197: You're such a jerk! You can't beat the Great Emperor, so you want to eat Lord Niu?

Gu Changge withdrew his gaze, looking into the far distance again, as if piercing through the endless Void Realm, seeing some ancient existences that were being startled awake from their slumber, exuding dense Death Qi and monstrous pressure.

One of these auras came from the deepest part of an ancient Holy Land, filled with decay and decline, as if it could dissipate into the Dao at any moment, yet the power hidden deep within it still made one's heart palpitate.

That was a true Old Ancestor of a Holy Land, with less than ten years of Lifespan remaining; his desire for undying divine medicine was enough to make him spare no effort, unleashing boundless slaughter!

“Saints… are also about to lose their patience?” Gu Changge whispered softly, yet there was no ripple in his eyes, “This play is getting more and more interesting.”

However, just at this moment—

“Ouch—! It hurts like hell!!”

A shrill cry, mixed with a touch of comicality, suddenly broke the usual tranquility of Zizhu Peak.

At the entrance of the Eternal Heavens Pride Tower, the light twisted for a moment, and a figure, like a sandbag being thrown, tumbled out rather embarrassingly, rolling twice on the ground before steadying himself—it was none other than Xuan Yangzi, the Sect Master of Qingxuan Sect!

His appearance at this moment was truly wretched; his originally ethereal Daoist robe now had several rips and was stained with dust, his hair bun was disheveled, with a few strands hanging down.

His face was bruised and swollen, especially his left eye socket, where a dark black eye was particularly conspicuous, making his originally dignified demeanor vanish, replaced by a somewhat comical look.

Xuan Yangzi lay on the ground, grimacing and sucking in cold air, his mind still a bit dazed.

“Hiss… my old back…? They truly don’t play fair, always aiming for the face!”

He rubbed his sore arms and legs while grumbling, feeling as if all his bones were about to fall apart.

Suddenly, his movements froze, and he abruptly looked up at his surroundings.

The familiar scenery of Zizhu Peak, the distant mountains shrouded in mist, and… the Eternal Heavens Pride Tower behind him that had “spit” him out.

“I… I’m out?”

Xuan Yangzi was stunned for a moment, then realized that he had been forcibly beaten out by the projection of that “Great Emperor Baizhan” inside the Tower!

And he had lost even more miserably than last time!

An indescribable sense of shame and indignation instantly surged into his heart.

To think that he, the dignified Sect Master of Qingxuan Sect, now a mighty Saint Realm expert, had obtained the Emperor Scripture and resources from his Junior Brother, his cultivation greatly advanced, and originally thought he could last longer in the Tower, even fantasizing about one day defeating the projection of a Great Emperor at the same realm… yet he was still beaten so miserably, and then unceremoniously “kicked” out!

If the Disciples under his sect saw this, where would his dignity as Sect Master go?

Like a thief, he furtively glanced left and right, his Divine Sense sweeping rapidly around like a breeze.

“No one saw, right? Please, no one saw…” He secretly prayed, his old face feeling a bit hot.

Hmm? Junior Niece Ling Xi doesn't seem to be on the peak, the aura of Elder Jimie isn't detectable, and Junior Brother Shi isn't here either… Good, good… However, his Divine Sense swept over the peak, and he saw Gu Changge standing with his hands behind his back, facing away from him.

“Uh… Junior Brother is here…” Xuan Yangzi’s old face flushed, then he felt relieved.

“Forget it, forget it, if Junior Brother saw it, then he saw it. It’s not the first time anyway… In front of him, my image as Sect Master has long been nonexistent…”

He struggled to get up but aggravated his injuries, involuntarily taking another sharp breath, rubbing his bruised eye socket and wailing: “Ouch… It really hurts… That projection hits too hard…”

Just at this moment—

“Moo~~~”

A low bellow, yet clearly tinged with teasing and schadenfreude, came from the Spirit Medicine garden not far away.

Xuan Yangzi’s movements froze, and he slowly turned his head.

He saw the Azure Sky Python Bull King, who usually lay lazily napping, now propping up its massive bull head, its bell-like bull eyes wide open, staring unblinkingly at him.

Its huge bull mouth was slightly agape, and the corners of its mouth seemed to curve upwards in a very human-like arc, its eyes filled with undisguised… mockery!

As if saying, “Look at your sorry state! Got beaten out again, didn’t you? Hahaha!”

Xuan Yangzi: “!!!”

His old face instantly turned crimson, and he sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, no longer caring about the pain in his body, pointing at the Azure Sky Python Bull King and roaring in exasperation:

“You old ox! You… you, you, you… what are you laughing at?! What do you, a beast who guards the garden, understand?!

I was… I was discussing the Dao and sparring with an ancient Great Emperor! Sparring, understand?! It’s glorious even in defeat! Glorious!!!”

The Azure Sky Python Bull King snorted disdainfully, exhaling two plumes of white Qi, and shook its large head. The mockery in its eyes grew even stronger, as if saying, “Oh, please, you’re beaten black and blue and still glorious? I, your Bull Lord, look better gnawing on Spirit Medicine than you do fighting!”

Xuan Yangzi was so enraged by this ox that his whole body trembled. He pointed at it, “You… you…” for a long time, unable to utter a complete sentence. Arguing with a beast, winning was not glorious, and losing was even more humiliating!

He was flushed with anger, and finally could only sullenly flick his torn sleeve, pretending to be calm as he straightened his tattered Daoist robe, trying to salvage a bit of his Sect Master dignity, muttering, “Hmph! A summer insect cannot speak of ice! This Sect Master will not stoop to your level!”

As he mumbled, rubbing his bruised eye, he limped a few steps towards Gu Changge. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and he couldn't help but point at the Azure Sky Python Bull King, complaining to Gu Changge.

“Changge! Look! Look at this stupid ox! It’s completely out of control! It actually dares to mock this Sect Master! This… what kind of decorum is this?!”

Hearing this, the Azure Sky Python Bull King, far from being afraid, snorted again and shook its big head: “What’s wrong? Not convinced? If you’re so capable, go back into the Tower and spar with the Great Emperor again?”

Xuan Yangzi suddenly smacked his lips, savoring the thought, “Junior Brother! It’s not me talking! This beef… this beef hasn’t been eaten for a long time, Senior Brother… I miss it terribly! Look at how fat and strong it is… stew a pot… stew a pot would definitely be very nourishing!”

As soon as his words fell, the Azure Sky Python Bull King’s bell-like bull eyes instantly widened, and all its fur nearly stood on end!

“Moo—!!!”

It let out a roar of surprise and anger, suddenly stood up from the ground, vigilantly staring at Xuan Yangzi, its four hooves restlessly pawing the ground, thick white Qi snorting from its nostrils.

“You, Xuan Yangzi! Can’t beat the Great Emperor so you want to eat me, the Bull Lord?! How about we spar a bit?!”

Xuan Yangzi was already in a fit of pique, and being provoked repeatedly by this ox, how could he still hold back?

He immediately disregarded the pain in his body, rolled up his tattered sleeve, and, sticking out his neck, roared, “Spar then, spar! Who’s afraid of whom?! Do you really think this Sect Master can’t deal with an ox that guards the garden?!”