Zhao Jing knelt on the ground, her face being slapped repeatedly.
The young man beside her stepped forward, attempting to intervene, but a surge of force struck him down, suppressing him alongside her.
“Bastards! I am an Elder of the Shenxiao Sect! How dare you humiliate me!”
Zhao Jing roared in fury, her cold eyes staring daggers at her captors.
Luo Tian, Lin Po, and the others were utterly stunned. They had never expected the Ancestor to take action.
After all, the other party belonged to the Shenxiao Sect. Yet, the Ancestor was unyielding, meting out slaps the moment he arrived, leaving them absolutely no face.
“So what if you are from the Shenxiao Sect? Does the Shenxiao Sect not need to reason? Can the Shenxiao Sect simply do as it pleases? If you do not give me a proper explanation today, this old man will beat you to death!”
A collective gasp echoed through the crowd.
At that moment, a figure emerged from the depths of the Cangyun Sect, instantly drawing every gaze.
Lu Changsheng looked over and was surprised yet again.
Unlike the immortal-like, white-bearded hermit he had imagined, this was a burly man who stood like an iron tower.
His muscles bulged, his hair and beard were flecked with gray, and his eyes shone with piercing brilliance. His entire being exuded an overwhelming, domineering aura.
The moment he appeared, a sudden tension gripped everyone present, and their hearts trembled.
‘The Ancestor is actually a body cultivator!’
Lu Changsheng was shocked, completely caught off guard.
Moreover, despite the Ancestor’s advanced age, his blood and Qi surged with a vitality that far surpassed any of the young people present.
Seeing the Cangyun Ancestor approach, Zhao Jing’s expression turned grave.
“Is your Cangyun Sect attempting to rebel?”
“Slap!”
Before her words could fully land, the Cangyun Ancestor delivered a backhand strike across her face. The force sent her flying sideways, crashing through a stone wall and causing the entire mountain to tremble.
Her face swelled violently as if her skull might burst, and blood flowed uncontrollably from her mouth.
“Rebel your ass!”
His furious roar made the ears of everyone nearby ache, manifesting a terrifying dominance.
Though Zhao Jing’s eyes glared with venomous malice, a trace of genuine fear finally surfaced within her.
The Ancestor strode forward, his massive, mountain-like frame closing in with immense pressure.
He glared down at the old woman he had nearly killed with a single blow and barked, “You dog, what are you acting so arrogant for? Do not forget, it is your Shenxiao Sect that has come begging to our doors. If you utter another word, believe it or not, I will refuse to hand over the girl!”
“You…”
“Clank!”
With a wave of the Ancestor’s hand, a heavy iron chain materialized and bound the old woman tightly. He then turned to the disciples nearby.
“Throw this wretch into the prison cell. If the Shenxiao Sect does not provide a satisfactory apology, this old man will put her to death!”
Luo Tian stood frozen. The Ancestor was already at such an advanced age, yet his temper remained incredibly volatile.
The Peak Lords and Elders could only offer bitter, helpless smiles.
The remaining disciples, however, looked on with profound admiration. Their hearts swelled, never imagining their sect harbored such a ruthless figure.
Lu Changsheng clicked his tongue in approval. He took a liking to this Ancestor-protective, overbearing, and utterly unreasonable to outsiders.
To his surprise, the Ancestor suddenly turned toward him.
“You are Lu Changsheng?”
“Yes, Ancestor!”
“Mmh.” The Ancestor nodded approvingly. “Rest assured, I will definitely give you a proper resolution regarding today’s matter. The disciples of my Cangyun Sect do not have to swallow such wretched insults!”
“Ancestor is truly dominant!”
Lu Changsheng grinned.
The onlookers exchanged glances, caught completely off guard by this turn of events. At the same time, deep anxiety began to settle into the hearts of many.
The Shenxiao Sect was incredibly powerful-the undisputed hegemon of this entire region. They feared an irreversible catastrophe was looming.
However, the Ancestor merely dismissed them with a wave of his hand and departed.
As the crowd began to disperse, Zhao Jing was dragged away to the prison cell.
Ning Yuxin remained in a daze as she followed Lu Changsheng back to Qingyun Peak.
