Chapter 35: Returning Home

Gu Liuyun’s gaze sharpened instantly, like a drawn blade piercing the firmament. He knew that the true challenge had only just begun. A confident arc tugged at the corner of his mouth, and the spirit of battle ignited within him like a wildfire.

At this moment, Elder Zhao, acting as if suddenly invigorated, shed his previous timid demeanor as if he were an entirely different person. Stroking a non-existent beard and walking with a swagger, he approached Gu Liuyun with a facade of fawning, his tone laced with a subtle, undetectable malice: "Young Friend Gu, this barrier clearly harbors ill intent. Why don't I lend you a hand, and we can break it together?"

"Heh, you?" Gu Liuyun sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Keep your little schemes to yourself; don't make a fool of yourself. I, Gu Liuyun, have no need for your help."

Elder Zhao’s face shifted through a spectrum of colors, turning from green to white. He stood there awkwardly, like a clown stripped of his costume. The surrounding cultivators, witnessing this, couldn't help but silently applaud Gu Liuyun’s decisiveness. This was the true bearing of a powerhouse—unwavering, efficient, and merciless.

Seeing Gu Liuyun’s commanding presence, Chen Jiaojiao felt her admiration deepen. She clung to his arm, looking up at him.

"Let’s go. A minor scene like this is nothing to fear." Gu Liuyun gently patted the back of her hand, his tone brimming with confidence.

Just then, the barrier erupted in a dazzling light. A powerful aura surged forth, pressing down so heavily that the surrounding air hummed with a buzzing sound. Gu Liuyun’s eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed as he looked toward the source of the radiance. He saw…

A swarm of puppets poured from the barrier, thick as a plague of locusts, charging forward with menacing momentum. Their bodies gleamed with a metallic luster, and their joints clicked and clacked like demons from the underworld, a truly spine-chilling sight. Each puppet radiated a formidable aura; the weakest were at the Foundation Establishment stage, and several even emitted spiritual pressure comparable to the Nascent Soul stage!

"What the hell! What are these things? So many puppets!"

"Who set up this barrier? This is too ruthless!"

"It’s over, it’s over… we’re done for…"

The surrounding cultivators were terrified, scrambling to retreat for fear of being targeted by the puppets. The scene descended into chaos, as noisy as a wet market.

Gu Liuyun shielded Chen Jiaojiao behind him, facing the onslaught alone. He took a deep breath, feeling the immense pressure bearing down on him, his brows knit tightly. The puppets attacked with lightning speed and astonishing strength, each strike accompanied by a sonic boom, deafening as a thunderclap. Even with the memories of an Immortal Venerable, Gu Liuyun was forced into a defensive stance, struggling to keep pace.

"Gu Liuyun, be careful!" Chen Jiaojiao cried out anxiously, gripping his hand so tightly that her palms were slick with sweat.

Gu Liuyun remained silent, his focus sharpening. He searched for flaws within the gaps of the puppets' attacks, looking for any opening to strike back. The surrounding cultivators held their breath, terrified that even a sound might distract him.

Suddenly, a glimmer of insight flashed in Gu Liuyun’s eyes—he had found it! At the rear of the puppet army hovered a sphere emitting a faint light; it was the hub controlling them all.

"Now!" Gu Liuyun thought to himself.

Taking a deep breath, he channeled the meager spiritual energy left in his body and unleashed a powerful technique from the Immortal Venerable’s memories: the "Void-Piercing Divine Finger!"

A golden ray shot from his fingertip like a bolt of lightning, instantly tearing through space and striking the control hub head-on!

"Boom!"

With a thunderous crash, the hub was struck. Its light flickered erratically, and the puppets fell into disarray. Their movements became uncoordinated, and some even began to attack one another.

"Incredible! Who is this guy? To be so powerful!"

"This immortal technique—I’ve never heard of it, nor have I ever seen it!"

"We’re saved!"

The surrounding cultivators exclaimed in awe, the tense atmosphere easing slightly. Gu Liuyun’s mouth curled into a confident smile.

