Reversal

Below Kunlun Mountain, a storm of laws swept up, its immense force ravaging everything.

Boom!

With the final thunderous blast, Guangchengzi was sent flying.

Gu Changqing did not press his advantage. He merely said, "Senior brothers, may I leave now?"

The Twelve Golden Immortals wore ugly expressions. They could not say yes, even though Guangchengzi had already been defeated.

The disheveled Guangchengzi was helpless as well. He knew Gu Changqing had shown mercy, but there was no backing down now.

For the reputation of the Chan Sect, they had to keep Gu Changqing here.

At the very least, they had to keep Shi Ji!

What did personal karma matter once it had risen to the interests of the sect?

Guangchengzi smiled bitterly. "The Twelve Golden Immortals are not just me alone. If Junior Brother Changqing wishes to take Shi Ji away, you must defeat all of us."

Gu Changqing frowned slightly. Although he felt that the Chan Sect loved moral posturing, their spirit of fighting again and again despite repeated defeat still made him see them in a new light.

"Fine." After a brief silence, Gu Changqing added, "In that case, all of you come at once."

If he fought them one by one, who knew how long this would take?

After fighting the Twelve Golden Immortals, there would still be the Antarctic Immortal Elder, Ran Deng, and Yuanshi!

When would it ever end?

Gu Changqing swung his spear, carrying an imposing authority without anger. He had the valor of one man holding a pass against ten thousand.

Seeing that Gu Changqing only grew fiercer with each battle, the Twelve Golden Immortals exchanged glances and summoned their magic treasures, attacking him together.

Treasures of every color erupted with radiant light, carrying endless might as they suppressed Gu Changqing. A storm of laws rose from the spot.

Buzz—

Gu Changqing brought out the Merit Set. Endless power of merit surged forth as several Merit Treasures joined together, forming an absolute defense.

This...

This was fucking bullying!

Facing Gu Changqing, who stood bathed in a golden ocean, the hearts of the Twelve Golden Immortals trembled.

Where had he gotten so many Merit Treasures?

Not even Tong Tian had them!

How were they supposed to fight this battle?

Earlier, to deal with Shi Ji's Merit Saint Garment, Taiyi Zhenren had gone to borrow the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi. Were they supposed to borrow the Pangu Banner now?

Too late!

They had long expected their opponent to bring a Merit Treasure to assassinate Jiang Ziya, but who the hell could have imagined Merit Treasures could come in whole sets?

Was this something a human could even do?

Not even a Saint could!

Since Pangu opened the heavens, nothing this outrageous had ever happened!

Attacking someone carrying so many Merit Treasures was even more serious than killing a person favored by fate!

This...

Who the fuck was the one favored by fate here?!

Thinking of that terrifying backlash from the Heavenly Dao, the Twelve Golden Immortals were dumbfounded.

But an arrow released from the bow could not be turned back.

Those of great merit must not be slain!

This was the rule of the Heavenly Dao.

Merit Treasures were the identification tokens of those of great merit.

Had he saved the Primordial World or something?

Otherwise, where could he have gotten so many Merit Treasures?

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The magic treasures of the Twelve Golden Immortals rebounded and all struck their own wielders.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

The sound of vomiting blood rang out.

This was the first punishment the Heavenly Dao dealt them!

After that strike, the Three Flowers above the heads of the Twelve Golden Immortals dimmed.

The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi erupted with endless black-and-yellow light, desperately offsetting the backlash of the Heavenly Dao.

Crack—

The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi exhausted all its merit and shattered.

The cultivation of the Twelve Golden Immortals fell by one realm. Yellow Dragon True Person, whose cultivation had been the lowest, fell directly to the Golden Immortal realm.

This was only because the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi had desperately protected them. Otherwise, losing the Three Flowers above their heads would have been the least of it.

Boss, if you had so many Merit Treasures, you should have said so sooner!

There was no shame in losing to someone of great merit!

The Twelve Golden Immortals felt miserable.

If you had shown so many Merit Treasures earlier, forget taking Shi Ji away—we would have called you father.

Gu Changqing was stunned too.

He knew Merit Treasures were formidable, but he had not expected them to be this formidable.

Earlier, seeing Shi Ji get beaten down, he had assumed Merit Treasures were ineffective against the orthodox Xuanmen lineage.

But seeing the miserable state of the Twelve Golden Immortals now, he finally understood just how overpowered Merit Treasures were.

The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi could deal with one Merit Treasure, but he had eight!

This round was a complete victory!

A complete victory without lifting a finger!

