? Xiao Feng Zhenren struggled to rise from the ground. He really wanted to tell himself this was just a illusion, but every part of his body ached—so if it were an illusion, then where was the explanation? He stared at Qin Feng with a strange gaze, especially at the hammer he now held. In appearance, it truly resembled his master's signature weapon. And given his cultivation level as a true immortal, it would have taken no small feat to send him—this seasoned immortal—flying with a single blow. Even if it weren't the Heavenly Hammer, it had to be a truly powerful artifact. Yet his master had sealed the hammer centuries ago and hadn't used it in thousands of years. How could it now be in the hands of such an obscure young man? This was truly strange. He regretted having left without asking his master a few questions, and had thus assumed Qin Feng to be a fraud. Qin Feng scoffed, "Now do you believe me?" Xiao Feng Zhenren shook his head. "Of course not. Unless you—" "Examine the hammer. Witness its rotation and see the sky whirl around it." "Qin Shao didn't wait for him to finish speaking—he launched his second move. Don't believe me? Then keep watching until you do. After all, I've got plenty of time. Thwack... The hammer struck precisely on the first master's forehead. This time, he didn't fall, but stars burst before his eyes. He managed to grasp the nearby tree trunk with both hands, only for the Ho Tian hammer to swing around and return to him. Thwack... Then, a soft thud... The back of the first master's head took another solid blow, and he collapsed decisively. Qin Feng caught the hammer as it returned on its own, and sneered, "Uncle, if you still don't believe me, I'll demonstrate my 'Thundering Flying Hammer' move. You can experience it firsthand. Honestly, the giant hero fell precisely because of this technique." Miao Feng, the True Master, slowly raised his trembling right hand and said in a pale, defeated tone, "No need to try again. I believe this is indeed the Ho Tian hammer." "Ha ha, Master, long time no see!" He jumped over with a cheerful smile, gently helping to rise Miao Feng Zhenren while saying, "You've finally believed it! My brother has been truly impressed with you. Wait—how come you're lying on the ground like this? Does it take such a formal gesture when heavenly brothers meet?" The senior brother was nearly furious—without you hitting me with your hammer, how could I possibly be lying on the ground? You can't just stand by and do nothing! He grumbled, "I only acknowledged the Hao Tian Hammer—I never admitted you're my brother!" Qin Shao simply waved his hand and said, "Whatever." With a *thump*, the senior brother, who had finally managed to stand up, promptly collapsed back onto the ground—now you won't even let me help you stand up! An hour later, Miao Feng Zhenren rose on his own, glaring at him seated on the corpse of the one-horned ox, and said with a sniff, "Young man, given your character, even if you possess the Hao Tian Hammer, you'll never earn your master's approval. Give up now." "Master hasn't even seen me yet. How do you know what he'll decide?" He hummed it back in the same tone. "Very well. Then I'll make you completely give up hope. Dare you come with me to see Master?" The eldest brother said, sounding furious. "What's there to be afraid of?" "You're on, then. Master will surely reclaim the Haotian Hammer and kick you out cold." "The Rushing Thunder Hammer!" Thud... then a soft thud. "Young man, didn't you say we wouldn't fight? Why are you still hitting me with the hammer? Woe is me—my handsome face!" "You made me promise that Master would reclaim the Haotian Hammer. So I've got to play a few games myself, or else I'll have nothing left to play when it actually happens." Half an hour later, Miao Feng the True Man appeared at Haotian Palace with a swollen nose and bruised face, bowing down pathetically and cried out, "Master, please, do make it right for your disciple!" The mist curled gently in the main hall. Emperor Haotian, dressed in a deep indigo robe and crowned with gold, was breathing deeply, calm and composed. With a gentle voice, he opened his eyes and asked, "Miao Feng, what's wrong? Did you bump into the doorframe, or did you slip on a patch of wax and fall? That sounds serious." The senior disciple gave a slight scoff. "Master, it wasn't a fall—it was a beating." "Beaten?" Haotian furrowed his brows. "In the Heavenly Realm, who dares to challenge my Haotian Palace? And you're my foremost disciple—anyone, even the Jade Emperor, would have to show some respect. Who has the nerve to do this?" "A young man from the Chinese cultivation world, just recently ascended to the heavens," Miao Feng said, feeling deeply embarrassed. "A mere novice, yet he managed to defeat my chief disciple. How could this be so humiliating?" The Emperor's brows were furrowed: "Impossible! Did you stand there and let him strike you? I've never taken any disciples from that side—my own disciples, I can barely recall. Yet you should know this well, shouldn't you?" "Yes," the senior disciple nodded, thinking to himself: "With a master who's not quite reliable, as a senior disciple, I naturally have to help keep track of things. 'But that young man was holding your Hao Tian Hammer, wasn't he? I find that strange. Didn't your hammer get sealed long ago? How could it end up in someone else's hands—someone so obscure? Moreover, that person has a poor character. Besides pretending to be one of my disciples, he even killed the nephew of Ju Ling Shen on the battlefield..." "Wait a moment," the Emperor interrupted him, "what did you just say about my hammer?" "My hammer? The Hao Tian Hammer?" "Yes," the senior disciple nodded. The Emperor of Haotian's face changed, and with his curled right index finger tapping his forehead, he said, "My Haotian Hammer! I remember now... Back then, I must have left it in Huaxia. Could it be that the young man by chance obtained it? After all, the Haotian Hammer is a top-tier weapon—rare even among the heavenly beings, with only a few capable of wielding it." "Indeed," said the senior brother, "when we tried to select the heir, none of us could lift it. How could it have ended up in the hands of a young man?" "At first, I doubted the hammer was even genuine," he continued, "and was repeatedly struck—no, precisely four times—by him, until I was completely helpless. Only then did I believe." On his forehead, temples, and both sides of his head, there were large bumps, looking rather serious and even a bit comical. "Call him in," the Emperor declared warmly, "I would like to meet this young man and see if he truly possesses the ability to wield the Haotian Hammer." Master Brother immediately countered, "Master, what good is it to see him? His character is truly problematic. Don't tarnish your vision. In my opinion, why not withdraw the Hao Tian Hammer and simply kick him off the heavenly realm, sending him to eternal oblivion—so that the others with ulterior motives may witness firsthand what happens to someone who pretends to be one of our Hao Tian Palace disciples?" The Emperor of Hao Tian spoke gently, "Xiao Feng, I am the host here—or perhaps you are." "Of course, Master." "Then why aren't you already summoning him? What do I need you to fuss over?" "Hmm. I'll go fetch him right away."