One Palm Sends Dongwang Gong Flying; A Flick of the Finger Destroys an Innate Spiritual Treasure; The Immortals Are Stunned

"Greetings, fellow Daoist brothers!"

East King Duke felt a sudden rush of relief. He hurried forward to greet them, secretly glad the Three Pure Ones had arrived at just the right moment. Otherwise, he would have been in serious trouble today.

Although he wasn't afraid of Eastern Emperor Taiyi, he didn't want trouble breaking out at the Immortal Court Grand Ceremony. If it did, his Immortal Court would be left utterly humiliated.

West Queen Mother, who had been sitting beside him with an air of graceful dignity and had likewise been appointed the Head of Female Immortals by the Dao Ancestor, rose as well. She gave the Three Pure Ones a slight nod, her expression calm.

Supreme Clarity Laozi remained expressionless. He merely glanced at Eastern Emperor Taiyi and East King Duke, then said nothing, as though none of it concerned him. He continued to uphold his Dao of tranquility and non-action.

Primordial Lord of Heaven gave a cold snort. His gaze settled on Eastern Emperor Taiyi, carrying unmistakable displeasure and a hint of reprimand.

"Fellow Daoist Eastern Emperor, today is East King Duke's Immortal Court Establishment Ceremony. This is the Dao Ancestor's decree, intended to bring order to the immortal path of the Primordial Wilderness. Your actions are unbecoming of your status, and may even go against the Dao Ancestor's intentions."

In truth, Primordial Lord of Heaven didn't want to help East King Duke. But compared with him, he looked down even more on the likes of Eastern Emperor Taiyi, who were covered in fur and feathers. So he spoke up directly.

"Hmph."

Eastern Emperor Taiyi snorted, but in the end, said nothing more.

Without waiting for East King Duke to reply, he led the grim-faced Kunpeng and a group of imposing Demon Saints and Demon Generals to a relatively secluded spot well away from the main seats. He sat down on his own and closed his eyes to rest, as though nothing had happened.

He had come at Di Jun's command to warn and test the Immortal Court, and to irritate East King Duke while he was at it. Now that he had more or less achieved his aims, he'd come close enough, even if he hadn't accomplished everything.

"This..."

Seeing this, the other immortals and gods who had come to observe the ceremony exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts full of disappointment.

They had expected to see a fierce struggle between the Demon Court and the Immortal Court, perhaps even a world-shaking battle between Quasi-Sages. They hadn't expected the Three Pure Ones to defuse the situation so easily.

Had the demons really backed down just like that? Eastern Emperor Taiyi's domineering reputation didn't seem quite as impressive as the rumors made it out to be.

"What a shame, what a shame. I thought there'd be a good show," Ancestor Hong Yun muttered to Zhen Yuanzi, looking thoroughly disappointed and wearing the expression of someone who loved watching a commotion.

Zhen Yuanzi stroked his beard with a smile and shook his head without a word.

East King Duke let out a long breath of relief. He quickly composed himself, put on another smile, and bowed to the Three Pure Ones.

"Fellow Daoist brothers, please take the seats of honor!"

West Queen Mother also stepped forward at the right moment and gave the Three Pure Ones a slight bow. Her voice was gentle. "It is the Immortal Court's good fortune that you could spare the time to attend. Please take the seats of honor and enjoy some immortal wine."

The Three Pure Ones didn't refuse. With East King Duke and West Queen Mother personally guiding them, they took their places in the most honored seats. After all, they represented Dao Ancestor Hongjun and deserved such treatment.

East King Duke cleared his throat and surveyed the assembly. The atmosphere was still somewhat awkward, but at least calm had been restored. He was just about to loudly announce that the banquet would continue.

But just as he was about to speak—

"Heh. What a pity."

A voice tinged with mockery, yet crystal clear, rang out abruptly across the silent plaza like a phantom.

"Such a lovely day, such a grand gathering of immortals, with Ten Thousand Immortals Paying Homage and all this splendor. What a pity, what a pity. Soon, it'll all be reduced to ruins."

The voice wasn't loud, but it struck like thunder from the Nine Heavens. The atmosphere, which had only just begun to ease, froze again—more oppressively silent than when Eastern Emperor Taiyi had provoked them.

Everyone's gaze snapped toward the voice as though struck by a Paralysis Spell.

The smile on East King Duke's face stiffened, then turned black with rage, as if he were about to breathe fire.

Who was it now? Who dared utter such ill-omened, outrageous words at his Immortal Court Grand Ceremony? They were practically asking to die!

He instinctively turned to look at Eastern Emperor Taiyi again, thinking the demon race hadn't given up and was trying to stir up trouble once more.

But Eastern Emperor Taiyi looked just as startled and surprised. Clearly, he hadn't spoken.

As East King Duke seethed with anger and uncertainty, preparing to find the speaker and annihilate his True Spirit as a warning to the rest—

A young man in a blue robe slowly stepped out from the crowd, one step at a time. He was the Dragon Race emissary who had presented a generous gift earlier, the one whose aura was only that of a Heavenly Immortal and who had kept a low profile. A playful, inscrutable smile touched his face.

It was Ao Chen!

"Is that him?"

"Has that Dragon Race brat gone mad?"

"What's he trying to do? Does he have a death wish? How dare he say something like that here?"

All the immortals and gods present, including the mighty beings who had seen Ao Chen before, were utterly stunned. They couldn't understand why this young man from the Dragon Race had stepped forward at a time like this, let alone what he intended by saying such things.

Did he want the Dragon Race wiped out sooner? How dare he openly provoke East King Duke, the master of the Immortal Court, in front of Ten Thousand Immortals? He was practically throwing his life away!

