The patriarch's domineering might

Zhao Jing knelt on the ground, being slapped across the face over and over.

The young man beside her stepped forward to stop it, but a force swept over and suppressed him as well.

"Bastards! I am an elder of the Divine Firmament Sect! How dare you humiliate me!"

Zhao Jing roared, her eyes icy as she stared fixedly.

Luo Tian, Lin Po, and the others were stunned too. They had never expected the patriarch to intervene.

The other party was, after all, from the Divine Firmament Sect, yet the patriarch came down hard, slapping her right off the bat without leaving her a shred of dignity.

"So what if you're from the Divine Firmament Sect? Does that mean you don't have to listen to reason? Does that mean you can do whatever you please? If you don't give me a proper accounting today, I'll beat you to death!"

Hiss!

Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air.

At the same time, a figure appeared from the depths of the Cangyun Sect, instantly drawing every gaze.

Lu Changsheng looked over as well and was surprised once again.

Unlike what he had imagined, this was no white-haired, white-bearded, otherworldly expert with the bearing of an immortal. Instead, he was a burly man built like an iron tower.

His muscles bulged, his hair and beard were grizzled, and his eyes shone brightly. An overbearing, kingly presence radiated from his entire body.

The instant he appeared, everyone's sphincters tightened and their minds trembled.

"The patriarch is actually a body cultivator!"

Lu Changsheng was shocked. He had never imagined it.

Moreover, despite the patriarch's advanced age, the Qi and Blood surging throughout his body were countless times more vigorous than those of the young people present.

At the sight of the Cangyun Sect's patriarch, Zhao Jing's expression grew grave.

"Is your Cangyun Sect rebelling?"

Smack!

The moment she finished speaking, the patriarch slapped her across the face, sending her flying sideways into a stone wall, which collapsed. The entire mountain shook.

Her face swelled as though her entire skull were about to burst, and bloody saliva streamed uncontrollably from her mouth.

"Rebel, my ass!"

His furious roar made people's ears ache, and to the onlookers, he seemed exceptionally domineering.

Zhao Jing's eyes brimmed with venom, but a trace of fear also arose within her.

The patriarch walked over, his mountainlike frame bringing a sense of oppression as he approached.

Looking at the old hag he had nearly slapped to death, he said, "You dog, what are you getting so arrogant for? Don't forget, it's your Divine Firmament Sect that's come here asking for something. Make one more peep, and see if I don't refuse to hand her over!"

"You..."

Clatter!

The patriarch raised his hand, and a chain appeared, binding the old hag. Then he looked at those beside him.

"Throw her into the dungeon! If the Divine Firmament Sect doesn't give me a satisfactory answer, I'll slaughter him!"

As he spoke, he turned toward the young man and told him to scram back to the Divine Firmament Sect with the news.

Luo Tian stood frozen in place. The patriarch was already so old, yet his temper remained as fiery as ever.

The peak masters and elders smiled bitterly.

The remaining disciples, however, had eyes full of admiration and hearts filled with emotion. They had never expected their sect to have such a ruthless figure.

Lu Changsheng kept clicking his tongue too. He liked this patriarch-protective of his own and domineering!

What he had not expected was for the patriarch to turn and look at him.

"You're Lu Changsheng!"

"Yes, Patriarch!"

"Mm!" The patriarch nodded, then said, "Don't worry. I'll definitely give you a satisfactory resolution to today's matter. Disciples of my Cangyun Sect won't put up with this kind of crap!"

"The patriarch is mighty!"

Lu Changsheng grinned.

Everyone exchanged glances. They truly had not expected things to turn out this way, and many also began to worry.

The Divine Firmament Sect was powerful, the absolute overlord of this region. They feared there would be serious trouble.

The patriarch, however, waved his large hand and left.

The crowd began to disperse, and Zhao Jing was locked in the dungeon.

Ning Yuxin had also watched in a daze before following Lu Changsheng back to Qingyun Peak.

She had no idea what had happened, but this time, she had achieved a breakthrough.

