190: The immortal who ascended to heaven, Elder Xu Sen

Above the City Lord's Manor, a green figure slowly emerged.

Chen Xu didn't make a grand entrance like those powerful experts; he simply walked calmly through the Void Realm.

No lotus flowers beneath his feet, no halo behind him.

But with every step he took, the White Jade Flying Boat, which had been loftily suspended above everyone's heads...

...would sink uncontrollably.

One step, two steps, three steps... By the time Chen Xu walked level with the flying boat, that massive White Jade Flying Boat...

...was already being squeezed by an invisible, terrifying force until it creaked.

The originally flowing protective spiritual light flickered, as if it could shatter at any moment.

The middle-aged man on the boat had long lost his arrogant attitude from before.

He felt as if he were being stared down by a primordial beast, making it impossible for him to even move a finger.

"You... you are Chen Xu?"

The middle-aged man gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to kneel, and shouted with false bravado, "Since you have seen the Decree, why do you not kneel?!"

"Kneel?"

Chen Xu shook his head slightly. The way he looked at the middle-aged man...

...was like looking at a death-seeking ant.

"In this Northern Region, the person who can receive a bow from me hasn't been born yet."

Chen Xu extended a finger and hooked it gently.

The middle-aged man felt his hand lighten as the golden Decree, which he cherished as a treasure and represented the Holy Land's majesty, flew out of his hand and landed lightly in Chen Xu's.

"Give it back! That is the Holy Land's Decree; those who desecrate it shall die!"

The middle-aged man screamed in terror, trying to rush forward to snatch it, only to find the space around him seemed to have frozen.

No matter how he circulated his spiritual power, his body was pinned firmly in place.

Chen Xu ignored his clamor and casually unfurled the scroll.

On the golden scroll, every word contained the spiritual imprint of a Body Integration Stage expert.

Between the lines, there was an overbearing sense of supreme dominance.

"Seal your own cultivation... await disposal..."

Chen Xu read aloud softly as he looked, then a trace of mockery appeared at the corner of his mouth: "These old dogs of the Tianyu Holy Land haven't even fully recovered from their injuries, yet they're dreaming quite nicely."

Hearing the words "old dogs," the middle-aged man trembled all over.

His eyes were about to bulge out.

In the Tianyu Holy Land, Gu Qingfeng was a god-like existence; who would dare to insult him like this?

"You... you dare..."

"Noisy."

Chen Xu calmly spat out two words.

In the next moment, a cluster of gray flames suddenly rose from his fingertip.

This flame wasn't hot; instead, it carried a sense of desolation and silence.

Under the horrified gazes of millions of Cultivators in the city, the Decree that symbolized the supreme will of the Tianyu Holy Land turned directly into a wisp of green smoke.

Just like that, it was burned away cleanly and efficiently.

"Hiss—"

The sound of a collective intake of breath echoed through Zhenyuan City.

He burned it!

He actually burned the Holy Land's Decree!

This was no longer just a refusal; this was a slap in the Face.

It was tearing off the Tianyu Holy Land's Face and throwing it on the ground to be trampled!

The middle-aged man on the flying boat was completely stunned; his mind went blank as he looked at the drifting ashes.

Before coming, he had imagined countless possibilities—perhaps Chen Xu would bargain, or perhaps he would argue his case—but he never imagined the other party would be so extreme.

"Go back and tell the person who sent you."

Chen Xu clapped his hands, flicking the dust off his fingertips.

He looked calmly at the messenger, who was already pale with fright.

"If he wants to see me, tell him to come himself."

"If he wants to punish me, tell him to wash his neck clean before coming."

Every word burrowed clearly into the middle-aged man's ears.

Pounding on his Sea of Consciousness like a heavy hammer.

"Furthermore..."

Chen Xu leaned forward slightly, and in that instant, his originally restrained aura...

...was released by just a sliver.

Just a sliver of pressure from the Body Integration Middle Stage.

Boom—!!!

It was as if a piece of the sky had collapsed.

The massive White Jade Flying Boat emitted a tooth-grinding sound of fracturing.

The defensive Formations on the ship's hull popped like bubbles one after another. The flying boat shook violently, like a small boat in a raging storm.

