Cloud Mist Sect

At the ruins of the Demon Heaven Sect, on the edge of a massive palm print.

Xiao Ruobai, Fang Hanyu, and Fatty Wang were sitting quietly in meditation, comprehending the Dao. The Daoist rhymes around their bodies faintly resonated with the residual traces of the palm print.

Suddenly, an overbearing Celestial Realm pressure swept over from afar, enveloping the area without any disguise, instantly shattering the tranquility of the place!

Numerous cultivators who had been immersed in comprehending the Daoist rhymes were alarmed. They frowned and cast sidelong glances, displeasure written all over their faces.

"Who dares to be so insolent? To release their pressure here and disturb our peaceful cultivation!"

A cultivator who had been interrupted at a critical juncture spoke with suppressed anger.

"Look at their attire... they are from the Yunlan Sect!"

A knowledgeable old man said in a deep voice, his expression turning solemn. "And it's an elder in person!"

"The Yunlan Sect? That major sect from Yun Province? I heard they have quite a few Celestial Realm experts. They hold massive influence in Yun Province, second only to a few top-tier factions like the Haoran Sect." A well-informed cultivator nearby whispered to his companion.

"It is indeed a powerful sect."

The old man nodded, a hint of wariness in his eyes. "Though not the absolute overlord of Yun Province, they are still a top-ranking major sect. They have always been known for being domineering and fiercely protective of their own. I didn't expect one of their elders to personally come all the way to the border of Xuan Province."

Upon hearing this, many rogue cultivators and disciples of smaller sects were dissatisfied. However, feeling that powerful Celestial Realm aura and knowing the Yunlan Sect's reputation, they dared not voice their anger. They quickly concealed their auras and backed away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

A streak of light descended, revealing a sinister-looking middle-aged cultivator wearing the robes of a Yunlan Sect elder. Closely following behind him were Grotto-Heaven Realm cultivators also in elder attire, as well as the three richly dressed youths whose faces had previously been slapped swollen by Fatty Wang, their expressions now filled with immense venom.

"Grand Elder! It's them!"

The youth holding a fan pointed at Xiao Ruobai and the other two, his voice shrill.

"That damn fat pig was the one who struck first! And the other two, they are his accomplices!"

Low murmurs of discussion broke out among the onlookers.

"So they're here for revenge... It seems those three young men offended the Yunlan Sect disciples earlier."

"Yunlan Sect disciples have always been arrogant. It's not surprising for them to stir up trouble outside. I just didn't expect the sect to be so overprotective, actually dispatching elder-level figures to chase them down over a squabble between juniors..."

"For an esteemed Celestial Realm expert to personally come looking for trouble with a few juniors, the Yunlan Sect is really too petty."

"Shh... keep your voice down! The people of the Yunlan Sect hold grudges like no other. Even though the Haoran Sect suppresses them in Yun Province, they are still an unprovokable behemoth to the likes of us!"

The Celestial Realm elder swept his icy gaze over Xiao Ruobai's trio, his eyes brimming with contempt and fury.

"Hmph! Mere rogue cultivators dare to touch the people of my Yunlan Sect?

Sever your own arms, kneel down and kowtow in confession, and hand over all your spatial artifacts. This elder might then consider leaving you with intact corpses!"

Powerful spiritual pressure bore down on Xiao Ruobai and his two companions like an invisible mountain, attempting to force them to their knees on the spot.

These utterly unreasonable and domineering words caused some observing cultivators to frown slightly, yet no one dared to speak up and stop him.

The prestige of the Yunlan Sect was enough to keep them silent.

Fatty Wang's vitality was stirred up by the pressure, making his chubby face flush red. However, acting as if nothing was wrong, he put his hands on his hips and started cursing.

"Oh my! I was wondering who it could be, but it turns out we beat the young ones and out popped the old! You old fossil, did you look in the mirror before leaving the house?

Look at your face full of wrinkles, you could practically crush a fly in those folds, and you're trying to act tough?

Where were you hiding when your little pieces of trash were provoking us? Now you come out trying to play the big bad wolf?"

This fierce and sharp-tongued tirade almost made some surrounding cultivators burst out laughing, but they quickly held it in. On one hand, they felt this fatty had an absurd amount of guts to dare insult a Yunlan Sect elder like this; on the other hand, they couldn't help but sweat for him.

