The Cave Abode Was Seized? Ran Deng Defeated with One Punch

"Your physical body was actually this hard!"

Ran Deng climbed up from the ground. His hair crown had fallen off, leaving his hair hanging loose, and he looked utterly bedraggled. Staring at Lu Chen's completely unscathed fist, his face was filled with disbelief.

His Qiankun Ruler had struck Lu Chen's fist, yet not only had it failed to leave so much as a scratch, an irresistible, vast force had instead traveled from the ruler into his hand. The Qiankun Ruler flew from his grasp, and even he himself was sent flying.

His Qiankun Ruler was a High-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure!!!

To take a blow from the Qiankun Ruler without the slightest injury—could Lu Chen's physical body already rival a High-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure?

Ran Deng simply did not dare imagine it. Even among the High Witches of the Witch Clan, who specialized in cultivating their physical bodies, not just anyone possessed a body comparable to a High-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure!

Was Lu Chen some kind of monster?

Behind Lu Chen, Duobao and the others might not have looked as wretched as Ran Deng, but the shock in their hearts was no less than his. Their mouths hung slightly open, their eyes brimming with disbelief.

"Their senior brother... he... he's too fierce!"

Zhao Gongming stared at Lu Chen's back, his eyes full of admiration, and silently swore, I'll be as fierce as Senior Brother one day!

Lu Chen did not even spare Ran Deng a glance. Turning back to Jin Ling, he said, "This cave abode will remain yours from now on."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Jin Ling hurriedly came back to her senses. As she looked at Lu Chen, a faint flush appeared on her lovely face.

She walked toward the cave abode.

"You dare break the rules and seize our cave abode by force. Aren't you afraid the Sage will punish you?"

Ran Deng growled in a low voice.

He had no choice. If he could avoid it, he did not want to invoke Yuanshi's name. Before this, he had believed that with the Qiankun Ruler and his cultivation at the peak of Great Luo, he could suppress Lu Chen if he went all out. Yet that single punch had blasted all the fight out of him.

Though he merely looked disheveled and still had the strength to fight, Lu Chen was not one of those Witch Clan barbarians who cultivated only the body and not mana. His mana was equally terrifying. As Tongtian's chief disciple, he surely possessed Spirit Treasures for protection.

Perhaps even many of them. After all, back at the Treasure Distribution Rock, Tongtian had taken more magical treasures than anyone else.

But now that his skills were inferior, he could only hope Yuanshi would make Lu Chen wary. He truly did not want to return to that cave abode whose spiritual energy was not even as dense as his own daoist sanctuary.

"Rules? Weren't you the one who broke them first?"

"Taking by force while I was away, and now you claim that I broke the rules? Ran Deng, you truly have no face left."

"I am the Chan Sect's vice sect leader, your martial uncle. How dare you speak to your martial uncle this way!"

Though Lu Chen did not say much, every word was like a blade stabbing into Ran Deng's heart, enraging him so badly that he nearly jumped in place.

Lu Chen casually dug at his ear. "Oh, so you still know you're a martial uncle. Competing with a junior for a cave abode—you're really going backward with age. Or is this what Martial Uncle Yuanshi taught you?"

"I'm sure it isn't. Everyone knows Martial Uncle Yuanshi values rules and reputation above all else. How could he possibly teach his disciples to bully the weak with strength? This must have been your own idea."

Lu Chen directly elevated Yuanshi alongside Daode to the highest pedestal. Even if Yuanshi had ordered this matter, he would not admit it; he might even deny it. After all, everyone knew that he was the most rule-abiding person in the entire Primordial World. If he admitted it, would that not be slapping his own face?

Thus, Ran Deng alone could carry this blame—and he could bear it. Ran Deng was already quite famous throughout the Primordial World for lowering his own status to become a Sage's disciple. For someone so shameless, was it not perfectly normal to bully the weak with strength?

Hearing Lu Chen's words, Ran Deng felt a mouthful of blood lodge in his chest.

Why was this fellow's tongue so sharp? This clearly...

