“This is actually a real fraud, a real trap!”
“You, Yi Tianwen, dare to frame me!”
“Hmph! The kind-hearted are always taken advantage of, and gentle horses are ridden by men. If I don’t act, you all must think I’m a weak cat. Fine then, since you’re forcing me like this, don’t blame me for being ruthless…”
Shui Miao sensed Yi Tianwen’s words with his spiritual perception, his heart immediately burning with fury, a murderous aura rising within him, and he was ready to unleash his full strength.
Quickly thinking, Shui Miao reacted swiftly.
This elevator was a normal metal one, so Shui Miao wasn’t worried about being trapped inside.
At once, he channeled his immortal energy fully, preparing for battle.
Upon receiving secret orders, many people in yellow coats stood up. Regardless of age or gender, they all rushed toward the elevator door, blocking it, and stared intently at the elevator entrance.
Ding!
A crisp electronic tone rang out as the elevator reached the first floor.
The elevator doors opened, but the inside was filled with black mist, startling everyone.
They looked at each other hesitantly, no one daring to act rashly.
Suddenly, an old man’s walkie-talkie crackled to life, and Yi Tianwen’s voice came through, “Spare no effort to stop him. Absolutely do not let him escape. Even if you have to shoot, do it without hesitation.”
Roar!
As soon as the voice from the walkie-talkie faded, a massive surge of black mist erupted from inside the elevator. Moving at incredible speed, the mist created a howling wind sound…
At this moment, the black mist combined with the roaring wind evoked an image of a demon!
The black mist, seemingly alive, split into countless streams, wrapping around everyone. From within the mist, Shui Miao emerged slowly, like a demon himself, his voice cold and emotionless, “You forced me to this. You even tried to shoot me. Then don’t blame me for repaying you in kind.”
Inside the villa were many people, all experts from the Xuan Group, each possessing unique abilities or special skills.
Surrounded by the black mist, they immediately activated their powers, employing various techniques to resist Shui Miao’s soul-devouring force.
Shui Miao didn’t rush out but instead closed his eyes, sensing every movement around him.
Suddenly, he detected an old man holding the walkie-talkie. The man’s body trembled, instantly dispersing the soul-devouring mist around him. He, too, was a cultivator, though his power was purely earth-based.
“Interesting!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted, and with a wave of his hand, he summoned a surge of wood-element soul-devouring energy toward the old man.
The old man had just dispersed the mist around him when he saw a green aura rushing toward him. He hesitated slightly, instinctively activating his immortal energy to defend. But upon contact, he realized this soul-devouring force was like a flood or a beast, directly countering his own energy, instantly suppressing it completely.
Focused on dealing with the old man, several other yellow-coated elders also dispersed the soul-devouring mist around them.
They were also experts from the Daoist sects, though their strength was slightly inferior to the first old man’s.
Sensing their relatively modest power, Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted. He realized his true enemy was Yi Tianwen, and these people were innocent. If he went on a rampage, how could he live with his conscience?
“Retreat!”
With a shout of “Retreat,” Shui Miao immediately withdrew part of his immortal energy, even recalling the wood-element soul-devouring force he had just unleashed. He loudly declared, “Yi Tianwen betrayed me. This has nothing to do with you. Anyone who recklessly tries to stop me will have their cultivation base destroyed forever, making them unable to cultivate. Those who won’t block me, kneel on the ground and cover your heads.”
Shui Miao was giving them a chance, urging them not to get involved.
Hearing this, a cold-faced young man smirked and said, “You’ve got some skill. What was that dark fog just now?” As he spoke, he pulled out three small throwing knives from his sleeve.
“You want us to kneel and cover our heads? What a joke!” Another young man pulled out a handgun, aiming it at Shui Miao, and coldly added, “Friend, whoever you are, you’d better surrender now. Don’t think some dark mist can scare us.”
“That’s just sorcery! I’m a spirit-medium. Let me play with you!”
A middle-aged man tore off his yellow coat, revealing his muscular body.
With his spiritual perception, Shui Miao detected that the knife-wielding and gun-toting youths were not cultivators. Their dantian was empty, but their focus was intense, and their bodies were extremely well-toned—clearly experts in throwing knives and firearms. The middle-aged man who had spoken last was indeed a cultivator, and his body hosted a unique soul.
As Shui Miao was about to act, the old man who had been suppressed by the wood-element soul-devouring energy shouted at the two youths, “Afei, Xiaojü, drop your weapons immediately! Don’t be disrespectful. This senior cultivator’s power is unfathomable. If he truly wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead.”
