Seeing Junior Brother Mo’s disapproving look, Chen Yuanji snorted. "Yang Huai Venerable’s faction has always been close to our Tai Su Orthodox Sect. Do you know why? Because his wife, Yang Lian’s mother, is a daughter of my Junyang Chen Clan—the current Patriarch’s own sister! Although Yang Lian is a True Disciple of the Celestial Fire Sect, he’s half a member of my Chen Clan... and therefore, one of us Tai Su Disciples."

"What?" Junior Brother Mo was taken aback. "Then, Senior Brother, was what you did this time on the Chen Family’s orders?"

"Not at all." Chen Yuanji stroked his beard and smiled. "I just played a little trick to make that brat Xuzhuang stumble. It’s to let him know that for offending my Junyang Chen Clan, there’s a lot more suffering in store for him."

Junior Brother Mo sighed. "Senior Brother, even if the Chen Family clan truly intends to make things difficult for Xuzhuang, you shouldn’t have gotten involved. What’s the point of this little scheme now? If Xuzhuang actually takes this to the Law Enforcement Hall, you’ll still have to hand over the Golden Core in the end. You’ve just made trouble for yourself for no reason."

"So what if he takes it to the Law Enforcement Hall?" Chen Yuanji said, displeased. "It’s not like there’s no precedent. An error in the alchemy process; the pill’s quality was unsatisfactory; a sect senior had an urgent need and it was requisitioned... There are always excuses. What can the Law Enforcement Hall possibly say? At worst, I’ll get a slap on the wrist and a mild reprimand for ’inefficient work.’"

As he spoke, his tone grew smug. "Besides, of the four current Vice Institute Venerables in the Law Enforcement Hall, one is a Venerable from my Junyang Chen Clan. He also happens to be my uncle..."

Before the words were even out of his mouth, a sudden, thunderous CRACK echoed through the air. The entire courtyard shook violently. The Pill Furnace wobbled and crashed to the ground, instantly sending sparks flying and spilling countless Spirit Medicine dregs and streams of Immortal Material True Water.

The two men frantically looked up to see a massive rift torn in the restrictive barrier above the courtyard. A spinning streak of azure light flew from the gap and back into the hand of a figure in the sky.

The figure stood in midair, silhouetted against the light, their face obscured. All they could see was a True Inheritance Robe fluttering in the wind. The azure light returned to the figure’s hand, coalescing into a shimmering sword pellet that throbbed with energy.

The figure watched the barrier below begin to mend itself, seemingly lost in thought. Then, they raised their other hand, formed a two-fingered sword sign, and exhaled a breath of air onto the sword pellet. With a downward slash of their fingers...

The sword pellet shot forth, transforming into a Sword Rainbow that instantly stretched hundreds of feet long before slashing down with brutal force!

BOOM! It was another thunderous crack, one that even drowned out the clamor of the Celestial Furnace and made the ears of everyone on the two peaks ring. With a single slash, the courtyard’s barrier shattered instantly, the attack’s remaining power carving a bottomless gash into the earth.

Though it takes time to describe, it all happened in the blink of an eye. The barrier was shattered, and the Sword Qi struck the ground. The two men had no time to react before the aftershock sent them tumbling like gourds.

Chen Yuanji rolled twice across the ground, ending up a disheveled and pathetic mess. Once he staggered to his feet, he flew into a rage, looked up, and roared, "Xuzhuang! This is treason! How dare you attack the hallowed grounds of the Danxia Institute!"

The attacker was, without a doubt, Xuzhuang. By now, the Danxia Institute had reacted. Several streaks of light shot into the sky and sped toward the courtyard, their shouts echoing from the distance. "Who dares attack the hallowed grounds of the Danxia Institute! Cease at once!"

Xuzhuang didn’t spare them a glance. His eyes swept downward. One man lay motionless on the ground, but a quick scan with his Spiritual Sense revealed his aura was stable. ’He should be fine,’ Xuzhuang thought. ’I was only trying to break the barrier, not using my full strength.’ The other man, disheveled and pathetic-looking, with no eyebrows but a long beard, was roaring at him in a flustered rage. He matched the description of Chen Yuanji perfectly.

"Fool." A smirk touched Xuzhuang’s lips as he spoke coolly. "Chen Yuanji, you have violated sect law and resisted an official summons. Today, in my capacity as a True Disciple, I will apprehend you on behalf of the Law Enforcement Hall for future judgment. Surrender now!"

