Chapter 145: The Ancestral Patriarch of Mount Mao

The sound fell like a thunderclap, laden with a furious, overwhelming rage that shook every disciple of the Maoshan Sect to their core. Yet, their shock quickly gave way to wild elation, for the voice was all too familiar, instantly bringing Lan Chenzi to their minds. In their eyes, with Grand Master Lan making a move, defeating Jiang Xiaofei and restoring the honor of the Maoshan Sect was an absolute certainty.

With this thought, they surged with exhilaration, some even crying out aloud.

"Grand Master Lan! Grand Master Lan!"

In an instant, the atmosphere boiled with excitement, entirely sweeping away the previous oppression.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xiaofei and his companions all frowned upon hearing the voice. Turning their gazes toward the source, they saw Lan Chenzi stepping through the void. The aura he exuded was nothing less than that of the peak Dao-Extreme Realm. If that were all, it might have been manageable, but trailing directly behind Lan Chenzi were nine elderly figures.

Those nine elders possessed the ethereal deportment of immortals. Every movement they made resonated with the momentum of heaven and earth. Especially when standing abreast, they forged a truly intimidating presence.

With every step they took, a mighty wave of Daoist might rippled outward. The convergence of those nine distinct waves of Dao power was utterly terrifying, causing the very void to shudder as if attempting to intimidate Jiang Xiaofei and the others!

Sensing this, not only did Jiang Xiaofei's expression turn grave, but the Corpse King also felt a deep sense of trepidation. While he could manage one or two peak Dao-Extreme Realm cultivators, facing ten such powerhouses simultaneously brought immense pressure even to him. He immediately spoke up, "We cannot win this. Let's flee!"

"Agreed," Jiang Xiaofei replied with a nod, then grabbed the hands of Jun Yao and the Ghost King, plunging straight into the void.

However, Lan Chenzi sneered coldly at that moment, "You take lives and think you can just run? There is no such logic. Since you are here, you might as well stay forever!"

The moment those words dropped, Jiang Xiaofei and the others changed expression, feeling the crushing weight of pressure bear down upon them. Ahead of them, a barrier materialized, completely blocking their path. Not only that, but a colossal hand descending from the heavens pressed down from above.

The descending palm overturned the surrounding void entirely, bringing with it a horrifying, overwhelming might.

Feeling this, Jiang Xiaofei wore a grim expression and immediately met the attack with an open palm, striving to block it. Seizing the momentary opening, he hurriedly shouted to Jun Yao, "I'll hold the rear. You all go first!"

"No, if we go, we go together," Jun Yao shook her head, her expression resolute.

Seeing Jun Yao's stubbornness, Jiang Xiaofei didn't waste time arguing. He looked toward the Corpse King and said, "I leave it to the Corpse King to safely escort them both to the Underworld!"

The Corpse King chuckled and shook his head. "Aren't you underestimating this king a bit too much? We live together, and we die together. At worst, I'll just risk this old life of mine!"

"Very well," Jiang Xiaofei nodded slightly, his gaze tightening as he locked onto Lan Chenzi and the others. "Since you insist on blocking our exit, this king will simply slaughter the lot of you!"

"Such arrogant words!" Lan Chenzi sneered coldly. "Boy, even if you possess some tricks, you are bound to die today in front of the Ten Paragons of Maoshan. However, if you obediently surrender yourself, perhaps we can leave your corpse intact; otherwise, we will reduce you to ashes." At this, Lan Chenzi's eyes darkened menacingly.

"Junior brother, why waste breath on him? Just kill him outright," a half-white-haired elder interjected at that moment. Every gesture he made carried a supreme aura, one that expanded outward and caused the surrounding space to warp and tremble.

This caused Jiang Xiaofei to frown deeply. Judging by this aura, the opponent was far from an ordinary peak Dao-Extreme Realm cultivator—he had undoubtedly reached perfection. How could Jiang Xiaofei possibly contend with such a powerhouse, especially when the enemy was not alone? This brought an unprecedented level of immense pressure upon him, catching him entirely off guard.

Yet, making him yield was equally out of the question. He let out a deep, resolute shout, "Even if we fall in battle here at Maoshan, you old fossils won't have an easy time of it either!"

"Intent on fighting to the death, are you?" Lan Chenzi sneered derisively. "Even with your astonishing combat prowess, you are utterly insignificant before the Ten Paragons of Maoshan. Since you wish to test us, let me show you the true power of the Ten Paragons."

