Chapter 145: Are You Declaring War on My Divine Firmament Sect?

Rumble—

A violent surge of Qi blasted outward, forming a visible circular shockwave that instantly reduced the entire prefectural governor's residence into a field of rubble. Centered on the two combatants, the destructive force exploded violently in all directions.

Hum—

Radiant walls of light rose from the ground, intercepting the aftermath of the fierce clash between Qi Xiu and Gan Xingba.

This was the defensive grand formation of Jiang'an Prefecture.

As a sub-provincial prefectural city, the entire Jiang'an Prefecture was shrouded within a grand array that automatically sensed any fluctuations of vital energy within its borders.

The commotion stirred by Qi Xiu and Gan Xingba—two masters of the thunder path fighting each other—was simply too massive.

It instantly triggered the autonomous defense mechanism of the grand array, isolating the area where the two were fighting to prevent innocent civilians in the city from being caught in the crossfire.

They touched and instantly separated!

Two figures blasted backward amidst a deafening roar. Their four-layered protective true-essence barriers completely shattered, leaving two blazing white wakes trailing through the void.

A trace of golden blood spilled from the corner of his lips. Gan Xingba's eyes flashed with dazzling thunder-light. He lowered his head to look at his right fist, which was covered in cracks, its bones completely pulverized and caved in, yet slowly healing.

The Wrathful Thunder Vajra Technique.

This was a unique method independently created by Daoist Yunxiong.

It used thunder magic to temper and stimulate the physical body, granting terrifying physical strength whose might was sufficient to rival those top masters of the martial arts world.

Only, this technique was extremely perilous.

The slightest miscalculation would cause celestial thunder to burst the physical body from within, leaving not even a scrap behind.

If not for the fact that he had already touched the threshold of the Blood-Stained Realm, he would never have dared to rashly execute this technique.

Yet right now, after activating the Wrathful Thunder Vajra Technique, this young Daoist who claimed to be his master's newly accepted disciple had actually matched him blow-for-blow in a contest of pure physical strength.

No.

It wasn't a tie. Only his protective true-essence barrier had shattered, while his own physical body had suffered heavy damage.

In this round, he had lost.

"You are strong! But I have a reason I cannot lose! Even if everything burns to ashes, I must protect my wife!"

Gan Xingba, whose entire body looked as though it were forged from solid gold, let out a furious roar. Stubborn conviction burned in his eyes as his body rolled. His right leg pulverized the void, countless bolts of thunder surging behind him to lend momentum. Tearing through the howling airflow, he slashed fiercely down toward Qi Xiu.

"What is that supposed to mean? You're making me sound like the villain here."

Watching the fiercely battle-ready Gan Xingba, whose fighting spirit was blazing, Qi Xiu shrugged. With his eyelids half-drooped, a cold glint flickered within:

"Since you refuse to see reason, Qi has no choice but to uphold his master's commands. Either I beat some sense into you, or... I beat you to death!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Two figures collided madly above the already flattened prefectural governor's residence.

Moving at a speed invisible to ordinary eyes, they shattered the air, sending showers of sparks flying in all directions.

Tens of meters of surging shockwaves erupted incessantly.

The overlapping sonic booms were deafening, sweeping across all directions and causing the ground to cave in and collapse layer after layer.

Wherever the two passed, thunder rampaged and flames soared to the skies.

They looked like two deities descending from ancient times, unleashing the pure, annihilating power to shatter everything and destroy all creation!

Break—

Landing a punch squarely on Gan Xingba's chest, Qi Xiu's expression remained calm. In a split second, he turned his fist into a palm, and the boundless, roaring force surged outward like a breached dam.

Clang—

Resembling the striking of metal and iron, the towering figure—who looked like a Vajra descending to the mortal world—spewed blood from all seven orifices. He let out a shrieking, agonizing roar before transforming into a blurred streak that flew backward, plowing a terrifying hundred-meter-long trench deep into the earth.

"This is not a technique of the Divine Firmament Sect."

Prying himself out of the bricks, stones, and dirt, Gan Xingba climbed up in a disheveled state. At this moment, his entire body was covered in shocking cracks, making him look like a shattered piece of porcelain that had been crudely pieced back together.

"Still fighting?"