As for the middle-aged man at the bow, he didn't even have time to scream before a "thump" sounded.

His knees smashed heavily onto the deck, creating two deep craters.

His Soul Transformation Stage cultivation was as fragile as a thin sheet of paper before this pressure.

"Tell him my patience is limited."

Chen Xu's voice became bone-chillingly cold: "If I don't go looking for trouble with him, he should be thanking his lucky stars."

"If he dares to send some random cats and dogs to bark in my territory again, next time, what I send back won't be words, but a head."

With that, Chen Xu waved his large sleeve.

"Scram!"

This single word was like a divine command.

A violent blast of air rose from the ground.

It slammed directly into the tottering White Jade Flying Boat.

The middle-aged man felt the world spinning; his internal organs felt like they were about to be displaced.

How could he dare to say another word? He didn't even dare to utter a single threat.

Under this terrifying pressure, he felt his Soul trembling, and a wave of warmth came from his crotch—

This normally high-and-mighty Holy Land Deacon had actually been scared into wetting himself.

"Go... quickly! Start the ship!"

The middle-aged man scrambled up on all fours.

Like a stray dog with broken legs, he fled in a panic.

The White Jade Flying Boat drew a wobbly arc in the sky.

As if drunk, it turned around in a pathetic manner.

Ignoring any Formation or decorum, and not even bothering to retract the decorative banners, it fled toward the north at full speed.

That fleeing figure formed a sharp, ironic contrast to the arrogance displayed upon arrival.

Within Zhenyuan City, there was silence for several breaths.

Then, thunderous cheers erupted.

"The City Lord is mighty!"

"Hahaha! Gratifying! This is so gratifying!"

"What bullshit Holy Land messenger? He was still scared shitless!"

The powerful Cultivators who usually suffered under the Holy Land's arrogance were now all beaming.

They felt they had never been so vindicated in their lives.

Chen Daoxuan looked at the figure standing with hands behind his back in the sky, the admiration in his eyes growing even stronger.

He knew that after this incident, the Chen Family's reputation in the Northern Region would reach a peak.

Meanwhile, Zhao Wuji, who had been observing from the shadows...

...was currently shivering in a corner, while also feeling a sense of relief.

"Fortunately... fortunately, I knelt quickly."

Zhao Wuji wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, looking at the departing flying boat with eyes full of pity: "Gu Qingfeng is also having some rotten luck. Of all people to provoke, he just had to provoke this god of slaughter."

Chen Xu ignored the cheers below; he watched the direction the flying boat disappeared, his gaze gradually becoming deep.

Having humiliated the messenger and burned the Decree, given the Tianyu Holy Land's vengeful nature...

...they would definitely not let this matter rest.

"It seems these peaceful days won't last much longer."

Chen Xu turned around and stepped back into the City Lord's Manor.

"Pass down the order."

His voice echoed in the minds of Chen Daoxuan and the others.

"Initiate first-level combat readiness, and run all Grand Formations at full power. This time, I'm afraid it won't just be a single flying boat coming."

A wind rises from the tip of the duckweed; a wave forms in the slight ripples.

The sky of the Northern Region is about to change.

In the blink of an eye, several more days passed.

And when Chen Xu's actions reached back to the Holy Land...

Deep within the Cold Jade Secret Chamber of Lingyun Hall, a furious roar made the entire mountain peak tremble.

"Useless! You are all useless!"

"Boom—!!!"

The heavy stone door of the secret chamber was blown into fragments by a violent blast of air, scattering in all directions.

Gu Qingfeng rushed out with disheveled hair, the cold air used to suppress his injuries not yet dissipated.

But the fury in his eyes was already about to erupt.

The pitch-black palm print on his chest glowed faintly red due to the intense emotional fluctuations.

Like a grotesque Face twisting in pain.

In the main hall, several Void Refining Stage Elders were already kneeling on the ground, not daring to even breathe.

The middle-aged messenger who had fled back was prostrate on the ground.

His head was pressed hard against the floor tiles, his whole body shaking like a sieve.

"Say what you just said to this seat once more!"

