"If you have nothing to do, don’t stay here, return to the yamen." Shangguan Feihua scolded.

"Thank you, Master!" Zhang Rongfang nodded.

Unconsciously, he suddenly smelled a trace of blood.

Following the scent, he looked to the side.

In the distance, those young men and women, along with their bodyguards, had already fallen into a pool of blood without knowing when...

"Sir!" Zhang Zhenhai quickly approached from the side, "Are you all right?" One of her arms was lightly injured, but her spirit was fine.

"That person suddenly escaped by themselves just now. The Master must have gone to track them, right?" she said.

"Hmm? Has the Master already left?" Zhang Rongfang turned his head and realized that Shangguan Feihua had already gone.

These Grandmasters, each with martial arts realms far beyond his, indeed acted unpredictably when they get serious.

"Find someone first!" Zhang Rongfang instantly decided without hesitation and ran into the depths of the forest where he had just sensed the presence of people.

Zhang Zhenhai followed closely behind.

The two hadn’t run far before they saw a group of people from the Rebel Sect being taken away in a large pit.

Everyone had been knocked unconscious, but their breathing and heartbeat continued.

"Looks like they didn’t intend to do anything extreme, just a warning." Zhang Rongfang immediately understood.

Whether it was just now that Ostendin, or Tang Hu, they should both have been forces sent by the Great Brightness Religious Alliance to showcase their strength.

The purpose was to ’convince’ him, this Daoist of the Great Dao Teaching, to cooperate with their actions.

Yue Shi arranged for Grandmasters for protection, along with Shangguan Feihua being nearby, which was already quite thoughtful.

But they still found a loophole.

"Arrange for people to come over immediately, and take everyone back to rest. I’ll handle the rest,"

Zhang Rongfang ordered in a deep voice, looking at the many subordinates in the pit.

His mind turned over the situation.

Now, there are only two choices.

First, from today on, stay within a hundred meters of the Master, not taking a single step away. In this way, absolute safety can be guaranteed.

But don’t even think about any development, industries under subordinates, and such, will also depend on luck.

Second, try to face this Sect Alliance’s attacks on his own.

His current strength had already been exposed, the other party knew his details and would never easily let him go.

Either treat him as a Grandmaster disguised as a Daoist, like the others.

Or.... they would definitely try to recruit him with full force, and if recruitment fails, then assassinate!

In his present situation of no longer hiding his strength, such a scenario would inevitably come.

He must prepare early.

This is a paradox.

If he wants absolute safety, the best way is to live beside Yue Shi.

After all, Shangguan Feihua cannot always protect only him.

Nor can they shield the others around him.

But once close to Yue Shi.... moving into the current Celestial Sincerity Palace, given his current situation... he must face the complex gods and buddhas’ influence in the Great Capital.

More crucially, according to Yue Shi’s words now, he doesn’t feel very assured. After reaching Refining God, even casual Daoist temples and monasteries must be cautious. If he returns to the Celestial Sincerity Palace...

Zhang Rongfang watched as Zhang Zhenhai took out a signal firework to contact the others.

Soon, over a hundred people arrived outside, collectively dragging the unconscious people from the pit back to the city.

"Sir, we must find a way to avoid this situation. Otherwise, they can capture us a second time as they did the first." Zhang Zhenhai solemnly reminded.

"This is Qingchuan Prefecture, the territory of Jade Void Palace. The cost for them to act here even once is not small. The exposed personnel cannot be used a second time.

Master Shangguan is not one to be trifled with. In the short term, their control over Qingchuan Prefecture will definitely be strong, so there shouldn’t be a worry about further incidents for now." Zhang Rongfang replied.

"But we can’t put our hopes on others." Zhang Zhenhai responded.

She seemed to realize something too.

"Sir.... you don’t have to worry about us. We are ready to give everything for you at any time!"

"It’s not to that extent yet!" Zhang Rongfang shook his head. "You all should retract your people as much as possible, and move to areas close to the yamen. They have acted once, if they dare to act against the yamen again, it would be a provocation against the entire Great Dao Teaching. Therefore, it’s relatively safer there." Zhang Rongfang answered.

"And what about you!?"

"I’ll be with everyone. Don’t worry.... the longer it takes, the more anxious they get. With the implementation of the secret sect directory imminent, they are more anxious than we are!" Zhang Rongfang saw very clearly.

Right now, it’s not him, but the other side that is anxious.

And the longer it drags on, the stronger he becomes.

Boom!!

Suddenly, in the distance, a massive explosion erupted from the city, accompanied by smoke and fire, bursting forth.

Thick smoke rushed above the city’s clouds, turning the sky dark.

Zhang Rongfang and Zhang Zhenhai both turned their heads to look in that direction.

"That direction.... is near the Shangguan family’s fireworks workshop!! They are really bold!!" Zhang Zhenhai’s face turned cold instantly, recognizing the source of the explosion.

"Near the Shangguan family!?" Zhang Rongfang suddenly thought of something.

"Have they gone mad!?"

"Of course, they’re not mad."

Suddenly a figure appeared abruptly behind him.

The figure wore a green robe, and their golden hair glistened under the light.

It was none other than the Donglin Sect Sect Leader who had just left—Ostendin God!

"A young Grandmaster, with the Nascent Soul in Cultivation of Literature, such talent. I went back and thought for ten minutes, and decided it was better to act quickly to resolve this issue."

Ostend lightly sighed, stepping forward to approach.

A few skilled Rebel Sect members next to him shouted harshly, shooting a round of crossbow arrows at him.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!

