In the Shanning Realm, many people noticed the massive rift in the portal.

The head of the Shanning Realm, who had been receiving guests from other factions, paused mid-sentence and looked up into the distance. The rift was far larger than the fissure in the Shanning Realm’s World Tree portal, resembling a gaping maw about to open.

He had no idea where this portal had come from, but a sense of unease still crept into the Sect Master’s heart.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m afraid I must excuse myself for a moment.” The Sect Master rose to his feet and bowed his hands in farewell to those present. Shen Yun, who was also seated at the table, sprang to his feet. “I’ll go too.”

But before they could even step out of the grand hall of the Shanning Realm, they were stopped by a beam of golden light. The golden light shone brightly in the air—it was the Divine Admonition:

【 Intruders from another realm have invaded; all of Spirit Mountain Realm is to enter a state of alert】

The Sect Master and Shen Yun stopped simultaneously and turned to look; the guests from other sects also froze in their tracks. So, this edict was not visible only to them.

This was a directive from the Heavenly Dao.

Everyone in the Spirit Mountain Realm could see it!

Perhaps because his spiritual essence was attached to this body, Shisi could also see the words. He instantly realized what this portal was.

Shisi stood up and snapped his fingers. “Interested in coming with me to fight?” The beasts: “Roar!” Fight!

Only Duyan took a step back—he wasn’t having any of it!

Shisi flipped over and mounted the Demon Wolf’s back. “Let’s go, little Demon Wolf. Head toward the portal.” The Demon Wolf was reluctant, but it went anyway.

On the other side,   Yan Qi, the “main character” of the Spirit Mountain Realm, also sensed that something was wrong.

“What’s wrong?” Lu San stopped what he was doing and asked him. “Something’s happened. Something bad is coming.”

The man and the puppet stepped out of the blacksmith’s shop. Sure enough, they saw a portal slowly forming and opening in the sky.

“Yan Qi, I’m going to help,” Lu San said in a grave tone. This wasn’t a portal from the World Tree.

“I’m going too,” Yan Qi said.

“You’re not going. Stay somewhere safe.” Lu San had heard the village chief say that Yan Qi was the protagonist of this world; he couldn’t come to any harm. “Then what about you…”

“I’m going.” Lu San clenched his fist. Last time, he hadn’t gone; this time, he would protect everyone. Immediately, a flash of light appeared before Yan Qi’s eyes.

A figure as massive as a small mountain appeared before him, while the little wooden puppet, now lifeless, fell back into that giant palm. That was Lu San’s true form.

Yan Qi had to tilt his head back almost completely to see his full figure.

Before Yan Qi could react, the little wooden puppet was already held out before him.

“I really like this body. Keep it safe for me for now.”

“Alright.” Yan Qi nodded and slipped the little puppet back into his pocket. Just as Lu San was about to leave, he heard someone call out to him—

“Third Brother!”

He looked down and saw a group of little pill-shaped figures hopping into the courtyard.

“Where are the weapons? Where are they?”

Everyone had also spotted the teleportation gate in the sky.

Only they knew what lay within that teleportation tunnel. For a moment, no one had time to think of anything else; they all rushed over to Lu San’s side. Though they didn’t look human yet, as long as they had limbs, they could fight!

If those bastards dared to come back, they would stop them once, and they would stop them again!

Yan Qi immediately realized what was happening and rushed into the blacksmith’s shop, hauling out pile after pile of weapons.

At first glance, these weapons didn’t look particularly impressive; some were even covered in a layer of dust. But everyone could sense it.

Every single weapon here was just as good as the ones they’d used back in the day.

“Third Brother, you’re getting more and more formidable.” Fourth Brother didn’t hesitate to choose the halberd that felt right in his hands. The little pill figure hoisting that halberd looked even more comical than a little wooden puppet wielding a small hammer to forge iron.

But the moment the halberd was in his hands, it was a different story.

With a flick of his wrist, the little pill sent the long halberd flying; when it returned, it was gripped by a massive hand. Behind the little alchemist, a faint silhouette had materialized.

The figure was lean and muscular, clad in tight-fitting armor; a neat ponytail fluttered in the wind. With the long halberd in hand, even a few casual swings were enough to captivate the onlookers.

This was the fourth son of the Lu family, the village’s most skilled warrior.

“It’s much better than my old, rusty sword,” Lu Si chuckled. His sword had been forged by the village chief and bore a small engraved ‘Four’ on it. Though he was a bit reluctant to part with it, it was gone for good.

The halberd in his hand looked pretty cool, too.

Lao Si swung it about a few times, then suddenly asked, “But why a halberd?” 

Lu San replied, “The village chief said he promised it to you.”

Lao Si froze for a moment.

Ah, he remembered.

He was still young back then. After getting his hands on weapons like spears and halberds, he’d decided they were cooler than swords. He’d begged the village chief to make him a spear or a halberd the next time he crafted a weapon.

Later, the village chief disappeared, and he had long since forgotten about it. He never imagined the village chief would actually still remember.

“There’s a talisman too?!” A surprised voice came from the side. It was the Tenth Brother speaking.