She still had no idea what had sparked the conflict, but during this ordeal, she had achieved a breakthrough.
Her cultivation had advanced from the Ninth Layer of Spirit Accumulation into the First Layer of Essence Condensation. Her physical vessel had strengthened, and her sword intent had successfully broken through to the second level-all without a single trace of instability.
Her delight was beyond measure.
Ordinarily, crossing the threshold from Spirit Accumulation to Essence Condensation would require at least half a year to a year of arduous effort, yet she had succeeded in less than a day.
Lu Changsheng had surprised her once again.
Recalling the cultivation “package” he had mentioned earlier, her heart pounded with excitement. She immediately wrote a letter to her clan, requesting that they dispatch Spirit Stones without delay.
In the eyes of both herself and her family, this arrangement was an absolute bargain.
At the same time, her curiosity regarding this Senior Brother deepened. Over the past few days, she had nearly forgotten her original purpose for coming to Qingyun Peak.
Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng happily carried the Red Spirit Grass away to refine his pills.
Inside the main hall of the Cangyun Sect, the Ancestor sat upon the high throne while Luo Tian stood below, his brow furrowed with worry.
“Ancestor, regarding today’s actions… was it perhaps too…”
“Where does all this hesitant nonsense come from? She dared to bully her way onto my Cangyun Sect’s domain; did you expect me to tolerate that old hag?” the Ancestor barked, his demeanor as unyielding as ever.
“What is there to fear?”
The Ancestor opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and focused, radiating a brilliant splendor that ordinary cultivators could never match.
“They have taken a fancy to the girl Qianning. Their Supreme Elder personally came to request the All-Spirit Physique, yet they still dare to act so insolently. Shouldn’t we teach them a lesson? Besides, do you truly think those worthless dogs would dare challenge our Supreme Elder?”
Luo Tian nodded, pondering the matter for a long duration.
“That is true. However, even if they do not dare strike at the Cangyun Sect directly, will they target Lu Changsheng? Furthermore, Qingyu is meant to participate in the Great Kingdom War. Will he be targeted because of his association with Lu Changsheng?”
His anxiety was palpable. Zhou Qingyu’s talent was extraordinary; remaining confined to the Cangyun Sect would only stifle his potential.
Only by entering a more powerful sect could he achieve his true growth.
Luo Tian did not wish to hinder such a rare genius.
The Ancestor chuckled. “Always looking forward and backward-what are you so afraid of? A genius under thirty who has attained the Ninth Layer of Essence Condensation and the sixth level of sword intent-every sect will be clawing to claim him. Are you truly worried he will have nowhere to go?”
“That makes sense.”
“Furthermore, their master is still around. Targeting them is simply courting death.”
Hearing this, Luo Tian immediately asked, “That fellow has been found?”
“He was never lost to begin with!”
“Then…”
“Ask no further. Act as though you know nothing of his matters, and do not fret. For now, no one dares to touch the Cangyun Sect. Go and prepare the girl Qianning!”
“Understood!”
Luo Tian complied and turned to leave, but the Ancestor called out as something else came to mind.
“By the way, allocate one of our slots for the Great Kingdom War to that kid Lu Changsheng.”
“What?” Luo Tian frowned, instantly protesting. “Ancestor, we only possess thirty slots in total. Giving one to Lu Changsheng… isn’t that…”
“If I tell you to give it to him, just give it to him!”
“Very well.”
Luo Tian did not dare defy the Ancestor, though his heart ached at the choice. There were numerous disciples within the sect far stronger than Lu Changsheng, and even they were not guaranteed to successfully enter the Shenxiao Sect.
Giving a slot to Lu Changsheng felt like a complete farce.
Soon, peace returned to the sect.
With Zhao Jing bound and imprisoned, the remaining members of her entourage were confined to a single courtyard. Where they had once carried themselves with haughty arrogance, they now trembled in absolute terror.
They feared that if the Cangyun Sect became displeased, they would be dragged out and beaten mercilessly.
After all, if an Elder could be beaten half to death, thumping them would be effortless.
Meanwhile, the few representatives from the Profound Heaven Sect watched on with faint anticipation. The Cangyun Sect’s actions had undoubtedly provoked the Shenxiao Sect, and they were eager to see the chaotic aftermath.