Misunderstanding?

The surrounding people fell silent for a moment, then started whispering among themselves.

"What kind of thing did he give to that poor cub? It aged instantly!"

"Oh my! He turned that adorable creature into such a fierce-looking beast."

"I feel sorry for the tiger cub..."

The injustice towards the cute cub became a topic of conversation. Even Min Li looked like she was on the verge of tears and said with watery eyes, "I-I touched such a thing? I've dirtied my hands!"

Lao Bai's expression turned sour, feeling unjust. This was the appearance he took pride in and chose!

"Oh, no, no, no. This is just a false appearance, there's no need to worry. Inside, he's still a child," Tian Yi lied to calm Min Li down.

"But still... To choose such an appearance, he might as well have made him look like a child," even Min Qiu commented with a puzzled expression.

"Hey, besides that, what kind of pill did you just give him? I don't remember any pills that can transform a beast into a human," Min Lian expressed her curiosity about the pill.

"It's just an appearance-changing pill, with a few enhancements," Tian Yi replied.

Min Lian's eyes lit up upon hearing this and she asked, "Could it be that you enhanced it? Are you a Pill Master?"

"No way, I had a Pill Master in my family do it. It's too boring for me to sit in front of a cauldron for days," Tian Yi explained.

"Oh... That's a shame," she expressed her disappointment. Pill Masters are rare these days. They have the ability to create pills that can enhance beauty, strength, and most importantly, longevity. Who wouldn't want someone who can help them live longer or become stronger?

But Pill Masters are difficult to find and train. Otherwise, the major sects and clans wouldn't fight over them. Nowadays, it's harder to recruit a good Pill Master than to find a magic weapon on the street. What small family like theirs wouldn't want a Pill Master of their own?

* * * * *

Tian Yi continued chatting with the Min Family for a few hours until the surroundings grew noisy.

"Look! It's the Three Sacred Heroes! Long Huo, the eldest son of the Long Family. Wang Shui, the personal disciple of the Sect Master of Water Gods Sword Sect. And Mei Mingzhu, the Fairy from the Five Sense Illusion Sect!" a passerby pointed to the sky, where three individuals were flying towards Xian Chengshi.

"Aaaahhh! Young Master Huo is as handsome as ever!" a girl screamed.

Long Huo, the eldest son of one of the largest clans in the Immortal Realm. He was 21 years old, with long blonde hair, sharp eyebrows, and green eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Shui is equally handsome!" another girl exclaimed.

Wang Shui, a direct disciple of the Sect Master from the Water Gods Sword Sect, one of the Four Ancient Lands in the Immortal Realm. He was 20 years old, with short black hair, thick eyebrows, and proud-looking blue eyes.

"What a stunning beauty! If only I could have a wife like Fairy Mingzhu," someone said longingly.

"Are you crazy?! Don't let any Young Master hear you say that, or they will roast you alive for making such a comment!" a young man warned.

Mei Mingzhu, also known as Fairy Mingzhu, was a breathtaking beauty renowned as one of the most beautiful women in the Immortal Realm. Her black hair flowed down almost reaching her knees, her eyes were clear and dark, her eyebrows curved gracefully, and she had small pink lips and perfectly shaped breasts. Every man in the Immortal Realm would be infatuated with her.

However, whether it was the sons of Emperors or even the Emperors themselves, all attempts to court her had failed.

While all the men were adoring Mei Mingzhu, Tian Yi was studying the male with blonde hair with a frown and asked, "Who is that male with the blonde hair?"

Min Lian furrowed her brows and replied, "Do you live in a cave or a rat's hole? How can you not know Young Master Huo, one of the Three Sacred Heroes and the eldest son of the Long Family, who rules over Xian Chengshi? Not only is he a genius among geniuses, but he is also one of the most righteous men in the Immortal Realm! Aaaah, I want to have his babies." She accidentally voiced her inner thoughts.

Tian Yi's expression turned cold upon hearing this. "The most righteous man in the Immortal Realm? With a soul as black as his, crying out in agony like that, he dares to proclaim himself as righteous?! I'm surprised he hasn't been struck by Heaven's Tribulation yet! What is my father doing? Is he too old to see through this trash?"

If someone cultivates the path of a Devil, their soul will turn black. When the soul becomes completely black, like in the case of Long Huo, they will face Heaven's Wrath, the Heaven's Tribulation.

This Heaven's Tribulation is different from the ones people face when breaking through. Its main purpose is to eliminate the Devils who rebel against Heaven.

Tian Yi's anger grew with each cry for help that reached his ears. "Very well! If you believe that my father, the Celestial Emperor, cannot pass judgment on you and that you can hide indefinitely with your inferior Cultivation Technique, then I, Tian Yi, will act as the representative of Heaven and personally punish you!"