A talisman was tucked among the weapons, standing out quite conspicuously.

“The talismans wear out quickly, so the village chief said he’d make you an iron one,” Lu San explained. Lao Shi stared blankly, while the little pill-figure’s hand still trembled slightly as he clutched the iron talisman. The village chief…

“Then this little lotus flower should be mine.” Xiao Liu also picked up the most unique iron lotus flower among them. Given her current size, she actually fit perfectly inside the lotus.

Lu San nodded. “Everyone gets one.”

The group of pill-people each clutched their respective weapons, overjoyed.

“Now is not the time to be rejoicing over new weapons,” said Lao Si, gripping his long spear with a somber gaze. “A fierce battle lies ahead.”

Everyone instinctively looked up. The crack in the sky was slowly widening. Indeed.

A fierce battle lay ahead.

Everyone gathered before the teleportation gate, none of them speaking. The atmosphere was eerily silent.

Only Duyan stood there, wide-eyed and speechless.

When did the Spirit Mountain Realm acquire so many powerhouses above the Spirit Transformation stage?

The countless shadowy figures behind those rows of miniature alchemists left Duyan utterly astonished. And what was the meaning behind the adage issued by the Heavenly Dao?

I just don’t get it.

Hadn’t he just been sealed at the bottom of the lake for thousands of years? How come, after emerging, he barely recognized this Spirit Mountain Realm anymore?

Duyan’s gaze swept over the crowd one by one. Finally, it settled on Qin Zhou, standing beside Lu Yi. 

Qin Zhou.

This man was an even greater enigma.

It had been a month since Duyan last saw Qin Zhou, yet he still couldn’t shake that feeling. In fact, the mere thought of Lu Yi brought to mind that gaze—that sense of struggling for survival on the brink of death—causing him to shudder involuntarily.

It was precisely because of this that he hadn’t caused any trouble for the past month. But what was this teleportation gate before him?

“Qin Zhou, I’ll go retrieve that body from the bottom of the lake,” Wen Jue suggested, seeing that the portal hadn’t fully opened yet.

He was currently in his spiritual form, and no matter how powerful he was, he couldn’t compare to when he had a physical body. Besides, the body at the bottom of the lake was even stronger than the one he’d originally possessed in the Zhutian Realm.

“Let’s wait and see.” Qin Zhou’s expression remained relatively relaxed. Wen Jue had no choice but to agree.

After waiting for a short while, the portal opened completely.

Standing at the entrance, Qin Zhou and the others faintly heard a voice coming from beyond the portal— “Finally here. This world, no bigger than a sesame seed or a mung bean, is actually quite far away.”

“It’s strange, really. Given our current situation, how could a new world actually be born?”

“Who cares if it’s a new world or an old one? If we take its World Tree, we’ll have a little more spiritual energy to use.” 

“You’re right.”

The voices grew louder as they approached.

Soon, several figures appeared first.

Without exception, they were all armed. Clearly, they meant no good. Yet their attire was indistinguishable from that of ordinary cultivators. The moment they set foot in the Spirit Mountain Realm, they couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

“The spiritual energy in this world is incredibly dense.” Hidden beneath their tone of surprise lay boundless greed.

“Looks like we made the right choice coming here.”

“The advantage of arriving early is that we can kill however we please!”

But soon, their smiles faded.

For Qin Zhou and his group were standing right before them. Each wore a solemn expression, fully prepared for battle.

And all around them, stretching for miles, a massive barrier enveloped the entire area. Spiritual energy swirled—this was no ordinary barrier. This was…

“Looks like the people in this little world have spotted us.” The speaker slowly curled the corners of his mouth into a malicious grin. “They’re quite alert, aren’t they?”

“It looks like we’re in for a good fight today!”

Among them, there were also those who remained calm.

“Be careful. These people aren’t weak. There are over twenty at the Union Realm and above.”

“Over twenty at the Union Realm? This little world’s actually quite impressive.” The speaker produced his massive Blood Wheel and snorted derisively. “It seems we’ll have to deal with this bunch first before we can experience the thrill of crushing ants.”

“Don’t get too excited just yet. There’s one whose cultivation I can’t gauge.” The man’s gaze fell directly on Wen Jue, standing beside Qin Zhou, his tone grave.

He was in the late Union Realm; if he couldn’t gauge the other’s cultivation, then the other must be at least… in the Great Perfection Realm or higher. Unfortunately, the others weren’t nearly as cautious.

“What’s there to fear? No matter how you look at it, he’s just a single Spirit Soul here—a Great Perfection Realm Spirit Soul. With so many of us, do you really think we can’t handle him?”

Come to think of it, that was true.

Besides, behind them lay the main forces of their world.

“Charge! Kill them and seize the World Tree of this small world!”

The group surged forward, drawing their weapons and swinging them at Qin Zhou and his companions.

The pill-shaped little people also grabbed their weapons and braced for battle.

Battle seemed imminent. But no one could have anticipated what happened next.

“Boom—”

A deafening clap of thunder caused everyone to look up involuntarily.

Thunderclouds gathered, and several bolts of lightning split the sky, striking straight down.

