231: Chapter 231 The Descent of the Golden Immortal and the Crackdown on "Illegal Fundraising"

Black Wind Sea Region, Wumeng Island.

Today's Wumeng Island was no longer that barren, desolate place.

Under the governance of "Azure Cloud Celestial Venerable" (Zhou Wannian's persona), this place had become the "Tax-Free Special Zone" and "Medical Holy Land" of the entire sea region. As long as one worshipped the divine statue, they would receive the protection of divine light, repelling sea beasts and healing Evil Qi.

The top floor of the Island Lord's Mansion, an open-air balcony.

Zhou Wannian (Han Li) lay on a recliner, wearing a pair of sunglasses polished from ink crystals, enjoying a massage from two maids (who were actually Puppets).

"Beep—"

"Today's Power Of Faith settlement: increased by 15%. immortal spiritual power conversion efficiency: increased to 200%."

"heaven seizing bottle green liquid condensation speed: shortened to one drop every three days."

Tiezhu's voice reported in his mind.

"Not bad."

Zhou Wannian took a leisurely sip of immortal spiritual juice.

"At this rate, in less than ten years, I'll be able to restore my cultivation to the Middle True Immortal stage. And this Earth Deity Incarnation..."

Zhou Wannian glanced behind him.

In the Void Realm, a thousand-foot-tall, jade-white phantom of a deity was faintly visible, sitting cross-legged and devouring the white spots of light gathering from all directions.

This Incarnation's strength was already infinitely close to the Late True Immortal stage.

With enough faith, it could even withstand a Golden Immortal!

However, good days are always short-lived.

"Warning! Ultra-high energy reaction locked onto this island! Energy level: Early Golden Immortal Stage! Hostility value: Off the charts!"

"It's here."

Zhou Wannian took off his sunglasses, a cold sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Beat the small one, and the old one comes."

"Black Wind Ancestor, let me see what you're made of."

...Rumble—!!!

The originally clear sky was instantly obscured by a pitch-black hurricane.

This wind was no ordinary wind, but the Nine Nether Black Wind containing the "Bone-Corroding Law." Everywhere it passed, the seawater turned black, and space was corroded, emitting sizzling white smoke.

"Wumeng Island Lord! Get out here!"

A roar exploded like thunder.

From within the Black Wind, a ten-thousand-foot-long skeleton battleship broke through the clouds.

At the bow of the battleship stood an old man in black robes, surrounded by Black Wind dragons. His face was gaunt, but his eyes flickered like ghost fires, radiating a Golden Immortal pressure that changed the color of the heavens and earth.

The overlord of the Black Wind Sea Region—[Black Wind Ancestor].

"What audacity!"

Black Wind Ancestor looked down at the island radiating peaceful white light, trembling with rage especially when he saw the giant statue of "Azure Cloud Celestial Venerable."

"Conducting 'illegal fundraising' (collecting faith) on my turf?"

"You even dared to kill the messenger of my Black Wind City?"

"Today, I shall wash Wumeng Island in blood! Not even a chicken or dog shall be left!"

"World-Destroying Black Wind! Fall!"

Whoosh—

With a wave of his hand, the Black Wind filling the sky transformed into countless hideous black dragons, carrying the Law of destruction as they roared toward Wumeng Island.

The Mortals and low-level Cultivators on the island were pale with fright, kneeling before the statue to pray.

"Celestial Venerable, save us! Celestial Venerable, show your power!"

"Stop shouting, it's useless even if you scream your lungs out!" Black Wind Ancestor sneered, "In front of a Golden Immortal, a so-called 'god' is nothing but a joke!"

However.

Just as the black dragons were about to swallow the island.

"Buzz—"

The previously lifeless statue of "Azure Cloud Celestial Venerable" suddenly opened its eyes.

Two golden pillars of light shot into the sky.

"Golden Immortal?"

A grand, majestic voice, as if from an ancient divine court, echoed between heaven and earth.

"In front of me, Azure Cloud, who dares claim invincibility?"

Boom!

The statue moved.

It raised its jade-white giant hand and lightly swatted at the black dragons filling the sky.

"Divine Art: Great Brightness Palm."

It was no ordinary immortal art, but a Law strike condensed purely from the Power Of Faith.

"Snap!!!"

A crisp sound.

