Chapter 118: Looking Down from Above

Song Yue was only slightly surprised. He had known their destination, but he hadn't expected to encounter them so soon.

Gu Quan and his group, however, were caught completely off guard. They never imagined they would run into Song Yue here. Wasn't he supposed to be at home in seclusion, cultivating? Was that little girl lying? How infuriating! Are children these days really this good at telling lies?

Gu Quan was furious, feeling swindled. At the same time, he found Song Yue pathetic and unlucky. What good could come of appearing here at a time like this?

Sure enough, the young man in white with long hair caught sight of Song Yue, his gaze narrowing slightly as he asked Sun Chu, who stood beside him, "Is this the man? Song Yue?"

Sun Chu nodded. Although he had never met this rising star of the Management Bureau in person, he was already very familiar with him.

The young man in white glanced to his side. A young man dressed in a grey long-robe looked at Song Yue and said, "Come here. We have some questions for you."

At that moment, the sacrificial formation over there had already begun to operate. Under the terrifying power of the formation, those who had been thrown in were instantly ground into a mist of blood. The blood mist scattered, beginning to dissipate the horrifying colorful gas.

Song Yue hadn't looked closely at who had been thrown in, but in a fleeting glimpse, he realized they were Westerners. Regardless of who they were, the fact that Gu Quan and his companions were using living people as sacrifices to neutralize the lethal colorful energy filled Song Yue with rage.

Xiao Qi whispered, "Why do those people not seem like good guys?"

Song Yue sent a telepathic message to him: "You leave first."

Xiao Qi frowned slightly.

"Staying here will only hinder me."

Damn! He could have just said I was a burden.

Xiao Qi did not hesitate and silently turned to leave.

"You, come here too!"

The young man in the grey robe looked at Xiao Qi. Although there was some distance between them, his voice sounded as if it were ringing right in Xiao Qi's ear. Xiao Qi ignored him and continued walking forward.

Suddenly! A bright white light flew from the young man in the grey robe. It cut a long rainbow arc through the void and slashed straight at Xiao Qi's head.

Song Yue raised his hand and struck out with his palm.

Boom!

A sonic boom echoed through the air. A small flying sword, barely two inches long, was knocked away by Song Yue.

Song Yue's expression turned cold. "To strike out with a flying sword to take a life just because of a disagreement—isn't that going a bit too far?"

The young man in the grey robe looked surprised. The small sword traced a graceful arc in the air and flew back to him. He looked at Song Yue and said, "Both of you, come here!"

His tone was flat, devoid of any emotion. It was a condescending indifference, treating others like ants.

Song Yue understood that he shouldn't concern himself with these people. He and Xiao Qi had already gained what they came for, and there was nothing here worth lingering over. There was no real need to get into a conflict with this ruthless group. However, having just watched them toss a group of people into that terrifying colorful gas, and now seeing them resort to killing at the slightest provocation, their arrogance and disregard for human life made him truly furious.

Just then, Gu Quan shouted, "Song Yue, your superiors are here; won't you come and pay your respects? I contacted you this morning, and your people said you were in seclusion. Is this how you conduct your seclusion?"

Song Yue stopped and looked at Gu Quan from afar. "I don't quite understand what Director Gu means. Do I need your permission to decide where I go for seclusion?"

Gu Quan frowned. "Didn't I tell you I would bring you along to explore the secret realm? Why did you enter without permission?"

Song Yue laughed. "That’s strange. How would I know where the secret realm you wanted to bring me to is? This secret realm is in Hangzhou; is there a problem with me coming here to take a look? On the contrary, Director Gu, you’ve brought a group of outsiders here... and you're using human sacrifices. What's the meaning of this?"

Gu Quan said in a deep voice, "That is not for you to ask!"

Song Yue replied, "Fine, I won't ask. I'm leaving now. You carry on with your business!"

Gu Quan stared coldly at Song Yue and said, "The person beside me is Director Sun Chu! He is the Executive Deputy Director of the Ministry!"

Sun Chu remained silent, merely watching Song Yue, who stood in the distance and refused to approach.

