Chapter 117: The Sense of Oppression Descends upon the Bohai Coast, A Crushing Victory!

The Grand Elder of Penglai spoke with arrogance, without a trace of courtesy. His reasoning was simple: he hailed from Penglai and had advanced several steps further along the path of evolution, standing firmly in the Golden Body realm. As for these people from the mainland? A mere glance showed that at best, they were stuck at the Shackles realm.

On the path of evolution, each step represents an immense gulf. Moreover, among the Three Islands, there were many whose strength rivaled or even surpassed his own. Even if the mainland had developed devastating weapons over a thousand years, so what? With his own means and power, he held no fear whatsoever. If he wished, he could crush them outright.

Thus, the Grand Elder of Penglai cared little for the truth of the matter. His absolute strength allowed him to look down upon the mainlanders. More importantly, for a millennium, the Three Islands had been recognized as islands of immortals. The evolution path was closed to the mainlanders—they had no reason to expect any courtesy.

However, upon hearing this, Elder Ji and Elder Yun could not help but frown. Right from the start, they were being told to confess guilt? Such arrogance! Truly, corruption at the top breeds corruption below. No wonder Zhao Yuan and the others had been so overbearing before.

But unlike the younger generation such as the Ice Fairy, these two did not hesitate or hold back. Elder Ji stepped forward and spoke slowly, "Guilty? What crime do you ask us to admit?"

"You provoked us the moment you landed and then imposed harsh demands. Yes, you are strong, but we will not easily submit to bullies," came the sharp reply, laden with the smell of gunpowder. The great battle had already begun, and the enemy was clearly here to cause trouble. In such circumstances, there was no need for politeness. If it was a fight they wanted, a fight they would have.

"Fine, fine," the Grand Elder of Penglai narrowed his eyes as his aura surged. "You are merely at the Shackles realm—who gave you such boldness? I offer you two choices: first, confess your guilt; second, agree to our terms. The rest can be discussed later. You must also account for the deaths of the Three Islands' disciples."

He was even more forceful than Zhao Yuan and the others, unwilling to negotiate and simply presenting an ultimatum. Beside him, others from the other two islands stepped forward, some having broken through the twelve genetic shackles, a step short of entering the Golden Body realm. After all, not everyone could reach the pinnacle of the Shackles realm like Lu Yuan; for most, twelve shackles was the limit.

Despite the relentless pressure from the Three Immortal Islands, the mainlanders refused to retreat. Elder Yun stepped forward, his tone resolute, "There is nothing to discuss. If you want to fight, fight. Even if we die, we have successors."

"Regardless of how strong the Three Immortal Islands are, without our consent, they shall not lay a finger on anything on the mainland!" he declared fiercely. They were utterly enraged by the constant attempt to seize resources.

Elder Yun no longer cared who these people were or how strong they might be. If it was war they desired, then war it would be.

"Grand Elder, do you see now? These mainlanders are arrogant and unreasonable," Zhao Yuan, who was somewhat more composed, shouted immediately. "We must act decisively; they will not yield without bloodshed."

Elder Ji, usually calm, also snapped, stepping forward with the full release of his Shackles realm aura. His patience with Zhao Yuan was exhausted.

"How dare you!" The Grand Elder of Penglai erupted, unleashing a tremendous force. In an instant, his Golden Body manifestation appeared, towering dozens of meters high, feet planted firmly on the ground, radiating a terrifying aura.

"How dare you strike before me?" he roared.

In that instant, the heavens and earth trembled. Those weaker, like the Ice Fairy, paled and trembled uncontrollably under this overwhelming might. The soldiers wielding modern firearms fainted at the roar, their weapons shattering. Only a few, like Elder Ji and Elder Yun, could stand, though they began to retreat.

The Golden Body realm was truly formidable—far beyond the scope of modern technology. None on the mainland could match it; resistance was impossible.

"Listen to me," the Grand Elder’s eyes were as sharp as knives as he stared down the crowd. "It seems today, blood must be shed."

"Listen? You were unreasonable from the start!" The Ice Fairy, suppressed but outraged, retorted sharply.

"That’s right, if it comes to blows, so be it," Elder Ji and Elder Yun spoke in unison. Their group of seven was not even complete. If they fell, the official forces would surely retaliate, forcing even a Golden Body realm cultivator to pay a price.

"Reason?" The Grand Elder of Penglai laughed, clenching his right fist. "In this era, strength is the only reason."

