Chapter 157: Hua Tiandu

A moment earlier.

In the space where the Taiyuan Immortal Residence stands, the heavens are round and the earth is square, with a diameter of about two thousand li, comparable to the area of a small kingdom.

At the edge of heaven and earth lies a void of chaotic hue, filled with raging spacetime turbulence, like massive sawtooth blades forged by a great cutting art, frantically slicing everything into fine powder.

In the center of the space, a massive palace floats, surrounded by numerous smaller palaces, like a host of stars cradling the moon.

At this moment, before the massive palace, Hua Tiandu stands upright with hands behind his back, his gaze disdainful, and says coolly to the opposite Fang Han: "You used a demonic treasure and killed Taiyi Sect disciples without cause, violating the sect rules. What punishment do you deserve?"

As he speaks, an extreme cold aura radiates from him, coating the void with a layer of white frost, pressing on Fang Han, trying to force him to kneel.

Simultaneously, with his divine mind he watches a woman floating not far away.

The woman is clad in a robe of magic, like smoke and water, her visage ethereal like a lotus in clear water, with a faint water mark at her brow, adding further mystery.

She resembles a natural deity.

Natural deities are powerful beings born over countless ages from various spirits of heaven and earth, or from primordial Qi and the like.

Such as the Thunder Emperor, the Lightning Mother, the Water God, the Fire God, the Mountain God— all are spirits of nature.

In fact, the White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Huang Snake of the Five Elements realm are also spirits of nature.

However, they are not strong enough to be called natural deities, and they pale in comparison to the woman Hua Tiandu is focusing on.

This woman is, unmistakably, Yan Shuiyi, the senior sister of the Taiyi Sect, the reincarnation of the ancient Water God.

She is also Hua Tiandu's nominal fiancée.

Unfortunately, Yan Shuiyi gives no indication at all; her face shows no expression, yet she is not cold, but serene and misty, leaving Hua Tiandu unable to guess her thoughts.

But many Taiyi Sect disciples around her are loudly cheering for Hua Tiandu.

"Hua Tiandu truly lives up to the example of the Feathered Ascension Sect; his eyes tolerate no speck of sand, and he voluntarily helps us punish Fang Han— admirable."

"When Fang Han is captured by Hua Tiandu and handed to us, I will strip him of all his Shentong, hang him up, and make him endure the torment of swords and blades piercing his body for ninety‑nine days and eighty‑one nights!"

Earlier, the Taiyi Sect disciples pursued Fang Han but failed to capture him; instead, Fang Han seized the chance to kill three fellow disciples, stewing with resentment.

Now, with Hua Tiandu, the timely rain, arriving to help, everyone's gloom disappears.

Meanwhile, Fang Han, pressed by Hua Tiandu, has the Five Prisons King Cauldron hovering above his head, his magical power continuously surging into the cauldron, fully driving the great array inside to counter the pressure, yet he is about to lose his support.

He only possesses Shentong Fourth Level cultivation, with magical power under one hundred thousand horses.

Hua Tiandu, however, is Shentong Tenth Level, with magical power of at least tens of millions of horses, a completely different tier, impossible to resist.

Even a slight release of aura from Hua Tiandu can crush him.

But Fang Han does not yield; his gaze remains steadfast as he looks directly at Hua Tiandu and says coldly: "Which sect rule have I broken? Isn't there a rule that when encountering Taiyi Sect disciples who seize treasures and attack, one may not resist? Or do you think that, having become the headmaster, you can arbitrarily set the rules? I tell you, you're not even the true senior brother, let alone headmaster; many disciples see you as a false senior brother. Only Senior Brother Chen is the real senior brother, qualified to be the supreme headmaster of our Feathered Ascension Sect!"

"What did you say?"

Hua Tiandu's expression darkens instantly, then returns to normal, and he gives a cold smile: "Chen Zheng will never become headmaster, because he is about to die, killed by my Great Wilderness Ancient Furnace! He can't even hold a breath; he'll be crushed to death while alive, you know?"

Having said that, he loses all interest in speaking to Fang Han, steps forward, extends a massive hand toward Fang Han's neck, intending to lift him up like a dead dog.

"Not good!"

Fang Han's complexion changes abruptly; an unprecedented surge of magical power erupts within, activating the Five Prisons King Cauldron, propelling himself backward in a reckless dash toward the main hall of the Taiyuan Immortal Residence.

