I Am Unaware That I Am the Peerless Martial God Chapter 1276: Fortune Favors the Bold

The Outer Sect Hall of the Fallen God Palace was filled with tension.

A gathering of elders was deep in discussion, plotting their vengeance. As the chorus of voices promising retribution began to fade, every face was masked with a collective display of sorrow and rage. Whether these emotions were genuine or fabricated, they had performed the role of grieving comrades to perfection.

Just as the meeting was concluding and the crowd prepared to depart.

Abruptly!

A withered, elderly figure materialized slowly at the entrance of the great hall.

The arrival was none other than Liu Runan, an esteemed Inner Sect Elder.

Within the Fallen God Palace and across the entire Land of the Fallen Gods, his reputation was formidable. To the men gathered here, he was a legendary senior; most were merely juniors in his presence, not daring to display even a hint of insolence.

Upon seeing that aged countenance, the elders stood up as one, shock flickering in their eyes as they hurriedly clasped their hands in greeting!

"We pay our respects to Elder Liu!"

Their true thoughts remained buried beneath a veneer of extreme humility and reverence as they bowed, waiting in silence. Their complex inner motives were carefully shielded from view.

Despite the attention.

Liu Runan’s hunched form remained motionless, his cloudy eyes refusing to linger on any single individual. With a cold, sweeping glance across the chamber, he instantly pierced through the pretenses of these juniors.

He knew this display of loyalty was nothing but an act to win his favor.

To him, these Outer Sect Elders—who were treated like gods by the common folk—were nothing more than insignificant children. Their clumsy attempts at manipulation and cunning were far too transparent to deceive his seasoned eyes.

His body was frail with age, yet his mind remained as sharp as a polished mirror.

Under the weight of his silent scrutiny, a heavy pressure descended upon the room. The elders felt as though they were facing their old masters again, their hearts racing with growing trepidation.

Finally, the Outer Sect Grand Elder realized he had to break the silence and bowed low.

"Elder Liu, your presence in our Outer Sect is a profound honor. Your noble son served alongside us for many years, and his tragic passing at the hands of a treacherous villain is a heavy blow. We pledge to uncover the truth and seize the killer!"

The moment he finished, the other elders voiced their loud agreement in a show of unity.

Watching the group’s synchronized response, Liu Runan narrowed his eyes and spoke with a chilling tone.

"Oh?"

"My useless son has been dead for an entire day, yet you have no news to report? Is this the camaraderie you boast of?"

"If word of this failure reached the ears of the world, what would become of the Fallen God Palace’s reputation?"

These sharp, biting questions sent a wave of terror through the hall, causing many to feel their legs go weak!

Before any excuses could be offered.

Liu Runan’s voice rose, now vibrating with palpable fury!

"For tens of thousands of years, our Fallen God Palace has reigned supreme over Lan Star. Never has such a shameful event occurred. My son’s death may be a small matter in the grand scheme, but your total lack of progress—does that reflect the dignity of Fallen God Palace elders?"

"It appears the Outer Sect has grown complacent and weak, losing its former glory. Perhaps this matter should be taken to the Star Lord so the Inner Sect can handle the investigation!"

The threat struck like a thunderclap.

The elders turned pale with fright and dropped to their knees simultaneously!

"Elder Liu, please, have mercy!"

"We will begin a relentless search immediately and bring the murderer to justice!"

"Elder, please forgive us! This must not reach the Star Lord!"

"We implore your forgiveness, Elder. For the sake of the years we spent working with your son, please show us leniency!"

As the elders begged for his favor, Liu Runan remained impassive and steady.

Long ago, when he was carving out his path to power, these people were either unborn or mere children. Did they really think their shallow tricks could compare to his expertise?

It was laughable!

Having successfully cowed the elders with a few choice words, Liu Runan allowed a flicker of false emotion to touch his face.

He sighed, putting on an air of weary forgiveness.

"Fine, enough..."

"Out of respect for your bond with my son and your concern for our sect’s standing, I shall delay my report to the Star Lord. However, this must be settled swiftly. If there is further delay, I will hold every one of you personally responsible for negligence!"

Relief washed over the elders like a pardon from death. They nodded frantically in agreement.

"Elder Liu is truly magnanimous. We are forever in your debt!"

"Yes, of course, we understand..."

Only the Outer Sect Grand Elder, while grateful, still looked uneasy.