“Pfft, Uncle Huang, are you getting senile? Now he won’t even move, and you want us to drop our weapons?” Xiaojü scoffed, “Oh, I get it—you’re afraid we’ll take your credit for capturing him, so you’re saying this on purpose?”
“Hmph! What nonsense about unfathomable power. He’s just a demon cultivator.”
Afei, the knife-wielder, also showed clear disdain toward Shui Miao.
Shui Miao deeply despised being pointed at with a gun. Being looked down upon didn’t bother him much—after all, people were different, and he didn’t care about others’ opinions.
But Xiaojü, who had dared to point a gun at his head, wouldn’t be easily forgiven.
Killing him in front of everyone might place Shui Miao on dangerous ground.
Shui Miao wanted to sense Yi Tianwen’s location, but his spiritual perception couldn’t penetrate the walls.
Soon, Shui Miao noticed that the spirit-medium man’s spiritual force was extremely weak and easily controlled. Instantly, an invisible current of immortal energy enveloped him. Sensing the threat, the special soul immediately detached from the man’s body, fleeing into the air, heading straight toward the Southern Heaven Gate.
Was this soul a ghost from the Immortal Realm?
Shui Miao’s mind stirred slightly, but he ignored it, closing his eyes and remaining silent.
In reality, he was secretly controlling the spirit-medium man’s mind, channeling immortal energy, preparing to use him to deal with Xiaojü and Afei.
Seeing Shui Miao remain silent, Xiaojü and Afei grew even more arrogant and confident.
After exchanging a few words with the old man, Xiaojü stepped forward with his gun, shouting, “Hey, are you deaf? I told you to kneel and cover your head!”
“Die!”
Suddenly, the spirit-medium man roared and charged at Xiaojü. Taken by surprise, Xiaojü was grabbed around the waist, unable to break free, his face turning red and his neck swelling as he shouted, “Afei, help me!”
Hearing this, Afei quickly retrieved his throwing knives to pull the spirit-medium’s arm, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t budge him.
Seeing this, the old man hurriedly bowed to Shui Miao, “Senior, please spare them. They’re young and ignorant. You don’t need to take it seriously.” Having just experienced Shui Miao’s power, the old man was extremely cautious in his words.
Shui Miao opened his eyes, shrugged, and replied to the old man, “He’s helping you vent your anger. What does that have to do with me? I haven’t even moved. How can you ask me to spare him? Elder, I think you must be getting old and forgetful. People like you should find a quiet place to cultivate. If I were you, I’d never join any Xuan Group.”
The old man was smart enough not to press the issue, standing there awkwardly.
At this moment, three elderly men in their sixties stepped forward. They also believed Shui Miao was controlling the spirit-medium, so they rushed forward, applying talismans and other items onto the spirit-medium’s body. But unexpectedly, the spirit-medium suddenly radiated a golden glow. He threw himself backward, slamming Xiaojü’s head onto the floor, instantly knocking him out.
“So it really is a scam, a real trap after all!”
“Yi Tianwen, how dare you set me up like this!”
“Hmph! The kind get bullied, and the tame get ridden. If I don’t take action, you’ll all think I’m some weakling. Fine then—since you’re pushing me this far, don’t blame me for what comes next…”
Through divine sense, Shui Miao overheard Yi Tianwen’s words. Rage burned within him, murderous intent rising. He was ready to unleash his full power and slaughter his way out.
His mind racing, Shui Miao reacted swiftly.
This elevator was a standard metal one, so Shui Miao wasn’t worried about being trapped.
He immediately channeled all his immortal energy, preparing for battle.
Upon receiving a secret order, many people in yellow robes stood up. Regardless of age or gender, they rushed to the elevator entrance—some blocking the door, others staring intently toward it…
*Ding!*
A crisp electronic sound rang out—the elevator had reached the first floor.
The doors slid open, but inside was nothing but dark mist, startling everyone!
They exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to make a move.
Suddenly, a walkie-talkie on one of the elders crackled to life with Yi Tianwen’s voice: “Stop him at all costs. Don’t let him escape. Open fire if you have to.”
*Roar!*
As soon as the transmission ended, a massive surge of black mist shot out from the elevator. It moved so fast it produced a howling wind-like sound…
In that moment, the howling wind and dark mist combined to evoke the image of a demon!
