Chapter 137: Tremor

A thunderclap broke out of a clear sky!

Qingyuan brought down a single rod, flashing with crimson thunder and wreathed in a layer of dazzling electric light.

Meanwhile, Lu Yu brandished the Thunder Gold Mace, twelve feet in length and immensely massive.

With a deafening explosion, lightning scattered in all directions, and dust billowed into the air.

Many cultivators standing nearby were thrown violently backwards.

The pavilion was blown apart, its roof shattering and all four wooden pillars snapping completely. Even the ground beneath the pavilion sank several feet, collapsing into a vast, deep crater.

Amidst the roaring commotion, the surrounding cultivators were completely blinded to the events within, their lines of sight entirely blocked.

Just then, a figure was hurled out from the center.

Gazing intently, the crowd realized that the person was none other than Lu Yu, the disciple of the Exalted Master Gan Huan.

At this moment, Lu Yu was still gripping the twelve-foot Thunder Gold Mace, his expression stern.

A sharp-eyed observer faintly noticed that Lu Yu's footing seemed somewhat unstable and vague, and the hands grasping the massive mace were trembling slightly.

At the corner of his mouth, there had originally been a trace of blood. However, with a slight tilt of his head, he wiped it against the collar of his shoulder with extreme speed and flawless concealment, sparing most cultivators from noticing that he had sustained injuries; only a handful saw it clearly.

"What other tricks do you have?"

Qingyuan's figure slowly walked out from the wreckage.

Lu Yu's pupils constricted, revealing an extremely grave expression. The sheer physical strength of his opponent was almost immeasurable, likely no less than the internal energy of a grandmaster of the martial path. Having just exchanged a blow, he was actually quite heavily injured, and the web between his thumb and forefinger even throbbed with a dull tearing pain. At that moment, he felt as though he could barely maintain his grip on the precious treasure in his hand.

How could a mere cultivator possess such terrifying physical strength?

Lu Yu cursed inwardly, and then saw his opponent raise a hand.

"Damn it..."

Not daring to be careless, Lu Yu channeled his energy, instantly unleashing a beam of light that transformed against the wind into a massive palm, greenish in hue and a dozen feet across.

"That is..."

Someone recognized this Daoist technique as the Primordial Spirit Seizing Hand of Exalted Master Gan Huan, and could not help exclaiming, "That is a secret technique, a supreme Dao art."

Qingyuan stood unmoving, letting the giant palm rush straight at him.

Compared to the Primordial Spirit Seizing Hand executed by Gan Huan himself, this was vastly inferior, appearing quite crude indeed.

Qingyuan pressed down with his hand, firelight flashing as he met the attack.

With a muffled boom, the giant palm abruptly disintegrated into fine ash.

Then, amidst the scattering dust, a streak of light burst forth.

That was a flash of lightning—a bolt originating from the twelve-foot Thunder Gold Mace.

The lightning struck with extreme velocity, landing squarely on Qingyuan's chest in a split second.

"No matter how powerful you are..." Lu Yu panted heavily, his face completely drained of color. He had yet to fully master the twelve-foot Thunder Gold Mace, having only managed to figure out a few rudimentary methods to activate it over the past few days. Being able to barely release a single bolt of lightning now counted as one of his most formidable means.

The onlookers also witnessed this streak of lightning and saw it strike the young man.

"He..." A cultivator gasped, his pupils constricting. "He's completely unharmed?"

Lu Yu's heart turned icy cold. He had fully expected this thunder spell to scorch his opponent to a crisp, yet the man was entirely unscathed. A wave of dread washed over him, and releasing his grip momentarily, he unleashed another Primordial Spirit Seizing Hand.

A giant palm materialized in an instant.

Qingyuan stood his ground as the giant palm pressed against his chest.

Then, the giant palm sank directly into Qingyuan's chest and vanished entirely.

Before anyone could show a look of astonishment, a burst of light erupted from Qingyuan's chest, transforming into a giant palm that lunged toward Lu Yu.

Before Lu Yu could evade, he was caught squarely in the center of the giant palm.

