Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

The group from the Gourd Immortal Sect stepped off their boat, and immediately, a burly elderly man walked toward Venerable Huo Yun.

"Huo Yun, you old fiend, I didn't expect to see you here," the elderly man sneered. "Running short on materials for that Saint Body of yours?"

Venerable Huo Yun looked at him with cold eyes. "Zhao Huaishan, are you still holding a grudge because I killed a few of your disciples? If you are, come at me. I guarantee that if you manage to kill me, the Flame Palace will not pursue the matter."

Venerable Huo Yun could not be bothered to feign politeness with Zhao Huaishan, given the bad blood between them.

Zhao Huaishan’s expression darkened. With so many people watching, he could not afford to back down. However, he was not confident he could beat Venerable Huo Yun, let alone kill him. If he could, he would have done so long ago.

"What's the matter? Afraid?" Venerable Huo Yun pressed. "Come on, let's settle this here and now!"

With Lu Changsheng, Venerable Huo Yun had always been amiable and easygoing. And yet, he seemed like a different person with Zhao Huaishan, as though every trace of gentleness had vanished upon laying eyes on that person.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Venerable Huo Yun struck without warning, going straight for the kill. His three supreme major divine abilities locked onto Zhao Huaishan in an instant, surging toward him like a crushing tide.

"Huo Yun, you fiend! Don't you dare!" Zhao Huaishan's face went white.

But it was already too late. The terrifying force of those divine abilities had sealed off every path of escape. Even if Zhao Huaishan wanted to flee, he could not move.

In his panic, he shouted, "True One Qing Mo, Venerable Jing Yun, Huo Yun has gone too far!"

True One Qing Mo was from the Crimson Cloud Immortal Sect, the sect that had recruited Zhao Huaishan for this expedition to Void Spirit Mountain. Venerable Jing Yun, meanwhile, was the strongest Divine Ability martial artist recruited by the Crimson Cloud Immortal Sect for this expedition. He was also a supreme Venerable, no weaker than Venerable Huo Yun, and he had some old ties with Zhao Huaishan.

"Venerable Huo Yun." Venerable Jing Yun's voice cut in. "Void Spirit Mountain is about to open. To attack someone so recklessly at a time like this is rather excessive."

As soon as he spoke, a powerful aura surged into the air.

Boom!

Venerable Jing Yun unleashed his own divine abilities, and they collided with Venerable Huo Yun's attack.

The two supreme Martial Venerables clashed violently, and the subsequent shockwave swept outward in all directions, forcing many martial artists and True Ones to retreat to a safe distance.

"How terrifying. Both Venerable Jing Yun and Venerable Huo Yun are undefeated supreme Martial Venerables, and both have cultivated major divine abilities. I've never seen them go head-to-head before."

"I wonder who is stronger..."

"Void Spirit Mountain hasn't even opened, and we already have two supreme Martial Venerables going at it. This won't be a casual expedition, that much is clear."

The crowd watched from a safe distance, buzzing with discussion. None of them dared to get close, and yet no one was willing to look away either.

True One Qing Mo of the Crimson Cloud Immortal Sect turned to True One Xuan Hu. "True One Xuan Hu, what's the meaning of this? Void Spirit Mountain hasn't even opened, and two great immortal sects are already at each other's necks?"

True One Xuan Hu shook his head. "You're exaggerating, True One Qing Mo. This is just a personal dispute between Venerable Huo Yun and Zhao Huaishan. The Gourd Immortal Sect's arrangement with him is short-term, purely to secure Core Dissolution Liquid. Beyond that, whatever grievances he carries are his own. We shall not interfere."

True One Qing Mo said nothing more. Indeed, this was a matter between martial artists, one that had little to do with either sect. If the Gourd Immortal Sect refused to involve itself, the Crimson Cloud Immortal Sect had no good reason to step in either.

When Zhao Huaishan saw that True One Qing Mo had no intention of helping, his expression changed, and he hurriedly retreated to Venerable Jing Yun's side.

After a few more blows with Venerable Huo Yun, Venerable Jing Yun frowned. "Huo Yun Venerable, you and I are evenly matched. Neither of us can do much to the other. If you've got a grudge against Zhao Huaishan, settle it after we leave Void Spirit Mountain."

