Chapter 489: The Beating from the Fairy

At noon, above the five continents of Honghuang, at Nantianmen.

Sunlight scattered across the sea of clouds, where no insects or birds dared to fly; yet the drifting clouds formed a wondrous sight, and the gentle breeze carried its own enchanting rhythm.

A streak of golden light shot rapidly from the northwest, appearing like an arrow piercing the clouds, covering the distance in an instant to reach within a hundred li of Nantianmen, leaving Qiankun far behind.

The golden light vanished abruptly, transforming into a tall, slender figure standing proudly a hundred li from Nantianmen.

Behold this immortal!

With sword-like eyebrows, narrow eyes, and a hooked nose, his gaze flashed like lightning and his heart brimmed with arrogance.

He wore a grand golden cloak that embodied the prestige of the Fengzu, a jade crown adorned with golden beads on his head, and golden-patterned white-winged boots on his feet. He smirked coldly at Nantianmen, his sharp chin raised slightly, as if his nostrils were "gazing ahead."

Tremble, Heaven!

"Ha, achoo..."

At Nantianmen, a gate-guarding tianjiang couldn't help but yawn and stretch lazily.

A hundred li away, the incoming bird furrowed his brow and began to survey the situation at Nantianmen...

Something was off. Why were there no additional guards? Why were only soldiers of the Tianxian and Zhenxian levels stationed here?

Could it be that the Tianting hadn't heard the news he had spread?

That didn't make sense. The conversation between the Shuishen and Dongmu Gong had circulated through various marketplaces, clearly indicating that he, Jinchi Dapeng, was coming here.

Attacking the weak would disgrace the honor of the Fengzu!

The state of Nantianmen was surely a trap...

The hour of noon had arrived, and he had already shown himself. How could he not enter?

Jinchi Dapeng snorted lightly, flicked his cloak, and his figure surged toward Nantianmen.

He intended to fly straight into the heavenly gate in full view of these tianbing and tianjiang, showcasing his incredible speed and leaving them utterly helpless!

Dapeng spreads its wings!

Jinchi Dapeng's figure turned into a golden line, rushing toward the gate!

In mere moments, he had covered ninety li and was about to enter the gate, when a sword's hum echoed from above Nantianmen, forcing Jinchi Dapeng's figure to swerve sharply to the left.

The entire sequence happened in the blink of an eye, leaving the gate-guarding tianbing and tianjiang no time to react.

Even a certain shen hidden in the shadows, in the form of an ordinary paper daoist, could only barely catch a vague afterimage.

Buzz—

From Nantianmen, the Zhanyao Sword emitted waves of purple light, its sword beam striking like a ribbon toward Jinchi Dapeng's figure.

Alas...

Though the sword light was incredibly swift, it was still three parts slower than Jinchi Dapeng's current speed, and it seemed he would easily evade it.

Jinchi Dapeng even turned his head to glance back, a mocking smile playing at his lips.

So this is the sword of the Tian Emperor—nothing special. He hadn't even revealed his true form yet, merely flying in human shape, and the sword light couldn't even catch up. How could it guard...

Jinchi Dapeng suddenly jolted in alarm, looking down to see that he had unwittingly entered a barrier.

Thick Tian dao power surged from all sides, and below, the clouds stretching a hundred li formed a pattern of yin-yang taiji!

Qiankun was like a cage, now compressing his dao body...

At that very moment, the sword beam from the Zhanyao Sword shot toward him, grazing his cheek and leaving a shallow blood mark.

From below and at Nantianmen, the dense Tian dao power gradually faded.

Jinchi Dapeng stood frozen, feeling the shock and helplessness from that near-fatal blow.

This...

Jinchi Dapeng took a deep breath, staring intently at Nantianmen.

What should he do?

He had already boasted so boldly. If he couldn't even enter the gate and had to retreat in defeat, wouldn't his reputation as a Fengzu be utterly ruined? How could he, Jinchi Dapeng, show his face again?

