44: Swift and decisive measures, awe-inspiring divine might.

The torrential rain poured down like the Milky Way overturning, smashing onto the bluestone slabs outside the Daoist Temple and stirring up a vast white mist.

The Enforcement Team of over a hundred people was now completely silent.

Everyone was stunned by the sight before them—the Blue Light Barrier that had appeared out of thin air enveloped the entire Daoist Temple, and the heavy rain could not penetrate it in the slightest. The inside and outside of the barrier were distinctly separate, like two different worlds.

Deputy Secretary Yan stood in the rain, his police uniform soaked and clinging to his body, water streaming down his cap brim. He tried to open his mouth to give an order, but found his throat dry, his voice stuck and unable to come out.

"W-what is this?" a young police officer asked tremblingly, the police baton in his hand shaking.

"A trick! It must be a trick!" General Manager Zheng squeezed out of the crowd, his face ashen. He was the representative of the development company and had specifically come along today to "supervise the battle." "Secretary Yan, don't be fooled by him! This is high-tech projection, I've seen it overseas!"

These words gave Deputy Secretary Yan a sliver of courage.

Yes, it must be so. Daoists and Spells are all scams. This is the age of science; how could there be supernatural powers?

He wiped the rain from his face and sternly shouted, "Li Muchen! Using these crooked and Evil Path methods is an added offense! Fire Department, break down the door!"

The Firefighters exchanged glances but did not move.

They looked at the Blue Light Barrier, at the Daoist standing still with his eyes closed inside the barrier, and at the pouring rain outside the barrier... This scene was too bizarre, exceeding the limits of their comprehension.

"What are you standing around for?!" Deputy Secretary Yan roared. "Execute the order!"

The leading Fire Squadron Captain gritted his teeth and waved a hand: "Breaching Team, move out!"

Four Firefighters advanced, carrying Hydraulic Breaching Tools. The tools started up, emitting a grating buzz. They walked up to the light barrier and raised the tools—

"Buzz—"

The moment the breaching tool's drill bit touched the light barrier, it let out a sharp grinding noise, and sparks flew everywhere. Yet, the seemingly thin light barrier did not budge an inch. Instead, the breaching tool began to vibrate violently, numbing the Firefighters' hands.

"Increase the power!" the Captain shouted.

The power was adjusted to maximum, and the drill bit spun frantically.

But the light barrier remained.

Not only did it not move, but it began to vibrate back. An invisible force transferred back through the tools, causing the four Firefighters to simultaneously grunt, stagger back three or four steps, and watch as their tools flew out of their hands, crashing onto the ground and actually breaking apart.

The entire scene fell into deadly silence.

Even the sound of the rain seemed to diminish.

Li Muchen slowly opened his eyes.

He was still standing three feet inside the door, his Blue Cloth Daoist Robe spotless. He looked at the disheveled crowd in the rain, his gaze as calm as an ancient well:

"This Humble Daoist has said—this is a Pure Cultivation Site, not a Place for Weapons."

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly pierced the rain curtain and entered everyone's ears.

"If you wish to enforce the Law, This Humble Daoist will not stop you. But if you resort to weapons and destroy the cultivation site..."

He paused, forming a hand Seal within his sleeves.

The swirling Dark Clouds above the Daoist Temple suddenly pressed down. Lightning flashed wildly within the clouds, and Thunder rumbled from far to near, as if thousands of soldiers and horses were galloping across the sky.

"Then I ask all of you to first consult this mountain, this cloud, and this Thunder."

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The moment his voice fell—

"CRACK!!!"

A blinding flash of lightning tore through the sky and struck straight down!

It did not strike the crowd, but instead struck the empty ground ten meters in front of the Enforcement Team.

Electrical light exploded, dirt flew up, and a large charred pit was blasted into the ground. Rain poured onto it, causing plumes of white smoke to rise.

Everyone's eardrums hurt from the shock, and they instinctively covered their heads and crouched down.

The Reporters' camera lenses shook wildly, and the footage became blurred.

When they recovered their senses, they saw that the charred pit was still smoking, and the rainwater was quickly filling it, forming a murky puddle.

Meanwhile, Li Muchen remained standing in place, not even a corner of his robe moving.

"Mon... Monster!" someone screamed involuntarily.

"He's not human! He's not human!"

The team began to stir.

Deputy Secretary Yan's face was as pale as paper. He stared intently at the charred pit, then looked at Li Muchen, his mind completely blank.

This was not a projection.

This was not a Deception Technique.

This was... real Thunder.

He suddenly recalled the stories his Grandfather told him when he was a child: there are True Cultivators in the mountains who can Summon Wind and Rain, and Command Thunder and Lightning.

It turned out it wasn't just a story.

It was real.

"Secretary Yan..." His Secretary leaned over, his voice trembling. "How about... we retreat first?"

Deputy Secretary Yan opened his mouth, but before he could speak—

"CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!"

Three more bolts of lightning struck down!

One struck the front left, one struck the front right, and one struck directly behind.

The three charred pits formed a triangle, enclosing the entire Enforcement Team in the middle. Electrical light jumped in the rainwater, making a "sizzle" sound.

At this point, even the calmest individuals broke down.

"Run!"

"Hurry and run!"

"The lightning is going to kill people!"

The team instantly fell into chaos. Some threw down the things in their hands and turned to run down the mountain; some collapsed onto the ground with weak legs; others knelt on the ground, kowtowing toward the Daoist Temple:

"Immortal, spare my life! Immortal, spare my life!"

Deputy Secretary Yan was swept along by the chaotic crowd and nearly fell. Two police officers quickly supported him: "Secretary, let's retreat! This lightning... this isn't normal!"

