You dare to insult the Way of Heaven

Ding Mingcang was struck by the sudden bolt of lightning, blood gushing from his seven orifices as his body was sent flying backward, tumbling several times before coming to a stop.

"Who... who was that?!"

With trembling hands, Ding Mingcang wiped away the blood pouring from his mouth and nose. His eyes were filled with terror.

For some reason, that crimson lightning carried the aura of a heavenly tribulation...

‘Could it be the Heavenly Dao?... No, impossible! I mustn’t fall for this brat’s trick!’

Ding Mingcang quickly dismissed the absurd thought.

Though the lightning strike had left him severely injured and in a wretched state, it was still far from the true might of a heavenly tribulation.

His thoughts then turned to Zhao Wendao.

Zhao Wendao was the Lingxiao Sect’s foremost master of thunder techniques.

But Ding Mingcang knew him well—Zhao Wendao would never lurk in the shadows.

Besides, even if it were Zhao Wendao, so what?

With the Sect Master’s decree in hand, Zhao Wendao couldn’t touch him!

"What cowardly rat dares skulk in the shadows?! Show yourself!!!"

Suppressing his injuries, Ding Mingcang warily scanned his surroundings.

His divine sense expanded, yet he detected no trace of any suspicious movement.

Everyone present was stunned.

Zhong Yi knew his master’s thunder techniques best—that crimson lightning was definitely not Zhao Wendao’s doing.

The Lingxiao Sect Master frowned imperceptibly.

Even in his divine sense state, he felt a faint, inexplicable familiarity.

That thunder technique just now...

It was no ordinary strike!

Only Lu Ze wore a faint smirk.

He knew—the remnant spirit of the Heavenly Dao had made its move.

But based on his understanding, the remnant spirit was still sealed within the great formation, its power severely restricted.

It would need time to recover before striking again.

"Ding Mingcang, mind your words... I’ve already told you—‘it’ is the spirit of the Heavenly Dao. How dare you insult the Heavenly Dao?"

Lu Ze raised his voice once more.

"Hmph! You wretched fool, look at yourself—what status do you have to claim ties with the Heavenly Dao? A mere thunder technique tainted with tribulation karma, and you think you can pass it off as the Heavenly Dao to scare me?"

Ding Mingcang wasn’t fooled by Lu Ze’s act.

What was the Heavenly Dao? And what was Lu Ze?

Even a wisp of the Heavenly Dao’s spirit was beyond the reach of an ant like him!

"Well... those are your own words. Don’t blame me if the Heavenly Dao gets angry later."

Lu Ze shrugged, grinning as he warned.

"Ridiculous! With such pitiful power, you dare claim to be the Heavenly Dao? Let’s see who’s the real ant here!"

The more Lu Ze insisted, the more Ding Mingcang believed he was bluffing.

Gathering his energy, he prepared to strike again.

"Elder Ding, hold."

The Sect Master spoke.

Ding Mingcang froze but dared not disobey, reluctantly halting his attack.

"Sect Master, this brat is cunning! Don’t listen to his lies!"

Ding Mingcang urged hastily.

"That thunder technique just now carried a trace of the Heavenly Dao’s power... Stand down. I will investigate further!"

The Sect Master’s voice was icy.

A Core Formation disciple claimed his illusion realm could aid cultivation.

A Golden Core disciple said his illusion realm had the Heavenly Dao’s spirit as its core.

Both sounded absurd at first—but after that crimson lightning, they suddenly seemed plausible!

As a late-stage Unity Realm cultivator, the Sect Master’s sensitivity to the Heavenly Dao’s power far surpassed Ding Mingcang’s.

"S-Sect Master! We cannot let this brat continue to deceive the sect!!"

Ding Mingcang panicked, itching to kill Lu Ze on the spot.

"Elder Ding."

The Sect Master’s voice turned frigid.

"Why are you so desperate to silence him... Do you have ulterior motives?"

"N-No, I wouldn’t dare..."

Crushed by the Sect Master’s divine sense, Ding Mingcang immediately lowered his head.

"Sect Master, this old fool does have ulterior motives—he wants me dead."

Lu Ze spoke bluntly.

"Oh?"

The Sect Master raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Then let’s settle it this way."

"If you cannot prove that this illusion realm enhances cultivation and aids breakthroughs, then as its creator, you will bear the punishment for disrupting the sect and misleading disciples."

"But if you can prove it..."

"Then Elder Ding sought to deceive me for personal gain, nearly costing our sect a chance at ascension."

"The penalty for such a crime is the stripping of cultivation and expulsion from the sect. Agreed?"

Without hesitation, Lu Ze nodded. "I agree. But I doubt this old fool will."

"Who wouldn’t dare? You really think the Heavenly Dao protects you?"

After a moment’s hesitation, Ding Mingcang sneered and nodded as well.

He refused to believe Lu Ze had the Heavenly Dao’s favor.

Even less did he believe an illusion realm could enhance cultivation!

The issue now was—

Zhong Yi and Zhou Yue claimed the illusion realm felt like a spiritual sanctuary, immensely beneficial to cultivators.

Ding Mingcang insisted they were Lu Ze’s allies, lying to deceive the Sect Master.

As the standoff continued—

A surge of icy energy erupted from the distant Sword Inquiry Peak.

Zhong Yi and the others exchanged glances, their eyes alight with joy:

"True Disciple Li has broken through!"

Ding Mingcang scoffed. "Hmph... What does True Disciple Li’s breakthrough have to do with the illusion realm? From now on, will every disciple’s breakthrough be credited to it?"

But before his words faded—

Li Moran’s figure arrived at Blazing Glaze Peak.

The ice-faced maiden bowed slightly to the Sect Master.

"Disciple Li Moran, having comprehended the Sword Dao within the illusion realm, has achieved a breakthrough in cultivation... I seek the Sect Master’s judgment!"

......

......

When Zhong Yi learned of Lu Ze’s predicament, he sent messages to Li Moran, Zhao Wendao, and Nangong Yuan.

Thus, Li Moran withdrew from the illusion realm at once to lend her support.

Upon hearing that Li Moran had inadvertently grasped the Sword Dao while creating a sword technique module in "My World," the Sect Master frowned, pondering the validity of the claim.

If the illusion realm truly provided pure spiritual energy, gradual cultivation improvement was plausible.

But comprehending the Dao within an illusion?

That sounded absurd!

Yet, Li Moran had undeniably broken through.

The surge of energy from early to mid-Nascent Soul stage was unmistakable.

"Sect Master, please reconsider! These disciples have always been close to Lu Ze—they’re speaking for him! No one can possibly comprehend the..."

Before he could finish—

The sky darkened abruptly.

From the direction of Thunder Lord Peak, storm clouds churned.

Eight violet lightning bolts, carrying overwhelming force, descended upon the peak!