Chapter 540

“He actually crushed my

Emperor Fist Seal

with his bare hands?”

Watching Lu Qing not only catch his full-powered fist seal with ease but also crush it casually, Gongshu Yu’s eyes filled with disbelief.

Before he could regain his composure, Lu Qing’s figure vanished from sight.

And the next instant, he was already within three feet of Gongshu Yu.

“Not good!”

A chill surged up from the depths of Gongshu Yu’s soul.

It was the instinct he had honed through countless life-and-death battles—warning him frantically.

Just as he moved to dodge, a sharp pain shot through his chest. A punch containing ferocious force exploded against his torso.

His entire body was flung backward like a cannonball, crashing through countless buildings.

The force from the punch spread through his body, numbing his limbs and bones. He couldn’t move, and even his spiritual power was sealed.

“Impossible! My treasure armor is a

Spiritual Artifact

! How could his punch penetrate it?”

Gongshu Yu roared internally, unwilling to believe what he was experiencing.

But before he could cry out, his vision blurred again—Lu Qing had appeared in front of him once more.

After sending Gongshu Yu flying with a punch, Lu Qing had already caught up at an astonishing speed.

“Spiritual Artifact-grade treasure armor?”

Lu Qing’s voice was calm.

Then, with an unperturbed expression, he lashed out with a whip-like leg strike, sending Gongshu Yu flying toward the sky.

Bang!

Fueled by the

Perfect Golden Core

, Lu Qing’s current strength was utterly terrifying.

That one kick generated a force so powerful it could easily shatter a mountain.

Gongshu Yu, struck by the kick, was launched uncontrollably into the air.

His body tore through the atmosphere, leaving behind trails of mist and rolling thunder-like rumbles.

It was a phenomenon caused by his velocity tearing through layers of air.

If not for the defense of his

Spiritual Artifact

armor, that single blow would’ve reduced him to a bloody mist.

After kicking Gongshu Yu into the air, Lu Qing’s feet sank slightly.

The next moment, the ground beneath him collapsed, and buildings within tens of feet exploded into rubble.

Fortunately, when Gongshu Yu first descended, the nearby cultivators had already fled out of fear, or else the collateral damage would have claimed countless lives.

Driven by overwhelming power, Lu Qing's speed reached an unimaginable level.

In a blink, he caught up to Gongshu Yu, who had pierced through the clouds.

Another fist struck his chest, shattering the protective glow of the treasure armor and nearly extinguishing its light.

His body bounced away like a ball.

But before Gongshu Yu could fly far, Lu Qing was already behind him again, landing yet another devastating punch.

And so, Lu Qing’s figure flickered continuously through the sky.

Treating Gongshu Yu like a sandbag, he confined him within a half-mile radius and beat him mercilessly.

This scene shocked the entire city.

“Young Master Yu is being suppressed? Completely defenseless?”

The

Tianji Workshop Master

stared at the sky, wondering if he was hallucinating.

In his mind, Gongshu Yu was an invincible powerhouse among

Golden Core Realm

cultivators.

But now, that same man was being beaten in the sky without any resistance.

The other

Golden Core

cultivators—like the red-faced elder from

Myriad Phenomena Pavilion

—were just as stunned.

They had felt Gongshu Yu’s overwhelming aura earlier.

They knew his strength was profound—within the

Golden Core Realm

, only

Nascent Soul Cultivators

could contend with him.

And yet, that same Gongshu Yu, who had seemed like a demonic god moments ago, was now being beaten like a training dummy by Lu Qing.

“Wait... wasn’t that young man just a talisman master invited by the

Treasure Pavilion

? How could his strength be this terrifying?”

“Could he be a hidden

Nascent Soul Cultivator

?”

The people of

Tianji Workshop

and

Myriad Phenomena Pavilion

could hardly believe it.

Even the

Treasure Pavilion

members were left speechless.

Their Pavilion Master and others stared blankly at the sky as Lu Qing’s fists deformed Gongshu Yu’s body over and over again.

“So Master Lu’s strength is truly this fearsome?”

Master Wang murmured as he looked skyward.

“It seems Chief Lu has been hiding his strength all along. There’s no way he’s just a

Golden Core Third Transformation

cultivator!”

A vice pavilion master exclaimed in awe.

Meanwhile, Master Qiu—who had been suppressed all along—was pale and bloodless.

He had once tried to make a move against such a monster?