"No!" Deputy Secretary Yan violently pushed them away, his eyes bloodshot. "We can't retreat! If we retreat, where will the Government put its face? Do we still want to proceed with the development?"

He took a deep breath and drew the Pistol from his waist—although regulations stated he shouldn't carry it, the situation today was special, and he had specifically applied for permission.

The muzzle pointed at Li Muchen.

"Li Muchen!" he shrieked. "I don't care what you are! This Daoist Temple must be rectified today! If you dare to obstruct again, it is Violent Resistance to Law Enforcement, and I have the right to take Compulsory Measures!"

A gun!

The scene instantly quieted down.

Even the sound of the rain seemed to diminish.

Everyone looked at the gun, then looked at Li Muchen inside the door.

The Reporters' cameras focused on the muzzle, then on Li Muchen's face—that face remained calm and unperturbed.

Li Muchen looked at the muzzle and lightly sighed.

"A gun..." he murmured. "The common Mortal World, ultimately, still relies on this."

He raised his right hand and gently pointed his index finger.

It wasn't pointed at Deputy Secretary Yan, but at the sky.

"Since you insist on using weapons, then This Humble Daoist... shall let you see what true weapons are."

The moment his voice faded—

"RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!!!"

It wasn't one bolt of Thunder, but hundreds, thousands of bolts!

Within the clouds, electrical light danced like Silver Snakes, and the sound of Thunder was like War Drums pounding. The entire sky was illuminated in an eerie blue-white color.

Immediately afterward, those flashes of lightning began to converge, interweaving and winding within the clouds, finally condensing into—

A sword.

A massive sword composed entirely of lightning!

The sword was thirty zhang long, covered in flowing electrical light, its edge pointing directly at the ground. The magnificent Heavenly Might suffocated everyone present.

"W-what is this..." The gun in Deputy Secretary Yan's hand dropped to the ground with a "clatter."

He looked up at the Lightning Giant Sword, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints.

This was not something human strength could contend with.

This was fundamentally... Heavenly Punishment!

Li Muchen's finger moved slightly.

The Lightning Giant Sword moved accordingly, its edge slowly pressing down, pointing at the Enforcement Team.

It did not strike.

It merely hovered there.

But that World-Destroying pressure was enough to make everyone collapse onto the ground.

"Now," Li Muchen's voice rang out, calm yet every word like a hammer blow, "do you still intend to demolish this Daoist Temple?"

No one answered.

There were only heavy gasps and the chattering "keke" sound of teeth.

"Do you still want to point a gun at me?"

Still no one answered.

Deputy Secretary Yan's legs went soft, and he knelt down "plop" in the muddy water. It wasn't that he wanted to kneel; he simply couldn't stand up.

"Do you still want to... turn this Daoist Temple into a Tourist Attraction?"

Li Muchen's voice suddenly sharpened.

The Lightning Giant Sword's light surged, and its edge pressed down another three points.

"We dare not! We dare not!" Deputy Secretary Yan finally broke down, prostrating himself and kowtowing. "Immortal, spare our lives! We truly dare not do it again!"

"Please, Immortal, spare our lives!"

"We were wrong!"

"We won't dare to come again!"

Pleas for mercy rose one after another.

The Enforcement Team of over a hundred people were all kneeling in the muddy water, kowtowing toward the Daoist Temple. Law, mission, development—everything was cast aside.

Only the most primal fear remained, along with reverence for Transcendent Power.

Li Muchen looked at this scene, a trace of Pity flashing in his eyes.

He withdrew his hand.

The Lightning Giant Sword began to slowly dissipate, transforming into countless flashes of electrical light and receding back into the clouds.

The torrential rain also gradually lessened.

The Dark Clouds dispersed, and sunlight once again shone down.

The Blue Light Barrier around the Daoist Temple quietly vanished. The rain finally fell into the courtyard, but it had already turned into a Continuous Drizzle.

Everything returned to normal.

It was as if the World-Destroying scene just now had only been an Illusion.

But the four charred pits on the ground were still smoking.

The people kneeling on the ground were still trembling.

Li Muchen walked to the Mountain Gate, looked at the disheveled crowd in the muddy water, and slowly said:

"Today, This Humble Daoist will not make things difficult for you."

"Go back and tell those who sent you—"

He paused, his voice booming like an Ancient Bell, echoing through the Valley:

"Qingfeng Temple is here. It does not provoke the Mortal World, nor does it obstruct development. But if anyone dares to use weapons again, or trespass the Mountain Gate..."

He looked up at the sky.

In the sky, the last trace of electrical light disappeared.

"Then it will not be a Minor Punishment and a Warning, as it was today."

After speaking, he turned and walked toward the Main Hall.

The figure in the Blue Cloth Daoist Robe gradually walked away in the drizzle.

The Mountain Gate remained open.

The Seal was still on the door.

But no one dared to take another step forward.

Deputy Secretary Yan slumped in the muddy water, watching that figure disappear inside the Temple Door, then looking at the four charred pits on the ground, and finally at the Distraught team around him... He knew that what happened today was huge.

So huge that he, or even the entire Yuntai County, could not bear the consequences.

He struggled to climb up, his voice hoarse:

"Re... Retreat the team..."

His voice was filled with fear and a profound Sense of Powerlessness.

The team began to slowly descend the mountain.

No one spoke.

Only the sound of footsteps and the dripping of rain.

And lingering in everyone's hearts, the unforgettable—

Might of Thunder, Shining Heavenly Might.

It turned out that Immortals truly existed in this world.