"System, take over the Supreme Heavenly Book."
Li Yu's expression turned icy. It was already too late for his true body to rush over, so he could only think of another way.
It was not as though there was no way for his true body to get there. However, whether it was the Great Completion Saintly Body's divine ability to cross mountains and rivers in a single step, or someone else's technique of soaring through the clouds and crossing the sky, the energy consumption was far too great.
With only a little over a thousand energy points stored in Li Yu's system, a single use would drain it all. It simply was not worth it.
"System, create a virtual projection. Use the Supreme Heavenly Book as the coordinates and establish an energy link."
Li Yu instantly came up with a solution and issued the command to the system. An invisible ripple surged forth, and the system completed all preparations.
Inside the hall of the small town.
Zhou Yi dropped to his knees and kowtowed devoutly, shouting, "Ancestor, save me!"
"Uh..."
The cultivators in the hall froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"Ancestor? It won't help even if you call your forefathers!"
Mournful wails rose from the long blade wreathed in black smoke, chilling everyone to the bone. The bronze-faced old man wore a savage expression. "Hand over the treasure, or you have only death awaiting you!"
"Haha! You're killing me. Even if you have some ancestor, do you think he can hear you just because you shouted once? And even if he heard you, could he rush over in time? Is your ancestor some Great Emperor? Does he really have such incredible abilities?"
An old man nearby looked at Zhou Yi with utter mockery, convinced that Zhou Yi had gone mad and was spouting nonsense.
"Hahahaha! Call him over, then! Call your ancestor over! This old man would like to see just how capable he is! If he dares to come, I'll beat him into a dead dog."
"Hahahaha!"
The cultivators in the room roared with laughter.
"Alchemy indoors is mixed with earth and metal; medicine in the furnace seizes the innate.
Born as a guest of the Eight Sceneries Palace, forgetting how many ages have passed in the mortal world!"
An ethereal song echoed through the air. Amid the boundless purple radiance stood a cyan-clothed youth with his hands behind his back, green qi flowing around him as the Dao's profundity arose naturally.
"This Daoist, Taishang."
The cyan-clothed youth floated in midair. Amid the faint glow of rosy clouds, his bearing was infinitely profound and unfathomable. His aura was voidlike and elusive, yet filled with awe-inspiring divine might. The pressure radiating from him was as vast as the starry sky, making everyone tremble in fear.
"Welcome, Ancestor!"
Zhou Yi wept with excitement, crying out in a choked voice as he kowtowed heavily.
"Ah? Th-this..."
At the sight, the cultivators all sucked in a sharp breath and staggered back in terror.
"There really is an ancestor?"
The bronze-faced old man discreetly hid his long blade, his gaze darting uneasily.
"How could this be? How could such a person exist?"
The sinister old woman trembled all over, nearly unable to remain standing.
"Damn it! We may have caused a huge disaster this time."
The cultivators from Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven exchanged glances, unease already rising in their hearts.
"Damn it, why is that evil Taoist here again? What exactly is his relationship with Zhou Yi?"
Liu Yunzhi lowered his head and secretly glanced at Li Yu from the corner of his eye. He clenched his fists with venomous hatred. You demonic cultivator, why do you only value Zhou Yi? Why do you look down on me? Die! Just die!
"This Daoist, Taishang."
Li Yu nodded to Zhou Yi, then swept his gaze over the cultivators before stopping on the old man who had shouted about beating him into a dead dog. "I have arrived."
"Uh..."
The old man's face stiffened, and his entire body began to tremble.
Seeing this, the other cultivators quietly retreated several steps, opening some distance between themselves and him.
"This disciple of mine has yet to begin formal cultivation. He is merely a mortal. It was most improper for you to bully him like this."
Li Yu pointed at Zhou Yi and addressed the cultivators. "Given my status, if I were to act against you, it would seem that I was bullying the weak. But this matter cannot simply be dismissed."
