Lan Xiaobu unhesitatingly summoned his Longevity Halberd, unleashing waves of halberd surges that crashed like collapsing cosmic spaces, stirring billions of killing dao laws. He wanted to use this chance to gauge how far he was from a seventh-step Great Dao powerhouse.
*Boom!* A violent clash of divine dao laws erupted, and Ku Yichi’s expression shifted. He had only intended to test if Lan Xiaobu cultivated his own dao, but he hadn’t expected such terrifying strength. The explosion of divine dao laws was beyond his control.
*Boom, boom, boom!* Consecutive dao law blasts reverberated, forcing all cultivators in the Dao Hall to extend their defensive domains. Even so, exquisite jade tables and chairs were shattered. The rampant, broken divine dao laws continued to spread outward.
Ku Yichi frantically extended his domain to restrain the tearing dao laws. Several powerful guards, including Right Pivot Saint Minister Da Saxian, also deployed their saint domains to block the chaos.
A series of muffled sounds followed. With Ku Yichi, the Central Heavenly Court’s experts, and the hall’s defensive array, the terrifying divine dao laws from Lan Xiaobu’s halberd were finally quelled.
Ku Yichi exhaled, shocked by Lan Xiaobu’s strength and relieved the Dao Hall wasn’t destroyed. Though fortified by top-tier arrays, it couldn’t withstand such an attack.
Lan Xiaobu realised he was far from matching Ku Yichi. He hadn’t even destroyed the hall. He’d used only half his strength, but knew Ku Yichi had used three to four tenths at most, merely testing his dao without full force.
“Truly arrogant, a mere deputy overseer daring to act in the Central Heavenly Court’s Dao Hall,” Chong Jiu sneered, her tone laced with killing intent.
Lan Xiaobu replied calmly, “Are you blind or deliberately stirring trouble between Moru and Central Worlds? I acted in self-defence instinctively, then restrained my divine dao laws. Are your eyes just sockets? You, a supposed seventh-step powerhouse, stood by while we all worked to control or block the dao laws to save this hall. Yet you fan the flames. Heh, only your True Derivation Saint Dao is clever, everyone else is foolish.”
“So you knew I was testing you?” Ku Yichi’s face was calm, his tone icy.
Lan Xiaobu clasped his fists. “Emperor Ku, I didn’t know at first, so I struck with full force. When I sensed no killing intent, I restrained my divine dao laws, but damage was still done. I apologise to the Emperor.”
Ku Yichi nodded. That made sense. His sudden move would prompt Lan Xiaobu’s strongest response. Retracting upon sensing no threat was reasonable.
He glanced at Chong Jiu, who always resented the Central Heavenly Court. As Lan Xiaobu said, she was stirring trouble. Without his strength and the hall’s experts, her inaction could have let the hall collapse. A woman with no tact or sense, always doing foolish things.
“You’re impressive. I’ve never seen someone cultivate the Space Dao to your level. Barring surprises, few at the fifth step can match you,” Ku Yichi said, shocked. Even at his own fifth step, he hadn’t matched Lan Xiaobu’s prowess.
He confirmed Lan Xiaobu didn’t cultivate his own dao but the Space Dao, a top-tier cosmic dao, explaining his performance.
Moru Emperor Cebai Huisheng was stunned. He’d guessed Lan Xiaobu might reach the fifth step, but so soon? Not only had he achieved it, but his strength was overwhelming. At the same level, none could challenge him, and even sixth-step cultivators like Cebai might not suppress him. Lan Xiaobu could likely escape sixth-step oppression.
“It was you! With your strength, killing my Great Vault Silence Dao’s Feng Qi and Zeng Yueqian is entirely possible. Your Space Dao could destroy the scene’s traces,” Gu Jin, the Great Vault Silence Dao’s leader, stood, pointing at Lan Xiaobu excitedly, certain he was the killer.
No one spoke. Lan Xiaobu’s strength and potential were staggering. His fifth-step power nearly matched weaker sixth-step cultivators. Killing two conference geniuses was plausible.
Chaos One World’s Emperor Wan Xunhua stared at Lan Xiaobu, saying gravely, “You had the opportunity and strength.”
Lan Xiaobu laughed loudly. “To kill someone, strength and opportunity aren’t primary. By your logic, over eighty percent of those here could kill those two weaklings. Many with greater strength and opportunity aren’t even present. So, Chaos One World just wants a baseless war with Moru? If you want a fight, Moru accepts. We fear no one’s flimsy excuses.”
“By that logic, only those without strength or opportunity are suspects? You have both, plus the token, and just left the Great Cosmos Valley, making you the prime suspect,” Chong Jiu retorted, siding with Chaos One.
Lan Xiaobu mocked, “I see why you reached the seventh step—no brain. A brainless person focuses solely on cultivation, free from distractions. Hence, ‘undistracted focus,’ right?”
Chong Jiu’s killing intent surged. If not in the Dao Hall, she might have attacked.
Lan Xiaobu didn’t stop, turning to Wan Xunhua. “If I’m not mistaken, the Ruins-Breaking Saint Alliance lost a ship in Moru World. Your Chaos One Heavenly Court’s doing, I presume?”
Wan Xunhua’s heart skipped. Such accusations could trouble Chaos One if they reached the Ruins-Breaking Saint Alliance.
“Nonsense! Chaos One is far from Moru. Why would we target a ship there? Our own ships have always been safe,” Wan Xunhua snapped.
Lan Xiaobu chuckled. “Exactly. Why would I kill in the Central World when I could in Moru? Are you saying I killed here to frame the Central World? Then I understand why the Ruins-Breaking Ship was hit in Moru.”
Wan Xunhua snorted, ignoring Lan Xiaobu, wary of him pressing the ship issue. The Ruins-Breaking Saint Dao would swarm like mad dogs at the slightest suspicion.
Lan Xiaobu ignored him, clasping his fists seriously. “To kill, motive matters most, not time or strength. What’s my motive for killing your two geniuses? My Space Dao needs neither blood nor souls. I have no grudge with them. Why would I kill them?”
His words shifted attention to Wan Xunhua and Gu Jin. Without motive, why target Chaos One’s people unless deranged?
Many suspected Lan Xiaobu killed Feng Qi and Zeng Yueqian over the token, but no one dared say it.
Chong Jiu, despite her high cultivation, lacked tact and blurted, “You have the token. Feng Qi and Zeng Yueqian likely wanted it, so you killed to silence them…”
Silence followed. She realised her mistake.
Lan Xiaobu sneered, looking at Wan Xunhua. “Is that what Emperor Wan thinks?”
Wan Xunhua’s face showed embarrassment. If true, not only could Lan Xiaobu justify killing them, but Moru could rightfully destroy Great Vault Silence Dao.
“My disciples are virtuous and would never covet your token,” Gu Jin said firmly, knowing ambiguity would stain his sect.
Ku Yichi waved his hand. “The ambush on Great Vault Silence Dao’s geniuses is shelved for now. The Central Heavenly Court will continue investigating. Let’s discuss the Great Cosmos Valley’s fortune dao law issue. Overseer Lan’s solo cultivation wouldn’t cause such a loss.”
