The Ultimate Divine Class

BOOM!

A loud impact echoed from the brightly lit villa courtyard.

It sounded like a heavy object slamming onto the ground, causing a group of onlookers who had dashed out from outside the villa upon hearing the noise to exchange puzzled looks.

"Whose place is this?"

"Seems like...where the Qi Fusion Sect lives."

"What happened?"

"Let's go check it out!"

The crowd stirred, ready to rush forward.

Suddenly, a large group of people emerged from the darkness up ahead. Almost all of them were nearly two meters tall with fierce faces, and they were clad in matching short-sleeved uniforms. The uniforms were clearly printed with: 'Sponsor of the XXth Southern Hundred City Martial Arts League.'

This group of people emerged from the darkness and, within a couple of breaths, had thoroughly blocked the bystanders' access to the villa.

"What are you doing?! What are you doing?!"

From among the burly men, a scrawny middle-aged man with a stern face stepped forward. He kept his hands behind his back and had a gleaming work badge hanging on his chest, looking very imposing.

"What are you all doing out here at this late hour instead of sleeping?"

"The Qi Fusion Sect seems to be under attack; we wanted to take a look," someone from an Ancient Martial Arts Sect spoke in a deep voice.

"Oh." The skinny middle-aged man nodded and explained, "You've misunderstood. There's a sect engaging with the Qi Fusion Sect for a friendly bout. They already applied to the competition committee beforehand. It's just a normal, friendly pre-competition exchange between sects..."

As the skinny middle-aged man was speaking, another loud BOOM suddenly echoed from the brightly lit villa behind him. It was accompanied by muffled groans and screams, followed by a hoarse, yet hearty and utterly satisfied laugh.

"HAHAHA—"

The laughter was disturbing, like the hoot of an owl, making many people's skin crawl.

"That sounds... like the Poison Hand Crane Demon's voice?!" someone questioned, a puzzled look on their face.

"It does sound like him. That guy's laughter always gives me the creeps."

The crowd buzzed with whispers, their curiosity piqued even more. But the official from the competition sponsor kept them from entering. He even threatened them, "Disperse immediately! If you continue to make a scene and disturb the other competitors' rest, you will all be disqualified from the competition!"

Damn it, that Master Liudao Yuan is in there laughing like a ghost, and he doesn't say anything about *him* disturbing others, but he accuses *us*?

The representatives from the Ancient Martial Arts Schools were infuriated. But ultimately, spectating wasn't as important as the competition, so they all begrudgingly suppressed their curiosity and dispersed.

Once everyone had left, Li Dong slowly emerged from the side. The skinny middle-aged man immediately went up to him, and Li Dong praised him, his face full of approval.

"Well done."

He glanced towards the villa and faintly saw a tall, imposing figure pushing a wheelchair emerge.

Li Dong hurriedly waved for people to move aside, ensuring everyone cleared out of the way. He then pulled the skinny middle-aged man into a dark corner and instructed sternly, "Regardless, tonight, don't let anyone disrupt Lord Silver Spearman's mood..."

"Understood." At the mention of 'Silver Spear Holder,' the skinny middle-aged man's expression instantly changed to one of fervor and adoration.

Li Dong thought for a moment and then added, "Those who were beaten by the Lord have probably complained to the Penglai Apostle. What's your plan?"

"Don't worry." The skinny middle-aged man patted his chest confidently, replying, "If those guys manage to get in touch with the Penglai Apostle today, I'll admit defeat. As long as I'm here...nobody will disturb Lord Silver Spearman."

"Have you thought about how to handle things when the Penglai Apostle finds out?"

"Even easier to solve." Looking disdainful, the skinny middle-aged man responded, "That idiot only cares about money and women. I've got a hundred ways to pull the wool over his eyes."

"That's good." Li Dong nodded in satisfaction at his flawless plan.

By then, the tall figure pushing the wheelchair had fully emerged from the villa. Upon seeing him, both Li Dong and the skinny middle-aged man immediately bowed deeply, their lowered faces filled with the utmost respect.

「Late at night.」

In a large and luxurious room.

HUM—

A light blue screen lit up in a dim alcove in a corner, emitting a faint vibrating sound.

The sound disrupted the serenity of the room.

On the round bed, a robust figure sat up. He was a middle-aged man with short braids. His skin was fair and smooth, showing no discernible signs of age. His bare upper body was well-defined and perfectly muscular, without a trace of excess fat. The slightest movement of his hand exuded a palpable sense of wave-like power.

The man furrowed his brows and glanced toward the alcove in the corner, a hint of annoyance on his face. With a stern expression, he pushed away the slender, pale arms clinging to him and then got up.

His movements were a blur; in an instant, he was on the floor, a snow-white bathrobe draped over him.

The man strolled towards the alcove, walking leisurely as if treading on clouds. The ancient-styled silver ring on the middle finger of his casually hanging right hand occasionally reflected a soft, hazy light.

Soon, he entered the alcove, and the door slid shut silently behind him, seemingly of its own accord.

The man walked up to the semi-transparent, light-blue light screen and lightly tapped it. An image of a person quickly appeared. It was the inconspicuous, slightly nervous, skinny middle-aged man.

"Do you know what time it is?" The man with short braids regarded the skinny middle-aged man on the screen, his expression clearly displeased.

The latter immediately apologized, saying, "I only disturbed you, Apostle, because something major has happened..."

"Major." The short-braided man scoffed. "And what 'major' thing could possibly occur in this insignificant backwater? Speak."

