Chapter 1284: I'll Teach You to Be Insolent!

Seeing Misty Pavilion's people lower their weapons, Yucang signaled his own people to do the same.

At last, Yuan Gang flicked his saber upward and slid it back into the sheath across his back.

Yue Guangming turned around.

Yuan Gang followed him.

The two Misty Pavilion men Yuan Gang had injured also climbed back to their feet. The group formed two lines, hemming Yuan Gang in between them as they moved.

"Wait!"

Luo Zhao's voice suddenly rang out.

Yucang and the others, who had been watching them leave, turned around.

So did Yue Guangming's group.

Yuan Gang looked back at Luo Zhao as well.

Yue Guangming's brows rose.

What evil wind was blowing today?

One person after another actually dared shout at Misty Pavilion.

Were they taking advantage of the fact that Misty Pavilion was constrained by its rules and could not casually move against Luo Zhao, a general commanding troops in wartime?

Yucang and the others grew nervous again.

Yucang was the first to stretch out an arm and block Luo Zhao.

His voice sank.

"What are you doing? Go back!"

Luo Zhao stopped behind the obstruction.

Then he suddenly called loudly toward Yuan Gang.

"I don't care what exactly happened between the two of you."

"But I think you probably aren't that kind of man."

"If you still have a chance to see her, tell her she owes me nothing!"

"From this day forward, bridges return to bridges and roads to roads."

"We have nothing to do with each other anymore!"

Yuan Gang fell silent.

He understood what Luo Zhao meant.

He knew who "she" was.

He gave no verbal reply.

He merely nodded.

Then he turned around again.

Several flying mounts swept in.

Misty Pavilion's people flashed onto them one after another.

Yuan Gang jumped up as well, but his landing was stiff and heavy, making the flying mount beneath him sway violently and nearly lose balance.

On another mount, Yue Guangming glanced back at him.

Someone beside Yue Guangming asked quietly, "He injured our people. Are we just letting it go like this?"

Yue Guangming said, "Get him back first. We can deal with the rest later."

Six flying mounts.

Yue Guangming had even come in person.

All of this was merely to take away one Yuan Gang.

The importance placed on the matter was obvious.

Yucang watched the six black dots disappear into the distance and sighed.

"This man, with this temperament... the fact that he's managed to live until now is a miracle in itself."

...

So this was the Sacred Realm Master Dao had once visited?

After passing through the great formation shimmering like rippling water, Yuan Gang looked around at the magnificent sea of clouds.

Yue Guangming's group did not go to Tiandu Peak.

They brought Yuan Gang directly into the Sacred Realm.

The moment they entered, they requisitioned flying mounts from Shouque Villa and carried Yuan Gang straight toward Wentian City.

...

Inside Wentian City, a group of cultivators had gathered in the plaza.

When several flying mounts descended from the sky, Quan Taifeng, an Elder of Lingxiao Pavilion, suddenly froze.

"Am I seeing things? Why is he here?"

Everyone turned to look.

Yan Li, an Elder of Zijin Cave, was equally astonished.

"Yuan Gang! Why is he here?"

Both Yan Li and Quan Taifeng knew Yuan Gang.

Taishu Shanhai, an Elder of Qiyun Sect, asked, "What's wrong?"

Quan Taifeng said, "That big red-faced man is Yuan Gang, one of Niu Youdao's trusted subordinates."

Taishu Shanhai was slightly startled.

"I've heard of him. Isn't he supposed to be a non-cultivator? Why has he come here?"

Everyone looked puzzled.

Quan Taifeng said, "Come. Let's take a look."

Led by him, the people from the eight sects immediately walked over.

When Yue Guangming saw this group blocking the way, his head began to ache.

These people had become increasingly arrogant of late, especially the bunch of troublemakers inside the Sacred Realm who kept stirring up incidents.

He truly did not want to become entangled with them.

But now that they had blocked the way, there was nowhere to avoid them.

The two sides eventually came to a stop facing each other.

Yan Li looked at Yuan Gang in confusion.

"Yuan Gang, why did you come in here?"

Yan Li already considered himself unlucky enough to have drawn the lot that sent him into the Sacred Realm.

He had never imagined he would actually meet Yuan Gang here.

Yuan Gang had no favorable impression of him.

He ignored him.

Quan Taifeng immediately turned to Yue Guangming.

"Right Envoy Yue, what is going on?"

There was also a Left Envoy stationed at Dayuan Sacred Land.

One deputy remained in the mortal realm, the other inside the Sacred Realm. Both served as Huo Kong's left and right deputies and could oversee matters on whichever side Huo Kong himself was absent from.

Yue Guangming had no desire to argue with them.

