One person: Senior brother Zhang Zhiwei, the Celestial Master begged me to descend the mountain.

Ten thousand meters above the stratosphere.

The Gulfstream G650ER's massive wings sliced ​​through the clouds, reflecting a dazzling silver light under the sun. Inside the cabin, the temperature remained a constant 24 degrees Celsius, the air filled with a subtle, luxurious fragrance, and the leather seats were so soft they seemed to draw you in.

It's quiet and comfortable here; it's an absolute tranquility built on money.

However, Zhang Chulan, sitting by the window, had a face even darker than the thunderclouds outside.

His fingers swiped frantically across the phone screen, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force. The screen's eerie blue light illuminated his face, every muscle twitching slightly, the veins on his forehead throbbing as if they were about to burst.

"He's gone mad..."

Zhang Chulan gritted his teeth and squeezed out two words, his voice filled with the frustration and anger of someone who had been doused with dirty water:

"These people... these people are absolutely insane!!"

He slammed his phone down on the small table in front of him with such force that the crystal glass on the table jumped.

"Master Uncle! Look at this! Look at what kind of nonsense this is!!"

Zhang Taichu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

He didn't check his phone immediately. Instead, he leisurely picked up the iced cola beside him, gently shook it, listened to the crisp sound of the ice hitting the glass, and then lazily glanced at the still-lit screen.

On the screen is the homepage of a well-known news aggregation app.

The striking, bold, black title, glaringly red, was piercingly incisive:

Shocking News! Taoist Priests from Longhu Mountain Embezzled a Sacred Tree Overseas! Who is to Blame for the Loss of National Assets?

Scroll down further.

Exclusive Exclusive: Zhang Taichu Makes a Sordid Deal with Western Powers, Selling Out National Interests for Permanent Residency on Nathan Island!

While we're struggling to survive, he's become a local tyrant overseas!

The accompanying illustrations are even more stunning.

One photo shows Zhang Taichu sitting on a grand chair in the ruins of Nathan's Palace, with King Nathan squatting at her feet. Through a special angle and post-processing, Zhang Taichu in the photo looks like an arrogant tyrant, while King Nathan looks like a bullied and weak woman.

There's another picture, which is actually a photo of their backs as they board this Gulfstream private jet, captioned: "Privileged class! Private jet! Are they going to slay demons or on a publicly funded vacation?"

The comment section below has been completely overrun, a chaotic mess, a veritable carnival of cyberbullying.

[Justice Passerby A]: I knew this Taoist priest was shady! I disliked him at the last Luo Tian Grand Ceremony, and he really is a traitor!

[Patriotic Vanguard]: Investigate thoroughly! This must be thoroughly investigated! Hand over the sacred tree! It belongs to the nation!

[Sober Leek]: Heh, is this the hero you worship? Eating and drinking well abroad, flirting with foreigners, disgusting!

[Down with Feudal Superstition]: It is recommended to revoke Longhu Mountain's certification! Revoke its Celestial Master ordination! Such people are unfit to be Taoist priests!

Every comment is like a poisoned knife.

Unaware of the truth, the masses were incited by these carefully crafted lies, venting their cheap sense of justice and their envy of privilege.

"Oh."

Zhang Taichu finished reading it.

He wasn't angry, he didn't slam his fist on the table, and he didn't even furrow his brow.

in contrast.

He smiled.

It was a disdainful smile, like someone who had just witnessed a poorly executed circus performance.

"That's interesting."

Zhang Taichu leaned back in his chair, took a sip of cola, and savored the stimulating sensation of the bubbles bursting on his tongue.

"The photos are great; they capture your great-uncle's imposing presence."

"Master Uncle! Is that the important point?!"

Zhang Chulan was so anxious he almost jumped out of his chair. He pointed at his phone, his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets.

"This is a rumor! It's slander! They're trying to pin this on us!"

"We fought tooth and nail on Nathan Island, almost getting blown up by missiles! Who were we fighting for? We were fighting to prevent the Divine Tree from falling into Behemoth's hands!"

"Now look what's happened! We haven't even landed yet, and we're already labeled as traitors? As collaborators?"

Zhang Chulan grew increasingly angry as he spoke, his chest heaving violently.

"If the uninformed people believe this, how will we, Longhu Mountain, ever face the world again? We'll be pelted with rotten eggs whenever we go out!"

Just then.

hum - hum - hum -

Zhang Chulan's phone, which was on the table, suddenly vibrated violently.

The caller ID displayed only two words: Chairman Zhao.

Zhang Chulan took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger, and pressed the answer button and speakerphone.

"Hello, Chairman Zhao..."

"Chu Lan! How much longer until you land?"

On the other end of the phone, Zhao Fangxu's voice sounded extremely anxious, and in the background, one could even hear the cacophony of ringing phones and shouts, clearly indicating that the headquarters of Nadutong was in complete chaos.

"About half an hour left." Zhang Chulan glanced out the window.

"Okay, okay, come back soon."

Zhao Fangxu seemed to wipe away sweat, his tone heavy:

"Those things online...you've probably seen them, right?"

"I saw it." Zhang Chulan gritted his teeth. "Chairman Zhao, where did this mad dog come from? Have you found out?"

"This matter... isn't that simple."

Zhao Fangxu sighed, his voice filled with deep weariness:

"The company is doing its best to suppress the hype. The tech team has been working around the clock, deleting posts, banning accounts, and issuing clarification announcements..."

But it didn't work.

