"Great Dao Teaching's Ran Xinyue, it seems you're truly unlucky to have been cornered by us so quickly," Kong Wen spoke with a smile.

"I am unfortunate, but you... are even more unfortunate!" Ran Xinyue remained completely composed as she slowly retrieved a pale golden token engraved with tadpole-like spiritual texts from her bosom.

"God Descent Order?!" Yu Wenxing's face drastically changed as he prepared to step back.

Yet at this moment, laughter erupted from ahead.

"God Descent Order, is it? Useless. Did you think we wouldn't anticipate you having this?" Kong Wen chuckled.

He likewise pulled out a similar black token from his chest. It was densely engraved with tadpole-like characters, though the text was not spiritual, but another form of cryptic script.

"Now, the blockade cancels out. You, a Spirit General and Grandmaster from Snow Rainbow Pavilion and Great Dao Teaching, if we were not on guard, we truly wouldn't dare to act against you," Kong Wen laughed.

"What a pity... You allied to kill so many of our Great Brightness Religious Alliance members. Now, it's time to pay back that blood debt..."

Ran Xinyue's expression slightly shifted. She finally understood why she felt uneasy...

But her face remained unchanged.

"Looks like you were well prepared. Three people blocking me... quite a grand gesture. Won't you introduce the identities of the other two?"

"This discussion... save it for after you meet your Upper God!" Kong Wen suddenly crushed the token in his hand.

In an instant, an invisible ripple spread from them as its center, unfolding like a storm, encompassing everyone present.

Simultaneously, Ran Xinyue's God Descent Order also got tainted, swiftly losing some kind of mystical quality, becoming an ordinary common token.

"Kill!"

The three charged towards Ran Xinyue simultaneously.

*

*

*

Zhang Rongfang sat firmly in his seat, watching the lively theater troupe on stage performing 'Madam Ding avenges her father, three strikes against the Lin family man'.

"This play is adapted from the famous playwright Ma Dayuan's work. Ma Dayuan, hailing from Yuanling Literary Society, was born among Upper Capital's nobility, and he loved to travel among the common folk for inspiration. His play scripts are most welcomed by all, like the plot of this performance..."

His older sister Zhang Rongyu was enthusiastically introducing the background story to their brother-in-law and Lu Meisha.

Zhang Rongfang, feeling quite uninterested, looked at the stage, but his mind was planning how to handle the last bit of Wish Girl remnants he was researching.

The voice on stage rose and fell energetically, though it had a hypnotic effect on those uninterested.

Even though Zhang Rongfang had laid down all burdens and his heart was at peace, he felt himself succumbing to sleepiness.

Bang.

Unexpectedly, a very slight explosion sound drifted to his ears from a great distance.

A red firework signaling an emergency message from Great Dao Teaching slowly rose into the sky behind Zhang Rongfang.

Zhang Rongfang shook his head wearily, overwhelmed by drowsiness and unable to react.

The surrounding wind, stage sounds, cheers from the audience, the sound of coins crashing onto the stage in reward mixed together, immediately drowning out the firework's sound, making discernment impossible.

The firework slowly dissipated and vanished.

Zhang Rongfang continued to doze, unmoving.

Everything seemed as if nothing had happened.

Hiss!

Suddenly, another red firework soared and then exploded.

Zhang Rongfang's ears twitched as if they heard something; he lazily yawned and looked back.

The firework had already dissipated, leaving nothing visible in the distance; the post-rain sky was cloudless and clear.

"What was that sound just now?" he asked with a slight frown, sensing something amiss.

"Oh, I saw it; it seemed like something red..." Lu Meisha casually replied.

She hadn't finished speaking before the stage reached the moment Madam Ding decided to pick up the farming hoe, hiding behind the Lin family man, raised it high, intending to strike.

This was a pivotal scene, and Lu Meisha's attention was quickly diverted, standing abruptly and joining others in excitedly shouting.

"Hit!"

"Hit!"

"Hit!!"

"Smash that nasty villain!!"

Zhang Rongfang looked at her, speechless.

"You haven't clarified, what sound?" He patted her arm.

"Oh, go see for yourself! I'm busy!" Lu Meisha replied impatiently.

"I didn't see it earlier," Zhang Rongfang replied.

"Just a red firework, it seemed vaguely like a Dao character! Probably some Daoist temple celebrating with an open gate," Lu Meisha answered swiftly.

Red firework? Dao character?!

Great Dao Teaching's emergency message firework?!

Zhang Rongfang's gaze sharpened; this symbol wasn't something ordinary disciples could use. Nearby, only Ran Xinyue could use a firework of this level for communication!

And the red Dao character... represents a warning, cautioning surrounding Great Dao Teaching disciples to quickly hide themselves to avoid unforeseen danger!

This wasn't a distress signal but a dispersal firework!!

Ran Xinyue was in trouble!!

Zhang Rongfang made a decision almost instantly in his mind.

He stood up at once, feeling conflicted. Should he go investigate?

But he quickly solidified his decision.

Before the truth is proven by evidence, Yue Shi of Celestial Sincerity Palace still held grace towards him.

Since he had decided to no longer disguise himself.

Then he should act on his desires! How others react is irrelevant!

As long as he remains true to his conscience, that's enough!

As for remaining true to one's conscience.

It means repaying kindness and avenging grievances!!

"Sister, I have to leave for a bit," he whispered to Zhang Rongyu.

"Go, don't wander off, stay safe, there've been quite a few unruly troops nearby lately." Zhang Rongyu advised, still absorbed in the stage's plot.