Feeling no need for further words, he took a step forward. His Golden Body manifestation surged with power. With each step on the path of evolution, the disparity widened greatly, especially at the fourth stage, where true potential of the body was awakened.

Opposite him, Elder Ji and Elder Yun were crushed under the pressure. They wanted to strike but could not. The modern firearms nearby were mostly ruined by the roar.

The younger generation, including the Ice Fairy and the Pure Yang Little Celestial Master, watched with changing expressions. It had come to this. Regrets? None. If they died, others would take their place.

But unlike them, not far away, Zhao Yuan and Zhang Yun smirked cruelly, knowing that with the Grand Elder’s intervention, the mainlanders had no chance to resist.

Suddenly, before the Grand Elder of Penglai could act, a crisp shrill cry rang out without warning. A figure descended from the sky, wrapped in overwhelming aura, landing squarely in the center of both camps.

Golden blood surged like a volcanic eruption. At that moment, the Grand Elder sensed a crisis unlike any before. His Golden Body manifestation wavered, unstable.

It was Lu Yuan.

He stood firm, blood and aura roaring around him like thunder. The golden eagle that had flown with him circled high above.

The Land King!

Elder Ji, Elder Yun, the Ice Fairy, and nearly all present were stunned. Was he not supposed to be in seclusion? Had they not told their subordinates to conceal everything? Had he been discovered after all?

But none of that mattered now.

"Land King, beware! That is a Golden Body realm cultivator," Elder Yun warned. In their minds, the Land King was terrifying, far surpassing other awakened beings of his realm. Still, as a fourth-stage Golden Body realm cultivator, caution was warranted.

Yet, they had forgotten how Lu Yuan once suppressed the spiritual monkey at the Jade Emperor’s Peak—also a Golden Body cultivator.

"Who are you? Do you know who I am?" The Grand Elder of Penglai asked, now alarmed. Though the man seemed only at the Shackles realm, his aura was vast and unfathomable.

"You are right. In this era, strength is the greatest reason," Lu Yuan replied calmly. "Then today, I shall teach you what reason truly means."

Lu Yuan ignored the Grand Elder’s words and spoke quietly, his eyes flashing with deadly light. Like before, a fierce murderous intent radiated from him, filling the air.

Alarmed, the Grand Elder’s hair stood on end. Those who had reached his stage could sense great danger in advance. And now, he could smell death.

Before he could react, Lu Yuan struck. No flourish, just a single punch. The overwhelming aura surged, creating a massive storm. Golden blood filled the sky, illuminating everything.

In the next moment, the Grand Elder’s Golden Body manifestation shattered. He was blasted backward, bones broken, blood gushing from mouth and nose.

All from one punch.

"Cough, cough, that strike was too fierce!" The others from the second island shouted in alarm, immediately ordering their disciples to attack.

On the dozen or so sea ships were many disciples, over a hundred at the Shackles realm. With the command, figures surged forward, clad in various robes denoting rank. Their combined aura was strong; years of cultivation on the Three Islands had granted them vastly superior combat experience and strength compared to the mainlanders, the foundation of their confidence.

Yet Lu Yuan did not even glance their way.

Behind him, a blazing sun erupted. Waves of heat rolled forth like the morning sun rising over the earth. His heart beat like primordial war drums in everyone’s ears.

The ships trembled, cracks appearing along their hulls. The force was immense.

But Elder Ji and the others felt nothing. The disciples rushing forward were directly impacted, their bodies cracking, blood spilling into the sea. In mere moments, over a hundred were killed outright.

They were like moths to a flame—not fire, but a living volcano.

Zhao Yuan, Zhang Yun, and the others, already wounded, did not last a moment longer. Their bodies exploded, buried beneath the waves.

From Lu Yuan’s descent to now, less than a minute had passed. Many of the Three Immortal Islands’ disciples lay dead or wounded. The only one still capable of fighting was the Grand Elder of Penglai himself. Though grievously injured, his bones shattered, he still stood.

"How is this possible? How?" He was utterly dumbfounded.

Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and the others were equally stunned. To them, the Golden Body realm was invincible, and the troublesome Three Islands’ disciples formidable. Yet before the Land King, they had no resistance.

They were shocked beyond words, knowing Lu Yuan was strong but never imagined he could reach such heights.

Gazing at the corpses, the bloodied sea, and then at Lu Yuan not far away, their souls trembled with fear and rage. "Do you know what you have done?"

"What have I done?" Lu Yuan laughed. "I was just trying to reason with you."

(End of chapter)