Chapter 1023: The Punishment of Heaven

In the Divine Realm of Zhong Shan!

Zhong Shan stood atop the rolling earth, gazing into the distance at everything before him. The ground beneath him was continuously solidifying with each passing moment, becoming increasingly more real. The entire Divine Realm was undergoing an earth-shattering transformation.

Above, the Eye of Heavenly Punishment was surrounded by thick black mist. Terrifying auras were being crazily absorbed by the Eye, and through these auras, it seemed as though the Eye was touching upon the very essence of the Heavenly Dao, rapidly replicating its embryonic form.

The Three Thousand Heavenly Daos of the Grand World!

In the blink of an eye, sixty embryonic forms of the Heavenly Dao had already appeared in the Divine Realm. Though these were merely embryonic forms, they carried a vast and boundless power, shaking the heavens and the earth with their magnificence.

The entire Divine Realm was solidifying amidst the rumbling sounds of this transformation.

Outside, the red clouds in the sky grew thicker and more intense, exerting an ever-increasing pressure on the Holy Capital of Xianyang. The terrifying aura weighed so heavily that the people felt as though they could hardly breathe. At this moment, all of Xianyang was silent. Even the usually calm and indifferent expression of the Buddha, Tathagata, twitched slightly.

Patriarch Bodhi raised his head to the sky, a flicker of worry flashing in his eyes.

Lan's curiosity toward Zhong Shan grew even more intense as he watched.

Ying let out a faint, bitter smile. He knew Zhong Shan was extraordinary, but he never expected him to be this extraordinary. Such a commotion, and today was his own grand birthday celebration!

Suddenly, a black-robed figure appeared beside Ying.

"Holy King, what is this?" the black-robed figure asked, a trace of surprise in his voice.

"Sir? Did this disturbance alarm you? How is your recovery?" Ying inquired.

"Just about there. When I noticed the change in the heavens and earth, I thought it had begun, but it seems I was mistaken!" the black-robed figure replied with a slight bow.

After speaking, the black-robed figure vanished.

Above the red clouds in the sky, the terrifying aura began to converge onto the square of the Chongtian Hall, as if some peerless fiend was present there.

Within the red clouds, faint strands of purple energy slowly emerged.

Seeing this purple energy, Ying, Lan, Tathagata, and Bodhi all grew serious.

"What is this? Could Zhong Shan have alarmed...?" Tathagata's expression showed a trace of concern.

"Boom!" The black mist around Zhong Shan suddenly dispersed, revealing his figure once more.

The black pool was gone, as were the nine thirteen-petaled lotuses. The black mist had ceased, and Zhong Shan stopped absorbing it. It wasn't that he couldn't absorb more, but rather that he dared not. As the might of the heavens descended, the Red Luan Pink Lotus abruptly turned a deep blue, an omen of great misfortune!

Zhong Shan decisively halted the Eye of Heavenly Punishment from absorbing any further. Sixty embryonic forms of the Heavenly Dao—he was already more than satisfied. Power is only valuable if one has the life to bear it.

Upon leaving the Divine Realm, Zhong Shan immediately felt the vastness of the Heavenly Might, the aura of destruction piercing straight to his heart. He couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

In the sky, the endless red clouds were about to deliver punishment when, suddenly, the aura of that peerless fiend vanished?

Reluctantly, the red clouds lingered in the sky for a while before slowly dissipating. Zhong Shan noticed that at the Chongtian Hall, nearly all the ordinary guests were sitting cross-legged, with large beads of sweat dripping from their foreheads—clearly forced out by the oppressive red clouds. It was terrifying.

As for Nangong Sheng and the others, they were protected by Ying and were unharmed.

However, at this moment, whether it was Tathagata, Bodhi, Lan, or Ying, they all looked at Zhong Shan with a slightly strange expression.

Their expressions were indeed odd. The four of them should have long reached the state of being unaffected by external events, yet they still found Zhong Shan unfathomable. His entire being seemed like an enigma.

