Chapter 334: Put Your Finger Down

Amidst the unfolding battle, four Throne-level experts stood alongside a single Post-celestial.

Leading the Imperial Guard was an old man with a large saber strapped to his back. The moment he appeared, even Commander Chong Dong yielded his position of prominence.

"Yuan Sandao?" The uncle smiled. He didn't recognize the other young ones, but this old man had left an impression. His memory was excellent. During the struggle for the Ten Venerable Thrones in the Central Domain, Yuan Sandao hadn't seemed so old, even though he had been eliminated in the first round. Yet, his domineering saber intent had left a mark.

Yuan Sandao narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. Anyone might assume this scruffy uncle was merely Post-celestial, but Yuan Sandao, who had spent half a day locating the spatial rift and then cleaved through twisted space with a single saber strike, dared not underestimate him. That sword intent, that power to fold space... who would dare say this guy was merely Post-celestial? The mere fact that he was the only one standing in the central battle zone made him impossible to overlook.

Yuan Sandao knew that besides Spirit Refiners, there were many terrifying Great Dao in this world. For example, sword cultivators who purely cultivated the Way of the Sword, specialized in "ancient sword arts," and didn't mix in any spiritual power. It was clear that the man before him was very likely one such special case.

"You are..." he asked, lowering his head and speaking with a focused tone. He was essentially familiar with all the Throne-level experts in the entire Eastern Heaven Realm. The man before him did give him a sense of déjà vu, but when he tried to recall the details, he couldn't grasp a single trace. Even now, as the man stood there, the more Yuan Sandao tried to discern his face, the blurrier it became.

"How is this possible?" Yuan Sandao was astonished. He didn't believe the opening of the White Grotto would attract peerless experts beyond the Path-Severing realm to this place. Therefore, only one possibility remained. This guy possessed a special concealment method, but undoubtedly, his power... was extremely strong!

The uncle looked at the four people before him, shook his head slightly, his eyes showing no ripple of emotion, and then his husky voice spoke. "Who I am, you wouldn't remember even if I told you, so let's skip that question." He looked up at the sky. "Any other questions, ask them soon... How about this, I'll give you three chances to ask questions. Once the time is up, I'm leaving." As he spoke, he dragged the burlap sack from the ground, and with a clanking sound, hoisted it onto his shoulder.

Chong Dong grew enraged. He wasn't known for his good temper. It was glaringly obvious that this guy was responsible. He had created a ten-mile vacuum and turned the city upside down, and now he was saying he'd give them three questions before leaving? What kind of ridiculous joke was that!

"Kid, your cultivation isn't high, but you've got quite the audacity!" Chong Dong sneered. "Three questions? How about I slice you into three pieces, and then, out of great mercy, give you ten chances to ask questions—questions about *why*?"

The moment Chong Dong's words fell, Qiu Xuan and Liu Jing, who were beside him, immediately grew alert. For people at their level, trash talk rarely had an effect. If Chong Dong could truly provoke this eccentric fellow into action, it might break the stalemate. An opportunity!

Yuan Sandao was also waiting for this opportunity.

The uncle, however, smiled. He showed none of the tension of the four before him, nor any stance of facing a formidable foe. He truly seemed like a junk collector, wandering aimlessly, making his home wherever he went. So much so that even as he walked through the battle zone, filled with deep craters and smoke, he still exuded a leisurely air, as if he were merely looking for scrap metal.

"Kid?" After repeating the word, the uncle's smile suddenly froze, and his cloudy eyes focused on Chong Dong. "It's been a long time since I heard anyone dare to address me like that." He sighed. "This world is too chaotic; everyone rushes about as if they're hurrying to be reborn." He paused. "There are many ways to court death, so why choose the fastest one?" His tone was completely calm, yet a faint anger was discernible. It was as if the scruffy uncle's very presence declared: "I can be casual, but if you genuinely try to dictate my casualness, you might just find yourself complying with *my* will!"

Chong Dong saw no trace of ruthlessness in the man's eyes. Yet, after the man finished speaking, Chong Dong felt an inexplicable panic! "This..." Chong Dong's heart seized. He was a Throne-level expert; what kind of person could, with just a few words, make him feel such pre-battle trepidation?

"Just words?" Shaking off his panic, he sneered and spoke again: "It's just talk, isn't it? You've turned Tiansang City into this state, and you still dare to make a move?"

"Tiansang City..." The uncle shook his head and said, "This place wasn't my doing."

Chong Dong laughed loudly, pointing at the burlap sack. "If it wasn't you, could it be the kid inside?" "And that corpse!" He pointed at the body of the Red Hound, clutching his stomach as he guffawed, "Was that also sliced by the kid?"

The uncle sighed. "If you truly want to put it that way, it's not entirely unexplainable. After all, I merely delivered the final blow." He shrugged. "Of course, I killed the person; I don't deny that." He continued, "I always act very fairly..." He suddenly paused, then snapped, "Put your finger down!"

Chong Dong's hand was pointing at the Red Hound's corpse. But the corpse was right near him, which made it seem as if Chong Dong himself was being pointed at.

The atmosphere solidified instantly with the uncle's command. Even those outside the immediate area sensed the delicate and explosive nature of the situation.

Chong Dong's eyes narrowed, and his finger defiantly turned to point at the uncle. "You seem very arrogant? I can't even move my hand freely? Am I supposed to obediently listen to you?" he sneered.

The uncle's broad, loose sleeve twitched, and the hand hidden within seemed about to curl up, but then suddenly stopped. He glanced at Yuan Sandao in front, suppressed the urge to strike, and then turned back to Chong Dong. "Young man, I appreciate you. When I was young, I was also very impulsive, but this world..." He continued, "You need to understand, the strongest is the most easily broken. Speaking to others like this can easily lead to death."

Chong Dong burst out laughing. "Young man?" He stroked his own bristly chin. He then looked closely at the man before him; this fellow seemed to have even more beard than himself. But that was because he was unkempt! Judging by bone age, he couldn't be more than a hundred years old at most. How dared he call *him* a young man? He chuckled, "You really just blurt out anything, don't you? How old are you? Are you weaned yet?" He continued, "Do you even know how old your grandpa is this year? You spout such arrogant nonsense without even checking your own cultivation level? Post-celestial? When I was dominating the Eastern Domain, you were probably still spitting milk... Ah! Damn it!"

Before he could finish speaking, a cry of pain escaped his lips. A severed finger flew past him, blood spurting out. A streak of sword energy, appearing from nowhere, had cut right past his scalp. If he hadn't reacted in time, his head would likely have been severed. Cold sweat immediately trickled down Chong Dong's back. However... retreat? Unthinkable! He caught the severed finger in mid-air, and from this single strike, he had already roughly assessed the man's cultivation. "Throne!" he cried. "Attack!"