253: Chapter 253 Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner

For years, he had been preaching at an altar in Huaiyang City, having seen countless passing Cultivators and heard many rumors about Kunlun.

However, most of those rumors were vague, and some even contradictory. Until today, when he witnessed three Tribulation Transcendence Stage Tribulation Transcenders appearing simultaneously for a few Disciples, did he truly realize that those rumors were not exaggerated at all; instead, they had severely underestimated Kunlun's determination to protect its own.

A natural chasm lay between the Mahayana Stage and the Tribulation Transcendence Stage. He knew this better than most people, because he himself had been trapped at the Earth Rank Advanced for hundreds of years without making a Breakthrough, and he was all too familiar with that feeling of being worlds apart despite being so close.

Moreover, the gap between the Tribulation Transcendence Stage and the Mahayana Stage was even larger and more insurmountable than the gap between Earth Rank Advanced and Heaven Rank.

Before three Peak of Tribulation Transcendence figures, five Mahayana Stage experts were nothing more than slightly stronger ants.

He withdrew his gaze, pulled his granddaughter back to the side of the road, and left the remaining stage to those three figures stepping out from the Void Realm.

Valley Master Qin Cangyan's expression sank to the bottom of the valley the moment Elder Cangwu spoke.

He gripped the still-humming cangyan blade in his hand, though the azure flames on the blade involuntarily dimmed a bit.

His gaze met Elder Cangwu's ancient, tranquil eyes for a split second before looking away as if pricked by a needle.

Peak of Tribulation Transcendence—a full three Peak of Tribulation Transcendence auras—was not something he, a Mahayana Late Stage Cultivator, could contend with.

But he was Valley Master Qin Cangyan, the head of Cangyan Valley, and the most relied-upon dark blade of the Mu Family. He could not lower his head just like that, let alone lose the prestige of Cangyan Valley under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

He took a deep breath, straightened his body, put the cangyan blade back into his storage ring, cupped his fists in a salute to Elder Cangwu and the other two, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant tone: "Valley Master Qin Cangyan of Cangyan Valley greets the three Kunlun Elders."

Elder Cangwu merely looked at him indifferently without responding. That gaze was as calm as water, yet it made Valley Master Qin Cangyan feel a pressure even heavier than the three auras from just now.

Valley Master Qin Cangyan gritted his teeth, straightened his back, and raised his voice slightly: "Today's matter is a personal grudge between Cangyan Valley and the Sun Family, and I originally had no intention of offending Kunlun."

"Your noble sect's Disciple insisted on interfering, which is why this Qin had no choice but to strike. However, since the three Elders have personally stepped forward, this Qin naturally must give Kunlun this Face, and let today's matter end here."

"However, Cangyan Valley's actions this time were ordered by the lineage of the Fifth Elder of the Mu Clan in Central Continent. If the three Elders wish to pursue this matter to the end, I'm afraid you must also weigh the weight of the Mu Family."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was another commotion around.

The Mu Family, one of the Three Great Families of Central Continent, had a profound foundation, and there was more than one Tribulation Transcender within the clan.

Valley Master Qin Cangyan bringing out the Mu Family to suppress Kunlun was clearly an attempt to extricate himself by taking advantage of this.

However, the threatening intent in these words was heard crystal clear by everyone present—though Kunlun was strong, the Mu Family was not someone to be trifled with either.

Elder Cangwu fell silent for a moment. Just when everyone thought he was weighing the pros and cons, he suddenly smiled.

That smile was extremely faint, yet it carried an undisguised contempt, as if he had heard some colossal joke.

"The Mu Family?" Elder Cangwu spoke, his voice not loud, yet it clearly entered the ears of everyone present.

"Not to mention the lineage of the Fifth Elder of the Mu Clan, even if the Patriarch of the Mu Family came in person, he would not dare to be so presumptuous before Kunlun. A tiny Cangyan Valley like yours, relying on the Mu Family's name, dares to attempt to kill my Kunlun Disciple? Who gave you the gall?"