The

Treasure Pavilion Master

looked up, her eyes glowing with a light beyond description.

Indeed, her long-ago divination was not wrong.

The opportunity to break free from her shackles of fate truly lay within

Canglan City

.

And it lay with this man—Lu Qing!

“Pavilion Master, it looks like Young Master Yu won’t last much longer. What should we do?”

Someone behind the

Tianji Workshop Master

asked via

Spiritual Transmission

.

The Workshop Master snapped back to reality.

Indeed, it was obvious now—Young Master Yu couldn’t win. They had to make preparations in advance.

Otherwise, once the "battle" above ended, their fate would be grim.

With determination flashing in his eyes, he gave a decisive order:

“This time,

Tianji Workshop

has truly offended the City Lord. We have no way out now!

There’s only one path left—forward into darkness!

That talisman master clearly values that wench, Mo Hongyun.

We must act immediately—capture her and use her as leverage to force that man to release the young master!”

As soon as he finished speaking, he charged toward the

Treasure Pavilion Master

.

“Yes!”

Several

Golden Core Realm

cultivators followed behind him without hesitation.

“Protect the Pavilion Master!”

As soon as the

Tianji Workshop

side moved, the two vice pavilion masters reacted instantly.

They moved to block the attackers and intercept the

Tianji Workshop Master

.

Though their cultivation was slightly weaker, together they could barely hold the line.

The rest of the

Treasure Pavilion

was equally fearless.

Everyone summoned their artifacts, ready to fight to the death.

They could all see what was happening—

Tianji Workshop

wanted to take them hostage to threaten Lu Qing.

As long as they could hold out until the battle above ended, victory would be theirs.

Boom!

A fierce battle broke out.

Tianji Workshop

’s side, aiming for a quick resolution, launched an all-out assault.

But

Treasure Pavilion

’s people fought back with equal ferocity.

Even their usually aloof Pavilion Master joined the fray, wielding a hairpin

Spiritual Artifact

to assist the vice masters.

Though they had lost Fu Bo, a key combatant, they barely managed to hold the line.

The result: a temporary stalemate.

“Vice Pavilion Master, should we help?”

Someone from

Myriad Phenomena Pavilion

asked softly while watching the chaos unfold.

The red-faced elder glared: “Help? Help with what? We’re just here to watch the show. Who said anything about joining in?”

Seeing his subordinate’s fearful look, the elder snorted coldly.

Then he looked up, feeling the terrifying aura above—and couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Even someone as overwhelmingly powerful as Gongshu Yu was no match for that mysterious talisman master.

To get involved now would be nothing short of courting death for

Myriad Phenomena Pavilion

.

They had already taken a misstep earlier—no point in making things worse.

Tianji Workshop

had no retreat left, but

Myriad Phenomena Pavilion

still had room to maneuver.

At worst, they could prepare generous gifts and personally apologize afterward.

Just as the red-faced elder was pondering what kind of apology would be sufficient, his eyes suddenly narrowed.

From the sky, a figure plummeted like a meteor, crashing to the ground near the battling cultivators. The impact flattened nearby buildings and sent dust billowing into the air.

Another figure descended shortly after, landing amidst the smoke and rubble.

The disturbance did not escape the combatants’ attention.

The

Tianji Workshop Master

looked up and felt his heart freeze.

The sky was now completely empty.

His mind raced. Gritting his teeth, he burst into motion, attempting to flee the city.

But he didn’t get more than thirty feet before an overwhelming force of suppression pinned him in place.

Despite being a cultivator at the

Golden Core Late-Stage Seventh Transformation

, he couldn't resist. He was frozen on the spot, unable to move.

And not just him—every

Golden Core

expert present, including the red-faced elder from

Myriad Phenomena Pavilion

, felt that oppressive force once more.

None dared to move.

The battlefield, once engulfed in a storm of magic and artifacts, fell eerily silent.

Everyone knew—the man had returned from the sky.

All eyes turned to the dust cloud.

Step. Step...

In the deathly silence, footsteps echoed from within the smoke.

Then, under everyone's watchful gaze, a figure slowly emerged from the haze.

In his hand, he dragged something heavy.

Who could it be but Lu Qing?

His face was calm as ever.

Not even his robe had a single wrinkle.

Suddenly, he flung what he was dragging forward.

Clang!

A dull, metallic thud echoed out as the object struck the ground, creating a small crater.

