Upon hearing Li Xiuzhu's words, Tu Tianmo retorted, "Xiang Tiandi isn't so easily fooled. Given his caution and on-the-spot reactions, he will never give Zhou Bai the chance to take advantage of him. Moreover, with his personality, he probably already sees Zhou Bai as an enemy that must be eliminated. He will use every means possible to win, and such a Xiang Tiandi is terrifying."

At this point, even a trace of trepidation seemed to flash across Tu Tianmo's face—as if he had a profound understanding of Xiang Tiandi's ruthless and well-calculated nature.

The observing Immortal Ming Yue commented, "This battle began even before the verbal confrontation. With Xiang Tiandi's preparation, I fear more gods will soon arrive. Li Xiuzhu, you won't have any chance."

Behind the two Immortals and the demon, over two hundred human cultivators who had perished on the platform trembled and watched the three leaders converse, thinking to themselves, 'Why does it feel like the atmosphere is surprisingly friendly?'

...

Thunder gleamed in Xiang Tiandi's eyes as he looked at Zhou Bai and muttered, "Slick talker."

"How audacious, Zhou Bai! You and the Sky Flipping Sect Leader Li Xiuzhu even dared to steal Heavenly Court's Immortal Artifacts?"

Xiang Tiandi said mournfully, "The Immortal responsible for executing divine justice was too lenient on you due to your talent. Originally, given your exceptional gifts, I thought you were merely beguiled by the Sky Flipping Sect Leader. I intended to suppress you and take you back to the Heavenly Court for confinement and strict guidance, hoping you would repent and again serve humanity."

"Yet, you not only remained stubbornly ignorant but also took advantage of the Immortal's mercy to plot against him with the power of the Immortal Artifact. You are incorrigibly wicked and beyond redemption."

"Today, I shall administer divine punishment on behalf of heaven and execute you on the spot. Do you have anything to say?"

Xiang Tiandi's rhetoric echoed across the entire battlefield, transmitting via projection to every corner of the five major cities, instantly shifting people's attention away from his previous actions, focusing it entirely on the content of his speech.

Those who were originally shocked by how Zhou Bai, a mortal, had overcome a god, suddenly felt like they had discovered the truth.

"Zhou Bai defeated the Immortal by relying on the power of an Immortal Artifact?"

"During the Heavenly Demon's attack, Zhou Bai and Li Xiuzhu even stole Immortal Artifacts from the Heavenly Court?"

"How despicable, Zhou Bai actually stole Immortal Artifacts and ambushed an Immortal!"

"The power of Immortal Artifacts is so formidable."

The damage to Immortal Artifacts due to the distortion of Heavenly Dao was a state secret of the Heavenly Court, beyond the comprehension of ordinary citizens.

The Mixed Element Star Constellation Calamity, which combined the power of five Divine Skills, had not appeared in the world for a long time. Not just the common people, but probably 99% of cultivators within the Heavenly Court wouldn't recognize it.

And yet, the reputation of the Immortal Artifacts had spread throughout the world for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Xiang Tiandi's prestige as the Marshal of the Thunder Department made most people subconsciously choose to believe him.

Moreover, the very notion of a mortal like Zhou Bai slaying an Immortal was unfathomable, incomprehensible, and utterly beyond understanding.

Now, hearing Xiang Tiandi's explanation was like suddenly finding a reason for what seemed impossible.

Even Xiang Haocu at the scene was slightly surprised, half believing, "Aren't the Immortal Artifacts damaged? But the Martial and Plague Departments have been trying to repair them, could they have succeeded? However, Zhou Bai's defeating an Immortal, that seems to be the most reasonable explanation."

In the distance, Tu Tianmo also thought secretly, "Yeah, how could a mere mortal defeat my father? With such a vast disparity in cultivation, it's impossible for him to be a match for him. It's as if a baby defeated an adult—something illogical and against common sense. Unless he truly possessed a powerful Immortal Artifact, it would be possible."

Inside Donghua City, countless civilians believed the story of Zhou Bai stealing Immortal Artifacts, because it served as a rational explanation for mortals overcoming gods.

At least compared to a mortal Zhou Bai surpassing the god-like strength of the Immortal Tu Tianmo to ascend, which shattered all conventional wisdom and displayed a historically unprecedented anomaly, the claim of artifact theft was more persuasive.

Frustrated upon hearing Xiang Tiandi's words, Zhou Bai grumbled, "Really, it's all about twisting truth and distorting right and wrong with just a few words. When have I ever stolen Immortal Artifacts..."

But halfway through his speech, Zhou Bai realized that his voice, under the transmission of the power of the Primordial Spirit, couldn't even penetrate a layer of air barrier. Forget projecting, his voice couldn't even reach beyond the platform.

Zhou Bai paused briefly, thinking to himself, 'Is Xiang Tiandi using his Primordial Spirit power to cast a spell, sealing the air and sounds around the platform?'

At that moment, he also heard Xiang Tiandi transmitting a message: "Zhou Bai, don't bother trying. I won't allow your voice to be heard."

Originally, Zhou Bai had a hunch that his words wouldn't be projected, but now it seemed that even the cultivators around the platform couldn't hear him.

At this very moment on the platform, he was unable to attack beyond it and thus couldn't break through Xiang Tiandi's spell that sealed the air and sound.

'Damn it! Silencing me?'

Zhou Bai glowered at Xiang Tiandi in the sky, who proclaimed loudly, "Since you have nothing to say, then accept the heavenly punishment and repent thoroughly."

Zhou Bai opened his mouth and spat out a sky-full of Guihai Black Sha, which formed into characters and floated up.

But just as he used the Guihai Black Sha to write, Xiang Tiandi, as if he had anticipated it, weaved spells that summoned streams of lightning to envelope the outside of the platform, blocking out the characters Zhou Bai had written.

Zhou Bai's brow twitched, "This guy is dead set on not letting me speak."

Christina exclaimed, "How despicable! Gathering strength before the fight is one thing, but now he won't even let others speak?!"

Christina was incredibly incensed, even more so than when she was underestimated. To be silenced this way was as if someone held her head down and stuffed a cloth in her mouth—how could she play her part as a boastful kitty?

Zhou Bai nodded and cursed inwardly: 'Xiang Tiandi, this power-abusing dog, when I make him kneel, I'll give him a piece of my mind...'

Up in the sky, countless bolts of lightning converged to form nine Thunder Dragons, emanating destructive power that grew increasingly ferocious.

As the force of the thunder intensified, the scales, tentacles, fangs, and claws of the nine Thunder Dragons became clearer, more tangible, almost as if nine real dragons flickered with lightning, frolicking and playing among the clouds.

Then, Xiang Tiandi pointed to the sky, and the nine Thunder Dragons roared as they descended slowly, carrying thunder that spread across dozens of miles, converging towards Xiang Tiandi's fingertip.

In the blinding light, the air also warped under the high temperatures of the lightning.

The concentrated thunder took on a tangible form at Xiang Tiandi's fingertips, and under his control, the once-wild element became as docile as a pet, gradually shaping into the form of a long sword.