Supreme Ferocious Might, a Lifeline

Yuan Tiangang?

Ren Xiaoyao saw the text before him.

Naturally, he was somewhat annoyed.

He had never provoked this guy.

Why had he made him his target?

Wasn't this bullying?

Still, annoyance was annoyance. Ren Xiaoyao made his choice: defeat Yuan Tiangang discreetly.

Of course, even if choosing discretion brought no reward, he would still choose to defeat Yuan Tiangang discreetly. He did not want anyone's attention, much less the Great Gan Empress's attention.

Wasn't lying low good enough?

This was what he liked.

Lie low until he was invincible beneath the heavens!

That night, Li Chunfeng was somewhat restless. He was well versed in the Divination Art and could foretell whether events boded well or ill, so he cast several hexagrams. Yet every single one showed great misfortune.

"What exactly is going on?"

Li Chunfeng Put Away the copper coins used for divination, feeling deeply uneasy. He then looked toward Ren Xiaoyao's room. His disciple was a True Man Realm expert; in this age, he was among the strongest. Even if the sky came crashing down, he should be able to hold it up.

Only then did Li Chunfeng calm down slightly. However, even with Ren Xiaoyao present, the necessary preparations still had to be made. There could not be the slightest carelessness.

Li Chunfeng met Song Duanyang overnight.

After discussing it, the martial brothers decided that everyone would stay atop Imperial Observatory Peak for the next few days. Although the Director's condition was unstable, his strength remained. If the Imperial Observatory truly encountered some mishap, he could still play an enormous role.

The next day, at the foot of Fulong Mountain.

A middle-aged man dressed like a scholar stood there, holding a Paper Fan in his hand, entirely at ease.

A young Woman followed at his side. Though her bearing was cold and elegant, she remained cautious before the scholarly man, not daring to show the slightest offense.

The two looked toward the Imperial Observatory.

Then they headed up the mountain.

Half an Hour later, the two arrived at Fulong Mountain's main peak—Imperial Observatory Peak.

Ren Xiaoyao was still inside his room.

However, when they were still a hundred meters away, Ren Xiaoyao's Spiritual Sense had already discovered the two figures.

"These two are quite strong. This middle-aged scholar's True Essence far surpasses even the Director's—nearly one-sixth of mine. And this woman is actually in the True Man Realm as well. Although she is slightly inferior to the Director, the gap is not great!"

Under Ren Xiaoyao's Spiritual Sense, the two naturally had no secrets to hide.

"This middle-aged scholar must be Yuan Tiangang!"

Ren Xiaoyao understood inwardly.

According to Liu Ruyan, the one who had impersonated the Devil Master and attempted to assassinate the Empress had been Yuan Tiangang. That meant the person infinitely close to the Heavenly Human Realm was Yuan Tiangang.

That happened to match this middle-aged scholar before him.

However, Yuan Tiangang and the young woman had come to the Imperial Observatory openly, with no intention of launching a sneak attack or assassination.

Yuan Tiangang even called out loudly, "Descendants of the Imperial Observatory, your ancestor has arrived. Why do you not hurry up and pay your respects?"

Yuan Tiangang's voice was thunderous. With True Essence surging through it, it rumbled like Wind and Thunder, quickly alarming everyone in the Imperial Observatory.

Li Chunfeng and Song Duanyang naturally came out first, with Lin Ping and Dongfang Ye close behind. Ren Xiaoyao was the slowest.

Because he did not want to expose his strength and had to pretend to be ordinary, his movements naturally could not compare to those high-level Martial Artists.

"Yuan Tiangang?"

The moment Li Chunfeng saw the middle-aged scholar, he recognized him. After all, Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang cultivated Martial Dao from the same source. Even if Yuan Tiangang used the Art of Disguise, the essence of his Martial Dao was difficult to conceal.

At the same time, Li Chunfeng understood that the great misfortune he had divined yesterday would likely come to pass through Yuan Tiangang.

When Song Duanyang, Lin Ping, and Dongfang Ye heard this, their expressions naturally changed drastically. Over this recent period, they had also heard of Yuan Tiangang's past.

