24: The Heaven-Burning Decree is shattered! Old Zhong... he's really messed things up!

The mountain gate plaza was dead silent.

The bone-chilling threat from Su Lingyun, the Goddess of Fentian Palace, swept through everyone's hearts like a frigid wind from the Nine Netherworlds!

She brazenly pointed her target at the child in Luo Yan's womb, her intentions clear!

The terrifying line of fire condensed by the fen tian token exuded an aura capable of incinerating all things, aimed directly at Jiang Linfeng and Luo Yan!

The Qingyun Sect Disciples' faces were pale, their hearts filled with despair! The power of the fen tian token was something they absolutely could not block!

Sect Master Chen's mouth still had traces of blood, and his eyes were full of humiliation and powerlessness!

Several Grand Elders' Qi surged, but they dared not act rashly! Fentian Palace... was too strong!

Luo Yan tightly clutched Jiang Linfeng's arm, her delicate body trembling, her small face as pale as paper!

The child in her womb transmitted intense palpitations and fear!

She could feel the venomous, greedy gaze locking onto her!

"Husband..." Luo Yan's voice was choked with sobs and despair.

"Don't be afraid!" Jiang Linfeng's voice was deep and firm, like a bedrock!

He didn't retreat a single step, fiercely shielding Luo Yan behind him! His Invincible Domain operated at full power!

The absolute suppression space with a radius of 150 meters, like an invisible ice barrier, stubbornly resisted the terrifying, heaven-burning and sea-boiling pressure of the fen tian token!

His Source Spirit Body roared wildly, and the spiritual power of his Second Layer Zhaoshen Realm surged like a boiling river, ready to erupt at any moment!

His gaze was as cold as ten-thousand-year-old profound ice, locked firmly onto Su Lingyun! For his wife and child, he would fight at all costs! Even if it meant exposing his full strength!

"Hmph! Stubborn resistance!"

Su Lingyun's Phoenix eyes shot out a cold gleam! She hadn't expected this ant-like Menial Worker to withstand the fen tian token's pressure!

Nor had she expected him to possess such a bizarre Domain! But... so what?! In the face of absolute power, everything was futile!

"fen tian token! Incinerate!" Su Lingyun pointed with her jade finger!

The fen tian token's crimson light instantly surged!

That condensed, terrifying line of fire, like a world-destroying spear, tore through the frozen air, carrying the destructive will to burn down all directions, and fiercely blasted towards Jiang Linfeng and Luo Yan!

Wherever it passed, space twisted, and scorching waves surged! The plaza ground instantly charred and cracked!

"Yaner!" Jiang Linfeng's eyes were bloodshot! His Source Spirit Body was pushed to its limit!

His Invincible Domain contracted! Concentrating in front of him!

At the same time, the dormant, vast spiritual power of his Second Layer Zhaoshen Realm, mixed with the Origin Power of his Source Spirit Body, erupted without reservation! He threw a punch!

Where the punch wind reached, space seemed to freeze!

A condensed, ice-blue fist aura, carrying a Soul-freezing chill, bravely met the incinerating line of fire!

Ice and fire! An extreme collision!

Boom—!!!!!!!!!

A deafening, terrifying roar, as if the heavens and earth had just split open, exploded in the center of the plaza!

The crimson line of fire and the ice-blue fist aura slammed fiercely together!

A violent energy shockwave swept out like a tsunami!

The ground cracked inch by inch! Crushed stones flew everywhere! Air currents surged!

The Qingyun Sect Disciples who were close by were instantly sent flying! Screams filled the air!

Pfft—!

Jiang Linfeng felt a heavy blow! His body trembled violently! His throat sweetened, and a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out!

He flew backward like a kite with a broken string! His Invincible Domain fluctuated violently, its light dim! After all, he was only at the Second Layer Zhaoshen Realm!

To directly confront an attack from a Zhaoshen Realm Peak expert, amplified by the fen tian token, the gap was too large!

"Husband!" Luo Yan let out a heart-wrenching scream! Throwing herself towards Jiang Linfeng without hesitation!

"Ant! Die!"

A cruel pleasure flashed in Su Lingyun's eyes!

She pointed her jade finger again! The fen tian token's light grew even brighter!

A second, even thicker and more violent line of fire instantly condensed!

Giving Jiang Linfeng no chance to catch his breath! It went straight for him and Luo Yan!

