Lu Yan frowned deeply, immediately thinking of the invitation he received from Xiao Shang, which was inscribed with the name Mo Yangzi of the Taiyi Sect.

The other party first unleashed pressure with impunity while Lu Yan was cultivating, without any regard for the potential risk of Lu Yan going mad due to the interruption, then harshly questioned him, clearly intending malice.

To someone like this, Lu Yan naturally showed no friendliness, calmly responding as he stood up:

"I am Lu Yan, but for a Golden Core Daoist to recklessly criticize and accuse others of deception without verifying the facts, isn't that unbecoming of your status?"

Mo Yangzi never expected Lu Yan would dare to retort, and immediately laughed in anger:

"Relying on a purchased outer disciple identity to recklessly deceive in the Cyan Simurgh Sect and even daring to offend me, hasn't Chu Zhuoqun ever taught you the respect of seniors?"

While speaking, Mo Yangzi took another step forward, his pressure intensifying.

An ordinary cultivator at the early stage of Foundation Establishment merely stabilizes their Dao Foundation and Divine Soul; forcibly resisting the pressure from a Golden Core Daoist could likely destabilize their Dao Foundation and Divine Soul.

However, to Lu Yan, who has killed countless Golden Core experts, such pressure was nothing more than a refreshing breeze.

Under Mo Yangzi's piercing gaze, Lu Yan boldly questioned:

"Respect of seniors? You interrupted my cultivation with your Golden Core pressure and immediately branded me a traitor after a single word.

Stubbornly adhering to the words of external sect people, yet striking at your own sect's disciples without restraint, can such actions truly be called respectable?

For the words of a Cyan Simurgh Sect's Golden Core Elder, you didn't hesitate to suppress your own sect members. Those who know better understand that you are a Golden Core Daoist of my Taiyi Sect.

Those who don't might even think you're a lackey of a subsidiary sect of the Cyan Simurgh Sect."

Upon hearing this, Mo Yangzi's expression changed drastically.

Before, Mo Yangzi's display of anger and claims of Lu Yan's disrespect were more of an attempt to leverage the situation to label Lu Yan as guilty.

But now, with Lu Yan's one sentence, he directly exposed Mo Yangzi's true thoughts, genuinely igniting his anger.

In theory, the Taiyi Sect should even suppress the Cyan Simurgh Sect, but that is ultimately just theoretical.

The Taiyi Sect is vast, spread across the entire Cultivation Realm, with many branches not even in contact.

The Mang Mountain Branch, located in the Southern Wilderness, is not particularly strong.

The highest cultivation within the branch are merely two Great True Monarchs at the Peak of Nascent Soul and several other Nascent Soul True Monarchs, while the Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch at the branch's core hasn't appeared for a millennium and is said to have long since passed away.

Though protected by the name of the Taiyi Sect, no matter which great force in the Southern Wilderness or even the Southern Dominion overlord Cyan Simurgh Sect, they should all show some deference to the Taiyi Sect. Yet ultimately, the strength of the Beimang Branch is inadequate.

Mo Yangzi's friendship with Elder Xiao Han of the Cyan Simurgh Sect likely aims to ingratiate himself with him and secure ties with the Cyan Simurgh Sect.

In the Southern Dominion and Southern Wilderness, the name of the Cyan Simurgh Sect is far more influential than that of the Taiyi Sect's Beimang Branch, bringing numerous advantages.

Despite harboring such thoughts, having them openly exposed by Lu Yan is an entirely different matter.

"Scoundrel!"

A furious shout burst from Mo Yangzi's mouth, and the Golden Core early stage pressure, combined with Divine Soul and Magical Power, poured out like dark clouds pressing on the city, descending upon Lu Yan.

Lu Yan finally felt a slight threat, his cultivation technique circulating the Light of Merit within his body to resist Mo Yangzi's oppression, his gaze imperceptibly falling on the opponent.

"Judging from the pressure, he should have only advanced to the early stage of the Golden Core within the last three years, with unstable cultivation and foundation.

The embellishments on his Magic Robe are more decorative than functional. If a conflict arises, and I strike first, leveraging the Four Symbols Gate and Profound Yellow Merit Fire, I fully have the chance to seriously injure him before he can wield his magical treasures and Divine Techniques, thus avoiding the need to use the Human Emperor Banner."

His dropping right hand subtly pinched a spell, ready to respond to a possible sudden strike from Mo Yangzi.

Under Lu Yan's watchful eyes, Mo Yangzi finally moved.

As a Golden Core Daoist, Mo Yangzi naturally had his pride. Dealing with an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, the suppression of an entire realm was sufficient to dismiss all concerns.

He neither utilized a Divine Technique nor wielded a magical treasure, instead simply forming his right hand into a sword gesture to point at Lu Yan.

In an instant, Lu Yan seemed to hear the sound of thousands of swords singing in his ears, as if to tear apart his Divine Soul.

But before Lu Yan's Divine Soul, as mighty as those in the Golden Core Realm, this overwhelming sword melody dissipated like a mud ox into the sea, leaving but a single sword mark formed by the convergence of magical power in the air.

This carried the strength of the early stage Golden Core; without the assistance of Divine Techniques or magical treasures, it was still something ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators could not withstand, even a Great Cultivator at the Peak of Foundation Establishment would be defenseless before this sword mark.

Yet in that moment, Lu Yan extended his palm, a razor-sharp edge seemingly capable of cutting through anything appeared within it, straight towards that sword mark.

This was the Earth Evil Divine Technique, evolved from the Sword Dao Foundation Establishment when Ji Xingyao advanced to the Golden Core.

Lu Yan had assisted Ji Xingyao in advancing to the Golden Core with the aid of Celestial Dao Merit, capturing a glimpse of the charm of the Earth Evil Sword Dao Divine Technique, making it the perfect thing to deploy at this moment.

To Mo Yangzi's astonishment, Lu Yan's white fingers, with sword light fluctuating between them, actually seized that sword mark directly.

Then, his five fingers joined, the charm of the Earth Evil Sword Dao crushed that sword mark, paying no heed to this otherwise lethal strike.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com