"You're courting death!"

A cold light flashed in the Celestial Realm elder's eyes. Completely losing his patience, he casually flicked his sleeve!

Boom! A condensed cyan palm print appeared out of thin air. Carrying a sharp screech that tore through the air, it viciously slammed down toward the trio!

The spectating crowd let out a low gasp.

"It's the Yunlan Sect's Cloud-Repelling Palm! Its power is immense! Those three are in for a disaster!"

"Sigh, what a pity... To fight here is truly a defilement of this holy land of enlightenment."

"The Yunlan Sect's ways are indeed ruthless and merciless!"

In the elder's eyes, this palm strike was more than enough to smash these three ignorant juniors into meat paste.

Facing this sure-kill strike, Xiao Ruobai's gaze sharpened. Instead of retreating, he took a step forward!

Clenching his right fist, golden battle aura instantly condensed as he met the palm print head-on!

But at the exact moment he threw his punch, he extremely subtly gave a light wink of his right eye in the direction of Fang Hanyu and Fatty Wang.

"Bang!"

The fist and palm collided, producing a muffled boom.

Xiao Ruobai's fist aura barely managed to resist the palm print, but his body swayed violently as if struck by a giant hammer. His face instantly turned as pale as paper, and a trail of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth with perfect timing.

He staggered backward several steps before being barely caught by Fang Hanyu, who had already understood the signal and stepped forward at the right moment.

The cyan palm print subsequently dissipated.

At the same time Xiao Ruobai winked, Fang Hanyu's fingers resting on his sword hilt tapped twice imperceptibly, while Fatty Wang's hands, seemingly flailing in anger, drew a tiny circle in the air.

Between the three of them, there was no need for words. A single look, a tiny gesture, and they instantly understood each other's intentions—bait the hook, dig the pit, and counter-kill!

"Oh? You actually managed to take a palm strike from me? It seems you have some skill, but you are still ants! Attack together and take them down!"

Seeing this, the people behind him summoned their magical treasures one after another. Coordinating with the elder's renewed assault, they swarmed forward to besiege the trio.

Fang Hanyu drew his Taichu Sword half an inch from its sheath. Sword light flickered as he seemingly struggled to block, acting as if his vitality was churning from the impact. Shielding Xiao Ruobai, he retreated step by step.

Fatty Wang was even more flustered. He tossed out a few low-tier talismans, exploding into several balls of fire, but it did nothing to halt the offensive. His chubby face was filled with panic.

"Oh my god! Big bro, you're coughing up blood! Second bro, hold them off!"

Fatty Wang, fully embracing his inner actor, let out a howl like a slaughtered pig. He painfully hoisted Xiao Ruobai's arm over his shoulder and shouted back as they ran, his tone filled with grief and indignation.

"You old scoundrel! Just you wait! A gentleman never leaves a grudge unavenged! Once we heal our injuries, we will definitely leave not even a chicken or dog alive in your Yunlan Sect!...

Yikes! Run, run, he's catching up!" His exaggerated performance made even Fang Hanyu's mouth twitch imperceptibly.

Fang Hanyu retracted his sword light and followed closely behind.

The trio's escaping lights were scattered, and their auras fluctuated unsteadily, making them look utterly miserable and disheveled.

"Trying to escape? Today, even if you had wings, you wouldn't be able to fly away!"

The Celestial Realm elder sneered. Convinced that the other party was at the end of their rope, he shifted his body and transformed into a streak of light, in hot pursuit.

He failed to notice that the direction the three were fleeing toward was becoming increasingly desolate, filled with broken walls and ruins—an absolutely perfect location for murder and silencing witnesses.

After a short chase, they reached an ancient plaza surrounded by massive, shattered stone pillars, its ground covered in deep fissures. Xiao Ruobai and his two companions suddenly stopped in their tracks and turned around to face their pursuers.

The four Heavenly Realm elders descended in a flash, moving to encircle them. Their faces bore the cruel, mocking amusement of cats toying with mice.

"Keep running! Why aren't you running anymore?" the fan-wielding young man sneered savagely.

"This place makes a perfect graveyard for you. It saves us the trouble of digging a pit!"

An elder stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his tone chilling. "Kneel now, and perhaps you will be granted a swift death."