140: Can you withstand a punch from me, Iron Bull?

Rumble—!

On the scorched earth of the northern district of Sea Dragon City, the purple thunderstorm that had been raging was forcefully torn apart by a domineering dark-gold pillar of Qi. At this moment, the rubble and debris seemed to lose gravity, pushed high into the air by an invisible repulsive force before being shattered into dust in mid-air.

Lei Lingzi hovered high in the sky, about to activate the Bagua Mirror to unleash a killing move, when he saw the crust below collapse. A massive and incredibly oppressive figure, like a heavy missile fired from the abyss, shot up to his eye level in the blink of an eye.

"How is this possible? Under such a level of Law bombardment, not even a single hair was harmed?!"

Lei Lingzi's eyes nearly popped out. As a Middle Stage Void Refining Cultivator, he had faced countless enemies in his life, but he had never seen an existence that so defied the common logic of cultivation.

At this moment, Gu Yang had shed his previous "simpleton" honest appearance. His entire being was like a black-gold divine weapon just quenched in lava. His pupils took on a deep, eerie purple hue, and the dark-gold patterns beneath his skin pulsed rhythmically like ancient runes.

"Old man, my dad said that if you borrow money, you pay it back; if you slap someone's face, you pay it back double."

Gu Yang's voice was no longer hoarse but carried a resonance like a great bronze bell. With every word he spoke, the surrounding air rippled with visible transparent waves.

This was because his current material density was too high; even just speaking, the physical kinetic energy produced by his sound waves was enough to shatter ordinary protective spiritual shields.

"Arrogant! Die within my thunder domain!"

Lei Lingzi suppressed the panic in his heart and frantically spat out a mouthful of essence blood, dotting it onto the center of the Bagua Mirror.

"High Grade Spirit Treasure — Purple Pole Thunder Emperor Descends!"

Buzz—!

That Bagua Mirror instantly expanded a hundredfold. A bizarre purple thunder eye cracked open in the center of the mirror, and a beam of Thunder Law light, as thick as a water vat and so deep purple it was almost black, shot toward Gu Yang's head, carrying the Concept of destruction that could annihilate all life.

This strike was Lei Lingzi's desperate trump card, enough to heavily wound an ordinary Late Stage Void Refining powerhouse!

However.

Facing this thunder that could destroy heaven and earth, Gu Yang didn't even make a move to dodge.

He simply, slowly and very solidly, pulled back his right fist.

Around his right fist, space actually collapsed inward in a bizarre way, as if that hand had become a black hole swallowing everything. The air pressure within a hundred-meter radius instantly dropped to the freezing point, forming an absolute vacuum.

Extreme Dao — Shattering the Void (Trial Run)!

Gu Yang threw a punch.

There was no so-called fist force, nor any brilliant Spells.

There was only pure, extreme physical displacement, as heavy as a star.

Bang——————!!!

In the ten-thousandth of a second that the purple thunder light made contact with Gu Yang's fist.

The expected explosion did not occur.

That beam of Thunder Law light, capable of erasing a Primordial Spirit, let out a shrill wail under the pressure of the distorted space in front of Gu Yang's fist. Then, like glass struck by a heavy hammer, it instantly shattered into a sky full of harmless purple specks of light!

"This... this is impossible! The Law was actually smashed by a fist?!"

Lei Lingzi went completely mad. His worldview was shattered into pieces at this moment by Gu Yang's savage punch.

Gu Yang's fist didn't lose momentum. In the instant before the Bagua Mirror could be retracted, it slammed heavily onto the mirror's surface.

Crack—Boom!!!

That High Grade Spirit Treasure Bagua Mirror, which had accompanied Lei Lingzi for two thousand years and was claimed to be indestructible, actually exploded into countless flying fragments like a piece of low-quality ceramic under Gu Yang's punch.

"Pfft—!"

The backlash from the destroyed Magic Treasure caused Lei Lingzi to violently spit out a large mouthful of black blood mixed with organ fragments. His entire body felt as if it had been struck by lightning; his chest caved in deeply, and he flew backward like a tattered rag... "Saint, save me!"

The two surviving Late-stage Spirit Transformation deacons nearby were already scared out of their wits. How could they dare to go up and support him? They didn't even care about Elder Mo's life or death, frantically burning their Primordial Spirit essence blood in an attempt to tear through the void and escape.

"Er Gou, take attendance! My dad said that for the loose change that runs away, you have to charge interest."

Gu Yang landed steadily in mid-air. With a casual grab, Er Gou, who was originally several kilometers away, was forcibly sucked back into his arms by a domineering gravitational force.

"Awoo!"

Er Gou was also excited to the extreme. Having fused with the spatial Origin, although its body was small, it was like a predator walking through the cracks of planes. It leaped out from Gu Yang's arms, its figure flickering bizarrely three times in the air.

Rip—!

A Late-stage Spirit Transformation deacon who was forming hand seals felt a chill on his neck, and then discovered with horror that his vision had begun to spin. Before his Primordial Spirit could escape, Er Gou's silver-scaled claws had ruthlessly swept through his Sea of Consciousness.

"One."

Gu Yang's gaze was cold as his figure instantly vanished from the spot.

He didn't use any movement techniques.

Relying on pure strength, he forcibly exploded the air, using the reaction force to achieve a speed similar to teleportation in an instant.

The next second, Gu Yang appeared behind the other deacon.

He didn't use his fist but casually grabbed the other's belt, then violently tore his hands apart to the sides.