Without paying any heed to Gan Xingba's questioning, Qi Xiu strode toward him as the latter's body remained half-submerged in the ruins.

"This fellow..."

Glowering resentfully at the approaching Qi Xiu, Gan Xingba clenched his fists tightly.

The pride and self-assurance he held as a genius of the Divine Firmament Sect had been nearly ground to dust in this brief clash with Qi Xiu.

When it came to thunder arts, he couldn't compare.

Even the Wrathful Thunder Vajra Technique, which he had forcibly unleashed despite his severe injuries, had been firmly suppressed by this person.

Furthermore, compared to thunder magic, this young Daoist's physique was even more terrifying. Every casual gesture possessed the titanic strength to shatter mountains and cleave peaks, and that final strike had directly pulverized his Wrathful Thunder Vajra avatar.

This boy was simply inhuman!

Noticing Gan Xingba's resentful gaze, Qi Xiu raised an eyebrow.

It seemed he still wasn't convinced.

Then they would keep fighting!

Just as he took a step forward, a pitch-black dagger emanating a cold and gloomy aura abruptly pierced straight through Qi Xiu's body.

"What?"

Staring in astonishment at her own hand passing right through him without encountering the slightest resistance, Nian Yiyi's eyes were filled with shock.

The Qi Xiu before her was like a wisp of air, completely devoid of any physical entity.

Slowly turning sideways to look back at Nian Yiyi, who had ambushed him, Qi Xiu's gaze remained indifferent.

He had long since sensed this woman hiding within his shadow using a stealth technique.

He hadn't even bothered to dodge her utterly childish sneak attack.

He had simply activated the ethereal movement technique to render his body incorporeal.

Raising a single finger—

Crack-boom!

Fierce thunder fell from the skies, and crimson flames surged!

Combining the dual forces of thunder and fire, the pure destructive power of the Cihuo Divine Thunder was the most terrifying among the Five Thunders Orthodox Method.

Gan Xingba himself was a thunder-path cultivator and had practiced high-level thunder scriptures like the *True Scripture of Nine Heavens Divine Firmament Controlling Thunder*, which allowed him to endure numerous bolts of Cihuo Divine Thunder unscathed.

Nian Yiyi, naturally, possessed no such resistance.

"Ugh, ah!"

As the divine thunder struck, Nian Yiyi let out a shrill scream. Thick black smoke billowed from her entire body, vaguely condensing into the shapes of malevolent, terrifying infant spirits.

"Yiyi!"

Seeing his wife plunged into the sea of thunder, Gan Xingba's eyes split open in fury. Just as he attempted to muster his remaining true-essence, a foot stepped heavily down upon him, pinning him to the ground.

"Quiet down."

Quietly watching the frantically struggling Gan Xingba, Qi Xiu raised his hand as countless golden restraining talismans surged from his fingertips, transforming into golden chains that bound his limbs and forced him completely still.

"Job done."

Lifting the tightly bound Gan Xingba in one hand, Qi Xiu casually scooped up Nian Yiyi, who was still twitching and convulsing continuously while rolling with thick black smoke.

Step by step, he walked out of the prefectural governor's residence.

Throughout this distance, Qi Xiu walked very slowly, unhurried and composed.

Just as he raised his foot to step out of the gates of the residence, the scenery before his eyes shifted abruptly. The outward direction bizarrely inverted inward.

"Little brother, don't be in such a rush. Might you stay your steps and chat for a moment?"

Hearing these words, the corners of Qi Xiu's mouth lifted slightly, and a hint of a smile appeared in his lowered eyes.

The real masterminds had finally shown themselves.

Raising his head, Qi Xiu spoke with calm and unruffled ease:

"Since we are going to chat, surely you aren't expecting me to talk to thin air?"

As his voice fell, five figures abruptly materialized before Qi Xiu.

The five were clad in black robes and wore bamboo conical hats, veiling themselves so tightly that not a single gap was left exposed.

"You fellows sure have a trendy sense of fashion."

"Our appearance demonstrates our sincerity. Might little brother step aside so we can sit down and talk in detail?"

"We can certainly talk."

With a faint smile, Qi Xiu flipped his hand and produced the token:

"However, not with me."

