"Opposing me—do you have the strength and background for that? You're simply courting death."
Seeing this scene, Chu Xia soared into the air, his luxurious robes fluttering as he let out a cold laugh, his face showing a hint of smugness.
The divine cauldron did not continue to descend but hovered above his head, releasing a waterfall of radiant divine light that made him look like a young deity.
"Speaking of which, Fourth Sister's cauldron is truly useful. It's a replica of her own weapon, forged specifically for me. I usually can't bear to use it, but today, using it to deal with this guy is more than enough."
Chu Xia glanced at the ruined, smoke-filled Riverside Pavilion, his eyes filled with even more cold laughter.
The Fourth Sister he mentioned wasn't the most profound among his siblings in terms of cultivation, but she was the one who doted on him the most.
Otherwise, such a forbidden artifact, which didn't require activation and only needed to be summoned, wouldn't have been forged at great cost by an ordinary Dao Realm existence.
In the distance, many figures rose into the air, their faces filled with fear and anger as they stared at Chu Xia.
These were the ones who had escaped quickly. If they had been even slightly slower, they would have met the same fate as those who had died in the chaos.
"Where did this lunatic come from? He nearly destroyed Riverside Pavilion, and many disciples from major sects died just now."
"Is he planning to turn Purple Return City upside down?"
"Such a dangerous forbidden artifact was casually given to a madman like this. I wonder which force raised him."
Further away, many cultivators were also alarmed, their faces filled with shock as they looked over.
Even some Quasi-Immortal Emperor figures were shaken by the aftermath of the earlier shockwaves, their expressions turning extremely grave.
However, no one dared to step forward and intervene. Such a terrifying forbidden artifact was no joke.
In their eyes, Chu Xia at this moment was like a baby wielding a weapon capable of destroying an entire city, acting entirely on whims without regard for consequences.
Chu Xia paid no attention to the surrounding cultivators. With a snap, he opened his folding fan, returning to his usual carefree demeanor.
"This is the fate of those who oppose me."
In his view, Gu Changge was likely around the same age as him.
Facing the might of the divine cauldron, there was no way Gu Changge could resist.
If he didn't have some protective treasures, he would have already turned to dust like the other cultivators.
"Oh? Relying on a forbidden artifact forged by a Dao Realm existence to act so recklessly and slaughter innocent cultivators."
"Is this all you're capable of?"
At this moment, from within the smoke-filled ruins of Riverside Pavilion, Gu Changge's calm and unhurried voice rang out once more, causing Chu Xia's smile to freeze and his eyes to darken again.
"You're still alive?"
He coldly stared at Gu Changge, preparing to summon the divine cauldron again to completely crush him.
"With just this little ability, you think you can kill me?"
Gu Changge let out a light laugh, as if he had heard something amusing.
Before him, there seemed to be an invisible barrier that isolated heaven, earth, and the Dao.
All the might of the cauldron, upon touching this invisible barrier, dissipated like ripples without a sound.
Behind him, the women of Riverside Pavilion and the other disciples who hadn't escaped in time were filled with lingering fear.
If not for Gu Changge's protection, they would have already met a tragic end.
Everyone looked at Gu Changge with gratitude in their eyes.
Even Madam Liu was the same, filled with regret and fear. She never expected Chu Xia to be so ruthless, even willing to destroy Riverside Pavilion.
"Thank you, young master."
Although Gu Changge had protected some, many disciples from major sects had still been annihilated by the divine cauldron Chu Xia had summoned, their bodies and souls completely destroyed.
The surviving cultivators, realizing what had happened, were immensely grateful to Gu Changge and thanked him profusely.
If not for his intervention, they would have shared the same fate as the others.
Their eyes burned with unconcealed anger and killing intent toward Chu Xia.
Even innocent bystanders like them had been caught up in this. This person was truly despicable.
"It was just a small effort. There's no need to be so polite. It's a pity that my strength is limited, and I couldn't save everyone in time," Gu Changge shook his head slightly, seeming somewhat regretful.
Hearing this, the disciples from major sects felt even more hatred toward Chu Xia, as well as deep lingering fear.
Chu Xia's expression darkened. His earlier attack had indeed been intended to wipe out everyone in Riverside Pavilion, including Yiyi and Madam Liu.
After all, these people had just witnessed his humiliation.
But he hadn't expected Gu Changge to step in and save them.
"It seems you do have some ability. But even so, what does it matter?"
Chu Xia's face was icy as he prepared to summon the divine cauldron again.
However, at that moment, the void suddenly blurred.
An elderly figure, hunched and wrinkled, appeared before him, stopping Chu Xia's actions.
"Young Master Chu, let's end this here. There's no need to continue this petty conflict."
He spoke, positioning himself in front of Chu Xia.
Seeing this hunched figure, Chu Xia was also stunned and couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Fu, why are you here?"
This figure was none other than the old servant who had served his father since childhood.
Although he had no talent for cultivation, Chu Xia's father, out of gratitude, had used various methods and rare treasures to elevate his cultivation to the Dao Realm.
Uncle Fu could be considered a highly respected figure in the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
Even Chu Xia didn't dare to disrespect him, as it would lead to severe punishment from his father and others.
"Uncle Fu, so you've been following me all along."
Chu Xia quickly reacted, his expression turning to one of pleasant surprise.
Although he was surprised by Uncle Fu's sudden appearance, with a Dao Realm existence by his side, what did he have to fear from Gu Changge?
"Young Master, today's events have gone too far. This petty conflict is unnecessary."
Uncle Fu shook his head slightly. He had been secretly following Chu Xia under the orders of Chu Xia's mother, Wang Xuexin, to ensure his safety.
If Chu Xia hadn't been in any danger, he wouldn't have revealed himself.
However, he hadn't expected Chu Xia to cause such a mess over a mere entertainer from Riverside Pavilion.
This kind of petty conflict, if known by Chu Gucheng, would undoubtedly lead to severe punishment for Chu Xia.
Moreover, if he didn't intervene now, the situation would escalate further, making it even harder to resolve.
Especially the mysterious white-robed man who had clashed with Chu Xia—he gave Uncle Fu an indescribable sense of unease.