The Real World.
Early morning, underground training room.
"Bang!"
With a loud noise, Chen Xue, wearing the Xi He-class combat armor, delivered a clean and decisive punch in front of Lin Zhao. Facing such a fierce offensive, Lin Zhao, with a single thought, summoned a golden shield to block his path, creating a diversion. As Chen Xue's punch struck the shield, scattering countless energy sparks, Lin Zhao rapidly shot out diagonally, grabbed Chen Xue's arm from the flank, and unleashed the full power of his armor, slamming Chen Xue to the ground.
"Ah!?"
Just as Lin Zhao thought he was finally going to win today, Chen Xue leaned back, fully activating the thrusters on her left leg. A long, slender, and radiant jade leg, encased in armor, heavily kicked Lin Zhao in the back. As Lin Zhao rolled away, Chen Xue leaped nearly three meters high and mercilessly stomped down towards the ground.
Too brutal!
Lin Zhao's heart grew cold. Chen Xue really went all out during training, fighting with all her might. In Chen Xue's words, getting beaten by her was fine. If someone were to truly try to kill him, the skills learned from her might be what saves his life.
"Foot thrusters, activate!"
Lin Zhao's mind moved, and his body was immediately propelled forward. The ground ahead trembled, and as Chen Xue landed, she delivered another punch.
"Bang!"
Lin Zhao returned a punch, and the impact sent both of them staggering back several steps. Lin Zhao was in a more pathetic state, however. The armor's operational interface in front of him crackled and blurred. The battle had already caused some damage, and the system was autonomously repairing itself, which was a testament to the superiority of the Xi He-class individual combat armor system. As long as the damage wasn't catastrophic, it could generally self-heal.
"How is it?"
A smile played on Chen Xue's lips as she deactivated her helmet system, revealing a beautiful face. Today, she had her hair in a bun, making her look exceptionally youthful. Coupled with her mature aura, she was quite captivating. However, Lin Zhao saw Chen Xue every day in the studio and had grown numb. Chen Xue was just Chen Xue; he had no other thoughts. Besides, she already had a boyfriend.
"Need a break?" Chen Xue asked.
"I'll get some water."
Lin Zhao picked up a bottle of mineral water and gulped down a large mouthful like a thirsty ox. "Practicing this morning, did it delay your leveling up online?"
"It delayed it a little, but it's fine."
Chen Xue chuckled. "Didn't I beat you silly just now?"
"Do you have the ability?" Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow.
"Come on!"
Chen Xue summoned her helmet system again, lightly clapped her fists in front of her chest, and said with a smile, "Three days without a fight and the roof will come down. Let's continue. Let me see if the Alliance Leader has truly improved much recently."
...
Snow Domain Heavenly Pool.
Lei Shi Xue Yuan faced the approaching ragged man with a look of horror. At a certain moment, a brilliant azure light enveloped the heavens and earth. Instantly, the distant lights of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, the patrolling cavalry, and everything else vanished. Only Xue Yuan and the gatekeeper of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool remained in the entire world.
A pocket dimension!
At this moment, Xue Yuan's heart turned ashen. The other party was a cultivator of the Upper Five Realms. Anyone who could create such a world could not be weak, and their killing intent was extremely heavy.
"Don't be afraid."
The ragged man, Tang Guangjun, grinned and said, "I'm not some wicked villain. Why should you, a Lei Shi who manages the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning for this land, be afraid of me?"
"I... I..."
Xue Yuan's expression was one of profound fear.
"I have a question for you."
Tang Guangjun raised his left hand, rubbing his right fist, and said with a smile, "If you answer correctly, you can leave. If you answer incorrectly, I'll kill you with one punch."
Xue Yuan gritted his teeth. "Esteemed sir... we have no enmity. Is this necessary? I am Xue Yuan, a Lei Shi under Yu Shi Yue Ling, who governs the wind and rain across ten thousand miles of the snow domain. You must have heard of my lord's name. Furthermore, human spiritual cultivators who kill wind and rain deities will incur very heavy karma. Do you not care about your Great Dao?"
"Firstly."
Tang Guangjun's body slowly rose, preparing to punch. He looked down at the Lei Shi of the Tenth Realm and said with a smile, "I don't know Yue Ling, nor do I want to give him any face. He's not worthy. Secondly, even if I killed you, there would be no karma, nor would it hinder my Great Dao. After all, my Great Dao is lifelong conquest!"
As he spoke, strands of deep crimson armor erupted around Tang Guangjun, a manifestation of the Qi and Xiang cultivated by a military strategist!
"Military strategist?!"
Instantly, Xue Yuan felt a chill run through his heart.
"Alright, time for the question."
Tang Guangjun raised an eyebrow, his body surging with the powerful killing intent of a military strategist. He said with a cold smile, "You, Xue Yuan, manage the thunder and rain within a hundred-mile radius of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Let me ask you, what about that boy Lin Zhao in the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool... how is he?"
As he spoke, a hint of impatience and ferocity flickered in Tang Guangjun's eyes. This was actually a true reflection of his inner feelings. He, a dignified Sword Immortal of the Twelfth Realm, was confined like a prisoner in this Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, only able to act as a gatekeeper. He had to bow and scrape to those arrogant officials of the Great Shang Dynasty. All of this was thanks to that boy!
"..."