Faced with the pressure from the Twelve Golden Immortals just now, he had only summoned the Merit Treasures out of necessity.

The results had been astonishingly good!

Only...

Only, now that these fellows had lost realms, how would they play out the Investiture of the Gods in the future?

Who would send the Intercepting Sect's disciples onto the list?

If the Intercepting Sect did not fall apart, how was he supposed to return to the new world?

Thinking of those serious consequences, Gu Changqing felt a faint sorrow.

Bathed in Merit Golden Light, Gu Changqing walked step by step toward Yellow Dragon True Person.

Seeing Gu Changqing approach, Yellow Dragon True Person was terrified, but unfortunately, he could do nothing.

Before a person of great merit, one had to stand properly and accept the beating.

In Yellow Dragon True Person's eyes, Gu Changqing represented the will of the Heavenly Dao!

Even if Gu Changqing killed him, he would have nothing to say. If Gu Changqing wished to humiliate him, he could only grit his teeth and endure it.

He could not even commit suicide!

Otherwise, it would not be him alone who suffered the backlash of the Heavenly Dao.

The Heavenly Dao was simply this unreasonable!

Gu Changqing came before Yellow Dragon True Person and pointed at his brow. Boundless power of merit poured forth.

Yellow Dragon True Person's injuries instantly improved, and his fallen realm rapidly recovered.

This...

Yellow Dragon True Person's expression was complicated.

What did it mean to repay resentment with virtue?

This was it!

Yellow Dragon True Person was so moved that he nearly squeezed out a few dragon tears.

Seeing that the power of merit could heal the backlash of the Heavenly Dao, Gu Changqing proceeded to treat the Twelve Golden Immortals one by one.

After all the Twelve Golden Immortals had recovered, Gu Changqing concealed the Merit Set and said, "Senior brothers, excuse me. I truly only wanted to save someone. I truly had no intention of making things difficult for you."

"Senior brothers, do you still wish to continue fighting?"

The Twelve Golden Immortals looked utterly ashamed.

Keep fighting?

How were they supposed to fight!

Boss, what were they even supposed to say about you?

That whole set of Merit Treasures alone had already made you invincible.

How much merit had he expended to heal their injuries just now?

The Twelve Golden Immortals did not dare imagine it.

The Three Treasures Jade Ruyi had even self-destructed to prevent them from suffering the Heavenly Dao's backlash.

Yet their realms had still fallen.

Gu Changqing, however, had used merit to heal them.

Earlier, he had gifted them spiritual treasures, and now he had healed them with merit.

No matter how shameless they were, they understood the meaning of shame.

Magic treasures were easy to find; merit was hard to obtain.

This was no longer the Primordial World from the beginning of creation.

Guangchengzi was the first to lower his head. "Junior Brother Changqing, it was we... it was we..."

Guangchengzi wanted to say something, but no words would come out.

Gu Changqing smiled. "Senior Brother Guangchengzi, it was all just a misunderstanding."

"I..."

Guangchengzi had no response. He bowed to Gu Changqing.

Only this bow could express the complicated emotions in his heart.

The Twelve Golden Immortals also bowed to Gu Changqing.

They had provoked Gu Changqing time and again, yet Gu Changqing had repaid resentment with virtue time and again.

Gu Changqing's great, noble, and upright image was worthy of the reverence of every orthodox Xuanmen cultivator.

Gu Changqing had won the respect of the Twelve Golden Immortals.

No one would spend so much merit on their behalf—not even their master!

Yet Gu Changqing had done so.

Someone from an "enemy" faction had done so!

They were now completely convinced by Gu Changqing.

"Don't!"

Gu Changqing hurriedly stepped aside and used his mana to help the Twelve Golden Immortals up.

Such a great bow from the Twelve Golden Immortals could only be received by someone at the level of their master.

"Senior brothers, please do not do this. It was only a misunderstanding. If there is nothing else, Changqing will take his leave. I shall visit again another day."

Without waiting for the Twelve Golden Immortals to respond, Gu Changqing stepped into the Primordial Chaos Sky-Piercing Shuttle and tore through the air.

"The host has completely subdued the Twelve Golden Immortals. The Intercepting Sect's fortune has greatly increased. Reward: fifty billion merit."

Gu Changqing: This isn't what I wanted!

Healing the Twelve Golden Immortals had cost him twelve billion merit, yet the system immediately deposited fifty billion merit into his account.

This...

This was fucking absurd!

Of course, that was not even the main point.

The main point was, why had the Intercepting Sect's fortune increased again?