108: Chapter 108 I'm building a celestial palace, and you're talking to me about land deeds?

The gale whipped up by the helicopter propellers was like a tangible whip, lashing mercilessly against the plaza paved with white marble.

Xiao Aotian, who had just been standing with his hands behind his back, self-righteously posing with the air of an otherworldly Immortal, now had his hairpiece blown askew.

His thin, custom-made white ancient-style robe, designed specifically for an ethereal effect, was whipped by the strong wind until it wrapped around his legs like two white dough sticks, making him look utterly disheveled.

"Presumptuous!"

Xiao Aotian was furious; was this how a Mortal should treat an Immortal Venerable?

He looked up abruptly, staring at the black steel giants overhead, his eyes boiling with killing intent: "Mere Mortal iron birds, making such a deafening noise and disturbing my cultivation—you deserve to be executed!"

Forming a sword finger with his right hand, he channeled the meager Foundation Establishment Stage spiritual power that the System had just infused into him, attempting to trace a "Heaven-Slaying Sword Qi" toward the sky.

However, before he could even finish his clumsy pose, a cold, mechanical voice echoed once more from the megaphone above.

"Attention personnel below, this is your second warning! Cease resistance immediately, put your hands on your heads, and crouch down! Otherwise, we will be forced to take coercive measures!"

"I am giving you a warning too!" Xiao Aotian roared, channeling his Qi to overpower the sound of the propellers, "Get out of my airspace! Otherwise, I will ensure none of you leave here alive!"

At the helicopter cabin door, Gu Changan held the handle with one hand, listening to the white figure jumping around like a grasshopper below, a cold, hard curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Airspace? Under this vast heaven, every inch of airspace belongs to the state. Who do you think you are, daring to claim this land as your own kingdom?"

He turned his head to look at the Special Task Force members behind him: "Commence operation. Ensure the safety of the hostages."

"Yes, sir!"

Four fast-roping lines were deployed instantly.

Gu Changan did not hesitate at all; he did not even take any extra protective measures. Grabbing the rope with one hand, he plummeted straight down like a black meteor.

Behind him, dozens of fully armed Special Task Force members followed closely, their black tactical gear gleaming coldly in the sunlight, creating an absurd visual contrast with the incongruous ancient-style architecture surrounding them.

"Want to play close-quarters combat?" Seeing this, Xiao Aotian set aside his earlier panic, a look of disdain appearing on his face, "Stupid Mortals, you have no idea of the difference between a Cultivator and an ant."

Since you have come down here to die, do not blame me for using you to sacrifice my flag and establish my authority!

Thud.

The sound of military boots hitting the ground was dull and forceful.

Gu Changan landed steadily in the center of the plaza, without even bending his knees.

He unhurriedly unclipped his harness, straightened his unwrinkled uniform collar, and raised a hand to adjust the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose.

Behind him, the Special Task Force members quickly fanned out, raising their automatic rifles in unison, their dark, hollow muzzles instantly locking onto Xiao Aotian.

The hikers, who had been trembling in fear, saw this scene, and hope for survival instantly erupted in their eyes.

"Officer! Help! This person is a maniac!"

"He knows sorcery! He can actually blow up rocks!"

"Shut up!" Xiao Aotian turned back and glared at them, releasing an invisible pressure—the "Sect Master Aura" bestowed upon him by the System—which terrified the ordinary people into instant silence, clutching their chests and gasping for air.

Gu Changan stepped forward, blocking the space between the hikers and Xiao Aotian. The pressure directed at the ordinary people was like a gentle breeze passing over a hill before him, failing to stir even a ripple.

He pulled a red-lined map and a document stamped with a bright red official seal from his briefcase, unfolding them with an expressionless face.

"Xiao Aotian, correct?" Gu Changan's tone was flat, as if he were checking the price of cabbage at a market, "I am Gu Changan, Director of the Special Operations Division of the National Bureau of Abnormal Affairs."

Xiao Aotian snorted coldly, lifting his chin forty-five degrees: "I am the founding Ancestral Master of the Aotian Sect. Since you have met me, why do you not kneel?"

"I do not kneel to the dead, nor do I kneel to criminals."

Gu Changan ignored his juvenile speech and pointed heavily at the map, "According to the joint satellite verification by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Forestry Bureau, the 1,200 acres of land you are currently standing on belongs to the core area of the Qinling National Nature Reserve."

He looked up, his gaze sharp as a knife: "You lack the project approval from the Development and Reform Commission, the 'Construction Project Planning Permit' from the Planning Bureau, and furthermore, you lack the 'Land Use Certificate' from the Land and Resources Bureau. This pile of things you have built is a serious case of illegal, unauthorized construction."

"Unauthorized construction?" Xiao Aotian acted as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world, laughing wildly at the sky, his laughter making the surrounding roof tiles tremble.

