Chapter Nineteen: The Celestial Master Above

In an instant.

The flying sword struck like a bolt of lightning, arriving in the blink of an eye and pressing right before him. Ye Feng stepped forward, meeting the blade head-on. Just as the sword reached within a fist's distance of his chest, it suddenly froze in mid-air.

Hummm!

The blade vibrated and hummed, as if battling against an invisible force. At the same time, Ye Feng stopped, his entire body enveloped in waves of golden light. It was as if he had conjured an invisible barrier, as solid and impenetrable as a fortress. The speeding sword was completely blocked outside this golden glow.

"Hiss..."

The incredible scene before them nearly made everyone's jaws drop. Master Yu, in particular, gasped, his eyes bulging in disbelief as he shrieked, "Golden light of protection?! How... how is this possible?!"

He had assumed Ye Feng was merely an ordinary martial artist without internal cultivation. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine the man could manifest such a protective aura to repel his flying sword.

Ye Feng then extended a finger, pointing directly at the tip of the sword outside the golden barrier. With a flick of his finger—*snap*—a crisp, shattering sound echoed through the room. The blade shattered into countless fragments, and even the hilt fell to the ground.

"Ugh..." Master Yu, who had been controlling the sword, suffered a backlash from its destruction. He stumbled back three steps, his insides churning like a stormy sea, nearly sustaining internal injuries from the shock. His face was pale with terror.

"A mere practitioner of minor arts, and you dare to act presumptuously before me?" Ye Feng formed a seal with one hand, and a low rumble of thunder began to echo around him. "Today, I shall let you witness my true power!"

As he spoke, Ye Feng raised a finger high above his head, pointing toward the ceiling. His fingertip glowed faintly, accompanied by the crackle of lightning, as if electricity were coiling around it. Seeing this, while the laypeople were merely confused, Master Yu couldn't help but shiver, crying out in shock, "Drawing upon the essence of nature, manifesting the divine arts?!"

"You—you are a Celestial Master?!"

Master Yu stared back at Ye Feng in horror, his expression one of utter disbelief. He had never imagined he would encounter such a young Celestial Master. Those who reached the rank of Celestial Master were all masters capable of commanding the laws of heaven and earth, far surpassing the likes of mere practitioners like himself.

In the world of cultivation, the titles of "Master" and "Celestial Master" were once used interchangeably. It was only after the Hongwu Emperor declared, "How can there be a master for the heavens?", that cultivators began to adopt the title of "Master" instead. Yet, in private, they still reserved the title of "Celestial Master" for the truly enlightened beings. The gap between a Master and a Celestial Master was like the difference between heaven and earth—a vast, insurmountable chasm. How could Master Yu not be terrified to find himself facing a young man who was clearly a Celestial Master?

"Who is your master?" he stammered. "What kind of sacred being are you?"

Trembling with fear, Master Yu retreated step by step, cold sweat pouring down his face. Ye Feng did not answer. He took a single step forward, the golden light radiating from him surging into the rafters.

With a thunderous *crack*, as if lightning had struck the flat ground, Ye Feng opened his hand and shouted, "Thunder, come!"

From the dome of the ceiling, it felt as if a giant hand descended, slamming down toward the top of Master Yu’s head. In a flash of lightning, the man seemed to be seized within the palm of the thunderbolts. Master Yu threw his head back, his mouth wide open, his body turning charred and black as if electrocuted, before he collapsed to the ground, his fate unknown.

Ye Feng waved his hand, dispelling the golden light. The vast villa hall was once again plunged into darkness.

Silence. A deathly silence descended upon the room. The scene felt like an unfathomable abyss, quiet and still. In the darkness, everyone stared at Ye Feng in terror, their minds replaying the sight of him commanding lightning and striking down Master Yu with a single blow.

Bai Weiwei was utterly stunned by Ye Feng’s display of divine might. If she had harbored doubts about him at the start, and only felt her trust deepen as he fought off a hundred men, she now believed in him implicitly. With his strength, he was not merely a pillar of support for the Bai family; he was their guardian deity. Hope reignited in her eyes—the resurgence of the Bai family was within reach.

On the other side, the Cui family members felt more fear than shock—a bone-deep, visceral fear.

"You brat, what kind of monster have you provoked?!" Old Master Cui gulped, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. The Master Yu he had paid a fortune to hire had been dispatched in a single strike; how were they supposed to continue this?

"I... I don't know..." Cui Youliang replied with a grimace, utterly bewildered. He had only come to the Bai villa to scavenge for a few treasures as he always did. Who could have guessed that a "living Yama" would be waiting here to seize the place?

*Tap, tap, tap.*

After disposing of Master Yu, Ye Feng walked toward the father and son. Seeing him approach, Cui Youliang shivered violently, suddenly recalling something. "Dad... Dad... the money I asked you to prepare over the phone... did you bring it?"

Old Master Cui froze and shook his head. "No... I didn't..." At the time, he had brought Master Yu and assumed victory was certain; why would he go through the trouble of bringing money? Who could have imagined Master Yu would be defeated so easily?

*It's over.* Cui Youliang’s heart sank; he feared that even ten billion would not be enough now.

"Where is the money?" Ye Feng’s cold voice drifted out of the darkness.

The father and son looked up, realizing Ye Feng was already standing right in front of them. The sheer weight of his terrifying aura made it hard for them to even breathe.

"We... we were in a rush... we forgot to prepare it..." Old Master Cui could only offer a half-truth.

"Then keep calling to get more people," Ye Feng said. "But this time, make it twenty billion!"