Fire God Church, Blazing Fire Hall.
Vulcan Pi, the Church Master, sat high above, looking down at Ian Song with a cold, indifferent tone. "You came to seek an audience with me—what is it you want?"
Even though Ian Song had already made a big name for himself and dealt serious blows to the Prime One Church, Vulcan Pi—the Fire God Church Master—still didn’t take him seriously. In his eyes, this kid was at best a troublemaker who could jump around and stir up a mess.
"I'm here to discuss a deal with you, Church Master Vulcan."
Ian Song replied calmly, neither humble nor overbearing.
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Vulcan Pi showed a hint of amusement and said lightly, "And what qualifications do you have?"
Ian Song could feel Vulcan Pi's contempt, but he wasn't angry; his expression stayed calm. "If Church Master Vulcan thinks I’m not qualified, then there’s nothing to talk about."
Off to the side, Diana Toba looked worried that Ian might anger Vulcan Pi, while Fletcher Toba silently cursed Ian for being so arrogant.
"Go ahead, let’s hear it." Vulcan Pi wasn’t angry—in fact, he had enough patience for that much.
After a brief pause, Ian said, "I can have the Tang Dynasty recognize the Fire God Church as its state church—but the Fire God Church must step in and make the Song Dynasty stop attacking Tang."
"Big talk, but you’re still not qualified to bargain with me!" Vulcan Pi shook his head, then suddenly changed his tone. "If you’re willing to marry into the Fire God Church as a live-in son-in-law, I might consider it!"
"I refuse!" Ian Song shook his head without hesitation.
"I think you should reconsider before making a decision!" Vulcan Pi's face darkened, his tone carrying a threat.
"Ian Song, you really don’t know what’s good for you! My master offering you a place in the Fire God Church is a tremendous gift—get down and thank him!" Fletcher Toba suddenly shouted, scolding Ian loudly. Even though he disliked Ian, his little sister was clearly set on him, so he couldn’t just watch Ian get himself killed.
"Yeah, Ian Song, can’t you just swallow your pride for me?" Diana Toba pleaded. She knew Vulcan Pi too well—he only cared about profit. To him, Ian was useful as a pawn if he married into the Fire God Church. If Ian refused, he’d be a worthless pawn, and Vulcan Pi might just kill him.
"Sorry, I’ve already made up my mind!" Ian Song shook his head again.
Immediately, Vulcan Pi’s gaze grew colder. "I’ve already let you off for taking Diana’s purity—that was mercy enough. Now you refuse me, showing no respect for the Fire God Church. So I’ll give you two choices: die, or marry into the Fire God Church!"
As he spoke, the aura of a Tribulation realm cultivator erupted from Vulcan Pi, filling the entire hall with a terrifying pressure.
In that moment, both Fletcher Toba and Diana Toba’s expressions changed dramatically—they stared at Ian Song in nervous anticipation.
Ian Song, on the other hand, looked perfectly calm—as if he wasn’t afraid of provoking Vulcan Pi at all.
"Does Church Master Vulcan really think you’ve got me trapped?" Ian spoke up again.
"Heh!" Vulcan Pi sneered. "In my eyes, you’re just a grasshopper that can jump around a bit. I could squash you with a flick of my finger!"
"Feel free to try!" Ian Song said, completely fearless.
"Thud!"
Suddenly, Diana Toba dropped to her knees. "Master, please forgive him! Ian Song is just confused right now—please give me some time, let me persuade him!"
"Wretch! How dare you meddle in my affairs!"
Vulcan Pi’s eyes went cold; with a casual wave of his hand, a surge of force slammed toward Diana Toba.
Seeing this, Fletcher Toba was shocked. He stepped forward, blocking Diana Toba with his own body, ready to take the hit.
"You fool! Are you going to defy me too?"
Seeing this, Vulcan Pi’s eyes sharpened, and that surging force exploded outward, his aura swelling as Fletcher and Diana Toba were swept up in it.
Though it wouldn’t kill them outright, that force was more than enough to seriously injure them.
Just then, Ian Song suddenly reached out and grabbed at the air.
An invisible suction force appeared, pulling that surging energy toward him and dispersing it into the air.
Vulcan Pi was surprised. He was a mid-Tribulation realm cultivator, and that attack would have been difficult for even a late Fusion realm expert to withstand—yet Ian Song, an early Fusion realm cultivator, had dispelled it with ease. He hadn’t expected that.
"Diana is my woman, and that bastard Fletcher is basically my brother-in-law. Church Master Vulcan, aren’t you taking things a bit too far?" Ian Song stepped forward, staring fearlessly at Vulcan Pi as he questioned him.
"Are you questioning me?" Vulcan Pi was astonished—he found it absurd that an early Fusion realm cultivator dared challenge a mid-Tribulation realm expert like him.
"Why not?" Ian Song retorted coldly.
Seeing Ian Song and Vulcan Pi face off, Diana Toba felt both anxious and proud. Her man was willing to confront a mid-Tribulation realm expert for her sake.
"So be it—if we can’t be together in life, let us be lovers’ ghosts!" she thought to herself. As this idea took root, her fear faded away, and she gazed deeply at Ian Song, her eyes full of unwavering affection.
Meanwhile, Fletcher Toba was silently cursing Ian Song thousands of times in his heart.
"An ant dares to question me? In that case, die!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Vulcan Pi flicked his finger, sending out a fiery-red burst of energy.
"Whoosh!"
The burst seemed to teleport, reaching Ian Song’s brow in less than a thousandth of a second.
"That attack isn’t even enough to tickle me!"
Ian Song smiled and shook his head as the energy struck his brow. Strangely, it failed to break through the thin shield of zhenyuan covering his skin.
Seeing this, a flash of anger crossed Vulcan Pi’s face. That burst of energy could have killed any late Fusion realm cultivator, yet it hadn’t harmed Ian Song at all.
"Fine, it seems you really do have some skills. In that case—"
"No, it’s only polite to return the favor. Church Master Vulcan, I have a sword move I’d like you to taste!" Ian Song suddenly interrupted, drawing the Azure Flood-Dragon Sword with a hiss. The blade became a streak of blood-red light, stabbing straight at the lofty Vulcan Pi.
The sword strike was so swift that Vulcan Pi was caught off guard. As the blade appeared, a mysterious sword intent enveloped him, making both his body and primordial spirit sluggish.
"Pfft!"
The Azure Flood-Dragon Sword, impossibly sharp, easily pierced the zhenyuan shield around Vulcan Pi, then stabbed a third of an inch into his brow. A surge of killing intent erupted, nearly freezing his flesh and primordial spirit, making his body tremble and filling him with terror.
Vulcan Pi was a mid-Tribulation realm cultivator, but he was no match for Princess Claire. Even before reaching Fusion, Ian Song could fight her to a standstill. Now, having broken through to Fusion and mastered the third layer of the Body of Ten Thousand Stars, handling a mid-Tribulation realm opponent was child’s play.
"Church Master Vulcan, now tell me—who’s the ant?" Ian Song smiled at Vulcan Pi, mocking him.