Chapter 139: The Might of the Fifth Heaven

A hundred miles away from Fuzhong Mountain.

Having temporarily shaken off the injured Hong Yang, Huamei arrived here to reunite with the disciples of the Hanhua Pavilion.

"According to our original plan, we should be heading back to the Hanhua Pavilion by now. However, this Hong Yang possesses formidable abilities. Even in his injured state, he is still significantly more powerful than we initially anticipated. Since we cannot shake him off, it is safer for us to continue our journey separately from now on."

Huamei briefly conferred with the senior sister surnamed Zhou. With time pressing, they finalized their upcoming route within moments.

Right at that moment, ripples appeared in Huamei’s eyes, and her expression flickered with astonishment.

"He ran into the Patriarch of the Sun family?"

A sense of surprise stirred within Huamei.

Earlier, when Qingyuan emerged from the Liyue Abyss, she had roughly figured out that the ancient immortal's legacy treasure had most likely fallen into the hands of this young man. As for those higher-level masters, they had vanished without a trace, most likely meeting a grim fate, ultimately benefiting Qingyuan, who was only at the Triple Heavenly Realm.

This Qingyuan had an extraordinary background and remarkable skills. Having obtained the ancient immortal's legacy treasure, his future prospects were truly limitless.

Yet, she had not expected him to cross paths with the Patriarch of the Sun family so soon.

No matter how brilliantly talented a genius might be, if they died young, they would merely become a figure of regret and lamentation rather than a truly great person.

"It is a pity that I can barely protect myself. Otherwise, under normal circumstances, I might have been able to lend him a hand."

Huamei shook her head slightly, then chuckled softly to herself, thinking: "If he manages to survive in the hands of the Patriarch of the Sun family, that would truly make one look at him in a completely new light. By then, he would indeed deserve the utmost respect."

With these thoughts, she glanced briefly at Lu Yushuang without speaking, then looked at Yuling and said, "It is time to go."

Yuling suddenly threw her arms around Huamei and wept, sobbing, "Mother..."

Huamei patted her little head and said, "We must leave."

"No..." Yuling clung to her, sobbing and refusing to let go. "Mother, come with us."

"Silly girl, Mother cannot leave." Huamei kissed her on the forehead. "You cannot fall into the hands of the Shouzheng Taoist Sect, or else you will be forced back to your original form. However, these Hanhua Pavilion disciples are somewhat lacking in cultivation. Without Mother's help, they certainly would not escape the clutches of that formidable Daoist."

"Indeed." Lu Yushuang walked over slowly and said, "We do not fear the Shouzheng Taoist Sect, but neither will the Shouzheng Taoist Sect fear us. On the contrary, here in the Central Plains, the Shouzheng Taoist Sect represents the orthodox path, and the Hanhua Pavilion has no reason to completely fall out with them."

Seeing her approach, Huamei nodded slightly and said, "Take good care of this child for me."

Lu Yushuang nodded. "I know."

Pausing for a moment, she added, "I don't much care for you, but you must survive."

"I have no desire to die either," Huamei replied with a smile, looking at her. "I don't care much for you either, but you must take good care of little Ling'er for me."

Lu Yushuang gave a faint acknowledgement.

***

At the edge of Fuzhong Mountain.

The gaze of the Sun family's Patriarch landed upon Qingyuan.

Qingyuan, in turn, withstood that gaze, which felt as heavy and solid as a mountain.

The Sun family's Patriarch felt a trace of surprise, along with a shred of appreciation. However, this sliver of appreciation was not enough to make him let Qingyuan go. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and pressed it downward.

***

With a muffled thud.

Centered on the spot targeted by his palm, the ground ten zhang ahead instantly collapsed.

The air distorted, sending out colorless ripples.

Qingyuan shuddered violently, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth as he was forced back dozens of steps.

"This..." The Sun family's Patriarch showed a look of surprise. His strike had seemed casual, with no great amount of profound energy contained within it, yet it concealed the unique marvel of the Fifth Heavenly Realm—suppressing all directions. Even a master of the Fourth Heavenly Realm would have suffered severe injuries, and a cultivator of the Triple Heavenly Realm should have had virtually no chance of survival.

Yet this young man appeared to have sustained only minor injuries?

"Not bad."