In the distance, Nantianmen stood tall, built of white jade amid the clouds, with the three divine swords hanging above it, now returned to their plain and unadorned state.

Jinchi Dapeng was deep in turmoil.

What he didn't know was that within Nantianmen, in a sea of clouds concealed by the innate treasure Taiji Tu, Li Changshou and Qin Tianzhu were watching the scene...

And laughing.

"Changgeng, you're really going all out for him, using an innate treasure like that."

"Your Majesty, please don't think that way. Jinchi Dapeng is still a son of the original Feng, so let's consider it a sign of respect to the original Feng."

Li Changshou chuckled. "This humble god placed hundreds of recording orbs near Nantianmen, arranged in the style of the ancient Yaoting's Zhoutian Xingdou Great Array, just to set up this trap.

With footage like what just happened, the Tianting's prestige won't suffer.

We're teaching this fellow a lesson today, and if possible, we'll try to subdue him so his speed can serve the Tianting.

If he's too defiant and escapes in the end, we won't be worse off..."

Flipping the situation? Not a chance.

Qin Tianzhu gave a thumbs-up and asked, "What if he gets angry and attacks our soldiers?"

Li Changshou said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this humble god will act at any time.

I borrowed the Taiji Tu from my teacher precisely to prevent him from causing chaos in a fit of rage."

"Excellent!"

Qin Tianzhu nodded in satisfaction, his eyes lighting up. "Here he comes again. That guy's at it again."

Outside Nantianmen, Jinchi Dapeng remained in human form, returning to a hundred li away with just two swift movements, his cloak fluttering.

He panted heavily, his eyes burning with fighting spirit, fixed dead on the three divine swords above the gate.

I'll go for it!

As long as I fly fast enough, the divine swords won't catch me!

Jinchi Dapeng, who had never suffered such humiliation since birth, wouldn't back down—even if Kunpeng himself showed up, it wouldn't matter!

Divine ability: Feng!

Wait a minute... what are these tianbing and tianjiang doing?

"Why isn't the relief shift here yet?"

A middle-aged tianjiang guarding the gate complained.

As soon as he spoke, figures flew in from within Nantianmen, quickly taking over the defense positions.

A newly arrived tianjiang declared loudly, "By order of the Shuishen, the three divine swords are to be taken to the Shuishen residence for blade maintenance. Please escort them there."

As he spoke, the new tianjiang bowed deeply to the three divine swords on Nantianmen.

Qin Tianzhu discreetly waved his fingers, and the three swords slowly descended, escorted away by several tianjiang and a team of tianbing.

Jinchi Dapeng: ...

He arrived at Nantianmen only moments ago and was stunned for the second time.

His mind, honed through years of swift flight, was struggling to process this...

Was the Tianting tearing down its own walls?

No, this was the Shuishen provoking him!

The Shuishen was clearly humiliating him, assuming he couldn't overcome the Tian dao power!

A cross vein bulged on Jinchi Dapeng's forehead. He clenched his fists, tempted to leave, but then thought better of it... If he retreated now, his reputation would be in tatters, and the Fengzu would become a joke across the realms.

What a cunning Shuishen!

Forcing him into a corner like this!

Jinchi Dapeng narrowed his eyes, thinking deeper.

The Shuishen must have anticipated that he would fight for the Fengzu's dignity, so there was surely a net of traps waiting inside.

Even if it meant facing a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, he, Jinchi Dapeng, would charge in today!

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Jinchi Dapeng suddenly laughed, standing on the clouds and staring at Nantianmen from a hundred li away, his voice echoing for miles:

"Shuishen! Even if your divine powers are vast, even if you control everything, even if I am no match for you, today I accept your challenge!

This heavenly gate, I, Jinchi Dapeng, will breach it!

Watch me reach Guanghan Palace—can you stop me?"

Jinchi Dapeng's figure darted forward, turning into a golden line that instantly pierced through Nantianmen and vanished into the clouds.