As for Sun Shen, who stood behind Patriarch Bodhi, his face twitched uncontrollably, unsure of how to react to Zhong Shan.

Zhong Shan returned to Ying and said, "I apologize for causing concern among everyone just now."

"Concerned? This was sheer recklessness!"

Of course, Ying's magnanimity was vast, and he shook his head with a smile, saying, "Zhong Shan, you always manage to stir up something earth-shattering whenever you appear. Just now, you almost triggered the Punishment of Heaven!"

The Punishment of Heaven! At the mention of this term, all the distinguished guests couldn't help but take a deeper look at Zhong Shan.

What is the Punishment of Heaven? Back in the day, the fall of the Seven Saints was due to the Punishment of Heaven!

The Punishment of Heaven—what kind of immense transgression would it take to provoke such a punishment? Did Zhong Shan's actions just now reach that level of sin? If not, then what exactly happened? Ordinary cultivators might not be able to discern the situation, but how could the four great leaders here fail to notice? Could the Buddha, Tathagata, not see it? Could Ying not see it? They all saw it, and it was precisely because they saw it that they were filled with deep admiration and curiosity about what Zhong Shan had done. What did he just do?

Shrouded in ominous energy, none of them could probe the depths of the situation, yet Zhong Shan had managed to commit such a colossal act right under their noses.

And after it was done, he just patted the dust off his clothes, as if nothing had happened.

The group continued to scrutinize Zhong Shan, their gazes roaming over him without pause! The only difference was that Zhong Shan's cultivation had increased. Indeed, being enveloped by such boundless ominous energy, increasing one's cultivation wasn't difficult. But no one knew that this was because the Eight Extremities Heavenly Tail had devoured the Thirteenth Grade White Lotus.

Eighth Heaven of the Great Immortal Realm!

But it was precisely this Great Immortal Realm that left everyone conflicted—how could a mere Great Immortal provoke the Punishment of Heaven? In the past, they would have scoffed at the idea. Only the mightiest of Ancestral Immortals could even touch upon the level of the Punishment of Heaven, yet a single Great Immortal had accomplished it.

No one knew what to say!

"The Punishment of Heaven?" Zhong Shan was also startled. No wonder the Red Luan Pink Lotus had shown a sign of great misfortune earlier.

On the square, the guests slowly opened their eyes, seeing that the surroundings had returned to the calmness of blue skies and white clouds. Each of them sighed in relief. When they looked at Zhong Shan again, they couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

At the same time, they all mentally labeled Zhong Shan as a dangerous individual.

Zhong Shan hadn't expected to cause such a commotion, but compared to the benefits he had gained, even if he had to go through it again, he would undoubtedly continue absorbing the ominous energy without hesitation.

He slowly sat down, and the ministers behind him once again showed deep respect.

"Zhong Shan, you were amazing just now!" Hao Meili whispered, praising him.

Zhong Shan smiled slightly, indifferent to the compliment.

The scene returned to how it was before, but now, the people's moods had completely changed.

At this moment, it wasn't just the citizens and guests of the Holy Capital of Xianyang who were astounded. Outside Xianyang, in a certain valley, there was also a group of people in white robes.

These white-robed individuals were equally astonished, for some among them had already discerned the profoundness of what had just occurred.

The leader of the group, if Zhong Shan were here, he would undoubtedly recognize at a glance—this was none other than Zilu, the Ancestral Immortal of the Confucian School, whom he had fought against in the Netherworld several months ago.

Zilu was dressed in white, and the arm that Zhong Shan had severed had remarkably grown back.

Beside him stood Sekong, with a face full of reluctance.

Zilu looked up at the sky, watching the calamity clouds slowly dissipate. His heart was also in turmoil.

"What was that?" Zilu's eyelids twitched.

"Great-Uncle Master, what just happened?" Sekong asked.

"The Punishment of Heaven… Who could have committed such a grievous act that it nearly triggered the Punishment of Heaven! The last time the Punishment of Heaven appeared was when the Seven Saints fell. What on earth is happening in Xianyang this time?" Zilu's voice was filled with curiosity.

