If you think this is just an isolated incident, you're wrong.

What does it mean to be the number one sect in the world?

In other words, Shangxuan Sect has the most Core Formation stage cultivators, the strongest power, and may even produce cultivators who ascend to the Divine Transformation stage, becoming members of the immortals in the upper realm.

Historically speaking, Tianyan Sect once produced a cultivator who ascended to the upper realm, but in contrast, Shangxuan Sect produced two. So it goes without saying who is stronger.

No matter where Shangxuan Sect disciples go, others have to give way. When encountering danger, if others see you are from Shangxuan Sect, they have to think twice about whether they can afford to provoke this number one sect in the world.

Don't think these rankings of first and second are just empty titles. Cultivators don't haggle over them. In fact, they are the most important. If your reputation is big, your disciples can run amok. In matters requiring the alliance of various sects, the stronger the power, the more benefits you can get.

Who would fight over things with no benefits?

Cultivators are also human. Humans have seven emotions and six desires. The pursuit of immortality is also one of the desires, which is inherently contrary to the Daoist teachings of no desire and going with the flow. Of course, it can't be denied that some people do cultivate to pursue the great Dao between heaven and earth, but most others are not so noble.

This is why Tianyan Sect is determined to become the number one sect in the world.

In contrast, Shangxuan Sect has indeed been too low-key in recent years.

Not only did they not take the lead in exterminating demons and beasts, but even in this sect gathering, they were preempted by Tianyan Sect, inevitably giving others the illusion that Shangxuan Sect is starting to decline.

Shangxuan Sect originally had thirteen Core Formation stage cultivators. In recent years, one of them perished, leaving twelve, including the seven peak masters. There are also five elders who cultivate in the back mountains and are rarely seen even once in a hundred years, let alone meddling in mundane affairs.

Moreover, others may not know, but Zhou Yin and the others are well aware that just before setting off for Tianyan Sect, Shangxuan Sect had another incident. Qingxuan of Tianxuan Peak died, and Qiu Xianyun of Tianquan Peak was put under house arrest. Who knows how Qinghe Zhenren will handle it after they leave.

In the eyes of the world, although Shangxuan Sect is as strong as ever, Tianyan Sect also has the momentum to surpass them.

So everything that happened to the Shangxuan Sect people after arriving here has an explanation.

They represent Shangxuan Sect. Regardless of their numbers or cultivation levels, as long as they show their name, Tianyan Sect must treat them with respect. Moreover, Qingying is one of the seven peak masters with an extraordinary status. At the very least, a Tianyan Sect hall master or elder should come to receive them.

As a result, only a Song Yi'an came out, and he took Qingying away alone, leaving an unknown Wei Ran to entertain them. If this was the Mirror Sea Sect, such treatment would be normal. But now it's Shangxuan Sect, so "neglect" is not enough to describe it. And now someone even dares to launch a sneak attack.

This is not recklessness and arrogance, but a deliberate provocation and test.

Provoking them to lose their composure and testing their bottom line.

So in the flash of a thought, Yun Zong almost didn't think and directly used the Great Waves Sweeping Sand talisman, startling more than half of Tianyan Sect.

You want to make a scene? Then let's make it big!

The yellow-robed man failed in his sneak attack and simply played the victim first, putting on an aggrieved look.

"Don't be rude!" The gray-robed man scolded him, then looked at Yun Zong. "Although my junior fellow apprentice is a bit naughty, he has never gone too far. You used such a heavy hand. I'm afraid it's unbecoming of Shangxuan Sect's reputation, isn't it?"

He was going to help his people regain face.

He was complacent about his identity and cultivation, not taking the Shangxuan Sect people seriously. Instead, he followed his junior fellow apprentice's words and took the initiative, trying to force them to back down.

The yellow-robed man laughed, "Shishu is right. In the end, it's just a joke. If this fellow Daoist admits his mistake to me, we can let it go."

This was simply turning black and white upside down, distorting the facts!

However, the cultivation world values strength. If your cultivation is high, naturally people will reason with you. If you are weak, you can only be bullied.

Tianyan Sect wants to suppress Shangxuan Sect, so naturally they won't miss this opportunity to publicly humiliate them.

Although the surrounding people knew the truth, no one would stick their neck out and offend the host.

Hearing this, the Shangxuan Sect disciples were filled with righteous indignation, unable to contain their anger.

They had seen shameless people, but never this shameless!

But they had never learned the vulgar curses of the marketplace, and could only hold it in until their faces turned red.

"You're slandering people!"

"How dare you!"

"The esteemed Tianyan Sect is actually so despicable!"

Amidst the condemnation, Zhou Yin lightly said, "When a dog bites someone, you still scold the dog. Can it understand?"

Yun Zong was considering whether to make the matter even bigger when he heard this. The corner of his mouth twitched as he almost couldn't hold back a laugh.

This person doesn't say much, but every sentence is a gem. If there was a ranking for verbally attacking people without drawing blood, he admits he's second, and probably no one dares to claim first.

Seeing Zhou-shishu shut the other party up with one sentence, making their faces alternate between green and red, the other disciples were truly in awe. They all quieted down, pondering and learning the essence of his insults.