The tianbing and tianjiang guarding the gate were still scanning the area outside, trying to locate the source of the voice, when the golden line had already sped past, too fast for even their xian knowledge to detect.

If we disregard Qiankun shifting techniques, Jinchi Dapeng truly deserved his title of ultimate speed—but...

Qin Tianzhu muttered, "Did he just admit defeat to you? Now he's charging in like he's ready to die?"

Li Changshou rubbed his brow. "The Fengzu's defeat back then was well-deserved."

"Indeed," Qin Tianzhu tsked, "they lost fair and square."

"Your Majesty, I'll head to my other incarnations now to keep an eye on this guy, in case he hurts anyone."

"Go ahead," Qin Tianzhu said with a smile and a shake of his head, waving his fingers lightly to return the three divine swords to their place above Nantianmen.

Now, Li Changshou's mind shifted among his paper daoist bodies, steadily tracking Jinchi Dapeng's figure.

After entering the Tianting, Jinchi Dapeng stayed fully alert, holding back three-tenths of his speed for emergency evasion.

But soon after flying in, he was stunned again...

Everything was peaceful, with no sign of any battle formations. Though the Tianting was no longer desolate, vast expanses of empty cloud seas remained.

Jinchi Dapeng spread his xian knowledge and saw immortal maidens dancing in distant pavilions, groups of tianbing drilling in formations on clouds, and gods gathering in leisure pavilions for wine and song...

Coincidentally, his xian knowledge also detected several overwhelming pressures in three directions—surely the locations of Doushuai Palace, Lingxiao Baodian, and Yaochi.

"Looks like I'll have to go this way," Jinchi Dapeng muttered to himself, fully aware, and dared not approach those three spots.

He was here to make a name for himself in the Tianting, mock the Shuishen, and send a message to the Western teachings—not to court death.

How could he provoke the incarnation of the strongest saint?

The Tian Emperor and Wangmu were the rulers of the Tianting and could freely wield Tian dao power. He had already experienced the might of the Zhanyao Sword, with his cheek still stinging, so he wouldn't go near them.

Jinchi Dapeng smiled faintly.

As long as he reached Guanghan Palace and saw the Heng'e immortal, he wouldn't need to be too forward—just embrace her waist and steal a kiss, then leave with style...

Ha ha ha ha!

The roving son of the Three Realms is none other than I, the Feng; Jinchi Dapeng's glory shall spread!

Suddenly, a voice transmitted: "Hey, General, why the silly grin? What's the rush flying so fast?"

Jinchi Dapeng halted instantly, his body tensing like hackles raised, and he looked toward the source of the voice. In the cloud sea ahead stood a desolate immortal mountain...

At its peak, a burly figure in gray robes, with horns on his head and a steel ring in his nose, sat by a fire roasting chicken wings, a wine pot beside him.

A master.

Jinchi Dapeng immediately sensed the pressure from this yaomo, especially from the nose ring, which made his spiritual senses jolt.

Qingniu puzzled, "What's with you, General? Is barbecuing not allowed here?"

"And you are?"

"Just a minor figure in the Tianting," Qingniu waved it off, following the script he'd memorized, and laughed heartily. "What's your name, General?"

Jinchi Dapeng was about to introduce himself but hesitated slightly. "You don't need to know. Where is Guanghan Palace?"

"Guanghan Palace? Fly that way, straight ahead.

You'll reach the boundary between the sixth and seventh heavens, where there's a signpost marking the direction."

Qingniu chuckled. "Going to see Heng'e? Don't get your hopes up—she's hard to spot. Sneaking a peek at the Chang'e is lucky enough."

"Hmph!"

Jinchi Dapeng snorted coldly, bowed slightly to Qingniu, and said, "I never expected a great yaomo like you, Senior, to join the Tianting."

With that, his figure turned into a burst of golden light, streaking across the sky and avoiding Qingniu as he sped away.