The mist seemed almost alive, splitting into countless tendrils that wrapped around the crowd. And from within that darkness, Shui Miao emerged slowly, like a demon himself. His voice was icy cold: “You brought this on yourselves. You even tried to shoot me—don’t blame me for returning the favor.”
The villa was filled with people—all experts from the Mystic Division, each possessing unique supernatural abilities or special skills.
As the dark mist enveloped them, they immediately activated their powers, each displaying their skills to resist Shui Miao’s soul-devouring energy.
Instead of rushing out, Shui Miao closed his eyes, sensing everyone’s movements.
Suddenly, he detected the elder holding the walkie-talkie shudder violently, dispersing the soul-devouring energy around him. This elder was also an immortal cultivator—though he specialized solely in earth-element immortal energy.
“Interesting!”
With a thought, Shui Miao waved his hand, summoning a surge of wood-element soul-devouring energy that rushed toward the elder.
Having just shaken off the dark energy, the elder saw the greenish aura approaching. He paused briefly, instinctively activating his immortal energy to resist. But upon contact, he realized this energy was like a flood or wild beast—directly countering his power—and in an instant, he was completely suppressed!
While Shui Miao focused on dealing with this elder, several other elders in yellow robes also managed to shake off the soul-devouring energy.
They, too, were experts from the Daoist tradition, though their strength was slightly inferior to the first elder.
Sensing that most present were only moderately powerful, Shui Miao reconsidered. His real enemy was Yi Tianwen—these people were innocent. If he slaughtered them all, how could he live with his conscience?
“Withdraw!”
Shui Miao shouted, retracting part of his immortal energy—even the wood-element soul-devouring energy he had just unleashed. Then he yelled, “Yi Tianwen set me up. This has nothing to do with the rest of you. Anyone who blocks me without good reason will have their cultivation destroyed—permanently. Those who stand down can crouch with their hands on their heads.”
He was giving them a chance to stay out of the conflict.
Hearing this, a cold-faced young man smirked and said disdainfully, “Think you’re tough? What was that dark mist earlier?” As he spoke, he drew three small throwing knives from his sleeve.
“Telling us to crouch with hands on our heads—you’ve got some nerve!” Another young man pulled out a handgun, aiming it at Shui Miao, and added coldly, “Whoever you are, you’d better surrender quietly. Don’t think a little black mist can scare us.”
“Some demonic trick! I practice Spirit Channeling—let me play with him!”
A middle-aged man ripped off his yellow robe, revealing a well-muscled physique.
Through divine sense, Shui Miao could tell that the knife-thrower and the gunman were not cultivators—their dantians were empty. But their spirits were highly focused, and their bodies perfectly conditioned—clearly experts with blades and firearms. The middle-aged man, however, was a cultivator, with a unique soul attached to him.
Just as Shui Miao was about to act, the elder who had been suppressed by the wood-element energy shouted at the two young men, “A Fei, Xiao Ju! Put those toys down now—show some respect! This Daoist brother’s power is unfathomable. If he wanted you dead, you would be already.”
“Tch, Uncle Huang, have you lost your mind? He’s not even moving, and you want us to back down?” The gunman, Xiao Ju, sneered. “Oh, I get it—you see we have him under control and don’t want us stealing your credit, right?”
“Hmph! What ‘unfathomable power’? He’s just some sorcerer!” A Fei, the knife-thrower, also glared contemptuously at Shui Miao.
Shui Miao deeply resented having a gun pointed at him. Being looked down upon didn’t bother him—the world was full of all kinds of people, and he didn’t care about others’ opinions.
But Xiao Ju, aiming a gun at his head? That, he wouldn’t let slide.
Killing him in front of everyone would only put Shui Miao in a more dangerous position.
He tried to sense Yi Tianwen’s location, but his divine sense couldn’t penetrate the walls.
Soon, Shui Miao noticed that the Spirit Channeling practitioner’s spiritual energy was very weak—easy to manipulate. An invisible wave of immortal energy enveloped the man. The attached soul sensed the threat and immediately fled the body, shooting up into the sky toward the Southern Heavenly Gate.
Was that soul a ghost from the immortal realm?
Shui Miao pondered briefly but dismissed the thought. He closed his eyes and stayed silent.
In truth, he was secretly manipulating the Spirit Channeler’s mind, gathering immortal energy to use the man against Xiao Ju and A Fei.
Seeing Shui Miao silent and motionless, Xiao Ju and A Fei grew even more arrogant.
After exchanging a few words with the elder, Xiao Ju approached Shui Miao, gun still aimed, and yelled, “Are you deaf? I said kneel down and put your hands on your head!”