"This is not something you should be asking about."

Quan Taifeng immediately became dissatisfied.

"Right Envoy Yue, we are inspectors. This falls within our duties. We ask that you cooperate."

Yue Guangming said, "There is no way for me to cooperate on this matter."

"The Sacred Venerables want him."

"If you want to know why, you may send a message and ask the Sacred Venerables yourselves."

The moment they heard the Nine Saints wanted Yuan Gang, everyone grew even more surprised.

What did the Nine Saints want with him?

Still, they stepped aside one after another.

No one dared continue questioning or obstructing them.

But just as they cleared the way, several more flying mounts descended from the sky.

A group of people landed directly in front of Yue Guangming's party, blocking the road once again.

The woman leading them was none other than Hua Meiru.

Yuan Gang stared at her.

Hua Meiru stared back with a faint smile.

Within that smile lay hatred carved to the bone.

Enemies had truly met face-to-face.

Yue Guangming belonged to Dayuan Sacred Land.

So long as he acted within the rules, he had no reason to fear someone from Wushuang Sacred Land.

His voice sank.

"Hua Meiru, what are you trying to do?"

Hua Meiru said, "By decree of Sacred Venerable Wushuang, I am taking him to Wushuang Sacred Land!"

Her hand pointed directly at Yuan Gang.

Yue Guangming's jaw tightened.

"This is not something I can decide."

He tilted his head in signal.

Someone behind him immediately flashed away to summon the person who could make that decision.

Hua Meiru waited calmly.

A short while later, Huo Kong, the current Presiding Administrator of Misty Pavilion, appeared.

He descended from the sky in a flash.

His cold gaze swept across everyone present.

First, he examined Yuan Gang.

Then his eyes settled on Hua Meiru.

"You'd better not make trouble here."

"Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."

Hua Meiru said, "What? Has Misty Pavilion risen above the Nine Sacred Venerables now?"

"Even Sacred Venerable Wushuang taking someone away counts as making trouble?"

"Huo Kong, don't forget Misty Pavilion's rules!"

Huo Kong said, "Stop talking nonsense."

"It isn't appropriate to hand this man over to you."

"You have a grudge against him. Everyone knows it."

"If I give him to you and something happens, I will have no way to explain myself to the other Sacred Venerables."

The people of the eight sects looked at one another.

Yuan Gang and this woman had a grudge?

What exactly was going on here?

Hua Meiru said, "Don't worry."

"He won't die."

"I'm acting according to the rules."

"If anything happens, it has nothing to do with you. Those above us will bear the responsibility."

"Huo Kong, surely you don't think Misty Pavilion belongs exclusively to Dayuan Sacred Land?"

Huo Kong said, "Misty Pavilion has not interrogated him yet."

"You'd better make certain nothing happens to him."

"Otherwise, I won't be able to explain matters to the other Sacred Venerables."

"If responsibility is pursued later because you broke the rules, even Sacred Venerable Wushuang may not necessarily be able to protect you."

He tilted his head slightly.

"Give him to her."

There was no real handing over to be done.

No one had restrained or shackled Yuan Gang in the first place.

Yue Guangming waved one hand.

The men around Yuan Gang immediately withdrew.

Yuan Gang was left standing alone.

Hua Meiru gave him a cold smile.

"Take him!"

Yuan Gang raised one hand.

The Three-Roars Saber was already in his grasp.

The people from Wushuang Sacred Land did not dare approach carelessly.

They had all heard how terrifying this man's saber was once drawn.

Hua Meiru exploded in anger.

"Impudent!"

"Do you think this is a place where you can run wild?"

"Why haven't you surrendered?"

Yuan Gang said, "If you want to avenge a private grudge under cover of public duty, ask first whether the saber in my hand agrees."

"Do you dare take another slash from me?"

What kind of joke was that?

He was not stupid.

He knew perfectly well she wanted to avenge a private grudge.

Why would he willingly bind his own hands and submit to punishment?

Another slash?

The people of the eight sects exchanged looks.

So something really had happened between them before?

What astonished them most was that Yuan Gang actually dared draw a saber and prepare to fight here.

Huo Kong's gaze also returned to Yuan Gang, sizing him up once more.

Hua Meiru turned toward Huo Kong.

"You control Misty Pavilion. Are you really going to let someone run wild inside Wentian City like this?"

Huo Kong said calmly, "I've already handed him over to you."

"What happens now has nothing to do with me."

"I'll simply wait for you to return him."

"If you fail to return him, then I will settle accounts with you according to Misty Pavilion's rules."

"As for the private grudge between the two of you, that has nothing to do with Misty Pavilion."

Hua Meiru's white teeth showed slightly.

