Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 429 - 36: Causing a Ruckus and Strutting Away_2

Chapter 429: Chapter 36: Causing a Ruckus and Strutting Away_2

Face and honor are of greater importance than the heavens, and while Huayang is not a man who places excessive value on face, it does not mean that he is entirely indifferent to it.

"This is the rule you established, by the look of it this charge has served its purpose. When someone dares to challenge authority without violating any laws, then an infinitely broad charge can be used to punish others."

Huayang said, "Without this charge, the laws would be difficult to enforce. Where there are desires, law ceases to exist, and equity among men would be scarce. Or do you have a better way? I’ve often heard the Founder praise you."

Gu Wen didn’t respond, but instead countered with a question, "Are you truly concerned about the world?"

Huayang nodded, unable to deny it, "He who acts for the public good, is truly a great power."

"What if one does not act for the public good?"

"Then the heart is not at peace, the will not firm, and there are far too many devious ways in this world to satisfy private desires."

"Then why should there be a crime for what should not be done?"

"There always has to be a small number of people sacrificed; the Daoist Sect’s laws are beyond question. Just like you back in the day, for the Daoist Sect needed Daqian, needed the Lord Emperor."

Huayang looked straight at Gu Wen without any intention of avoiding the subject, "I admit to all past causes and effects without denial. I accept whatever punishment you decide, be it death or dismemberment."

"Old fool! Even now, you still play the victim!"

The wood block used to call for order flew out, its wrapped golden light capable of causing a mountain peak to collapse, a trickle of fresh red slowly flowed from Huayang’s forehead.

Chi Yu Zi threw his official hat onto the ground with a curse, "Enough with these empty words! Why didn’t you sacrifice yourself to the Lord Emperor to be his dog back then?"

Huayang’s face was still bleeding as he responded, "If I had stepped down, the Lord Emperor would have just been on his guard and turned against me. He grasped the needs that the Daoist Sect did not want to expose, then lured it with benefits, and the Daoist Sect had no other choice."

Looking at the Qingyi Taoist on stage, who was unlike the enraged Chi Venerable in front of him, his plain face showed little emotion.

He was neither angry for being sacrificed nor hateful for the extermination of the Gu family.

"Perhaps we had choices, but we wouldn’t have offended the Lord Emperor just for you."

"If we kill you today, don’t blame us."

Chi Yu Zi’s eyes were cold; she always went straight to the point, never concerned with benefits or bargains, only right or wrong.

Huayang nodded, about to speak, when a golden light enveloped him, leaving nothing but a brilliant gold in the hall.

Boom!

A punch with the force to move mountains shook the thirty-second level of the Heavenly Prison.

Chi Yu Zi struck Huayang’s chest with all her might, crushing his ribs and shattering his internal organs.

The aftermath of the punch hit the doors, but an invisible force dissipated it into nothingness.

Huayang continued to stand upright, having made no attempt to defend himself, his Daoist Skill and cultivation remaining still. Chi Yu Zi’s fist was still lodged in his slightly sunken chest, her eyes still filled with the intent to kill.

She was indeed intent on taking a life, and he did not lie.

Huayang said, "My karma with him is now an instability within the Daoist Sect; it would be well-resolved."

"Do you think being forthright will save you from death?"

Chi Yu Zi scoffed with a cold laugh, then turned to look at Gu Wen.

"I’ve killed him for you, so we won’t be needing this Venerable position."

Gu Wen, with a calm expression, replied, "Killing the Three Pure Venerable isn’t as simple as giving up a Venerable position."

"Beating around the bush... If you don’t want to dirty your hands, then I’ll do it."

Chi Yu Zi didn’t care about that, she pulled back her fist slightly, then threw another punch.

This time, her target was the face.

Yun Miao rushed from the void to catch the punch, and seeing this, Chi Yu Zi did not stop but instead increased her force, pulling her arms to create dozens of afterimages. A rain of punches fell like a pear blossom in a storm.

Anything within the hall of the Investigation Bureau, other than the main structure, was reduced to powder by the shockwaves.

Yun Miao’s dust-whisk wrapped around Chi Yu Zi’s fists as he spoke with a hint of helplessness, "Why make decisions for someone else’s family affairs?"

He had thought that since Gu Wen was willing to summon Huayang as the Yuqing Heavenly Venerate, there should be room for negotiation.

But Yun Miao had overlooked the stubbornness of Huayang and the protectiveness of Chi Venerable.

The two clashed and started fighting on the spot.

Chi Yu Zi shouted angrily, "How is it someone else’s business?"

The white silk of the dust-whisk tensed as if it could snap at any moment. But Yun Miao’s Daoist cultivation was clearly much higher than Chi Yu Zi’s, and the gap between a Venerable of three thousand years and one of a thousand years was immense given equal talents.

Gu Wen exhaled lightly, and the dust-whisk immediately snapped, Chi Yu Zi’s fist unhesitatingly struck Yun Miao.

Yun Miao took a punch to the chest and could not help but let out a muffled groan.

