Boundless pressure swept over him, wave after wave of invisible force bearing down, pinning Qi Yun firmly in place. He couldn’t even move a single finger.

’So this... is the might of a Foundation Establishment Master...’

It felt as if every inch of his flesh and blood had slipped from his control. Qi Yun was shaken to his core, desperately guarding his Heart and Spirit to keep from succumbing to the boundless pressure.

A single, angry shout had sent Zhou Hao, a Qi Refining Sixth Layer, collapsing to the ground like a broken sack, his fate unknown.

Now, the pair of eyes in the Celestial Vault, filled with endless majesty and cold killing intent, slowly turned to fix upon Qi Yun.

BOOM—

In an instant, the pressure on Qi Yun doubled!

CRACK!

The ground beneath Qi Yun’s feet shattered, spiderweb-like cracks spreading out madly. His face flushed crimson, he looked as if he was about to be crushed by the immense power.

"You are the little thief who killed my nephew?"

The thunderous, celestial voice poured into his mind. Qi Yun felt as if Heaven and Earth had been inverted, and the world had lost all color.

The only thing left in his world was that pair of cold, majestic pupils, looking down and holding the power of life and death!

"Hmph! A mere ant!"

A cold glint flashed in the eyes. With a shout, the illusory Celestial Vault cracked open, and a giant hand, condensed from pure Magical Power and large enough to blot out the sun, reached straight for Qi Yun.

The Flower Moon Hall Master intended to cross the barrier of the Cosmic Jade and snatch Qi Yun away directly.

In that instant, a terrifying sense of crisis erupted in Qi Yun’s heart. He wanted to struggle, to dodge.

But under the pressure of a Foundation Establishment Master, he could do nothing but think; he couldn’t even circulate a single shred of True Qi!

The massive hand descended, its shadow engulfing Qi Yun. Just as he was about to be captured by the Flower Moon Hall Master...

VMMMM—

In the nick of time, a snow-white streak of Flowing Light tore through the oppressive weight, arriving in an instant like a comet streaking through the night sky.

The light converged, revealing a Jade Bone Fan shimmering with a soft halo. It hovered steadily before Qi Yun, an indestructible barrier that stopped the giant, descending hand in its tracks!

"Yang Cuan?!"

Seeing the fan appear so suddenly, Song Kun’s eyes narrowed. He immediately understood and roared in fury:

"You dare scheme against me!"

"Hahaha, Senior Brother Song, whatever do you mean? I was just passing by. I never imagined that the esteemed Flower Moon Hall Master of the Inner Mansion, a Foundation Establishment Master, would disregard the Holy Sect’s rules and attack one of the Outer Mansion Disciples.

"Senior Brother Wei, I’m not just making this up. You saw it with your own eyes."

A clear, cheerful laugh rang out. The dense fog and heavy clouds that perennially shrouded Piaohai Mountain were parted by an unseen force, revealing Yang Cuan, who had the air of a scholar, and an old man with a grim face, graying hair, and an aura of majesty even more intense than Song Kun’s.

"Senior Brother Wei, regarding this matter..." Yang Cuan said respectfully to Wei Li beside him, a smile playing on his lips as he turned slightly.

Wei Li glanced at Yang Cuan before speaking calmly. "Song Kun, recite Article Seven of the Fifth Law of the Holy Sect’s rules."

"Senior Brother Wei, I..." Song Kun frowned, opening his mouth to explain.

"I asked you how Article Seven of the Fifth Law of the Holy Sect’s rules is written!" Wei Li’s voice suddenly grew heavy, striking down like a cold iron hammer and cutting off Song Kun’s explanation. His fearsome aura made even the Celestial Vault seem to pause.

Taking a deep breath and knowing the situation was beyond saving, Song Kun could only shoot a venomous glare at the smug Yang Cuan before reciting in a low voice:

"Article Seven of the Fifth Law of the Holy Sect’s rules: Inner Mansion Masters, unless officially tasked, are strictly Forbidden from interfering in the affairs of the Outer Mansion! Violators... shall be fined fifty years’ stipend and face the wall for a sixty-year cycle!"

"Mm, not a word out of place. Since you remember the rules, go to the Internal Inspection Department and receive your punishment," Wei Li said nonchalantly with a nod.

"But..." Song Kun tried to argue.

"You find this improper?" Wei Li merely glanced at him sideways. The usually domineering Flower Moon Hall Master instantly fell silent, any words of protest dying in his throat.

"As you command, Senior Brother... I will go to the Internal Inspection Department to receive my punishment."

Before he left, Song Kun took one last look at Qi Yun below, as if to sear the young man’s face into his memory.

’Brat. In sixty years, I will come for you again.’

’I hope you’re just as lucky then!’

The giant eyes in the Celestial Vault, filled with boundless hatred, slowly dissipated. The heavy pressure receded like the tide.

With Song Kun gone, Wei Li glanced coolly at Yang Cuan, whose smile never faded.

"Don’t let it happen again."

Knowing his petty scheme couldn’t fool Wei Li, Yang Cuan quickly wiped the smile from his face, cupped his hands respectfully, and said:

"I understand. The Spirit Tea from Zhan Tan Mountain is already brewed. Please, Senior Brother, join me for a taste."

"Mm."

The figures of the two Masters slowly vanished into the horizon. Just in the final moment before the clouds closed in again, Yang Cuan’s gaze seemed to linger on Qi Yun below for a fleeting, almost imperceptible instant.

’They’re gone...’

With the three Foundation Establishment Masters gone, the heavy, suffocating pressure between Heaven and Earth dissipated, and Qi Yun let out a long sigh of relief.

"Junior Brother Qi, you deserve the highest credit for this success."

Accompanied by the sound of applause, Zheng Yi appeared at the mouth of the cave like a phantom. A brilliant smile on his face, he congratulated Qi Yun profusely, his eyes filled with praise.

Seeing Zheng Yi, Qi Yun chuckled and waved a hand.

"I was merely the bait on the hook. The Master was the one holding the rod. I can’t possibly take the credit."

"You’re too modest, Junior Brother."

Stepping into the cave, Zheng Yi kicked aside the grievously wounded, unconscious form of Zhou Hao as if he were a dead dog, and walked toward Qi Yun.

"To hold out for so long against a Qi Refining Sixth Layer, and even use the terrain to nearly kill him."

"If the Master hadn’t interfered, this piece of trash would already be dead by your hand."

As he watched Zheng Yi draw closer, the smile vanished from Qi Yun’s face, replaced by a calm and indifferent expression.

"The business with the Flower Moon Hall Master is concluded. Next, it’s time to deal with me, I presume."

THUD—

Zheng Yi stopped in his tracks. He looked at Qi Yun, surprised, then a smirk touched his lips.

"Junior Brother, what kind of talk is that? You must have misunderstood something."

"Stop pretending, Senior Brother. Framing a Foundation Establishment Master, no matter the reason, is ultimately a dirty deed that can’t see the light of day."

"And besides the three Masters, the only ones who know about it are you, me, and this dead dog here."

"You’re a True Disciple, so you’ll be fine, of course."

"Which makes me and this dead dog the last people who know."

"By all logic, the Master would never allow blemishes like us to continue to exist."

"So, the reason you came here, Senior Brother..."

Slowly raising his eyes, Qi Yun spelled it out, word by word:

"...is to take my life."

"Good! Good! Good!" After hearing Qi Yun’s words, Zheng Yi couldn’t help but repeat the word three times, his eyes showing a hint of genuine regret.

"Such a meticulous mind, so attentive to detail. You truly are a talent!"

"I... I really wanted to let you live!"

"Then let me live?"

"Can’t."

...