Her cultivation had advanced from the ninth layer of Spirit Gathering to the first layer of Essence Condensation, her physical body had improved, and her Sword Dao had successfully broken through to the second layer as well, without any discomfort.

The surprise could not have been greater.

Setting everything else aside, advancing from the ninth layer of Spirit Gathering to the first layer of Essence Condensation alone would have been difficult without six months to a year, yet she had succeeded in less than a day.

Lu Changsheng had surprised her once again.

Remembering the packages he had mentioned earlier, she was even more tempted. She immediately wrote home, asking for Spirit Stones to be sent.

Whether to her or her lineage, this deal was a massive windfall.

At the same time, she grew increasingly curious about this senior brother. In fact, during this period, she had almost forgotten her purpose in coming to Qingyun Peak.

Lu Changsheng, meanwhile, happily took the Scarlet Spirit Grass off to refine pills.

Meanwhile, in the Cangyun Sect's main hall, the patriarch sat in the seat of honor while Luo Tian looked on with worry.

"Patriarch, about what happened today, wasn't it..."

"What's with all this nonsense? She was bullying our Cangyun Sect. Were we supposed to put up with that wretched woman?" the patriarch replied, as domineering as ever.

Luo Tian said, "But she's still from the Divine Firmament Sect!"

"What is there to fear!"

The patriarch opened his eyes, his gaze focused and carrying a brilliance ordinary people could hardly match.

"They've taken a liking to that girl Xianning. The supreme elder came asking of his own accord. They want the Myriad Spirits Physique, yet they're still so arrogant. Shouldn't we teach them a lesson? Besides, would that bunch of rotten fish and stinking shrimp dare challenge the supreme elder?"

Luo Tian nodded and pondered for a long while.

"That's true, but even if they don't dare do anything to the Cangyun Sect, might they target Lu Changsheng? And Qingyu is going to participate in the Dynasty War. Might he be targeted because of Lu Changsheng?"

He was worried. Zhou Qingyu's talent was astonishing, and staying in the Cangyun Sect would only hold him back.

Only by joining a stronger sect could he grow better.

Luo Tian did not want to hold back such a genius.

The patriarch, however, laughed. "Always looking ahead and behind-what are you so afraid of? A genius under thirty at the ninth layer of Essence Condensation and the sixth layer of Sword Dao-who wouldn't scramble to take him? You're worried he'll have nowhere to go?"

"True!"

"Besides, their master is still around. Targeting them would be courting death!"

Hearing this, Luo Tian immediately asked, "You've found that fellow?"

"He was never lost in the first place!"

"Then..."

"Stop asking. Just act as though you know nothing about his affairs. You don't need to worry either. No one dares touch the Cangyun Sect now. Make preparations for that girl Xianling!"

"Yes!"

Luo Tian answered and was just about to turn away when the patriarch thought of something else. "Right, set aside one of the Dynasty War slots for that little fellow Lu Changsheng!"

"What?" Luo Tian frowned and immediately said, "Patriarch, we only have thirty slots. If we give one to Lu Changsheng, wouldn't that..."

"If I tell you to give him one, then give him one!"

"All right!"

Luo Tian did not dare defy the patriarch, but it still pained him greatly. The Cangyun Sect had no shortage of disciples stronger than Lu Changsheng, and even they might not successfully enter the Divine Firmament Sect.

Wasn't giving one to Lu Changsheng just fooling around?

The sect soon returned to quiet.

Zhao Jing was bound and suppressed, while the others stayed together in one place. They had originally held their heads high, arrogant beyond measure, but now every one of them trembled, their eyes full of terror.

They feared that if the Cangyun Sect became displeased, they would be dragged out and given a vicious beating.

After all, even their elder had been beaten half to death. Wouldn't beating them be effortless?

The people from the Profound Heaven Sect, however, were somewhat expectant. The Cangyun Sect's actions were undoubtedly provoking the Divine Firmament Sect's wrath, and they were eager to see what would happen.