Just as the destructive line of fire was about to engulf the two of them!

At this critical moment—

"Tsk... Little girl... too much fire... bad for the liver..."

Old Man Zhong's leisurely voice, full of disdain, rang out clearly, like a drop of cold water in boiling oil!

He still held his broken teapot, his back hunched, standing in front of Jiang Linfeng and Luo Yan, as if he were just an old farmer passing by to watch the commotion.

Facing the terrifying line of fire capable of incinerating a Zhaoshen Realm expert, his cloudy eyes didn't even blink!

He slowly raised his withered, calloused hand, extended his index finger... and gently flicked at the incoming line of fire!

Yes! Another gentle flick!

Like flicking a speck of dust from his clothes!

Pop!

A soft sound! Barely audible!

The next second!

That incinerating line of fire, capable of burning mountains and boiling seas, which had terrified even the Qingyun Sect's high-ranking members!

Less than three inches from Old Man Zhong's fingertip! Like a soap bubble being popped!

Without warning... it shattered inch by inch! Disintegrated! Turning into tiny crimson sparks! Then... completely annihilated! Vanishing without a trace!

As if... it had never appeared!

Silence!

A deathly silence!

Throughout the plaza, you could hear a pin drop!

Everyone was as if struck by a paralysis spell! Their eyes were wide, almost popping out! Their mouths were agape, wide enough to fit a goose egg! Their minds were blank!

Flicked... flicked his finger... and extinguished a fen tian token attack?!

What in the heavens is this divine operation?!

The cruel pleasure on Su Lingyun's face instantly froze!

It was replaced by unparalleled horror and disbelief!

The hand holding the fen tian token was trembling slightly!

fen tian token! One of Fentian Palace's treasure of the sect!

It contained a trace of the Fen Tian Old Ancestor's Origin will!

With a single strike, even a Void Tribulation Realm expert would have to avoid its edge!

Yet... it was flicked away by this old man... with a single finger?!

"You... who exactly are you?!"

Su Lingyun's voice carried a tremor she hadn't even noticed herself!

She stared intently at Old Man Zhong, a look of fear appearing in her Phoenix eyes for the first time!

"Me, an old man?" Old Man Zhong leisurely took a sip from his teapot, his cloudy eyes glancing at Su Lingyun, then at the fen tian token in her hand, and he curled his lips, "Just an old Menial Worker sweeping the floor."

It's you, little girl... shouting and killing with a broken token... making this old man's ears hurt.

Broken token?!

Su Lingyun trembled with rage! The fen tian token was a broken token?!

"Old man! You're courting death!" A Fen Tian Guard roared, unable to restrain himself any longer, his crimson battle saber erupted with a heaven-shaking saber light, carrying the might to incinerate everything, and slashed down at Old Man Zhong!

Old Man Zhong didn't even lift an eyelid, casually waving the hand holding the teapot, as if shooing a fly.

Pfft!

That violent saber light, still a zhang away from Old Man Zhong, instantly dissipated as if it had hit an invisible wall of sighs!

Along with that Fen Tian Guard, he grunted, as if struck in the chest by an invisible giant hammer, spitting out blood, and flew back dozens of zhang! He crashed heavily to the ground, his life unknown!

Hiss—!

Everyone gasped! Flicked his finger to extinguish the line of fire! Waved his hand to cripple a Fen Tian Guard! This old fellow... was outrageously strong!

"Noisy." Old Man Zhong slowly uttered two words, as if he had merely swatted a mosquito.

His cloudy gaze fell on Su Lingyun again, his voice calm and unruffled, yet carrying a suffocating sense of oppression: "Little girl, did you hear what this old man just said clearly?"

Su Lingyun's face was ashen! Veins bulged on the hand holding the fen tian token! She bit her lower lip fiercely, her eyes filled with humiliation, anger, and... a deep trace of fear!

This old man's strength... definitely surpassed the Void Tribulation Realm! Perhaps... he was even a legendary existence! How could the Qingyun Sect have such a monster?!

"Se... Senior..." Su Lingyun spoke with difficulty, her voice dry, "This woman... Luo Yan... bears the Legacy of my Fentian Palace..."

"This old man doesn't care what she bears!"

Old Man Zhong interrupted her impatiently, a cold gleam flashing in his cloudy eyes, "This old man only knows that she is now a member of my Qingyun Sect! And the child in her belly... is also of my Qingyun Sect's lineage!"