This was the first time that Tian Yi had experienced such intense anger, and he detested the dark emotions it brought forth. All Devil Cultivators rebel against Heaven, which is essentially his father, the Celestial Emperor, the ruler of Heaven itself.

However, anyone expecting Tian Yi to kill every wrongdoer he encountered would be mistaken. Even if he desired to do so, it was simply impossible. In a world where killing was commonplace and the strong preyed upon the weak, nearly everyone had committed at least a few evil deeds, whether it be theft or murder.

If Tian Yi were to execute every evildoer, he would need to eliminate nearly every person in the world, including himself! If he could act in the name of justice and kill, why couldn't others? Just because he was the son of the Celestial Emperor? Such nonsense!

However, if he couldn't eradicate all evil, then as the son of the Celestial Emperor, he possessed the authority to represent Heaven and vanquish those whom Heaven could not. Tian Yi now had an additional purpose for descending to this realm.

As the Son of the Celestial Emperor, it was his duty to protect the innocent and eliminate the Devil who caused harm to those under his protection.

Lao Bai suddenly felt a chill and glanced around in confusion. However, when he saw Young Master Shu's calm expression mixed with a hint of murderous intent, he inadvertently released a drop of urine. "Oh heavens! Why does he have the look of someone who witnessed his mother being struck? Who has offended him?!" He followed Tian Yi's gaze. "Is it them? Does Young Master Shu hold a grudge against them? Is that why he is using a pseudonym? But that doesn't make sense. With his cultivation level, who in this realm could pose a threat to him?" Lao Bai's confusion only deepened.

* * * * *

As they soared through the air, heading towards Xian Chengshi, Long Huo turned to Mei Mingzhu with a charming smile. "Junior Sister Mingzhi, did you enjoy this trip? It's my first time traveling without the seniors watching over us."

Mei Mingzhu replied in a sweet voice, "Yes, it was quite enjoyable. I appreciated the freedom."

Wang Shui interjected with pride, "Hey, Long Huo, how far do you think you can climb the Stairway to Heaven this time? I'm aiming for the peak, the tenth floor!"

Long Huo burst into laughter. "Tenth floor? Hahaha. The three of us struggled after reaching the seventh floor last time. You want to step onto the tenth floor, where only the legendary Tian Qiang has set foot ten million years ago? Keep dreaming!"

Mei Mingzhu, maintaining a calm expression, asked, "Senior Brother Huo, I also aspire to reach the tenth floor. Are you mocking me as well?"

Long Huo's expression changed as he quickly replied, "Of course not. Junior Sister Mingzhu, your innate talent surpasses both of us. I have no doubt that you can achieve it. No one but you, Junior Sister Mingzhi, can do it!" Long Huo showered his junior sister Mingzhu with flattery, his smile capable of making any girl blush.

Wang Shui frowned at Long Huo's words and thought to himself, "Pei! What makes her better than us? The world recognizes all three of us as equals. Since when did Junior Sister Mingzhu's innate talent change? A fake will always be a fake."

Though many were unaware of Long Huo's true nature, how could Wang Shui, who had always been his rival, not know about his evil deeds? Long Huo would secretly kill innocent people to steal their treasures, frame innocent individuals for crimes they did not commit, and lure young girls with his fake smile, all with the intention of ruining them. "Righteous my ass! You disgusting creature! I will protect Junior Sister Mingzhu from your filthy hands, even if it costs me my life! I hope that one day, Heaven will pass judgment on you. If not, I will personally slay you!" Wang Shui cursed Long Huo silently, vowing to safeguard his Junior Sister Mingzhu.

Just as he finished cursing, Wang Shui witnessed Long Huo, who had been smiling moments ago, cry out in pain and cough up a mouthful of blood. "Eh?!" Both he and Mei Mingzhu were shocked and confused by the sudden turn of events.

"Senior Brother Huo! Are you alright?!" Mei Mingzhu asked, her expression filled with concern.

Struggling to catch his breath, Long Huo replied with a trembling voice, "Y-yes, I'm... I'm fine." He was both frightened and bewildered. He had been perfectly fine a moment ago, but then an unfathomable power had slammed into his body, nearly crippling his cultivation.

"Senior Brother Huo, here's a 6th-layer Enhanced High-Grade Restoration Pill. Take this and heal," Mei Mingzhi offered, retrieving a green pill from her storage pouch.

"Thank you, Junior Sister Mingzhu. I, Long Huo, swear that I will repay this gracious favor one day," Long Huo said, reaching out for the pill.

However, before his fingers could touch the pill, a surge of spiritual pressure descended upon him, slamming his body back down towards the earth, rendering him unable to move a single finger.