The gray-robed man pulled a long face. "Who are you cursing?"

Zhou Yin glanced at him. "Whoever responds is the one. Who do you say it is?"

The surrounding crowd couldn't help but let out a low snicker, making the two Tianyan Sect people's faces completely darken.

From beginning to end, besides those two, not a single person from Tianyan Sect appeared. That Wei Ran who had led them here earlier was already standing far away watching the show.

The gray-robed man sneered. "You really have a sharp tongue. Even your sect's Qinghe Zhenren doesn't dare speak to me like this. Today, I'll have to teach you a lesson on behalf of your elders!"

As soon as he said "today", an object already flew out from his sleeve, striking straight at Zhou Yin. Only then did he continue to finish the second half of his sentence.

Not only did he want to take advantage of the situation, he also wanted to give Zhou Yin a warning, letting him know whose turf this was and whether he still dared to speak out of turn.

After all, he was a Core Formation stage cultivator. That object flew at Zhou Yin so fast that most people present couldn't even tell what it was, let alone raise a hand to block it.

Even Yun Zong, who was just a few feet away, was half a beat too slow.

The Shangxuan Sect disciples couldn't help but cry out in alarm.

The onlookers thought that Zhou Yin was surely going to be hit and sent flying this time. Although they were watching coldly, seeing Tianyan Sect act so recklessly and wanting to kill someone at the slightest disagreement, not even putting Shangxuan Sect in their eyes, they couldn't help but feel a sense of "when the hare dies, the fox grieves".

What the gray-robed man threw out was a piece of bamboo about an inch long. It looked inconspicuous, but in fact, this thing was called Phoenix Eye bamboo. It was named after the phoenix eye-like patterns on the bamboo stalks.

The growing conditions were extremely harsh, only growing in high mountains with spiritual beauty, so it was also very rich in spiritual energy. Cultivators could refine it and turn it into a handy weapon. For example, at this moment, with his Core Formation stage cultivation, the piece of Phoenix Eye bamboo he threw out would catch the other party off guard, and should either kill or injure them.

Just as the bamboo piece was about to pierce Zhou Yin's right eye, it suddenly stopped less than half an inch away from his eyebrows. Then, in the crowd's held breath, it turned around and flew towards the gray-robed man.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Yin threw out three Great Waves Sweeping Sand talismans, and tapped them three times with the Heaven Washing Brush in his hand.

The three talismans instantly turned into three water dragons, wrapping around the gray-robed man, completely enveloping him.

Then Yun Zong stretched out both hands, grasping in the air, and two balls of flames appeared out of thin air. He flung them out.

The two fireballs drilled through the gaps between the three water dragons, merged into one, and turned into a fire spirit with a ferocious face, roaring and pouncing towards the opponent.

Water and fire are incompatible, but the water dragons and fire spirit in front of them cooperated with each other, making their power even greater.

The gray-robed man never expected that not only was Zhou Yin unharmed, but he also had the strength to counterattack. A Core Formation cultivator might not be inferior to him, but when two Core Formation cultivators joined hands, he couldn't gain the upper hand either.

However, he only knew that Yun Zong was at the late Core Formation stage, but he would never know that the other one was an old demonic cultivator whose soul was at the grandmaster level.

Otherwise, with his sudden and aggressive attack, a true early Core Formation stage cultivator might not have had that reaction and preparation when facing a Core Formation stage cultivator.

The others also didn't expect the situation to reverse in an instant. They all widened their eyes, afraid to miss this exciting scene.

The so-called sect conference was a gathering of heroes. Even if the theme was to discuss dealing with demon beasts, it was inevitable to have a grand battle to prove cultivation levels and establish their jianghu status. However, no one expected the appetizer to be so explosive before the main course even arrived.

The gray-robed man had to deal with the three layers of attacks from the bamboo blade, water dragons, and fire dragon. For a while, he had no time to counterattack.

The yellow-robed man on the side shouted, "Shishu, I'm coming to assist you!"

With that said, he leaped into the air, shook both arms, and the wind filled his sleeves, making them open wide. Instantly, countless dazzling golden lights flew out.

The target was not Yun Zong or Zhou Yin, but Pang Yi behind them!

Pang Yi was standing at the very edge. When Zhou Yin and the others were fighting against the opponent, he was also watching intently like everyone else. He was caught off guard as disaster descended from the sky.

The golden silk awls themselves were very small, but when there were many of them, they looked like a golden chain, shimmering with a blinding light under the sun.

He widened his eyes, watching the golden silk awls break through the protective barrier. Reason told him to back away first, then block with his hands, but his body's reaction couldn't keep up with his thoughts at all. By the time the golden silk awls were right in front of him, he had just raised his hand.

Those dazzling golden lights howled over. Before they got close, the spiritual power had already surged over like a vast expanse, enveloping him layer by layer, suffocating him. His eyebrows trembled slightly from the wind, and the scene of death's arrival flashed in his mind.

Am I going to die?

Time seemed to stop, and he couldn't hear any noise around him.

Pang Yi didn't feel the expected pain, but saw a delicate jade hand blocking in front of him.

Then, slowly, a palm.

Those golden silk awls seemed to have come to life, and were all collected into that hand.