"Take your people... and scram!"

"Dare to say another word..."

Old Man Zhong slowly raised his withered finger, pointing at the dim, slightly trembling fen tian token in Su Lingyun's hand!

"This old man... will crush your broken token... and burn it as firewood!"

Crush the fen tian token?!

Burn it as firewood?!

This was no longer a threat! This was naked humiliation! A trampling of Fentian Palace's dignity!

"You—!" Su Lingyun trembled with rage, fire almost spewing from her eyes! The fen tian token was a symbol of Fentian Palace! It was her identity and her reliance! How dare this old man insult it so?!

However, facing Old Man Zhong's cloudy yet unfathomably deep eyes, which seemed to contain an endless starry sky, Su Lingyun's surging anger was instantly extinguished!

Only bone-chilling coldness remained! She could feel that this old man... would absolutely make good on his word!

"Good! Good! Good!" Su Lingyun said the word 'good' three times, her voice filled with venomous resentment, "The humiliation of today! Fentian Palace will remember it! Qingyun Sect... and you! Old man! We'll see!"

She stomped her foot fiercely! The fen tian token in her hand erupted with its final light! A crimson blood-light instantly enveloped her and the remaining three Fen Tian Guards!

"Fen Tian Blood Escape! Go!"

Pfft—!

Su Lingyun spat out a mouthful of vital blood! The blood-light surged! Instantly tearing through space!

Carrying her and the Fen Tian Guards, they transformed into a bloody streak of light, fleeing towards the horizon in utter disarray! Their speed was far greater than when they arrived!

The Goddess of Fentian Palace... was actually forced to use a secret technique that consumed her Origin to escape?!

On the plaza, it was dead silent.

Everyone felt as if they were dreaming! They looked at the bloody light disappearing into the horizon, then at the hunched old man holding a teapot and leisurely sipping tea, and at Jiang Linfeng and Luo Yan embracing behind him...

Was the Qingyun Sect... about to change its fate?!

"Cough cough..." Jiang Linfeng coughed out a mouthful of clotted blood, barely steadying himself with Luo Yan's support.

He looked at Old Man Zhong's back, his eyes extremely complex! Awe! Gratitude! And a trace of... indescribable shock! This old man... was ridiculously strong!

"Old Zhong..." Jiang Linfeng was about to speak his thanks.

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"Enough, enough!" Old Man Zhong did not turn his head, waving his hand slowly. "Don't bother with all that nonsense! As long as my ears are at peace, that's enough! Hurry and take your little wife back to nurture the pregnancy! After all this fuss... my tea has gone cold!"

Having said that, he hugged his teapot, hunched his back, and walked toward the Pill Room with a swaying gait, as if he had just casually swatted a few flies.

"..." The crowd from the Qingyun Sect looked at Old Man Zhong's disappearing back, then looked at the mess of the plaza, glancing at each other, speechless for a long time.

Sect Master Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent waves in his heart, and said in a deep voice to Jiang Linfeng and Luo Yan: "Jiang Linfeng, Luo Yan, you two... go back as well. Today's events... must not be spread to anyone! Those who violate this... will be dealt with according to the sect rules!"

"Yes! Sect Master!" Jiang Linfeng respectfully replied, supporting the shaken Luo Yan, and slowly left the plaza under the complex gazes of the crowd.

Cold Plum Courtyard.

Luo Yan carefully wiped the blood from the corner of Jiang Linfeng's mouth, her eyes full of heartache and worry: "Husband... are you hurt badly? It's all my fault..."

"Silly girl, it's not your fault." Jiang Linfeng held her hand, activating his Source Spirit Body, and gentle Origin Spirit Power nourished his damaged Meridians, causing his injuries to recover rapidly. "Just a small injury, it doesn't matter. What about you, were you frightened? Is the child okay?"

"I'm fine..." Luo Yan shook her head, gently stroking her lower abdomen. "The child... was very scared just now... but now... seems to have calmed down..."

"That's good." Jiang Linfeng breathed a sigh of relief and took out the bottle of spirit nurturing pill. "Come, Yaner, take this Medicinal Pill. It can stabilize the Origin and is good for the child."

Luo Yan nodded obediently and took the Medicinal Pill. The pure life Origin flowed through her whole body again, smoothing out the fluctuations caused by the fright, and the child in her womb also sent out a comfortable and steady pulse.