After a moment of hesitation, he rose tentatively and clasped his fists.

"Elder, your mercy is boundless, and this junior is deeply thankful."

"But your son met his end in the outer territories. The Divine Land is immense, and we lack any solid leads to begin our hunt. Could we perhaps have a few days of grace..."

"Three days! Within three days, we will exhaust every resource and connection to find and capture the culprit!"

Liu Runan gave a slight, approving nod.

"Hmm..."

Hiding his satisfaction at how perfectly they had taken the bait, he decided to provide them with the information they needed.

"That is fair."

"However, the task is not as difficult as you imagine. Through the report of my son’s soul flame, I have already identified the murderer’s location and background. Are you prepared to follow me, seize the criminal, and clear your names?"

The elders were stunned and elated, responding with immediate fervor.

"We would face ten thousand deaths to serve you!"

"With the Elder leading the way, we will surely crush the murderer!"

"We thank you for your guidance and generosity, Elder!"

In mere moments, the Outer Sect Elders had been completely manipulated.

What should have been a situation where Liu Runan owed them for their help had been flipped; now, they were the ones indebted to him, feeling grateful for the chance to do his dirty work and capture Yi Feng.

Such was the terrifying cunning of an Inner Sect Elder.

Looking at his newly recruited pawns, Liu Runan finally allowed a satisfied smile to emerge. Everything was proceeding exactly according to his design.

...

In the Northern Desert Barren Domain.

Yi Feng had quietly returned to the area, where he was now relaxing in a tent and sipping tea.

While his previous drinking bout had been enjoyable, he had no intention of giving up on his ultimate goal of seeking death. Since he had kicked this massive hornet’s nest, he didn't want to drag anyone else down with him. He had to face the consequences alone.

After a few cups of tea, Yi Feng felt his nerves steady.

He would stay right here and wait for the so-called masters from the Divine Palace to arrive. He was used to the boredom; the wait was just part of the process.

When hours passed without a soul in sight, he turned his attention to Mantou.

"Hey, do you think they're actually coming for me? That Fallen God Palace sounded like a big deal. Surely they won't let someone who killed one of their own just walk away, right?"

He threw out several questions in a row.

Mantou, however, was as unresponsive as ever, wiggling slowly in the sand nearby. It turned its dull, dead-fish eyes toward him and blew a few mindless bubbles.

"Blub blub..."

It clearly lacked the intelligence to understand him. Talking to it was a waste of time.

Then again, the complexities and risks of his grand death-seeking plan weren't something just anyone could grasp.

Yi Feng let out a frustrated sigh, looking up at the sky as if saying a prayer.

"Old Liu, come on, you’ve got to show up..."

At that very moment.

High in the sky, Liu Runan arrived at the Northern Desert Barren Domain with the group of elders in tow. As they looked down at the lone figure sitting on the ground, their expressions turned to confusion.

But as Liu Runan began to reveal the details of their target, the elders’ faces paled with shock!

"Barren Realm?!"

"Elder Liu, how are we supposed to fight a Barren Realm master?!"

"This is..."

The group felt as though they had been led into a trap, though they were too afraid to voice their resentment openly.

The gap between a Half-step Barren Realm and a true Barren Realm was like the distance between heaven and earth. Those in the Barren Realm could harness the power of the Primordial Barren, a force capable of upending the world itself.

In a serious fight where everyone used their ultimate techniques, numbers meant nothing against such power!

Liu Runan, however, remained perfectly composed, standing with his hands behind his back and a confident smile on his lips.

"Don't panic."

"Your only job is to use your movement techniques to surround and distract him. I will remain on the outskirts to prepare a grand formation. Together, we will take him down in a single strike!"

"If we succeed, I will forget your previous failures and I will owe you all a personal favor."

The elders hesitated, weighing the risks.

The mission was incredibly dangerous, but if they could just hold him off for a short time, they could redeem themselves and gain the backing of an inner sect elder. It was a tempting gamble!

As they say, great risks bring great rewards. With such a massive benefit on the table, their fear began to turn into resolve. Besides, with Elder Liu Runan directing the battle, they felt the risk might be manageable. They didn't want to miss this opportunity.

These elders were all ruthless men. Seeing Liu Runan’s confidence, they gritted their teeth and nodded.

"Fine! We’ll do it!"

A dozen men exchanged determined looks and, with a roar of resolve, dived down toward the sandy plains below!