Through the billowing dust, the Sect of Elucidation immortal spat out a mouthful of blood, his cheeks flushed red.
He looked gravely wounded, as though he was forcing down a mouthful of vital blood that had risen to his throat.
Even with a Houtian Spiritual Treasure protecting him, one punch had left him badly injured!
And he was a Sect of Elucidation immortal!
In an instant, everyone's expression changed as they looked at Lin Changqing.
He was a menace! He struck without the slightest regard for his fellow disciples, casually crippling their cultivation. It was terrifying!
Especially the Sect of Elucidation immortals who had been shouting the loudest earlier. Now they were all silent as cicadas in winter, and more than a dozen had scattered in every direction, not daring to face him.
And that still wasn't enough!
Lin Changqing's gaze turned even colder.
The Twelve Golden Immortals were here, but the real culprit hadn't shown himself yet.
The scene from a thousand years ago still lingered in his mind.
The Twelve Golden Immortals and the Sect of Elucidation's Sage, Yuanshi—their sneers and mockery of him and his master—were etched deep in his heart.
If he didn't avenge this grudge, he'd be unworthy to call himself a disciple!
"And you lot—surrender at once!"
Lin Changqing struck again. One finger swept across the sky, pierced the firmament, and streaked thousands of miles toward a fleeing Sect of Elucidation immortal.
"Damn it! Lin Changqing, we're fellow disciples! Are you really going to wipe us all out?"
The Sect of Elucidation immortal was shocked and furious. He glared at Lin Changqing as he spoke, completely forgetting how he had treated him earlier.
This was why Lin Changqing despised the Sect of Elucidation. They were a pack of hypocrites, all sanctimonious when they had the upper hand, but quick to plead and invoke their relationships when they were at a disadvantage. Utter double standards!
"The sect's decrees are not for me to disregard out of personal sentiment!"
Lin Changqing gave another cold snort. The might of his finger erupted in an instant and shot toward the Sect of Elucidation immortal.
At that moment, Juliusun, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals, hardened his expression.
He couldn't wait any longer!
That damned Lin Changqing was pushing his luck. He actually wanted to leave all these Sect of Elucidation disciples gravely injured!
Hmph! How dare he trample on the dignity of the Sect of Elucidation's immortals!
Besides, he was the one who had mainly incited these disciples to cause trouble. If their master blamed him later...
As Juliusun thought this, a vicious glint appeared in his eyes.
Lin Changqing, Lin Changqing... You think you're invincible just because you've learned a few strange tricks?
You're only a Mystic Immortal. Today, I'll show you the difference between a Golden Immortal and a Mystic Immortal. An ant will always be an ant!
Juliusun sneered. A long whip flew from his hand, its shadow tearing through the sky as it shot straight toward Lin Changqing.
"Senior Disciple Brother Changqing, we'll deal with our Sect of Elucidation disciples ourselves. You needn't trouble yourself!"
Juliusun shouted as he attacked. It looked as if he meant to stop Lin Changqing, but in truth, he was going straight for the kill.
"Hmph!"
Lin Changqing stared coldly at Juliusun. As expected, birds of a feather flocked together—what a sanctimonious hypocrite.
A complete fraud!
But this was exactly what he had been waiting for: Juliusun to make a move.
A few Mystic Immortals wouldn't matter enough to earn Second Uncle's sympathy. Only the Twelve Golden Immortals could make him feel the loss.
Master, today marks the first step in Changqing's efforts to avenge you!
"Juliusun, are you going to stop me from enforcing the decrees of the Three Sects too?"
"If so, you're guilty along with them. I'll deal with you all together!"
Lin Changqing shouted. Now he had no reservations.
Especially since the Three Sects would split sooner or later, and the Investiture of the Gods Tribulation would bring such calamity upon his master and his fellow disciples. Lin Changqing had no reason to hold back now.
In fact, the more of them he dealt with today, the fewer problems he'd face in the future.
With that thought, every divine demon phantom within the three thousand six hundred apertures around Lin Changqing surged forth. An immeasurable aura, daring to rival the heavens and dominate countless ages, burst from him!
