Chapter 206: Chapter 204: Unable to Resist
Qin Li smiled as well, his expression perfectly calm as he said nonchalantly, "Sect Leader Bing, with your status and power, don’t you find it a bit shameful to threaten a young man like me?"
"Shameful? Hehe, I don’t think so!" The woman in the palace gown giggled, her face a mask of pure innocence. "Little guy, in less than a hundred years, your strength will far surpass mine. If I don’t seize this chance to threaten you, am I supposed to wait until after you’ve surpassed me?"
Qin Li smiled. "In that case, Sect Leader Bing, why not just nip this threat in the bud?"
The woman in the palace gown, Bing Mengyun, gave a sweet smile and shook her head emphatically. "I can’t do that. I don’t dare kill you. I’m afraid of your master!"
A chill shot through Qin Li. He fought to control his emotions, daring not to let the slightest change show on his face, but inside, a tempest raged. ’Is she doing this on purpose, or is it a coincidence? My master... it can’t be that scruffy old Taoist back on Earth. Then it can only be him—the Ancient Great Power beneath Phoenix Lake, Prince Wu!’
’So, how did she figure it out? Is she trying to bluff me? Or did she really recognize that I was using the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, Only I am Venerable Combat Skill?’
Just as Qin Li’s mind was racing, he heard the woman in the palace gown, Bing Mengyun, continue to speak with a slow smile. "Stop guessing. It’s the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands... Only I am Venerable Combat Skill, isn’t it? In this world, a person like that only appears once every three thousand years. Every single one has been a peerless genius who rocketed to the pinnacle of power at an astonishing speed!"
As Bing Mengyun spoke, Qin Li noticed she had deployed a barrier, ensuring only the two of them could hear her words. Even Shangguan Shiyu was left staring at them with a bewildered expression.
"How did you know I was the one practicing it?" Qin Li asked quietly.
"I wasn’t actually the one who figured it out. I’m not that incredible, don’t overestimate a Venerable!" Bing Mengyun said with a smile. "Ye Qianyu mentioned it a few years ago. Back then, the fact that you were practicing the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, Only I am Venerable Combat Skill in your city in the Mortal Realm wasn’t exactly a secret. Coincidentally, I happen to know a few things others might not. That’s why I truly don’t dare to kill you! In fact, not only do I not dare kill you, but I also want you to join the Four Seasons Sect. It’s a shame you’re not willing. So... how about we make a bet!"
"Why would I make a bet with you?" Qin Li said calmly, his expression indifferent. "Since you don’t dare kill me, just let me go. I can act as if none of this ever happened. From now on, you go your way, I’ll go mine. It would be best if we never met again."
"No. I’m not one to let potential threats linger!" the woman in the palace gown said, shaking her head decisively. "Therefore, you’re making this bet whether you like it or not. If you refuse, I’ll force you!"
"By threatening my fiancée again?" A sneer touched Qin Li’s lips.
"No, why would I do something like that? Shiyu is so delicate and beautiful, even I’m a bit envious. Besides, she’s the future hope of my Four Seasons Sect. Why would I do something so foolish?"
Bing Mengyun spoke softly, as if confiding a secret. "I’ve heard that those who practice the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, Only I am Venerable Combat Skill are highly resistant to suppressive auras and pressure. I don’t quite believe it. So, my bet is that you can’t withstand it! If you can, I’ll keep my word and let you and Shiyu leave. If you can’t... well, then I’m afraid you must join my Four Seasons Sect and obediently become the Four Seasons Sect Master!"
"Aren’t you afraid I’ll run your sect into the ground after becoming the Four Seasons Sect Master?" Qin Li said mockingly. ’I’ve heard of people being forced to give up money or power, but never of someone being forced to become the boss.’
"Not at all!" Four Seasons Sect Master Bing Mengyun laughed cheerfully. "I’m really not afraid. So, shall we begin?"
Without giving Qin Li any chance to refuse, a colossal aura mixed with the pressure of Primordial Power surged toward him like a tidal wave, threatening to overwhelm everything.
’Damn it! This bitch shows no mercy at all. Afraid of me? My ass! This isn’t a bet, it’s blatant bullying!’
Qin Li was furious. Dealing with someone like her was like a scholar trying to reason with a soldier—logic was useless.
As the pressure bore down, the vortex of Innate Purple Qi within Qin Li’s body began to churn violently. The brilliant river of stars inside the vortex seethed like magma in a volcano on the verge of eruption!
At the same time, the Innate Purple Qi filling his meridians began to circulate at high speed, resisting the almost tangible pressure!
Qin Li wasn’t afraid of the aura, even from a Supreme Powerhouse of the Venerable Realm. But the pressure—that was tangible oppression from Primordial Power. Forget a Venerable; even when that old woman in gray, an expert at the Celestial Embracing Realm, had desperately suppressed him with her Primordial Power, Qin Li had felt it was nearly impossible to resist.