“Die!”
Suddenly, the Spirit Channeler roared and charged at Xiao Ju. Caught off guard, Xiao Ju was grabbed around the waist. He struggled but couldn’t break free, his face turning red from suffocation. “A Fei, help me!” he shouted.
A Fei immediately put away his knives and tried to pull the Spirit Channeler’s arms away, but he couldn’t break the grip.
Seeing this, the elder quickly clasped his hands toward Shui Miao and said, “Daoist brother, please spare them. They’re young and impulsive—not worth your attention.” Having experienced Shui Miao’s power firsthand, the elder didn’t dare offend him further and spoke very carefully.
Shui Miao opened his eyes, shrugged, and replied, “He’s helping you vent anger—what does that have to do with me? I haven’t moved at all. Why ask me to let him go? Old man, perhaps age has made you confused. Someone like you should find a quiet place to cultivate. If I were you, I’d never have joined some Mystic Division.”
The elder was no fool. Hearing this, he didn’t press further, only standing there awkwardly.
Then, three men around sixty years old stepped forward. Convinced Shui Miao was controlling the Spirit Channeler, they began plastering him with talismans. But suddenly, the Channeler’s body glowed golden. He threw himself backward, slamming Xiao Ju’s head hard against the floor—knocking him out instantly.
The Spirit Channeler stood up, knocked down the elders around him with a few punches and kicks, then roared ferociously, “A god descends! Grant me the body of a Vajra Arhat!”
“Damn!”
Seeing the Channeler’s sudden burst of power, A Fei retreated several steps.
The Channeler turned and charged toward him.
A Fei was prepared this time. He drew throwing knives and aimed at the Channeler’s legs. But the blades clinked against his skin as if hitting steel—all three knives fell to the ground.
“Dammit, Lao Guan! You’re cheating!” A Fei yelled before turning to run.
But Lao Guan moved with shocking speed, grabbing A Fei and locking him in a chokehold. With his other hand, he snapped A Fei’s middle finger—*crack*!
A Fei was thrown heavily to the ground, dazed and in agony.
The crowd had come to stop Shui Miao, but with Lao Guan causing chaos and Shui Miao not moving, their focus shifted into confusion.
The group was divided into three factions.
The largest consisted of Daoist cultivators—some with spiritual energy, some with immortal energy, others practicing dark arts. The strongest among them was Uncle Huang, who had been intimidated by Shui Miao’s wood-element energy.
The second group were martial arts prodigies—experts with blades, guns, and various weapons. Among them, three stood out: Xiao Ju (the gunman) was their second-best, A Fei (the knifeman) was third, and their leader was a middle-aged boxer known as King Vajra, who could allegedly kill a bull with one punch.
The third group was the most mysterious—only three members, rumored to be espers.
“Everyone, step back!”
The muscular, intimidating King Vajra tore off his yellow robe, revealing terrifyingly well-defined muscles, and prepared to confront Lao Guan.
“What the hell!”
Seeing the spirit-medium unleash his power, Afei instinctively took a few steps back.
The spirit-medium turned and charged at Afei.
Afei was prepared. He immediately threw his knives at the spirit-medium’s thigh. But as the knives struck, they produced a metallic clang, as if hitting steel, and all three knives fell to the ground.
“Damn it, Lao Guan, are you cheating!”
Afei shouted at the spirit-medium and turned to run.
But Lao Guan strode forward, grabbing Afei and locking him in a headlock with one arm while firmly seizing Afei’s right middle finger with the other. With a loud crack, the finger snapped!
Afei was slammed hard onto the ground, writhing in pain and dizziness.
Originally, everyone had come to stop Shui Miao, but now, with Lao Guan’s sudden rampage and Shui Miao remaining still, confusion spread among them.
These people were divided into three groups.
The largest group consisted of cultivators, some with spiritual energy, some with immortal energy, and some practicing dark arts. The most powerful among them was Old Uncle Huang, who had been frightened by Shui Miao’s wood-element soul-devouring force.
“So it really is a scam, a real trap after all!”
“Yi Tianwen, how dare you set me up!”
“Hmph! The kind get bullied, the tame get ridden. If I don’t take action, you’ll all think I’m a pushover. Fine then, since you’re forcing my hand, don’t blame me for what comes next…”
Shui Miao, sensing Yi Tianwen’s words through divine perception, felt rage burning within him. Killing intent surged, and he was ready to unleash his full power without holding back.
His mind racing, Shui Miao quickly reacted.
