The atmosphere on Azure Cloud Peak had shifted. It was no longer a place of quiet mediocrity but a nexus of burgeoning power. Wei An, Mu Yun, and the newly accepted Jia Li were settled into their rigorous training. Jia Li was currently focusing on the Unmoving Void Barrier Fragment, absorbing the essence of absolute defense.
It was during their midday break that the disturbance arrived.
A wave of crushing, icy spiritual pressure slammed into the peak, heavy enough to make the spiritual trees groan and the disciples stumble.
"Lu Chenge! Where is this audacity coming from?!" a furious voice boomed, charged with immense Golden Core energy.
❄️ The Jealous Rival
Elder Ming, a senior Golden Core cultivator who had served the sect faithfully for centuries and had long coveted Lu Chenge's old secluded peak, descended like a vengeful ice god. He had been bypassed for the promotion and was infuriated by the instant recognition given to the former minor elder.
"Elder Lu! You claim to have achieved a Law Master status on a whim? You stole the opportunity meant for true talent! Confess your cheat!" Elder Ming roared, his eyes burning with jealousy.
Before Lu Chenge could even speak, Elder Ming condensed his most powerful attack: the Glacier Shattering Palm. A colossal, pale blue spiritual energy hand, radiating bone-chilling cold, materialized overhead, aimed straight at Lu Chenge and his three disciples. The attack carried the full force of a late-stage Golden Core realm.
Wei An immediately moved to shield Jia Li, while Mu Yun instinctively flared his Volcanic Fire Essence to counter the cold. But the difference in power was too great; they could only brace for impact.
🛡️ The Law of the Void
Lu Chenge remained perfectly still, a picture of absolute calm. His mind was clear; his Perfected Golden Core spun, integrating the balance between fire and void.
Attack: Heavy Physical and Spiritual Force. Required Defense: Absolute Disruption of Force.
Without uttering a word or drawing a single drop of offensive Qi, Lu Chenge activated the Law of the Void.
A shimmering, utterly colorless field—not a wall of energy, but a disruption of space itself—shrouded the small courtyard. It was not a reflection or a counter-attack; it was simply nothingness.
The Glacier Shattering Palm slammed into the Void Barrier.
There was no sound. There was no explosion.
The moment the massive icy palm touched the Void, it didn't shatter; it simply ceased to exist. The vast, late-stage Golden Core attack was absorbed, transposed, and utterly annihilated in the spatial void. Not a single wisp of ice-cold Qi managed to penetrate the barrier. The disciples watched, dumbfounded, as the spiritual attack vanished completely, leaving the courtyard untouched.
Elder Ming staggered back, his face white with terror. He had just thrown his most potent attack against a simple, passive defense, and the attack had been erased as if it were never cast.
"The... the Law of the Void! You are a Dual Law Master!" Elder Ming gasped, his voice cracking. Such a feat was mythical.
🔥 The Counter
Lu Chenge now fixed his gaze on Elder Ming. He allowed a fraction of his Law of Incineration to seep out—a sudden, oppressive heat that felt like the sun had been summoned indoors.
"Elder Ming," Lu Chenge said, his voice level and dangerously quiet. "You attacked the Peak of Destined Prodigies and threatened the sect's greatest talents. If I had not achieved the Law of the Void during my epiphany, what would you have done?"
Elder Ming was already sweating profusely, the fierce heat of the Law of Incineration searing his spiritual sense. The Void Law had removed his attack; the Fire Law was poised to remove him. He understood instantly that this new Grand Elder was invincible.
"I... I apologize for my rashness! Elder Lu, please forgive my jealousy!" Elder Ming cried, dropping to his knees and bowing deeply.
Lu Chenge deactivated the pressure, letting the cool mountain air return. "Go. Return to your peak. And remember the consequences of interrupting true destiny."
Elder Ming scrambled away, his figure retreating at maximum speed, never once looking back.
The three disciples stared at their Master in awe.
"Master," Mu Yun breathed, his Volcanic Fire suddenly feeling small in comparison. "You... you erased the attack."
Jia Li looked at the fragment in her hand, suddenly understanding its true power. Her eyes now held the deep, knowing tranquility of absolute defense.
Lu Chenge merely smiled. "The greatest defense is to make the attack irrelevant. Now, let us resume training. You all have much to learn about the Void."