The skinny middle-aged man didn't speak but directly sent a briefing instead. The man with short braids scanned through it carelessly. Soon, his eyes focused, and a sharp intake of breath escaped his lips. HISS—

[20:19, Crane Sect challenges South Star Sect, severely injures one True Intention level member, three martial master level members, five PracticeOrgans members, two Cultivating Bone members.....]

[20:42, Crane Sect challenges Heart Refinement Sect, severely injures two True Intention level members, four martial master level members, one PracticeOrgans member, two Cultivating Bone members.....]

[21:15, Crane Sect challenges White Bird Sect, severely injures one True Intention level member, martial master level.....]

[21:59, Crane Sect challenges.....]

There were thirteen such battle reports in total, one after another. All detailed the Crane Sect challenging various sects and severely injuring their members.

In less than four hours.

A total of thirteen sects, with over one hundred fifty members in total, had been seriously injured by the Crane Sect, including thirty-nine martial masters and fifteen True Intention level experts!

"Crane Sect?! The Crane Sect of the Poison Hand Crane Demon, Master Liudao Yuan?!"

How dare he?

How did he do it?!

In an instant, countless questions sprang up in the short-braided man's mind. A look of profound shock and disbelief spread across his face.

He stared at the battle report, stunned for several seconds, before finally snapping back to reality. His eyes bore fiercely into the skinny middle-aged man on the screen, his voice cold as ice, "Such a major incident has occurred; why are you only telling me now?!"

The skinny middle-aged man seemed startled by the short-braided man's sudden outburst, replying with a mix of fear and helplessness, "Didn't you, Apostle, repeatedly instruct me not to disturb you after eight in the evening, no matter what? The people from those sects were creating such a ruckus, I simply had no choice and didn't know how to handle it, so I had to bite the bullet..."

"Enough!" The short-braided man interrupted him, his face a mask of irritation and impatience, before the skinny middle-aged man could finish.

Indeed, he had said those words himself. And now that it had happened, there was no point dwelling on the issue.

The short-braided man's face darkened, his eyes flashing with a cold light. Although deep down he didn't take this competition very seriously—as long as it concluded smoothly and a group of people were selected, his mission would be accomplished—many of the sects defeated by the Crane Sect had previously given him 'offerings.' Now that this had erupted, he knew without a doubt that many people would come to him tomorrow demanding he uphold justice. He'd be pestered to death.

"Crane Sect! Liudao Yuan!"

The more the short-braided man thought about it, the angrier he became, and he couldn't help but pound his fist on the table in front of him.

BANG!

The entire table instantly shattered, its fragments scattering across the floor.

However, this act seemed to cool the short-braided man's thoughts. His eyes flickered for a moment, then he said to the skinny middle-aged man on the screen, "Notify the Crane Sect for me. Tell them that if they don't want their qualification for the competition revoked, or to lose their standing in the southern Martial Arts Circle in the future, they are to come to me with sufficient sincerity..."

On the screen, the skinny middle-aged man remained silent for a long time.

The short-braided man furrowed his brows, annoyed. "What, is there a problem?"

The skinny middle-aged man shook his head, pondering for a moment before slowly replying, "There's something I forgot to report to you, Apostle. The Crane Sect... they applied to withdraw from the competition to the organizing committee half an hour ago."

"What?!!"

「11:57 p.m.」

Lu Yuan stood under a street lamp, checked the time, then said half-jokingly to Master Liudao Yuan in the wheelchair before him, "Does this count as revenge before the night is over?"

"If you say it is, then it is." At this moment, Master Liudao Yuan looked as if he had drunk wine, his cheeks flushed, his eyes half-closed in contentment as he lay comfortably in his wheelchair. He had an air of profound satisfaction and ease about him.

Lu Yuan rarely saw Master Liu in this state and smiled softly. Then, after a moment of thought, he said, "Now that our anger is vented, I won't participate in the competition tomorrow..."

Master Liudao Yuan's satisfied expression faded slightly as he opened his eyes and looked at him. "Something came up?"

Lu Yuan didn't hide anything. An image of an unknown yet imposing, pressure-filled figure involuntarily surfaced in his mind. He nodded. "Yes."

"Then go take care of it. Don't worry about me." Master Liudao Yuan waved his hand dismissively, as if eager for him to leave.

"It's not urgent yet," Lu Yuan responded casually, then raised his head to look at a brightly lit area in the distance. He slowly said, "For some time now, I've been weighed down by another matter. My mind has been unsettled, so I overlooked many clues. Just now, while I was venting your anger for you, Master, by focusing on helping you beat those people up, my thoughts flowed freely, and I unexpectedly figured something out."

Master Liudao Yuan looked surprised. "What is it?"

"It's about this competition..." Lu Yuan turned his head, looked calmly at Master Liudao Yuan, and said word by word, "Who is the one behind all this, deliberately instigating others to target the Crane Sect, to target... you, Master!"

Master Liudao Yuan's expression was unreadable as he slowly sat up straighter. Their eyes met.

"So, have you figured out who it is?"

Lu Yuan didn't answer, but instead asked Master Liudao Yuan, "Master, have *you* figured out who it is?"

Master Liudao Yuan looked startled for a moment. Then he avoided Lu Yuan's gaze, his eyelids lowered. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Of course, I've thought of someone... I'm just not certain."

"I believe we're thinking of the same person, Master."

Lu Yuan let out a breath, placed his hands on the back of the wheelchair, and slowly pushed Master Liudao Yuan in the direction they had come from. He said softly, "Master, take your people and head back tomorrow. Once I've handled this matter I'm dealing with... I will settle this final score for you, and I'll make them pay back everything, principal and interest."

Master Liudao Yuan didn't speak. He lowered his head slightly and gave a soft 'Mm,' as if in agreement.