Desperate Straits

Chen Tong cast a deep glance at Juanlian. To think that shattering a mere broken cup would result in such a grave crime. It was laughable that this fellow still wanted to be loyal to his Jade Emperor. Tsk, tsk, hopeless.

"Juanlian, I'll give you another chance!" Chen Tong said proudly. "Come with me, and I'll ensure your safety."

Juanlian looked around in confusion, wondering if he had misheard. He pointed to himself, "You want to ensure my safety?"

"What! You don't believe me!" Chen Tong's attitude remained arrogant.

"Just walk over here yourself! Rest assured, I guarantee none of these gods will dare to move. Once you leave here, you'll be safe."

"Heh heh..." Juanlian gave a wry smile. He didn't believe Chen Tong's words at all. No matter how powerful the other party was, how powerful could he be? As long as the Jade Emperor didn't let him go, there would be no place for him in the world.

"Although I don't know why you want to save me, forget it. You should think about your own situation. After all, compared to you, my crime is minor."

"Hmph, what an idiot." Chen Tong didn't hide his mockery of Juanlian's choice. If it weren't for the mission, I wouldn't care if he lived or died.

Chen Tong's expression turned cold, and the cultivation of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal was unleashed without reservation, emanating wisps of dark blue light around him. He had already decided to simply abduct the fellow.

He slightly raised his left hand, and the space around the South Heavenly Gate seemed to be subjected to immense pressure. King Guangmu and all the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals knelt to the ground. This was the suppression of cultivation, the divine might of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.

"Gra... Grand... Unity... Golden... Immortal!!" King Guangmu exerted all his divine power, roaring out the heaviest words of his divine career, his eyes filled with terror as he looked at the young man in white, who exuded heroic spirit.

He had cultivated for ten thousand years and was only a Heavenly Immortal. Although he held a divine position, he was merely a gatekeeper. Why was it that this young man always managed to shatter his perception of reality?

If he had only been fearful of the opponent's mysteriousness before, this time he was completely terrified. After all, this was a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, whose strength was far beyond what a Heavenly King like him could compare to.

Chen Tong extended his right hand, bent his five fingers, and a suction force directly entered Juanlian's body. The next second, Juanlian was pulled over like a piece of paper.

"Amitabha!" A Buddhist chant sounded, and a lotus flower radiating white light appeared in the air, sacred and pure. It dispelled all oppressive pressure and interrupted Juanlian, who was being pulled over.

Chen Tong frowned and slowly uttered two words: "Guanyin!"

"Kid, you are truly lawless. Not only did you disturb my Spiritual Mountain, but you even dared to cause trouble at the South Heavenly Gate! Do you truly intend to be an enemy of all creation?"

"Hmph!" Chen Tong let out a cold laugh. "Guanyin, are your injuries healed? From what I know, my eighty percent power should have at least kept you bedridden for eight days! I didn't expect you to come running back for another beating."

The appearance of Bodhisattva Guanyin brought joy to the hearts of the gods, but Chen Tong's subsequent words left them dumbfounded.

Under heaven, besides that arrogant monkey, there was probably no one else who dared to speak to Bodhisattva Guanyin in such a manner.

King Guangmu was also astonished and frightened. A Grand Unity Golden Immortal was powerful, but Bodhisattva Guanyin was a Quasi-Saint. In the absence of Saints, a Quasi-Saint was invincible. Who would dare to disobey or disrespect them?

"Silver-tongued!" Chen Tong's words clearly angered Guanyin a little. "Last time, it was because I was careless that I fell victim to your sneak attack. Do you really think you're invincible?"

"What! Guanyin was actually beaten by this kid?" The gods were stunned again.

"Tch!" Chen Tong was disdainful of her pretense, but inwardly, he was already calculating how to escape. After all, it was still some distance to the East Sea, and after suffering a loss last time, the other party would definitely be on guard.

To be honest, upon careful consideration, he realized that he was facing a situation with a near-certain death, and he began to feel afraid.

A Grand Unity Golden Immortal could reach any place in the world in an instant, but only if they were not interfered with. Clearly, Guanyin would not give him that opportunity.

Guanyin slowly raised her hand, and her Quasi-Saint cultivation erupted. It seemed she was no longer willing to waste any more words with Chen Tong.

"I'll give you one more chance. Will you kneel and surrender yourself, or will I personally suppress you?"

Chen Tong's expression remained calm and unruffled, but only he knew the dampness on his back. Seeing Chen Tong's silence, Guanyin's jade hand finally pressed down slowly.

Wave after wave of white energy, like massive boulders weighing ten thousand pounds, continuously swept around Chen Tong. His terrifying Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation, at this moment, became like a thin piece of paper, fragile and vulnerable.

"This... this is the gap caused by realm!" Chen Tong gritted his teeth, holding on tightly, his fists clenched, his fingernails piercing his skin, drops of blood staining his hands.

In just three breaths, he was already sweating profusely, his face flushed red, and veins bulging. If not for the sliver of pride deep within his heart, he would have already knelt.

"To be able to withstand my Quasi-Saint pressure for so long, you do have some ability. However, in the end, it is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

With a surge of Guanyin's power, Chen Tong's legs suddenly trembled and gradually bent, until he knelt on the ground.

"Guanyin! Today's humiliation, I will repay it a hundredfold! A thousandfold!" Chen Tong roared with almost his very soul.

"Hmph, do you think you still have that chance?" Guanyin was completely disdainful of his threat. "Receive your punishment!"

As Guanyin spoke, she opened her jade hand, and a willow branch exuding holy light appeared in her hand. She then threw it towards Chen Tong. The willow branch transformed into a rope, quickly entangling Chen Tong.

She couldn't possibly kill Chen Tong, because the secrets he held were far more important than his life.

Guanyin withdrew her oppressive power, and Chen Tong immediately collapsed on the ground, weak. Just as he was about to break free, the willow branch flashed with white light, causing him to feel intense pain from the depths of his soul, nearly causing him to pass out again.

"Hmph!" Seeing Chen Tong's struggle, Guanyin said indifferently, "I advise you not to struggle. Otherwise, every time you struggle, your soul will ache once. After forty-nine times, your soul will be forever bound, until it slowly dissipates."

Chen Tong's expression was ferocious. Even from a distance, one could feel his unyielding and unwilling heart. However, to the gods who had been his enemies, this evoked no pity, and even a hint of amusement.

Guanyin raised her hand slightly, and Chen Tong's body gradually rose. If nothing unexpected happened, his final destination would be the Spiritual Mountain. Thinking of that Old Thief Tathagata, Chen Tong gave a bitter smile and stopped thinking about it.

"Farewell, Bodhisattva Guanyin!"

King Guangmu and the other gods bowed respectfully. General Juanlian bowed, his face filled with deep complexity.