"Don't worry, I know." Zhang Rongfang's demeanor remained calm, and amidst the shouting crowd, he moved upstream, leaving the residence's dojo and heading for the exit.

*

*

*

Boom!!

Ran Xinyue was covered in blood red, sweat like blood seeped out from every pore, spreading all over the ground.

Her body had turned into a tall monster with a huge belly, her arms resembling a series of blood-red spheres joined together.

Her face was also full of bulging black veins.

Originally, her belly could be the strongest defensive measure, able to withstand all attacks from equally ranked Grandmasters unscathed.

But she couldn't withstand the combined attack of the three opponents.

Ran Xinyue's whole body was sent flying backward, breaking two large trees, tumbling to the ground, and spewing a mouthful of fresh blood onto the grass.

"Truly resilient. The deity-cultivating Grandmasters of the Great Dao Teaching are hard to kill indeed." Kong Wen slowly stepped out from one side of the woods.

Yu Wenxing and Yao Shuchen also emerged from different directions of the forest, surrounding Ran Xinyue once more.

They had beaten Ran Xinyue off a cliff from halfway up the mountain.

Now, having pursued her all the way, they had already crippled her three times.

But Ran Xinyue could self-heal and recover her body in an extremely short time every time.

"The deity-cultivating of the Great Dao Teaching is renowned for self-healing above all. However... Brahma Sect is not weak either!" Kong Wen said with a smile.

"If it weren't for your Eight Depths and Eight Transmutations Technique and Nemo's Whole Mind Skill working together, we really wouldn't have been able to intercept this woman. Her body technique is very concealed and extremely fast! If she were to escape, it would be very troublesome." Yu Wenxing said, his voice low.

Kong Wen glanced at him with a smile, not bothering with his petty thoughts. His gaze returned to Ran Xinyue.

"She can't hold on anymore. Let's strike together and give her a final release."

"Okay!"

"Alright."

The other two nodded in agreement.

In fact, none of the three wanted to confront Ran Xinyue head-on. They were using conventional methods to suppress her, trying to kill her slowly, like boiling a frog in warm water.

The three of them combined, being stronger than Ran Xinyue, forced her to use her ultimate move but still suffered a miserable defeat.

Without the God Descent Order that only the core of the sect has, Ran Xinyue was, in fact, just a deity-cultivating Martial Artist who had just entered the Grandmaster level, strong for ordinary people, but for them,

Under the preemptive suppression, dealing with her was a piece of cake.

At this moment, the three agreed to deliver the final blow to Ran Xinyue.

But despite speaking up, no one moved first.

They all saw the determination in Ran Xinyue's eyes.

Clearly, she intended to fight to the death.

Going first in such a situation would truly be foolish.

So, they all had their calculations.

For a moment, the forest gradually fell silent. All three were waiting.

"We can't wait any longer; let's finish this and leave quickly to avoid unforeseen complications. Brother Kong, since you initiated the lead, why don't you go first?" Yu Wenxing solemnly looked at Kong Wen.

The Great Brightness Religious Alliance is currently putting up a desperate fight.

Under the pressure of Yue Dewen from the Great Dao Teaching, they are absolutely more anxious than Zhenyi.

After all, although Zhenyi was defeated, as long as the Sect Leader and Spirit General are still there, Yue Dewen can never completely destroy them.

But the small and medium sects within the Great Brightness Religious Alliance have no Spirit Generals...

How many times can they rely on the God Descent Order?

They can only make Yue Dewen feel that the cost of destroying the Great Brightness Religious Alliance exceeds his bearable range, only then will peace be restored.

This is about promoting peace through war!

After all, a Spirit General is just one person, and can't consider too many.

"Alright. Let me go first." Kong Wen's eyes steadied as he made a decision.

Ssss....!

He suddenly stepped forward.

His right arm rapidly expanded, growing to three times its original size, while blocks of pure silver markings like runic symbols appeared on his skin.

This was the Extreme State: Chrono Mother! from the Eight Depths and Eight Transmutations Technique he had learned.

This Extreme State does not unlock the entire body, but can individually unlock certain body parts, making it flexible to combine the use of the Extreme State.

"Die!!" Kong Wen's right hand, like a giant hammer, crossed several meters in a flash, striking down on the half-lying Ran Xinyue.

"If I die, we'll die together!!" Ran Xinyue's eyes were blood-red, and she stabbed fiercely toward her own heart with one hand.

Pa!!

In that instant, a big hand from behind caught her arm firmly.

Meanwhile, another hand reached forward, meeting Kong Wen's arm.

Boom!!!

The collision exploded with a loud bang.

Upon impact, Kong Wen stepped back, his face slightly grim.

"Who are you!!?"

Behind Ran Xinyue, Zhang Rongfang withdrew his hand and stood up straight.

"If you manage to survive later, you'll have the right to know who I am."

His loose long hair parted slightly backward, revealing his fierce eyes, full of bloodshot lines.

Crackling sounds accompanied Zhang Rongfang as he walked to stand before Ran Xinyue, his body swelling and growing larger with each step.

In the blink of an eye, he expanded from two and a half meters to three meters.

Whoosh.

A whirl of wind spouted from his mouth, blowing the clothes of the three people in front into flapping movements.

"You are... Zhang Ying!!?" Yu Wenxing exclaimed in a trembling voice from the farthest back.

Swoosh!

Before the words finished, Zhang Rongfang disappeared from his original spot, transforming into a massive blood shadow charging toward the three!

"I am not Zhang Ying."

"I am Zhang Rongfang!"