“What’s going on? A heavenly tribulation?!”

“Did we just happen to stumble upon someone else undergoing their tribulation?”

“No, this thunder was summoned by someone.” Someone fixed their gaze on Qin Zhou. “A cultivator.”

With the Map of Mountains and Rivers clutched in his arms, it was hard not to suspect him.

“Since it’s summoned lightning, why should we fear it?!” The stranger from another world let out a wild laugh, raised his sword, and swung it directly at the lightning. A flash of spiritual light erupted from the blade.

It clashed with the lightning descending from the heavens.

In that instant, spiritual energy surged; his strike carried the full might of a peak Union Realm cultivator. Yet—

“Boom.”

The lightning struck down nonetheless. It instantly reduced him to ashes.

The sword-wielder likely never imagined, even in his dying moments, that the lightning summoned by a cultivator could possess the power to obliterate a peak Union Realm cultivator in a single strike. The onrushing stranger from another world was stunned by the scene.

They were instantly thrown into disarray. What on earth was going on?

Even the powerful cultivator at the Union Realm froze for a moment.

“This isn’t lightning summoned by a cultivator—this is heavenly lightning!”

“This is the thunder of the Thunder Tribulation—the thunder sent down by the Heavenly Dao!” After he shouted this, no one dared to charge forward anymore.

“What do you mean? Are you saying the Dao of this world is striking us down? Does the Dao here possess sentience?”

The Union Realm expert’s expression darkened. Faced with the question, he remained silent. Clearly, the situation had exceeded his expectations.

Before the words “Retreat first” could even leave his mouth, lightning struck once more.

One after another.

Countless people leaped to evade the massive bolts, each several meters wide. Yet even the swiftest runners couldn’t entirely avoid being struck by the falling lightning.

In the space of two breaths, their shouts of defiance had turned into a frantic scramble, heads clutched in fear. The villagers watched the scene, their expressions slightly dazed.

Never mind this group of strangers from another world—even they hadn’t imagined a “battle” could play out like this.

“Something’s off about this world! Let’s get out of here!” someone shouted. “Trouble! They’re trying to escape!”

“Wen Jue.”

Wen Jue immediately threw out a barrier stone.

Sealing off the entrance to the portal. It also completely cut off those people’s retreat.

Someone dodged the lightning while violently ramming the barrier. “What is this thing? How come we can’t break through this barrier?” Of course, they couldn’t.

Wen Jue had spent a whole month carefully crafting that barrier stone; if just anyone could break it, he’d have to go back to the drawing board.

“They aren’t as formidable as I imagined,” Wen Jue said, lowering his gaze.

They couldn’t even break through his barrier. Even without Qin Zhou, with his cultivation level, he could have wiped them all out. Or perhaps these people weren’t the strongest among the travelers from other worlds.

“You’re just holding yourself back,” Qin Zhou said. In fact, with Wen Jue’s power at the Tribulation Stage, he rarely had any opponents left. Qin Zhou seemed to have had enough of watching these people scatter in all directions.

Suddenly, he closed the Map of Mountains and Rivers in his hand.

A thundercloud even larger than before suddenly appeared overhead, its immense expanse… He had no intention of sparing a single one of them.

Qin Zhou did not like killing.

But he needed someone to shatter the villagers’ mental barriers, and he needed to avenge the villagers for this grudge that had lasted thousands of years. Even if it was highly likely that these strangers from another world weren’t even the same group that had invaded the Zhutian Realm back then.

This left them with not even a chance to escape.

“Don’t run! You can’t escape! Charge forward and fight them to the death!” a powerful cultivator at the Union Realm suddenly shouted. His words caused many to halt in their tracks.

Then, in unison, they raised their weapons and charged toward Qin Zhou and his group. Wen Jue stepped forward to shield Qin Zhou.

Qin Zhou didn’t move a muscle; he merely chanted the incantation—“Heavenly Tribulation, Subdue and Execute.”

As the incantation echoed, the lightning did not strike.

But the expressions of the group of strangers rushing toward them changed abruptly. They sensed something and instinctively looked down at their dantian qi seas.

Lightning… how could it appear within the Qi Sea…

The strangers were horrified, but it was already too late.

A thunderous “boom” erupted from their abdomens as flesh and blood exploded and their Qi Seas ruptured. Several successive claps of thunder—

Screams rang out one after another.

But before they could even react, they were reduced to ash. A long while later—

Everything returned to calm.

Qin Zhou said calmly, “It’s not over yet, Wen Jue. Open the barrier and continue receiving guests.” Since they intended to invade and plunder, they would be beaten until they dared not entertain a single wicked thought again.

Wen Jue: “Yes.”

The villagers pulled their hands back.

“Village Chief, you’re so awesome.”

“So, did we embarrass the Village Chief by losing so badly in that tunnel earlier…?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Qin Zhou turned back. “I’m very grateful to you all.”

He needed to thank them for defending the Zhutian Realm at the cost of their own lives.

And from this moment on, as long as he was here, he would not allow anyone to touch his world or his villagers, not even a single hair.