You can't handle it. None of you can

Lu Changsheng flickered and appeared outside the mountain range.

As he left, the black bird did not continue attacking, choosing instead to lie low.

It would rather not have attacked if it could help it. From the look of things, its injuries were indeed severe.

Lu Changsheng was tempted, too. Who knew how many Spirit Stones a captured Nascent Soul Demon Beast would be worth?

But he still calmed himself down, mainly because he worried about being discovered.

After all, a great fiend had appeared in Cang Province, leaving everyone on edge. Back at the sect, he had heard that many people had come drawn by its reputation, intending to capture it.

At that thought, he glanced into the distance. Since east would not work, he would choose another direction. In any case, he could not let his cultivation slide.

Just as he was considering where to go, he spotted people approaching from afar.

He had intended to avoid them, but then someone called out, "Young friend, please wait!"

The speaker was a young man who looked twenty-four or twenty-five, his hair bound beneath a golden crown. His bearing was extraordinary, and his cultivation had reached the Core Formation third layer, a truly rare sight.

He seemed even more outstanding than Lu Changsheng's eldest senior brother.

Of course, Zhou Qingyu's talent was genuinely rare, far beyond what this person could compare with. Had he not cultivated the Sword Dao and focused solely on cultivation, his cultivation would only have been higher now.

Behind him stood a middle-aged man. Surprisingly, he was a powerhouse at the Nascent Soul second layer.

There was also a youth who looked seventeen or eighteen, with bright eyes, pearly teeth, and exceptionally handsome features, yet his eyes were full of arrogance.

"Need something?"

Lu Changsheng spoke, not particularly afraid.

Although the other party had brought an expert a minor realm above him, how could a hot-blooded youth bow to another?

What a joke. As if he could not outrun him!

The young man stepped forward with a smile, showing no overbearing attitude.

"Fellow Daoist, what were you doing in these mountains?"

"Wandering around!"

That answer left them taken aback.

The middle-aged man raised a brow and glanced at him without saying anything, making no effort to conceal the disdain in his eyes.

The youth snorted. "Boy, I don't like your attitude. Whatever we ask, I suggest you answer properly!"

"So that's my fault?"

As Lu Changsheng spoke, they watched him.

The youth's expression darkened somewhat.

"Are you provoking me?"

"Thinking too highly of yourself?" Lu Changsheng was unconcerned.

There was no one else here. Someone at the Nascent Soul second layer really did not amount to much.

"You..." The youth grew angry and said coldly, "Do you know who I am? You'd better straighten out your attitude, or else..."

Hm?

Lu Changsheng glanced at the youth.

The young man immediately rebuked him. "Zhao Huan, do not be rude!"

"Hmph!"

At the reprimand, the youth snorted coldly.

The middle-aged man beside him also spoke. "So young, yet you truly don't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth is. You must not know whom you're facing, to dare speak like that!"

Hearing this, Lu Changsheng raised a brow and looked over.

Somewhat displeased by their words, the young man gathered his thoughts and said, "Fellow Daoist, we're new here and know little about the area. We'd like to ask you a few questions!"

Lu Changsheng was a little surprised. This man was quite humble, not someone who invited dislike.

"What questions?"

Lu Changsheng responded. Since the other party had a good attitude, he would not begrudge him some guidance.

The young man said, "It's rather strange. We came here looking for Demon Beasts, but we've traveled for a long time without seeing a single one!"

"Looking for Demon Beasts? What for?"

"To be frank, this junior brother of mine has never left the sect. We came here hoping to find him a Demon Beast so he could gain some experience!" the young man said, making no attempt to hide it.

But the man said impatiently, "Giving him a chance to answer is a blessing. Why waste so many words!"

"If you're so impressive, don't ask me!"

"Impudent wretch! A junior like you dares be rude to me? Have you grown tired of living?"

The man barked and took a step forward, his oppressive might immediately manifesting and descending.

