This Golden Core Realm Cultivator Was Different

The flying boat came to a stop. Zhang Yang appeared in midair, facing the members of the Flying Dragon Guard directly. "What do you intend to do?"

The Flying Dragon Guard's flying boat stopped as well. Its ordinary members drew their bows and nocked arrows, each one inscribed with talismans and rippling with spiritual energy. They were clearly no ordinary arrows.

The Flying Dragon Guard captain shouted loudly, "I suspect there are spies from an enemy nation among you. Submit to our inspection immediately, or don't blame us for showing no mercy."

Zhang Yang gave a cold laugh. "Your Cloud Mountain Empire truly has no regard for our Azure Cloud Sect! Sending people to steal from our mines twice in a row would have been one thing, but the Lord of Anqing City even dared to scheme against Azure Cloud Sect and send people after us. Who gave you the nerve?"

The Flying Dragon Guard squad captain said coldly, "Enough nonsense. Everyone comes back with me for questioning. You may only leave after the investigation is complete."

"I gave you face, and this is what you do with it?"

With a casual wave of his hand, Zhang Yang sent a golden rope flying from his sleeve.

When it first emerged, it was only three feet long. Then it swelled with the wind, rapidly growing to more than a dozen zhang in length and as thick as a water bucket. Like a flying dragon, it spiraled toward the Flying Dragon Guard's flying boat.

"The Immortal-Binding Rope, an artifact!" the squad captain roared. "Fire!"

Everyone in the Flying Dragon squad immediately loosed their talisman arrows. Arrow after arrow, their tips rippling with spiritual energy, slammed into the Immortal-Binding Rope.

Those arrows were little more than scratches against an itch. The Immortal-Binding Rope remained utterly unmoved like a true colossal dragon, continuing to coil around the flying boat and bind it layer by layer.

The Flying Dragon Guard squad captain's face changed drastically. "It's a Spirit Artifact-grade Immortal-Binding Rope! Quick, activate the flying boat's protective shield! Drive the flying boat at full power and retreat to Anqing City!"

Artifacts were divided into Magic Artifacts, Treasure Artifacts, Spirit Artifacts, and the legendary Immortal Artifacts. Each category was further divided into nine grades.

First grade was the most valuable, while ninth grade was the lowest.

As the highest-grade artifacts currently found in the Immortal Cultivation Realm, Spirit Artifacts were rarely seen under normal circumstances. Yet they had encountered one today.

The Flying Dragon Guard squad captain immediately realized things had gone wrong and promptly ordered a retreat.

With the full support of every Flying Dragon Guard member, a shield rose around the flying boat, resisting the Immortal-Binding Rope.

Yet the Immortal-Binding Rope was like a colossal dragon, binding the flying boat tightly in place.

In truth, it was not only the Flying Dragon Guard captain who was shocked. Wang Mingyue was equally stunned.

She was not surprised that the Azure Cloud Sect possessed a Spirit Artifact. After all, it was an ancient sect with five thousand years of history.

But the spiritual energy required to activate a Spirit Artifact was simply not something a Golden Core cultivator could provide. Usually, only great cultivators could truly wield Spirit Artifacts and unleash their real might.

She saw it clearly: Zhang Yang was indeed a Golden Core cultivator, even merely a Core Formation cultivator whose Golden Core had not yet been perfectly nurtured. What gave him the right to wield a Spirit Artifact-grade Immortal-Binding Rope?

Then an even more shocking scene unfolded.

Zhang Yang took out a medicinal pill and swallowed it, recovering some of his spiritual power before tossing out another azure flag.

Driven by spiritual energy, the azure flag rapidly expanded. As it grew, it drew in all manner of Laws of Heaven and Earth. Then Zhang Yang hurled the flag in his hand at the flying boat bound by the Immortal-Binding Rope.

The shield that had been resisting the Immortal-Binding Rope shattered at once beneath the flag.

"The Restriction-Breaking Banner! And it's a Spirit Artifact-grade Restriction-Breaking Banner!"

The Flying Dragon Guard squad captain's face turned ashen. He knew perfectly well that they were finished.

Without the flying boat's shield protecting them, even he, a Golden Core cultivator, had no power to resist, much less those ordinary members.

"Get down!"

