The Ferocious God in the Celestial Master's Mansion

The dim sunlight filtered through the gaps in the bamboo grove, casting dappled shadows on the open ground. The lingering stench of blood, mixed with the faint herbal scent of wound medicine, created an eerie tranquility.

Lu Linglong squatted on the ground, hugging her knees, her shoulders trembling violently. A long-suppressed sob finally burst from her throat, a heart-wrenching cry. All the fear, grievances, anger, and the self-reproach of watching her friend being humiliated without being able to help—all poured out at that moment. Her pale yellow dress was stained with mud and blood, and the wound at the corner of her mouth still throbbed faintly, but at this moment, she couldn't care less about any of that. She simply buried her head, letting her tears fall onto the cold ground, spreading into a small, dark patch.

The rescued girl lay paralyzed to one side, the wound medicine on her palm having stopped bleeding. She looked at Lu Linglong's weeping face, then turned to look at Zhang Yulei standing not far away, his tear-streaked eyes filled with lingering fear and gratitude. She wanted to say something, but found her throat terribly hoarse, only able to utter soft sobs.

Zhang Yulei stood there, holding the blood-stained black sword in his hand. The lightning on the blade had long since faded, leaving only its cold, sharp edge. He looked at the weeping Lu Linglong, and the fierce killing intent in his eyes was gradually replaced by a hint of gentleness.

The little girl with her hair in two buns who used to chase after him calling him "Grandpa Zhang" has finally grown up. And she has finally witnessed the dirtiest and cruelest side of the world of supernatural beings.

He walked slowly forward, saying nothing, but simply reached out and gently patted Lu Linglong's shoulder. His palms were rough, calloused from years of wielding a sword, yet the touch was gentle, as if soothing a frightened little animal.

"Get up now that you've cried enough." Zhang Yulei's voice was hoarse, yet it carried a reassuring strength. "It's not safe here. Take your friend and hurry back to the Celestial Master's Mansion. There you'll find the best medicine and the safest protection."

Upon hearing this, Lu Linglong's sobs paused slightly. She raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, and looked at the old Taoist priest before her. Looking into those familiar, gentle eyes, she choked out, "Grandpa Zhang... thank you..."

If he hadn't appeared in time, she and her friends would probably have been doomed long ago.

Zhang Yulei shook his head, his gaze falling on the pale-faced girl beside him: "Her injuries are serious, she can't be delayed."

Lu Linglong quickly wiped away her tears and nodded vigorously. She stood up, staggered to her friend's side, and carefully helped her up. The girl's body was light, but she was trembling all over from the pain. Lu Linglong gritted her teeth, put the girl's arm on her shoulder, looked up at Zhang Yulei, her eyes full of gratitude: "Grandpa Zhang, we...we'll be going now. Please take care."

Zhang Yulei nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Lu Linglong helped her friend walk step by step towards the Celestial Master's Mansion. Their figures swayed and gradually disappeared at the end of the bamboo forest. Only when their figures were completely out of sight did the gentleness on Zhang Yulei's face slowly fade.

He slowly turned around, his gaze falling on an ancient pine tree beside the open space.

The ancient pine tree was tall and thick, with lush branches and leaves. When he killed the Quanxing demon, he sensed a faint aura hidden among its branches and leaves. The aura was very faint and well-concealed; if his perception hadn't far surpassed that of ordinary people, he probably wouldn't have noticed it.

At first, he thought it was a remnant of the Quanxing sect, so he didn't act immediately, thinking he would drag it out after Lu Linglong and the other person left. But as time went by, he sensed a familiar, somewhat cunning, aura in that person's presence.

Zhang Chulan.

A cold smile curved at the corners of Zhang Yulei's lips.

He remembered; in the story, it seemed this kid was the one who hid in the shadows and used some underhanded methods to scare away those Quanxing bastards. But he never expected that this kid would actually watch Lu Linglong and that girl being bullied by the Quanxing demons, yet remain silent and refuse to show himself to save them!

Protecting one's own is a rule ingrained in the very bones of Longhushan.

Regardless of whether they are disciples of Longhu Mountain or relatives of it, no one will tolerate being bullied. Lu Linglong is Lu Jin's granddaughter, and Lu Jin and the Old Celestial Master are close friends; in a sense, she's practically one of Longhu Mountain's own. And Zhang Chulan, as Zhang Huaiyi's grandson and a descendant of Longhu Mountain, how could he just stand by and do nothing?

This little rascal has indeed inherited Zhang Huaiyi's cunning, and has taken the phrase "shameless" to its extreme!

Zhang Yulei's eyes suddenly sharpened. He tightened his grip on the black sword, and the blade emitted a clear, resonant hum.

The next second, he flipped his wrist and, without any warning, casually swung his sword at the ancient pine tree!

"Sizzle—!"

A golden bolt of lightning, like a bolt of silk, shot out from the sword blade and instantly struck the trunk of the ancient pine tree.

With a deafening roar, the ancient pine tree, as thick as several people could hug, was cleaved in two by the sword! Wood chips flew everywhere from the broken trunk, revealing the pale white wood inside.

"ah--!"

A scream came from a crack in the tree trunk.

Immediately afterwards, a figure tumbled down from the tree like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground and wincing in pain.

"No, don't do it!" The figure scrambled to his feet as soon as he landed, waving his hands frantically as he backed away, his face filled with terror. "Grandpa Zhang! I'm a good person! Linglong and I are friends! I'm not a demon from Quanxing!"

The figure was none other than Zhang Chulan.

He was dressed in dust-covered clothes, his hair was disheveled, and his face was covered in leaves; he looked utterly wretched. He never imagined that despite his excellent concealment, he would still be discovered. What shocked him even more was the terrifying strength of this old Taoist priest! He had cleaved a centuries-old pine tree in two with a single sword strike; if that sword had struck him, not even a bone fragment would have remained!

