In the town, as Li Xiaotian and his entourage departed, the powerful figures of the Lei Huo Buddhist Sect only dared to rise from the ground and breathe a sigh of relief after Li Xiaotian's figure had completely vanished.
Almon's face was etched with regret. He had hoped to establish a connection with this Hegemon-level expert, but the man had offered him no such opportunity.
"Return to the sect. From today onwards, tell all disciples that you are to behave yourselves when outside and never cause trouble for this seat again!"
Almon roared. He was a completely different person now compared to when he faced Li Xiaotian, his aura imposing, preventing anyone from meeting his gaze.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, he sensed something was amiss. The Buddhas of his sect looked at him with complex expressions: disdain, contempt, and anger.
Almon immediately understood. His fawning subservience to the young expert had caused his subordinates to feel utterly humiliated.
"Idiot!" Almon cursed inwardly. He intended to offer an explanation, but someone else spoke first.
"Sect Master, our Lei Huo Buddhist Sect has never been so humiliated! That person is already gone, yet you remain so cautious. You are truly unworthy of the position of Sect Master!"
"While that person is a Hegemon-level expert, our sect has dozens of Emperor-level Sacred Buddhas. We are not without a fighting chance!"
Someone spoke up – an elder monk with dark yellow skin, who appeared particularly capable. He frowned, his expression filled with dissatisfaction.
At this moment, all the Buddhas of the Lei Huo Buddhist Sect had gathered behind this person, their stance evident. What he said was also what they all wished to express.
Almon wanted to reprimand him, but upon seeing who it was, he suppressed his impulse. He then calmly responded.
"Grand Elder, do you know who that young man is? Do you think this seat is willing to be so obsequious? To let you and these lowly commoners witness this humiliation of this seat?"
The elder was indeed the Grand Elder of the Lei Huo Buddhist Sect, possessing the same peak Emperor-level strength as Almon.
When the Grand Elder heard Almon's words, his eyes held disdain. But as Almon continued to speak, his expression changed, filled with shock and paleness.
"He is Li Xiaotian! He is the Dragon King of Yan Province's Qin Empire! He is the one who, at the Emperor level, killed a Hegemon-level demon dragon by crossing realms! He is the person who, with his own strength, resisted the ancient forces of the entire Yan Province!"
Almon spoke slowly, his tone growing heavier. As he uttered these words, the people of the Lei Huo Buddhist Sect found their breathing growing rapid, their faces pale with lingering fear.
Li Xiaotian! Yan Province's Li Xiaotian! Who dared to challenge Hegemon-level sects! Who single-handedly annihilated the top sect of Yan Province, the Dark Cloud Sect! Who even fought with the Old Ancestor of the Dark Cloud Sect and survived!
Who among those present had not heard of these feats?! He was a true demon! Annihilating sects and slaughtering clans was merely commonplace for him!
"How can this be? How could he be Li Xiaotian? Why would he appear in Fo Province?!"
The Grand Elder's voice trembled. If it were any other Hegemon-level expert, he would not have lost his composure to this extent. But it was Li Xiaotian, a demon who had truly destroyed several ancient sects. It was entirely possible that such a person could have annihilated their Lei Huo Buddhist Sect on the spot if they had crossed him!
"A person from Qin, with black hair, a young expert!"
Someone whispered, describing Li Xiaotian's features. Only then did they realize that the young expert from earlier had a very high probability of being Li Xiaotian.
"Hmph! A bunch of ruins! This seat was obsequious to Li Xiaotian, and you feel ashamed? You feel you've lost face? If this seat hadn't made such concessions, do you think you would be alive now, or still be here trying to pressure this seat?"
Almon snorted coldly. Damn the Grand Elder and the others, their faces were filled with shame.
"Sect Master, we meant no offense. If we had known earlier that he was Li Xiaotian, we would never have misunderstood you."
The Grand Elder spoke, his eyes filled with apology. It was somewhat humiliating; people from Fo Province, who did not fear the Hegemon-level experts of Fo Province, feared Li Xiaotian from another province. If this were told, they would likely be ridiculed by their fellow disciples in Fo Province.
But they had no choice but to fear him. Other Hegemon-level experts cared about their reputation as righteous figures and generally avoided actions like annihilating sects. However, Li Xiaotian did not care; he dared to do it!
"Enough! Return to the sect! What happened today must not be leaked by anyone. Who knows what Li Xiaotian intends to do in Fo Province. If he finds out that we have leaked his whereabouts, I don't need to tell you what the consequences will be, do I?"
Almon waved his hand, stopping the Grand Elder from continuing. He then prepared to leave.
"Sect Master, what about these commoners?"
Someone asked, looking at the residents of the town, a glint of killing intent flashing in their eyes.
They had all knelt for Li Xiaotian today. If these commoners were allowed to spread such a humiliating scene, it would significantly damage their sect's image.
"They are just commoners. Kill them. The sacred image of this sect must not be tarnished!"
The Grand Elder spoke, his eyes filled with coldness.
Upon hearing the Grand Elder's words, the residents of the town paled with terror. They all fell to their knees, desperately begging for mercy.
"Unacceptable!"
Just as someone was about to act, Almon quickly intervened. It wasn't out of kindness, but because he thought of someone – Ma Hao, who had followed Li Xiaotian. If Ma Hao later became powerful and returned to the town, discovering that the town's residents were all dead, wouldn't he seek retribution from their Lei Huo Buddhist Sect?
"Let's restrain ourselves for now. Erase their memories, and don't cause us further trouble out of impulsive actions."
Almon said after some thought, then ascended into the sky and departed.
"Follow the Sect Master's orders! Be careful, and don't hurt them!"
The Grand Elder instructed. He also recalled Almon's concerns. He cast a look of disgust at the kneeling town residents. Although he desperately wanted to kill them, he had to endure it at this moment.
Meanwhile, in a valley about ten kilometers away from the town, Ma Hao was trembling, his legs weak. He regretted following Li Xiaotian to this place.
Ma Hao had initially thought that Li Xiaotian was just a family of three. He followed them, attending to their daily needs and learning cultivation.
But he never imagined that there would be an army behind him!
In the valley, the disciplined warriors of the Dragon King Hall each exuded an aura that made them seem unapproachable, their expressions fierce and menacing.
Ma Hao, an ordinary person, had never witnessed such a scene. Moreover, he realized that everyone he saw seemed capable of killing him with ease. Li Xiaotian's family's daily needs were all taken care of by others, leaving him no room to intervene.
However, Ma Hao soon had no time to regret his decision. After Li Xiaotian returned, he handed Ma Hao over to a small squad from the Dragon King Hall. Then, various brutal training sessions began, forcing him to train relentlessly like a machine.
In a room, Li Xiaotian's face was etched with contemplation as he murmured to himself.
"The Buddhist sect has the Clear Heart Incantation and the Pure Mind Dharma. I wonder if they can alleviate their demonic nature."
His arrival in Fo Province was not spontaneous but for a reason. The brothers in the Dragon King Hall who practiced demonic soldier cultivation had completely lost their emotions. They were like machines, not eating, not drinking, not sleeping, only cultivating ceaselessly.