Zhang Yang reached out and grabbed, forcibly pressing the flying boat down from the sky to the ground.

Afterward, he walked up to the flying boat and began studying the runes inscribed upon it, showing no guard at all against the Flying Dragon Guard.

Yet not a single member of the Flying Dragon Guard dared move.

The Spirit Artifact Immortal-Binding Rope still wound around the flying boat. If they dared make a move, they would certainly die beneath it.

The only thing they could do now was await the Azure Cloud Sect's judgment.

The Flying Dragon Guard squad captain's lips trembled. Looking at Zhang Yang, he did not know what to say. None of his earlier arrogance remained.

He simply could not understand why Zhang Yang was staring at the flying boat's runes.

The runes on every flying boat were passwords. Without knowing those "passwords," one could not control the flying boat, and only its owner would know them.

That was why he could not understand Zhang Yang's actions.

Inwardly, he was considering how this matter could possibly be resolved.

What he did not expect was that after studying the runes for a moment, Zhang Yang smiled faintly and poured spiritual energy into them.

"Everyone, get out!"

As Zhang Yang shouted, the members of the Flying Dragon Guard felt the flying boat tremble, blasting every one of them out of it.

Then the massive flying boat shrank into one the size of a palm and fell into Zhang Yang's hand.

The Flying Dragon Guard members were dumbfounded. This... this...

The squad captain quickly recovered. Crying out as though his parents had died, he shouted, "That is our flying boat! You cannot take it!"

He instinctively rushed forward, trying to seize the flying boat back. This flying boat was the core of every Flying Dragon Guard squad, more important than their very lives. Without it, their Flying Dragon Guard squad would be struck from the rolls.

Zhang Yang raised a hand and waved. "Freeze!"

A spell immobilized the Flying Dragon Guard captain, leaving him unable to move.

"Go back and deliver a message to the Cloud Mountain Empire. I'm taking the flying boat. If you want it back, send someone in charge to Azure Cloud Sect to negotiate with me. Oh, and don't forget to bring compensation for the offense you have caused. The matter of the Xiao Family stealing from our mines may be settled, but your other matters have not been resolved!"

After saying that, he put away the Restriction-Breaking Banner and the Immortal-Binding Rope, then turned and left.

If Wang Mingyue, that rich woman, had not been beside him, he would certainly have robbed this whole group clean.

But this was a crucial time for attracting investment, so he had to maintain the sect's image.

The Flying Dragon Guard could only watch helplessly as Zhang Yang and the others departed. Only after they had vanished from sight did the Flying Dragon Guard captain say with a pale face, "Go. Return to Anqing City and report this immediately."

This matter had already spiraled out of control. It was no longer something they could handle.

Before long, the Flying Dragon Guard returned to Anqing City.

When the Lord of Anqing City learned that the flying boat had been taken, he collapsed into his chair, cold sweat sliding uncontrollably down his forehead.

"How dare they? How dare they?"

Flying boats were vital strategic resources for the Flying Dragon Guard. With one having been seized, the issue was no longer simple.

Even if he had not caused it, he would still bear grave responsibility, much less when this entire affair had been caused by him.

In other words, his time as city lord was over.

Yet he could not understand it. How had the Azure Cloud Sect dared to seize a flying boat?

The Azure Cloud Sect had declined for so many years, yet it still dared provoke the Cloud Mountain Empire?

Then inspiration suddenly struck him. If he went to Azure Cloud Sect to admit his mistake and offer compensation, could he get the flying boat back?

Just as he was preparing to do so, the Flying Dragon Guard captain reminded him, "I heard there are still other matters between our Cloud Mountain Empire and Azure Cloud Sect that have not been resolved. Besides, I fear we may not be able to get the flying boat back."

The hope that had risen in the Lord of Anqing City's heart instantly plunged back into the abyss.

How could such a valuable flying boat possibly be returned so easily?

As the Lord of Anqing City, he could not possibly offer compensation equal to a flying boat.

He gave a miserable laugh. It seemed he could only report this matter to higher authorities.

At this moment, regret flooded his heart. Had he known this would happen, why had he provoked the Azure Cloud Sect's people in the first place?

If none of this had happened, would everything not have been fine?

Unfortunately, there were no ifs!