The Urban Cultivation Grandmaster

Chapter 48: Beyond Reason!

“Brother Baozi, are you really going to teach Mu Tian a lesson?” In a deluxe soft-sleeper compartment on the train, the Golden Phoenix scrolled endlessly through her phone, a look of concern gradually spreading across her face. [Shocking! A Terrifying Beast Spotted at Tianjiang Cultivator Academy! ] [A Grand Achievement! Master Mu Demonstrates the Ancient Wild Ox Visualization Diagram; Many Students Gain Deep Insights and Advance in Rank One After Another! ] [Unbelievable! A Wild Ox Spans the Sky—Has Master Mu Already Surpassed the Meridian Condensation Realm? ] As the Golden Phoenix scrolled through the news feed, she was inundated with reports on Mu Tian’s recent activities. The sensational event from that day—when Mu Tian broke through to a new realm and the Ancient Wild Ox manifested in the sky—was, of course, frequently featured in major mainstream media outlets. Golden Phoenix read the reports with her heart pounding. She had originally planned to beg Brother Bao to stand up for her and teach Mu Tian a lesson, but now that the screen was flooded with news about Mu Tian, her spirits were instantly dashed. “Ah Feng, how could this be fake? Don’t worry—just wait and see how your Golden Leopard teaches him a lesson!” Golden Leopard said nonchalantly. “Look, it seems Mu Tian has broken through. The news says he’s become a being that transcends the Condensed Vein Realm!” At this thought, a look of deep disappointment—and, of course, helplessness—flashed across Golden Phoenix’s exquisitely made-up face. The Golden Leopard looked surprised as it took the phone the Golden Phoenix handed it and began reading the news. At first, the Golden Leopard’s face was full of disdain, but gradually a look of gravity crept across his features. However, this expression fleeted by, and he quickly regained his confidence: ““Don’t worry. Those editors are full of crap—they’re just spouting nonsense. I’d bet my life that Mu Tian couldn’t possibly have transcended the Pulse Condensation Realm. The Divine Perception Realm isn’t that simple. But there’s one thing this news report got right: there’s a very high probability that Mu Tian has advanced to the Divine Perception Realm and joined the ranks of the world’s strongest.” “Ah! Then...” The Golden Phoenix was now filled with immense regret. The more she got to know Mu Tian, the more she realized just how unfathomable and terrifying he was—and now even Brother Bao was saying the same thing. “It’s fine. He’s still no match for me right now. Realm is one thing, but the gap in cultivation is just too vast—no matter how high his realm is, it won’t do him any good.” “Even if we can get our revenge now, what about later?” “Later? Don’t worry. Someday I’ll join the ranks of the world’s top-tier powerhouses, and by then, I won’t fear him at all!” At that moment, Golden Leopard radiated a mysterious aura, brimming with confidence. The Golden Phoenix wasn’t a fool; she was instantly filled with delight: “Really?” “Mm-hmm, of course. Otherwise, how could I have become the captain of our squad in just two short years? That’s recognition from the higher-ups of my talent.” “But Mu Tian is now famous throughout the land; the higher-ups certainly won’t let us touch him.” For some reason, Golden Phoenix—the feisty young lady who’d never been afraid of anything—had suddenly become full of reservations. Perhaps this was what growing up felt like. Maybe she even owed a debt of gratitude to Mu Tian and Lu Yue for helping her start anew. Golden Leopard chuckled: “Don’t worry. If Mu Tian were just a Daowen Master, the hostility I just showed would have someone summoning me for a ‘cup of tea’ in no time. But Mu Tian isn’t just that—he’s demonstrated talent in cultivation, so the higher-ups won’t interfere. As long as I don’t harbor murderous intent and just beat him up to teach him a lesson, no one will step in!” “The relationship between the government and the martial arts world is delicate. The cultivation world has its own rules; the higher-ups will maintain order, but they won’t meddle in every matter. They don’t have the resources to interfere in everything, nor do they possess that kind of power. Of course, this is on the condition that cultivators don’t cross the line—otherwise, no one can withstand the sanctions from the higher-ups!” Thanks to Huaxia’s well-developed railway system, Golden Leopard and Golden Phoenix returned to Tianjiang City