"Great-Uncle Master, in that case, maybe we should retreat!" Sekong suggested, slowly backing away.

Sekong's heightened sensitivity had once again made him acutely aware of the overwhelming danger.

"Retreat? Retreat where? Our Confucian Sect has practically mobilized our entire force for this plan. The Four-Sided Formation is nearly set up, and you want to retreat now? Are you out of your mind? Besides, according to reports, Zhong Shan has also arrived in Xianyang. Don't you want revenge?" Zilu said in a deep voice.

"What? Zhong Shan is here again?" Sekong's face turned pale.

"What's the matter?" Zilu's tone was filled with disdain, but it was evident that he harbored deep resentment toward Zhong Shan as well.

Sekong glanced at Zilu and then said, "Great-Uncle Master, this is the second time. Haven't you realized it yet?"

"Realized what?" Zilu asked, his tone darkening.

"That Zhong Shan is a monster, the greatest fiend in the world! Anyone who dares to trouble him ends up facing their doom. Don't you know? Back in the Small Thousand World, when Zhong Shan was only at the Nascent Soul Stage? Or maybe the Integration Stage? His cultivation was pitifully weak, yet he single-handedly brought down a Holy Land. The Elysium Pure Land had barely started opposing him, and they were destroyed. And you, Great-Uncle Master—both times you encountered Zhong Shan, did you fare well?" Sekong, in his eagerness to flee, laid everything bare.

"Rubbish! The Kong family, how did it produce such a coward like you? You hear Zhong Shan's name and turn into a quivering mess? Do you plan to give up cultivation altogether? How will you overcome your inner demons and grow if you don't confront them? And what about avenging your father?" Zilu thundered.

"I-I don't want revenge anymore!" Sekong muttered, his voice barely audible.

"…!" Zilu was on the verge of being driven mad by Sekong's cowardice. He had never seen someone so utterly spineless.

"Regardless, you're not allowed to leave. You must understand the significance of this operation. Besides, Zhong Shan is destined to die, and the Great Qin will be annihilated. The Confucian Sect, and your Kong family, have mustered an overwhelming force. Destroying Xianyang will be as easy as turning a hand!" Zilu snapped.

"You thought it would be easy to kill Zhong Shan both times before, didn't you?" Sekong muttered under his breath.

Zilu was now filled with regret. How did his fellow disciples end up assigning this coward to his group?

"This is the Master's decision. If you think you can defy the Master's orders, then go ahead and leave!" Zilu said coldly.

Zilu's master was none other than the Sage of Great Confucianism, Confucius.

"What?" Sekong's expression shifted slightly.

"Oh, so it's... I see now, I understand. I'm not leaving, Great-Uncle Master!" Sekong's face relaxed as he realized the situation.

A grand conspiracy against Xianyang was unfolding.

Not just here with Sekong, but Confucian disciples were slowly gathering around Xianyang from all directions. A confrontation between the Confucian Sect and the Great Qin was about to begin!

Within the Holy Capital of Xianyang, inside the Chongtian Hall!

The banquet continued, and the honored guests gradually refined their Thirteenth Grade White Lotuses. Even Hao Meili, though she hadn't completely refined hers, was able to preserve it. And so, the matter of the Thirteenth Grade White Lotuses was put to rest.

Amidst the clinking of cups and lively chatter, the grand banquet continued, each participant harboring their own thoughts.

As dusk approached, just as the celebration reached its peak and the four corners of the hall buzzed with excitement, a loud voice suddenly echoed through the gradually darkening sky!

"Confucius said, 'When three people walk together, one of them is bound to be my teacher: I choose to follow the good and correct my own faults!'"

The voice was loud and seemed to be amplified by magical power, resonating throughout the entire Holy Capital of Xianyang. In an instant, the noisy capital fell into a silence so deep that one could hear a pin drop.

Everyone knew that the Great Qin and the Confucian Sect harbored deep animosity toward each other, and this was the sound of "Confucius said..."

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8