Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 999 Shifting the Blame Eastward: A Slap to the Thunderous Eyes
Earlier in the battle, the cultivators of Floating Clouds were located in the meteorite cluster.

Si Xuan Shuang frowned, paying attention to the Dao Beacon's signal while repeatedly stroking the warm and smooth jade pendant.

When she noticed that the light symbolizing Li Mang and his two companions had stopped in front of Chen Mu and the others, her heart sank.

Especially after patiently waiting for half an hour, and seeing that Li Mang had not yet flown away, they realized that the worst had still happened.

"True Lord He!" She suddenly looked up, her voice filled with barely concealed urgency, "Li Mang and the others have already encountered Fellow Daoist Chen and his group head-on, and... they have been stuck here for half an hour, there may be unforeseen circumstances!"

These words were like ice water poured into boiling oil, instantly shattering the silence.

All the cultivators stood up, their eyes turning to He Zhiyun.

They all came from the same place, and apart from Dong Yi and Lei Heng, who had grudges against Chen Mu and Murong Xi, the others did not want to see them suffer any harm easily.

“True Lord He,” a True Lord with a worried expression spoke up, “to be on the safe side, should we go and provide assistance immediately, just in case?”

He Zhiyun's eyes flickered slightly, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

He wanted to use this incident to his advantage, firstly to use Li Mang to teach Chen Mu and the other two a harsh lesson, so that they would deeply understand how vulnerable they were in this dog-eat-dog world without his support.

Only after experiencing the blows of despair will Chen Mu and the other two understand the true meaning of "obeying orders" and become more dependent on him.

Secondly, if this could lead to a conflict between Li Mang and Chen Mu, or even... if Chen Mu and the other two were lucky enough to injure Li Mang, or cause him to suffer a minor loss... then it would kill two birds with one stone.

In this way, he could both use someone else to do his dirty work and teach the "troublemaker" a lesson, and indirectly avenge the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of Li Mang in public.

However, controlling the heat is extremely difficult.

If they arrive too early, Li Mang's "lesson" won't be delivered yet; if they arrive too late, and Chen Mu and the other two are crippled or have their beacon taken away by Li Mang's ruthless methods, then they will have damaged their own side's strength, which would be a loss.

It wasn't that he was soft-hearted; it was just that he felt grateful for the people he needed now, and he couldn't let such a helpful person leave so hastily...

"However, setting off now might be just the right time."

Thinking of this, a dignified and righteous aura suddenly appeared on his face. He stood up, his robe sleeves fluttering even without wind, and his deep and powerful voice resounded in everyone's ears:

"Li Mang's words were previously disrespectful, and out of consideration for our shared sect, I, He, have repeatedly tolerated him! However, if he truly dares to bully the weak, deceive my fellow townsmen from Fuyun, and disregard the laws of the Immortal Sect, even if my cultivation is insufficient, I, He, will stand up and demand an explanation from Li Mang!"

These words resonated deeply, placing himself on a moral high ground and firmly binding the cultivators of Fuyun together.

The crowd felt a surge of warmth upon hearing this. Even though they knew that He Zhiyun might not be entirely sincere, in this treacherous and ever-changing corridor, to receive such a statement from their leader was already a rare comfort.

"What noble character and righteousness does Master He possess!"

"I am willing to follow the True Lord!"

Shouts and shouts rose and fell.

A barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashed across He Zhiyun's eyes. He shouted, "Go!" and his figure transformed into a streak of light as he took the lead.

The group followed closely behind, streaks of light tearing through the dark star curtain as they sped forward.

The group moved at an extremely fast speed. Before long, the spiritual energy fluctuations coming from ahead surged like a raging sea. The waves roared like the Milky Way was being reversed, and the flames roared like a furnace burning the sky. Furthermore, the incomparably sharp metal element intent and the ever-flowing cloud and water sword intent intertwined and collided, stirring up the energy turbulence in that starry sky, making people's hearts tremble.

"Hiss... What an intense battle!" someone gasped. "This commotion... is no ordinary test; they've probably gone all out and are going all out!"

"If Li Mang and the other two attack together, how can Fellow Daoist Chen and the others withstand them?" Si Xuan Shuang's worry deepened.

He Zhiyun's expression turned somewhat gloomy and unclear after sensing the still stalemate in the battle, which even seemed to be gaining the upper hand.

This was completely different from the overwhelming situation Li Mang had envisioned.

Logically, the battle should be nearing its end by now, but the fluctuations are not only not subsiding, but are intensifying? Could it be that Li Mang and the other two didn't even put in a serious effort?
A sense of foreboding crept into my heart.

He hesitated, wondering if he should slow down a bit and give Li Mang more time to "teach" Chen Mu a lesson.

"Sister Gan! Brother Xu! What are you waiting for?!"

Just then, a furious roar, even tinged with panic, like a desperate cry, suddenly tore through the chaotic spiritual energy and clearly entered the ears of the rapidly approaching cultivators of Floating Clouds.

A deathly silence, like autumn leaves being swept away, instantly enveloped all the escape lights.

"This...this is Li Mang's voice?" someone whispered in disbelief.