Turning his head, Gu Wen grabbed Huayang and ran out, followed closely by Chi Yu Zi in pursuit.

The firmly closed gate was smashed open, and the crowd outside saw a silver and a golden light fly out, followed immediately by everyone with at least the cultivation of a True Monarch seeing Yun Miao and a nine-meter golden man.

They fought fiercely within the thirty-six levels of the Heavenly Prison, causing shockwaves that shook the heavens and the earth.

Yun Miao, carrying Huayang, cursed, "You stubborn mule, would it kill you to just lower your head and admit fault? Do you really want to get your brother killed? How could I have such a disciple brother?"

They were from different sects, but they had also adventured together in the past.

"I was waiting for him to speak on how to settle our karma, but from beginning to end he remained silent."

Huayang’s voice was muffled, as Yun Miao fended off Chi Yu Zi’s attacks and said, "He didn’t kill you, nor did he say how to settle the karma, so what does he really want to do?"

"I don’t know, but you shouldn’t have come to save me; it would have been just as well to let Chi Venerable end it all. When a person dies, the debt is gone, and the great karma should come to an end too."

Huayang sounded somewhat resentful, and Yun Miao was amused to anger.

"Turns out it was I who was meddling in others’ business?"

"Lord above, we have come to aid you, to capture the thief!"

By this time, the true monarchs of the Upper Pure Sect had reacted, unleashing their power in unison to intervene. In an instant, dozens of Daoist Skills, starting at least from the Returning to Void Stage, flew in, causing the nine-meter golden man’s body to wobble slightly.

Next came the true monarchs of the Taiqing Sect, who, seeing their own Heavenly Venerate being pursued and beaten, could not just stand by and launched their attacks on the nine-meter golden man.

The Heavenly Prison’s Array was activated, and chains flew out from the void, entangling Chi Yu Zi into a huge iron ball.

Now, in just a dozen or so breaths’ time, one touch had set off a chain reaction, and Chi Yu Zi had become the target of collective attack.

Huayang and Yun Miao, upon seeing this, not only did not breathe a sigh of relief, but their expressions changed slightly, the same thought surfacing in their minds.

"Damn!"

Yun Miao taking Huayang away was just to let Gu Wen decide, but with these clueless outsiders intervening, the nature of the situation had changed abruptly.

What does it mean to "capture the thief"?

Finally, unable to bear it anymore, Huayang activated his mana and bellowed, "Audacity! Who dares to make a move on the Heavenly Venerate who controls the world! Heavenly Prison’s Taoist Soldiers, capture these troublemakers immediately."

His voice spread far and wide, causing many true monarchs, Heavenly Prison’s Taoist Soldiers, and people from all sides to hesitate slightly.

Although Huayang was not currently in his position, his prestige remained, and his words still carried weight.

This was also why they were willing to help Huayang; for the vast majority of the Daoist Sect, Yuqing Heavenly Venerate was a newcomer and a stranger, while Huayang was the leader who had taken the Daoist Sect to its pinnacle.

Suddenly, the Qingyi Daoist appeared in mid-air, standing on top of the iron ball, his eyes indifferently surveying the many great powers below.

Among them, who knows how many had agreed to sell themselves to the Zhao family, and who knows how many had insulted Yu Hua.

But none of these matters, for hatred is an equal emotion.

Now that he had achieved Dao, all things were low-quality, and nothing in the ten directions caught his eye.

Huayang shouted loudly, "I am willing to repay the karma with my life, do not involve the Daoist Sect."

"This is my sect to begin with, what’s there to talk about involvement?"

A smile crossed Gu Wen’s lips, then he lightly stomped his foot.

The next instant, the chains that formed the hundred-meter iron ball exploded with a roar, an unrivaled shockwave sweeping through the entire Grotto Heaven, a hurricane tearing through thirty li in all directions, whisking up countless weapons and implements.

Gu Wen landed inside the nine-meter golden man, and Chi Yu Zi’s aura climbed steadily, nearing that of an Immortal.

"Gu Wen, what do we do now? Shall we continue the fight?"

Chi Yu Zi, knowing things had escalated, showed no fear.

Gu Wen said indifferently, "Let’s fight then, but don’t kill anyone, Yu Hua only said to give each a thrashing."

He had waited so long just to give Huayang a beating after he came out.

"Fine! Then I’ll make a big scene, but when Qingcang Immortal blames me later, you can’t pin it all on me. If we don’t share the blame, I’ll bite you, you stinking rascal!"

With that, the nine-meter golden man charged out of the multiple restraints, causing havoc among the many true monarchs, instantly leaving them sprawling.

After fighting for two hours, who knows how many true monarchs were beaten black and blue, even Yun Miao could not escape.

Then the nine-meter golden man strode away unimpeded, unstoppable by any.

At the summit of Three Pure Mountain, Li Yunshang watching the departing golden light cursed softly, "Rebel, you’ve been expelled from the sect."

Then she glanced at the orb in her hand.

The Yuqing Saint Position, granting access to endless Spiritual Energy.