15: Master? I think you're a true sage!

The first ray of morning sun failed to bring even a hint of warmth to the Gu Family Manor.

On the contrary, today's atmosphere was even more solemn than last night, when everyone had a collective bout of diarrhea.

The Gu Family garden, a place usually reserved for afternoon tea and socialite parties, had been transformed into a large-scale ritual site steeped in feudal superstition.

One had to admit, rich people certainly have strong execution skills.

In just one night, a three-meter-high ritual altar had been erected in the center of the garden.

It was surrounded by apricot-yellow flags covered in strange talismans, and dozens of vats of boy's urine and black dog's blood were arranged according to some unknown Formation.

A pungent stench permeated the air.

“Is this the surprise you prepared for me?”

Gu Fan stood by the floor-to-ceiling window wearing his signature loose loungewear, holding a cup of hot milk he’d just swiped from the kitchen, looking like a leader inspecting a construction site.

Behind him, Gu Wanqing was like a frightened bird, submissively holding Gu Fan's slippers.

“Fan... Lord Fan.”

Gu Wanqing's voice trembled. “That is Celestial Master Zhang. I heard his appearance fee is fifty million. He's the current heavy hitter of the Dragon Tiger Mountain's Lightning Arts.”

Gu Fan took a sip of milk and turned his gaze toward the figure on the altar who was performing a ritual dance with a peach wood sword.

The Taoist wore a robe embroidered with gold thread and had his hair tied in a bun; if one ignored the limited-edition Nike sneakers on his feet, he actually looked somewhat transcendent.

At this moment, the Gu Family’s 'Disabled Alliance' was fully assembled.

Gu Zhan sat in a wheelchair, wearing a special neck brace to prevent his tailbone from further dislocation.

Madam Li's Face was wrapped even tighter, revealing only a pair of bloodshot eyes.

Gu Yu... well, Gu Yu's current look was quite avant-garde. His charred skin paired with an afro made him look like a rock singer who had just crawled out of a coal kiln.

Only Gu Linger, who now had the intelligence of a three-year-old, was absent. It was said she was happily spitting off the second-floor balcony.

“Master Zhang! I leave everything to you!”

Gu Zhan spoke with a raspy voice, staking everything on this one move. “That monster is inside! Please, you must summon heavenly lightning to strike this villain down! Exorcise the demon and uphold the Dao!”

On the stage, Celestial Master Zhang performed a flourish with his sword. To be fair, his movements were quite stylish; he clearly had training in acrobatics.

“Infinite Longevity and Fortune!”

Celestial Master Zhang said loudly, “Since this humble Taoist has accepted the money... ahem, since I have accepted this Karma, I must naturally act on behalf of Heaven. That Prodigy has possessed a mortal body; ordinary means are difficult to use for its eradication. Only the Nine Heavens Profound Lightning can cause its Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering!”

“Good! Excellent!”

Madam Li was so excited her eyes filled with tears, as if she could already see the beautiful image of Gu Fan turning into ashes.

Gu Fan pushed open the glass door and walked out leisurely.

As soon as he appeared, the atmosphere in the garden immediately grew tense.

Gu Yu, who had been whimpering, instinctively shrank behind a bodyguard.

Yesterday's targeted cell phone explosion had left him with a massive psychological shadow.

“Oh, isn't this Master Zhang?”

Gu Fan had a bright, sunny expression. “Doing morning calisthenics? Quite healthy of you.”

Master Zhang paused his movements, looked down at Gu Fan from his high position, and gave him a contemptuous glance.

As an E-Rank Awakened, although he had mastered a slight ability to control electric currents, he was a mere novice compared to true experts.

However, it was more than enough to swindle wealthy landowners like the Gu Family who only cared about money.

In his eyes, Gu Fan was just an ordinary person with no spiritual energy fluctuations whatsoever.

“Bold Prodigy! How dare you not kneel before this Celestial Master!”

Celestial Master Zhang shouted loudly, his peach wood sword suddenly pointing toward the sky. “Today, I shall set up the Nine Heavens Lightning Induction Formation to show you that the majesty of Heaven cannot be trifled with!”

Following his angry shout, dozens of miniature dry ice machines pre-installed around the altar started simultaneously.

*Sizzle—*

A massive amount of white mist billowed out, instantly enveloping the entire garden like a fairyland.

At the same time, he quietly pressed a remote control hidden in his sleeve.

Subwoofers buried at the four corners of the altar began playing low, oppressive thunder background audio.

“Rumble...”

Honestly, the coordination of light, sound, and electricity was so good that even a Hollywood special effects team would call him a pro.

The members of the Gu Family watched in a trance, their eyes filled with fanaticism.

“This is the Great Master's method! Summoning wind and rain!”

“Fan'er! You're dead meat this time!”

Gu Fan looked at this scene and almost burst out laughing.