"He...he's asking for help?!" Many people stared wide-eyed, wondering if they had misheard.

He Zhiyun felt a sudden "buzz" in his mind and instantly understood.

That arrogant and conceited fool Li Mang not only failed to join forces with Gan and Xu, but actually went to "weigh" Chen Mu and the other two on his own!

Moreover, judging from the sound, they were actually at a disadvantage, even... in a precarious situation?!
"Idiot! Useless!"

He Zhiyun cursed inwardly, daring not to hesitate any longer. His inner power surged, his escape light increased dramatically, and he instantly surpassed everyone else, charging ahead towards the core of the battle.

Almost at the same time that He Zhiyun accelerated, Gan Qingni and Xu Xuanling, who were about to make a rescue at the edge of the battle, suddenly stopped and frowned as they looked at the dozens of streaks of light surging towards them from behind.

The leader was none other than He Zhiyun, whose face was solemn.

The two hesitated for a split second.

However, for Li Mang, whose protective spiritual light was already teetering on the brink of collapse due to the relentless onslaught of Chen Mu and his companions, this momentary delay was the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"town!"

As Chen Muqing shouted, the "Moon in the Water" behind him, which had swallowed the power of the "Burning Heaven and Boiling Sea" immortal technique, reversed again.

Vast and boundless, blending the profound mysteries of immortal arts with the transformed power of water, this time it transformed into a simple and heavy phantom of a giant cauldron, carrying the supreme true meaning of suppressing the eight wastelands and sealing off all waters, and crashed down with a thunderous roar.

Before the cauldron even arrived, its terrifying suppressive power had already caused the raging flames around Li Mang to momentarily stop, and the phantom of the fire pot let out a mournful cry as its light dimmed rapidly.

"Clouds lock a thousand peaks!"

Murong Xi's sword technique also changed, and the Life-Giving Cloud and Water Sword split into countless forms. It was no longer a sharp sword aura, but transformed into countless supple and long cloud and water chains, which took advantage of the situation and instantly wrapped around Li Mang's limbs and torso.

"Stop!" Fu Danian roared, disregarding his own injuries, and the Xuan Yang Greatsword flew out of his hand. It was not a slash, but carried a heavy sword intent that could shake mountains and shake rivers, and crashed into Li Mang's back like a giant peak.

Triple suppression, beset by internal and external troubles!
Li Mang felt as if his magical power was trapped in a quagmire, and the circulation of his Dao Fruit almost came to a standstill. A tremendous force squeezed in from all directions, pinning him to the spot, making it difficult for him to even move a finger.

The dignified young master of the Pill Pavilion of the Nine Peaks Immortal Sect, who had reached the later stage of the Dao Inquiry Realm, was like a fish on a chopping board, imprisoned by three cultivators from the lower realms.

"True Lord Chen! True Lord Murong! You—"

The cultivators from Fuyun, who arrived late, were all dumbfounded upon witnessing this scene, their minds going completely blank.

Li Mang... he really lost? And was captured alive?!
In the starry sky, Li Mang's crimson-gold brocade robe was tattered and stained with blood, with a deep, bone-revealing sword wound on his left rib particularly striking.

His hair was disheveled, his handsome face was distorted by extreme shame, anger and shock, and his body was tightly bound by water light, cloud water chains and Xuanhuang sword intent, unable to move, looking extremely disheveled.

Before him, Chen Mu remained calm, Murong Xi wore a frosty expression, and Fu Danian, though panting, was full of fighting spirit.

Perhaps spurred on by the stares of the crowd, Li Mang was filled with shame and rage, roaring like thunder: "You lowly cultivator from the lower realm, if you have the guts, why don't you fight me one-on-one..."

Gan Qingni and Xu Xuanling also looked extremely grim. They were angry at Li Mang for his overconfidence and defeat, embarrassed by his capture due to their delayed rescue, and a hint of barely perceptible apprehension. The cooperation and explosive power of these three cultivators from the lower realm far exceeded their expectations.

"Junior Brother He!" Gan Qingni urged urgently, her voice carrying a hidden command, "Hurry up and order them to release Brother Li!" Xu Xuanling did not speak, but his gaze was also fixed on He Zhiyun, an invisible pressure spreading.

He Zhiyun didn't rush to speak; his mind raced like boiling water.

The scene before him was completely different from what he had imagined: "Chen Mu was thwarted, and he stepped in to help him out." Instead of learning a lesson, Chen Mu and his two companions defeated Li Mang and even captured him alive!

After this battle, the prestige of these three will surely rise greatly, and it will probably be even more difficult for me to control them as easily as I control my own limbs.

What's more troublesome is that Li Mang was captured, and Gan and Xu were held accountable, making the situation instantly extremely difficult.

The thought of this gave him a slight headache, and his heart was filled with contempt and sarcasm towards Li Mang.

Despite his disdain, he dared not allow Chen Mu to continue imprisoning him.

After all, if they continued to make trouble, it might cause Li Mang to hold a grudge, and things would backfire.

Even in order to appease Li Mang, he had to rebuke Chen Mu for his recklessness and give Li Mang some face on the surface.