The Sun family's Patriarch nodded, his expression turning solemn. His gaze was no longer condescending, but one of serious regard. He formed hand seals and slowly said, "A young man like you is truly outstanding. However... you injured a member of my Sun family, and I cannot spare you."

He paused for a moment and slowly continued, "Receive this Azure Dragon Transformation Art from this old man."

As his voice fell, the Sun family's Patriarch flicked his hand, and a beam of azure light suddenly burst forth.

That beam of azure light was as thick as a water vat and over twenty zhang long, its outer layer covered in countless lifelike scales. Beneath its belly grew four limbs, and upon its head sprouted a pair of dragon horns as it raised its head and roared.

It was unmistakably an azure dragon!

This azure dragon was immeasurably more powerful than the one-horned azure dragon summoned by Sun Yu. By virtue of its aura alone, it suppressed countless cultivators in the vicinity, leaving even the hidden Jin Lan with a sense of trembling awe.

And as it focused upon Qingyuan, the pressure was unimaginably heavy.

Before the azure dragon even arrived, its overwhelming momentum had already pinned down all directions.

Furthermore, the azure dragon moved with terrifying speed, spanning a hundred zhang in an instant to appear directly before Qingyuan.

Qingyuan had no time to dodge.

The azure dragon crashed into his chest.

Then, the world turned into a vast, pale expanse, accompanied by a deafening, ceaseless roar thundering in his ears.

Qingyuan felt his senses turn pale and blank; he could neither see, touch, smell, nor clearly hear anything.

***

In the eyes of the onlookers, they only saw the azure dragon emerge from the hand of the Sun family's Patriarch, as lively as a real creature, slamming into the young man in the blink of an eye.

Everyone assumed that the young man would undoubtedly be smashed into a fine powder, with flesh and blood scattering everywhere.

Yet the next moment, the azure dragon vanished, as if it had burrowed directly into the young man's chest.

Then, the young man abruptly spewed a mouthful of fresh blood, flying backward for a hundred zhang before crashing heavily into a hill and sinking deep into its core.

A flash of surprise also crossed the eyes of the Sun family's Patriarch; clearly, what had just happened was not entirely what he had anticipated. Fortunately... this Azure Dragon Transformation Art had not missed its mark...

Having taken a direct hit from the Azure Dragon Transformation Art, even a master of the Fourth Heavenly Realm would certainly die.

Sun Wenjie revealed a savage grin.

***

High above, a disciple of the Shouzheng Taoist Sect looked down, his brows slightly furrowed.

***

Trapped within the hill, Qingyuan's aura gradually weakened.

The cultivation of the Sun family's Patriarch far surpassed Qingyuan's, and the Dao arts he wielded were likewise far superior, exceeding the limits of what Qingyuan could endure.

The ancient mirror was an innate supreme treasure and would not suffer even the slightest damage, but the force exceeding Qingyuan's capacity still struck him directly.

"The ancient mirror intercepted roughly eighty percent of it. The remaining force that fell upon my body was barely over ten percent, not even reaching twenty percent."

He coughed, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Yet the vital energy and blood within his body continued to circulate.

The roar of a dragon echoed from deep within his body.

That dragon roar originated from the earth dragon forged by the converging spiritual energy of the vast earth over countless ages.

***

"Patrician Patriarch." Sun Wenjie bowed respectfully, raising his single arm as he said, "This disciple was severed of an arm by him, and I must tear him limb from limb to vent the hatred in my heart."

The Sun family's Patriarch shook his head slightly and said, "Leaving him an intact corpse will suffice."

Unreconciled, Sun Wenjie looked up and saw Qingyuan lying flat within the hill, his aura faint, yet still clinging to life.

"Then let this disciple take his life personally."

"Go ahead."

***

Footsteps drew closer and closer.

Qingyuan's heartbeat nearly synchronized with those footsteps; with each approaching step, his chest heaved accordingly.

"Boy."

Sun Wenjie's voice slowly drifted into his ears. "The grievance of my severed arm shall be washed away today with your life."

A chilling wind swept toward Qingyuan's head.

The biting cold wind made one shudder.

Qingyuan shuddered slightly and opened his eyes.

"Just you?"

With a low shout from Qingyuan, accompanied by a resounding dragon roar, a massive azure dragon burst forth from his chest.