As his voice trailed off, Lan Chenzi threw out a heavy palm strike. Though it was merely a single strike, it contained immense, boundless might, forming a domain-like battlefield beneath his palm that pressed down directly upon Jiang Xiaofei and his group.

As the domain battlefield descended, Jiang Xiaofei immediately felt a heavy burden. Jun Yao gripped the Ghost King's hand even tighter, while the Corpse King's battle intent soared to the heavens. With a sweep of his large hand, the Demonic Dragon Spear materialized, directly confronting the domain battlefield, though the two forces remained locked in a stalemate for the moment.

Seeing this, Jiang Xiaofei also made his move. With a sweep of his arms, vast torrents of black and white vital energy surged forth, converging before transforming into a Yin-Yang Dual-Polarity Spell Seal to fend off the domain.

At the same time, Jun Yao acted as well. With a wave of her delicate hand, massive waves of ten-thousand-year-old ghostly energy roared out, turning into a gigantic ghostly hand that struck fiercely against the domain battlefield.

Bang!

Instantly, under the combined force of the three attacks, the domain battlefield began to fracture.

Yet, just as the domain battlefield teetered on the verge of collapse, nine more domain battlefields pressed downward.

The descent of those nine domain battlefields felt like nine layers of heaven, forging layer upon layer of crushing pressure. The overlapping forces possessed the weight of billions of tons, directly shattering the three counter-attacks.

Immediately afterward, a devastating wave of pressure descended, bearing down heavily upon Jiang Xiaofei and the others.

Under this crushing weight, everyone's expressions turned grave.

Without hesitation, Jiang Xiaofei channeled the black and white energy within him, causing it to surge forth frantically to resist the domain. However, the might of the nine domain battlefields was too astonishing, rendering his resistance futile. Even with three of them combining their strengths, it remained an uphill battle.

Instantly, engulfed by the overwhelming pressure of the nine domain battlefields, Jiang Xiaofei and his companions were completely trapped within.

Seeing this, Lan Chenzi burst into loud laughter. "Now do you realize the true power of the Ten Paragons of Maoshan? To think the three of you actually dared to fight against us—what utter delusions of grandeur!"

Jiang Xiaofei wore an ugly expression, but he had no choice but to endure the overwhelming might of the ninefold domain. It was probably comparable to Young Master Changyuan's Netherworld Heaven-Locking Domain, yet it still lacked that tiny trace of the Divine Dao's laws of creation. As long as those divine laws were absent, breaking the domain's rules was not entirely impossible; it was simply troublesome to dismantle nine domains at once.

With this realization, Jiang Xiaofei hesitated no longer. He immediately summoned the Phoenix True Fire within his body to incinerate the domain.

At the same time, Jun Yao and the Corpse King utilized their raw power to shatter the domain, while the Ghost King also channeled her internal ghostly energy to strike at it. Though she knew her current state rendered her of little help, contributing even a sliver of strength was better than nothing.

Outside the domain, watching Jiang Xiaofei and his companions' futile struggle, Lan Chenzi sneered, "Save your breath. You cannot break through these nine domains. You'd better surrender obediently! Perhaps we'll show mercy and only execute the males while sparing the female."

"In your dreams," Jiang Xiaofei's gaze turned frosty as he continued his assault on the domain. Simultaneously, he retrieved the Heaven-Sealing Divine Talisman.

Drawing upon the power of the Heaven-Sealing Divine Talisman, he sought to rip open the domain.

Whoosh!

The power of the Heaven-Sealing Divine Talisman surged upward like a rainbow, as if aiming to pierce the very firmament.

Bang!

A deafening explosion shook the heavens.

Under the impact of the talisman's power, the domain battlefield began to crack and splinter, layer by layer.

That sight left Lan Chenzi staring in utter shock and disbelief. Not only him, but the other nine elders also changed expressions, their eyes flickering with undisguised greed.

Naturally, that greed stemmed from the Heaven-Sealing Divine Talisman in Jiang Xiaofei's possession. After all, that was a divine artifact; who could possibly resist the temptation of a true divine weapon?

Moreover, it was none other than the legendary Heaven-Sealing Divine Talisman itself.

What they simply could not comprehend was how such a divine artifact had fallen into the hands of a mere junior like Jiang Xiaofei.