As for what Chen Mu and the other two will think... Hmph, I haven't even confronted them yet, so they probably won't dare to think too much about it.

He suppressed the frustration in his heart, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, especially lingering for a moment on Chen Mu's calm and expressionless face, trying to find a trace of fear or request for instructions.

However, there was nothing there, only a deep, still pool...

While he was pondering, Li Mang continued to curse, including words that made Gan Qingni and Xu Xuanling frown.

Murong Xi and Fu Danian were furious, but they knew they couldn't do anything about it, so they could only keep quiet and suppress their anger.

"Junior Brother He?" Xu Xuanling couldn't stand it anymore and reminded him.

"Chen Mu, hurry up—"

He Zhiyun took a deep breath, stepped forward, and with an undeniable air of authority, was about to order him to release the man. He needed to extricate himself from the immediate predicament, giving Li Mang a way out, and also a way out for himself.

however--

"Snapped!"

A crisp, resounding slap echoed through the starry sky, like a thunderclap, instantly halting He Zhiyun's unfinished words, bringing everyone's thoughts and even the passage of time in this starry sky to a standstill!
Dead silence.

Absolute silence.

Everyone froze, their eyes wide with disbelief, staring intently ahead.

Then, Chen Mu, with a calm expression, slowly lowered his right hand.

On Li Mang's left cheek, which was originally flushed red with shame and anger, a clear five-finger mark was swelling up at a visible speed, forming an extremely absurd contrast with his expression of extreme astonishment.

He...he actually dared to...slap Li Mang?!

Li Mang, the only son of the Pill Pavilion Master of the Nine Peaks Immortal Sect, a direct descendant of the Golden Immortal Ancestor, and of incomparably noble status, was actually slapped in public by a cultivator from the lower realm?!

Li Mang seemed completely stunned by the slap. It took him two full breaths before his dull eyes suddenly turned and focused on Chen Mu's face, which was right in front of him.

Boundless humiliation and overwhelming rage crashed down on his reason like volcanic lava.

“You lowly maggot from the lower realm! How dare you hit me?! Your filthy claws are unworthy to touch me?! Even my father never did…”

Li Mang's eyes were bloodshot, his face contorted like a demon, and he roared hysterically, spewing out filthy words like poison.

"Snapped!"

In response, Chen Mu swung his arm back and delivered another slap with the force of a thunderbolt.

And the force is greater, the sound is louder!

Li Mang's right cheek swelled up symmetrically instantly, his roar was abruptly cut off, his head was hit to the side, and several bloody teeth mixed with saliva flew out.

"You little beast! I'm going to..."

"Snapped!"

"miscellaneous……"

"Snapped!"

……

Chen Mu's expression remained expressionless, with an almost cold and clear air about him.

His movements were steady and resolute, each raise and fall precise and powerful, the force perfectly controlled to inflict maximum pain and humiliation without being fatal.

The crisp, resounding slaps echoed like death knells in the deathly silent starry sky, striking the hearts of everyone present.

Gan Qingni covered her mouth, her eyes filled with horror.

Xu Xuanling frowned, his gaze deep.

The cultivators in the floating clouds fell silent, even their breathing became soft. Lei Heng and Dong Yi subconsciously shrank their necks, their eyes filled with unprecedented fear as they looked at Chen Mu.

He Zhiyun's face turned ashen, his lips trembled slightly, and he wanted to shout, but his throat seemed to be blocked, and he couldn't utter a single word.

His meticulously planned scheme to kill two birds with one stone has unexpectedly spiraled out of control, leaving him in a precarious situation...

Murong Xi and Fu Danian were also stunned, but when they saw Li Mang's face and his insults, the anger in their chests strangely dissipated with each crisp sound, replaced by an indescribable sense of pleasure and a sense of awe at Chen Mu's decision.

Finally, when Li Mang's cheeks were swollen like a pig's head, blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth, and he had completely lost the strength to curse, leaving only his panting breaths filled with extreme humiliation, Chen Mu finally stopped.

He slowly lowered his arm, his gaze calmly sweeping over the astonished, angry, fearful, and apprehensive faces in the room, finally settling on He Zhiyun, whose face flushed red and then turned pale, as if he had swallowed a fly.

Chen Mu's voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly pierced through the frozen air, carrying a strange penetrating power:

"Fellow Daoist Li," he said in a flat tone, even with a hint of "respect," but his gaze was sharp as a knife, piercing straight at He Zhiyun.

"The Dao Beacon of the three of us was obtained by True Lord He, and you can easily take it away from us?"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent once again.

He Zhiyun felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, as if his scalp was about to explode.

He suddenly looked at Chen Mu, and deep within the other's calm eyes, there was a sharp glint that seemed to see through everything!

"you……!"

He Zhiyun pointed at Chen Mu, his finger trembling slightly, his chest heaving with anger, and he almost vomited the bitter "fly" he had been holding in.

Li Mang, who was dazed from being slapped, heard the words "He Zhenjun's possessions," and his swollen eyelids pierced He Zhiyun's face with a venomous gaze, like a poisoned arrow...

……

(End of this chapter)