He had been the previous Director of the Imperial Observatory, a ruthless figure who had helped the Empress seize the realm.

"Chunfeng, my dear grand-disciple, it is indeed me."

Yuan Tiangang's gaze passed over the others before finally settling on Li Chunfeng. With a sigh, he said, "I had originally thought you would be very, very strong—at the very least, stronger than me. But I never expected you to be in such a state."

At a glance, Yuan Tiangang saw Li Chunfeng's terrible condition.

Yet Yuan Tiangang did not gloat. Instead, his face was filled with regret. "In my eyes, after my Master, you were the one most likely to reach the Heavenly Human Realm. Truly, the affairs of the world are impossible to predict!"

Li Chunfeng gave a bitter laugh, then said, "As for you, you were imprisoned for twenty years, yet you have become even stronger than before. That surprises me as well."

Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang cultivated from the same source, so neither could conceal their realm or condition from the other. To each other, they were as clear as a bright mirror.

"This is what the Great Evolution Tome calls the return of fortune after reaching the utmost extreme of misfortune."

Yuan Tiangang nodded.

"Though I was imprisoned these past years and unable to cultivate, my temperament changed as I went from the human world to Purgatory, and my realm advanced another step."

"You came this time for the Great Evolution Tome, I presume?"

Li Chunfeng went straight to the point.

"Correct."

Yuan Tiangang nodded and opened his Paper Fan.

"Although my realm is now infinitely close to the Heavenly Human Realm, I have never been able to Step Into it. I believe this is because what I cultivate is only a fragment of the Great Evolution Tome. The complete Great Evolution Tome on you should be able to help me enter the Heavenly Human Realm."

"If I refuse?"

Li Chunfeng asked quietly.

"Hahaha! Refuse?"

Upon hearing Li Chunfeng's words, Yuan Tiangang burst into laughter. "Chunfeng, do you think you still have room to choose? If you refuse, I will slaughter this entire Imperial Observatory!"

Yuan Tiangang spoke calmly and lightly, yet everyone present felt a bone-piercing chill.

Yuan Tiangang truly was capable of doing it!

Hearing this, Li Chunfeng's expression turned grave, and he fell silent.

Seeing this, Yuan Tiangang Shook His Head. "Chunfeng, you truly are ruined. You no longer have the sharpness you once did. What a pity, what a pity!"

Then Yuan Tiangang's voice boomed like thunder. "My dear Disciple, your Master has come personally to see you. Why have you not appeared yet? Do you intend to keep being a turtle hiding its head in its shell?"

Clearly, Yuan Tiangang was speaking to the Director.

The Director then emerged from the Imperial Observatory's main hall in the distance. He was relatively lucid now, but his steps were slow, as though every one of them weighed a thousand pounds. His already frail body looked even more Withered and Thin.

When Song Duanyang, Lin Ping, and Dongfang Ye saw the Director, it was as though they had swallowed a calming pill. After all, the lucid Director was also a top-tier True Man Realm expert and might not be unable to contend against Yuan Tiangang.

"Master."

The Director raised his head to look at Yuan Tiangang. His gaze was cloudy, and he had little spirit left. "Back when I let you go, I already guessed that this day would come. One must uproot the grass and remove the roots, but I softened my heart back then."

"Humph!"

Yuan Tiangang Snorted Coldly.

"Softened your heart? Your heart was not soft—it was vicious beyond measure! If not for you, how could I have become a Prisoner for twenty years? If not for you, the one sitting on the throne now would likely be Yuan Tiangang!"

Yuan Tiangang harbored endless hatred toward the Director, and all the resentment in his heart erupted at this moment.

The terrifying aura suppressed everyone present until they could barely breathe deeply. Even the True Man Realm woman beside Yuan Tiangang felt her heart tremble, as though she were Peering At a Flood Dragon.

The next moment, Yuan Tiangang's figure became an Afterimage and vanished from where he stood.

Boom!

By the time everyone reacted, Yuan Tiangang's fist had already slammed into the Director's chest.

