Watching Harlan Zhang try to escape, Ian Song flicked his finger, sending out a strand of cyan energy that shot into Harlan Zhang’s body.
The next moment, Harlan Zhang let out an agonizing, piercing scream and collapsed to the ground. His aura faded at a shocking rate; in just a few breaths, his cultivation fell from Nascent Soul all the way down to Qi‑Refining. Once youthful, he instantly transformed into a white‑haired, deeply wrinkled old man, radiating the breath of death.
Staring at Ian Song with cloudy old eyes full of hatred and regret, Harlan Zhang croaked miserably, "You actually shattered my Nascent Soul!"
"I did warn you not to play tricks. Too bad you didn’t know how to cherish your chance!"
Ian Song let out a gentle sigh, then reached out and grabbed David Feng, who was pulled toward Ian against his will.
"What do you think you’re doing? This is the Prime One Church—I advise you not to act recklessly!"
David Feng’s words still carried a hint of threat, but the previous arrogance was gone, replaced by bluster and hidden fear.
"I don’t want to be the Prime One Church’s enemy. I just want to see Master Mingtan!" Ian said calmly, then his eyes flashed cold as he stared at David Feng. "Lead the way. Don’t make me shatter your Nascent Soul too!"
Hearing this, David Feng instinctively glanced at the now-crippled Zhang Huan, shuddered, and forced himself to say, "I’m just an Outer‑Sect Elder—I have no right to see the sect master. But I can take you to the Inner Sect. Whether the Inner Sect elders will pass your request up or not isn’t up to me!"
"Alright, lead the way!" Ian Song nodded.
David Feng led Ian Song and his companions toward the Inner Sect, but news of Ian’s forced entry into the Prime One Church spread rapidly through the Outer Sect. Outer-Sect Deacons and disciples were stunned, thinking Ian was courting death—after all, the Prime One Church had stood for a hundred thousand years, and its dignity was not something a mere late Out-of-Body cultivator could challenge.
The Outer-Sect Elders were shocked and furious. Regardless of their duties or even if they were in seclusion, they dropped everything and rushed to the boundary between Outer and Inner Sect. News of the incident was quickly reported to the Inner-Sect Elders as well.
In the Outer Sect, the strongest elders were only late Out-of-Body, while in the Inner Sect, the top elders could reach late Soul-Split.
True-Transmission Elders had to be at least late Soul-Split, and many among them were Fusion-stage experts.
In any first-rate sect, a Fusion-stage cultivator would be a pillar and anchor. But in the Prime One Church, Fusion-stage experts were merely ordinary True-Transmission Elders.
Above the True-Transmission Elders were the Direct-Line Elders.
Direct-Line Elders rose step by step from Direct-Line Disciples, receiving the true inheritances of the Prime One Church from childhood. They were showered with top-tier resources, practiced the Church’s highest Dao-arts, and wielded its finest treasures.
Any Direct-Line Elder could easily suppress even the strongest True-Transmission Elder.
However, Direct-Line Elders spent most of their lives in seclusion, only emerging when the Prime One Church faced true existential danger. In a hundred thousand years, they had intervened only five or six times—on average, once every twenty thousand years.
Back to the Inner Sect.
The Inner Sect had over a thousand elders, all grouped under the Seven-Star Inner Branches.
The Seven-Star Inner Branches referred to the Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid Branches.
Each branch had its own unique cultivation manuals and Dao-arts. If seven cultivators from each of the Seven-Star Inner Branches joined forces, they could form the Seven-Vein Battle Formation, tripling the power of every participant.
Furthermore, the First Seat Elder of each branch held a formation disk. When all seven elders activated their disks together, they could deploy the Big Dipper Heaven-Star Formation—a grand array that created its own space, capable of trapping even Fusion-stage experts.
The first to hear of Ian’s intrusion was Elder Charles Qiu, First Seat of the Megrez Branch. Curious which lunatic would dare storm the Prime One Church, he gathered more than ten Megrez elders and waited at the boundary between the Inner and Outer Sects.
He didn’t have to wait long—within half an incense stick, the group arrived.
"Greetings, Elder Charles Qiu and honored Inner-Sect Elders!"
David Feng, visibly nervous, stepped forward and bowed.
"Mm, you may step aside," Elder Charles Qiu said with a wave, his gaze landing on Ian Song with a hint of curiosity.
A moment later, he spoke slowly: "Young friend, are you the one who forced your way into our Prime One Church?"
"Greetings, senior. This junior only wishes to request an audience with Master Mingtan. Forcing my way in was merely a last resort," Ian Song replied gravely.
Hearing this, Elder Charles Qiu stroked his beard, intrigued. "It’s been years since I’ve seen such an interesting youngster. Very well, I’ll give you a chance. If you can endure fifteen minutes within the Megrez Minor Star-Sword Formation, I’ll personally take you to see Master Mingtan. If you fail, I’ll cripple your cultivation and imprison you in the Demon Prison for eternity!"
When the Outer-Sect Elders heard Elder Charles Qiu mention the Megrez Minor Star-Sword Formation, they all understood. That sword array was formed by seven Soul-Split experts, each doubling their strength.
"Alright!" Ian Song agreed without hesitation.
Seeing Ian Song accept so readily, Elder Charles Qiu continued, "Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? The Megrez Minor Star-Sword Formation of my branch may not match the Seven-Vein Battle Formation, but it’s not something a mere late Out-of-Body cultivator can withstand. If you surrender now, I’ll only throw you into the Demon Prison and spare your cultivation. What do you say?"
"No need to reconsider," Ian Song replied at once.
"Good, you’ve got guts! I appreciate young people like you," Elder Charles Qiu praised, though he shook his head with regret, certain Ian Song’s fate was already sealed.
Then, seven early Soul-Split elders of the Megrez Branch stepped forward. The mid and late Soul-Split elders felt that seven of them joining hands against a late Out-of-Body youth was overkill, so they abstained.
Soon, the Megrez Minor Star-Sword Formation was set up. The formation leader looked at Ian Song with disdain and beckoned, "Junior, enter the array."
Ian Song smiled and stepped into the sword formation with a single stride.
"Unite the formation!"
With a crisp shout from the formation leader, all seven activated the Megrez Branch’s secret technique. Their qi and momentum merged instantly into a seamless whole—though there were seven people, it felt as if facing a single opponent.
The next moment.
The sword formation erupted: seven spirit swords slashed toward Ian Song from seven directions, each blade covering and reinforcing the others. No matter which sword you blocked, the other six would inevitably pierce your body.