192: Chapter 192 Disciplining the Newcomers

"Dharma-Aspect Family?"

Zhao Qiankun and Chen Jiuzhou looked at each other, both seeing a hint of mockery in the other's eyes.

Dharma-Aspect Family?

If the Shen Family were a Dharma-Aspect Family, would their Zhao Family and Chen Family have been wiped out in one go?

If the Shen Family were a Dharma-Aspect Family, could they casually open a portal to a Secret Realm?

If the Shen Family were a Dharma-Aspect Family, could they lay down Thunder Punishment in the Secret Realm, making Cultivators of the Dharma Image Realm and Void Piercing Realm not even dare to slack off?

"Elder Jin, you've been deceived."

Zhao Qiankun shook his head, his tone tinged with a bit of emotion.

"The Shen Family is hardly a Dharma-Aspect Family. They are hiding so much! The Dharma Image Realm Cultivators you saw are just what they wanted you to see. Their true strength—"

He paused, a flash of deep apprehension crossing his eyes.

"—is unfathomable."

Jin Dali's expression stiffened.

Three Primal Chaos Realm Elders, one Saint-Grade treasure, a Small World brimming with Spiritual Qi—

How could this be the foundation of a mere Dharma-Aspect Family?

"Impossible... Impossible..."

Jin Dali muttered to himself, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

Just then—

"Hum!"

In the sky, that bronze-colored portal lit up again.

A figure descended from the portal and stood steadily on the open ground.

Black robes, a mask.

The aura surrounding him was deep as an abyss, pressing down so heavily that everyone present couldn't catch their breath.

It was none other than Shen Yuanshan.

Zhao Qiankun and Chen Jiuzhou's expressions shifted slightly, and they instinctively took half a step back.

Having stayed in this Secret Realm for so long, they had developed a conditioned fear of the Shen Family members.

Especially this Third Elder of the Shen Family; every time he appeared, nothing good ever followed.

Jin Dali also saw the black-robed figure, his pupils constricting sharply as he struggled to climb to his feet.

"You... are you from the Shen Family?!"

Shen Yuanshan removed his mask, revealing a dignified, square face, and looked down at Jin Dali from above.

"Elder Jin, it seems you haven't gotten used to your current status yet?"

Jin Dali's face turned livid. He stared fixedly at Shen Yuanshan, his eyes filled with resentment.

"Shen Yuanshan! You had better let me go! Otherwise, my Lieyang Sect—"

"Lieyang Sect?"

Shen Yuanshan interrupted him, a mocking arc curling the corner of his mouth.

"Does your Lieyang Sect even deserve to flaunt its power in front of my Shen Family?"

Before the words died away, he raised a hand and pointed.

A deep blue bolt of thunder struck down from the thunderclouds in the sky, landing precisely beside Jin Dali.

"Boom!"

The ground exploded into a three-foot-wide crater, gravel flying and dust filling the air.

Jin Dali's face went pale, his entire body trembling.

Although the lightning hadn't struck him, the destructive aura made him truly feel the threat of death.

"You... you..."

"Elder Jin, I advise you to be honest."

Shen Yuanshan stood with his hands behind his back, his tone casual.

"In this Secret Realm, my Shen Family has the final say. If I let you live, you live. If I let you die, you die."

He paused, a flicker of coldness crossing his eyes.

"As for your Lieyang Sect... do you think a tiny Asking Dao Sect deserves to challenge my Shen Family?"

Jin Dali's pupils constricted.

A tiny Asking Dao Sect?

What did that mean?

The Shen Family didn't even care about the Asking Dao Realm?

Shen Yuanshan sneered and said to them, "To tell you the truth, the destruction of the Tiangang Sect was the Shen Family's doing!"

The words fell, and the entire place fell silent.

Jin Dali collapsed on the ground, his face shifting from livid to pale, then to ashen. His lips trembled, unable to utter a single word.

Tiangang Sect.

The head of the Seven Great Sects.

A Legacy spanning ten thousand years.

With an Old Ancestor at the Peak of the ninth level of the Asking Dao Realm holding down the fort.

Such a behemoth was actually destroyed by the Shen Family?!

"Impossible... Impossible..."

Jin Dali's voice was hoarse, as if squeezed from his throat.

"The Tiangang Sect was destroyed by Great Elder Yun Zhongzi of Yinxian Village! The whole Southern Region knows this! What are you, the Shen Family? How dare you claim this credit?"

Shen Yuanshan looked down at him, a mocking arc on his lips.

"Great Elder Yun Zhongzi?"