Qingniu grumbled, "What kind of general are you, cursing at a cow? You're the yaomo!"

Jinchi Dapeng heard the fading scolding behind him and smirked, dismissing it as the cow's last bit of pride.

Wait, isn't Taishang Laojun's mount also a cow?

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Jinchi Dapeng's figure paused again. He was now in the clouds at the junction of the two heavens, spotting the floating signpost.

It had two wooden arrows pointing upward, one northwest and one northeast.

The northwest arrow read: Leading to Taiyin Star.

The northeast arrow read: Leading to Tianfa Hall.

Jinchi Dapeng frowned, realizing the problem wasn't simple.

What a clever Shuishen, using such deceitful tactics here.

Jinchi Dapeng smiled again, recalling the warnings from the Western teachings' saint disciples.

They said the Shuishen was treacherously cunning and to be careful, that he schemed against opponents' minds, and to just charge ahead without overthinking...

Nonsense!

An ordinary bird here might go against the signs and head toward Tianfa Hall.

A smarter bird might go against that and follow the signs.

But he, the son of the original Feng, the fastest in the Three Realms, the unique Honghuang beast Jinchi Dapeng—how could he fall for this?

The signpost was freshly carved, the ink still wet, and it carried a faint trace of the Taiji Dao rhythm. It must have been set up by the Shuishen just recently!

There's only one true path!

Jinchi Dapeng looked up at the "angle line" between the two signpost arrows, smirking coldly as his figure shot forward, smashing the signpost!

This is the way to Taiyin Star!

Bang—

A thousand li away, the cloud sea churned.

Jinchi Dapeng flew so fast he couldn't react in time and collided with a mass of clouds, rebounding from the Tian dao power and spitting blood.

The clouds dispersed from the impact, revealing a translucent pale-golden barrier behind...

The great array at the edge of the Tianting!

Fengzu profanity!

Jinchi Dapeng glanced around, his wings trembling, and slunk back to where the signpost had been.

After pondering and scanning with his xian knowledge for a while, he finally...

Headed in the direction the signpost had indicated for Taiyin Star.

In Lingxiao Baodian, the large bronze mirror displayed this scene to the assembled immortals and gods.

Someone couldn't hold back and let out a chuckle, filling the hall with a joyful atmosphere.

Li Changshou's paper daoist stood there, eyes closed in meditation, with a faint smile.

A moment later...

It's a trap, definitely a trap.

Unknowingly, Jinchi Dapeng's vigilance had reached its peak.

He flew almost unhindered along the way and was now nearing Taiyin Star from the edge of the eighth heaven, able to see the great star orbiting in the sky.

But Jinchi Dapeng hesitated.

Why was there no defense from the Tianting?

Why were there so many oddities along the path, even signposts guiding him?

Why did the Shuishen remove those three divine swords?

Simple—the Shuishen wanted to strike when he let his guard down!

At the moment of near success, when his mind relaxed, launch a sudden attack!

All of the Shuishen's schemes were on Taiyin Star!

No, that wasn't right...

If he reached Taiyin Star, the Shuishen would have already lost half the battle. The Shuishen was a master of calculation, so the ambush was likely before Taiyin Star.

In that case, if he circled around from the back and approached Taiyin Star unnoticed from the other side...

Jinchi Dapeng smiled confidently, manifesting faint wings on his back, lightly tapping his toes to create a suppressed sonic boom, darting through the sky and circling to the far side of Taiyin Star.

The back of Taiyin Star was a vast expanse of pale "sand sea," dotted with a patch of light green forest...

Jinchi Dapeng sensed an unusual fluctuation in Qiankun here—perhaps a powerful array.

He didn't dare be careless, landing slowly at the edge of the sand sea and trying to fly toward the front, only to find Qiankun sealed on all sides. The front and back of Taiyin Star were separated by an invisible wall, with a dangerous aura circulating on it.

Only that forest...

Jinchi Dapeng thought for a moment, kept his figure ethereal, and approached the forest, spotting a stone tablet.