Everyone heard only a Roaring Sound. The Director's body then flew backward like an Arrow from the Bow, smashing heavily into a wall. The force was so terrifying that the Director was embedded directly into the wall, and dust immediately billowed into the air.

Next, Yuan Tiangang became an Afterimage again and appeared before the Director. He reached out and seized the Director by the throat, only then shifting his gaze to Li Chunfeng.

Without question, the Director's life and death were now within Yuan Tiangang's control In a Single Thought.

Only then did everyone notice that several of the Director's ribs had been broken. Crimson blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Had a True Man Realm Martial Artist's Life Force not been so formidable, the Director would already have been a corpse.

"Director!"

Song Duanyang's eyes turned bloodshot at this sight, and he immediately wanted to fight Yuan Tiangang to the death, but Li Chunfeng stopped him.

Too strong!

Yuan Tiangang was simply too strong!

The Director, also in the True Man Realm, had not possessed the slightest ability to fight back in Yuan Tiangang's hands.

Yet Ren Xiaoyao saw through the situation. It was not that Yuan Tiangang was overwhelmingly stronger than the Director, but that the Director's condition was wrong. He stood on the brink between lucidity and madness. Though he retained some combat ability, he was actually inferior even to Li Chunfeng, so naturally he could not contend against Yuan Tiangang.

"Li Chunfeng!"

Yuan Tiangang gave a sinister smile. "This man's life is now in your hands. If you still refuse to hand over the Great Evolution Tome, I will twist his neck!"

Upon hearing this, endless fury naturally surfaced In the Eyes of Li Chunfeng. But he also knew he was no match for Yuan Tiangang. At this moment, the only possibility lay with Ren Xiaoyao.

But Ren Xiaoyao was probably no match for Yuan Tiangang either.

After all, Yuan Tiangang was simply too strong!

He was practically infinitely close to the Heavenly Human Realm.

Li Chunfeng's gaze fell on Ren Xiaoyao. Yet to Li Chunfeng's surprise, Ren Xiaoyao nodded at him. Li Chunfeng was Startled, and a trace of uncertainty appeared in his eyes.

What signal was Ren Xiaoyao sending him?

Li Chunfeng could only take a deep breath before looking at Yuan Tiangang. "Yuan Tiangang, the Great Evolution Tome is on me. Come and take it."

"Fine!"

Yuan Tiangang was not worried that Li Chunfeng would play any tricks. Even if everyone present joined forces, he could still wipe them all out within a few breaths.

Yuan Tiangang leisurely walked toward Li Chunfeng. But just as he approached, Li Chunfeng suddenly moved. He Pulled Out the longsword at his waist, its sharp sword radiance emerging as he slashed toward Yuan Tiangang.

In Li Chunfeng's view, Ren Xiaoyao should be planning to join forces with him. Therefore, he had to create the best opportunity for Ren Xiaoyao to deal with Yuan Tiangang!

Cooperation!

He had to coordinate perfectly with Ren Xiaoyao!

But when Yuan Tiangang saw Li Chunfeng draw his sword, his face revealed disdain and mockery. In his eyes, Li Chunfeng's strike had no killing power whatsoever.

Yuan Tiangang raised his Right Hand, True Essence rippling over it. He prepared to catch Li Chunfeng's utterly laughable sword strike.

But at that moment, Ren Xiaoyao moved as well. Without anyone noticing him, he used spiritual power, and a Gang Sword silently appeared behind Li Chunfeng.

Then the Gang Sword Overlapped with the sword in Li Chunfeng's hand.

In an instant, sword radiance blazed, so dazzling that everyone was forced to close their eyes.

Yuan Tiangang was no exception. His heart skipped a beat as a piercing pain shot through him.

The others heard only the sound of a blade Severing flesh.

When they opened their eyes, they discovered that Yuan Tiangang's Right Hand had been severed and lay on the ground. Blood gushed from Yuan Tiangang's broken arm, while Yuan Tiangang let out incomparably Piercing Screams.

Everyone present was dumbfounded. Even Li Chunfeng felt horrified.

What was going on?