Ptui!

Yuanshi Tianzun's brazen laughter drew the attention of every official realm-walker present. Seeing him take out a postage stamp, the Saints and Dominators in the courtroom, as well as the official members watching the live stream, instinctively assumed this was his way of admitting guilt—surrendering his items! With his spiritual energy, astral body, and physical form sealed, and under the premise that Courtroom No. 1 was cloaked in a barrier isolating it from the Spirit Realm, no one could stir up any trouble. Inventories were generally left unsealed, as the lightest sentence for any criminal brought before Courtroom No. 1 was life imprisonment and confiscation of their items. If their inventories were sealed, how could their items be collected? As for the possibility of a criminal lashing out in a desperate deathbed struggle, the presiding tribunal consisted of the Ten Elders, among whom were demigods. In any scenario, there was overwhelming power on site to crush the offender; no one feared a cornered dog trying to jump over a wall. Typically, once the verdict was announced, the Ten Elders would personally step in to restrain the criminal and seize their items. "A Myriad Realms Commercial Guild exchange ticket?" First Elder Dihong sighed. This youth's temperament was indeed fiercely unbending. The other nine peak Dominators seated high on the bench frowned slightly. Yuanshi Tianzun appeared to have exchanged something. Yet, what could he possibly exchange for? There were ten peak Dominators and twenty to thirty Dominators present. Unless a demigod descended in person, whatever he did was utterly meaningless. The Ten Elders did not care what he had traded for; instead, they lamented the loss of that precious exchange ticket. That was an item even demigods coveted. Elder Miao of Baihui sighed softly. "Yuanshi, do not put up a futile resistance!" A flash of azure light flickered. From the bench behind Zhang Yuanqing, vibrant green vines abruptly sprouted, clawing forward to bind him tightly. The tip of a vine lashed out with a sharp crack, snapping his right wrist that held the ticket and sending the deep-blue postage stamp tumbling down. Secretary Zhou immediately called out, "Guards, confiscate that item." As he spoke, he looked toward Elder Cai. "Presiding Judge, please immediately seize all items in the defendant's inventory." Two guards strode swiftly toward Zhang Yuanqing. One clamped down on his shoulders and kicked the hollow behind his knee, forcing him down. The other bent over to pick up the stamp, but before his fingers could touch it, bright flames suddenly burst from the deep-blue stamp, reducing it to ash in an instant. Rule 1 of the Myriad Realms Commercial Guild Exchange Ticket: There is no upper limit on exchanges. One may sacrifice Dominator-level items, or even demigod-level items, and it will grant power of the corresponding level. Rule 2: A Saint cannot withstand the power of a Dominator, just as a Dominator cannot withstand the power of a demigod. The consequence of an exchange that exceeds one's level is returning to the Spirit Realm. Rule 3: The exchange target can only be the ticket holder; it cannot be used through an avatar, even an avatar created by a karmic item. Rule 4: The exchange ticket has a mind of its own. It selects what it wants from you rather than what you designate. You may accept or decline. The rules flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind, and at the same moment, the Spirit Realm notification chimed: [Ding! Exchange successful.] [Myriad Realms Commercial Guild appraisal: Fragment of Taiyin Origin, one of the administrator permissions, one of the core permissions, demigod-stage item. Appraisal complete!] [Exchanged items: Thunder Mage permission fragment, Wind Mage permission fragment, Void permission fragment.] [You will obtain the power of the three major permission fragments. Duration of use: two minutes. Timer started: 01:58:80] [Ding, exchange complete!] From out of the void, a bolt of thunder crashed down, striking Zhang Yuanqing squarely. The vines and roots coiled around him, the wooden collar around his neck, and the shackles at his ankles were reduced to charred cinders in an instant. The guard pinning his shoulders down, forcing him to kneel, was turned to ash before he could even scream. Zhang Yuanqing sprang up abruptly, levitating in midair. His short hair stood on end, glowing with a fluorescent blue light. His eye sockets filled with crackling blue-violet electricity, vivid electric arcs snapped across the surface of his body, and a blue lightning insignia materialized on his forehead. An overwhelming, demigod-level pressure descended upon the hall. At this moment, he was like an ancient thunder god awakened, an enraged sovereign. With a sweep of his arms, finger-thick arcs of lightning shot out from his body. Light bulbs overhead exploded in bursts of sparks and went out one after another. The cameraman's equipment, the projector on the ceiling, the audience's phones—every electrical device in the hall suffered interference or damage. The live stream went black. The official realm-walkers watching the stream lost the feed, and the comments section exploded: "What happened? I think I saw a bolt of