"What?!"
In an instant, cries of shock rang across Kunlun Mountain.
Lin Changqing's aura had actually surged another full level. It had reached the Golden Immortal realm, hadn't it?
How could a Mystic Immortal possess the aura of a Golden Immortal?
In the black-and-white Daoist palace, the Old Daoist, who had remained as still as a placid well, stirred his brows slightly. A faint smile even appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Good. Excellent."
Taishang, the revered Sage, cultivated the Dao of Supreme Detachment and the art of forgetting all emotion. He had long since become free of desire and feeling. For him to praise a junior twice in succession—if word got out, the whole Primordial World would be astonished!
Inside the Interception Sect Immortal Palace, Tongtian was also a Sage, but he was far more delighted than Taishang.
"Hahahaha! Good! What a fine disciple!"
"Changqing, in all these millions of years, your master has never doubted that you were exceptional!"
"Now you've truly lived up to expectations. The Interception Sect's rise rests on you!"
Tongtian laughed three times, his words full of praise.
At this moment, his affection for this disciple had grown beyond measure.
At the same time, he looked toward the Sect of Elucidation Immortal Palace with concern.
The tallest tree catches the wind. His disciple shone too brightly—so brightly that even he, a Sage, would feel inferior if they were on the same level.
And he knew his Second Brother too well. For the sake of his doctrine, Primordial Heavenly Lord would stop at nothing!
"The brotherhood we've shared for countless ages..."
Tongtian looked toward the Sect of Elucidation Immortal Palace and slowly shook his head.
Inside the Sect of Elucidation Immortal Palace, Yuanshi's brows were already tightly furrowed.
Lin Changqing was far too strange.
And with the way he opposed the Sect of Elucidation, he would inevitably become a major problem!
Yuanshi slowly shook his head, yet, like Juliusun, he had completely forgotten what he had done before.
In a side hall, another figure watched, joy welling in his eyes.
Randeng stared at the power bursting from Lin Changqing, his gaze growing ever more fervent.
Aside from the Sages, the disciples of the other two Sects were just as shocked.
When Juliusun had struck earlier, Yunxiao and the other Interception Sect disciples had been deeply worried.
The Twelve Golden Immortals were Golden Immortals, after all!
The gap between Golden Immortals and Mystic Immortals was an insurmountable divide. How could Senior Disciple Brother contend with a Golden Immortal using the power of a Mystic Immortal?
It was simply impossible!
Bixiao had nearly rushed in to help, but Yunxiao had held her back.
Senior Disciple Brother wasn't reckless. He must have another move!
He hadn't even used the Innate Spiritual Treasure bestowed on him by their master!
Thinking this, Yunxiao—and, by extension, the other Interception Sect disciples—began to feel a little more confident in Lin Changqing.
Senior Disciple Brother surely had another way!
But all the Interception Sect immortals were still uncertain, right up until Lin Changqing unleashed his full power.
The phantoms of three thousand six hundred divine demons, each possessing the power of a late-stage Mystic Immortal, gathered within him.
In an instant, Lin Changqing's qi and blood surged. The apertures throughout his body swelled round, rumbling without pause.
His aura soared. Brown-red energy coiled around him as he reached straight for the long whip.
"Senior Disciple Brother!"
"Hahahaha! I knew Senior Disciple Brother would be fine! How could the mere Twelve Golden Immortals possibly defeat him?"
The Interception Sect immortals were already cheering with delight.
The Sect of Elucidation immortals, however, wore bitter expressions.
That damned Lin Changqing—why was he so strange?
Senior Brother Juliusun had already made his move, so why wasn't the man dead yet?
Lin Changqing seized the whip. His blood qi roiled, and blood-red scales once again sprouted across his palm, now several times thicker than before.
A tremendous force traveled along the whip toward Juliusun. His expression changed at once.
How could this be?
He was only a Mystic Immortal. Why did it feel as if I couldn't beat him?
"Juliusun! You've openly defied me as I enforce the decrees of the Three Sects, showing no regard for the Sage's dignity. What are you scheming?!"
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