Zhang Yulei, sword in hand, walked step by step toward Zhang Chulan. His steps were steady, and with each step, the ground beneath him was scorched black by the power of lightning. His gaze fell coldly on Zhang Chulan, his eyes devoid of any warmth.

"Friends?" Zhang Yulei scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Friends who watch their friends being bullied, yet hide in a tree and stand idly by?"

Zhang Chulan's body trembled violently. Looking into Zhang Yulei's sharp eyes, he knew his little scheme had been seen through. He scratched his head awkwardly, stammering, "I...I was just looking for an opportunity. If I acted rashly and couldn't defeat those Quanxing demons, wouldn't I be in danger myself? And then who would save Linglong and the others?"

"Looking for an opportunity?" Zhang Yulei's eyes grew even colder. "I think you're just afraid of death! You're just clinging to life and afraid of dying!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Yulei suddenly accelerated, his figure appearing in front of Zhang Chulan in an instant, like a ghost. He raised his hand, grabbed Zhang Chulan's collar, and lifted him up.

Zhang Chulan felt an immense force coming from his collar, making it instantly difficult for him to breathe. His feet left the ground as he struggled desperately, only to find that his strength was utterly insignificant compared to the old Taoist's, like an ant trying to shake a tree.

"Let me go!" Zhang Chulan struggled and shouted. "Let me tell you, I'm Zhang Huaiyi's grandson! Old Master Zhang Zhiwei is my grandmaster! I'm from Longhu Mountain! You can't hit me!"

"Zhang Huaiyi's grandson?" Zhang Yulei sneered, increasing the pressure on his hand. "Precisely because you are Zhang Huaiyi's grandson, I'm going to teach you a lesson today! Your grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi, although he betrayed Longhu Mountain back then, was still a man of unwavering integrity! How come you've become a cowardly coward who fears death and refuses to act righteously?!"

"I'm not a coward!" Zhang Chulan shouted anxiously, his face flushed. "I was assessing the situation! It was a strategic retreat!"

"Assess the situation? Strategic retreat?" Zhang Yulei seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. He casually flung Zhang Chulan to the ground.

Zhang Chulan was dazed and nearly coughed up blood. He struggled to get up, only to see Zhang Yulei already walking towards him with his sword in hand. The black sword was still stained with the blood of the Quanxing demon, gleaming eerily in the dim sunlight.

"What...what do you want to do?" Zhang Chulan's voice trembled slightly. He could sense that this old Taoist really wanted to beat him up!

"What are you doing?" Zhang Yulei sheathed his sword, cracked his knuckles, and said, "The rules of Longhu Mountain are to protect your own. But the rules of Longhu Mountain also don't tolerate cowards! Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your grandfather and the Old Celestial Master!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Yulei suddenly raised his foot and kicked Zhang Chulan hard in the buttocks!

"Awooo—!"

A piercing scream echoed throughout the bamboo forest.

Zhang Chulan felt a sharp pain in his buttocks, and he was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing heavily to the ground. Tears welled in his eyes from the pain; clutching his backside, he grimaced and cried out, "You...you actually hit me! I'm going to report you to the Celestial Master! I'm going to report you!"

"Go ahead and sue me." Zhang Yulei walked over expressionlessly and kicked him again. "Even if Zhang Zhiwei came today, he couldn't protect you!"

"Bang bang bang—!"

The dull thuds of impact rang out one after another.

Zhang Yulei's attacks were very measured, targeting fleshy but non-lethal areas such as the buttocks, thighs, and back. Each kick made Zhang Chulan scream in pain, yet it didn't damage any bones or tendons.

This is Zhang Yulei's "education of love"—a thorough beating!

Zhang Chulan was beaten so badly that he had no chance to fight back. He could only cover his head, roll around on the ground, and beg for mercy.

"Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me! I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

"I'll never do it again! Next time I'll be the first to rush in and save people!" "Grandpa Zhang! Ancestor Zhang! Please forgive me!"

But Zhang Yulei seemed not to hear him and continued kicking him. His face was expressionless, but he was burning with anger inside.

That little brat deserves a beating! He'll never know his place if we don't teach him a lesson! He'll never realize how disgraceful he is to Longhu Mountain if we don't teach him a lesson!

Seeing that begging for mercy was useless, Zhang Chulan was driven to desperation. He suddenly scrambled to his feet, and his inner energy surged instantly. A faint golden light, like a thin veil, enveloped his body.

"Golden Light Mantra!" Zhang Chulan shouted, attempting to use the Golden Light Mantra to block Zhang Yulei's attack.

But who is Zhang Yulei? He's one of the most senior members of Longhu Mountain, and his Golden Light Mantra has long been cultivated to its pinnacle. Zhang Chulan's meager Golden Light Mantra is nothing more than child's play compared to him!

Zhang Yulei snorted disdainfully, raised his hand, and slapped Zhang Chulan's Golden Light Spell.

"Bang!"

With a soft sound, Zhang Chulan's Golden Light Spell shattered instantly, as if it were made of paper.

Zhang Chulan felt a tremendous force come over him and was sent flying again, landing on his back.

"It's not over yet!" Zhang Chulan was also stubborn. He struggled to get up, a fierce glint in his eyes. He quickly formed hand seals, and the Qi around his body instantly became violent.

"Thunder Magic! Palm Thunder!"

With a loud shout, a dazzling bolt of lightning instantly lit up Zhang Chulan's palm. He slammed his palm down towards Zhang Yulei!

A golden bolt of lightning, like a flash of lightning, shot towards Zhang Yulei.