Heavenly Dao Merit? No, This Is Protection Money for Dad!

The boundless golden light of merit, like a golden river breaking its banks from the highest heavens, finally poured its last ray into Yang Chen's body.

Wherever the golden light passed, his mortal body underwent an unbelievable transformation.

Every cell cheered, every inch of bone was reshaped, and the meridians, riddled with holes by the immeasurable Karmic Force, were now gently repaired, widened, and strengthened by the purest power of merit.

An unprecedented sense of comfort spread from the depths of his soul.

So comfortable, truly so comfortable. Is this power? Is this what it feels like to be held in the palm of the entire world? So it turns out being a debtor is such a satisfying thing.

For any being in the Primordial World's three realms, even a Quasi-Saint Great Power, receiving even a fraction of this would be enough to send their Dao Heart into ecstatic joy, prompting immediate seclusion to seek breakthroughs.

But Yang Chen merely lifted an eyelid lazily.

He couldn't even be bothered to internally inspect the earth-shattering changes happening within him.

He bathed in the gradually receding golden light, treasure light flowing around him, his skin as lustrous as the finest immortal jade, yet he showed no hint of joy or gratitude.

Instead, he stretched out an extremely languid yawn, his joints emitting a series of crisp cracking sounds, each one containing the rhythm of newfound strength.

Not enough, still far from enough. To be completely at ease, I must adopt the highest posture and trample their bottom line the deepest.

Then, he tilted his head up, towards the nine heavens where the purple energy had not yet completely dissipated, and pouted.

His expression held a trace of pure, unadulterated disdain.

"Is that it?"

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of every Saint present, as if directly questioning the supreme will of the Heavenly Dao.

"The dignified Heavenly Dao, this is all you have to show?"

"It seems this Primordial World isn't very wealthy after all."

The moment his voice fell, the vast purple energy in the nine heavens, which was about to dissipate, suddenly paused and then began to churn violently.

From the depths of the void, a muffled roar echoed.

There was no anger, no majesty in that sound, only a sense of being pushed to the limit, yet utterly helpless... a stifled frustration and resignation.

The eyes of the Six Sages twitched in unison.

Primal Celestial Venerable felt a surge of blood rush to his head. How presumptuous! How arrogant! To openly mock the Heavenly Dao! This child... this child is simply a tumor on the Primordial World! Yet, the Heavenly Dao could only endure it!

Sovereign of Heaven's hand gripping his sword bulged with veins. Well done, junior. Do you really think the Intercepting Sect's swords are dull? Endure, you must endure. To move against him now would be to make an enemy of the entire Primordial World.

This guy...

He even dares to tease the Heavenly Dao to its face!

Primal Celestial Venerable's eternally cold face froze uncontrollably.

Sovereign of Heaven's hand, which had just loosened its grip on his sword, instinctively clenched again, his knuckles turning slightly white from excessive force.

Saint Nuwa's delicate hands, which had created the Human Race, trembled within her sleeves, her beautiful eyes filled with incomprehensible absurdity.

I created humans and mended the heavens, gaining immeasurable merit, yet I never dared to be so disrespectful to the Heavenly Dao. He... on what grounds does he do this? Just because of that power capable of destroying everything, that Karmic Force? How utterly ridiculous.

What is this guy's courage made of?

Yang Chen completely ignored the Saints' mixed emotions.

He stretched his limbs, feeling the power surging within him, almost overflowing, and his body, nourished by the golden light of merit, became pure and flawless.

His expression remained lazy and uninterested.

"Alright."

He said casually, his tone like that of someone dismissing a servant who had done a passable job.

"Given your sincerity, I'll put this debt aside for now."

He paused after speaking.

His dark eyes finally moved away from the sky and slowly swept over the surroundings, over the Saint avatars, each capable of crushing all heavens and commanding the reverence of all beings.

His gaze was calm, indifferent.

From Primal Celestial Venerable's face, as black as the bottom of a pot, to Sovereign of Heaven's barely contained rage, to the expressions of the Western Saints, which were worse than crying.

He looked at them all.

Good, it seems they've all learned their lesson. They know who the real boss is.

Finally, the corners of his mouth curved into an incredibly brilliant smile.

That smile, illuminated by the golden light of merit, appeared incredibly sacred, yet carried a demonic charm that made even the Saints' hearts tremble.

"And you guys."

He raised his hand and casually pointed at the several dazzling Innate Spiritual Treasures floating beside him, any one of which was enough to stir up a bloody storm.

"Consider these things you've sent today as advance interest."

As soon as these words were spoken, the breathing of the Six Sages hitched.

Daoist Zhunti felt his Dao Heart bleeding. Interest? My Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, my treasure for attaining the Dao... it's merely interest?! When will the impoverished West ever produce such a treasure again!

Interest?

They, the dignified Saints of the Heavenly Dao, the treasures that protected their sects, were merely… interest in this fellow's eyes?!

However, this was not the end.

Yang Chen's smile widened. He took a step forward, and the aura emanating from him at that moment became incredibly clear, and incredibly… arrogant.

He looked at the six Saint faces, each with a different expression, but all equally grim, and said word by word:

"Remember this all of you."

"This is not Heavenly Dao merit."

"Nor is it a gift from a Saint."

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an irrefutable dominance, like thunder, it boomed throughout the entire valley, and within the Dao Hearts of all the Saints!

"This is the 'protection fee' you collectively pay me, Yang Chen!"

Protection fee!

These three words, like three invisible divine hammers of Chaos, fiercely smashed onto the Heavenly Spirit Cover of the six Saints!

The Primordial Celestial Venerable's Dao Heart, which had always been as calm as an ancient well, rippled with "collapse" for the first time. Protection fee… With the crudest of words, he had spoken the most brutal truth. My way of non-action, at this moment, seemed so laughable. The Heavenly Dao operates, all things are in order, but this order… was extorted in such a simple and crude manner.

The expressions on their faces froze completely at this moment.

Yang Chen's smile, however, faded at this moment.

He swept his gaze across the six Saints, who stood stiffly on the spot, and in a tone as flat as stating a fact, provided the final, and most cruel, annotation to those three words.

"Protection for your Primordial World, so that I don't…"

He drew out his tone, and in his pitch-black eyes, a flash of pure, eager destructive desire flickered.

Yes, just like that. Let you forever remember this fear, remember this feeling of being dominated. As long as you still want to protect this world, you have to obediently… worship me.

"Accidentally, play around and break it, protection fee!"

The words fell.

The entire world fell into absolute silence.

The faces of the six Saints turned green, then white, and finally faded to a gray, blank pallor.

They opened their mouths, but found they could not utter a single syllable.

Because what Yang Chen said was the truth.

Yes… this was the truth. An absurd yet real truth, one that trampled the dignity of Saints underfoot and toyed with the rules of the Heavenly Dao in the palm of its hand.

Everything they had done today, the dignity they had cast aside, the supreme treasures they had offered, the humiliation they had endured…

It was indeed, paying protection fees.