"You also know the Primordial Spirit Seizing Hand?"

Lu Yu's pupils shrank, filled with terror.

This giant palm was a deep shade of cyan, and even the lines and pathways of the palm print were exquisitely clear. It was far more powerful than the Primordial Spirit Seizing Hand Lu Yu had just cast, and even slightly superior to that of his master, Gan Huan.

Qingyuan did not reply. He stepped forward and reached out to take the twelve-foot Thunder Gold Mace from Lu Yu's hands. It felt heavy to the touch, scorching with lingering thunderbolts, but with a surge of his true qi and the suppression of his inner fire, he forcefully subdued the embryonic divine artifact right then and there.

The surrounding cultivators fell into a dead silence.

As Gan Huan's disciple, Lu Yu's abilities were not considered low among the Three Realms of cultivation, yet in front of this young man, he was as weak as a three-year-old child. There were plenty of peak Three Realms cultivators present, but after a mental comparison, they could only sigh in their own inferiority.

Perhaps only Exalted Master Gan Huan himself could suppress this person, right?

Lu Yu took a deep breath, feeling the pressure around him tighten continuously. With a distorted expression, he said in a low voice, "The Thunder Gold Mace has fallen into your hands. My cultivation is inferior to yours, and my skills are lacking. I admit defeat."

Qingyuan frowned and asked, "Do you think it ends here?"

A heavy weight pressed down in Lu Yu's chest. "What else do you want?"

Qingyuan stated calmly, "You harbor hostility toward me. Leaving you alive would eventually become a disaster."

Lu Yu did not bother to argue; his hostility and even his intent to kill could not be concealed from his opponent. Taking a deep breath, he said, "My master, Gan Huan, is an Exalted Master of the Four Realms."

Qingyuan nodded. "I know."

"You have not yet attained the Exalted Master realm of the middle three realms, so you are certainly no match for my master," Lu Yu struggled inwardly, attempting to mobilize his true qi to no avail. "Unless you have a powerful expert backing you up, if you kill me, you won't survive either."

"Even if I kill you, I won't die." Qingyuan leaned in closer and whispered, "Because Gan Huan is already dead."

Color instantly drained from Lu Yu's face, and he shouted, "Impossible!"

Qingyuan stowed the twelve-foot Thunder Gold Mace away and replied, "I beat him to death."

Lu Yu's eyes widened abruptly.

At that very moment, the Primordial Spirit Seizing Hand tightened inward.

Lu Yu—dead!

...

Silence fell over the scene.

Everyone remained mute.

Qingyuan could feel numerous gazes fixed upon him—curiosity, reverence, wariness, and various other complex emotions. Ignoring them entirely, he hoisted the twelve-foot Thunder Gold Mace and slowly walked down the mountain.

At that moment, he suddenly felt a heavy pressure on his body, accompanied by a faint prickling sensation. Following the source of this feeling, his gaze locked onto a pair of eyes.

"This is..."

Qingyuan thought to himself, "An Exalted Master?"

The man had ordinary features and an unremarkable aura, save for his eyes, whose gaze was exceptionally heavy. It was this that had provoked a sense of threat in Qingyuan, triggering his intuition.

Seeing Qingyuan look over, the man averted his gaze and lowered his head slightly. A flash of astonishment crossed his eyes before quickly returning to calm, as if he had not expected Qingyuan's perception to be so sharp. Though he had merely glanced over without any hostility, his line of sight had still been detected by this young man.

Qingyuan also withdrew his gaze. He had not sensed any hostility from the person, but he recognized that the man was an Exalted Master of the Four Realms, having merely concealed his aura so thoroughly that the rest of the cultivators failed to notice anything unusual.

"A hidden Exalted Master?"

Qingyuan felt a mild surge of surprise.

Yet right at that moment, the ground shuddered violently.

Amidst the tremors, numerous cracks split open across the earth.

Immediately afterward, heavy footsteps echoed through the air, sounding like the booming of a giant bell or drum, intensely heavy.

An aged and furious voice suddenly erupted!

"Jin Lan!"

"Get your ass out here!"