“Young Master Yu!”

The

Tianji Workshop Master

cried out in despair.

Only then did the onlookers realize what Lu Qing had tossed out—it was none other than the once-proud Gongshu Yu.

Now, his

Spiritual Artifact

-grade armor was twisted and broken, dulled and useless like scrap iron plastered to his mangled body.

As for Gongshu Yu himself—he was no longer human-shaped, reduced to a mass of bloody flesh.

Only the faintest trace of breath proved he was not completely dead.

The crowd gasped in horror. Their limbs chilled, and fear surged in their hearts.

They couldn't even imagine what kind of torment Gongshu Yu had endured to end up like this.

“Who... who are you?”

A feeble spiritual ripple came from the mangled mess.

Gongshu Yu, barely conscious, asked in disbelief.

“Does it matter who I am? You’re nearly dead anyway.”

Lu Qing replied indifferently.

“At least… let me know who it was… who killed me…”

Gongshu Yu’s spiritual signal flickered in and out.

“Just think of me as a passing traveler from the Xiao Cang Realm.”

Hearing that dismissive answer, the pile of flesh twitched, clearly infuriated.

But eventually, he calmed down.

“I beg you… don’t kill me. I’m willing to give you anything. Treasures, cultivation techniques—you name it.

I’m already crippled. I’m no threat to you.

Spare me, and I’ll offer you everything I have.”

Gongshu Yu began to plead.

“I’ve never liked leaving loose ends.”

Lu Qing shook his head. “I already gave you a chance to walk away. You refused.”

The mass of flesh trembled again. “I’m the direct successor of the Gongshu Clan! Kill me, and my clan will never forgive you!

Even if you flee to the ends of the world, we’ll hunt you down!”

“If the Gongshu Clan was truly so powerful, it wouldn’t just be one of the thirty-six noble clans of the Tianyuan Great World.”

Lu Qing’s expression remained flat. He didn’t flinch at the threat.

“I’ve let you live this long only because that fight let me stretch my limbs a bit.”

“You—!”

The insult sent Gongshu Yu into a rage. His mutilated form quivered again.

“Enough. You’re already ruined. Just go in peace. Reincarnate, and train harder in your next life.”

With that, Lu Qing raised a finger to end it.

But before he could strike, a weak voice suddenly rang out: “Fellow Daoist, wait!”

Lu Qing paused mid-motion.

He turned his head. “Oh? Is the City Lord trying to plead for this man?”

Everyone around, already on edge, trembled and turned to look.

To their surprise, the Canglan City Lord—who had been unconscious—was now awake, propped against a broken wall.

“You misunderstand. I’m not pleading on his behalf,” the City Lord said weakly.

“But he

is

the direct heir of the Gongshu Clan. If you truly kill him, you’ll invite immense trouble.

The Gongshu Clan will stop at nothing to avenge him.

No matter how high your cultivation, it will be difficult to escape the wrath of a top clan from the Tianyuan Great World.

Why burden yourself with such a karmic disaster?”

Gasps spread through the crowd.

No one expected the City Lord—who had nearly died from the Gongshu Clan’s attacks—to speak up for Gongshu Yu.

Especially since Gongshu Yu had once planned to extract his soul and turn it into a lamp, torturing it for a hundred years.

Even Gongshu Yu himself was stunned.

Lu Qing looked at the City Lord in puzzlement. “You think that after all this, sparing him will make the Gongshu Clan let me go?”

“Of course not. The Gongshu Clan is petty and vengeful. They’ll never forgive or forget.”

The City Lord’s answer once again surprised Lu Qing.

“Then why—?”

“The karma of killing Gongshu Yu is too great. It shouldn’t fall on you. Let me bear it.”

Lu Qing was stunned.

Before he could say more, the City Lord had already summoned a trace of his

Nascent Soul

power and sent it flying toward Gongshu Yu.

“No!”

Gongshu Yu never expected this turn of events.

So Nangong Yuanwu’s plea… was just to kill him with his own hands!

Sensing the imminence of death, Gongshu Yu desperately tried to move, to flee.

But his body was nothing but pulp, his

Golden Core of Spiritual Power

completely shattered.

There was nothing he could do.

The City Lord’s soul power fell upon him, and in an instant, his remaining sliver of consciousness was extinguished.

The mass of flesh that was Gongshu Yu gave one final tremble as even the faintest breath of life faded away.