As he spoke, Li Yu turned to Zhou Yi and waved his hand, releasing a force that lifted Zhou Yi from the ground.
"Zhou Yi, are you willing to act on my behalf?"
"Uh?"
Zhou Yi was stunned. With my meager abilities, I can act on behalf of the Ancestor?
The moment that doubt arose, Zhou Yi immediately understood. With the Ancestor present, what was there to fear? The Ancestor's Divine Might reached the heavens—naturally, he had a way to make him win! Even if there were a dragon before him, he would slaughter it!
"When the master has matters to attend to, the disciple serves in his stead. Such a matter naturally does not require the Ancestor to act personally."
Zhou Yi stood tall, his fighting spirit soaring. "This disciple is willing!"
"Good!"
Li Yu nodded approvingly. This kid is fairly clever after all. My efforts on him have not been wasted.
"Go!"
Li Yu waved his hand. A nearly imperceptible speck of purple light fell into Zhou Yi's brow, flashing once before vanishing without a trace.
Zhou Yi shuddered as the Heavenly Book Spirit's voice sounded in his mind.
"Your Majesty, through the Dao Ancestor's grace, you have obtained Other Shore realm Grand Void Sword Qi and Other Shore realm true essence. Would you like to apply them?"
"Apply them!"
Vast power coursed through his body, and Zhou Yi secretly marveled, The Ancestor truly can do anything!
"Come!"
With a loud shout, Zhou Yi strode toward the cultivators. He swept his hand grandly and declared, "All of you, come at me together!"
"Bastard! How dare you be so arrogant!"
"A mere mortal dares to fight us? No matter how great your ancestor's divine abilities are, he cannot turn you from a mortal into a cultivator in an instant."
"Still... that ancestor is rather terrifying. We can only try not to injure him."
The cultivators' thoughts turned, and they quickly made up their minds.
"Since you refuse to act, then I'll strike first!"
Zhou Yi raised his right hand, held two fingers together like a sword, and swept them across the air.
Clang...
A piercing sword cry soared into the sky. The gleaming, waterlike sword light transformed into pure, transparent ripples that spread outward.
"Ah! Damn it! It has such power?"
The cultivators' faces changed drastically upon seeing the sword light. They hurriedly acted, streaks of light rising as they controlled their weapons to block Zhou Yi's incoming sword qi.
Clang...
The waterlike sword light struck the cultivators' weapons, producing a resounding tremor. One sword broke ten thousand techniques; the intent of the Unbreakable Slash made this sword light incomparably sharp, impossible to block.
Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!
Soft sounds of severing rang out without pause. With one slash, no one could stop it!
"Ah..."
The cultivators cried out miserably and spat blood, all of them sent flying by that single sword strike.
"It's... that powerful?"
Coughing blood, the cultivators scrambled to their feet and stared at Zhou Yi in horror. Then, with expressions as though they had seen a ghost, they looked toward Li Yu floating amid the boundless purple radiance.
"We concede."
Turning a mortal into a powerful cultivator in an instant was simply too horrifying. The cultivators no longer had the slightest desire to compete and could only face reality and honestly admit defeat.
"Since you concede, we can let the matter of your bullying me end here."
Zhou Yi nodded and withdrew his sword qi.
The cultivators let out a huge sigh of relief. Just as they were about to speak, Zhou Yi interrupted them again.
"You bullied me, and I can let that pass. But..."
Zhou Yi raised a finger and pointed at the old man who had once shouted about beating Li Yu into a dead dog. "But you insulted the Ancestor, and that cannot be forgiven! The Ancestor's status is noble, so he will not lower himself to your level. But as his disciple, I cannot refuse to stand up for him."
Clang...
A streak of sword qi shot forth, its waterlike radiance slashing down at the old man's head.
"Hehe! Zhou Yi really understands my heart!"
Li Yu felt greatly pleased and secretly nodded.