The Ferocious God in the Celestial Master's Mansion

Chapter 14 Punishing the Dragon and Tiger, the Celestial Master Protects His Child

The setting sun, like blood, dyed the sea of ​​clouds at Longhu Mountain red.

The bronze bells outside Chengyun Hall jingled in the mountain wind, but they could not dispel the stagnant atmosphere inside the hall.

The Ten Elders' Meeting, a grand event held once every ten years in the world of supernatural beings, was usually held in a neutral location. However, this time, it was unprecedentedly held at the Chengyun Hall of Longhu Mountain. This was all because of the bloodbath in the Black Wind Valley of Xiangxi, the shattering of the Qingyun Sect's mountain gate, and the storm stirred up by two figures with the force of thunder, which had already overturned the entire world of supernatural beings.

As the flames of the War of Resistance spread across the Central Plains, the sounds of gunfire in the secular world shattered the mountains and rivers. The world of supernatural beings also managed to unite for a rare moment, but this forced harmony could not ultimately withstand the deep-rooted fear and scheming.

Inside the Chengyun Hall, the fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air, yet it couldn't dispel the gunpowder smell.

Ten rosewood chairs were arranged on the left and right. At the head of the table sat Zhang Qingjing, the current Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain. He wore a black Taoist robe, his hair and beard were all white, and his face was calm as water, except for a hint of sharpness hidden deep in his eyes.

To the left sat, in order: Zuo Ruotong, the leader of the Sanyi Sect, dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe, with a refined and elegant demeanor and a hint of compassion in his eyes; Lu Jin, the current head of the Lu family, with a somber expression and clenched hands, clearly feeling resentful; and Guan Shihua, a shaman from the Northeast, dressed in a mink cloak, with the dashing air of a woman from beyond the Great Wall, playing with the copper bell at her waist, remaining silent.

On the right, Abbot Jiekong of Shaolin Temple, wearing a kasaya and holding prayer beads, was chanting sutras with his eyes closed, but the fingers that moved the beads were unusually fast; Hu Tu, the leader of the Shuzi Sect, had a weasel-like face and a sinister smile on his lips; Tang Jiaren of the Tang Clan was expressionless and dressed in black, as if he had blended into the shadows; the heads of the Wang, Lü, and Gao families of the four major clans all had ashen faces and unfriendly eyes.

The hall was deathly silent, except for the chanting of Master Jiekong, which echoed in the empty space, making it all the more eerie.

Finally, Hu Tu, the leader of the Shuzi Sect, broke the silence. He slammed his fist on the table and shrieked, "Master Zhang! Say something! Your two good disciples, one blocked the gate of Qingyun Sect, crippled Wei Wuji's cultivation, and smashed their mountain gate; the other massacred Black Wind Valley, killing nearly a hundred disciples of Quanxing, and even several elders were reduced to ashes! Such indiscriminate killing of innocents, such blatant disregard for the law, is your Longhu Mountain going to ignite a war in the world of supernatural beings?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Patriarch Gao immediately chimed in, "Sect Leader Hu is right! Zhang Zhiwei is one thing; though his attack was severe, he was spared. But what about Zhang Yulei? Black Wind Valley was awash in blood, not a single chicken or dog was spared! He's simply a ruthless killer! If such a person were to remain in the world, he would surely become a great scourge to the world of supernatural beings!"

"A major threat?" Lu Jin suddenly opened his eyes, snorted coldly, "Sect Leader Gao, you need to have a conscience! Don't you know what kind of people the Quanxing are? Colluding with the Qingyun Sect, harming my Sanyi Sect disciples, severing my fellow Daoists' limbs, and crippling my fellow disciples' Qi meridians—are you just going to let this go? Those Yu Lei killed were all people who deserved to die!"

"Sect Leader Lu, you are mistaken!" The Lu family patriarch stroked his beard and said in a deep voice, "While Quanxing certainly deserves to die, Zhang Yulei went too far! Nearly a hundred people! He didn't even spare the elderly, the weak, women, and children! Is such a bloodthirsty act the way of the righteous path? If he can massacre Quanxing today, he can massacre all of us sects tomorrow! Longhu Mountain has already produced Zhang Zhiwei, who is firmly in first place among the younger generation. Now, another Zhang Yulei has emerged, whose talent and ferocity surpass even Zhang Zhiwei's! If this continues, will there be any place for us sects in the world of supernatural beings?"

These words resonated with everyone.

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became even more tense.

Yes, Longhu Mountain is too powerful.

Zhang Qingjing is a recognized top expert in the world of supernatural beings. His Golden Light Spell is incredibly powerful, and his lightning magic is unparalleled.