This place has no secret passage to Guanghan Palace.

What a ridiculous trap!

Only a fool would fall for it!

But Jinchi Dapeng... hesitated.

Layer upon layer of thoughts swirled in his mind as he hid in the sand sea, silent for a long time.

From some point earlier, reaching Guanghan Palace had become an obsession. Even just touching Heng'e's hand would mean he hadn't lost to the Shuishen...

Fengzu, the divine fire never extinguishes!

Jinchi Dapeng's nostrils twitched again, and he stepped forward, striding into the forest...

To his surprise, there really was a secret passage, emanating faint water essence power, with a shrinking-earth array ahead, allowing one step to cover hundreds of li!

Cautiously, checking every step, Jinchi Dapeng flew slowly to the end of the path, somehow ending up upside down, on the other side of Taiyin Star...

He righted himself and looked up, finding himself in what seemed to be a dry well.

Outside, there must be heavy guards.

But only by breaking through could Jinchi Dapeng truly make his name in Honghuang!

Fengzu secret technique, prepare to...

At the top of the well, Jinchi Dapeng stopped, hovering three zhang in the air, stunned.

Dance pavilions and singing platforms, winding paths through secluded areas, with a canopy of giant trees overhead.

No ambushes lurked around, no mechanisms in sight—only a sturdy great array beyond the surrounding walls.

"Lingzhuzi, be a good boy and open the gate."

A pleasant humming came from the side.

Jinchi Dapeng turned toward the sound and saw a cute and spirited young girl, carrying a basket of carrots, hopping from the vegetable garden...

"Huh?"

The girl tilted her head, noticing Jinchi Dapeng in mid-air. She froze for a moment, then her face paled, and she screamed, "My lady! A man has broken in! My lady!"

"Quiet!"

Jinchi Dapeng shouted, his figure flashing as he reached out to seize the girl.

At that instant!

A cold hum exploded beside Jinchi Dapeng's ear, making his spiritual senses jolt and his hairs stand on end, his speed plummeting!

Qiankun pressed in from all sides, as if he had plunged into a quagmire!

—The Taiji Tu exerted its hidden power.

Jinchi Dapeng assumed he was locked by some divine ability and turned in shock...

A flash of white shadow passed, and a peerlessly elegant immortal stood before the girl, her exquisite face cold as ice, her eyes gleaming with aqua-blue light.

A master!

Jinchi Dapeng tried to reveal his true form, but the immortal's strike was too swift. Her delicate hands quickly formed nine mudras, using an ancient human battle art.

Jinchi Dapeng clearly felt a trace of the years' great dao being invoked by this woman!

Even just a trace was enough to stir massive waves in his heart. In that instant, his speed was completely nullified, his forward momentum as slow as a snail.

He couldn't even manifest his true form!

The immortal's long hair danced, her expression emotionless as she pushed her left palm forward, nine aqua-blue rings blooming from her palm and binding Jinchi Dapeng's nearly immobilized figure.

"Seal!"

Jinchi Dapeng's vision darkened, his yuan Shen confined and his dao body locked. The golden peng shadow that had appeared around him was forcibly dispersed by the nine rings.

With a flick of her sleeve, the immortal sent the bound Jinchi Dapeng flying over the wall and through a gap that opened in the great array, tumbling onto the grassy ground.

A large axe swung from the side, its blade grazing Jinchi Dapeng's ear and severing strands of his hair, embedding in the grass.

Jinchi Dapeng's dao heart trembled as he sensed another master's pressure, with the other showing no restraint in their killing intent.

At the edge of his vision, a muscular man strode forward, his eyes bloodshot.

The man growled, "My lady, shall I dismember him or burn him?"

From inside the wall came a cold reply: "Make soup."

Jinchi Dapeng wasn't just frightened—he was furious, and he fainted on the spot.

In Lingxiao Baodian, the immortals and gods watching this scene in the bronze mirror fell silent.