This elevator was a normal metal one, so Shui Miao wasn’t worried about being trapped.
He immediately channeled all his immortal energy, preparing for battle.
Upon receiving the secret order, many people in yellow robes stood up. Regardless of gender or age, they rushed to the elevator door, some blocking the exit while others stared intently at the elevator entrance…
*Ding!*
A crisp electronic sound rang out—the elevator had reached the first floor.
The elevator doors opened, but the inside was filled with black mist, startling everyone!
They exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to make a move.
Suddenly, an elderly man’s walkie-talkie crackled to life with Yi Tianwen’s voice: “Stop him at all costs. Don’t let him escape. Open fire if necessary.”
*Roar!*
As soon as the transmission ended, a massive surge of black mist shot out from the elevator. It moved so fast that it produced a howling wind-like sound…
In that moment, the combination of the roaring wind and the black mist evoked images of a demon!
The black mist seemed alive, splitting into countless tendrils that wrapped around the crowd. Shui Miao emerged from the mist like a demon, his voice icy cold: “You brought this upon yourselves. You even tried to shoot me—don’t blame me for returning the favor.”
The villa was filled with people—experts from the Mystic Division, each possessing unique supernatural abilities and special skills.
Wrapped in the black mist, they immediately activated their powers, each displaying their skills to resist Shui Miao’s soul-devouring energy.
Instead of rushing out, Shui Miao closed his eyes, sensing everyone’s movements.
Suddenly, he noticed the elderly man holding the walkie-talkie shudder violently, dispersing the soul-devouring energy around him. He was also a cultivator who had mastered immortal energy—though his was solely earth-based.
“Interesting!”
With a thought, Shui Miao waved his hand, summoning a wave of wood-based soul-devouring energy directed at the old man.
Having just dispersed the energy around him, the old man saw a surge of green energy approaching. He paused for a moment, instinctively channeling his immortal energy to resist. But upon contact, he realized this energy was like a flood or a wild beast—it countered his own energy and completely suppressed him in an instant!
While Shui Miao focused on dealing with the old man, several other elderly men in yellow robes also managed to disperse the soul-devouring energy.
They were experts from the Taoist tradition, but in terms of strength, they were slightly inferior to the first old man.
Sensing that their abilities were mediocre, Shui Miao reconsidered. His enemy was Yi Tianwen—these people were innocent. If he went on a killing spree, how would he live with himself?
“Withdraw!”
Shui Miao shouted, retracting a portion of his immortal energy, even recalling the wood-based soul-devouring energy he had just unleashed. He then declared loudly: “Yi Tianwen is the one who set me up. This has nothing to do with the rest of you. Anyone who obstructs me without reason will have their cultivation destroyed, never to practice again. Those who do not wish to oppose me, kneel on the ground with your hands on your head.”
Shui Miao was giving them a chance to stay out of the conflict.
Hearing this, a cold-faced young man smirked and said disdainfully, “Think you’re something, huh? What was that black stuff earlier?” As he spoke, he pulled three small throwing knives from his sleeve.
“Kneel with our hands on our heads? You’ve got some nerve!” Another young man drew a pistol, aiming it at Shui Miao, and added coldly, “Friend, no matter who you are, you’d better surrender quietly. Don’t think a little black mist can scare us.”
“Just some demonic trick. I practice Spirit Boxing—let me play with him!”
A middle-aged man tore off his yellow robe, revealing a well-built physique.
Through his divine sense, Shui Miao could tell that the knife-thrower and the gunman were not cultivators—their dantians were empty. However, their spirits were highly focused, and their bodies were perfectly conditioned, clearly experts with their weapons. The middle-aged man, on the other hand, was a cultivator with a unique soul attached to him.
Just as Shui Miao was about to make a move, the old man who had been suppressed by the wood-based energy shouted at the knife-thrower and gunman, “A Fei, Xiao Ju, put those toys away now. Show some respect. This Daoist brother’s power is unfathomable. If he wanted you dead, you would be already.”
“Tch, Uncle Huang, have you lost your mind? He’s not even moving, and you want us to back down?” The gunman, Xiao Ju, sneered. “Oh, I get it—you’re afraid we’ll steal your credit now that we have him under control, right?”
“Hmph! What ‘unfathomable’? He’s just a sorcerer.”
A Fei, the knife-thrower, also held Shui Miao in contempt.
Shui Miao deeply resented having a gun pointed at him. Being looked down upon was one thing—the world was full of all kinds of people, and he didn’t care about others’ opinions. But Xiao Ju, aiming a gun at his head, was not someone he would let off easily.
