Chapter Forty: The Golden Flame and the Golden Order

Everyone, due to an error on my part, the wrong chapter was uploaded. Now, I have already uploaded Chapter Thirty-Eight, so you may go back and read it again. I am deeply grateful to fellow reader Zi Xiao for pointing out the mistake. Once again, Brother Yi Biao Qingcheng has rewarded me, and I cannot thank you enough. Because of this mistake, I feel I have let down all those who have supported me, so I will publish an extra chapter at noon today to express my gratitude.

“Hmph…” Once again, a cold snort drifted down from the sky.

Jiang Yan’s expression changed. That snort was like a mighty bell, its reverberations resounding in his mind, and a stifling oppression in his chest nearly burst forth from his throat.

Startled by this cold snort, the Aoki Art within Jiang Yan began circulating automatically, a faint glow shimmering over his skin as he resisted the immense spiritual pressure that poured down from above.

After a few cycles of spiritual power, Jiang Yan finally managed to expel the suffocating feeling in his chest, avoiding the ignominy of spewing blood at the gate of the Golden Flame Sect.

“Pfft…” By his side, Duo’er, lacking Jiang Yan’s profound cultivation, could not endure the suffocating pressure. After a brief struggle, she failed to dispel the oppressive force and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

A trace of worry flashed between Jiang Yan’s brows as he glanced at the disciples of the Violet Robe Sect in the distance. He saw that several of them were all seated cross-legged, faint wisps of white mist rising from their bodies, clearly circulating their energy to resist the overwhelming spiritual pressure that followed the cold snort.

Jiang Yan was surprised. Zi Su, as the chief disciple of the Violet Robe Sect and a cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Refining, was apparently faring worse than himself, who was only at the fifth level. Though puzzled, Jiang Yan still pressed his hand gently to Duo’er’s back, transferring a steady stream of Aoki Art spiritual energy into her.

Duo’er, clearly possessing only a meager cultivation, was unable to resist the crushing pressure as her senior sisters had done. Jiang Yan, thinking fondly of this little girl, promptly lent her his aid.

“Hoo…” With Jiang Yan’s help, Duo’er finally let out a long breath. The suffocating pressure that had nearly driven her to despair had frightened her greatly, and so she was deeply grateful for Jiang Yan’s assistance.

…

While tending to Duo’er’s injuries, Jiang Yan looked up toward the entrance of the Golden Flame Sect. The scene that met his eyes filled him with shock.

At the gates of the sect, carnage abounded. The plump disciple of the Golden Flame Sect lay sprawled on the ground, a patch of vivid red earth before him, dyed by the blood he had just coughed up.

Xu Shi fared even worse. Only moments before, he had been brimming with confidence, but now he knelt on one knee, hacking up mouthfuls of blood.

Beside Xu Shi stood Bai Da, his expression brimming with pride, utterly unaffected by the cold snort and the spiritual oppression. Watching Xu Shi spit blood, Bai Da sneered, “Xu Shi, weren’t you so high and mighty? How dare you insult my granduncle? Truly reckless! My granduncle is a Foundation Establishment master—how could you provoke someone like him?”

“Cough, cough…” Xu Shi was too busy spitting blood to pay Bai Da any mind.

“Xu Shi, aren’t you supposed to be incredible? You don’t even show respect to my granduncle! Hmph, what are you to boast about?”

A familiar voice suddenly rang in Jiang Yan’s ear from above. He looked up in astonishment and saw, above the Golden Flame Sect’s ceremonial gate, a white-headed wild goose slowly beating its great wings. Standing atop the bird was none other than an old acquaintance—Bai Lun.

Jiang Yan understood immediately: Bai Tong had returned with the Foundation Establishment master from the Golden Flame Sect. No wonder such an overwhelming spiritual pressure had descended—it was the wrath of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

“Cough, cough…” Xu Shi was still coughing blood, unable to pay attention to the white-robed Bai Lun overhead.

Seeing his elder brother arrive, Bai Da immediately understood that his granduncle had returned. He threw himself to the ground, crying, “Brother, granduncle, you must avenge me. Xu Shi not only beat me but also insulted you both. Granduncle, you must teach him a lesson.” As he spoke, pride and malice twisted his face.

“Hmph, Xu Shi, out of respect for your father, our senior brother, I’ve overlooked your usual rudeness. But today you dared insult me! It seems if I don’t punish you on your father’s behalf, you’ll never know your place.”

The aged and indifferent voice fell from the sky—it was Bai Tong. Hearing Bai Da’s complaint, and recalling the long-standing resentment he held toward Xu Shi’s father, Bai Tong’s anger erupted. Standing in midair, he shouted coldly.

“Cough, cough…” Xu Shi spat another mouthful of blood and finally collapsed into a sitting position.

Looking up at the wild goose floating in the sky, a sardonic smile appeared at the corner of Xu Shi’s lips. “Punish me? Hahaha, Uncle Bai, don’t make me laugh. It’s only because my father is injured and in seclusion, unable to deal with you, that you dare act like this. If my father were here, would you dare speak so brazenly?”

“Insolence!” An infuriated bellow resounded from above, and in the blink of an eye, Bai Tong, clad in grey with a white beard, appeared before everyone.

“Insolence!” Bai Tong, unable to contain his rage, cursed again and then waved his hand lightly toward Xu Shi.

Half-reclining on the ground, Xu Shi saw Bai Tong’s gesture and felt a tremendous force strike his chest like a hammer. With a cry, he coughed up a mouthful of blood and was flung backward.