Song Yue waved at Sun Chu. "Greetings, Director Sun. May you be well. Please continue with your work; I won't disturb you any further..."

As he spoke, he began to back away slowly, intending to get Xiao Qi out first. Simultaneously, he sent a telepathic message to Xiao Qi: "If a fight breaks out later, I'll hold them off. Don't think about anything else, just run. Once you're out, notify Qian Qianxue and Wen Rou. Tell them to go home immediately; I'll find them once I'm out."

Xiao Qi realized the gravity of the situation. Two big shots from the Management Bureau were clearly out to get Song Yue, and those impressive-looking young people who attacked with flying swords were clearly no ordinary cultivators.

He replied via telepathy: "Don't forget we still have the puppet army! If things get desperate, we'll fight!" In Xiao Qi's mind, if all else failed, they could just release those puppets and kill these bastards. He didn't believe that a massive army of puppets couldn't defeat these people.

"That would expose the fact that we've been inside the great tomb. You go. I'll deal with them. If I can't win, I'll run." Having the ability to leave the secret realm at any time, Song Yue was confident.

Xiao Qi understood that the puppets could not be easily revealed, so he signaled that he understood.

Song Yue walked toward the group, empty-handed and calm.

Just then, one of the young men frowned as he looked at the colorful gas at the entrance of the underground palace and said to the young man in white, "Senior Brother, those people were too weak. The spiritual energy from their blood sacrifice isn't enough to dissipate it!"

The long-haired young man in white replied, "Isn't that why these people have arrived?"

He then looked at Song Yue. "Are you going to walk over yourself, or should we throw you in?"

Song Yue ignored him and looked at Gu Quan and Sun Chu.

Gu Quan barked, "Get over there!"

Song Yue was almost amused to the point of laughter. This was the true face of the Management Bureau big shot who had previously shared tea with him and promised to help him "soar." He looked at Gu Quan and retorted, "Why don't you go?"

"I told you to go, so go! Why so much chatter? Do you really think you have any other choice?"

Things having reached this point, Gu Quan couldn't be bothered to keep up the charade. After this trip, they would follow these "Immortal Masters" into the cultivation world and embark on the path to immortality! What did the affairs of this mortal world—the right and wrong—have to do with him? It wasn't that he didn't know Song Yue's identity, nor that he was unaware of how powerful the young man was, but so what? Facing these Immortal Masters from the cultivation world, a mortal martial artist like Song Yue was nothing.

The smile on Song Yue's face vanished. He said indifferently, "I'll settle the score with you later."

"How audacious!" Gu Quan's face darkened instantly. Just as he was about to speak, a noble-looking woman standing nearby spoke up first: "A person with no respect for his elders is unlikely to have good character. Was it you who stole the medicinal herbs from the Western secret realm's garden? How else could you have promoted from a Grandmaster to a Great Grandmaster in such a short time?"

Song Yue was slightly startled. Were these people... from the Jade Tripod Sect of the cultivation world? But his mental power was exceptionally strong, and his emotions remained completely stable. He frowned and said, "What are you talking about? I have been to the Western secret realm and seen the garden, but it was occupied by the secret realm's inhabitants, and I couldn't get in at all. On the contrary, people from the Ou family of the Tianyue Star have been inside; everyone can testify to that."

The noble-looking woman said coldly, "Whether it was you or not doesn't matter anymore. Those weren't any great herbs worth mentioning anyway. You, however, can be used as a sacrifice..." As she spoke, she directly summoned a red silk ribbon.

It was over a dozen meters long, winding through the void like a red snake, lashing out to bind Song Yue. At the same time, a terrifying wave of mental energy crashed down, like a massive mountain, intending to pin Song Yue in place!

*Beautiful on the outside, but a snake-hearted woman,* thought Song Yue. *Not important, are they? I'll dig up your entire garden later!*

Song Yue channeled his Heavenly Venerable Mental Method to block the terrifying mental energy. He leaped into the air and, with a *bang*, grabbed the red silk ribbon. A powerful force surged through his arm.

The noble-looking woman shrieked, "Bind!"

Song Yue replied, "Hey!"