Killing him in front of everyone would only put Shui Miao in a dangerous position.
He tried to sense Yi Tianwen’s whereabouts, but his divine sense couldn’t penetrate the walls.
Soon, Shui Miao noticed that the Spirit Boxing practitioner’s spiritual energy was very weak and easy to control. An invisible wave of immortal energy enveloped the man, and the unique soul attached to him sensed the threat and immediately fled, soaring into the sky toward the Southern Heavenly Gate.
Was that soul a ghost from the immortal realm?
Shui Miao pondered briefly but chose to ignore it. He closed his eyes and remained silent.
In reality, he was secretly manipulating the Spirit Boxing practitioner’s mind, gathering immortal energy to use the man against Xiao Ju and A Fei.
Seeing Shui Miao silent, Xiao Ju and A Fei grew even more arrogant.
After exchanging a few words with the old man, Xiao Ju approached Shui Miao with his gun, shouting, “Are you deaf? I said kneel and put your hands on your head!”
“Die!”
Suddenly, the Spirit Boxing practitioner roared and charged at Xiao Ju. Caught off guard, Xiao Ju was grabbed around the waist, unable to break free. His face turned red from suffocation, and he yelled, “A Fei, help me!”
Hearing this, A Fei put away his knives and tried to pull the Spirit Boxing practitioner’s arms away, but he couldn’t loosen the grip.
Seeing this, the old man quickly clasped his hands toward Shui Miao and said, “Daoist brother, please spare them. They’re young and ignorant—don’t lower yourself to their level.” Having experienced Shui Miao’s power firsthand, the old man didn’t dare offend him and spoke very carefully.
Shui Miao opened his eyes, shrugged, and replied, “He’s helping you vent your anger—what does that have to do with me? I haven’t moved an inch. Why are you asking me to let him go? Old man, I think age has made you senile. Someone like you should find a quiet place to cultivate. If I were you, I’d never have joined some Mystic Division.”
The old man was no fool. Seeing that Shui Miao wasn’t going to admit anything, he could only stand there awkwardly.
Then, three men around sixty years old stepped forward. They also believed Shui Miao was controlling the middle-aged man and began plastering him with talismans. But suddenly, the Spirit Boxing practitioner’s body glowed with a golden light. He threw Xiao Ju backward, slamming his head hard against the floor and knocking him out.
The Spirit Boxing practitioner stood up, knocked down the old men around him with a few punches and kicks, and roared ferociously, “A god has descended, granting me the body of a Vajra Arhat!”
“Damn!”
Witnessing the sudden surge of the Spirit Boxing practitioner, A Fei instinctively took a step back.
The practitioner turned and charged at A Fei.
A Fei was prepared. He immediately drew his throwing knives and aimed at the practitioner’s legs. But when the knives hit, they produced a metallic clang as if striking steel, and all three fell to the ground.
“Dammit, Lao Guan, you’re cheating!”
A Fei shouted at the practitioner, turned, and tried to run.
But Lao Guan moved with lightning speed, grabbing A Fei and locking his arm around his neck. With his other hand, he ruthlessly snapped A Fei’s middle finger—*crack*!
A Fei was thrown heavily to the ground, dazed and in agony.
The crowd had come to stop Shui Miao, but with Lao Guan causing chaos and Shui Miao not moving, their focus shifted into disarray.
The people present were divided into three groups.
The largest group consisted of Taoist cultivators—some had developed spiritual energy, some had immortal energy, and others practiced dark arts. The most powerful among them was Uncle Huang, who had been intimidated by Shui Miao’s wood-based soul-devouring energy.
The second group consisted of martial arts experts with exceptional talent—some skilled with knives, others with guns, essentially masters of various weapons. This group had three leaders: Xiao Ju, the gunman, was the second strongest; A Fei, the knife-wielder, was third. There was also a middle-aged man who specialized in boxing, and he was the leader of this group. Known as the King Kong, he was said to be capable of killing a bull with a single powerful punch.
There was also a middle-aged man skilled in boxing, the leader of this group, known as King Kong Wang, who could kill a cow with a single punch.
The third group was the most mysterious—only three people, rumored to be espers.
“Everyone, step back!”
The fierce-looking, broad-shouldered, and massively built King Kong Wang tore off his yellow robe, revealing terrifying muscles, ready to confront Lao Guan.
The third group was the most mysterious—only three of them, rumored to be psychics.
“Scatter!”
