Building a sect from scratch.

"You little thief, you're lucky to be alive!"

Si Yang, who had just finished setting up the spirit array, snorted and casually slapped Zhang Can with his palm.

This palm strike was completely different from the previous one delivered by a sluggish, fleshy body. The pressure, almost divine, made it hard for him to breathe, and he couldn't dodge it. He could only watch helplessly as the palm struck his chest from a distance, extending the distance of over a hundred meters between them by several tens of meters—Zhang Can was sent flying and crashed into the edge of the spirit array's barrier!
In an instant, the golden core in Zhang Can's body shattered into pieces, and all eight extraordinary meridians were severed. Even the wisp of divine consciousness of Fang Xianyu attached to Zhang Can was instantly blasted out of Zhang Can's body and took a long time to return!

Since restarting his second playthrough, Fang Xianyu had not fought against any beings at the level of immortals or gods, and had almost forgotten just how terrifying the threat at that level was.

After watching helplessly as Zhang Can's puppet was rendered useless, and spending several energy points to revive it, he dared not provoke Immortal Si Yang again and decided to go straight for the stronger version.

"He's still not dead?!"

But before Zhang Can could make a move, the fact that he was still alive shocked Immortal Si Yang.

In Si Yang Xianren's view, a mere Golden Core cultivator, no matter what special skills he possessed, would be powerless against an absolute difference in strength. Yet, he hadn't managed to kill him in one fell swoop, which made him begin to doubt himself.

However, after being shocked, Immortal Siyang suddenly remembered what happened at the Immortal Sacrifice Array earlier, and then realized to himself, "That's right, it's really strange that people from your Taiyin Sect can be brought back to life!"

At this moment, the magic array had already started operating, completely sealing Si Yang Immortal and Zhang Can within the spirit array.

Si Yang Immortal no longer pursued killing Zhang Can. He casually threw a talisman at Zhang Can, which immediately froze Zhang Can in place, unable to move—it was a freezing talisman!
Unexpectedly, this Immortal Siyang is also quite knowledgeable about talismans!

Sealing formations and immobilization talismans are the essence of formations and talismans. If one has not mastered both, it is impossible to use them!
Si Yang truly deserves to be called one of the most gifted people in the Ten Continents and Three Islands!

It's a pity they didn't take the right path...

Zhang Can sighed, reluctantly spending a few more energy points to remove the immobilization charm that had been slapped on his face. Then, taking advantage of Si Yang's inattention, he pulled out the Truth No. 2 rocket launcher and fired it at him.

However, just as the rocket exploded on Si Yang Xianren, his robes suddenly flashed with golden light. The massive explosion of spiritual energy and gunpowder had no effect. Si Yang Xianren waved his sleeve to dispel the smoke from the explosion. He didn't look disheveled at all, but his expression was quite ugly. He obviously didn't expect that even the immobilization talisman couldn't trap Zhang Can.

This feeling is like constantly bumping into your face when you're using your phone in a park at night. You can't catch them, you can't swat them, and they just keep bumping into your face. They don't cause any harm, but they're incredibly disgusting.

Although Immortal Siyang was unharmed, the spirit array he had painstakingly set up trembled a few times, giving Zhang Can a sudden inspiration.

Before Immortal Siyang could come up with a good way to deal with Zhang Can, Zhang Can instead started sending spiritual energy into the spirit inlets of the two rocket launchers. However, this time the energy was not aimed at Immortal Siyang, but at the spirit array barrier that Immortal Siyang had set up!
Seeing the furious Si Yang Immortal, Zhang Can grinned and said, "I told you, I can't beat you, and I don't need to. Just make sure you can't do anything you want!"

Despite his anger, Immortal Siyang could only grit his teeth and let Zhang Can lead him by the nose. A small cauldron and a jade pendant flew out from his sleeve, each to engage the two rocket launchers. The cauldron's legs were blown off on the spot, while the jade pendant remained intact, though its light seemed somewhat dim.

"Oh right, I forgot to tell you," Zhang Can said, his smile widening as he saw this, "this thing is called 'Truth No. 2,' and I brought about a hundred of them!"

As he spoke, he pulled out two more rocket launchers.

Si Yang Immortal stared wide-eyed: "?"

Seeing the look of disgust, hatred, and helplessness on Si Yang Xianren's face, Zhang Can pressed his advantage and said, "Of course, you've cultivated for so long, you should have more than a hundred magic treasures or spiritual artifacts, right? Even if you don't, it won't be much different. At worst, you can just bear the consequences with your own body. Anyway, they won't kill you, right? Just consider it a rehearsal of the Heavenly Tribulation, to experience a low-intensity version of the tribulation lightning!"

Seeing that he could not protect the spirit array, Immortal Siyang gave up and simply abandoned his original plan. Although Zhang Can did not know what the plan was, he stopped protecting the spirit array and turned to gather spiritual power to open a "gate".

It was called a door, but it was actually a dark, gaping hole that kept getting bigger and bigger, emanating an unsettling, sinister aura.

Soon, as the opening widened, Zhang Can finally understood that Immortal Siyang was planning to open a passage through the Nine Netherworlds!

After understanding Si Yang's intentions, Zhang Can was dumbfounded: "Si Yang, you old scoundrel! Have you gone mad?!"

Si Yang Immortal gritted his teeth and said, "Hmph, how could I be as crazy as Fang Xianyu? She killed my sect's disciples for no reason and even tried to kill me! Does she even deserve it?"

"We didn't kill you. With your cultivation level, unless immortals or gods intervene, who could kill you? What we did was simply subject you to the wrath of Heaven and make you obediently be struck down by the Heavenly Tribulation!"

Zhang Can pulled out several rocket launchers again, squeezing his aching golden core, and aimed them at Si Yang, who was opening the Nine Netherworld Passage. He said, "Those who do many evil deeds will surely perish! Why is your tribulation so terrifying? Others may not know, but don't you know yourself?"

"You know nothing!"

Si Yang Immortal, as if struck by lightning, erupted in fury: "That's all a lie! The idea that committing numerous evils will attract the attention of the Heavenly Dao! It's all fake! How long have you been cultivating? How long have you lived? I've seen far too many! What immortals, gods, and true men and women? They're all charlatans! They're just making things up to deceive you ignorant fools! Hasn't she, the Misty Golden Immortal, killed enough people? Or has she allowed her underlings to kill too few? And yet, nothing's happened to her! The idea that those who do many evil deeds will surely perish! It's all nonsense!"

After hearing what the Immortal Siyang said, Zhang Can fell silent.

Indeed, the reason why everyone says that committing many evil deeds will bring even more terrifying heavenly tribulations, yet many cultivators still scoff at this idea, is because the evil deeds committed by many immortals and gods are too numerous to count, yet they have not received even the slightest divine punishment.

For example, the most famous Misty Golden Immortal, over the years, the number of people and cultivators she has killed could fill half a continent's population, yet she is unaffected by even heavenly tribulations, and is more at ease than the Taiyi God who is usually quite restrained in worshipping his own sect!
Does the Heavenly Dao truly possess consciousness? (End of Chapter)