“Qiu’er…”
Seeing Ye Qiu’s lower body buried in the ground, Qian Jinglan’s face turned pale with fear.
Anyone could see that the attacker was unstoppable.
At that moment, Ye Qiu felt the finger pressing down on him like a colossal pillar connecting the heavens, nearly crushing every bone in his body.
Even so, Ye Qiu’s spine remained unyieldingly straight.
“Ah…”
Ye Qiu roared, struggling with all his might, but it was futile. Before this finger, he was as weak as an ant.
His body continued to sink.
Soon, everything below his chest was buried in the earth.
The War God, Dragon Lady, Ye Wudi, Master Du’e, and Master Longbrow moved to rescue Ye Qiu.
But as they acted, a white light intercepted them, preventing them from reaching him.
Ye Qiu unleashed every technique he had, fighting desperately.
Just as his head was about to be submerged, the finger inexplicably vanished, and the white light blocking the War God and the others disappeared abruptly.
What was happening?
Before anyone could react, the aged voice spoke again: “Kid, you’ve got some backbone. Truly Ye Wushuang’s son.”
“Who the hell are you?” Ye Qiu demanded coldly.
Ye Wudi shouted, “I know who he is! He’s the guardian of the Forbidden City!”
The aged voice scoffed, “The guardian of the Forbidden City? What’s he compared to this Heavenly Venerable?”
Heavenly Venerable?
The group was puzzled. Was this attacker not the guardian of the Forbidden City?
If not, why disrupt Ye Qiu’s attempt to extend Ye Wushuang’s life?
Ye Qiu, furious, said, “I don’t care who you are. You’ve harmed my father, and even if I become a ghost, I won’t let you go.”
“Harmed your father? Which eye of yours saw this Heavenly Venerable harming your father?”
Suddenly, a figure appeared out of thin air before Ye Qiu.
Ye Qiu jumped, looking up to see an old man.
The man was of medium build, slightly plump, with a head of dishevelled white hair, a rosy face, and a tattered grey robe. He held a large wine gourd, and his worn cloth shoes revealed several toes.
His appearance resembled a beggar gang elder.
Standing close, Ye Qiu caught a strong whiff of alcohol from the old man.
“Was it you who attacked just now?”
Ye Qiu could hardly believe that this beggar-like man was a cultivator.
The War God and the others rushed over, surrounding the old man, tense and on high alert.
Ignoring them, the old man said to Ye Qiu, “Indeed, it was this Heavenly Venerable who saved you just now.”
As he spoke, a pungent wave of alcohol wafted from his mouth, nearly making Ye Qiu dizzy.
“Saved me?” Ye Qiu sneered. “Utter nonsense. I don’t believe you.”
The old man wasn’t angered, took a swig from his gourd, and smiled, “Kid, am I really so untrustworthy?”
“Or do I look like a bad guy?”
“I’m not a bad guy. I’m here to help you.”
Help me?
Ye Qiu snorted, “If you’re here to help, why did you stop me from extending my father’s life?”
The old man sighed, “Ye Qiu, with your level of cultivation, you dare to extend the life of a cultivator on the verge of breaking through to the King Realm? I don’t know whether to call you bold or fearless.”
“If this Heavenly Venerable had arrived any later, Wushuang would be dead, and so would you.”
“Everyone here would have died.”
Ye Qiu’s brow furrowed. “Don’t try to scare me.”
“I’m only speaking the truth,” the old man said. “Your cultivation is too weak. Forcing a life extension for a cultivator would provoke the wrath of the Heavenly Dao, bringing down thunder punishment.”
“And it would be an immensely powerful thunder punishment, one you couldn’t withstand.”
“Everyone here would perish under it.”
Ye Qiu paused.
In truth, he had been worried about this.
When he saved General Bai last time, thunder had descended. Though he was prepared this time, since Ye Wushuang was a cultivator, he didn’t know how powerful the thunder would be.
If he couldn’t withstand it and the life extension failed, Ye Wushuang would die.
“Who are you, really?” Ye Qiu asked again.
He realised this old man might not mean him harm; otherwise, he wouldn’t have appeared to talk at length.
The others also looked at the old man, equally curious about his identity.
The old man smiled at Ye Qiu and said, “You can call me Master Ancestor.”
Master Ancestor?
Ye Qiu was stunned and said, “Senior, could you be clearer?”
The old man chuckled, “Let me introduce myself. I am the leader of Kunlun Mountain, Heavenly Venerable Ziyang.”
At this, everyone was dumbfounded.
This old man was the leader of Kunlun Mountain?
He didn’t look the part!
He seemed more like the leader of a beggar gang.
“Senior, are you truly the leader of Kunlun Mountain?” Master Longbrow asked.
Ye Qiu glanced at Master Longbrow and noticed his extreme excitement, his voice trembling as he spoke.
“What, you dare question this Heavenly Venerable’s identity?” The old man turned his head, his eyes sharp as heavenly swords.
Thud!
Master Longbrow knelt, proclaiming loudly, “Longbrow, leader of Dragon Tiger Mountain, pays respects to the Heavenly Venerable!”
Among the myriad Daoist sects, when Kunlun appears, all others submit.
This was a rule passed down for thousands of years in the Daoist world!
However, Kunlun Mountain hadn’t had a disciple appear for centuries, and over time, many had forgotten the sect.
Now, learning that this old man was the leader of Kunlun Mountain, how could Master Longbrow not be thrilled?
“Hmph!”
The old man snorted and said to Master Longbrow, “When you used the Five Thunder Righteous Method the second time, if not for this Heavenly Venerable’s intervention, you would have perished instantly. Do you understand?”
“This junior understands. Thank you, Heavenly Venerable, for saving my life,” Master Longbrow said respectfully, without his usual playful demeanour.
“Good that you know,” Heavenly Venerable Ziyang said to Ye Qiu. “Over twenty years ago, by chance, this Heavenly Venerable saved your father’s life and brought him to Kunlun Mountain.”
“From then on, Wushuang became my disciple, the chief disciple of Kunlun Mountain.”
“According to Kunlun’s rules, disciples cannot roam the world until they reach the King Realm.”
“That’s why Wushuang hasn’t left Kunlun Mountain for over twenty years. This time, I sensed he faced a tribulation, so I allowed him to descend the mountain to face it.”
“So, you should call me Master Ancestor.”
Ye Qiu hurriedly asked, “Master Ancestor, my father has suffered severe backlash and is in critical condition. Do you have a way to save him?”
“This Heavenly Venerable came down the mountain to help Wushuang overcome this tribulation.”
With that, Heavenly Venerable Ziyang flicked his finger, sending a pill into Ye Wushuang’s mouth.