"Next…" His eyes hardened, his killing intent laid bare. "It’s my turn."

A wicked, charming smile played on his lips. Like a hunting leopard, he locked his gaze onto the struggling puppets. "Small fry, the warm-up is over. Time to send you on your way!"

With a flick of his toes, he darted through the puppet ranks like a phantom. Every strike was precise, like a sophisticated harvester reaping heads.

"Crack!" "Bang!" "Clang!"

Accompanied by the ear-piercing sound of shattering metal, the puppets burst like struck porcelain, falling into a heap of scrap metal scattered across the ground. The scene was spectacular and shocking, resembling a violent demolition. Gu Liuyun moved with lightning speed, leaving only streaks of afterimages behind. Every blow carried a heart-stopping power, and wherever he passed, puppets collapsed.

In less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, all the puppets had been reduced to a pile of scrap, lying silently on the ground as if narrating their former glory and current desolation. Gu Liuyun stood proudly in the center of the fray, his robes fluttering, looking like a god of war descended to earth. His aura was like a drawn blade—sharp, piercing, and awe-inspiring.

Elder Zhao and the others were dumbstruck, their faces pale as sheets, looking as if they had been struck by lightning. The arrogant, overbearing figures from moments ago now wilted like frost-bitten eggplants.

They could never have imagined that this seemingly ordinary young man possessed such terrifying strength! This was nothing short of a dimensional strike, pinning them to the ground and grinding them into the dust.

Feeling the surge of power within him, Gu Liuyun felt a surge of pride. "Is that it? And here I thought it would be something impressive. Utterly fragile!" He scanned the surroundings with a gaze that looked down upon the world, causing the surrounding cultivators to lower their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

Chen Jiaojiao looked at the man who stood like a deity before her, her eyes filled with enchantment and adoration, her cheeks flushed like a ripened apple. Unable to suppress the excitement in her heart any longer, she ignored the gazes of those around them and threw herself into Gu Liuyun’s embrace like a bird returning to the forest.

"Brother Liuyun, you were so amazing!" She held him tightly, feeling the warmth of his presence, her heart overflowing with sweetness. Gu Liuyun wrapped an arm around her slender waist, feeling the softness of her body, and a playful smirk tugged at his lips.

The surrounding cultivators watched this scene with eyes full of envy, jealousy, and bitterness, the air thick with the sour scent of sour grapes.

Just as everyone thought it was over and prepared to disperse, a massive projection appeared in the sky. As the image sharpened, it revealed an old man in Taoist robes, possessing the ethereal air of an immortal. His expression was stern.

"Who dares to violate the rules of the assembly!" The old man’s voice boomed like a bell, resonating throughout the entire gathering. It was as if a god were enraged, causing the eardrums of those present to ache.

Gu Liuyun raised an eyebrow, a flash of annoyance in his eyes. "Old man, who are you? Stop with the ghostly theatrics!"

"Hmph! How dare you be so insolent!" the old man shouted angrily. "I am the supervisor of this assembly. You have broken the rules and must be punished!"

"Punishment? Heh, I think you’ve gone senile in your old age!" Gu Liuyun sneered. "It was clearly someone else who set a trap, yet you invert right and wrong. It’s truly laughable!"

Gu Liuyun’s words were like a sharp sword piercing the old man’s heart. His face turned shades of green and white. He tried to retort, but found that Gu Liuyun’s aura was so overwhelming that it actually filled him with a sense of dread.

"Hmph! Consider yourself lucky!" The old man threw out a final threat, and his projection instantly dissipated, as if it had never been there at all.

The assembly was officially over. Gu Liuyun’s formidable strength left all the cultivators in awe. He had become the most dazzling new star of the gathering, and his name would soon spread far and wide across the cultivation world.

Yet, there was no joy in Gu Liuyun’s heart. He looked toward the direction of his clan. The internal strife of his family was fast approaching, and he had to be ready to weather the coming storm.