"How absurd! I am the Child of Destiny; all the Spiritual Veins under heaven are for my use! It is this mountain's honor that I have taken a fancy to this precious land! I have built this Heaven-Reaching Immortal Palace here to protect the common people, and you want to talk to me about permits?"

He waved his sleeves violently, pointing at the magnificent golden palace behind him: "Open your dog eyes and look! This is the Lingxiao Palace! It is the Holy Land where all Immortals will come to pay homage in the future! How dare you use Mortal laws to constrain me?"

"Under the whole heaven, all is the king's land."

Gu Changan closed the folder, his tone turning abruptly cold, "As long as you are within the territory of the Dragon Kingdom, let alone the Lingxiao Palace, even if the Jade Emperor's Lingxiao Palace were moved down here, if it is an illegal structure, it must be demolished for me!"

"According to Article 77 of the 'Land Administration Law of the Dragon Kingdom', for unauthorized illegal occupation of land, the natural resources department of the local people's government at or above the county level shall order the return of the illegally occupied land and order the demolition of newly constructed buildings and other facilities on the illegally occupied land within a time limit!"

Gu Changan took a pre-filled 'Notice of Demolition within a Time Limit' from his pocket and flicked it casually.

The thin piece of paper, infused with spiritual power, shot straight toward Xiao Aotian like a flying knife.

Xiao Aotian reached out and grabbed it, clutching the paper in his hand. Without even looking at it, a flame suddenly surged in his palm, instantly burning the notice into ashes.

"Demolish?" Xiao Aotian brushed the black ash from his hands, his eyes sinister, "What big talk. I am right here, and every brick and tile of this Lingxiao Palace is connected to my Dao foundation. Let's see who dares to touch it!"

"Then that is a refusal to rectify." Gu Changan nodded, as if he had been waiting for this result all along.

He turned around and waved to the Special Task Force behind him.

"Demolition engineering team, enter the site. Survey the illegal area and secure the evidence. All other personnel, prepare to clear the area."

"You are courting death!"

Xiao Aotian was thoroughly enraged.

Being ignored like this by a Mortal, his self-esteem suffered an unprecedented insult.

"System! Redeem a 'Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin' experience card for me!"

He roared in his mind.

[Ding! Detected that the host is facing powerful law enforcement officers. System suggestion: Immediately establish a defensive formation and attempt to resolve this through diplomatic channels. Engaging head-on may result in the host being physically ascended...]

"Shut up! I will let him know what it means for an Immortal to be enraged, leaving blood flowing like a river!"

Xiao Aotian ignored the System's warning and forcibly channeled the spiritual power within his body.

The surrounding air instantly distorted. The sword box behind him exploded, and three cold, shimmering Flying Swords shot into the sky, hovering above his head and emitting a humming sword sound.

"Mortal! You asked for this!"

Xiao Aotian formed a sword finger and pointed fiercely at Gu Changan, "Go!"

The three Flying Swords transformed into streaks of light, carrying a piercing sound as they broke through the air, heading straight for Gu Changan's brow, throat, and heart!

The hikers screamed and closed their eyes in terror.

However, the expected blood splatter did not occur.

Gu Changan stood where he was, not even blinking an eyelid.

Just as the Flying Swords were about to pierce him, Chen Xiaobei, standing behind him, suddenly pulled out a silver device resembling a radar dish and slammed the switch.

Zzzzt—!

An invisible, high-frequency electromagnetic pulse instantly swept across the entire scene.

The three aggressive Flying Swords were like drones that had suddenly lost power; they shook violently twice in mid-air, and the spiritual light originally attached to them instantly dissipated.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The three "divine Sharp Weapons" fell straight to the ground like scrap metal, even bouncing twice before rolling to the side of Gu Changan's leather shoes.

The entire scene was deathly silent.

Xiao Aotian maintained his sword-finger pointing posture, frozen in place, his eyeballs nearly popping out.

This was a Low Grade Spiritual Artifact produced by the System!

How could it possibly have been brought down by a pot lid?

Gu Changan looked down at the swords, kicked them with his foot, and they made a crisp metallic clatter.

"Controlled bladed weapons, unsharpened, but exceeding the length limit and possessing lethality."

He looked up at the stunned Xiao Aotian, pushed up his glasses, and a cold light flashed across his lenses.

"Now, you have one more charge: illegal possession of controlled implements, and..."

Gu Changan drew the pitch-black, specially-made pistol from his waist, the muzzle rising steadily.

"Violent assault on police officers, and attempted murder of a state public official."

"Xiaobei, is the video saved?"

Chen Xiaobei chuckled, shouldering the body camera: "Don't worry, Boss. This is 4K high-definition. It even clearly recorded that line of his about 'blood flowing like a river'—enough to sentence him to life imprisonment."