Venerable Huo Yun looked over at Zhao Huaishan.

If they waited until after leaving Void Spirit Mountain, he would most likely lose his chance to kill Zhao Huaishan. But with the sects refusing to get involved, he had no way past Venerable Jing Yun either. And as long as Venerable Jing Yun protected Zhao Huaishan, he would not be able to get to Zhao Huaishan.

However, Venerable Huo Yun was not about to give up. He was a hot-tempered individual, and once he marked someone for death, he would see it through.

Then his gaze shifted to Lu Changsheng, who was standing nearby. "Fellow Daoist Lu, help me hold off Venerable Jing Yun. I'll give you thirty drops of Heavenly Spirit Water."

Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. Thirty drops of Heavenly Spirit Water! That's equivalent to three hundred thousand spirit stones!

Venerable Huo Yun had always been generous. As a renowned Martial Venerable from the prestigious Flame Palace, thirty drops was pocket change to him. But while the cost was negligible to Huo Yun, the payout was significant enough to honor Lu Changsheng's status. It wasn't a patronizing handout; it was a respectful payment that Lu Changsheng could accept with his head held high.

"Fellow Daoist Huo Yun, consider it done!" Lu Changsheng happily agreed.

Hearing this, Venerable Jing Yun's expression shifted slightly. But before he could react, Lu Changsheng appeared directly in front of him and blocked his path.

In the next moment, Venerable Huo Yun appeared in front of Zhao Huaishan and attacked him.

"Fellow Daoist Jing Yun, help me!" Zhao Huaishan cried desperately.

However, with Lu Changsheng standing between him and Venerable Jing Yun, there was nothing that could be done for him.

At this moment, Zhao Huaishan could only hope that Venerable Jing Yun would defeat this unknown martial artist quickly enough to save him. In his view, that couldn't be difficult. Venerable Jing Yun could easily defeat any ordinary Divine Ability martial artist, and even the strongest among them would be no match for him unless they had reached the level of a Martial Venerable.

Venerable Jing Yun's patience finally began to wear thin. "Venerable Huo Yun! Have you no respect for me at all?"

He barely spared Lu Changsheng a glance. In his eyes, only Venerable Huo Yun was worth calling an opponent. Everyone else was far beneath his attention.

But just as Venerable Jing Yun moved to stop Venerable Huo Yun once more, Lu Changsheng raised his hand.

Hum...

The surroundings instantly went dark.

Every head turned upward, toward the vast black vortex swelling in the air. Its depths seemed endless, as though it could devour everything beneath it.

"What is that?"

"Is that his divine ability?"

"Just looking at it makes my heart pound and my head spin."

"We're standing so far back, but I can still feel its crushing pressure. What kind of divine ability is this?"

The crowd reeled at the sight of Lu Changsheng's divine ability. At this point, it had covered half the sky and countless True Ones and Divine Ability martial artists felt a deep unease in their hearts, as if something heavy was pressing down on them.

Venerable Jing Yun, however, felt the pressure far more clearly than anyone else. Lu Changsheng's Mental Black Hole had locked directly onto him, and every instinct in his body warned him that death drew near.

A major divine ability? Venerable Jing Yun narrowed his eyes. No... it's stronger than that. A major divine ability wouldn't make my body react like this. It feels like I could die if I move even an inch.

His heart quivered as he stared at the enormous black vortex overhead. Lu Changsheng had not even launched an attack, yet he already felt as though a blade was pressed against his neck. Not even Venerable Huo Yun had ever made him feel so threatened.

For a moment, Venerable Jing Yun wondered whether the feeling was merely an illusion, but he dismissed the thought at once. There was no mistake about it: that black vortex contained enough power to kill him. But how could he, a supreme Martial Venerable, fall to some random nobody? It made no sense.

Well, in that moment, Venerable Jing Yun realized that Lu Changsheng was definitely not a random nobody. Indeed, Venerable Huo Yun would not have asked Lu Changsheng to prevent him from interfering unless he possessed extraordinary strength.