The Celestial Tier has many implicit rules, most of which exist to protect low-tier disciples.

If Ning Haotian stepped down from the first step to attack Wang Xu, it would be abusing power to bully the weak, violating the Celestial Tier's implicit rules.

Ning Haotian smiled faintly.

"Junior Sister Qing'Er, you're right. If I were to make a move against Wang Xu, it would indeed violate the Celestial Tier's implicit rules..."

Suddenly, Ning Haotian's voice changed, his gaze sharp as he looked at Wang Xu, "But what if this is the 'higher-ups' decision?"

Han Qing'Er's heart tightened.

The higher-ups?

If the higher-ups sent Ning Haotian, could it be... the Punishment Elder!

A flash of surprise flickered in Han Qing'Er's eyes.

Ning Haotian was one of the direct disciples of the Punishment Elder, and Wang Xu's previous actions indeed violated the Celestial Tier's implicit rules, which would have surely drawn the higher-ups' attention.

Although Han Qing'Er's realm wasn't high, following the Seven Luminaries elder around had given her profound insights into the Imperial Extreme Divine Sect.

The Punishment Elder, renowned for his strict impartiality, could not take direct action on this matter and had to send Ning Haotian in his stead.

Thinking this many times, Han Qing'Er understood the situation thoroughly.

"Wang Xu, I initially wanted to claim the position of the first step, then come for your life, but you've been far too flamboyant."

Ning Haotian taunted, "You're a Celestial God Realm, yet instead of competing for the second step, you chose to contest the third step with Mixed Universe Realm junior brothers, do you not feel ashamed?"

Celestial God Realm!

He truly is a Celestial God Realm!

Upon hearing this, the martial artists surrounding him looked at Wang Xu with resentment in their eyes.

Someone in the Celestial God Realm, actually came to compete for the steps with them in the Mixed Universe Realm, if that's not abusing power to bully the weak, what is it?

To this, Wang Xu said nothing.

"Having nothing to say means you've admitted the facts; you struck at low-tier disciples, killed many of them, now use your life to accompany them in death!"

Ning Haotian's face twisted viciously, a strong killing intent in his eyes, and he immediately stepped with Star Step, gripping his long spear, pressing toward Wang Xu!

"Why is the Punishment Elder taking action? Wasn't it supposed to be a warning?"

On the island, the head of the Void Star Sect questioned.

As Ning Haotian had said, Wang Xu did indeed kill many other sect's disciples.

But the deceased sect disciples, in the eyes of the sect heads, were nothing more than cannon fodder in the Mixed Universe Realm!

Wang Xu was different.

He was a Celestial God Realm!

One Celestial God Realm was worth a thousand Mixed Universe Realm disciples!

"No worries, this child is too overbearing, let Haotian suppress his arrogance."

The Punishment Elder remained unmoved.

His instruction to Ning Haotian was to warn Wang Xu.

But Ning Haotian had long harbored a determination to kill Wang Xu, how could he simply finish it with a warning?

Rather than being accused of abusing power to bully the weak or violating the Celestial Tier's implicit rules, it would be better to seize this opportunity to kill Wang Xu in one fell swoop!

"Wang Xu, die!"

Recalling how his own brother had died at Wang Xu's hands, rage filled Ning Haotian's chest.

Wang Xu must die!

"Wang Xu!"

"Wang Xu!"

Rou Lin, Senior Sister Xin Wan exclaimed, while Han Qing'Er also clenched her fists nervously.

Facing the assault of the strong from the first step, Wang Xu was not afraid, his perception strength exceeding eight million times completely solidified the strike.

"Clang!"

Thunder God Universe Light Saber shot like a swimming fish, lashed out, meeting Ning Haotian's attack with a hard hit.

The shock of the impacts made both their palms tremble simultaneously.

"Your strength... can actually respond?"

Ning Haotian's expression turned surly.

He was the peak Initial Celestial God Realm, the absolute main force in the Celestial Ascension, qualified to compete for the first step.

He struggled to gain such strength, how could Wang Xu, who only recently became a Celestial God Realm, be on par with him?

But Ning Haotian didn't know that his proud realm was of no use in front of Wang Xu.

The greatest benefit of realm concerns the strength of perception.

With the same perception strength of over eight million times, between the two, there was no such thing as faster or slower, the clash left only technique in Secret Techniques, control of power.

Whichever side controlled power more strongly and could seize the other's weaknesses, that side would win!

"I don't believe... you can't possibly be my opponent, die, just die!"

Not killing Wang Xu in one strike, Ning Haotian immediately felt disgraced.

He came down from the first step, representing the strongest.

But he couldn't gain any advantage over Wang Xu, could this still be considered the strongest?

Ning Haotian, boiling with anger, sent his long spear forming phantasms to enshroud Wang Xu.

Wang Xu swung the Thunder God Universe Light Saber in his hand, colliding with Ning Haotian's attack, constantly producing metallic clangs.

"Brother Zhu, you're amazing!"

One observing disciple in the distance whispered astonished, "I didn't expect this person's strength to truly rival someone on the first step, no wonder he's so terrifying! Luckily Brother Zhu has such keen insight, or else we would all be doomed on the Celestial Tier today!"

This disciple watched as Wang Xu and Ning Haotian fought evenly matched, his eyes full of relief.

Facing such terrifying strength, all two hundred people together would have been doomed, not a single one would be leaving alive!