Gu Qingfeng stepped in front of the messenger, grabbed him by the collar, and kicked him into mid-air.

"Vice... Vice Holy Master, have mercy..."

The middle-aged messenger was so scared that snot and tears flowed together, his voice trembling: "That... that Chen Xu burned the Decree... and said... and said..."

"Said what?!"

"He said... if you want to punish him, he told you to wash your neck clean and go yourself... if you dare to send cats and dogs to bark again, next time what is sent back will be... a head..."

"Bang!"

Gu Qingfeng could no longer control the killing intent in his body; with a casual throw, the middle-aged messenger was smashed against a distant pillar like a rag doll, spitting blood and fainting on the spot.

"Too much! This is simply too much!"

Gu Qingfeng paced back and forth in the hall; with every step, a deep footprint appeared on the hard floor.

As the Vice Holy Master of the Tianyu Holy Land and a Body Integration Late Stage expert...

...who had dared to speak to him like that in the last few hundred years?

Who dared to publicly burn his Decree?

This was a slap in the Face!

This slap didn't just land on Gu Qingfeng's Face; it tore away the last bit of dignity the Tianyu Holy Land had left.

"Pass the order!"

Gu Qingfeng stopped abruptly, his eyes ferocious: "Assemble the Tianyu Guards; this seat will personally go to Zhenyuan City! I will extract that Chen Xu's Soul and refine his spirit!"

Hearing this, the Elders below all trembled.

One of the white-haired Elders braved it and looked up, his voice bitter: "Vice Holy Master, please reconsider..."

"Hmm?"

Gu Qingfeng turned his head sharply, his gaze looking like he wanted to devour someone: "You want to stop me?"

"Your subordinate wouldn't dare!"

The Elder hurriedly kowtowed: "It's just... the frontline battle report was just delivered. That Demon Race Sovereign seems to have sensed our emptiness in the rear and is gathering a large army to strike the defensive line."

"If you leave with the Tianyu Guards now, the frontline... I'm afraid it won't be held!"

Gu Qingfeng's figure froze.

These words were like a bucket of ice water.

Drenching his fury from head to toe.

Yes, the frontline.

The reason the Tianyu Holy Land could still maintain its posture as a hegemon was because it was still holding the frontline.

Once the defensive line collapsed and the Holy Land's foundation was destroyed, even if he killed Chen Xu, so what?

By then, they would be like stray dogs, and those forces in the Central Continent waiting to see them fail...

...would definitely not hesitate to pounce and tear them to pieces.

"And..."

Seeing that Gu Qingfeng had calmed down a bit, the old man added cautiously, "That Chen Xu is acting so arrogantly, even daring to publicly burn the Decree. I'm worried... this is a trap."

"A trap?"

Gu Qingfeng narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, Vice Holy Master."

The old man analyzed, "Without something to rely on, how would someone who just promoted to the Body Integration Stage dare to provoke the Holy Land like this?"

"I suspect there might be shadows of other forces behind him. For example... those families from the Central Continent?"

Gu Qingfeng's expression flickered uncertainly.

He was suspicious by nature, and he had survived in the scheming Cultivation World for decades.

He relied on this very caution.

He hadn't noticed it while blinded by rage, but now that he had calmed down and thought about it, something was indeed off.

Since Chen Xu could cultivate from the Soul Transformation Stage to the Body Integration Stage within thirty years, he must have a great secret.

Such a person is definitely no fool.

Since he's no fool and yet dares to do this, he's either insane or has total confidence in his backing.

If it's the former, it's fine, but if it's the latter... the current Tianyu Holy Land is like a sick old man.

It cannot withstand any more violent upheaval.

"Phew..."

Gu Qingfeng let out a long breath of turbid air; the sharp pain in his chest cleared his head quite a bit.

He loosened his clenched fists and slumped back into the main seat.

"Then, in your opinion, what should be done?"

Gu Qingfeng's voice carried a hint of deep exhaustion.

"Endure."

The old man uttered a single word: "Endure. If Zhenyuan City is lost, so be it; it's just a logistics supply point anyway. Our most important task now is to stabilize the front line and wait for the Holy Master to come out of seclusion, or for the situation in the Central Continent to become clear."

