divine Sect Elders were on the verge of collapse, the Divine Punishers finally appeared. This ancient force, which had maintained the existence of the Divine Sect Elders for a millennium, finally mobilized in full.
Although the Divine Sect Elders couldn't command them, the Divine Punishers understood that without the Divine Sect Elders to provide resources and sustenance, they too would eventually decline. Now, the Divine Punishers had set a meticulous trap within the Divine Sect Elders, awaiting Ning Beichen's arrival.
What they didn't know was that Ning Beichen's intention in employing a strategy of slow attrition was precisely to draw out the Divine Punishers. Otherwise, dealing with the Divine Sect Elders wouldn't require such elaborate measures.
Ning Beichen had already arrived near the Divine Sect Elders. Observing the once prosperous sect now descending into ruin, he couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. In the past, forces like the Divine Sect Elders and the Holy See were colossal entities in his eyes. While he didn't fear them, effortlessly eradicating them was an impossibility. Now, he alone could push the Divine Sect Elders into such a desperate state – this was the power of a Transcendent.
With this thought, Ning Beichen began to understand why the laws of this realm forbade the existence of Transcendants; they were destroyers of the natural order. However, what puzzled him was why he, a Transcendent, could repeatedly cause such disruption without the laws intervening.
"Could it be that because I am a Transcendent born in this realm, while that woman in hemp came from another dimension, she was ostracized by the laws?" Ning Beichen pondered internally.
This wasn't mere idle speculation. Ever since becoming a Transcendent, he had been contemplating this question and had even tested the laws. If the laws truly disallowed him as a Transcendent, they would have eliminated him by now. Yet, he remained unharmed. Ning Beichen couldn't possibly believe he was the "love child" of the laws. Thus, only one possibility remained: the laws might not impose restrictions on Transcendants originating from this realm.
However, this was still Ning Beichen's own conjecture, and he lacked a definitive answer. Nevertheless, if the laws did not restrict him, it was a tremendous stroke of luck.
After a while, seeing that the time was right, Ning Beichen began to walk towards the Divine Sect Elders. He didn't sneak in; he strode in openly. If everything went as planned, this would be his final confrontation with the Divine Sect Elders, so there was no longer any need for stealth.
"Who goes there?"
"It's Ning Beichen."
"Quickly, stop him!"
As soon as Ning Beichen appeared, chaos erupted within the Divine Sect Elders. Although Ning Beichen had previously acted through assassination, leaving no witnesses, it wasn't difficult to deduce his involvement. After all, he was the current enemy of the Divine Sect Elders.
"Daring sinner, you are the one who has attacked the Divine Sect Elders!"
The Divine Punishers surrounded Ning Beichen.
"So what if I did? I already warned the Divine Sect Elders not to provoke me again, but you didn't listen, disregarding my warning." Ning Beichen stated coldly.