Pfft!

A rain of blood filled the sky.

A Late-stage Spirit Transformation Cultivator, who could be considered a skilled expert in Qingzhou or even the Central Province, was actually "folded" and then torn into two pieces by Gu Yang like a piece of scrap paper in public.

Gu Yang casually took the Storage Ring from the other's hand, his movements so practiced it was heartbreaking.

"Two. The loose change has been collected."

...In the distance, Lei Lingzi was struggling to get up from the ruins, only to find that his lower body had completely lost all sensation.

His Primordial Spirit was trembling. He looked at the dark-gold demon god walking toward him slowly, his eyes no longer holding the dignity of a high-level Cultivator, but filled with the desire to survive and fear.

"Spare... spare my life... I am from the Tianxu Sacred Land..."

Gu Yang didn't listen to his nonsense.

He directly crouched down, a large hand firmly gripping Lei Lingzi's crown.

"I don't want to know who you are. I only want to know what good food is in that 'Five Elements Illusory Realm'."

[Soul Plunder — Violent Soul Search!]

The Extreme Dao Origin within Gu Yang turned into an all-pervasive savage will, forcibly smashing Lei Lingzi's Sea of Consciousness.

"Ahhhhhhh!!!"

A scream of extreme agony spiraled over the ruins of the northern city for three full breaths before falling into dead silence.

A moment later, Gu Yang stood up and casually tossed the now-idiotic Lei Lingzi into a crack in the ground.

He closed his eyes, digesting the massive amount of information that had just exploded in his mind.

Countless secrets about the heart of the Three Thousand Dao Provinces, the intertwining interests of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, Grand Void Holy Land, and Sea Emperor Palace, as well as... the most core piece of intelligence.

"Central Province Five Elements Mansion... Five Elements Illusory Realm."

Gu Yang suddenly opened his eyes, an unprecedented greedy light erupting from his eerie purple pupils.

"So that's how it is. That so-called 'Illusionary Realm' is actually a Dragon Transformation Land used to nourish an **'Ancient War God's Skeleton'**?"

"Those Spell Cultivators want to use this bone to refine an undying Puppet?"

Gu Yang grinned, a smile that made Er Gou beside him shudder.

"Since it's a bone, it's my extra meal. If I can gnaw on that bone, my Divine Demon Third Turn will probably reach Perfection directly."

"Big brother, are we going to eat it now?" Er Gou asked while drooling.

"No rush. Sharpening the axe doesn't delay the woodcutting."

Gu Yang looked toward the distant horizon.

There, a massive flying boat, pure white and adorned with fire phoenix divine patterns, was piercing through layers of spiritual mist and slowly descending.

It was Saintess Feng Ni, who had been watching the battle from afar.

Gu Yang knew that in this Law-governed core area of the Central Province, if he wanted to sneak into the heavily guarded "Five Elements Mansion" without being noticed, he couldn't just kill his way in.

He needed a legal identity that would allow him to attend the ceremony "openly and aboveboard"... The flying boat's terrace.

Saintess Feng Ni looked at the black-clad man on the deck below, who was wiping his myriad poison star shattering hammer, with a complex expression.

She had originally thought she had only recruited a Body Cultivator Protector with extraordinary potential, but now it seemed that what she was carrying on her flying boat was clearly a nuclear bomb that could detonate the entire Central Province City at any time.

"Fellow Daoist Gu... or should I say, Fellow Daoist Iron Bull."

Feng Ni slowly descended, her tone carrying a trace of awe that even she hadn't noticed.

"You just... killed a deacon Elder of the Tianxu Sacred Land. Before long, the 'Zixiao Constables' of this area will arrive."

Gu Yang looked up at her, casually pulled out a Top-grade spirit crystal he had just snatched from his pocket, stuffed it into his mouth, and crunched it down.

"Saintess sister, my dad said that I have a good temper, I just can't stand people owing me wages."

Gu Yang patted the myriad poison star shattering hammer beside him, revealing his trademark honest smile.

"I heard that some Five Elements Mansion is about to start a feast, and I just happen to need a guide. If you're willing to take me there, from now on in this Central Province, whoever dares to touch your flying boat, I'll turn them into my after-dinner snack."

Feng Ni was silent for a moment.

She thought of the rivals within her Sect who were eyeing her covetously, thought of the upcoming Ten Thousand Races Prodigy Hegemony, and looked at the monster before her who could tear through Laws and fight Void Refining Cultivators in close combat.

She grit her teeth, a look of decisiveness flashing in her beautiful eyes.

"Fine! Since Fellow Daoist has such an interest, then I shall lead the way."

Feng Ni waved her jade hand, and a golden identity card, entirely crimson and engraved with Heavenly Phoenix wings, floated toward Gu Yang.

"From now on, you are my 'Accompanying Progenitor Protector'. Three days later, follow me into the Five Elements Mansion to participate in the 'Origin Grand Sacrifice'!"

Gu Yang caught the golden card and tossed it casually. Amidst the flickering golden light, he looked at the tallest divine tower in the Central Province, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Origin Grand Sacrifice? I hope that old bone... doesn't disappoint me."

[Current Cultivation: Divine Demon Golden Body · Initial Stage (Second Turn Perfection)] [Fusion Rate: Extreme Dao Heart-Protecting Mirror Fragment 100% (Physical Strength increased by 50%).] [Analysis Progress: Third Turn (Void Shattering Realm) 30% (Urgent need for Ancient Skeleton Origin).]