The glow disappeared in the blink of an eye. As it did, the Meng Hao who had been tapping his bag of holding, as well as all of the other Meng Haos in the area, were destroyed. However, what fell to the ground was not blood and flesh, but fog.
The sight caused the Nascent Soul Cultivators’ faces to grow even more unsightly. They had used every method at their disposal, but the prudence and deviousness of Patriarch Golden Light defeated them at every turn.
“Of course the one tapping the bag of holding wasn’t really me,” came a voice from the fog. The fog churned, and Meng Hao strode out. “Seniors, I know that my clones look transparent to your eyes. The fact that you mistook the clone for the real me is my fault, I guess. Oops.”
He waved his hand, causing hundreds of streams of medicinal elixir to fly out. They shot directly toward the bound Dongluo Clan members, fusing into their bodies through their foreheads.
“This poison is really harmless,” said Meng Hao with a smile. “It’s not fatal, nor will it affect the Cultivation base. Let’s just say it’s there as… insurance.” He stepped to the side, and a path opened up in the fog which led to the outside. The fog unwrapped from the hundreds of Dongluo Clan Cultivators, releasing them.
The three Nascent Soul Elders stood there with angry expressions on their faces, glaring at the single Meng Hao, unable to tell whether he was a clone or not.
After a long moment’s silence, they started walking. When they passed him, Meng Hao continued to smile just as before. Suddenly, they stopped and turned their heads to look at him.
“Don’t worry. The city is yours,” said the First Elder, his tone sincere. “The Dongluo Clan doesn’t want it anymore. The chaos of war grips the land, and the Dongluo Clan is now too weak to put up a fight. We will go into hiding. However, if any of our Clan members are harmed by your poison, then the three of us will exterminate you, even if we die in the process!” Having finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and walked off.
Meng Hao continued to smile the entire time. He watched everyone leave, then suddenly lifted up his right hand. There in his palm was the Li Clan Patriarch. Almost at the exact same time that the Li Clan Patriarch appeared, a lightning bolt suddenly appeared in the blue sky above. It shot down, slamming onto the Li Clan Patriarch’s soul.
“Curse you, you goddamned….” Before the old man could continue with his cursing, Meng Hao put him back into the blood-colored mask.
Meng Hao’s movements just now had been as smooth as floating clouds and flowing water; he was quite proficient now.
The three Nascent Soul Elders looked back. When they saw the lightning fall, and then Meng Hao’s actions, their faces sank and they sighed inwardly.
It was now obvious that the Meng Hao they had just walked past was the real one.
The entire Dongluo Clan left, hundreds of people. They departed what had once been their Dongluo City, leaving it completely and thoroughly empty.
No one knew where they left to. It was only known that several days later, they issued a proclamation in the Black Lands announcing their secession from the United Nine.
The news spread through the Black Lands like storm winds. Furthermore, the name of Patriarch Golden Light rose to complete prominence thanks to their battle.