"Furthermore..."

A hint of cunning flashed in the old man's eyes. "Isn't the Ascending Immortal Gate from the Central Continent always keeping an eye on Zhenyuan City?"

"If we don't move, Xu Sen might not be able to sit still."

"Why not let them fight like dogs? We can sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Gu Qingfeng remained silent for a long time.

The main hall was deathly silent, save for the faint breathing of the injured messenger.

Finally, Gu Qingfeng waved his hand, a trace of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. "Fine, we'll do as you say."

"But I will remember this debt."

"Once I have the chance, I will definitely exterminate the entire Chen Family!"

...Duantian Cliff, at the border of the Northern Region and the Central Continent.

Here, fierce winds howl year-round; ordinary Cultivators cannot even stand their ground without a Magic Treasure for protection.

Atop the highest cliff, however, stood a temporary traveling palace.

Although temporary, it was extremely luxurious, exuding the grandeur of a major Sect from the Central Continent at every turn.

This was the station of the Ascending Immortal Gate's vanguard.

On a terrace of the palace, an old man in a light green Daoist robe sat cross-legged.

A chessboard was set before him.

The old man had white hair and a white beard, with a lean Face that gave him an immortal-like air, yet in his narrow eyes...

...a cold light of calculation occasionally flickered.

This person was the leading Elder of the Ascending Immortal Gate, Xu Sen, who was in the Late Stage of the Body Integration Stage.

"Elder."

A deacon in black appeared silently on the terrace and knelt on one knee. "There's news from the Tianyu Holy Land."

"Oh?"

Xu Sen held a black chess piece and didn't turn around. "With Gu Qingfeng's short temper, he should have already led his people to attack, right?"

In his view, given Gu Qingfeng's character, having his Decree burned in public was no different from someone digging up his ancestral graves.

This battle was inevitable.

"Reporting to the Elder... no."

The black-clad deacon's voice also carried a hint of surprise.

"No?"

The chess piece in Xu Sen's hand paused slightly as he finally turned his head. "What do you mean?"

"According to the scouts, after the White Jade Flying Ship fled back, sounds of smashing were indeed heard from the Lingyun Hall, and Gu Qingfeng was furious."

"But in the end... the Tianyu Guards did not assemble, and Gu Qingfeng did not take a single step out of the Holy Land."

"Snap."

The black piece in Xu Sen's hand landed on the board with a crisp sound.

"Interesting, truly interesting. It seems Gu Qingfeng was either intimidated by that Chen Xu, or... his courage was worn down by the Demon Race."

"The Tianyu Holy Land has truly reached the end of its rope."

Xu Sen stood up and walked to the edge of the terrace.

He looked down at the vast Northern Region below.

He came with a mission this time, ostensibly to support the Northern Region against the demons, but in reality, it was to expand the territory of the Ascending Immortal Gate.

The resources of the Central Continent have already been divided up by various major forces.

To develop further, they must expand outward.

This chaotic Northern Region is a massive piece of fat meat.

Originally, he was still wary of a backlash from the Tianyu Holy Land; after all, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse, and a powerful dragon cannot suppress a local snake.

But now it seems this local snake is not just thin.

It's almost lost all its teeth.

"Elder, what should we do?"

The black-clad deacon asked, "Chen Xu has occupied Zhenyuan City. If we don't act, he'll truly swallow this piece of fat meat."

"Swallow it?"

Xu Sen sneered. "He'd need to have the appetite for it."

"A junior who just promoted to Body Integration—though he has some tricks, in my eyes, he's still far too green."

"Does he think he can rest easy just because he intimidated Gu Qingfeng? Simply naive."

Xu Sen turned around and waved his sleeve, instantly turning the chessboard before him into dust.

"Since Gu Qingfeng doesn't dare to move, then I will."

"I originally wanted to wait for them to both be wounded before stepping in to clean up the mess. Now it seems the Tianyu Holy Land can't be relied upon. But this is fine too; it saves me from having to haggle with Gu Qingfeng later."

"Pass down the order: keep a close eye on the outposts around Zhenyuan City. Only entry is allowed, no exit."

"This time, I will personally go to meet this Chen Xu."

