The War of the Gods in the Great Void God King

The riots in the mines behind the mountain were like ripples spreading rapidly throughout the entire Taoist sect, like pebbles thrown into a calm lake.

Within half a day, the news had reached Elder Zhang, the inner sect steward who was in charge of miscellaneous disciples and mineral affairs.

Elder Zhang's real name was Zhang Tao. He had a thin face, three long wisps of beard under his chin, and usually had an air of otherworldly elegance.

At this moment, he sat upright in the main seat of the tea room, holding a cup of warm tea in his hands, but his brows were slightly furrowed, and his fingertips gently caressed the rim of the cup, revealing the turmoil in his heart.

Below the hall, the young man in yellow who was in charge of supervising the mine and had thrown the gray clothes to Jiang Fan stood with his hands at his sides. He was one of Zhang Tao's personal disciples, named Sun Li.

He still finds it unbelievable when he recalls what happened in the mine.

"You mean, Jiang Fan killed a Crimson Scaled Python at the early stage of Qi Refining with just his bare fists?"

Zhang Tao put down his teacup, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger, but his slightly narrowed eyes shone with a sharp light.

"Yes, Master."

Sun Li took a deep breath, suppressing his shock, and said with a hint of disbelief:

"This disciple was patrolling nearby at the time. When I heard the commotion and rushed over, I saw the demonic python's head being smashed open with a single punch... That Jiang Fan, he... he's clearly a useless piece of trash with no spiritual roots!"

"Logically speaking, if luck is involved, one would need to be at least in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, and by sheer coincidence, to strike the demonic python's head with both fists in order to kill it instantly."

"Moreover, he did not use any spiritual power at all."

Zhang Tao's brows furrowed even more.

Having no spiritual root means being estranged from the Great Dao and unable to draw Qi into one's body for life; this is an ironclad rule in the cultivation world.

No matter how strong a mortal's physical strength is, how can it transcend the limits of the mortal world?

The demonic python in the early stage of Qi Refining has thick skin and strong bones. Even a cultivator in the early stage of Qi Refining might not be able to shatter its skull with a single punch if they rely solely on their physical strength without the aid of magical artifacts or talismans.

How terrifying power would that require?

"Are you sure he didn't use any spiritual power?" Zhang Tao pressed, his gaze sharp as lightning as he shot towards Sun Li.

Sun Li cupped his hands and quickly said:

"Disciple, disciple is still not certain. The situation was chaotic at the time, with the serpent's poisonous mist spreading and spiritual energy fluctuations disordered."

"But what I can say for sure is that Jiang Fan does not have the slightest spiritual energy fluctuations that a Qi Refining stage cultivator should have. He is like... like a pure Body Refining cultivator."

"A pure body-cultivating cultivator?"

Zhang Tao muttered these words to himself, a cold smile curving his lips:

"Even if one specializes in body tempering and cultivates the Metal and Stone Hard Qi Gong, the power of a single punch can at most split a stone tablet. How could it possibly shatter the skull of a demonic python?"

"That Crimson Scale Python's defense is among the best of all early-stage Qi Refining demon beasts of the same level."

He stood up, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, and gazed in the direction of the mine in the back mountain, remaining silent for a long time.

The tea room was filled with a cold silence, with only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind outside the window.

Sun Li dared not disturb his master's thoughts, but kept his head down, though his eyes darted around, a hint of greed flashing in them.

He spoke up, "Master, I have a guess."

"Our Taoist sect has been mining that mountain vein for hundreds of years. Perhaps... perhaps some opportunities have been missed."

"For example, the cave dwellings left behind by ancient cultivators, or some kind of exotic fruit or secret medicine that can temporarily stimulate potential... Could it be that Jiang Fan stumbled upon such an opportunity?"

Zhang Tao slowly turned around, his gaze deep: "You mean, he didn't rely on his own cultivation, but rather on external aids?"

"Very likely!" Sun Li said with certainty, taking a step closer and lowering his voice:

"Otherwise, it's inexplicable. How could a useless person with no spiritual roots possibly go from nothing to killing a Qi Refining demon beast with a single punch within half a month?"

"This is simply unbelievable! There must be some hidden opportunity in the back mountain that we've overlooked!"

Zhang Tao's eyes gleamed; Sun Li's analysis coincided with his own doubts.

The path of cultivation emphasizes gradual progress. While the idea of ​​defying fate and changing one's destiny may exist, it is by no means a common sense.

Jiang Fan's behavior has exceeded the bounds of common sense.

"If it really is some extraordinary opportunity..."

Zhang Tao's heart couldn't help but warm up.

As an elder of the Taoist sect's miscellaneous affairs department, he had been stuck at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining for many years, struggling to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and was in dire need of a great opportunity to help him.

"This matter is of great importance."

Zhang Tao said in a deep voice, regaining his elder's dignity: "That Jiang Fan is currently only a nominal disciple, with a lowly status."

"But the fact that he could kill the demonic python with a single punch shows that even with external assistance, his physical strength was extraordinary."

"Keep a close eye on him secretly, without alerting him."

"I want to see what he's really up to, and what kind of opportunity he has!"

"Yes, Master! This disciple understands!" Sun Li was overjoyed and respectfully accepted the order.

He knew his master's character all too well; his master was greedy for merit and jealous of talent. If there were truly an opportunity that defied the heavens, his master would never let it go.

As his direct disciple, he naturally got a share of the profits.

"Go, and be careful. If anything seems unusual, report it to Master immediately."

Zhang Tao waved his hand, sat back down in the main seat, picked up the slightly cooled teacup, and his eyes were even more unfathomable than before.

Jiang Fan, this good-for-nothing from Wutan City, doesn't seem as simple as he appears.

Whether it will bring good fortune or misfortune remains to be seen.

Sun Li bowed and left the tea room. The moment he closed the door, the respect on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a sinister grin.

An opportunity... If he could find that opportunity that would allow a mortal to possess power comparable to a Qi Refining cultivator, his cultivation would surely increase greatly.

If his master told him to keep an eye on things, wouldn't he have an easy time? Thinking of this, Sun Li couldn't help but wipe his mouth.

……

"Jiang Fan, you'd better really have some treasure, otherwise you'll be letting down your teacher's efforts in cultivating you."

Zhang Tao stared at his reflection in the teacup, muttering to himself, a glint of greedy determination flashing in his eyes.

Several days later, Jiang Fan was still sweating profusely in the mine.

Killing the demonic python did not bring him any real change; he remained the same disciple who had to mine thousands of kilograms of ore every day.

The only difference was that occasionally, one could feel a cold, sinister gaze lurking in the mine, coming from Sun Li, the disciple in charge.

Jiang Fan knew perfectly well what was going on, but he remained calm and composed. The Golden Dragon King was perfectly safe inside his body and he was not afraid of being probed. He simply made the Golden Dragon King's power even more perfectly contained.

On this day, Jiang Fan had just completed his daily quota and was preparing to cultivate deep within the mine, utilizing the meager spiritual energy of the earth's veins as usual, when an outer disciple found him and arrogantly conveyed an order:

"Jiang Fan, Elder Zhang Tao has ordered you to go to his residence immediately to receive instructions."