Book 2: Chapter 78: Peerless Master

Vol 2 Ch 78: Peerless MasterSwift as lightning, Ouyang Hai finally arrived above Hanyuan City, not far from the thunderstorm's center. Even with his cultivation, he dared not approach too closely, fearing collateral damage.

“That should be the center…”

Enhancing his vision, he gazed into the distance. A mansion came into view, where a rotund man and an elder stood facing each other, seemingly in conversation.

“The man on the left should be Yue Longxiao, the head of the Wanchang Sect’s branch in Hanyuan City. It seems my guess was correct; it’s likely those three geniuses triggered the lightning.”

Before coming, Ouyang Hai had contacted Yue Longxiao through special channels and received a description of his appearance. So, even though they had never met, Ouyang Hai recognized him instantly.

However, the identity of the man across from Yue Longxiao was a mystery. Standing calmly under the storm, he showed no signs of panic.

With a thought, Ouyang Hai extended his spiritual sense to probe the man. In an instant, the man's cultivation became clear: Source Pool Realm, Eighth Level, Divine Soul Stage.

Such cultivation was decent in Hanyuan City, but in front of someone like Ouyang Hai, it was no more significant than an ant.

Shaking his head, Ouyang Hai was about to rush forward to rescue the man when the rotund figure's displeased voice boomed: “Scram!”

With a wave of the man’s hand, the thunder, which even Ouyang Hai could barely withstand without severe injury, vanished in the blink of an eye, as if it had never existed.

“This

Ouyang Hai’s pupils contracted in shock.

That thunderstorm, with all his trump cards, he might have been able to endure, but he would pay a heavy price. Yet, this man dismissed it effortlessly, leaving the lightning no chance to resist. What kind of cultivation was this?

Most alarmingly, Ouyang Hai hadn’t sensed the slightest energy fluctuation. This meant that the man’s power was so concentrated that none of it leaked out—a level of mastery beyond comprehension.

To dispel such a terrifying lightning tribulation without scattering energy… This person was undoubtedly a supreme expert, far beyond Ouyang Hai’s level.

And judging by his external aura of the Divine Soul Stage, it was obviously a disguise. Ouyang Hai’s mind reached an immediate conclusion.

Why was Yue Longxiao interacting with such a formidable individual? Could this be another competitor vying for the three geniuses? If so, things might not go well.

With these thoughts racing through his mind, Ouyang Hai did not dare linger. Before long, he arrived at the mansion's gate and knocked politely.

When faced with such a powerhouse, one must show proper courtesy. Provoking them could mean certain death.

The gate opened. The portly expert, as if expecting him, personally came out to greet him!

Apparently, this man had already noticed his arrival. Otherwise, with the ease he showed in dispelling the lightning, why would he come running?

“Inferior Ouyang Hai…” Ouyang Hai’s expression grew heavier as he cupped his fists in salute. Before he could continue, the man spoke up.

“You’re here to see our master, aren’t you? Please come in…”

“Master?”

Ouyang Hai’s expression grew more serious.

If even the servant was this powerful, how much stronger could the master be?

He had thought his status would grant him respect wherever he went, but clearly, he had underestimated the situation.

“Thank you…” Bowing again, Ouyang Hai said little else and followed the man inside.

As they entered the room, Ouyang Hai’s eyes fell upon a thousand-mile horse sitting quietly and brewing tea. The water poured over the teapot, producing a soft splashing sound.

“This horse… Its physical body and spirit aren’t fully harmonized, giving off a faintly contradictory aura of life and death. It must have died, only to be revived through some miraculous means…”

His eyelid twitched.

Such a resurrection technique was something even he had only heard of. Seeing it applied to a horse was beyond belief.

His gaze shifted to three figures—two women and one man—cultivating in the room. The Source Energy in the air visibly streamed into their bodies without pause.

“This… this is a Saint-Grade Source Pool, and an Imperial-Grade Furnace?”

The size of a Source Pool was naturally fixed, determining one's potential for greatness. Furnaces, while capable of enhancement, required extremely rare materials to achieve supreme quality. Yet all three individuals had Imperial-Grade furnaces!

To think they had no backing from a major power was simply unthinkable.

What Ouyang Hai had considered an easy recruitment mission now seemed far more complicated.

In mere minutes, the small Hanyuan City had shocked him more than anything he had seen at headquarters.

“This esteemed one, please wait here. I will fetch the master.”

Sun Qiang turned and left.

Once Sun Qiang was gone, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to lift, allowing Ouyang Hai to finally breathe freely. He turned to Yue Longxiao not far away.

“Yue Longxiao, I am Ouyang Hai, from the main headquarters!”

“Elder Ouyang?”

Yue Longxiao’s body trembled as he hastily bowed.

An elder from headquarters—such a figure would be at least Seven Stars, possibly even Eight Stars!

“Enough, tell me…” Sёarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Waving off the formalities, Ouyang Hai got straight to the point. “Who was the expert who brought me in just now? And what is this ‘master’ they mentioned?”

“Ah?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Yue Longxiao hesitated before nodding and explaining:

“The man just now is Sun Qiang, steward to Vice Hall Master Ling Buyang. The three geniuses were recruited by them…”



Yue Longxiao quickly recounted what he knew in detail.