Seeing Qi Xiu suddenly produce that token, the five figures grew suddenly restless. Just as they were about to retreat, a heavy, oppressive aura—as terrifying as the impending destruction of heaven and earth—firmly locked down the entire prefectural governor's residence.

Boom—

The token transformed into a bolt of thunder-light, and a figure slowly stepped out from the lightning.

Clad in a deep blue Daoist robe with grey, curly whiskers, his gloomy and icy visage exuded an overbearing aura that lorded over all living beings.

"Are you fellows in such a hurry to leave because you don't intend to give this old Daoist an explanation?"

Staring coldly at the five figures before him, the abruptly appeared Daoist Yunxiong spoke with a voice like thunder. With every single word he uttered, the five felt the pressure weighing down upon them increase by a notch.

By the time Daoist Yunxiong finished his sentence, that abyss-like, crushing pressure had already pinned the five firmly to the ground, making even breathing difficult.

"Daoist... spare your wrath..."

Mud, sand, and dust poured into their mouths as they spoke, yet the five still forced themselves to push through and offer an explanation.

"We... did not secretly harm your disciple, it's just..."

"Just what?"

Overlooking the five who had been forced deep into the earth from above, Daoist Yunxiong flickered his large sleeve. The disguises on the five instantly shattered, revealing pairs of white-golden pupils that looked exceptionally peculiar:

"Hah, the Great Brightness Heavenly Technique, it really is people from the Gao family! As for you juniors, you wouldn't dare harbor designs against my disciple even if you were given ten lives. Old Ghost Gao! Count to three and get your ass out here, or else I'll claim the lives of these few juniors! One! Two!"

Watching the murderous intent burst forth in Daoist Yunxiong's eyes, an extremely brilliant, warm light—resembling the spring sun illuminating the earth—emerged from thin air.

"After all these years, I never expected Daoist Yunxiong's temper to still be this explosive."

The light receded, and an elderly man holding a walking stick, with a benevolent expression and riding a blue-skinned donkey, walked out with a chuckle.

"Old Fourth Gao, I knew it was you! Do you think you've lived too long, daring to touch my disciple? Is the Gao family trying to start a war with my Divine Firmament Sect?!"

With a voice like startling thunder, Daoist Yunxiong's opening remark directly elevated the conflict to the level of a war between the Gao family and the Divine Firmament Sect.

Clearly, if the Gao family failed to give him a satisfactory answer today, then the Divine Firmament Sect—which had never suffered a loss or yielded since the ancient era—would surely use practical actions to express its stance!

Hearing Daoist Yunxiong's words, the old man addressed as Old Fourth Gao hurriedly smiled and explained:

"Daoist Yunxiong must not misunderstand. This matter was entirely caused by a few juniors being too eager for quick success. When I discovered it, I once spoke with your disciple, and he himself did not show any aversion. We merely followed his own will and gave him a gentle push; aside from that, there were truly no other hidden maneuvers. In essence, this isn't really a bad thing, is it?"

"Old Fourth Gao, do you think I don't know what kind of virtue you possess? Spare me this act. If your family wants to drag all the sects and major teachings of the entire province into the mud, my Divine Firmament Sect won't interfere. But trying to use my Divine Firmament Sect as your vanguard? No way! I've noted down today's affair, and a formal war proclamation will soon be dispatched to your Gao family. Just wait for it—we'll see each other on the battlefield!"

With a cold snort, giving the elder opposite no chance to explain, Daoist Yunxiong flicked his sleeve and turned around. Transforming into a streak of thunder-light that swept up Qi Xiu, Gan Xingba, and Nian Yiyi, he vanished without a trace in an instant.

The moment Daoist Yunxiong left, the five members of the Gao family who had been pressed into the ground climbed back up.

"Fourth Patriarch, will the Divine Firmament Sect really go to war with us?"

Wiping the dirt from her face, a member of the Gao family stepped up to the old man's side and asked in a low voice.

"Sigh, it was practically accomplished, only to have the game disrupted by a little brat. Interesting, truly interesting."

Gently stroking the blue-skinned donkey beneath him, the old man did not answer his junior's anxious query. Instead, he turned, rode away on his donkey, and headed off into the distance.

...

(End of this chapter)