The noble-looking woman was so angry her face changed color. She exerted her terrifying will, trying to bind Song Yue and throw him into the sacrificial formation. Song Yue mobilized his "Galloping Thunder" energy, his entire body instantly surging with explosive, terrifying power. He analyzed the energy on the red ribbon and found its vital node.

He shook his hand while gripping the ribbon, and a crisp *snap* echoed in the air.

The next moment, the red silk ribbon shattered into a dozen pieces!

A look of astonishment appeared on the noble-looking woman's face. This Binding Immortal Ribbon was something even cultivators at the early stage of the Golden Core realm struggled against, yet it had been destroyed by a young mortal martial artist? It was one of her favorite magical artifacts!

She was furious and shrieked, "How dare you destroy my artifact! I'll have your life!" She took out a flying sword over a foot long and shot it toward Song Yue with incredible speed.

The flying sword was instantly in front of Song Yue, followed by a terrifying sonic boom in the void.

Song Yue smashed his fist into it!

With unparalleled bravery!

His fist was wreathed in terrifying thunder. It looked no different from before, but the power contained in this punch was far beyond what it had been. At this moment, Song Yue's understanding and structure of energy had reached a realm beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

With one punch, the surging, majestic energy shattered the flying sword! It broke into countless fragments that shot off in all directions.

The noble-looking woman coughed up a mouthful of blood. This was her natal flying sword! She had nurtured it with her own essence blood, and now that it was shattered, she had suffered a severe injury.

The others were shocked, their eyes filled with disbelief. The noble-looking woman was powerful, her cultivation already at the early stage of the Golden Core realm. She was usually ranked in the top ten of her generation in their sect, yet she had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of a mortal martial artist.

The long-haired young man in white did not move, but his calm expression turned slightly cold. He said indifferently, "No wonder you're so arrogant; you do have some strength. Mo Xue was right—those medicinal herbs must have been stolen by you!"

The grey-robed young man whose sword had been split by Song Yue earlier, along with another young man dressed in modern attire—a suit—attacked Song Yue together. The two launched fierce attacks, and the residual energy from their strikes blasted deep craters into the ground. Dust filled the sky, and rocks flew everywhere.

Song Yue did not go all out at the start; he wanted to see what their cultivation levels were. As soon as they clashed, he knew. They were indeed formidable enemies! The noble-looking woman and these two young men were all powerful cultivators at the Golden Core stage. If he hadn't just mastered the method of energy analysis and reorganization, he would likely have had to flee against such a group.

But now... Song Yue had no fear!

He punched the young man in the grey robe; his fist wind roared, and thunder flickered.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed. The young man's protective artifact was pierced, his energy shield shattered, and Song Yue's fist connected with his face. The grey-robed young man's head exploded on the spot. He hadn't even had time to summon his Golden Core before falling to the ground dead.

Everyone was stunned! A Martial Arts Grandmaster—on par with a "Piercing" stage cultivator—when had they become this terrifying?

Could he explode the head of an early-stage Golden Core expert with one punch?

The other young man let out a sorrowful roar: "You killed my Junior Brother! I'll fight you to the death!"

"Are you two lovers?" Song Yue replied coldly, and with a backhand, he launched a "Star-Splitting Palm."

The sky was filled with points of starlight, each containing energy that Song Yue had reorganized. Like the density of a celestial body, the higher the energy density, the greater the gravitational force, and naturally, the greater the power! As the starlight exploded, the young man in the suit was pierced as if by countless bullets. His white shirt was riddled with holes, and blood flowed out, quickly staining the white fabric red.

It was both gruesome and chilling! Looking closely, the starlight condensed from energy had actually pierced through his body, leaving him like a sieve! The young man in the suit was also dead.

In the blink of an eye, two Golden Core cultivators had perished. Song Yue, however, remained calm and collected, as if he hadn't expended any effort at all.

This scene left Sun Chu and Gu Quan stunned! What was happening? These "Immortal Masters" from the cultivation world, whose mere thoughts could control powerful figures like Constantine, were dying one after another at the hands of Song Yue?

My god! What level of cultivation was Song Yue actually at? Could a "martial artist"... really be this powerful? They had seen many Martial Arts Grandmasters, but none of them could ever possess such terrifying combat power!