Lu Changsheng looked over and was about to act, only to find that the man's imposing presence had receded. The young man had stepped in front of him and was glaring at the other two.

"What ability is there in using your higher standing to bully those below you? What are you trying to show with this attitude!"

The young man's expression darkened. He was actually reprimanding that Nascent Soul cultivator.

Even more surprisingly, faced with him, the Nascent Soul cultivator actually swallowed it without arguing.

"Fellow Daoist, I'm truly sorry. I apologize to you on their behalf!" The young man cupped his hands and bowed.

Zhao Huan was still displeased but said nothing more.

Lu Changsheng looked them over and asked curiously, "Where are you from?"

"We're from the Divine Firmament Sect!" the young man replied calmly.

At those words, surprise flashed through Lu Changsheng's eyes.

Was he fated to clash with them? How did he have so many encounters with the Divine Firmament Sect?

And he had just heard that the youth's surname was Zhao. Could he be related to Zhao Jing?

Seeing Lu Changsheng's reaction, Zhao Huan grew even more disdainful.

"Now do you realize how stupid you were, and what sort of people you've offended?"

The man was sneering too. He had seen plenty of people like Lu Changsheng, always thinking themselves extraordinary, only to change their tune the moment they heard the Divine Firmament Sect's name, without a trace of their former proud, unbending backbone.

Lu Changsheng frowned.

The young man shot them a glare, then asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you know where the Demon Beasts went?"

"A great fiend appeared recently. The Demon Beasts all fled!"

"Not a single one remains?" The young man was surprised.

At this, Lu Changsheng glanced at the youth and said earnestly, "Not quite. I just saw one, but it's very powerful. I'd advise you not to go. He can't beat it!"

"An ignorant barbarian native. Who are you looking down on?" Zhao Huan sneered.

Lu Changsheng ignored him, while the young man felt somewhat disgusted by the other two's attitudes.

After taking a moment to compose himself, the young man smiled. "That's all right. We'll stand guard for him. Just tell us the direction, fellow Daoist!"

"Don't go. You can't handle it!" Lu Changsheng shook his head.

But Zhao Huan said impatiently, "Who are you saying can't handle it?"

"None of you can!"

"Ignorant fool. How could a rustic villager know the extraordinary might of the Divine Firmament Sect? It's only a Demon Beast. How strong could it be? Before us, how is it any different from clay chickens and pottery dogs, blades of grass and ants!"

Hearing this, the young man frowned. Although he disliked Zhao Huan's arrogance, what he said was true.

Never mind Cang Province-even throughout the entire Yue Kingdom, there was no Demon Beast that could leave them helpless.

"Since you insist on going, suit yourselves. But you really can't handle it!" Lu Changsheng pointed in the direction he had come from.

The more he said this, the more disdainful they became.

The young man glanced that way and immediately thanked him.

Zhao Huan gave a contemptuous smile, while the man swept a disdainful glance over him.

"Boy, you're lucky he's here today. But you've already angered me. You'd better run for your life now. Once we've dealt with the Demon Beast, I'll come back for you. If you run fast enough, count yourself lucky to survive!"

"If you can make it back to me alive, count yourself lucky to survive too!"

Lu Changsheng paid no heed to the provocation, instead revealing a faint smile.

The vicious glint in the man's eyes intensified, but with the young man present, he still chose to hold back.

"That young man is no ordinary person. Looks like his standing in the Divine Firmament Sect is quite high!" As Lu Changsheng spoke, he found a mountain peak and settled there.

He had already warned them. If anything went wrong, they could not blame him.

Who told them not to listen? The more he advised them against it, the more determined they were to go. He did not know whether they wanted to flaunt their abilities or whether their sense of superiority was so strong that, once outside their sect, they considered everything beneath them!

If any karma came of this, they had no business blaming him. After all, they were the stubborn ones. Ever helpful, he had already shown them the way. Good people like him were rare these days.

What he did not expect, however, was that before long, a sky-shattering commotion erupted over there!