【Ding! Companion Luo Yan has consumed a "spirit nurturing pill (black rank low-grade · Perfect)"!】

【Effect: Maternal Origin stabilized! Divine Soul shock status removed! Qi and blood restored to Peak!】

【Offspring Benefit: Foundation stability +10%! Ice Wood Spirit Root Fusion rate increased! Potential Grade A Low Grade → Stable (Nature Affinity)! Innate Dao Body affinity +0.5%!】

【Special Talent "Child of Nature" activation rate: 1%!】

It worked! Jiang Linfeng felt slightly at ease. Although they had experienced setbacks, Yaner and the child were finally safe, and their potential had even slightly increased!

However, the vigilance in his heart had not diminished in the slightest!

The resentful look in Su Lingyun's eyes when she left and the threat from Fentian Palace were like a sharp sword hanging over his head!

Old Man Zhong could protect them for a moment, but not for a lifetime! He must increase his strength as soon as possible!

He sat cross-legged and began to regulate his breathing and recover. The powerful recovery ability of the Source Spirit Body allowed his injuries to heal at an astonishing speed.

At the same time, in his mind, he kept replaying the images of Old Man Zhong extinguishing the fire line with a flick of his finger and crippling the Fen Tian Guard with a wave of his hand... That was a kind of... power that transcended his understanding! It was truly... Invincible!

"Power... I need stronger power!" A sharp light flashed in Jiang Linfeng's eyes! Second Layer Zhaoshen Realm... was far from enough!

Late at night.

Jiang Linfeng's injuries were fully recovered, and he even had a blessing in disguise; his Origin Spirit Power was more condensed, and there were faint signs of a Breakthrough to the Third Layer Zhaoshen Realm! He was just preparing to continue Cultivating to consolidate his Realm—

Hum! A faint but clear ripple of consciousness, like an invisible thread, quietly entered his Sea of Consciousness!

"Kid... come to the Medicine Garden behind the Pill Room... I... have something for you..."

It was Old Man Zhong's voice!

Jiang Linfeng's heart shook violently! He immediately stood up, took a look at Luo Yan, who was sleeping with steady breathing, quietly left the Cold Plum Courtyard, and sped toward the Medicine Garden behind the Pill Room.

Deep in the Medicine Garden, beside that huge purple bronze pill furnace.

Old Man Zhong was hugging his teapot, sitting on a large rock, sipping slowly.

The moonlight shone on his hunched figure, bringing a hint of mystery.

"Senior Zhong!" Jiang Linfeng bowed respectfully.

"Hmm." Old Man Zhong didn't even lift his eyelids, saying slowly, "Today... you did okay. You didn't wet your pants from being scared by that little girl."

Jiang Linfeng: "..." Was that supposed to be a compliment?

"Fentian Palace... will not let this rest." Old Man Zhong's cloudy eyes swept over Jiang Linfeng. "That little girl... is very petty. She will definitely go back to bring reinforcements. The next ones to come... might be the old monsters of Fentian Palace."

Jiang Linfeng's heart shivered! Fentian Palace Old Ancestor?! Such an existence... I'm afraid even Old Man Zhong would...

"Scared?" Old Man Zhong seemed to see through his thoughts and sneered, "It's useless to be scared. Who told you, kid... to have such 'luck'? Finding a wife... and conceiving a 'precious treasure'?"

His gaze landed on Jiang Linfeng, as if it could penetrate his body and see the life currently being conceived in Luo Yan's womb, which possessed the "Child of Nature" talent.

"I... can help you block it once, twice... but I can't block it for a lifetime." Old Man Zhong's voice carried a rare solemnity. "The road ahead... must be walked by yourself."

He paused, slowly took out a pitch-black, unremarkable wooden token from his bosom, and tossed it to Jiang Linfeng.

"Take it."

Jiang Linfeng caught it subconsciously. The wooden token felt warm and smooth in his hand, neither gold nor jade, and a crooked "Medicine" character, like a child's doodle, was carved on it.

【Ding! Special item detected: medicine king token (fragment)!】

【Quality: Unknown!】

【Effect: Unknown!】

【Hint: Contains a trace of extremely ancient Origin medicinal Qi! Possibly related to the ancient Legacy of the medicine king!】

medicine king token?! Ancient medicine king Legacy?!

Jiang Linfeng's heart shook violently! This... this is definitely a heaven-defying Opportunity!

