Chapter 402: Indeed Quite Impressive

Capital of Yu, Imperial Supervisory Bureau.

Within the capital of Yu, at the Imperial Supervisory Bureau, there was a modest backyard garden with flowers and plants. At first glance, the plants appeared ordinary, but the dense spiritual energy lingering in the air hinted at their extraordinary nature.

An elderly man, his black hair streaked with gray at the temples, stood quietly among the plants. He seemed to be in his fifties. His face appeared peaceful, and his demeanor exuded a gentle calm. His eyes gleamed with divine light, and wherever his gaze fell, the plants would unfurl as if his mere glance nourished them with spiritual energy.

Despite the late autumn chill that gripped the Central Region, this small courtyard was imbued with the warmth of spring.

In the capital of Yu, where every inch of land was precious, it was a rare luxury for an old man to possess such a courtyard. But even more remarkable was his identity.

This elderly man was Qi Yingxuan.

Few knew this name; perhaps it had not been spoken aloud for over a century. Yet, if one mentioned his titles—Imperial Supervisory Commissioner of the Yu Dynasty, Dao Master of Tai'a, Grand Ritualist of Panyang Temple, Guardian of the Abyss of the Hidden Dragons—everyone would recognize them.

In simple terms, he was the protector of the Yu Dynasty.

During the struggle for the throne, the Xia family, one of the three great families, decisively rose in rebellion, ultimately fulfilling their destiny and establishing the Yu Dynasty across the nine provinces[1]. After the nation was founded, disputes naturally arose between the court and the immortal sects.

The immortal sects supported the Xia family in their struggle for the throne, driven by their desire for greater power in the new dynasty. Given the structure of these sects, their primary needs were public support and resources rather than territorial expansion. Assisting the court in vanquishing evil and upholding the righteous Dao was merely a means to enhance their influence.

However, the court naturally sought to have the immortal sects obey their orders, intending for them to act as vassals of the dynasty.

At its core, this was a struggle between imperial authority and divine authority.

Without the imperial court's backing, the immortal sects couldn't extend their influence across the nine provinces; similarly, without the support of the immortal sects, the imperial court couldn't effectively govern the vast nation. After a period of intense conflict, both sides eventually reached a compromise.

To mediate their differences, an institution known as the Imperial Supervisory Bureau was established, tasked with recruiting cultivators to guard the nine provinces. When the Imperial Supervisory Bureau or the Municipality Supervisory Bureau[2] encountered evil entities beyond their control, they would turn to the immortal sects for assistance.

The Imperial Supervisory Bureau thus became a crucial buffer, carrying out the emperor's orders while coordinating with the immortal sects to eradicate evil in the mortal world.

In this way, the responsibilities of the Imperial Supervisory Commissioner became immensely significant.

The life of the current Imperial Supervisory Commissioner, Qi Yingxuan, could indeed be described as legendary.

He was originally named Qi Yingwen[3]. From a young age, he dedicated himself to the study of literature and took the imperial examination at sixteen, but after three attempts, he failed to pass. At twenty-eight, he changed his name to Qi Yingwu[4] and abandoned literature in favor of martial training. He spent seven grueling years honing his skills, only to be beaten by thugs while trying to act heroically on the street. At thirty-five, he renamed himself Qi Yingxuan[5] and joined Panyang Temple in the capital of Yu to cultivate Daoist techniques.

It was exceedingly rare for someone to begin cultivating at the age of thirty-five, and typically, they wouldn't achieve much starting so late in life.

Yet, Qi Yingxuan seemed to have found his true destiny, rising against all odds. Within twenty years, he reached the seventh realm, and within thirty years, he attained mastery over the Great Dao of Tai'a, achieving the Heavenly Origin Realm.

Throughout history, anyone who could achieve the eighth realm at the age of sixty-five was considered a rare prodigy. Given the relatively short time he spent in cultivation, his accomplishments were nothing short of extraordinary.

To this day, he has served as the protector of the Yu Dynasty for one hundred and eighty years, remaining undefeated.

This legendary journey inspired countless middle-aged individuals to pursue their own dreams, many of whom spent all their wealth to begin cultivation in their thirties or forties, only to make no progress and lose everything...

It was just another ordinary, sunny autumn day. After watering the spirit plants in the garden, Qi Yingxuan leisurely sat in a chair in the courtyard, basking in the warm sunlight.

He wasn’t a lazy person, but as the Imperial Supervisory Commissioner, his moments of leisure were a testament to the peace that reigned over the Yu Dynasty.

So Qi Yingxuan greatly enjoyed his idleness.

But then...

A terrifying giant python that blotted out the sky appeared in his field of vision.

The Heaven-Devouring Python had emerged above the Giant Whale Mountain Manor, and the capital of Yu, located a hundred li away, offered the perfect vantage point. The citizens of the city only needed to look up to see the enormous creature swimming through the sky, its head descending from the clouds.

They could even see the scales on the python’s body clearly.

The Imperial Supervisory Commissioner frowned.

For such a giant demon to appear somewhere to the left of the imperial capital was a serious matter.