“So it really is a scam, a real trap after all!”
“Yi Tianwen, how dare you set me up!”
“Hmph! The kind get bullied, the tame get ridden. If I don’t take action, you’ll all think I’m a pushover. Fine then—since you’re forcing my hand, don’t blame me for what comes next…”
Shui Miao, sensing Yi Tianwen’s words through divine perception, burned with rage. Killing intent surged within him, and he prepared to unleash his full power without holding back.
His mind racing, Shui Miao reacted swiftly.
This elevator was a standard metal one, so he wasn’t worried about being trapped.
Immediately, he channeled all his immortal energy, ready for battle.
Upon receiving a secret order, many people in yellow robes stood up. Regardless of age or gender, they rushed to the elevator door—some blocking the exit, others gathering to stare intently at the elevator entrance…
*Ding!*
A crisp electronic sound rang out—the elevator had reached the first floor.
The doors slid open, but inside was nothing but swirling black mist, startling everyone!
They exchanged uneasy glances, none daring to make a move.
Suddenly, an elderly man’s walkie-talkie crackled to life with Yi Tianwen’s voice: “Stop him at all costs. Don’t let him escape. Open fire if you have to.”
*Roar!*
As soon as the transmission ended, the thick black mist inside the elevator shot outward at incredible speed, howling like a fierce wind as it surged forth…
In that moment, the howling wind and sinister black mist evoked images of a demon!
The mist seemed almost alive, splitting into countless tendrils that wrapped around the crowd. And from within that darkness, Shui Miao emerged slowly, like a demon himself. His voice was icy cold: “You brought this on yourselves. You even tried to shoot me—don’t blame me for returning the favor.”
The villa was filled with people—all experts from the Mystic Division, each possessing unique supernatural abilities or special skills.
Wrapped in the black mist, they immediately activated their powers, each displaying their skills to resist Shui Miao’s soul-devouring energy.
Instead of rushing out, Shui Miao closed his eyes, sensing every movement around him.
Suddenly, he noticed the old man with the walkie-talkie shudder violently, dispersing the soul-devouring energy around him. This man was also a cultivator of immortal energy—though his power was solely earth-based.
“Interesting!”
With a thought, Shui Miao waved his hand, summoning a surge of wood-based soul-devouring energy directed at the old man.
Having just shaken off the dark energy, the old man saw a wave of greenish aura rushing toward him. He paused briefly, instinctively channeling his immortal energy to defend himself. But upon contact, he realized this energy was like a raging flood—directly countering his own power—and he was completely suppressed in an instant!
While Shui Miao focused on the old man, several others in yellow robes also managed to disperse the soul-devouring energy.
They were skilled Taoist practitioners, but in terms of pure strength, they were inferior to the first old man.
Sensing that most of them were not particularly powerful, Shui Miao reconsidered. His real enemy was Yi Tianwen—these people were innocent. If he went on a killing spree, how would he live with himself?
“Withdraw!”
Shui Miao shouted, retracting part of his immortal energy—even the wood-based soul-devouring energy he had just unleashed. Then he yelled, “Yi Tianwen is the one who set me up. This has nothing to do with the rest of you. Anyone who blocks me without good reason will have their cultivation destroyed—permanently. Those who don’t wish to fight, crouch down with your hands on your head.”
He was giving them a chance to stay out of the conflict.
Hearing this, a cold-faced young man smirked and said disdainfully, “Think you’re tough? What was that black stuff earlier?” As he spoke, he drew three small throwing knives from his sleeve.
“Tell us to crouch with hands on our heads? You’ve got some nerve!” Another young man pulled out a handgun, aiming it at Shui Miao, and added coldly, “Whoever you are, you’d better surrender quietly. Don’t think a little black mist can scare us.”
“Some demonic trick! I practice Spirit Channeling—let me handle him!”
A middle-aged man tore off his yellow robe, revealing a well-built physique.
Through divine sense, Shui Miao could tell that the knife-thrower and the gunman were not cultivators—their dantians were empty. But their spirits were highly focused, and their bodies were perfectly conditioned—clearly experts with blades and guns. The middle-aged man, however, was a cultivator, with a unique soul attached to him.
Just as Shui Miao was about to act, the old man who had been suppressed by the wood-based energy shouted at the two young men, “Ah Fei, Xiao Ju, put those toys away now! Show some respect. This gentleman’s power is unfathomable. If he wanted you dead, you would be already.”
