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Chapter 173: When Gods and Monsters Clash

Ma Tianzheng's mind hadn't quite caught up yet. Before he could fully comprehend, Li Daoxuan picked up another figurine—a Monkey King in his "Supreme Treasure" guise—and swept it through the diorama box with a swift motion.

Ma Tianzheng gasped.

Li Daoxuan then grabbed a plastic dinosaur, extended it into the box, and it streaked across.

Ma Tianzheng's eyes widened, utterly bewildered.

Next, Li Daoxuan took a lobster-man figure from Ultraman, dipped it into the box, and sent it whizzing past.

This latest sight left Ma Tianzheng feeling profoundly disoriented.

What was happening in the heavens?

This...

What in the world was going on?

Panic seized Ma Tianzheng. "When gods clash, mortals suffer!" he exclaimed. "If they keep fighting like this, they might descend to the ground, and the land around this village would surely be ravaged, its people decimated!"

Ma Tianzheng tore his throat shouting, "Everyone, run! Gods and monsters are battling in the sky! Run for your lives!"

The people of Gao Family Village were all engrossed in their various tasks. Everyone was busy; who had time to constantly stare at the sky like Ma Tianzheng? When those chaotic objects had streaked across the heavens moments ago, they had all been working with their heads bowed. Li Daoxuan had also moved the figures swiftly, so none of the villagers had noticed the bizarre spectacle.

At Ma Tianzheng's frantic cries, everyone turned, gave him an odd, sidelong glance, then simply turned back, dismissing him entirely. The Dao Xuan Tian Zun was in the sky, his iconic low cloud drifting sixty or seventy zhang high—what talk of gods and monsters clashing? Utter nonsense!

Ma Tianzheng exclaimed, "Why isn't anyone afraid? Aren't you afraid of death?!"

Still, no one paid him any mind.

Li Daoxuan, however, was immensely amused. Ma Tianzheng's utterly terrified demeanor delighted him. Seizing the moment while the villagers had their heads down, he picked up a one-centimeter tall statue of Dao Xuan Tian Zun—a miniature created by his sculptors—extended it into the diorama, and swiftly moved it towards a small valley just outside the village.

The statue was indeed exquisitely crafted, boosting his "handsomeness by 32%" and "majesty by 3200%." Clad in a Daoist robe, it exuded an ethereal, immortal aura. It streaked across the sky, a fleeting glimpse. However, being so small and dozens of zhang up, Ma Tianzheng couldn't quite make out the details...

Ma Tianzheng was thunderstruck. "A celestial immortal just flew past!"

He immediately took off, chasing in the direction the immortal had flown.

Soon, he had run out of the village and into a desolate valley.

Suddenly, the sky above him rumbled with wind and thunder, as if something massive was descending. Then, with a resounding *boom*, a colossal lobster-man crashed to the ground right before him, its two enormous pincers splayed menacingly, a truly terrifying sight.

Ma Tianzheng was profoundly startled; he wanted to flee, but the gargantuan lobster-man flew towards him with incredible speed. His legs simply couldn't carry him away fast enough.

The lobster-man's head swayed, drawing closer and closer, its mouth opening and closing, its massive pincers clacking, and its eyes glowing with a sinister red light.

Terror gripped Ma Tianzheng, shaking him to his very core. Then, in a flash, he remembered his calling as a Daoist priest. With a swift *whoosh*, he drew the three-foot Green Peak Sword from his back. Forty years he'd practiced the Dao; he didn't even need to think. Pure reflex guided him to perform the demon-subduing rites. Gripping his sword, he bellowed, "By the urgent decree of the Grand Pure One, as swiftly as the law commands!"

*Clang!*

The lobster-monster's colossal pincer slammed into his sword. A tremendous force coursed through him, sending Ma Tianzheng's long sword flying from his grip. His Daoist magic, it seemed, was utterly useless.

"Aaaargh! This humble priest is finished!"

Ma Tianzheng shrieked, certain he was about to die.

Seeing Ma Tianzheng's deathly pale face, Li Daoxuan decided he'd had enough fun. That last move, knocking the tiny sword from the figure's hand with the lobster-man's pincer, had been thrillingly close—he'd almost crushed the poor man. He doubted he could repeat such a precise maneuver, so it was best to stop.

He picked up a glass cup and inverted it over Ma Tianzheng.

Ma Tianzheng expected to be crushed by the lobster-man's pincers at any moment, but instead, he suddenly felt something descend all around him. There was a *thump*, yet he saw nothing.

He peered closely, and only then did he discern that he was encircled by a transparent wall.

What was this thing?

Had it protected him?

The lobster-man circled the transparent wall twice, apparently unable to breach it. It even rammed its immense head against the clear barrier a couple of times, causing the entire wall to resonate with thudding impacts and ear-splitting sonic waves. Ma Tianzheng clutched his ears, struggling to endure.

Fortunately, the lobster-man couldn't break through the transparent wall. It could only rear its head and fly upwards, vanishing into the clouds in an instant.

Only then did Ma Tianzheng breathe a sigh of relief. He understood now: that invisible wall had been a divine artifact, sent by the celestials to rescue him.

Which immortal had saved him? He'd just seen the Dragon King, the Third Prince Nezha, the Victorious Fighting Buddha Sun Wukong, and an unknown immortal. Had they all conspired to rescue him?

He reached out, touching first one side, then the other. All around him were cold, hard, transparent walls, utterly impenetrable.

He wanted out, but he couldn't escape!

This was terrible! He was trapped inside this strange artifact, and in such a remote valley, too. No one would even know he was stuck, no one could come to his aid.

Just then, he saw a young maiden flying towards him—truly flying! She glided smoothly and steadily through the air, suspended as if on an unseen current. Judging by her direction, she was coming from the village he'd just left.

She flew to the invisible wall, then slowly descended. Just before reaching the ground, she executed a small hop, as if stepping off an unseen platform, and landed gracefully.

Then she stood outside the invisible wall, facing Ma Tianzheng, separated by the barrier.

The maiden's attire wasn't lavish, but it was pristine and neatly kept, giving her an air of elegant dignity.

Then, she extended her hand and tapped lightly on the transparent wall, much like one would knock on a door. The glass barrier glided upwards, soaring into the clouds, and vanished from sight.

The maiden then spoke: "The Dao Xuan Tian Zun has saved your life. And here you stand, foolishly gaping! Why do you not thank the Heavenly Lord for his grace?"

Ma Tianzheng's mind raced, swiftly piecing together recent events. The identity of the woman before him now became clear. "The Saintess?" he stammered.

Gao Yiye maintained her dignified expression. "Indeed!"

Ordinarily, if Ma Tianzheng encountered someone claiming to be a Saintess, he would dismiss her as nothing more than a White Lotus cultist, scoffing contemptuously. But after the bewildering chain of events he'd just endured, he was in a state of utter frenzied overwhelm. He prostrated himself before Gao Yiye. "Saintess Benefactress," he pleaded, "this humble Daoist begs your guidance. What exactly transpired just now? My Dao heart is in complete disarray."

Gao Yiye had just received the Heavenly Lord's command to maintain a dignified facade for a while, so she put on a concerted effort, her face a mask of calm detachment. "It is perhaps excusable for mortals not to comprehend what just happened," she stated. "But you, a Daoist priest, failed to understand? What kind of Dao do you cultivate?"