Chapter 121 Ouyang Shuo arrives, undercurrents clash.

The jade chariot hung suspended in the air, its oppressive might like a prison.

Under that vast Late-Stage Transformation Spirit pressure, Mo Yuan and Su Wanqing felt their Divine Souls tremble, like small boats in a storm, yet they still forced themselves to bow in salute, not retreating a single step.

"Reporting to Patrol Envoy Your Excellency," Mo Yuan's voice was slightly strained, but he maintained his composure. "Our Palace Master is currently at a critical juncture in his secluded cultivation, and was unable to greet you personally. We hope Your Excellency will be understanding. If Your Excellency does not mind, please move to the Side Hall for a short rest. We have already prepared Spiritual Tea..."

"Secluded cultivation?" On the jade chariot, Ouyang Shuo's lips curled into a half-smile. His gaze was sharp as a knife, seemingly capable of penetrating layers of Restrictions to see Nightmare deep within the Immortal Cave. "Is it truly secluded cultivation, or... is he afraid to see This Sovereign?"

His voice remained calm, but the doubt and pressure in his words doubled the stress on Mo Yuan and the other person.

"Your Excellency is joking," Mo Yuan said, steeling himself. "The Palace Master is indeed at a critical stage of secluded cultivation, and is absolutely not intentionally slighting Your Excellency."

Ouyang Shuo's eyes flickered slightly. He did not dwell on the matter, but said calmly, "Since that is the case, This Sovereign will wait here for him to finish his seclusion. Presumably, the Ye Yan Palace Master will not make This Sovereign wait too long."

He truly stopped advancing, sitting upright on the jade chariot and closing his eyes to rest his spirit. Nine Moon-Gazing Rhinos floated quietly in the air, and the silver-armored guardss stood silently, but the oppressive might filling the heavens and earth did not lessen at all, substantially enveloping the entire Profound Yin Ravine.

This was a silent display of force and oppression.

You, Nightmare, are in secluded cultivation, aren't you? Fine, I will wait right outside your door. Let's see if you come out to meet me!

Mo Yuan and Su Wanqing exchanged glances, both seeing the solemnity and helplessness in the other's eyes. The opponent was using sheer power to pressure them, and they were helpless, only able to hover in the air and silently attend. The atmosphere instantly became extremely oppressive and awkward.

Time passed bit by bit.

One hour, two hours... The sun set, and dusk began to rise.

Ouyang Shuo remained firmly seated on the jade chariot, completely motionless, as if he could sit there until the end of time. However, the oppressive might emanating from him had unconsciously intensified, like a rising tide, slowly eroding the Ye Yan Palace's Palace Protection Grand Array.

The Formation light screen began to ripple slightly, emitting an overwhelmed hum. The Disciples inside the palace grew even paler; those with weaker cultivation had already sat cross-legged, desperately resisting this pervasive, terrifying pressure.

Fine sweat beaded on Mo Yuan's forehead, and he was frantic. The opponent was clearly trying to force the Palace Master to appear! If the Palace Master did not emerge from seclusion soon, losing Ye Yan Palace's Face would be a minor issue; if the Palace Protection Grand Array were broken, the consequences would be unimaginable!

Just as this pressure accumulated to its extreme and the Formation light screen fluctuated even more violently.

"Alas..."

A calm sigh seemed to come from the depths of the Nine Hells, yet also seemed to sound directly within everyone's Divine Soul.

Accompanying this sigh, an equally vast, yet deeper and more overbearing, terrifying aura—carrying the meaning of Star Annihilation and the Return of Ten Thousand Poisons to the Ruins—suddenly rose from the depths of the Profound Yin Ravine!

This aura was like an awakened Primordial Demon Dragon, soaring into the sky, instantly blocking, tearing apart, and even reverse-crushing Ouyang Shuo's magnificent oppressive might that filled the heavens and earth!

Buzz!

The light screen of the Ye Yan Palace's Palace Protection Grand Array instantly stabilized. The pressure on all the Disciples lightened, and they looked toward the Main Hall direction with pleasant surprise.

"The Palace Master has emerged from seclusion!"

Ouyang Shuo's tightly closed eyes snapped open, shooting out captivating brilliance. He displayed true solemnity for the first time, looking toward the direction from which the aura originated.

The Main Hall doors slowly opened, and a black-robed youth slowly walked out.

