Chapter 218: Provocation

As soon as the words fell, the entire Qingyun Sect crowd was instantly shrouded in fear.

They fell into a deathly silence.

Gui Feng's icy, bone‑piercing voice was like repeated death talismans echoing in everyone's ears.

Each second felt like a countdown to death, making everyone tremble with dread.

Everyone was filled with resentment and unwillingness.

But Gui Feng's strength was overwhelming, like an insurmountable towering mountain.

It left them unable to breathe, utterly powerless to resist.

At this moment, everyone's heart simultaneously conjured the same name—Lin Yang.

If Lin Yang were here, with his ability and strength, he would surely resolve this crisis.

Unfortunately, Lin Yang is not present in the Qingyun Sect right now.

Gui Feng, standing nearby, watched the Qingyun Sect crowd's hateful yet helpless expression.

A feeling of pride welled up in his heart.

He couldn't help but give a cold smile and say, "Everyone that Shi Hao just named, you're all coming with me—no one gets to stay."

His voice was low and icy, full of oppression, making no one dare to think of defiance.

The Qingyun Sect crowd's gazes all turned to the Grand Elder, as if awaiting his decision.

The Grand Elder's expression grew grave; he snorted coldly and declared firmly, "Not a single person of our Qingyun Sect present will go anywhere!"

"Not go?" Gui Feng heard this.

His sharp, knife‑like gaze instantly locked onto the Grand Elder.

A glint of cold light flashed in his eyes.

The Grand Elder, unafraid, met Gui Feng's gaze, spoke with conviction, and replied sharply, "Exactly, nowhere will we go!"

"You're courting death!" Gui Feng shouted angrily.

He struck instantly.

Only to see his spiritual power surge around him, condensing into a brilliant radiance that carried world‑destroying force, as he threw a punch at the Grand Elder.

The punch's wind howled, the air it passed seemed sliced by blades, emitting a piercing screech.

Shi Hao, standing nearby, saw this and let out a ferocious cold smile, jeering, "A bunch of overconfident fools who dare to defy Senior Gui Feng—you're practically begging to die!"

Facing Gui Feng's astonishingly powerful punch, the Grand Elder felt an unmatched pressure bearing down on him.

His heart pounded violently, as if it might leap out of his throat.

His pupils contracted sharply, and he silently cursed his fate.

This Gui Feng at least possesses the terrifying strength of a late‑stage Quasi‑Emperor, while I am merely a late‑stage Great Saint.

The gap between us is like a heavenly chasm, making it impossible to withstand such a mountain‑collapsing, sea‑overwhelming might.

The punch had not yet arrived.

He was forced backward by that immense power, stumbling repeatedly, nearly falling.

However.

Just at that critical moment, a clear voice suddenly rang out: "Gui Feng, spare where you can—aren't you going too far?"

The words had barely fallen.

A booming "Bang!" sounded.

A vast, mighty palm shadow emerged from the void.

Like a golden blazing sun, it radiated dazzling light, straight toward Gui Feng's fist.

In an instant.

Fist and palm collided, erupting in a deafening roar; powerful spiritual ripples spread out, fluttering everyone's clothes.

Gui Feng's punch was actually dispelled easily by that palm shadow.

At the same time.

A gentle yet resilient force flowed into the Grand Elder's body through his arm, steadily supporting his swaying form.

Seeing this, Gui Feng's expression tightened; he quickly withdrew his fist and stood with hands behind his back.

At this moment, his eyes were fixed on the source of the palm shadow, his face grim as water.

Shi Hao behind him still hadn't grasped the situation.

He then jumped forward, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Who the hell is this reckless fool daring to offend Lord Gui Feng?"

Shi Hao's words had barely fallen.

Another "Bang!" rang out.

A beam of light imbued with tremendous power shot like lightning through the void, striking his chest squarely.

Shi Hao felt his chest as if smashed by a huge mountain, his organs instantly displaced, the pain unbearable.

A "Wah!" sounded.

He flew backward like a broken‑string kite, out of control, and slammed heavily into a distant wall, emitting a dull thud.

The wall surface instantly cracked, sending up a cloud of dust.

Shi Hao collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He summoned all his strength to cry out for help to Senior Gui Feng: "Senior Gui Feng, someone hit me!"

Gui Feng narrowed his eyes, gazed like a torch toward a direction, and slowly said, "God‑Governing Sect Master, I didn't expect you to be here."

Only to see the God‑Governing Sect Sect Master, Jiang Shanhai, his expression stern, stride out arrogantly.

His gaze was cold and sharp, like a blade in a winter night, locking onto Gui Feng as he said in a low voice, "Exactly, it's me."

Facing the God‑Governing Sect Sect Master Jiang Shanhai, Gui Feng showed little fear.

Instead, his expression grew even darker, and he continued speaking: 'I never expected you would actually step in to protect them.'

"This..." Gui Feng gritted his teeth and said coldly, "I really cannot understand."

Facing Gui Feng's questioning, Jiang Shanhai remained calm, as if that sharp question were merely a breeze by his ear, unable to shake him in the slightest.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering lightly in the wind, exuding a unique composure and dignity of a superior.

At this moment, he was like a towering mountain, unmoved by any raging storm.

He spoke in a tone neither cold nor indifferent; though his voice was not loud, it resonated like a great bell in this space as he said, 'Since you cannot understand, then don't bother.'

"Today I lay down my words: anyone who dares to harm a single hair of the Azure Cloud Sect's people will be opposing me."

"If you oppose me, you will incur the wrath of the God-controlling Sect!"

Jiang Shanhai's words contained no extra emotion.

Yet his firm attitude made everyone present feel the determination within it.

Jiang Shanhai harbored no such scheming thoughts.

Since his ancestor had already decided to submit to the Azure Cloud Sect, he would follow that decision.

After all, his ancestor was a pillar of the God-controlling Sect, possessing immense prestige and unfathomable strength.

Yet now he has chosen to become a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect, even though he currently cannot understand why.

But over the years, on this land of Central State where the strong are as numerous as clouds, the path of development for the God-controlling Sect has been fraught with thorns.

Once immensely glorious, the power of the God-controlling Sect has diminished under pressure and competition from all sides.

Had it not been for his ancestor repeatedly turning the tide at critical moments, with his heaven-shaking, earth-shattering strength and profound foresight, resolving crises time and again.

The God-controlling Sect has likely already fallen from the ranks of top-tier sects, declining to second- or even third-rate forces.

Since his ancestor has firmly decided to become a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect,

Jiang Shanhai understands that, as the Sect Leader of the God-controlling Sect, he must obey his ancestor's will and fully protect the Azure Cloud Sect.

This is not only respect and trust toward his ancestor, but also a sense of duty and responsibility.

In Gui Feng's view, trying to harm the Azure Cloud Sect is nothing short of a daydream—utterly impossible to succeed!

Seeing Jiang Shanhai's resolute determination to defend the Azure Cloud Sect, the sect's members were both astonished and delighted.

What is surprising is that the Sect Leader of the God-controlling Sect would actually step forward at this critical moment to support them.

After all, the God-controlling Sect and the Azure Cloud Sect had no prior grudges, nor much interaction.

What is pleasing is that, with the protection of the God-controlling Sect, this crisis might be safely overcome.