The long-haired young man in white was also shocked by this sudden turn of events. Then, his eyes turned angry: "How dare you kill Immortal Masters from the cultivation world?"

Song Yue laughed out loud: "Immortal Master my foot! Have you been in the cultivation world so long you've gone soft in the head? Just because you come from the cultivation world, you're an Immortal Master? You're just a piece of trash, who do you think you are? Come here and die!"

The long-haired young man in white had never been insulted like this. His face flushed red with rage as he let out a roar and summoned a magical artifact. It was a purple-gold gourd. He aimed it at Song Yue, and a beam of white light erupted from it, shooting toward him!

The white light was silent, yet it made Song Yue's scalp tingle. His powerful mental energy allowed him to sense the danger in advance. He didn't choose to meet it head-on but instead utilized his "Green Duckweed Steps" to dodge to the side.

The previously injured noble-looking woman took the opportunity to strike with a primitive long sword, unleashing a terrifying sword aura that blocked Song Yue's path.

Song Yue raised his hand and punched!

Boom!

The sword aura collapsed, but the fist energy remained surging, slamming into the noble-looking woman. She was sent flying over a hundred meters, falling from the sky to the ground.

At this moment, the white light had already pursued him. Song Yue leaped hundreds of meters high to evade it, but the light seemed to have a mind of its own, as if it had eyes, and followed him relentlessly.

Seeing this, Sun Chu and Gu Quan both breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, *Thank heavens, there is finally something this brat is afraid of!* Otherwise, they were starting to doubt whether they would make it out alive today.

Sun Chu and Gu Quan could never have imagined that while Song Yue was indeed troubled by the white light, he was not as fearful as they had presumed. The reason he kept dodging and running was to test his lung capacity and "Kidney Qi"! Ever since that page of scripture entered his lungs and the "Dark Scripture" entered one of his kidneys, Song Yue had been unsure of their effects, but he could clearly feel the changes they were bringing. He wanted to test just how great these changes were.

Soon, Song Yue made a preliminary assessment: his physical capacity was now at least twice as strong as before. To outsiders, he looked disheveled as he dodged the white light, but he felt quite relaxed and not tired at all!

The long-haired young man in white was strong, and he soon realized that Song Yue was not as hard-pressed as he appeared. His eyes turned cold as he summoned another flying sword. The sword, no more than a centimeter long, spat out a sword aura dozens of meters long. It carried boundless killing intent, like a meteor, echoing the white light and joining in the attempt to grind Song Yue to death!

Song Yue casually drew his Dragon-Patterned Immortal-Slaying Blade and met the small flying sword head-on, invoking the "Eight Desolations Dao Scripture" to instantly structure his energy. The blade erupted with a brilliant light.

*Clang!*

The small flying sword was knocked away on the spot, but Song Yue's arm felt a slight numbness. This strike gave the white light an opportunity, and it seemed about to pierce through Song Yue's protective aura and his body.

Song Yue let out a roar, and his "Kidney Qi" surged violently; his entire mental energy peaked at an unprecedented level!

At this moment, the entire world slowed down. The white light was right behind him, and Song Yue could see it clearly. At the same time, he could sense even more—the page of scripture that had turned into countless characters had gathered together again, forming a shield hidden beneath his skin, blocking the area where the white light was about to pierce his body.

He could also clearly see the runes lighting up on his internal organs and skin, much brighter than before! He even knew that the "Dark Scripture" hidden in his kidney had snuck out and was hiding behind the reassembled scripture shield. If the white light pierced through the scripture, it would encounter the "Dark Scripture."

All of this... was sensed by Song Yue in an instant!

He felt as though someone had pressed the pause button on the world, and for the first time, he observed from this perspective the reactions his body produced the moment danger arrived. Like an incredibly complex and precise machine, many things were not even commands issued by his brain, yet they were completed in an instant!

Was this the instinct of a powerhouse? Or... did his body hold even more secrets?

Song Yue had no time to think. He lightly dodged the white light and charged toward the young man in white. He was the strongest; he wanted to test him.