Zhang Zhiwei is exceptionally gifted. At the young age of twenty, he had already grasped the true essence of the Golden Light Mantra, making him far stronger than his peers. In the entire world of supernatural beings, there are very few who can surpass him.

Now, another Zhang Yulei has emerged. At a young age, he has already broken through to the Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation stage. His thunder technique is fierce and domineering, filled with malevolent energy. He is decisive in killing, and in the battle of Black Wind Valley, he made the Quanxing sect tremble with fear.

Longhu Mountain has become so powerful that it instills fear in everyone.

They can tolerate the strength of Longhu Mountain, but they absolutely cannot tolerate Longhu Mountain becoming the sole dominant force.

Especially in this chaotic world, everyone wants a piece of the pie in the world of supernatural beings, and everyone wants to become the leader.

"Sect Leader Lü is right!" Hu Tu spoke again, a glint of greed in his eyes. "Longhu Mountain's dominance is no blessing for the world of supernatural beings! Master Zhang, the ten of us elders have gathered here today to demand an explanation! Hand over Zhang Yulei, cripple his cultivation, and expel him from Longhu Mountain to quell public anger! Otherwise, our sects will never agree to this!"

"Absolutely not!"

Master Jiekong finally stopped chanting, slowly opened his eyes, and looked at Zhang Qingjing. He said in a deep voice, "Master Zhang, the sea of ​​suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore. Zhang Yulei's violent nature is too strong, and he has killed too many people, which has violated the rules of the world of supernatural beings. Handing him over will not only appease public anger but also save his life. Otherwise, if his violent nature completely gets out of control one day, it will surely cause a great disaster."

"Save his life?" Zhang Qingjing finally spoke, her voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. "Master Jiekong, are you teaching me how to discipline my disciple?"

Master Jiekong frowned slightly: "Master Zhang, this humble monk is merely stating the facts."

"Let's stick to the facts?" Zhang Qingjing sneered, her gaze sweeping over everyone. "Fine, then let's have a proper discussion! Quanxing colluded with Qingyun Sect to harm my disciple Tian Jinzhong, severing his limbs and crippling his Qi meridians. Has anyone here stood up to say a word of justice about this? Yu Lei took revenge, killing a Quanxing fiend and eliminating a scumbag from Qingyun Sect. What's wrong with that?"

"He killed more than just the Quanxing demons!" Tang Jiaren finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "In Black Wind Valley, there were three innocent servants who were killed by him with a single sword through their hearts!"

"Innocent?" Zhang Qingjing's eyes suddenly sharpened. "Isn't the Tang Sect the best at gathering information? Those three menial servants, ostensibly menial servants, are actually spies planted by the Quanxing Sect in various sects! The blood on their hands is more than the number of people Yu Lei has killed! Do such people deserve to be called innocent?"

Tang Jiaren's expression changed, and he stopped speaking.

Seeing this, Hu Tu quickly said, "Even if those people deserved to die, he was too ruthless! He's practically a demon! Master Zhang, you can't protect him like this just because he's your disciple!"

"Protecting your own?" Zhang Qingjing suddenly stood up, her aura erupting abruptly. A powerful pressure, like Mount Tai crashing down, enveloped everyone. "If I don't protect my disciples, who will?!"

His voice, like a resounding bell, echoed throughout the entire Chengyun Hall: "Yu Lei was trained by me, and I know his nature better than anyone! Though he is filled with malice, he still holds righteousness in his heart! Those he killed were all deserving of death! Those he did were all acts of upholding justice! Today, anyone who dares to lay a finger on him will have to get past me first!"

"Master Zhang! Are you trying to make an enemy of the entire world of supernatural beings?" the head of the Lü family roared.

"The entire world of supernatural beings?" Zhang Qingjing scoffed. "Do you represent the entire world of supernatural beings? Sect Leader Zuo, Sect Leader Lu, Sister Guan, do you all think so too?"

Zuo Ruotong slowly stood up, cupped his hands to Zhang Qingjing, and said, "Master Zhang, there was a reason for Yu Lei's incident. Quanxing committed many evils and deserved to die. As for the claim that Longhu Mountain is the only dominant force, that is utter nonsense. The rise and fall of the world of extraordinary people does not depend on the strength of the sects, but on whether they uphold the righteous path."

Lu Jin also stood up and said loudly, "My Lu family and Longhu Mountain have been on good terms for generations. I watched Yu Lei grow up, and I trust his character! If anyone dares to touch him, my Lu family will be the first to object!"