"Xuzhuang! What right do you have—"

"Hmph." Ignoring Chen Yuanji’s roars, Xuzhuang wasted no more time on words. He formed a Magic Formula with one hand, and a brilliant, majestic light shot from the crown of his head. It was the Innate Tai Su Qi Grand Capture. In an instant, the light expanded into a hand over a hundred feet wide and swooped down!

Chen Yuanji roared again and again. He sucked in his stomach, puffed out his lips, and spewed a torrent of raging fire. His hands were a blur of motion, spiritual light flashing as he released three or four Magical Artifacts. Two circled him for protection while the other two shot directly at the Innate Tai Su Qi Grand Capture, a desperate, all-out defense.

But as the Innate Tai Su Qi Grand Capture swept down, the spiritual light, the magical artifacts, and the spewing flames were all extinguished like moths drawn to a fire. The two defensive Magical Artifacts offered no resistance at all; with a gentle squeeze from the Great Capturing Hand, they shattered into countless pieces.

Before a passing breeze could even cross the courtyard, the desperately struggling Chen Yuanji was caught, crushed tightly in the massive hand. He couldn’t move, couldn’t even draw a breath, and was lifted into the air like a dead dog.

The streaks of light arrived just in front of Xuzhuang. The man in the lead was about to shout in anger when he saw Xuzhuang’s Divine Technique in action. Chen Yuanji, a Golden Core Cultivator, had been snatched up like a helpless chick. The harsh words died in the man’s throat. When he recognized who the attacker was, his brow furrowed deeply, and he forcibly suppressed the rage that was about to erupt.

"Nephew Xu, you barged into the Danxia Institute and attacked a fellow disciple. By what right?"

"Chen Yuanji showed blatant disregard for sect law. I am simply carrying out law enforcement duties by apprehending him," Xuzhuang said with a faint smile, completely unconcerned by the questioning. He beckoned with one hand. "You two, come up!"

Two Law Enforcement Disciples flew up from below, followed by four Dao Soldiers and six Warriors. They arrived before the group and offered their salutes. The members of the Danxia Institute either sized them up with a glance or ignored them completely.

Perhaps because he felt he was in the right and had numbers on his side, the lead elder, Elder Mu, grew bolder. He shouted, "What law has Elder Chen violated? The Danxia Institute received no talismanic decree from the Law Enforcement Hall! Xuzhuang, release Elder Chen at once! Don’t assume the Danxia Institute can be bullied!"

But Xuzhuang’s expression remained impassive, and the great hand holding Chen Yuanji behind him didn’t move an inch. He spoke directly to the Law Enforcement Disciples. "Disciples, I’ll trouble you to explain the situation to these elders later. Chen Yuanji is a Golden Core Cultivator, and you don’t have the proper restraining Magical Artifacts to contain him. Therefore, I will temporarily serve as his warden. You may return to the Law Enforcement Hall, report the details, and then come to my Chongyun Peak to retrieve him."

With that, he performed a Magic Formula and softly uttered, "Contain!" The majestic, bright white, clearly-textured hand suddenly transformed into a sphere of mist, swirling and tightly sealed, with not a single wisp escaping. Chen Yuanji was enveloped inside, his figure completely hidden. The sphere spun once and flew toward Xuzhuang’s sleeve, shrinking as it went. By the time it reached his cuff, it was no bigger than a fist before vanishing inside.

It turned out that the Innate Tai Su Qi Grand Capture, true to its name, possessed the ability not just to seize but also to confine. This was simply the first time Xuzhuang had ever used that function.

After retracting his Divine Technique, Xuzhuang nodded to the two Law Enforcement Disciples, then abruptly shot into the air, transforming into a Sword Rainbow that streaked across the sky.

He had done all this right in front of the Danxia Institute members, treating them as if they were nothing but air!

Elder Mu felt blood rush to his head, so furious he felt he might explode. His lips moved, but no words came out. The others were utterly silent. A long time passed, well after Xuzhuang’s streak of light had vanished over the horizon, before Elder Mu finally roared, "That animal! He’s an absolute animal!" The others immediately chimed in, adding their own condemnations. "That Xuzhuang is arrogant beyond belief!"

Someone else added, "With conduct like that, how can he be worthy of a Tai Su True Inheritance? We must report him to the Master!"

As soon as these words were out, silence fell once more. The speaker, realizing he had misspoken, sullenly shut his mouth.