He chuckled, his tone indifferent.

"Great Elder Yun Zhongzi was able to become a Saint because of the primordial qi of huangchu that my family's Xiao Jiu gave him. The Saint-Grade weapon in his hand was refined and bestowed by my family's Xiao Jiu on a whim. The reason Great Elder Yun Zhongzi attacked the Tiangang Sect was also because my family's Xiao Jiu led the way."

He spoke word by word, each one striking Jin Dali's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Tell me, who destroyed the Tiangang Sect?"

Jin Dali's pupils constricted, his whole body shaking.

primordial qi of huangchu?

Saint-Grade weapon?

Great Elder Yun Zhongzi becoming a Saint was helped by the Shen Family?

These words exploded in his mind like thunder, leaving him completely stunned.

"Impossible... Impossible..."

He muttered to himself, his eyes filled with bewilderment and despair.

Zhao Qiankun and Chen Jiuzhou stood to the side, their faces also deathly pale.

Although they had been locked in the Secret Realm for some time and were mentally prepared for the Shen Family's strength, hearing this news still left them speechless.

The Tiangang Sect!

That was the head of the Seven Great Sects!

An Old Ancestor at the Peak of the ninth level of the Asking Dao Realm, a ten-thousand-year Legacy—destroyed just like that?

And the mastermind behind the destruction of the Tiangang Sect was actually the Shen Family?!

"Th-Third Elder..."

Zhao Qiankun swallowed, his voice trembling.

"The Tiangang Sect... was it really destroyed by you?"

Shen Yuanshan glanced at him and said indifferently, "Otherwise? How do you think the Tiangang Sect's Old Ancestor died? Failed Undergoing Tribulation? Heh—"

He sneered.

"The Tiangang Sect's Old Ancestor, Ancestor Li Jue, was struck to death by Chaos Divine Thunder summoned by a single finger from my family's Xiao Jiu. Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, not even a corpse remained."

Zhao Qiankun gasped, feeling as if he had been struck by lightning.

Summoned Chaos Divine Thunder with a single finger?

Killed a Peak ninth-level Asking Dao Realm Cultivator?

What kind of strength was this?

Saint? Or Great Saint?

Or even higher?

He didn't dare to think, and there was no time to think.

Shen Yuanshan had already withdrawn his gaze and landed it back on Jin Dali.

"Elder Jin, do you still think your Lieyang Sect can challenge my Shen Family?"

Jin Dali shuddered, looked up at Shen Yuanshan's smiling-yet-not-smiling face, and a deep sense of despair welled up in his heart.

If the Tiangang Sect could be destroyed, what was their Lieyang Sect?

Never mind the Lieyang Sect, even if the remaining six of the Seven Great Sects were tied together, they wouldn't be enough for the Shen Family to crush with one hand!

No wonder Yinxian Village and Xuanyu Palace were so polite to the Shen Family. It wasn't because the Shen Family had some relationship with them, but because the Shen Family's strength was too terrifying!

Strong enough to make a Holy Land tremble!

"I, I..."

Jin Dali's lips trembled. He wanted to say a few words of mercy, but found his throat seemed to be blocked by something, unable to utter a single word.

Shen Yuanshan couldn't be bothered to look at him again and turned to walk towards the wooden pavilion.

"Zhao Qiankun, Chen Jiuzhou."

"Here, here!" The two hurriedly responded and followed quickly.

Shen Yuanshan sat down in the wooden pavilion, picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a cup, and took a sip.

"Leave these newcomers to you. Teach them the rules properly, and make sure the work gets done. If there are any mishaps—"

He raised his hand and pointed to the churning thunderclouds in the sky.

"You know what will happen."

Zhao Qiankun and Chen Jiuzhou nodded repeatedly, cold sweat dripping down their faces.

"Third Elder, rest assured! We will teach them well! We will definitely teach them well!"

Shen Yuanshan gave an "Mm," put down the teacup, stood up, and brushed the dust off his robes.

"Alright, I'm leaving."

Before the words died away, he waved his hand.

A bronze-colored light surged from his palm, tearing a crack in the Void Realm.

He stepped into the crack, and his figure disappeared.

The crack slowly closed, and the sky returned to its gray color.

Zhao Qiankun and Chen Jiuzhou stood where they were, looking at the crack that had already disappeared, unable to speak for a long time.

After a moment, Zhao Qiankun let out a long, heavy breath and turned to look at Jin Dali, who was slumped on the ground, his face ashen.

"Elder Jin, let's go. I'll take you to get your tools. From today on, you have to work, too."