"Elder, you're going to act personally?"

The deacon was surprised. "Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? Why not let me take a few Junior Brothers..."

"No."

Xu Sen waved his hand. "Killing is the worst tactic; subjugation is the best."

"Zhenyuan City's geographical location is excellent. If it gets destroyed, rebuilding it would be time-consuming and laborious."

"Furthermore, for that Chen Xu to rise in such a short time, he must have some tricks up his sleeve."

"If I can take him for my own use and make him a dog for my Ascending Immortal Gate in the Northern Region, wouldn't that be more valuable than killing him?"

Xu Sen straightened his robes, regaining his immortal-like appearance. "Call your Junior Martial Uncle Wang and Junior Martial Uncle Li. Come with me."

"Remember, we are going there this time to talk sense."

"Yes!"

The black-clad deacon understood perfectly.

This so-called "talking sense" was a privilege reserved only for those with the biggest fists... The City Protection Grand Formation of Zhenyuan City had not been closed since it was last activated.

Although that layer of pale golden light consumed a massive amount of energy, for the Chen Family, who had just made a fortune...

...they could still afford to burn these few Spirit Stones.

Inside the City Lord's Manor, Chen Xu was not in seclusion.

He was sitting in the main seat of the hall, playing with the City Lord's Seal in his hand.

Bu Yifan sat quietly to the side, needle and thread in hand, sewing a piece of clothing for a child.

She occasionally looked up at Chen Xu, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Although the clouds of war were gathering, there was a rare sense of peace in this small space.

"Husband, about the Tianyu Holy Land... will they really not come?"

Bu Yifan asked softly. Although Chen Xu appeared very calm, she still felt uneasy.

"Gu Qingfeng doesn't dare to come."

Chen Xu set down the seal, his tone flat yet certain. "He is injured, and it's a Dao Wound that is very difficult to heal. If he were in his prime, he might risk his life against me for the sake of Face. But now, he fears death more."

"Furthermore..."

Chen Xu's eyes flickered slightly. "Someone is more anxious than he is."

Just as he finished speaking, Chen Xu suddenly looked up at the sky outside the hall.

There, ripples suddenly appeared in the previously calm space.

There was no earth-shattering display like the one made by the messenger from the Tianyu Holy Land.

Nor was there any arrogant music.

Three figures appeared silently in the sky above Zhenyuan City.

There were no flying ships, no guards of honor.

But as those three stood there, the surrounding Spiritual Qi seemed to freeze.

Especially the leading old man in green robes; there wasn't a hint of spiritual energy fluctuation around him.

He looked just like an ordinary schoolteacher.

But if one were to investigate with Divine Sense, they would find that place felt like a bottomless abyss!

"They're here."

Chen Xu stood up and smiled faintly. "As expected, it's them."

"Who?"

Bu Yifan nervously set down her needlework.

"Xu Sen of the Ascending Immortal Gate."

Chen Xu straightened his clothes, showing little surprise.

From the beginning, he never considered the Tianyu Holy Land a true opponent.

That setting-sun Sect is lucky if it can even protect itself.

The true variable has always been this powerful outsider from the Central Continent.

"Dao Xuan."

Chen Xu's voice carried out of the hall.

"Father."

Chen Dao Xuan's figure instantly appeared at the door, his expression solemn. "Outside, that's..."

"Open the Formation and invite them in."

Chen Xu commanded.

"Invite them in?"

Chen Dao Xuan was stunned. "Father, that is a master at the Late Stage of the Body Integration Stage. If we let him in and a fight breaks out, the City Protection Grand Formation will be useless."

"That is their brilliance."

Chen Xu smiled. "That fool from the Tianyu Holy Land only knows how to bluster in the sky, as if he's afraid people won't know how weak he is."

"But this Xu Sen dares to stand at my door with only two others; he's telling me he has the confidence to flip the table at any time."

"Since he's here to talk business, we'll open the door."

"Keeping the door closed is what the weak do."

Hearing this, a flash of realization crossed Chen Dao Xuan's eyes, and he immediately bowed. "Your son understands."

A moment later, a gap slowly opened in the pale golden light screen above Zhenyuan City.