lightning strike Yuanshi Tianzun!" "Yuanshi Tianzun must be lashing out in desperation. Foolish. Who can resist before the Ten Elders?" "Just wait. Yuanshi Tianzun can't stir up any real trouble. The picture should be back soon." Static crackled as the picture returned, though covered in heavy snow. Inside the courtroom, complete chaos erupted. Driven by terror, the Saints scurried for cover with their heads in their hands, or prostrated themselves on the floor, trembling violently. "What's going on? What is happening?!" They shrieked in horror, unable to comprehend why Yuanshi Tianzun had unleashed such terrifying power. On the jury bench, more than twenty elders shook at the knees, their expressions frozen in terror as they stared at Yuanshi Tianzun, who was wreathed in thunder and lightning. This was demigod-level power! The brows of the Ten Elders twitched uncontrollably. Wooo— A mournful, piercing howl of wind echoed through the courtroom as violent gales surged up from the ground, tossing Saints into the air, tearing desks and chairs to shreds, and buffeting the elders until they staggered. Behind Zhang Yuanqing, translucent wings formed of tempestuous currents unfurled. Two miniature tornadoes buoyed his feet. That was not all. The space around Zhang Yuanqing collapsed, opening into a profound black vortex that seemed connected to the unknown void. The demigod powers of three major classes converged upon a single person. An endless pressure enveloped the entire hall. The Saints prostrated on the floor completely lost the ability to move; lower-level ones lost control of their bladders on the spot. At this moment, the elders on the jury bench were no different from the Saints. Even Puppeteers, known for their iron will, dropped to their knees in terror, trembling from head to toe. The Ten Elders, seated high above and seemingly incapable of ever losing their composure, abruptly rose to their feet. This turn of events defied everyone's expectations. The youth who had been fish on a chopping block just moments before had now become a tyrant dominating the entire scene. None of them could fathom where this defiant young man had borrowed such power from, but one thing was certain: the Five Elements Alliance was in grave danger. At this moment, more than two-thirds of the alliance's elite, along with ten peak Dominators, were gathered in Courtroom No. 1. If they were wiped out in one fell swoop, the domestic Spirit Realm factions would fall completely out of balance and descend into chaos. They had all been wrong. Yuanshi Tianzun was no meat for the slaughter. They were not trying an arrogant young genius; they were facing a defiant demon, a terrifying tyrant. Treading upon the gale, Zhang Yuanqing cast eyes teeming with brilliant lightning toward Secretary Zhou. His voice was grand and ethereal, like the whisper of a god: "Zhou, do you have any last words?" Secretary Zhou's face was deathly pale. He shook like a sieve, horror flooding every corner of his mind. This feeling, as though the end of days had arrived, nearly shattered his sanity. His lips quivered as he opened his mouth, seeming to want to beg for mercy, offer a trade of benefits, or... "You don't deserve last words." Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand and pointed from afar. Boom! A thick column of lightning fell, blasting his body directly into splashing water, triggering the Water Ghost's passive ability. Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle— The lightning crashed down relentlessly, and under the searing heat, the water evaporated away. Body and soul extinguished. A powerful, high-ranking secretary was obliterated before everyone's eyes, as frail as an ant. This scene deeply rattled the surrounding elders. Zhang Yuanqing then turned his gaze toward Nine Curves River and Biologist, saying coldly, "You two took part in the operation to hunt me. Your deaths are well-deserved." He raised his head and pointed. Gales compressed into two high-speed spinning lances, piercing through their bodies and grinding them into splashing water. Boom! Boom! Boom! Lightning struck again and again, vaporizing every last drop of splashed water. Not a shred of their remains was left. From beginning to end, neither of the two Dominators even had time to make a sound. As Zhang Yuanqing obliterated the three Dominators, Elder Cai, presiding over the court, grabbed the wooden gavel on his desk and brought it down heavily. Thud! The gavel struck open the seal blanketing the courtroom; it was the key to the seal. The instant the seal was dispelled, Elder Cai retrieved an ink-black seal from his inventory. This was his rule-based item, the River God Seal. This seal enhanced all his attributes across the board. Within it surged a boundless river; as long as that river was not destroyed, he could resurrect endlessly. Furthermore, within the river's home domain, his combat prowess could overwhelm peak Dominators of the same level. Elder Cai activated a guild dungeon without hesitation. Taking out the River God Seal was merely for self-preservation; he had never intended to fight Yuanshi Tianzun in this state. Even a peak Dominator wielding a rule-based item was no match for a demigod. As long as he entered the guild