Hearing this, Ouyang Hai let out a sigh of relief. If they were willing to let the three geniuses go, that was a good sign—it meant the Wanchang Sect still had a chance.

After asking a few more questions, Ouyang Hai quietly extended his spiritual sense to follow the rotund steward into another room.

Sun Qiang knocked on the door. “Young Master, are you ready? Another guest has arrived…”

Puzzled, Ouyang Hai peeked into the room.

Empty. Not a soul in sight.

If there’s no one here, who is he talking to?

Zhang Xuan was completely unaware that his brief absence had allowed Sun Qiang to create such an impression. At this moment, he was standing quietly in the New World, clenching his fists as he casually threw out a punch.

A ripple surged through the air. As the lord of a world, Zhang Xuan could instantly sense his strength—2000 horsepower!

Though his cultivation remained at the second stage of the Source Pool Realm—Roaming Stage, his strength had not only broken through but had doubled!

As expected of a Destiny formed from a technique surpassing Heaven's Path, it had immediately shattered the limitations imposed by the Source World.

Smiling in satisfaction, Zhang Xuan turned his attention to the Library of Heaven’s Path.

At the top of the books, a thread-like stream of water shimmered faintly, emitting a soft glow. It was none other than the Pathos of Heaven Destiny. Like his sword technique, the Destiny thread seemed fragile, yet it was extraordinarily tenacious—impossible to sever or disentangle.

This delicate thread linked two types of Destiny: the Mo Dao Destiny and the Flowing Light Destiny. Though the Mo Dao Destiny had reached the Second Stage, it appeared as docile as a child before the thread, utterly compliant.

“It seems Destinies also have hierarchies. The Pathos of Heaven Destiny I comprehended is evidently of a higher tier…”

Zhang Xuan reasoned.

Given that the Pathos of Heaven technique was a manual surpassing Heaven's Path, it was only natural for the Destiny it produced to be extraordinary. He had expected as much, so this revelation didn’t surprise him.

“If it’s a Destiny… it should be able to absorb Heaven's Fate Energy, right?”

With that thought, Zhang Xuan willed the book containing Heaven's Fate Energy to move closer, only to freeze in astonishment.

“Where’s my 5 million Heaven's Fate Energy?!”

The world dimmed around him, and Zhang Xuan almost fainted.

Through extorting Han Qianchou, he had amassed the largest sum of Heaven's Fate Energy since entering the Source World. He had planned to indulge in it for a while, but who could have predicted… that after a single session of cultivation, it was all gone!

Worse yet, the Pathos of Heaven Destiny floating in midair looked weak and feeble, as though it could extinguish at any moment.

What a scam!

At this rate, even if he worked like a beast of burden, it wouldn’t be enough to sustain this gluttonous Destiny!

Nevertheless, his breakthrough in strength and soul had reached the Peak of the Roaming Realm, bringing him close to the Dharma Aspect Realm.

Not only that, but his physical body, tempered by the Pathos of Heaven Sword Energy, had become more robust and resilient. It brimmed with raw power.

At this moment, even without techniques or swordsmanship, Zhang Xuan felt confident he could obliterate Mo Qing with his bare fists.

“Judging by the appearance of the Pathos of Heaven Destiny, I should be able to replicate other Destinies…”

Seeing how the Mo Dao and Flowing Light Destinies obediently allowed themselves to be connected to the thread without resistance, Zhang Xuan smiled faintly. He was considering experimenting with copying another Destiny when he suddenly sensed something amiss.

With a thought, he left the New World and immediately heard Sun Qiang’s voice.

With a slight shake of his body, Zhang Xuan returned to the room.

“Hm?”

He pushed the door open and stepped out. Glancing upward, he saw that the thunderstorm had indeed dissipated, and he sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, Ouyang Hai, who was still puzzling over whom the “expert” had been conversing with, suddenly froze as Zhang Xuan appeared.

His body stiffened.

He had scanned the room twice with his spiritual sense and found no one. Yet here someone had suddenly emerged, leaving only one conclusion: this person’s abilities far surpassed his own, allowing them to evade detection.

No wonder even the servants were so formidable. It was no surprise that the so-called “master” was even stronger!

Uncertain of what to make of the situation, Ouyang Hai scrutinized “Ling Buyang” once more, only to find his aura perfectly concealed. He couldn’t discern the man’s cultivation level.

For someone of his own level to fail in discerning it meant one of two things: either the man’s strength was comparable to his own or far superior.

At this point, Ouyang Hai was utterly convinced. Sun Qiang and Ling Buyang were unparalleled experts.

While Ouyang Hai was reeling in shock, Ming Jiangtao, the second disciple of the Mo Dao Sect, had finally arrived in Hanyuan City after rushing from the Zouyi Dynasty.

He had noticed the earlier thunderstorm but dismissed it since it was unrelated to him. Now that it had dissipated, he paid it no further mind.

“Should I go directly to Han Qianchou, or speak with Ling Buyang first to understand the situation?”

If he confronted Han Qianchou directly, the latter might grow hostile and attack. Ling Buyang, as his junior brother, should be easier to approach.



Unbeknownst to Ming Jiangtao, Ling Buyang had already been accused of being a Chaotic Fate Practitioner.

After asking around, Ming Jiangtao quickly located his “junior brother’s” residence and mounted his flying Source Beast, heading straight for it.

As a senior brother, it was time to set some ground rules!

Author's Note