Seeing no hope of matching Hua Tiandu, he hardens his heart, determined to break into the main palace of the Taiyuan Immortal Residence, a place from which almost no one has ever emerged alive over countless millennia.

Even in death, he will not fall into Hua Tiandu's hands!

At that moment, a mocking laugh echoes from afar: "Hua Tiandu, I'd like to see how you use the Great Wilderness Ancient Furnace to kill me."

As the words fade, Fang Han sees a figure appear at the entrance of the distant Return Ruins, stepping toward them.

The person exudes an indescribable, unfathomable strange magical force; the primordial Qi of heaven and earth swirls around him as if he were the center of a deep cosmic black hole, ready to devour any being that dares defy celestial might, exuding immense terror and supreme majesty.

"Senior Brother Chen!" Fang Han exults, recognizing the newcomer as Chen Zheng.

There's salvation!

"Hm? Chen Zheng!" Hua Tiandu's grip on Fang Han freezes, his pupils contracting sharply.

"What?"

"Chen Zheng has arrived?"

The Taiyi Sect disciples, like startled birds, all retreat in unison, taking cover behind Yan Shuiyi.

"This is Chen Zheng? Truly extraordinary."

Yan Shuiyi's gaze sharpens, scrutinizing Chen Zheng from head to toe as he approaches, as if trying to see through him.

She has naturally heard of Chen Zheng's name many times.

He is a prodigy unparalleled since antiquity, whose Shentong Liu Chong already encompasses ninety‑nine distinct Shentong.

Moreover, he is a generation‑defying villain, repeatedly mentioned by true‑line disciples and Elders of the sect, every word about him filled with dread, fear, hatred, and murderous intent.

Chen Zheng can be said, aside from Linglong Immortal Sovereign, the current top enemy of the Taiyi Sect, a target that must be eliminated.

Linglong Immortal Sovereign is a true immortal of the Ten‑fold Longevity level, self‑confident in his status, and does not deliberately kill the Taiyi Sect's minor disciples.

Chen Zheng, however, is different—lawless and reckless, cutting down every Taiyi Sect member he meets.

Even not long ago, Chen Zheng slaughtered over four hundred true‑line Taiyi Sect disciples and twelve Ancient Giants on the Five Elements realm, stirring a raging fury within the sect.

Rumor has it that the Great Emperor Ancestor was enraged and personally moved to eliminate Chen Zheng.

Yet, for unknown reasons, he failed.

It is said that the Red Abyss Demon Lord of the Five Elements realm intervened.

Later, Headmaster Tai Huntaian issued a decree, dispatching over twenty senior figures—such as Chi Rongtian and Tang Jingshan—who are Vice‑Headmasters and Grand Elders of the first and second Ten‑fold Longevity levels.

The group of more than twenty split into two squads: one to march on the Feathered Ascension Sect to prosecute, the other to scour the Xuanhuang Great World for Chen Zheng's whereabouts.

If they locate Chen Zheng, they will immediately promise benefits, trying to lure him away from the Feathered Ascension Sect into the Taiyi Sect.

If the recruitment fails, they will exterminate him.

Yan Shuiyi has also received this order.

She never expected to encounter him here.

Bang!

Chen Zheng paid no heed to the crowd's various reactions; his posture seemed slow but was actually swift, and in an instant he stood before Hua Tiandu, his large hand shooting out like lightning.

Without a doubt, he grabbed Hua Tiandu's neck in one grip and lifted him up as if holding a dead dog.

"You..." Hua Tiandu's eyes widened in shock, staring at Chen Zheng as if seeing a ghost.

Chen Zheng's strike—he hadn't attempted to dodge, yet no matter how he tried to evade, he couldn't avoid it.

Too fast.

"Junior Sister Yan, quickly join forces with me to suppress and kill this scoundrel, otherwise we'll both be in danger."

Hua Tiandu gritted his teeth, preparing to activate the Great Wilderness Ancient Cauldron on his body to counter Chen Zheng, while simultaneously calling for aid from Yan Shuiyi.

But unexpectedly, Yan Shuiyi's demeanor was graceful, a stark contrast to her previous aloofness, as she courteously bowed to Chen Zheng: "I am Yan Shuiyi; I have met Fellow Daoist Chen."

Hua Tiandu was stunned.

(End of chapter)