Xue Yuan had been a Lei Shi for many years and had navigated the bureaucracy of wind and rain deities. His ability to read people was already superb. He quickly caught the resentment in Tang Guangjun's eyes, and a trace of venom appeared in his own. He said with a cold smile, "A hypocritical, pretentious fellow who doesn't respect the deities of the Upper Five Realms. He's merely a petty individual who usurped the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool!"
"Oh?"
Tang Guangjun raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly. "Wrong answer!"
"Ah?!"
Xue Yuan was stunned. Tang Guangjun's punch, from the Twelfth Realm, descended. With a "bang," it pierced Xue Yuan's golden body. Then, with a spread of his five fingers, he gathered Xue Yuan's dharma body into his palm and crushed it. In the end, only a head remained, which Xue Yuan discarded like refuse, throwing it onto the ground and stepping on it to slowly crush it.
"My junior brother Lin Zhao is pure and noble, holding jade and embracing virtue. How can someone like him appear hypocritical in your eyes? As expected, those with foul minds only see foulness!"
He stomped his foot fiercely. A wind and rain deity of the Tenth Realm vanished into thin air. His dharma body, his Great Dao, had completely turned to dust.
...
Qing Liang Sect.
A human sect located in the mountains several hundred miles east of Tongjing Lake. The Qing Liang Sect had many disciples, each wearing a yellow robe. Outer disciples wore light yellow, inner disciples wore ginger yellow, and for protectors, hall masters, and the sect leader, they wore deep yellow robes. It was rumored that the Qing Liang Sect lineage was once the royal family of the human race, which was why they dared to be so presumptuous as to wear yellow robes.
In the sky, a streak of light descended.
"Boom—"
With a loud explosion, the giant rock carved with the words "Qing Liang Mountain in the Heavens, the Foremost Sect of the Northern Frontier," standing outside the gate of the Qing Liang Sect, instantly turned to powder. Following that, a one-armed female sword immortal, clad in white, descended from the sky.
"Who goes there?!"
A group of Qing Liang Sect outer disciples flew down from the mountain, each with a different expression. Some were shocked that the woman possessed the ability to shatter the sect gate with a single sword. Others were captivated by Wu Zhi's beauty and excellent figure, which was shapely and alluring, precisely the kind of appearance they envisioned for their Taoist companion, even with one arm.
"Wu Zhi from the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool."
The woman looked up towards the peak of the mountain and said faintly, "I have come to challenge the Qing Liang Sect! I wish to seek an explanation from the Sect Leader of Qing Liang Sect!"
As she spoke, she looked at the group of outer disciples. "Hurry and report. This matter has nothing to do with you. Do not die in vain."
"You..."
Several disciples ascended the mountain, while the remaining disciples' gazes were cold. One sword cultivator of the Seventh Realm, unable to discern Wu Zhi's cultivation base, only saw her as a beautiful sword cultivator. He smiled lewdly and said, "Young lady, you are so beautiful. Why do you need to come and challenge us with swords? Our Sect Leader's techniques are very profound. Will you even survive after the challenge? It's such a shame for your long legs and slender waist. Instead of challenging us, why don't you let a few of us brothers have some fun first?"
"Oh?"
Wu Zhi took a step up the stairs and said with a smile, "You want to touch? Then come on, if you have the guts."
"You said it yourself!"
The Seventh Realm sword cultivator sneered. "If I enjoy myself touching you, you won't be able to leave. You'll have to stay and be my concubine slave, hehe..."
As he spoke, several disciples walked over.
A smile played on Wu Zhi's lips. With a flash of sword light, countless chaotic sword Qi scattered outwards from Wu Zhi as the center. Instantly, the few disciples turned into a pile of minced meat, not even understanding how they died. Even the Seventh Realm sword cultivator had no room to resist under the sword of Wu Zhi, an Eleventh Realm Sword Immortal.
...
Wu Zhi floated upwards, holding her long sword.
When she descended again, she was already on the mountainside of the Qing Liang Sect. At this moment, the mountainside was densely populated with Qing Liang Sect disciples, including outer and inner disciples. Some of the more powerful disciples had already reached the Ninth Realm Nascent Soul. The group of disciples simultaneously drew their swords and raised them to the sky. "Who dares to trespass upon our Qing Liang Sect's Dew Receiving Platform?"
This platform on the mountainside was the Qing Liang Sect's Dew Receiving Platform, a place where many disciples cultivated and attained enlightenment. Normally, when the Qing Liang Sect had any major events, such as the Sect Leader bestowing titles or treasures, or when an elder or protector took in a disciple, ceremonies would be held here. The Dew Receiving Platform, as the name suggested, was where Qing Liang Sect disciples received the grace and favor of their elders.
Among the disciples, one stepped forward. It was Zhao Yichuan, the chief disciple of the Qing Liang Sect, a cultivator who had served with the Great Shang cavalry and had almost drawn swords with Lin Zhao at the entrance of Zouma Lane.
"Sword Immortal, please halt!"
Zhao Yichuan cupped his fists respectfully. "May I ask what our Qing Liang Sect has done to warrant Sword Immortal Wu Zhi personally visiting? Please explain the situation, lest we harm the harmony between our two sides."
"Putting on a show."
Wu Zhi said faintly, "Tell Zhao Chuqin to get out here and talk!"
...
"Who is it?"
At this moment, a ethereal voice came from the mountaintop, chuckling. "It has been several hundred years since anyone dared to come up the mountain to challenge us at Qing Liang Sect. Since you've come to challenge us, how can Qing Liang Sect be negligent?"
Instantly, the disciples were horrified. "Ancestor... has the Ancestor come out of seclusion?"