*Bang* The ground cracked beneath him, and Long Huo expelled another mouthful of blood, staining the dirt a deep red.

"Ah! Senior Brother Huo! Who is responsible for this?!" Mei Mingzhu exclaimed, fear creeping into her voice. She searched the surroundings with her divine sense, but all she saw were the shocked faces of the thousands of onlookers.

Barely conscious, Long Huo let out a garbled scream. "Who is this senior? How have I offended you? I am the eldest son of the Long Family! You must have mistaken me for someone else!" But instead of the spiritual pressure easing, it intensified, causing Long Huo to scream in agony and cough up more blood.

"Senior, please release Senior Brother Huo. I believe there has been a misunderstanding," Mei Mingzhu pleaded, turning to Wang Shui. "Senior Brother Shui, say something!"

Wang Shui, who had been frozen in shock, finally regained his senses. However, he remained silent and motionless, his gaze fixed on the pitiful figure of Long Huo on the ground. His eyes gleamed with a cold light as he uttered, "Junior Sister Mingzhu, he deserves it." His wish had come true! Given this opportunity by the heavens, he couldn't pass up the chance to deal with Long Huo.

"What did you just say?" Mei Mingzhu couldn't believe her ears.

"I said, he deserves it! You may not know, but he is a cruel man. He frames and kills innocent people, ruins young girls, and commits many other evil deeds. This is probably karma catching up to him. There's nothing we can do for him," Wang Shui replied with a serious expression.

"T-that..." Mei Mingzhu was utterly shocked, lost for words.

Suddenly, ripples spread across the sky, and a voice echoed, sounding both male and female, young and old. "Mistaken? Is that so..."

Another ripple traversed the sky. "So, you're telling me that you didn't kill my beloved disciple, Jia'er?!"

Long Huo's eyes widened, his mind reeling. He screamed, "Senior! I did no such thing! I have never even heard of this girl named Jia! I swear on my name, Long Huo!" His heart pounded in his chest, filled with fear and desperation.

He remembered the names of all the girls, except for one named Jia. He had checked their backgrounds before moving, so how did he end up in this predicament?

A ripple appeared in the air. "So, you're claiming that I am framing you? Is your name not Long Huo?!" A voice filled with anger and disappointment echoed. "Ah, my beloved disciple, Jia'er, whom I treated like my own daughter! You dared to defile her with your corrupt ways! If I don't kill you today, I will lose face as her Master!"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!!!! I swear it's not me! Someone is framing me! I am innocent!" Long Huo pleaded desperately. He now understood what it felt like to be falsely accused. But it was too late.

"Hold!" Several figures suddenly appeared and pushed back the oppressive Spirit Pressure surrounding Long Huo.

"Father! Elders!" Long Huo exclaimed with relief. His family had come to save him. He was safe.

A burly middle-aged man with short blonde hair and piercing green eyes stepped forward. "Fellow Daoist, please cease your actions. I am this child's father, Long Zhen. I believe there has been a misunderstanding. I can assure you that my son is an upright man. Let us resolve this peacefully."

A ripple spread through the air. "Hmph, misunderstanding? How could I be mistaken? Your Long Huo is guilty!" the voice declared.

Long Zhen frowned. "Fellow Daoist, do you have any evidence? If not, I will not allow you to bully my family. We are not so easily intimidated."

Long Huo couldn't contain his anger at being falsely accused. "My father is right! Where is your evidence?! If you cannot provide a satisfactory explanation, my family will not let this go! Do you not understand the significance of the Long Family?!"

"Silence!" Long Zhen glared at his son. Was he rendered speechless? Did he not comprehend the gravity of their situation? They had no knowledge of the voice's background. If the voice was aware of their background and still acted, it must have a more powerful supporter than them.

A ripple appeared in the air. "Evidence? Not let me go? Good... Hahahaha." The voice erupted into laughter.

Long Zhen trembled upon hearing that laughter. He sensed that something was amiss and assumed a defensive stance, activating his Spirit Power at the Peak Golden Immortal Realm.

A ripple spread through the air. "You want evidence? Very well, here is your evidence..."

"I AM YOUR EVIDENCE!"

A deafening boom shook the surroundings as an overwhelming Spirit Pressure descended upon Long Zhen and the elders, crushing them to the ground like a sacred mountain.

Long Zhen and his companions turned pale and cried out, "Senior! This junior has made a grave mistake and failed to recognize your greatness!" Long Zhen realized that his son had provoked a formidable opponent this time.

But it was not just any ordinary opponent. It was a Senior above the Immortal Realm, possessing powers that even their ancestor at the Peak of the Ancient Immortal Realm would have to bow before.