Suddenly, Ran Deng's face turned pale. He could not utter a single word, drooping like an eggplant struck by frost.

"Move aside."

Lu Chen led his junior brothers past Ran Deng, casually shoved him away, and headed toward the next cave abode.

The next cave abode was occupied by Guangchengzi. He was Yuanshi's favored disciple and the Chan Sect's chief disciple, so apart from Ran Deng's, his cave abode was the finest.

As before, Lu Chen shattered the formation with one punch and forced Guangchengzi out.

Sensing the Late-Stage Mysterious Immortal fluctuations emanating from Guangchengzi, Lu Chen secretly nodded. Regardless of Guangchengzi's temperament, his cultivation was quite decent.

"Wudang, spar with our Junior Brother Guangchengzi. Whoever wins gets this cave abode."

Lu Chen looked at Wudang. He did not choose to act himself. Fighting Ran Deng was one thing; Ran Deng was, after all, a Great Luo, so it was only fitting for him to step in. But if he fought Guangchengzi, although they were technically peers as the chief disciples of the Jie Sect and Chan Sect respectively, the gap in their cultivation was plain to see. If he acted, it would seem like he was bullying the weak with strength.

Wudang and Guangchengzi had comparable cultivation, making a contest between them fairer.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Lu Chen."

It was Guangchengzi who said those words of thanks.

Although Lu Chen had come to seize his cave abode, Guangchengzi was still grateful. Upon seeing Lu Chen arrive, he had already prepared himself to surrender the cave abode. He had not expected to receive a chance to contend openly and honorably for the right to use it.

"Wudang will not disappoint Senior Brother."

Wudang stepped out from behind Lu Chen, her face full of fighting spirit as she looked at Guangchengzi.

Neither used any magical treasures. They competed purely in daoist techniques and cultivation.

In terms of daoist techniques, Tongtian had attained the Dao through the sword, so the arts he passed down all carried some of a sword's sharpness and were stronger in slaughter and battle. Yuanshi's Yuqing Immortal Method was, at best, evenly matched with the older version of the Shangqing Immortal Method.

But compared to the Shangqing Sword Canon, it was far weaker.

In the end, Guangchengzi was defeated.

"Thank you for yielding!"

"You conceded!"

After the formalities, Guangchengzi turned and left without saying a word.

He had lost in a fight at the same realm. What else could he say?

"Senior Brother, I defeated Guangchengzi."

Dressed in a black gown, Wudang looked calm and dignified. Yet after defeating Guangchengzi, she came to Lu Chen like a lively little girl seeking praise.

"Very good."

Lu Chen reached out and rubbed Wudang's hair. It felt smooth and soft beneath his hand.

"Hehe."

Yuqing Palace.

Laozi and Yuanshi sat side by side.

Yuanshi's expression was dark enough to frighten anyone.

Laozi turned a blind eye to it and continued speaking to himself.

"Lu Chen cultivates the Witch Clan's body-tempering method alongside his own path. I'm afraid no one within the Great Luo realm is his match. Although his Three Flowers have all shattered, if he follows the path of the physical body and has sufficient fortune, he may still attain the Dao."

"As for..."

Yuanshi suddenly spoke. "Elder Brother, I have suddenly gained some insight and intend to enter seclusion. I shall not keep you any longer."

"Mm."

Laozi nodded, gave Yuanshi a deep look, and quietly departed.

After Laozi left, Yuanshi could no longer restrain himself. The Sage's might surged from his body, and in an instant, the palace was left in complete disarray.

"Tongtian truly has outrageous luck!"

Yuanshi gritted his teeth, a trace of jealousy appearing in his eyes.

Elsewhere.

Lu Chen led his junior brothers and sisters from one challenge to the next, but the cave abodes were empty. Even the items within had been taken away; it was obvious their occupants had left for good.

Lu Chen was happy to have it easy, so he returned to his own cave abode.

"Bai Geng, stop sleeping."

"What is it, Master?"

"Come with me to the Heavenly Court."