Those aggressive black dragons, the moment they met this giant hand, were like snow meeting a blazing sun, instantly melting and disintegrating.

The residual force of the palm strike didn't diminish, heading straight for the skeleton battleship in the sky.

"What?!"

Black Wind Ancestor's expression changed drastically.

"A faith Incarnation?! And a True God Dharma Idol with a condensed physical form?!"

"How is this possible? Where did all this Power Of Faith come from?!"

How could he know that Zhou Wannian had not only collected faith from Wumeng Island but also had Tiezhu set up a "network pyramid scheme" to trick the faith out of hundreds of surrounding islands.

"Hmph! Petty tricks!"

Black Wind Ancestor was a Golden Immortal after all; though surprised, he did not panic.

He sacrificed a pitch-black fan in his hand.

"Black Wind Fan: Wind Sweeping the Clouds!"

Whoosh!

A more terrifying Law hurricane blew out, forcefully holding back the descending Great Brightness Palm.

"Come out! You junior playing god!"

Black Wind Ancestor's gaze was like lightning, locking onto the direction of the Island Lord's Mansion.

"As you wish."

A streak of azure light flashed.

Zhou Wannian, with his hands behind his back, stepped onto the Void Realm and walked up to the heavens step by step.

Behind him, the thousand-foot-tall Earth Deity Incarnation moved in sync with him, like his shadow.

"Black Wind Ancestor."

Zhou Wannian looked at the Golden Immortal who controlled this sea region, his eyes as calm as if he were looking at a slightly larger fly.

"You've come at the right time."

"My 'Azure Cloud Divine Sect' just happens to lack a Protector to guard the gate."

"I see you have an extraordinary skeletal structure; you're quite suited for this position."

"Arrogance!!"

Black Wind Ancestor laughed out of extreme anger.

"A mere Ascender at the Early True Immortal Stage, plus a faith Incarnation, and you think you can rival a Golden Immortal?"

"You know nothing of power!"

"Golden Immortal Law: Wind Realm!"

Buzz!

The space within ten thousand miles was instantly sealed. Countless wind blades were generated in the Void Realm, each sufficient to instantly kill a Late True Immortal.

This was the signature technique of a Golden Immortal expert—the Law Domain.

Within the Domain, he was God!

"Die!"

Black Wind Ancestor's figure vanished, turning into the omnipresent wind, and instantly appeared behind Zhou Wannian, clawing at his back.

This claw was silent and extremely fast.

"Die!"

However.

Just as his sharp claws were about to touch the hem of Zhou Wannian's clothes.

"Ding."

Time... seemed to stutter for a moment.

It wasn't true time stasis (Zhou Wannian's current cultivation wasn't enough to freeze a Golden Immortal for long over a large area), but even a stutter of a tenth of a second was enough for an expert.

[heaven seizing bottle: Light of Years].

Zhou Wannian tilted his body slightly, just managing to avoid that lethal claw.

Immediately after.

He threw a backhand punch.

He didn't use immortal spiritual power.

Instead... "Physical Body Divine Ability: True Dragon Sky-Render!"

At this moment, his right arm was instantly covered in golden dragon scales, transforming into a hideous five-clawed dragon arm.

"Bang!!!"

This punch landed solidly on Black Wind Ancestor's face.

"Crack!"

Black Wind Ancestor's proud Golden Immortal protective immortal light was like an eggshell in front of this punch.

"Awoo—!!!"

A miserable scream.

Black Wind Ancestor was sent flying like a spinning top, rotating hundreds of times in the air before barely stopping.

Half his face was swollen like a pig's head, and teeth were scattered everywhere.

"You... your Physical Body..."

Black Wind Ancestor clutched his face, his eyes full of terror.

"A True Spirit?! You are a True Spirit in human form?!"

A Physical Body capable of breaking a Golden Immortal shield with one punch—he couldn't think of any other possibility besides those primordial True Spirits!

"I'm your granddaddy."

Zhou Wannian cracked his neck.

"Warm-up's over."

"Next, it's time to show you... true fear."

Zhou Wannian pointed with one hand.

"Jiner, stop sleeping."

"It's time for a buffet."

"Buzz—"

A streak of golden light only the size of a fingernail flew out from Zhou Wannian's sleeve.

It was so small that Black Wind Ancestor didn't even notice it at first.