that very day. As soon as they arrived in Tianjiang City, Golden Leopard—a master who had been battling spirit beasts along the mountainous border—immediately displayed his ruthless and formidable demeanor the moment he stepped into the public eye. First, at the Jin family estate, accompanied by the Golden Phoenix, he directly demonstrated his skills before the clan’s young members and the martial arts hall’s core disciples, showcasing his formidable strength and leaving everyone in awe! This undoubtedly caused a huge stir within the Jin family. The Golden Leopard’s purpose was obvious—he had clearly come to back up his younger sister, Miss Golden Phoenix. Those who had been gossiping behind her back recently were instantly filled with dread. However, the Golden Leopard was rough on the outside but thoughtful on the inside; he did not lay a hand on those minor figures. Instead, he led the Jin family members on a rampage through Tianjiang City, seeking retribution against every single person who had bullied the Jin family in recent days, visiting them one by one with his men. Although he claimed to be paying courtesy calls—and even described the confrontations as mere “exchanges”—every time he visited a household, the head of the family or its pillar of strength was left severely injured. Among these cultivator clans, there was no shortage of experts—many were at the sixth level of the Meridian Condensation Realm, and there were even some who had just advanced to the seventh level. Yet, without exception, none of them could withstand a single move from the Golden Leopard; they all fell. This dealt a severe blow to the morale of the entire Jin family, but it also gave the once-declining clan a new lease on life. That night, the Golden Leopard returned to the Wei family estate to pay a visit to Wei Ning, the head of the Wei family. That night, a fierce battle unfolded within the quiet We family compound. In the pitch-black darkness, no one knew the final outcome—not even the We family members, who had been ordered to stand down by Wei Ning. Two hours later, Jin Bo, holding Golden Phoenix’s hand, strode away with confidence. As they walked, he sounded full of energy—showing none of the signs one would expect from someone who had just endured a fierce battle. Not only was he unharmed, but he didn’t even appear the slightest bit tired. In stark contrast, the Wei family compound was in utter chaos. From this scene alone—though outsiders had no way of knowing the true outcome of the showdown—the result was already abundantly clear. Golden Leopard was incredibly powerful and terrifying; he could easily defeat even the top martial artists in Tianjiang City (excluding Master Deming). His power was beyond imagination. Eighth Level of the Meridian Condensation Realm?!!! Everyone in Tianjiang City was taken completely by surprise. In the span of a single day, the once-peaceful Tianjiang City was suddenly thrown into turmoil, and all sides could clearly sense the profound implications behind it. Just as Xiang Zhuang’s sword dance was aimed at Lord Pei, Golden Leopard’s series of actions were merely a pretext—his true target was Grandmaster Mu Tian! Next, the Golden Leopard’s opponent in battle will likely be Mu Tian! Mayor Li was informed of the situation immediately, so he promptly assembled his staff—particularly Company Commander Wang Jian. “Old Wang, what’s your take on this?” Mayor Li looked tense; recently, he’d heard that high-ranking officials in the Imperial Capital had been frequently inquiring about Mu Tian. Mayor Li was well aware of what this meant, and his concern for Mu Tian had reached an all-time high. In fact, upon hearing the news, he immediately got out of bed—even though he had been resting there. Battalion Commander Wang seemed to understand Mayor Li’s meaning. He shook his head and said, “Mayor Li, I’m afraid we can’t get involved this time. Mu Tian has likely already been enrolled in the Super Powerhouse Training Program. Unless a Super Powerhouse tries to suppress him, the higher-ups won’t interfere with his development. If they don’t send anyone, there’s nothing our city can do—after all, even Old Wei couldn’t beat the Jin family’s ‘Little Leopard,’ so it wouldn’t do any good for me to step in either.” Mayor Li looked somewhat disappointed. Wang Jian smiled and clasped his hands, saying, “Mayor Li, you need to have a little faith in Mu Tian. He’s not the kind of person who can be judged by ordinary standards!”