His Face was calm, his eyes deep like a sea of stars. No powerful energy fluctuations leaked from his body, yet he naturally merged with the heaven and earth, as if he were the center of this world. His cultivation was clearly Mid-stage Dao Replenishing, yet the pressure he exerted on Ouyang Shuo was in no way inferior to that of a Late-Stage Transformation Spirit!

Nightmare's gaze calmly swept over the jade chariot in the sky, finally settling on Ouyang Shuo, and he spoke calmly:

"Patrol Envoy Ouyang? What arrogance. Coming to my Ye Yan Palace without submitting a Calling Card, without announcing your name, using power to oppress others, and disturbing This Sovereign's secluded cultivation... Is this the courtesy of the Sky Patrol Alliance?"

His voice was not loud, but it carried a cold tone of interrogation, showing no timidity whatsoever despite the opponent's Late-Stage Transformation Spirit cultivation and status as a Patrol Envoy.

Ouyang Shuo slightly narrowed his eyes, feeling even more astonished inwardly. This young man was indeed as the intelligence stated: unfathomable! How could a Mid-stage Dao Replenishing cultivator exert such pressure on him? Moreover, the opponent's strong attitude was completely beyond his expectation.

The refined smile returned to his Face, though a hint of coldness lingered in his eyes: "This Sovereign was ordered to patrol the Northern Region. Hearing that a newly advanced Soul Transformation Fellow Daoist had established a sect here, I specifically came to meet you, demonstrating the Sky Patrol Alliance's concern. Perhaps the method was a bit direct; I hope Ye Yan Palace Master will not take offense."

His words were still polite, but they highlighted his status as someone "ordered to patrol," implicitly containing a warning.

"Oh? Concern?" Nightmare's lips curled into a mocking arc. "Is it concern, or is it an accusation? Are you seeking an explanation for the Steward Wang who trespassed on my secluded cultivation grounds intending malice? Or are you looking to settle a score for the Green Shirt Guest Elder who, without distinguishing right from wrong, tried to flatten my Mountain Gate with a single palm?"

He was utterly impolite, directly exposing the conflict!

The smile on Ouyang Shuo's Face froze slightly, and the coldness in his eyes intensified: "Ye Yan Palace Master is indeed straightforward. Since the Palace Master brought it up, This Sovereign will speak plainly. Steward Wang was ordered to pursue a key criminal from the Starfall Secret Realm and perished here. Elder Green Shirt Guest came to inquire and was also severely injured and repelled by Your Excellency. For this matter, the Sky Patrol Alliance requires an explanation from Your Excellency."

"An explanation?" Nightmare sounded as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world, stating coldly, "They offended This Sovereign and deserved death. The fact that This Sovereign did not personally go to your Sky Patrol Alliance Sub-branch to seek retribution already gives you enough Face. Yet you come to demand an explanation from This Sovereign?"

"Is Your Excellency choosing to be unreasonable?" Ouyang Shuo's voice slightly deepened, and the aura around him began to climb. The silver-armored guardss surrounding the jade chariot simultaneously gripped their weapons tightly, and the atmosphere instantly became tense and hostile!

"Reason?" Nightmare's eyes were disdainful. He slowly took a step, directly arriving in the Void Realm parallel to the jade chariot, confronting Ouyang Shuo across the distance. "In this Northern Region, strength is reason!"

His gaze was like lightning, staring directly at Ouyang Shuo: "Ouyang Shuo, if you want to stand up for them today, then state your Dao! This Sovereign will take it all on! If you believe you lack the ability, then go back where you came from! Stop making noise here!"

Overbearing! Extremely overbearing!

He did not give this powerful and renowned Patrol Envoy any Face whatsoever!

All the Ye Yan Palace Disciples below felt their blood boil with excitement! This was their Palace Master!

Mo Yuan and Su Wanqing, however, were extremely nervous, their palms sweaty. The opponent was a Late-Stage Transformation Spirit, after all!

The smile completely vanished from Ouyang Shuo's Face, replaced by icy coldness. He slowly stood up from the jade chariot, and the terrifying oppressive might of the Late-Stage Transformation Spirit burst forth without reservation, like a physical tsunami, pressing down on Nightmare!

"Good! Very good! It has been a long time since anyone dared to speak to This Sovereign like this! Nightmare, do you truly believe that by slaying two insignificant Early Spirit Transformation Stage cultivators, you can act recklessly in the Northern Region?"

"Today, This Sovereign will make you understand that there is always a higher power!"

Before his voice faded, Ouyang Shuo simply raised his hand and pointed toward the sky.

Instantly, the wind and clouds changed color!