“Tch, Uncle Huang, are you senile? He’s not even moving, and you want us to back down?” The gunman scoffed. “Oh, I get it—you’re afraid we’ll steal your credit now that we have him under control, right?”
“Hmph! What ‘unfathomable power’? He’s just some sorcerer.”
Ah Fei, the knife-thrower, also glared contemptuously at Shui Miao.
Shui Miao deeply resented having a gun pointed at him. Being looked down upon was one thing—the world was full of all kinds of people, and he didn’t care about others’ opinions.
But Xiao Ju, aiming a gun at his head? That was something Shui Miao wouldn’t let slide.
Killing him in front of everyone would only make Shui Miao a target.
He tried to sense Yi Tianwen’s location, but his divine sense couldn’t penetrate the walls.
Soon, Shui Miao noticed that the Spirit Channeler’s mental energy was very weak—easy to manipulate. An invisible wave of immortal energy enveloped the man. The attached soul sensed the threat and immediately fled the body, shooting up into the sky toward the Southern Heavenly Gate.
Was that soul a ghost from the immortal realm?
Shui Miao pondered briefly but didn’t dwell on it. He closed his eyes and stayed silent.
In truth, he was secretly manipulating the Spirit Channeler’s mind, gathering immortal energy to use the man against Xiao Ju and Ah Fei.
Seeing Shui Miao silent and motionless, Xiao Ju and Ah Fei grew even more arrogant.
After exchanging a few words with the old man, Xiao Ju stepped forward with his gun, yelling, “Are you deaf? I said kneel down and put your hands on your head!”
“Die!”
Suddenly, the Spirit Channeler roared and charged at Xiao Ju. Caught off guard, Xiao Ju was grabbed around the waist, unable to break free. His face turned red from suffocation as he struggled and shouted, “Ah Fei, help me!”
Hearing this, Ah Fei put away his knives and tried to pull the Spirit Channeler’s arms away, but he couldn’t loosen the grip.
Seeing this, the old man quickly clasped his hands toward Shui Miao and pleaded, “Brother, please spare them. They’re young and foolish—not worth your attention.” Having experienced Shui Miao’s power firsthand, the old man didn’t dare offend him and spoke very carefully.
Shui Miao opened his eyes, shrugged, and replied, “He’s helping you vent anger—what does that have to do with me? I haven’t moved at all. Why ask me to spare him? Old man, you must be senile. Someone like you should find a quiet place to cultivate. If I were you, I’d never have joined some Mystic Division.”
The old man was sharp enough not to expose the truth openly. He could only stand there awkwardly.
Then, three men in their sixties stepped forward. Convinced that Shui Miao was controlling the Spirit Channeler, they began plastering him with talismans. But suddenly, the Spirit Channeler’s body glowed with golden light. He threw himself backward, slamming Xiao Ju’s head hard against the floor—knocking him out instantly.
The Spirit Channeler got up, knocked down the old men around him with a few punches and kicks, then roared ferociously, “A god has descended, granting me the body of a Vajra Arhat!”
“Damn!”
Seeing the Spirit Channeler’s sudden burst of power, Ah Fei retreated several steps.
The Spirit Channeler turned and charged toward him.
Ah Fei was prepared this time. He immediately threw knives at the Spirit Channeler’s legs, but the blades clinked against them as if hitting steel—all three knives fell to the ground.
“Dammit, Old Guan, you’re cheating!” Ah Fei yelled in panic, turning to run.
But Old Guan moved with startling speed, grabbing Ah Fei and locking him in a chokehold. With his other hand, he ruthlessly snapped Ah Fei’s middle finger—*crack*!
Ah Fei was thrown heavily to the ground, dazed and in agony.
The crowd had come to stop Shui Miao, but with Old Guan causing chaos and Shui Miao standing still, their focus shifted into disarray.
The group was divided into three factions.
The largest consisted of Taoist practitioners—some with spiritual power, some with immortal energy, and some who practiced dark arts. The most powerful among them was Uncle Huang, who had been intimidated by Shui Miao’s wood-based soul-devouring energy.
The second group were martial arts experts—proficient with blades, guns, and various weapons. They were highly skilled and talented. This group had three leaders: Xiao Ju, the gunman, was the second strongest; Ah Fei, the knife-wielder, was third. Their leader was a middle-aged boxer known as King Kong, who could allegedly kill a bull with one punch.
The third and most mysterious group had only three members—rumored to be espers.
“Everyone, step back!”
The fierce, muscular King Kong tore off his yellow robe, revealing terrifyingly well-defined muscles, and prepared to confront Old Guan.
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