He softly said, "Chengfeng, go and see what’s happening."

In truth, the Imperial Supervisory Commissioner could easily employ immortal arts to observe the heavens and earth; with just a thought, he could investigate the situation. When he said "go and see," it was clear that he intended to do much more than simply observe.

"Yes."

A voice responded from an unknown direction, and in an instant, a whirlwind had already swept hundreds of li away.

...

Currently, the scene was extremely chaotic in the Giant Whale Mountain Manor located hundreds of li away.

Just moments earlier, the manor had been the site of Jiang Shenting's inauguration ceremony, and the atmosphere was one of harmony and peace.

However, the sudden activation of the Grand Primal Origin Immortal-Binding Formation and the arrival of Xu Hongqiu shattered that tranquility. Huang Hanshan's intervention then caused this disruption to continue further.

As the crowd began to comprehend what was happening, Chi Menshen and Ji Lingjue suddenly appeared, further complicating the already tense situation.

These two seemed to be working with Xu Hongqiu, stepping in only after her assassination attempt had failed.

But then, the Heaven-Devouring Python appeared, which confused everyone. The giant python seemed to be the beast of someone from the Celestial Charm Sect, as could be deduced from its targeted flow of qi.

But if the Celestial Charm Sect was on Xu Hongqiu's side, how could they also command the Heaven-Devouring Python?

Could it be that Xu Hongqiu had conspired with outsiders to kill her father?

Did she plan to kill Xu Bashan first and then Jiang Shenting? But even if she had ten fathers and killed them all, she would never be able to ascend to a high position in the Whale Gang, given that she was only at the fourth realm of cultivation. There seemed to be no logical reason for her to betray her father.

Among the over ten thousand spectators, at least eight thousand were rugged men of the martial world, and by this point, their minds were already overwhelmed.

What happened next, however, was beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.

The Heaven-Devouring Python opened its mouth and spat out a crimson-gold Inferno Dragon!

What kind of divine ability is this?

The Inferno Dragon carried three people, one of whom was a strikingly handsome young man dressed in fine clothes, standing confidently on the dragon's head. His appearance was refined, his body radiating intense flames of qi, and he held a sword in his hand, exuding an extraordinary aura.

On the dragon's neck rode a tall, imposing man, as sturdy as an iron tower, exuding a powerful presence. He looked astonishingly like the missing Chief of the Whale Gang, Xu Bashan!

Those with sharp eyes could see a young man clinging desperately to the dragon's tail, barely holding on and shouting frantically as the tail seared his hands.

This strange trio, of course, was none other than Chu Liang, Xu Bashan, and Lin Bei, who had just burst out of the Heaven-Devouring Python's mouth. They had experienced an intense shock as the Inferno Dragon broke out of a hidden realm. At one point, they encountered immense spatial resistance, but Chu Liang led the charge, wielding the Dustless Sword to sever the void, allowing them to break through!

As they rode the Inferno Dragon out of the Heaven-Devouring Python's mouth, the first thing they saw was the chaos unfolding at the Giant Whale Mountain Manor.

Chu Liang immediately spotted Jiang Yuebai in the crowd and exclaimed, "Senior Sister?"

He had never expected to see Jiang Yuebai the moment he emerged from the hidden realm.

Meanwhile, Xu Bashan's gaze locked onto a familiar face amidst the throngs of people. "Hongqiu!" he shouted.

He never imagined that his journey would end right in front of his own home.

Lin Bei, on the other hand, felt a sudden chill. His eyes widened as he watched in horror.

"Oh, no," he muttered.

This was entirely out of his expectations. His belt had been singed mid-flight, and now, to his utter dismay, his pants were sailing through the air!

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The pair of pants was not costly. While the pair of pants flew in the sky, he felt the gust of cold wind against his legs. Thankfully, he still had a pair of shorts underneath, so he didn't end up exposing himself in front of tens of thousands of people.

Amidst the turmoil, Jiang Shenting saw an opportunity to strike. He intended to use the confusion to eliminate the confused Xu Hongqiu, silencing her forever and solidifying his claims of her treachery with the Celestial Charm Sect.

But Xu Bashan's attention was entirely on Xu Hongqiu, so he naturally saw Jiang Shenting's intent. If he were at his peak cultivation level, he would have flown over and killed Jiang Shenting directly.

However, with his cultivation suppressed by eighty percent, he couldn't reach in time and could only place his hopes on Chu Liang!

Luckily, Chu Liang was not one to disappoint.

In a heartbeat, he commanded the Inferno Dragon. The majestic beast plunged from the sky, its fiery tail wrapping around Xu Hongqiu, pulling her to safety just in time.

Sssht—

Jiang Shenting's powerful spear strike pierced through the Inferno Dragon's scales, igniting its fury. With a roar, the dragon opened its mouth to unleash a torrent of Divine Dragon Fire!

But before the flames could reach their target, they were intercepted by the elders of the Eastern Whale Division standing behind Jiang Shenting. The Whale Gang's First Elder bellowed, "Enough!"

Why did everything have to unfold all at once, crashing down like relentless waves upon them?