Bai Tong’s face was clouded with anger as he ground out, “This time is but a minor punishment. If you dare speak out of turn again, I will not be so lenient.” Ever since Bai Tong had advanced to Foundation Establishment, almost no one dared scold him openly, not even Xu Shi’s father. Now, having to bear this insult, Bai Tong was nearly beside himself with rage.

The chubby disciple of the Golden Flame Sect stared at the white-bearded elder in terror—this was a Foundation Establishment elder, someone who could reduce him to ashes with a casual wave! With this thought, a warm wetness spread beneath him…

Bai Tong glanced in disgust at the overweight disciple lying at his feet, noticing the puddle by his side. Who had accepted such a useless disciple? What purpose did he serve the sect? Better to expel him at once.

With a thud, Xu Shi slammed into the ceremonial gate and landed before the entrance.

“For a minor sect’s advancement, the word of an elder is sufficient. But Xu Shi, you have no such authority. With your senior brother injured, you have even less.” Bai Tong gazed coldly at Xu Shi, whose chest was stained with blood.

…

In the distance, Duo’er, aided by Jiang Yan, finally managed to dispel the oppressive feeling within and let out a long breath. Jiang Yan, eyes closed, gathered his energy, while Duo’er turned to glance at him with gratitude.

Hearing Bai Tong’s rebuke, Duo’er turned and, seeing the unfortunate Xu Shi, could not help but protest, “How can that old man be so cruel? Senior Brother Xu only kicked that man once. How could he make him cough blood like that?”

Having finished regulating his breath, Jiang Yan opened his eyes just in time to hear Bai Tong declare that Xu Shi had no right to approve sect advancement. His heart skipped a beat.

“Bah…” Xu Shi spat a blood-flecked glob onto the ground, looking with disdain at Bai Tong. Before Bai Tong had attacked him, Xu Shi had felt some respect, but now, with pretenses cast aside, he no longer feared the white-bearded elder.

“Don’t get complacent, Bai Tong. My father is already at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. This injury has only deepened his understanding of transformation through adversity, and advancing to the late stage is within reach. When that time comes, don’t think you can just run away, Bai Tong. Hahahaha…”

“Late Foundation Establishment?” Bai Tong’s expression froze. Had the senior brother truly made a breakthrough? If so, Bai Tong realized with a start, he would fall another step behind. If the senior brother advanced yet again…

“Insolence!” Bai Tong jabbed a finger at Xu Shi and cursed.

His mind racing, Bai Tong quickly hatched a plan. Though his senior brother was in seclusion, he surely left protective talismans on his precious son. If Bai Tong were to strike now, he would surely alert his senior brother. If disturbed, not only would advancement become impossible, even his current cultivation could be endangered…

“Brazen thing! Today I shall punish you on behalf of our senior brother!” With his plan settled, Bai Tong no longer held back.

“Ugh…” Xu Shi’s face turned ashen as a crushing wave of spiritual pressure surged from Bai Tong.

“Bai Tong wants to kill me.” A flash of fear crossed Xu Shi’s mind. In the next instant, agony exploded in his chest as a force so powerful it seemed to cave in his ribs hurled him into the air.

Crash! The massive ceremonial gate, built of green stone, crumbled like paper under Xu Shi’s impact. Stone pillars shattered, and dust billowed everywhere.

Boom! With one of its supporting pillars snapped, the grand archway tilted and began to topple toward Bai Tong.

Buzzing—the air shimmered with golden light as Bai Tong released his energy, enveloping himself and his companions in a protective aura.

The falling archway abruptly halted in midair, as if caught by a giant invisible hand.

Bai Tong cast a sinister glance at Xu Shi in the distance. Without any visible movement, the gate—still held aloft by the mysterious force—suddenly trembled and swung down toward Xu Shi.

Boom! The archway crashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.

“Ah!” Ding Ning cried out in horror, her face drained of color as she stared at the fallen gate. With such a massive structure coming down, Senior Brother Xu could not possibly have survived.

Zi Su glanced at her sixth junior sister but said nothing. The Golden Flame Sect disciples behind them also remained silent, instead casting reproachful looks at Ding Ning. Intra-sect strife was dangerous; Ding Ning’s outcry could easily have brought disaster upon the Violet Robe Sect.

A pang of disappointment stabbed at Jiang Yan’s heart. In the Golden Flame Sect’s recent struggle, Xu Shi, for all his pride, had acted in ways that would benefit him. Now that Xu Shi was dead…

Buzz…

A glowing, egg-shaped crimson barrier slowly rose from beneath the toppled archway, expanding and pushing aside the shattered stones with a clatter.

“Haha! Bai Tong, you old villain, you want to kill me? Not a chance!” Standing tall within the crimson shield, Xu Shi, blood streaked across his forehead, taunted the stunned Bai Tong.

“Do you see what this is? Do you see what this is?” Within the red, egg-shaped barrier, Xu Shi brandished his arms at the astonished Bai Tong.

“This is the Golden Flame Gold Token, the foremost of the Seven Golden Flame Tokens! Bai Tong, you old villain, you never expected this, did you? Hahahaha…” Xu Shi’s triumphant laughter echoed at the gates of the Golden Flame Sect.

“The Golden Flame Gold Token…” Bai Tong, too, was shocked. Ever since the crimson barrier had appeared, he had been held in astonishment, and now, hearing Xu Shi’s arrogant words, he was left speechless.

“Hah!” Suddenly, a furious shout thundered down from the mountain’s peak, the sound waves nearly visible to the naked eye, as forceful as those produced by the Roaring Heaven Hound’s soul-shattering howl, crashing down from the summit of Golden Flame Mountain.

The senior brother has been alarmed! Bai Tong’s heart lurched in terror…

…