dungeon, he would be safe. Yuanshi Tianzun could not maintain this state for long; a mere Saint could never sustain demigod-level power. Yet, after activating the guild dungeon, the familiar Spirit Realm notification never sounded in his ears. This meant Courtroom No. 1 was still in a sealed state, isolated from the Spirit Realm. This was the power of the Void. "Cai Qinhe!" A low roar echoed. Zhang Yuanqing raised his right hand, and crackling lightning descended from the void, condensing into a dazzling blue spear in his palm. High-speed swirling air currents wrapped around its tip. Elder Cai's expression changed drastically. He immediately activated the River God Seal, preparing to release the surging river. At that exact moment, Zhang Yuanqing reached out, snagging a splinter of wood. "Trade!" A higher-ranking Merchant could force a transaction with a lower-ranking realm-walker. The River God Seal in Elder Cai's hand vanished, replaced by a splinter of wood. Elder Cai finally panicked. The mist swirling about his face had long since dispersed, revealing a handsome middle-aged countenance contorted in solemn terror. He looked back toward the nine elders behind him, whose expressions were just as grim, and shouted shrilly, "His state won't last long! Everyone, defend together!" Zhang Yuanqing's expression remained solemn and cold, his voice sounding like a timeless, resonant bell: "One dies or all die. The choice is yours." As he spoke, he hurled the lightning lance wrapped in swirling wind, embedding it right by Elder Cai's feet. Dihong, Elder Miao, Elder Jiange, and the other elders—their brows twitched, their faces convulsed, but not one made a move. Even the most short-tempered and impulsive Fire Mages had lost their will to fight. After so many years, these peak Dominators felt fear and helplessness once more. Lance after lance of lightning shot out, forming a forest of thorns with Elder Cai trapped in the center. The tornadoes at the spear tips linked together, condensing into a circular wall of wind. Elder Cai's body dispersed into mist, violently slamming against the wind wall, yet he failed to stir the slightest ripple. Under the spatial lockdown, all escape arts were rendered useless. Dragon's Roar, Plague, Moisture Deprivation... The effects of his skills were entirely confined within that tiny cage. Absolute, comprehensive suppression. Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand and snapped his fingers. Boom! A thunderclap detonated through the entire courtroom as a pillar of lightning as thick as a water vat crashed down, engulfing Elder Cai within the forest of thorns. Elder Cai let out a heart-wrenching shriek as his body rapidly disintegrated in the lightning. He was among the first generation of realm-walkers, a renowned genius from the very moment he stepped into Spirit Realm dungeons. In his youth, he had been ruthless and decisive, assisting a demigod in founding the Water God Palace. In his maturity, he had devised strategies and governed affairs, eventually reaching the apex of power after the Five Elements Alliance merged. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that his lifetime of glory and honor, his entire legacy of prosperity, would be ruined at the hands of a mere Saint—snuffed out by a kid who had been a realm-walker for a mere six months. "Yuanshi Tianzun—!" A venomous, hate-filled roar drifted from within the pillar of lightning. A second later, the peak Dominator was reduced to ash. A century of commanding wind and clouds, a century of resplendent glory, all wiped clean in a single stroke. The lightning pillar extinguished, and the lightning lances and wall of wind dissipated alongside it. The courtroom fell dead silent. The remaining nine elders stood stiffly, on high alert. Zhang Yuanqing descended slowly. Stowing the River God Seal into his inventory, his gaze swept over the entire hall—the Saints in the gallery, the elders on the bench, and the official realm-walkers behind the camera. He spoke the words that had been buried in his heart for so long: "How many years has it even been since the Spirit Realm appeared? Before the Spirit Realm, what were you? You, too, came from humble beginnings. You, too, suffered subjugation. You, too, were once mere mortals rather than realm-walkers, yet you forgot where you came from. "You view those who grow strong as chives to reap. You view those who refuse to bow as mortal enemies. You tame the extraordinarily gifted into your running dogs, and brand anyone with a mind of their own as heretics. Cruelty is not the original sin of rulers—arrogance is. "I come from humble roots; my death is of no consequence. But what I do today is to let you all know: today it is Cai Qinhe who dies, but tomorrow it could be any of you. Today I, Yuanshi Tianzun, bristle with fury; tomorrow, thousands upon millions may rise to take my place!" Not a sound could be heard. At the very end, he looked toward the nine peak Dominators and spat hard at them: "Ptui!" The brilliant blue light in Zhang Yuanqing's eyes faded. The electric arcs dancing across his skin dispersed, and the wild wind died down. Inch by inch, his body crumbled; inch by inch, it vanished. Body and soul extinguished! Born defiant, rebel to the bone.