Guan Shihua put away the copper bell in her hand, stood up, and said in a clear voice, "We, the Ma family of Northeast China, believe in swift retribution! The hatred of killing one's father and the grudge of having one's wife stolen are irreconcilable! Tian Jinzhong is my good friend. He was crippled, and Yulei avenged him. I think he did the right thing! If anyone dares to cause him trouble, I, Guan Shihua, will be the first to object!"

The three people's statements instantly reversed the situation inside the hall.

The expressions on Hu Tu and the others' faces turned extremely grim.

They never expected that Zuo Ruotong, Lu Jin, and Guan Shihua would stand so firmly on Longhu Mountain's side.

"Good! Good! Good!" Hu Tu trembled with rage. "Your Longhu Mountain is indeed powerful! You've even managed to win over the Sanyi Sect, the Lu family, and the Ma family of the Northeast! We'll remember what happened today! If Zhang Yulei dares to indiscriminately kill innocent people again, we will definitely unite with all the major sects to punish Longhu Mountain!"

"To attack Longhu Mountain?" Zhang Qingjing's eyes turned icy. "Longhu Mountain has been established for a thousand years, and has weathered far more storms than you have ever seen! If you want to attack Longhu Mountain, first weigh your own strength!"

He raised his hand and waved it, a surge of energy swept across, and the bronze bells outside the hall rang rapidly.

Immediately afterwards, two figures walked in from outside the hall.

It was Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Yulei.

Zhang Zhiwei was still dressed in a blue robe, gently waving a folding fan, with a faint smile on his face, but his eyes were as sharp as knives.

Zhang Yulei, dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, exuded a cold aura. The sword at his waist was still stained with undried blood. He walked to Zhang Qingjing's side and bowed respectfully, saying, "Master."

Zhang Qingjing looked at him, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes, and nodded.

When Hu Tu and the others saw Zhang Yulei, a hint of fear flashed in their eyes, and they involuntarily took a step back.

The boy, only sixteen years old, reeked of blood.

Zhang Zhiwei's gaze swept over the crowd, a cold smile curving his lips: "Have you all gathered at Longhu Mountain today to demand an explanation for my junior brother? If so, there's no need. How can I allow others to speak ill of my junior brother?"

He paused, then continued, "I accompanied my junior brother to the battle at Black Wind Valley. If any of you feel that my junior brother was too ruthless, you are welcome to come at me!"

"You..." Hu Tu was so angry that he couldn't speak.

They all knew Zhang Zhiwei's strength; even if they joined forces, they might not be his match.

Zhang Yulei raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his voice icy: "Those I've killed all deserved to die! If anyone dares to collude with the Quanxing sect again, harming their fellow disciples, I, Zhang Yulei, will surely execute them without mercy!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute and ruthless edge, causing everyone's hearts to tremble involuntarily.

Master Jiekong sighed and said, "Amitabha. Master Zhang, let's leave it at that. In these chaotic times, the world of extraordinary beings should prioritize unity and must not fight amongst themselves."

He knew that what had happened today was beyond redemption.

Longhushan's attitude was firm, and Zuo Ruotong, Lu Jin, and Guan Shihua were fully supportive. If they continued to entangle themselves, they would only bring shame upon themselves.

Hu Tu and the others exchanged glances, snorted coldly, stood up, and walked out of the hall.

"Master Zhang, if you're so inclined, let's go!"

Watching the departing figures of the crowd, Zhang Qingjing's eyes deepened.

He knew that what happened today was just the beginning.

These people will never let this go.

The road ahead is destined to be even more difficult.

He looked at Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Yulei beside him and said in a deep voice, "A chaotic era is coming, and the world of supernatural beings will also undergo a major reshuffle. You two are the future of Longhu Mountain, and also the future of the world of supernatural beings. Remember, no matter when or where, you must always uphold righteousness and not be consumed by malevolence."

Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Yulei bowed simultaneously: "Disciples will remember Master's teachings."

Zhang Qingjing nodded, her gaze fixed on the sea of ​​clouds outside the hall.

The setting sun has disappeared, and night has quietly fallen.

The clouds and mist on Longhu Mountain became even thicker, like a giant net covering the entire mountain peak.

Behind this network, an even bigger storm is quietly brewing.

The flames of the War of Resistance have reached the very doorstep of the world of supernatural beings.

The conspiracy of Quanxing, the schemes of various sects, and the hidden hand lurking in the shadows.

The road ahead is destined to be filled with blood and fire.

But Zhang Qingjing believed that as long as he was still there, as long as Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Yulei were still there, Longhu Mountain would never fall.

Zhang Yulei stood behind his master and senior brother, looking at the sky full of clouds and mist, a resolute glint in his eyes.

He knew that his destiny was to fight his way out of this chaotic world.

A path that belongs to me, full of power and glory.

Even if, at the end of this road, lies an endless abyss.