Chapter 329: Chapter 196: Life and Death Chess

The lost colors between Heaven and Earth were restored. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The dust settled, flames leaped again, and stagnant thoughts regained vitality.

Everyone could move freely once more.

Yet, for some reason, in those initial fleeting moments, no one moved...

Perhaps they dared not, or perhaps they were unwilling.

Has that person left?

Some turned their heads to look around, some whispered inquiries.

Until an angry shout rang out:

"Hall Master!!!"

This shout seemed capable of awakening people from the depths of an abyss, causing them to come to their senses as if emerging from a dream.

And some, as if flying, rushed forward... They parted the crowd and reached the study directly.

The newcomer is Hong Tao!

Originally tasked by Beitang Lie to continue searching for Beitang Zun.

But before he could leave, such a drastic change occurred.

Thus, he was the first among all the leaders of Blazing Hall to arrive here.

Upon reaching the study, he did not see Beitang Lie; he only saw a corpse.

A headless corpse.

But those clothes... he had just seen them.

On Hong Tao’s face, in that instant, all color drained away.

The Hall Master... is dead!

He took a few breaths to confirm this fact.

He wanted to stop the people behind him from entering, but it was already too late.

In fact, even stopping them would be useless.

Because those people, although surrounded by the Heaven and Earth Lose Color phenomenon, were not blind or oblivious.

They all saw the black-clad man, the assassin wearing a blank white mask, stride off carrying their Hall Master’s head.

"The Hall Master... the Hall Master is dead!"

Some couldn’t withstand the shock and staggered back.

Fear quietly spread among the crowd, and Hong Tao watched the scene, knowing this matter could not be contained.

Now, during the conflict between the two halls, the Hall Master is dead, what should be done?

Sound the gong to withdraw!?

Will Iron Blood Hall pursue them?

Quietly back off?

That might underestimate Iron Blood Hall too much.

This news will likely reach Iron Blood Hall by tonight.

And can they quietly leave overnight?

The most crucial thing is, can Hong Tao alone make such a decision?

He couldn’t decide alone; he needed to gather all the leaders of Blazing Hall to discuss what to do next.

But one thing... fighting is no longer an option.

With Beitang Lie, Blazing Hall is solid as a rock.

If Beitang Lie is gone, as long as Beitang Zun is there, Blazing Hall still remains united.

But now, with Beitang Zun missing, and Beitang Lie dead.

Blazing Hall is leaderless, hoping to battle to the death with Iron Blood Hall would be a suicidal path!

But regardless of the decision, they must deliberate carefully.

Hong Tao steadied himself, unwilling to let his emotions disrupt his plans.

He spoke solemnly:

"Everyone calm down... first move the Hall Master’s body to the main hall.

"Invite the leaders to the study for a meeting."

In moments of chaos, if there is one person giving orders, there will be those who follow blindly.

Moreover, the speaker is the ever upright Law Enforcement Elder Hong Tao!

Immediately, disciples prepared a stretcher and moved Beitang Lie’s body to the main hall.

Afterwards, Blazing Hall’s various leaders also gathered in the study.

Each one displayed different expressions—some solemn, some anxious, some fearful, and some, deep within their eyes, harbored a trace of delight.

The leader’s death is naturally unwelcome... yet it also means reshuffling, a change of power, possibly a brighter future.

Their discussions are left aside for now.

Moved to the main hall, near Beitang Lie’s body.

Once everyone had left, two figures descended from the beams above.

These two people appeared bizarre, vastly different from normal human beings, with slender limbs, emaciated bodies, shriveled skin, and not a hue a human should possess.

Their descent occurred in a peculiar manner... not by leaping down.

Rather, they climbed along the stone pillars, head down and feet up, slowly coiling down the column.

Most strikingly, each bore a character on their foreheads—"Soldier"!

This character is no longer a token, nor carved; it seemed to be growing naturally from the skin and flesh.

These two circled around Beitang Lie’s body, looking at each other repeatedly.

One of them spread his hands:

"Dead."

"The two armies have yet to clash, and our ’Grand Marshal’ is dead!"

"He’s not yet a Grand Marshal... merely a provisional ’Grand Marshal’, this is bad news, the Prince loves playing chess, but how can this game continue now?"

"Are we going to die too?"

Saying this, the two looked at each other and suddenly began to wail!

"Wailing, I’m going to die."

"What to do, I don’t want to die!"

"Celestial Kill, who is it, who did this?"

"Who will offer memorials for you and me today next year?"

Yet after a bout of crying, one suddenly stood up:

"No! Absolutely not! We’ve come this far, having seen heaps of bodies and seas of blood, how can we die in this small Ghost God Gorge?"

"You dare to run?"

The other’s pupils shone with fear.

With a sway, his figure flickered as if a blur, through the crowded shadows in the hall faster than anyone can imagine.

Landing, he shook his head like a rattle:

"No, no! The Prince holds the ’Life and Death Chess’, our lives and deaths are at his command, a mere thought determines life and death!

"In such circumstances, where can we escape to? If the Prince learned of our intent... the ends of the earth are but death!"