Until... that golden light ignored his Wind Domain and landed directly on his protective immortal armor.

"Crunch, crunch."

That [Medium Grade Immortal Artifact: Black Wind Armor], which had cost him ten thousand years of effort to refine, actually had a large hole bitten through it by that little insect in just a few bites!

"This... this is..."

Black Wind Ancestor's pupils shook.

"Gold-Devouring Insect?!!"

"And it's... a King?!"

"Aaaah—get away! Get away!"

Black Wind Ancestor went mad.

He could fight a True Dragon, he could fight an Earth Deity.

But he absolutely dared not fight a mature Gold Devouring Insect King! Even a Taiyi Jade Immortal would take a detour upon seeing this thing!

"Run! I must run!"

Black Wind Ancestor no longer had his previous arrogance; he turned into a streak of Black Wind, about to perform a blood escape.

"Can you run?"

Zhou Wannian sneered.

The Earth Deity Incarnation behind him suddenly formed a hand seal.

"Divine Art: Drawing a Prison on the Ground."

Endless Power Of Faith transformed into a white cage, instantly sealing the area for a hundred miles.

Although it couldn't trap a Golden Immortal for long, it only needed an instant.

"Puchi!"

The Gold Devouring Insect King had already burrowed into Black Wind Ancestor's Physical Body and begun to feast.

"Aaaah—mercy! Immortal, have mercy!"

"I am willing to submit! I am willing to be a Protector!"

"Stop eating! My Nascent Soul is about to be devoured!"

Black Wind Ancestor rolled in pain in the air, letting out pig-like screams for mercy.

Zhou Wannian didn't stop immediately.

He stood with his hands behind his back, watching quietly.

Until Black Wind Ancestor's Aura dropped to rock bottom and his Golden Immortal Dao Fruit was almost shattered.

"Stop."

Zhou Wannian spoke indifferently.

The Gold Devouring Insect King emerged from Black Wind Ancestor's nostril, unsatisfied, and flew back to Zhou Wannian's shoulder, not forgetting to wave its little claw provocatively.

Covered in blood, Black Wind Ancestor slumped in the Void Realm, looking at the youth who was like a demon god, completely broken.

"Do you submit?"

Zhou Wannian walked up to him and asked condescendingly.

"I... I submit..."

Black Wind Ancestor lowered his head, trembling.

"Very good."

Zhou Wannian reached out and pressed his hand against the crown of the ancestor's head.

"Release your Divine Soul."

"I will plant a Restriction."

Black Wind Ancestor's body stiffened, but under the greedy gaze of the Gold Devouring Insect King, he could only close his eyes in despair, allowing Zhou Wannian to deeply plant a Divine Thought Restriction carrying the Time Law into the depths of his Primordial Spirit.

A moment later.

Zhou Wannian withdrew his hand.

"From today on."

"The Black Wind Sea Region is renamed the... Azure Cloud Sea Region."

"You are the first 'Guardian Vajra' of the Azure Cloud Divine Sect."

"Stop calling yourself Black Wind Ancestor; it sounds terrible."

Zhou Wannian thought for a moment.

"From now on, I'll call you... Xiao Hei."

Black Wind Ancestor (Xiao Hei): "..."

A dignified Golden Immortal, turned into a pet?

But he didn't dare to argue and could only kowtow like a woodpecker.

"Thank... thank you for your great grace, Master."

...Three days later.

The entire Black Wind Sea Region was shaken.

The original overlord, Black Wind Ancestor, announced his seclusion (actually to nurse his wounds) and handed over control of the entire sea region to the Wumeng Island Lord, "Li Feiyu."

Meanwhile, Zhou Wannian sat in the treasury of Black Wind City, looking at the mountain of immortal yuan stones and various rare Materials, grinning from ear to ear.

"Tiezhu."

"Present."

"Take inventory of the assets."

"Initiate the 'Noah' repair plan. Additionally..."

Zhou Wannian picked up a Jade Slip radiating a cold Aura.

This was found in Black Wind Ancestor's treasury—[North Cold Immortal Domain: Teleportation Array Map].

"I've found the way to the 'North Cold Immortal Palace'."

"Nangong and the others' escape pod signals finally disappeared in the direction of the continent."

"It's time to leave this sea."

"Next stop: North Cold Continent, Candle Dragon Path."