Before Ao Chen could speak, Star Lord Chang Geng—the arrogant fellow who had accepted Ao Guang's "generous gift"—leapt forward like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

Star Lord Chang Geng was both shocked and furious. He pointed at Ao Chen and shouted sharply:

"How dare you, Ao Chen! This is the Immortal Court Grand Ceremony. How can a mere Heavenly Immortal like you spout nonsense, mislead others, and disrupt the gathering? You stand before the Sovereign Lord! Get down on your knees and beg forgiveness!"

He wanted to get the first word in and convict Ao Chen, hoping to earn favor with East King Duke.

Ao Chen merely glanced at him, as though he were a bothersome fly buzzing in his face. His eyes brimmed with undisguised disgust and coldness.

"Silence."

Before the words had even faded, Ao Chen casually raised his right hand again and flicked it toward Star Lord Chang Geng, who was still trying to berate him despite his bluster.

Pfft!

Star Lord Chang Geng, whose cultivation had already reached the level of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, didn't even have time to react. He couldn't even fully show an expression of terror.

His body and Primordial Spirit vanished without a sound, as completely as pencil marks erased by a rubber.

As though he had never existed—not even a trace of his True Spirit escaped!

Hiss—!

This time, waves of gasps echoed across Yingzhou Immortal Island, one after another, far louder than when Eastern Emperor Taiyi had acted earlier.

Every immortal and god, including the mighty beings who had only heard of Ao Chen and never seen him act, stared wide-eyed as though they'd seen a ghost. Their faces were filled with disbelief and profound terror.

He'd erased a Grand Unity Golden Immortal with a wave of his hand? What was going on with this Dragon Race? Hadn't the Dragon Race just presented a generous gift?

Many of the mighty beings present looked at Ao Chen in confusion, puzzlement in their eyes.

They were baffled by his strength, his intentions, and, above all, how he had managed to erase a Grand Unity Golden Immortal with a wave of his hand.

Still, not everyone was confused. Some of those who had seen Ao Chen at Buzhou Mountain froze in shock.

Ao Chen had arrived early and stood near the back. His aura was only that of a Heavenly Immortal, and he had deliberately concealed himself, so no one had noticed him.

Now, as Ao Chen stepped out and came fully into view, figures such as Zhen Yuanzi and Hong Yun recognized him at once.

"Is that him?"

Their gazes were filled with unprecedented shock and wariness.

"He's grown even stronger? And he's still a Heavenly Immortal? Where did this old-timer come from? Why does he like pretending to be a Heavenly Immortal so much?"

It hadn't even been ten thousand years since their parting at Buzhou Mountain! Yet this mysterious Dragon's strength seemed to have risen to an unimaginable degree since then.

Previously, when he had heavily wounded Kunpeng, he'd still needed to draw his sword and rely on that strange domain and sword art. But now, he had erased a Grand Unity Golden Immortal as casually as brushing away dust! Even the fluctuations of his magic power had been nearly imperceptible!

What kind of monster was he?

In the corner, Demon Master Kunpeng shuddered violently with fright. His face went pale, and he instinctively shrank behind Eastern Emperor Taiyi. His eyes were filled with indescribable fear and relief as he looked at Ao Chen.

He swore he never wanted anything to do with this freak again. Fortunately, he hadn't jumped out to provoke him just now!

Eastern Emperor Taiyi's pupils constricted. He tightened his grip on the Chaos Bell, and Solar True Fire blazed around him. Every muscle in his body tensed as he entered a state of unprecedented alert.

For the first time, he felt that perhaps this Dragon really had the strength to threaten him.

But he quickly relaxed again, and even the grin on his lips grew broader with glee.

He had realized that Ao Chen's icy gaze wasn't directed at him. Instead, it was like two blades of solid ice, fixed firmly on East King Duke atop the dais, whose face had turned black.

"Kunpeng, don't panic. He isn't after you."

Eastern Emperor Taiyi leisurely sent a message to Kunpeng beside him, his tone full of the delight of watching the show.

"This fellow Daoist Ao Chen has someone else in mind today. Heh, this should be interesting!"

Kunpeng finally relaxed a little at that, though he still looked at Ao Chen with apprehension.

The Three Pure Ones also wore different expressions of surprise.

Supreme Clarity Laozi remained expressionless, as though he were meditating. Yet beneath his half-closed eyelids, the faint image of a Taiji Diagram seemed to turn slowly, as if he were deducing something.

Primordial Lord of Heaven furrowed his brow. He scrutinized Ao Chen, his gaze tinged with a subtle uncertainty.

Only Sect Master Tongtian's eyes shone brightly. He studied Ao Chen with great interest, the corners of his mouth lifting in undisguised appreciation and curiosity, as if he'd found some fascinating prey.

Chapter Fifty-Two: A Single Palm Sweeps Away East King Duke, a Flick of the Finger Shatters an Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Immortals of the Primordial Wilderness Are Stunned

On the dais, East King Duke had long since lost his earlier confidence and elation.

He stared blankly at the spot where Star Lord Chang Geng had vanished, then at the blue-robed Dragon below. Ao Chen's aura still seemed to belong only to a Heavenly Immortal, yet he emanated a faint sense of danger that made even East King Duke, a dignified Quasi-Sage, uneasy.

He was still shocked, but more than anything, he was consumed by a towering fury at having his dignity trampled and being humiliated in front of everyone!

He finally realized that he seemed to have been underestimated! How dare a mere junior from the Dragon Race humiliate him in front of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Three Pure Ones?

"Impudent!"

East King Duke's voice was cold, filled with tightly suppressed rage and murderous intent. He stared at Ao Chen as though he wanted to tear him to pieces.

"How dare you commit repeated acts of violence at my Immortal Court Grand Ceremony and slay an important minister of my Immortal Court! Who sent you?"