Who was the Heaven-Devouring Python looking for?

Why did the dragon breathe fire?

And how did the Chief return so suddenly?

What?

Even the wisest elder of the Whale Gang found himself overwhelmed, his mind struggling to keep up with the rapid succession of events unfolding before him. He soared into the sky, shouting for everyone to cease their actions, hoping to bring some order to the chaos.

He wanted everyone to take a moment together and make sense of the whirlwind of events.

Meanwhile, the guests from the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten, who watched from the sidelines, remained calm and composed. As long as they weren't in immediate danger, they took pleasure in the escalating chaos—the more spectacular the scene, the better.

Among the onlookers were two core disciples from Thunderbolt Stronghold, Wei Tiandi and Deng Yixiao. When Wei Tiandi caught sight of Chu Liang, he blurted out, "Lin Bei."

This was because, on a previous occasion, Chu Liang had used the alias "Lin Bei" and misled Wei Tiandi with false directions. The mistake sent Wei Tiandi on a wild goose chase after Huang Ling'er, leading to nothing. It wasn't until later that he learned someone had spotted Huang Ling'er heading in the opposite direction.

Wei Tiandi had been wanting to teach this Lin Bei a lesson the next time they crossed paths, but he never expected to encounter him today, and certainly not in such a grand and formidable manner.

To be honest, he felt a bit intimidated about approaching him now.

After all, even if he combined all his spirit beasts, they likely wouldn't stand a chance against the Inferno Dragon's searing flames.

Beside him, Deng Yixiao was puzzled by what he had overheard.

He had been present at the Mount Shu Summit that day and had witnessed Chu Liang summon the Violet and Azure Twin Swords to slay the Taowu—a sight he would not easily forget.

In fact, he also knew Lin Bei, as Lin Bei had served in the Foreign Affairs Hall, where he had interacted with various disciples from the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten, enough to become familiar with them.

But you haven't been to Mount Shu, so how did you know this seemingly ordinary disciple?

Deng Yixiao thought.

So he asked, "Senior Brother, do you know him?"

"Of course I know him," Wei Tiandi said with a nod. "He was the one who gave me the wrong directions that day. I was planning to teach him a lesson the next time we met, but I didn’t expect him to be so powerful..."

He was referring to Chu Liang's astounding ability to command the top-tier, seventh-realm Inferno Dragon with such ease—a feat that left even a seasoned beast tamer from Thunderbolt Stronghold in awe.

But Deng Yixiao's eyes drifted toward the real Lin Bei.

Powerful?

He thought.

Lin Bei had barely managed to cling to the Inferno Dragon's tail. He almost fell off and his legs were exposed as he wore nothing but a pair of black shorts. He looked thoroughly disheveled. Yet, the moment he touched the ground, he stood tall with an air of confidence, as if completely unbothered by the potential embarrassment.

In fact, he seemed almost proud.

Hmm...

Deng Yixiao couldn’t help but nod.

The thickness of his skin was indeed quite impressive.

The Whale Gang aimed to stabilize the situation before diving into any further discussions, but the two from Celestial Charm Sect couldn’t afford to wait. The moment the Heaven-Devouring Python appeared, Ji Lingjue cursed the beast under his breath.

Ever since he had tamed the Heaven-Devouring Python, he had kept it hidden in the deep sea, never daring to let it surface for fear of drawing unwanted attention. But now, this colossal demon had chosen to reveal itself just three hundred li from the capital of Yu, soaring through the sky for all to see!

It was as if the creature was intent on making a spectacle of itself.

Immediately, Ji Lingjue made a decision. This beast has to die.

He felt a deep sense of loss for the powerful annihilation weapon that was the Baxia Inferno Dragon. He tried activating the mark he had imprinted deep within the Dragon Soul of Baxia, but there was no response.

How had that kid at the fourth realm managed to wrest control from him? With just that faint dragon aura on his body? It seemed impossible,

Ji Lingjue thought.

But now was not the time for a brainstorming session. If the righteous heroes managed to regain their footing, their first act would be to unite and take him and Chi Menshen down. It didn’t matter who in the Whale Gang had been working with them; they would all face swift and unforgiving annihilation.

While others scrambled to distinguish friend from foe, Ji Lingjue and Chi Menshen had no such confusion—for them, everyone was an enemy now.

So, taking advantage of the ongoing chaos, he shouted at Chi Menshen, "Let's go!"

1. Check Translator's thought for more information. ☜

2. The raw for this is 监城府, which is different from the raw for “City Supervisory Division” 监城司. We’re not sure if this was a typo or if it’s just a different name for the same thing, but we’re considering them as separate for now. It seems that City Supervisory Divisions are part of the Municipality Supervisory Bureau, with each city having its own division. However, the Imperial Supervisory Bureau typically holds a higher rank than the Municipality Supervisory Bureau. While city-related matters are handled by the City Supervisory Division, all these bureaus are part of the same overarching system. ☜

3. Yingwen means "answering the call of literature. ☜

4. Yingwu means "answering the call of martial arts." ☜

5. Yingxuan means "answering the call of the profound." ☜