Before Elder Cangwu's voice fell, he brought his right hand together like a sword and lightly slashed through the Void Realm.

A Sword Qi condensed to the extreme burst forth from his fingertips. That Sword Qi was light cyan, seemingly understated, yet it carried a terrifying Sword Intent that made heaven and earth change color.

Wherever the Sword Qi passed, the Void Realm silently split open a hair-thin black fissure, which was the trace of space being torn apart by pure Sword Intent.

The Cultivators on both sides of the street only felt a chill crawl up their spines, and even their blood seemed to freeze for a split second. This was not suppression in cultivation Realm, but an instinctive deterrence to all living creatures after the Sword Dao Realm reached the absolute extreme.

Valley Master Qin Cangyan's pupils suddenly constricted. He wanted to retreat, but his body had long been firmly pinned in place by the aura of the Peak of Tribulation Transcendence, unable to even lift a finger.

He could only watch helplessly as that light cyan Sword Qi descended from the sky, landing on him like divine punishment.

The Sword Qi did not sever his limbs nor pierce his chest, but instead plunged into his body like a living creature, transforming into countless fine sword threads that exploded within his Meridians.

An extremely miserable scream burst from Valley Master Qin Cangyan's mouth.

His entire body went limp on the ground as if his spine had been extracted. The cangyan blade slipped from his hand and landed beside him, the azure flames on the blade completely extinguishing, leaving only a dull, lusterless blade body.

His limbs convulsed violently, and blood seeped from his seven orifices simultaneously, his complexion as pale as paper.

The three Protectors were even more pathetic. When the aftermath of Elder Cangwu's Sword Qi swept past, they were already sent flying backward, slamming heavily onto the stone steps in front of the inn, coughing up mouthfuls of blood and unable to even stand up.

One move, merely one move.

Five Mahayana Stage experts all collapsed to the ground without any power to fight back, and the street was dead silent.

In the private room on the third floor of the teahouse across the street, Mu Mingfeng stood alone by the window, the teacup in his hand crushed to pieces by him at some unknown point.

Shards of porcelain pierced into his palms, and bright red blood dripped down the gaps between his fingers onto the floor, yet he was completely oblivious.

His gaze pierced through the window lattice, staring intently at the green-robed old man standing with his hands behind his back on the street. The customary leisurely smile on his Face had long since vanished, replaced by an irrepressible fury after being publicly humiliated.

He heard every single word of Elder Cangwu's speech—"Not to mention the lineage of the Fifth Elder of the Mu Clan, even if the Patriarch of the Mu Family came in person, he would not dare to be so presumptuous before Kunlun."

How was this teaching Valley Master Qin Cangyan a lesson? This was clearly borrowing Valley Master Qin Cangyan's mouth to slap the Mu Family's Face publicly.

You must look at the master before beating a dog; Valley Master Qin Cangyan had clearly reported the name of the Mu Family, yet Elder Cangwu not only showed no hesitation whatsoever, but struck even heavier.

This wasn't just refusing to give the Mu Family Face; this was deliberately stepping all over the Mu Family's Face.

"A fine Kunlun!"

Mu Mingfeng squeezed these words out from between his teeth, his voice hoarse and cold.

He relaxed his palm, and the porcelain shards fell to the ground with a clatter. The wounds on his palm were slowly sealed by spiritual power, but that sense of humiliation could not be sealed no matter what.

He had grown up in the Mu Family since childhood. As the direct grandson of the Fifth Elder, where was he not treated with respect wherever he went? Even the people from the Five Great Sacred Lands had to treat him politely when they saw him; when had he ever suffered such humiliating grievance?

Right at this moment, the Void Realm beside him suddenly and silently split open a fissure.

That fissure was extremely fine and thin, like a cut made by a needle tip on a piece of transparent rice paper. No spiritual power fluctuations leaked out, nor did it cause any vibration to the furnishings in the private room.

A figure slowly stepped out from the fissure, landing three feet behind Mu Mingfeng.