The bastard clearly wanted to watch her make a fool of herself.

She whipped her head back toward Yuan Gang and shouted, "Take him down!"

Whoosh!

Yuan Gang had already charged.

Saber in hand, he rushed straight at Hua Meiru.

She was startled.

Having personally experienced the power of his attack, she instinctively flashed backward.

At the same time, a silk ribbon shot urgently from the side.

It swept across Yuan Gang's abdomen, wrapped around his waist, and yanked him back.

Yuan Gang drove forward with brute force.

The cultivator pulling the ribbon, despite using magic, could not stabilize himself.

His feet slid across the ground.

Everyone watching was secretly shocked.

What monstrous physical strength!

Under cultivator's vision, they could all see clearly that Yuan Gang was not using any magical power to resist.

But with the ribbon dragging him back, there was no possibility his speed could catch Hua Meiru.

Yuan Gang abruptly used the enormous pulling force against itself.

He sprang backward along the ribbon's tension and swung the Three-Roars Saber wildly toward the cultivator holding it.

Another ribbon immediately shot out.

It wrapped around his wrist and violently dragged his arm aside before the full power of the saber could be released.

With Yuan Gang momentarily stalled in midair, several more ribbons shot out.

Some wrapped his wrists.

Some wrapped his ankles.

One even cinched around his neck.

In an instant, Yuan Gang was stretched out and suspended in the air.

"AAAH!"

Yuan Gang threw back his head and roared.

His face twisted with fury as he struggled with all his strength.

The six cultivators pulling on the ribbons were actually dragged off balance, swaying and struggling to hold steady.

Everyone present was shocked again.

Even Huo Kong's eyes flickered.

Could a man truly possess such monstrous brute strength?

The six cultivators exchanged looks.

Then all of them exerted force at once.

They hurled Yuan Gang's suspended body high into the air.

A heartbeat later, all six yanked downward together.

BOOM!

Yuan Gang smashed heavily into the ground.

Dust exploded.

Stone paving slabs burst apart, and his body was driven into a crater.

The six ribbons tightened again and threw him back into the air.

Then the ribbons twisted and flew around him in rapid succession.

In the blink of an eye, Yuan Gang had been wrapped like a zongzi.

The six cultivators stopped.

Boom!

Yuan Gang crashed hard to the ground again.

Outside the wrapping, one fist remained clenched desperately around the hilt of the Three-Roars Saber.

His teeth were bared as he struggled with everything he had.

But he could not break free from the bindings of so many Jade Silkworm Flying Streams.

A figure flashed over.

Hua Meiru kicked him.

Bang!

Yuan Gang flew more than ten zhang away.

"Hmph."

Hua Meiru lifted her chin slightly.

Two people immediately flashed over and hauled the bound Yuan Gang upright.

Hua Meiru appeared in front of him.

A cold smile spread across her face.

Suddenly, she drove one palm into his chest and abdomen.

BANG!

A deep, muffled impact rang out.

A trace of pain crossed Yuan Gang's face.

"I'll teach you to be insolent!"

Hua Meiru sneered and struck him again.

Bang!

Another palm crashed into his chest and abdomen.

After two consecutive strikes, she realized he could actually withstand them.

Hua Meiru was secretly shocked.

The anger inside her burned even hotter.

She immediately drove out a far heavier palm.

This time, the force of the strike burst outward in every direction.

Even the two men holding Yuan Gang staggered backward.

Earlier, Hua Meiru had worried that killing him would make it difficult to explain herself.

Now that she had discovered just how much punishment he could take, she stopped holding back.

Yuan Gang's eyes remained wide open, glaring furiously at her.

He was still enduring it.

Hua Meiru stepped forward.

Another palm landed.

Then another.

And another.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The blows fell one after another.

Gradually, Yuan Gang's cheeks began to bulge.

The faces of the people from the eight sects twitched as they watched.

The scene was becoming difficult to look at.

But this involved a Sacred Venerable.

It was not their place to interfere.

"Puh!"

After taking more than a dozen palms, Yuan Gang suddenly spat out a tremendous mouthful of blood.

He seemed to aim it deliberately straight at Hua Meiru's face.

But the bowlful of blood stopped in midair before reaching her.

Hua Meiru had blocked it with magic.

She swept one sleeve.

The suspended blood flew aside and splattered across the ground.

Then Hua Meiru swung the back of her hand across his face.

Smack!

The slap rang crisp and loud.

It was nowhere near the end.

Both her hands began moving back and forth.

Smack! Smack! Smack!

The sharp sound of slaps echoed without pause.

At last, the hatred filling Hua Meiru's chest found an outlet.

[End of Chapter 1284]