The continuous barrage of crossbow arrows brushed past him lightly, none hitting their mark.

"Retreat!" Zhang Rongfang urgently shouted.

But it was already too late.

Ostend casually lifted his left hand.

Whoosh, a handful of stones shot out, accurately hitting four or five people around him.

Those few people didn’t even groan before their brows burst with a large hole, falling on the spot.

"See, you still care about the lives of these ordinary people. Interesting." Ostend laughed, "Only those who have not seen enough life and death would be so concerned about these external things."

"Time passes quickly, like a river, like floating clouds, the life of ordinary people is so fragile that a slight wind can blow it away."

"You go first." Zhang Rongfang signaled Zhang Zhenhai with a solemn expression.

The opponent’s decisiveness was beyond his expectation.

But since it has come to this, then let’s fight it out.

From capturing but not killing before, to now killing the person immediately upon action...

It seems the Religious Alliance has made a decision.

"Sir... please be careful!" Zhang Zhenhai bit his teeth, knowing that staying would only be a burden, he slowly retreated to create distance, while leading the others to make way.

"Don’t worry." Zhang Rongfang’s expression was icy cold, taking a step forward to block Zhang Zhenhai’s path of departure, facing Ostend directly.

"Quite impressive." Ostend clapped and laughed, "Someone in the Alliance believes that you are a Grandmaster of the Great Dao Teaching disguised as a Daoist. I’m not sure either, after all, a Grandmaster plus Nascent Soul at just over thirty years old is indeed quite exaggerated.

So... I wanted to come personally to verify."

"How do you plan to verify?" Zhang Rongfang slightly bent his body.

"It’s very simple..." Ostend smiled slightly. "That is...."

Boom!!

He suddenly transformed into a phantom, charging toward Zhang Rongfang.

"Take you back!"

Swoosh!

A hand chop pierced straight towards Zhang Rongfang’s neck.

Blood Lotus!

Zhang Rongfang, without hesitation, directly activated his lethal move.

His height suddenly increased to four meters, his body rapidly expanding, covered in Blood Lotus.

With all his strength in both arms, he struck towards the body’s midline to seize the strike.

Whoosh!

At this moment, the arms connected.

’Got it!’ Zhang Rongfang felt assured in his heart. He was about to exert force.

Suddenly, a burst of severe pain came from the outside of his right arm.

He turned his head to see that Ostend had somehow appeared on his right side, one hand punching directly at his arm.

That previous attack... it was him!

"It’s this move again..." He couldn’t see how he made his move at all?!

Poof!

The arm Zhang Rongfang grabbed was freed, and the outside of his right arm had a new bloody wound.

He let out a low shout, his arms reaching forward again.

This time, the grasp was astonishingly fast, with no previous reservation.

Boom!!

Grasping once again missed.

Zhang Rongfang hurriedly dashed forward, attempting to chase.

But out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw a shadow flash by from the side.

’Not good!’

He quickly lifted his leg, sweeping horizontally!

Swoosh!

The leg sweep missed, bringing with it a large gust of wind.

A sharp pain appeared in his chest.

Zhang Rongfang didn’t even let out a groan, retreating several steps, his chest sporting a ghastly bloody opening.

Only then did his vision capture the opponent’s figure.

Above!

The previously vanished Ostend had somehow appeared above again!

He was diving down like a great bird from above.

"Thunderbird."

Under his golden short hair, his purple eyes flickered with a subtle silver glow.

Chii!!

The two crossed in an instant.

At that moment, Zhang Rongfang swung his fist with full force.

But unfortunately...

He staggered forward a few steps.

Poof!

His whole body exploded with large bloody openings.

Just like when he faced Emperor Jiang in the past.

A large number of blood lines burst out, scattering around.

"You’ve lost." Ostend turned around with a smile, looking at the blood-soaked Zhang Rongfang.

"The gap between us is too great, getting this far, you’ve done quite well."

"Is... it?" Zhang Rongfang raised his hand, opening his fist.

In his palm, there lay a money pouch.

"Hmm??" Ostend then narrowed his eyes slightly, the smile slowly fading. It was his money pouch.

"Why go through all this trouble? Struggling to resist, only for the outcome to be the same in the end."

"Do you think you’ve won for sure?" Zhang Rongfang straightened his body, breathing deeply.

"As long as I hold out until the Shangguan family head arrives... you... won’t get away!"

He suddenly stomped, the ground exploding with dirt, and he rushed forward.

A set of Flame Emperor Talisman techniques from the Great Dao Teaching fully unfolded.

The fist and palm techniques interweaved, in an instant forming a wall of fist and palm shadows, pressing towards the opponent.

The force generated by the punches and kicks whistled, bringing with it a sharp tearing sound of the air, piercing the ears.

"Die!" Zhang Rongfang’s eyes were unprecedentedly calm. He exerted all he had learned.

After being guided by Emperor Jiang, some slight corrections were made to the Flame Emperor Talisman, now fully unfurled before Ostend.

The whistling force caused the opponent’s clothes to flutter.

"No Clouds." Ostend tapped both sides of his neck with his hands.

His body suddenly expanded to four meters, yet strangely, all pores on his body contracted completely, his skin becoming smoother and tighter.

A silver flame pattern slowly emerged on his forehead. This was the Extreme State of Four Qi Four Divine Skills.

Chii!

In a flash, he leaped forward, disappearing.

Boom!!

The shadow of Zhang Rongfang’s punch instantly dissipated, his body staggering forward a few steps, his chest suddenly sprouting five finger-sized bloody holes.