"Their methods were too dirty and too professional."

"They're using entirely overseas servers, and their online troll army is frighteningly large. We delete one post, and ten more pop up over there. And..."

Zhao Fangxu paused, his tone becoming even more serious:

"They have a lot of photos and videos, both real and fake, and even recordings from insiders. All of this combined is meant to condemn you to the pillory of shame!"

"The pressure from above is immense. Many departments that were unaware of the situation are questioning me, asking why I sent a special plane to a traitor..."

"Chairman Zhao! You know we're not..." Zhang Chulan shouted anxiously.

"Of course I know! I know it better than anyone else!"

Zhao Fangxu interrupted him, his voice carrying a hint of helpless reassurance:

"You're a company employee, and Master Zhang is a national hero. If I, Old Zhao, can't even distinguish right from wrong, what kind of chairman am I?"

"But Chu Lan, you need to understand."

"Many voices can melt metal, and accumulated slander can destroy bones."

"In this era, the truth is sometimes not important; what matters is... what people are willing to believe."

"They're trying to kill me by hurting my spirit."

A brief silence fell over the cabin.

Only the roar of the engine continued.

Zhang Chulan slumped back in his chair, clutching his phone tightly, a deep sense of powerlessness washing over him.

Is this what the martial arts world is like now?

It wasn't a clash of swords, nor a direct confrontation.

Instead, they hide behind their keyboards and drown you in rumors and spittle.

Even if you have extraordinary abilities, even if you can slay an aircraft carrier with a single sword, what can you do against these millions of mouths?

Can you kill everyone?

"hehe."

A soft laugh broke the oppressive atmosphere.

Zhang Taichu casually placed the empty glass on the table, making a crisp "click" sound.

He turned his head and looked out the window at the ground getting closer and closer, at the bustling city's buildings that seemed as densely packed as ants.

"Fatty Zhao."

Zhang Taichu spoke calmly into his phone:

"No need to press anymore."

"Huh?" Zhao Fangxu on the other end of the phone was taken aback. "Master Zhang? What do you mean? If we don't suppress this, the public opinion will escalate..."

"Let it ferment if it wants to."

Zhang Taichu interrupted him, his tone as calm as if he were talking about a trivial matter:

"Since someone wants to play, let her play to her heart's content."

"Have her set up the stage, beat the gongs and drums, and bring out all the dogs that can bark."

"This..." Zhao Fangxu was clearly not following Zhang Taichu's train of thought. "Master Zhang, do you know who's behind this?"

Zhang Taichu narrowed his eyes, a chilling glint flashing in his deep pupils.

"Who else could it be but that woman?"

"Manipulating people's hearts, controlling emotions, and even turning black into white..."

"Who else but that cunning, scheming company president could pull off such a stunt so smoothly?"

Yaoxing Club.

Qu Tong.

The name flashed through Zhang Taichu's mind.

"Since she thinks that she can ruin my reputation and render me helpless with just a few lousy photos and a few rumors..."

Zhang Taichu sat up straight and straightened his somewhat wrinkled Taoist robe.

An invisible aura slowly rose within the enclosed cabin.

That wasn't murderous intent.

It is not a kind of absolute confidence, but a domineering attitude that disregards rules.

"Chu Lan".

Zhang Taichu ignored Zhao Fangxu on the other end of the phone and turned to look at Zhang Chulan, who was still in a daze.

"Yes, Uncle-Master!" Zhang Chulan straightened his back instinctively.

"Tell me, what's the best way to deal with this kind of mad dog that only dares to bark in the shadows?"

Zhang Taichu looked at him with a playful expression.

Zhang Chulan was taken aback for a moment, then tentatively asked:

"Send a lawyer's letter? Hold a press conference to clarify? Or... have Chairman Zhao contact the cyber police?"

"stupid."

Zhang Taichu shook his head, a look of disappointment and frustration on his face:

"Reasoning with a dog? That's something only scholars do."

"I am a Taoist priest."

"Taoist priests emphasize..."

"Physical salvation."

Zhang Taichu extended a finger, pointing to the urban jungle below that was now clearly visible, a cruel and cold smile curving his lips:

"Since she thinks she can say whatever she wants, she can say whatever she wants."

"Then this humble Taoist priest will..."

"Tear her mouth apart."

"Tear down her house."

"Let's see what she has to say next."

Boom—

The plane began its descent, and the mechanical sound of the tires being lowered could be heard.

With a slight jolt, the Gulfstream jet, carrying the pinnacle of its time, landed smoothly on the runway.

Glide, decelerate.

The view outside the window went from blurry to clear.

Zhang Taichu unbuckled his seatbelt, stood up, and stretched his stiff neck, making a series of cracking sounds.

He walked to the cabin door and looked at the vehicles that had been waiting there for a long time, as well as the crowd of people who seemed to be holding up banners and protesting in the distance.

"Chu Lan".

Zhang Taichu had his back to Zhang Chulan, and although his voice wasn't loud, it carried an undeniable air of command:

"Don't rush back to the mountain."

"You don't even need to leave the airport."

"Take out your phone and look up an address for me."

Zhang Chulan swallowed hard, sensing the terrifying aura emanating from his martial uncle, and cautiously asked:

"Uncle-Master...where are you investigating?"

Zhang Taichu raised his head and glanced at the still azure sky above.

the weather is nice today.

It's a good day for demolition and relocation.

"That damn newspaper..."

"The headquarters of the Shining Star Society."

"In which pit?"