“Interesting, truly interesting.”

Gu Fan pulled out a marshmallow he had swiped at some point and waved it in his hand. “Master, don't just give me thunder without rain. Do something for real; I'm waiting to heat up this marshmallow.”

This single taunt immediately broke Master Zhang's concentration.

He flew into a rage out of humiliation.

A fraud hates nothing more than being exposed in public.

“Arrogant brat! You dare talk back when death is at your doorstep!”

Master Zhang bit the tip of his tongue (actually a blood pack) and sprayed a mist of blood onto the sword. “By the order of the Supreme Lord Laozi! Let there be lightning!”

He frantically channeled the pathetic amount of supernatural power in his body.

*Zzzzt.*

A tiny blue-purple electric arc, about the size of a lighter's spark, struggled out from the tip of the sword and flew crookedly toward Gu Fan.

Though it looked weak, it was still an electric current.

If an ordinary person were hit, half their body would go numb.

Malice.

It was the kind of hypocritical malice that would kill for money and put on a show for the sake of Face.

[Ding! Aggressive malice detected from E-Rank supernatural fraud 'Zhang Surname'.]

[Malice Composition Analysis: Vanity 70%, Greed 25%, Intent for Real Damage 5%.]

[Malice Rank: A-Rank.]

[Backlash triggered! Multiplier: Thirty times.]

[Backlash effect generating... Congratulations, selected: True Lightning Art Tutorial (Five Thunder Strike - Enhanced Deluxe Edition).]

[Effect Description: Since you love playing the God of Thunder so much, let's give you a first-hand experience of what's called 'light and heat effects produced due to excessive body resistance.']

Gu Fan watched the slow-moving little spark fly toward him. He didn't even dodge, merely sighing:

“That's it? This isn't even enough to charge one bar of my phone battery.”

As soon as he finished speaking.

The sky changed.

The previously clear sky was suddenly replaced by a mass of pitch-black clouds that condensed without warning directly above the Gu Family garden.

Those were no ordinary dark clouds.

It was a black vortex that seemed capable of swallowing everything.

Gu Zhan's smile froze on his Face.

Madam Li stopped her prayers.

Celestial Master Zhang was still pointing his peach wood sword at the sky, but his professionally managed Face now showed genuine terror.

He could feel that the mass above his head contained world-destroying energy.

“Is... is this also the Great Master's method?”

Gu Yu asked tremblingly, “Isn't this a bit overkill?”

“No... it's not me...”

Master Zhang's legs shook violently as he turned to run. “This isn't in the script! I just turned on a dry ice machine!”

But it was too late.

The System's judgment was already locked.

“BOOM————!!!”

No wind-up, no buildup.

A bolt of purple-gold wild lightning as thick as a water bucket, carrying an all-destroying Aura, struck straight down.

There was only one target.

The figure standing on the high platform acting tough.

“AH————!”

Master Zhang's scream was instantly drowned out by the thunder.

The intense light was blinding, making everyone momentarily unable to open their eyes.

The massive shockwave blasted all the boy's urine and black dog's blood into the sky, turning them into a foul-smelling rain of blood that splattered all over the Gu Family members.

Especially Gu Yu.

His already charred body was now drenched in black dog's blood like a drowned rat, a truly complicated mix of sensations.

When the light faded and their vision returned.

The ritual altar was gone.

Only a crater a meter deep remained.

At the bottom of the pit, the once-arrogant Master Zhang was still standing tall, maintaining his pose of pointing to the sky.

However, the Taoist robe on his body had completely carbonized, turning into flying ash with a single puff of wind.

He looked like a terracotta warrior just dug out of a coal mine.

His hair stood on end in an explosive curl, and wisps of green smoke rose from the top of his head. If one smelled carefully, there was even the aroma of roasted pork skin.

“Phew...”

Master Zhang opened his mouth and exhaled a perfectly standard black smoke ring.

Then, he fell backward as stiff as a board.

*Thud.*

The scene was dead silent (except for the distant sound of Gu Linger still playing with her spit).

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

Gu Fan walked over, looked at the still-smoking charcoal, and then at the slightly melted marshmallow in his hand.

He shook his head regretfully.

“The heat was too high; it scorched my candy.”

He turned around and looked at his family members, who were drenched like drowned rats and wearing blank expressions, and revealed a devilish smile.

“Dad, Mom, is this the God of Thunder you invited?”

“His professional skills are lacking. It's one thing to not bring a lightning rod, but he almost involved the neighbors.”

“Next time before you hire someone, remember to check their academic credentials. There are many scammers these days.”

Gu Zhan, his Face now covered in black dog's blood, breathed heavily like a pair of bellows.

He looked at the crippled man in the pit, then at the unscathed Gu Fan. Unable to catch his breath, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted once again.

Gu Fan shrugged.

“Fainted already?”

“His psychological resilience needs improvement.”