"This broken token... is something I picked up when I was scavenging years ago."

Old Man Zhong sipped from the teapot and said slowly, "It doesn't have much use, just... it can help you conceal some aura. So that your precious wife and child... don't get sniffed out by those things whose noses are sharper than dogs."

Conceal aura?! Jiang Linfeng understood instantly! This was Old Man Zhong helping them resist the possible tracking and spying of Fentian Palace!

"Thank you, Senior Zhong!" Jiang Linfeng bowed deeply, his heart filled with gratitude.

"Thank my ass!" Old Man Zhong rolled his eyes. "I just hate the trouble! So I don't get woken up all day!"

He stood up, hunched his back, hugged his teapot, and walked slowly outward, muttering as he went: "Also... that broken furnace of yours... don't just focus on brewing medicine dregs... take some time... to research those scraps of insights left by Old Man Situ... maybe... you can brew up something new..."

"Oh right... the back mountain... at the bottom of the Earth Fire Cave... it seems... there are some little things... that are quite suitable for you to practice with... do whatever you want with them..."

The voice gradually faded away, and Old Man Zhong's figure disappeared into the night.

Jiang Linfeng held the warm medicine king token (fragment) in his hand, looking at the direction where Old Man Zhong had disappeared, his eyes complex. This old man... harsh on the tongue, but actually thinking of them in every way! At the bottom of the Earth Fire Cave? Elder Situ's insights?

He took a deep breath, his eyes becoming incomparably firm! Become stronger! Must become stronger as soon as possible!

He sat cross-legged, took out the Jade Slip (fragment) of Alchemy insights left by Elder Situ, activated his Source Spirit Body, and sank his Spiritual Sense into it!

At the same time, the medicine king token (fragment) emitted a warm aura, which quietly merged into his body, like an invisible veil, shrouding and restraining his aura.

Alchemy insights surged into his mind like a tide!

The essence of fire control, pill condensation, and medicinal property combination that Elder Situ studied all his life, under the analysis of the Source Spirit Body, were quickly absorbed and merged! His Pill Refining Art Realm began to improve at a speed visible to the naked eye!

【Ding! Absorbed Situ Wufeng's Alchemy insights (fragment)! Pill Refining Art proficiency +1500!】

【Pill Refining Art Rank: Great Master (2300/5000) → Great Master (3800/5000)!】

【Obtained special insight: Ice Fire Mutual Aid (Elementary)! Greatly increased success rate of refining Ice Fire attribute Medicinal Pills!】

It worked! A sharp light exploded in Jiang Linfeng's eyes! Elder Situ's insights were truly extraordinary!

He put away the Jade Slip and cast his gaze toward the depths of the Medicine Garden, the direction leading to the Earth Fire Cave. What could the "little things" Old Man Zhong mentioned... be?

Just as he was preparing to get up and head to the Earth Fire Cave to find out what was going on—

Hum! An indescribable, vast, ancient, and terrifying pressure that seemed to come from the depths of the starry sky descended without warning! It instantly enveloped the entire Qingyun Sect!

This pressure... was even grander! Even more... supreme! than Su Lingyun's fen tian token! Than the aura when Old Man Zhong attacked!

All living beings in the Qingyun Sect, at this moment, felt trembling and... submission from the depths of their Souls!

Jiang Linfeng looked up suddenly! Source Spirit Eye instantly activated! His gaze penetrated the roof and looked toward the endless starry sky!

Behold! In the pitch-black night sky! An ancient warship, incomparably huge, forged entirely from unknown metal, emitting a cold luster, with starlight patterns flowing on its surface!

Like a prehistoric giant beast waking from slumber! It slowly tore through the clouds! Descending over the Qingyun Sect!

At the bow of the warship, an ancient battle flag embroidered with the two characters "Tianyan" fluttered in the starry sky!

On the deck of the warship, several figures stood proudly!

The leader was dressed in a star Dao robe, with a blurred face, and only a pair of eyes, like two cold stars, overlooking the Qingyun Sect below!

Wherever the gaze reached, space froze!

Tianyan Dynasty! Patrol Envoy!

A cold, indifferent, and ruthless voice, as if from the Heavenly Dao, resounded throughout the entire Qingyun Sect:

"Lower Realm Qingyun Sect! Hand over the 'Dao Fetus' immediately! Those who violate... will have their sect destroyed!"