167: Miao'er, come back quickly!

Dark clouds gathered over the Taichu Sect without warning.

Lightning rolled deep within the clouds like angry Dragons ready to devour anyone.

A terrifying pressure that made even a Saint King tremble crashed down like the pouring of the Heavenly River!

"Boom—!"

The Taichu Sect's Sect-Protecting Formation shook violently, letting out an overwhelmed wail as its light dimmed at a visible speed.

"What's happening?!"

"Enemy attack!!"

Within the Sect, countless Disciples were suppressed to the ground by this pressure. Those with weak cultivation spat out blood on the spot, their Divine Souls shaken.

They looked up in terror.

Above the clouds, a figure in a gold-threaded black robe stood with hands behind his back, stepping on a profound array pattern that was firmly suppressing the Sect-Protecting Formation.

His face was cold and stern as he looked down disdainfully, treating the tens of thousands of Taichu Sect Disciples below like ants.

A Quasi-Emperor!

This was a living Quasi-Emperor!

"Where is the Taichu Sect Master?"

The Quasi-Emperor's voice, like Nine Heavens divine thunder, clearly entered everyone's ears.

"Lin Chao of the Taishi Holy Land has come to demand accountability!"

"I give you ten breaths to crawl out and meet your death!"

"Otherwise, I will slaughter your entire Sect!"

Arrogant!

Domineering!

Leaving no room for negotiation!

Within the Sect, there was both shock and anger.

"Taishi Holy Land? Isn't that our Upper Sect?"

"Why would a Quasi-Emperor from the Upper Sect come to demand accountability from us?"

Some newly joined Disciples were confused, even feeling a bit of joy in their hearts, thinking an important figure from the Upper Sect had come to inspect and perhaps they could climb the social ladder.

But soon, their ridiculous fantasies were completely extinguished by the solemn expressions of the Senior Brothers around them.

The visitor did not come with good intentions!

Inside the main hall.

The Taichu Sect Master, Great Sage Taishi, slowly opened his eyes.

Feeling that familiar yet strange Quasi-Emperor pressure, a complex expression finally appeared on his normally calm face.

Lin Chao.

He hadn't heard this name for thousands of years.

Back then, it was precisely because of this person that he was marginalized and exiled to this desolate Sacred Ruins Continent to establish the Taichu Sect branch.

To think that after thousands of years...

He had actually attained the Dao as a Quasi-Emperor.

"Sect Master!"

Several Elders rushed into the hall with pale faces.

"The visitor from the Upper Sect has ill intentions; what should we do?"

"What are you panicking for?"

Great Sage Taishi stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and his back, which had become slightly hunched with age, straightened once more.

"Soldiers will be blocked by generals, and water by earth."

"Follow me out to see."

With one step, he appeared on the square outside the hall.

He looked up, staring directly at Lin Chao high in the sky through the crumbling Sect-Protecting Formation, his tone calm.

"I did not know Quasi-Emperor Lin Chao would grace us with his presence. To what do we owe the honor?"

"Our Taichu Sect lineage has been diligent since its founding, guarding the Sacred Ruins Continent and never overstepping. I wonder what crime we have committed to warrant the Quasi-Emperor himself coming to demand accountability?"

"Heh."

Lin Chao let out a cold laugh, his gaze becoming increasingly icy.

"Diligent?"

"Grand Beginning, it's been thousands of years. Your ability to turn black into white has certainly improved."

He didn't want to say more; he came here to settle both old and new scores!

He wanted to ruthlessly crush this Senior Brother who had once suppressed him so much he couldn't lift his head!

He wanted the entire Taichu Sect to be buried with him for his past frustrations!

"I will give you one last chance."

Lin Chao extended a finger, pointing downward.

"Immediately open the Sect-Protecting Formation, bind your own hands and feet, and follow me back to the Holy Land to receive your punishment!"

"Otherwise..."

His killing intent was fully revealed.

"I will personally crush this tortoise shell along with your Sect!"

"Boom—!"

An even more terrifying Quasi-Emperor pressure, mixed with the aura of an ancient token, crashed down heavily.

"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

Outside the Formation, the cultivation of those isolated Disciples was immediately suppressed.

Many couldn't withstand the pressure; their knees buckled, and they knelt directly on the ground, frantically kowtowing toward the sky for mercy.

"Quasi-Emperor, please spare our lives!"

"We have nothing to do with this!"

Lin Chao looked at the lowly ants begging for mercy below, a cruel smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

He enjoyed this feeling of holding the power of life and death, of deciding a person's fate with a single word.

Inside the Formation.

Great Sage Taishi watched all this coldly.

He took in the expressions of those Elders and Disciples who looked conflicted or even restless.

「Just as well.」

He sneered inwardly.

「I'll take this opportunity to see how many pests are in this Sect.」

"Hear my command."

Great Sage Taishi's voice spread throughout the entire Sect.

"Deactivate the Sect-Protecting Formation."

"Welcome the Quasi-Emperor... into the Sect!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire place was in an uproar.

Lin Chao was also stunned, then he began to grin savagely.

"At least you're sensible!"

As the Formation's light dissipated, he stepped into the Taichu Sect.

"Welcome, Quasi-Emperor!"

Several figures rushed out of the Elders' Pavilion impatiently, bowing and scraping before Lin Chao, fawning to the extreme.

"Senior Brother Lin Chao, it's been years, and you're as magnificent as ever!"

"We've been looking forward to Senior Brother's triumphant return for a long time!"

Even several old Saints of the Taishi Holy Land who had been banished here now emerged from seclusion, currying favor with Lin Chao in an attempt to flatter him and return to the Holy Land.

Looking at these people begging like dogs, the anger in Lin Chao's heart lessened slightly, and his vanity was greatly satisfied.

His gaze then shifted to Great Sage Taishi not far away.

"Boom—!"

The Quasi-Emperor aura suddenly erupted, pressing down on Great Sage Taishi like a Primordial Divine Mountain.

"Grand Beginning!"

"Kneel!"

Lin Chao barked.

"Puff!"

Great Sage Taishi's body shook, and a mouthful of blood welled up in his throat, which he forced back down.

Between a Great Sage and a Quasi-Emperor, there was a single step, but it was worlds apart.

That terrifying pressure caused the bones in his entire body to emit explosive sounds as if they were about to shatter, and his face turned bright red.

But those knees of his were like divine iron rooted deep in the earth, remaining motionless!

Wanting him to kneel?

In his dreams!

Seeing this, Lin Chao laughed out of extreme anger.

"Good! Very good!"

"Death is at your door, yet you still dare to be stubborn!"

"I want to see just how hard your bones are!"

He was about to apply pressure again to crush Great Sage Taishi alive.

At this time.

In the Su Family Ancestral Land.

In a quiet courtyard.

A beautiful woman wearing the Taichu Sect uniform was sitting cross-legged in meditation.

Lin Miao.

She originated from the Taichu Sect and was later brought back to the Su Family by Su Xuanchen. Her cultivation had now reached the Saint Realm.

Suddenly.

"Buzz—!"

A transmission Jade Slip emerged from the Void Realm.

"Miao'er, return quickly!"

It was a message from the Taichu Sect's Old Ancestor!

Lin Miao was startled, her heart full of doubt.

The Old Ancestor hadn't proactively contacted her for hundreds of years; why was he so urgent today?

Although she was confused, thinking of the Old Ancestor's past kindness, she didn't dare to delay in the slightest.

She immediately stood up, packed her things, and prepared to return to the Sect at once.

She did not yet know that a terrifying storm stirred by a Quasi-Emperor was currently sweeping through her former Sect.