Disaster in the Fish Pond

Lin Qi stared wide-eyed at Zhao Lu. He could sense a terrifying power hidden within Zhao Lu's seemingly aged and decaying body—cold, sinister, and infernal. This old man, thin as little more than a skeleton, was far from as simple as he appeared.

A hulking man nearly three meters tall slowly stepped out from behind Master Miaowen. His skin gleamed like gold, and he held a square, solid-gold bar carved with countless cloud patterns and depictions of legendary primeval beasts. The gold bar was nearly three meters long and as thick as a large bowl. This single bar of pure gold likely weighed over ten thousand jin.

The metal devil wheel stood a full five hundred meters above the ground. The man reached its edge and took a step out. With a sharp whoosh, he fell straight toward the ground. His body crashed down heavily, half of it sinking into the earth.

Bracing both hands against the ground, he struggled to pull himself free. Then he crooked a finger at Zhao Lu. "Old dog, I am Hai Gang, Lotus Seat Protector of the Heavenly Temple Upper Court. By decree, I have come to take your life. Get down here and die!"

Lin Qi swiftly swept the man with his spiritual perception, and something astonished him. An incomparably mysterious force lay hidden within that man's golden skin, preventing Lin Qi's spiritual perception from entering his body at all. He could not determine just how strong the man was.

Frowning, Lin Qi sat cross-legged atop the treasure gourd. "This Heavenly Temple truly is wondrous."

Zhao Lu coughed violently. He glanced at the haughty Hai Gang and nodded unhurriedly. "Master Miaowen, it seems you have no intention of withdrawing your troops. In that case, by His Majesty's imperial decree, this old servant can