Thunderous Means, Furious Slaying of the Enemy

Xiao Zhen spun around sharply and saw Xuan Chuan's icy face, along with those eyes that seemed capable of piercing through every illusion.

After the initial shock in his heart, the shame and fury of being "caught red-handed," coupled with the ingrained arrogance of a Chanjiao disciple, swiftly overwhelmed his reason.

Forcing himself to remain calm, he put away the jade mirror, rose to his feet, and straightened his back. He struggled to squeeze a trace of the reserved disdain befitting an "orthodox Xuanmen" disciple onto his face as he shouted:

"Who did I think it was? So it was Xuan Chuan of Jiejiao!"

He looked Xuan Chuan up and down, his tone dripping with contempt. "Instead of staying on Golden Turtle Island to discipline those wet-born, egg-hatched, fur-clad, horned creatures, what are you doing here?

This matter is Chanjiao's act of testing the temperaments of the Human Race here, an act that follows Heaven and answers mankind. How could we allow heretics like you to meddle?"

He had casually described inciting the beasts to slaughter the Human Race as "testing their temperaments."

He had also dismissed Jiejiao disciples as "fur-clad, horned creatures." His arrogance had reached the utmost extreme, and his shamelessness was beyond measure.

Xuan Chuan laughed in extreme anger.

"What a fine 'following Heaven and answering mankind'! What a fine 'testing temperaments'!"

Xuan Chuan's voice sounded like ice grinding against ice, carrying bone-piercing mockery. "You used Jade Clarity Immortal Art to catalyze the beasts' savagery, stirred up a beast tide, slaughtered innocent mortals, created towering Karmic Force, and then sought to pin the blame on passing disciples of my Jiejiao...

Is this the 'righteous path' of your Chanjiao from Yuxu Palace in the Kunlun Mountains? Is this the principle of 'following Heaven' that Uncle-Master Yuanshi taught you?!"

With every sentence, he took a step forward, and his aura rose another notch!

His cultivation at Peak Golden Immortal was no longer concealed. An incomparably sharp sword intent that severed the workings of Heaven surged into the sky, churning the winds and clouds around them!

Xiao Zhen was intimidated by Xuan Chuan's aura. In particular, having the words "pin the blame" exposed so directly made his expression turn even uglier, yet he still stubbornly retorted, "Insolence! Xuan Chuan, how dare you slander my Chanjiao?

This is the operation of the Heavenly Dao, the inevitable course of tribulation! Those mortals were fated to die! As for you Jiejiao people, your Karmic Force runs deep. Entangling yourselves in cause and effect is your own doing—what does it have to do with me?!"

As he spoke, he secretly gripped several protective treasures bestowed by his master, while Jade Clarity Immortal Power circulated rapidly through his body.

He knew Xuan Chuan possessed a Saint's treasure and would not be easy to deal with, but he considered himself a third-generation direct disciple of orthodox Chanjiao.

His cultivation had also reached Late True Immortal, and he had treasures protecting him. Even if he could not win, he should have no trouble holding out for a moment and finding an opportunity to flee.

"Stubborn beyond redemption. Beyond saving!" Xuan Chuan had completely lost any interest in wasting words on this man.

Against a Chanjiao disciple like this—one whose heart brimmed with prejudice, whose actions were vile, yet who still fancied himself righteous—only thunderous means could serve as a warning!

"Since that is the case, I shall act in place of your elders and teach you a lesson, you vicious wretch who cannot distinguish right from wrong!"

Before his words had faded, Xuan Chuan had already struck!

He did not use the Purple Lightning Hammer. A mere True Immortal was not worthy of it!

His figure flickered, seeming to transform into three afterimages, half-real and half-illusory, attacking Xiao Zhen from three directions at once! It was precisely a simplified application of the Jiejiao divine ability—One Qi Transforms into Three Purities!

Though it was far inferior to Saint Laizi's orthodox divine ability, it was more than sufficient for confusing an enemy and seizing the initiative!

Xiao Zhen was greatly alarmed. He hurriedly brought out an Eight Trigrams Bronze Mirror, its mirror light blazing as it protected his entire body, while he simultaneously spat out a streak of white light.

It was a jade ruler, carrying Jade Clarity Immortal Light capable of shattering evil and suppressing demons, striking toward one of the afterimages.

However, Xuan Chuan's true body had long since used The One That Escaped to perfectly conceal his aura, silently appearing at Xiao Zhen's true defensive blind spot—his flank!

His two fingers came together like a sword. At their tips, an extremely condensed point of purple radiance flickered—it was a wisp of highly compressed Thunder Intent from the Purple Lightning Hammer!

"Fate-Severing Finger!"

The finger struck soundlessly, yet as fast as a bolt of lightning!

"Pfft!"

The Eight Trigrams Bronze Mirror's protective immortal light was pierced as easily as paper! That point of purple radiance landed with absolute precision upon Xiao Zhen's dantian and sea of qi!

"Aah—!"

Xiao Zhen let out a shrill scream. His entire body arched as though struck by lightning, and the Jade Clarity Immortal Light around him instantly collapsed!

He felt the Dao foundation he had painstakingly cultivated for centuries being brutally torn apart by an incomparably tyrannical force of lightning that contained destruction and Severing Intent!

His dantian became like a punctured leather bag, his magic power gushing out wildly!

His jade ruler treasure lost his control, gave a mournful cry, and fell into the dust.

Xuan Chuan pressed his advantage without mercy, changing his fingers into a palm. Lightning glimmered faintly along its edge as he lightly stamped it onto Xiao Zhen's chest.

"Crack!"

His protective Dao robe shattered, and who knew how many ribs broke. Xiao Zhen was sent flying like a tattered sack.

He crashed viciously into the mountain wall, slid down, and vomited mouthful after mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his organs.

His aura had withered to the extreme. Most of his cultivation had already been crippled, and he had fallen from Late True Immortal to a state inferior even to Foundation Establishment!

The entire exchange had unfolded with the speed of a hare rising and a falcon falling, taking no more than two or three breaths!

A third-generation direct disciple of Chanjiao had actually proven so utterly vulnerable before Xuan Chuan!

Xuan Chuan slowly walked over to Xiao Zhen, who lay limp as mud, his unfocused eyes full of terror and venomous hatred. Looking down at him from above, Xuan Chuan seemed to be gazing upon an ant.

He bent down and said in a cold voice that only the two of them could hear:

"I'll spare your dog life."

"Get back to the Kunlun Mountains."

"Tell Guangchengzi, and those elders of your sect..."

Xuan Chuan paused. Every word seemed to burst from between his teeth, carrying icy killing intent and an unquestionable warning:

"Scheming against my Jiejiao comes at a price!"

"Crippling your cultivation today is merely the interest. If there is a next time... I'll kill one who comes!

If a pair comes, I'll kill the pair! Even if the Twelve Golden Immortals come in person, I, Xuan Chuan, will kill them without exception!"

Having said that, he did not spare another glance for Xiao Zhen's ash-gray face and trembling body. With a sweep of his sleeve, he gathered up the strange jade mirror and jade ruler from the ground as evidence.

He then transformed into a streak of lightning and returned toward the Human Race settlement.

Only Xiao Zhen remained beneath the cliff, his cultivation utterly ruined, his Dao Path severed, his heart filled with terror and endless hatred. Staring in the direction Xuan Chuan had departed, he let out a beastlike whimper.