"I've caught your flaw!"

Suddenly, Wang Xu's eyes shone as he noticed a flaw in Wang Xu's stance. He thrust his spear forcefully, "Die for me!"

However, as his spear came, Wang Xu's arms closed, and the flaw was perfectly concealed. Ning Haotian was taken aback, as the cold gleam of the long saber swept past his arm.

Heeze!

Blood spurted out as Ning Haotian staggered back, a mix of shock and rage on his face.

Blood flowed down his arm, the intense pain was unbearable!

He hurt me... He actually managed to hurt me!

Ning Haotian's face turned red with anger.

No matter how he tried to rationalize it, just a few years ago, this guy was merely at the White Hole Level, and within just a few years, he had ascended to the Celestial God Realm.

More than that, his strength actually matched his own!

Even within the Celestial Tier, after having his realm cultivation stripped, the gap between realms was supposed to be insurmountable.

Yet Wang Xu achieved this impossible feat!

"He must have had a great opportunity, but why... Why was it him? I refuse to accept it. Me, a Peak Initial Celestial God Realm, about to ascend the first step, how could I be defeated by someone who just entered the Celestial God Realm!"

Ning Haotian's face twisted, "Hao Cang, I will avenge you, definitely! I'm going to send this guy to Hell, never to reincarnate!"

Ning Haotian roared furiously, extending his hand suddenly, and sliced it harshly across the sharp edge of the spear.

Instantly, a ghastly wound appeared in Ning Haotian's palm, hot blood covering his entire hand.

But Wang Xu furrowed his brow.

From his nose, he detected a faint medicinal scent.

"Senior Brother Ning, you actually took drugs!"

Han Qing'Er's face changed dramatically as she shouted.

Yet Ning Haotian grinned hideously, opened his mouth wide, and sucked the blood from his palm, swallowing it down.

Immediately, a faint trace of primordial qi appeared on Ning Haotian's body.

Primordial qi, that most familiar yet most foreign thing within the Celestial Tier.

Sensing the fluctuation of primordial qi, all the martial artists around turned pale.

"Haha... Wang Xu, today I will definitely kill you!"

Ning Haotian laughed wildly, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins.

...

"Punishment Elder, what is happening here!"

The Sect Leader of the Void Star Sect's face changed, questioning.

The Punishment Elder frowned deeply, disappointment towards Ning Haotian was evident in his eyes.

"This child actually fused medicine with his blood beforehand and then used it within the Celestial Tier... By doing so, he is openly challenging the Celestial Tier's rules!"

Another Sect Leader from the Star Sect shouted angrily.

The second rule of the Celestial Tier: All disciples entering should have their cultivation stripped.

This rule was set for the fairness of all disciples.

Yet Ning Haotian's action was a flagrant violation of the Celestial Tier's rules, challenging all the higher-ups!

"Elder Zhu Xiang, what is the punishment for violating the Celestial Tier's rules?"

The Sect Leader of the Void Star Sect said.

"This child violated the second rule of the Celestial Tier and should be sent into the 'Nine Heavens,' to endure the ninefold punishment."

Elder Zhu Xiang said emotionlessly.

Nine Heavens!

The faces of the seven Star Sect Leaders present changed slightly.

They all ascended from the Mixed Universe Realm and Celestial God Realm through cultivation, eventually acquiring the strength to become Sect Leaders.

Regarding Nine Heavens, a punishment so severe it was not even recorded in books, they knew best.

Ninefold punishment, wind, fire, lightning, ice, water, earth... each layer being endlessly torturous.

Just like the "Cold Ice Prison" that Ning Haocang feared profoundly earlier, it was merely the ice punishment within the ninefold punishment.

And Nine Heavens was the rotation between nine different punishments, and the minimum duration was a thousand years!

A thousand years of ninefold punishment, even listening as Sect Leaders of the Star Sect, sent chills down their spines.

"Prepare the punishment."

The Punishment Elder silently turned around, stepping into the void where his figure disappeared.

One can imagine, the Punishment Elder himself being impartial and unbiased, regardless of who it was, as long as rules were broken, punishment must be served.

Wang Xu had violated the implicit rules, which was not within the explicit regulations, resulting in the Punishment Elder issuing only a warning.

But Ning Haotian completely broke the Celestial Tier rules.

Moreover, he was the disciple of the Punishment Elder, which only meant more severe ninefold punishment.

...

"Wang Xu, I will make you slowly die in despair, haha..."

Ning Haotian's face twisted fiercely, as he spoke, he waved his palm, a gigantic Primordial Qi Hand descended from the sky, crashing down towards Wang Xu!

Having primordial qi, and not having primordial qi, the strength was worlds apart.

Just like now, facing this Primordial Qi Hand, Wang Xu had no power to fight back.

He was a mere mortal, how could he withstand an attack with primordial qi?

"Wang Xu, activate the Mechanical Ancient Eye!"

Suddenly, a voice from You Ji emerged in Wang Xu's heart.

"Impossible, my spiritual consciousness has already been..."

Wang Xu was responding when he abruptly realized, he actually had spiritual consciousness!

"Hehe, that old man stripped you of your realm cultivation, but he didn't take away mine. I'm lending you this spiritual consciousness for now, in the future, you must get me ten Saint Venerable Dominator Realm corpses for me to consume!" (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)

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