At this moment, the second level of his Spirit Realm from the Only I am Venerable technique played a critical role. The terrifying pressure made the bones throughout Qin Li’s body creak and groan, but his Sea of Consciousness remained unshakably firm. Under this insane oppression, Qin Li’s Spirit Barrier slowly transformed from its original five colors into a faint purple!
He was like an old pine tree rooted to a stone cliff. ’Let the winds howl from every direction, I will not be moved!’
Qin Li actually started to get shorter!
Even Shangguan Shiyu, watching from the side, could tell something was wrong. After a moment of shock, she rushed toward Qin Li, only to be grabbed in a flash by Ye Qianyu, who was also staring at the scene in horror.
Qin Li’s feet began to slowly sink into the ground. The soil at the entrance of Four Seasons Valley wasn’t particularly hard, but what kind of force would it take to press a living person right into the earth?
And what incredible resilience must the person enduring it possess?
Shangguan Shiyu struggled desperately, but Ye Qianyu wouldn’t let go. Although she didn’t know the specifics, her years of experience were enough to tell her what was happening between the two of them.
Unable to break free, Shangguan Shiyu grew desperate and bit down hard on the back of Ye Qianyu’s hand. Ye Qianyu thought to circulate her power to resist but feared she might injure her precious disciple. After all, she cared deeply for her.
An excruciating pain shot up from the back of her hand, where a deep set of teeth marks had appeared. It was already beginning to swell and turn red. With any more force, the flesh would have been torn.
HISS!
Ye Qianyu sucked in a sharp breath of cold air from the pain. "You damn girl, you actually bit me! That hurts like hell!"
"Let me go!" Shangguan Shiyu’s voice was ice-cold. "Even if I die, I’ll die with him!"
"What do you understand?! If you touch him now, you’ll only make him die faster!" Ye Qianyu said with an exasperated look. "Haven’t I taught you this? He’s resisting the Sect Leader’s pressure!"
Shangguan Shiyu stopped struggling. She threw a cool glance at the Four Seasons Sect Master and composed herself, but inside, she made a silent vow: ’If you harm him today, then one day, I will make you pay for it in blood. I’ll make you regret you were ever born!’
The woman in the palace gown, Four Seasons Sect Master Bing Mengyun, was actually quite shocked herself. She did know something about those who practiced the Only I am Venerable technique. The ancestors of the Four Seasons Sect had once crossed paths with a practitioner of this Divine-level Combat Skill, and the encounter was documented in the Sect’s private records, which she had read.
The records stated that practitioners of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, Only I am Venerable Combat Skill could fight opponents of higher realms and even withstand the pressure from Martial Artists far more powerful than themselves.
Bing Mengyun had never believed it. But now, she was forced to.
Ever since encountering Martial Artists of the Celestial Shattering Realm, Qin Li himself had corrected many of his own misconceptions.
’I originally thought my master from a past generation, the peerless prodigy and Ancient Great Power Prince Wu, was an expert of the Celestial Shattering Realm. Now it seems his accomplishments were far beyond that. Even as this woman from the Venerable Realm frantically suppresses me with her aura and pressure, I don’t think she’s anywhere near as strong as Prince Wu was!’
’Besides, a Martial Artist of the Celestial Shattering Realm couldn’t possibly live to be over nine hundred and eighty years old!’
’The maximum lifespan for a Celestial Level Martial Artist is probably just over two hundred years, two hundred fifty at the absolute most. The average is more like one hundred fifty to one hundred sixty.’
’Someone at the Celestial Shattering Realm likely wouldn’t live past three hundred fifty. The Celestial Integration Realm, not past five hundred. The Celestial Embracing Realm, six or seven hundred at most!’
’To live over nine hundred and eighty years, you’d have to be at least... at a realm above the Venerable Realm!’
Facing the relentless pressure of a Supreme Powerhouse, a feeling of helplessness gradually crept over Qin Li. It was like being a normal person, paralyzed and unable to speak, forced to watch as a colossal boulder slowly descended to crush him. The combined mental and physical assault was enough to make anyone break.
’Is it really... impossible to resist?’
Qin Li’s eyes slowly turned crimson, and faint wisps of purple qi began to seep from his body.
The purple vortex in his Dantian thrashed wildly, as if it would collapse at any moment.
At the same time, his body seemed to shrink under the force, all his bones grinding against each other. The immense pain was so great that even Qin Li couldn’t suppress the urge to cry out.
But he could no longer make a sound.
BOOM!
The purple vortex inside Qin Li’s Dantian could no longer withstand the pressure. With a loud BANG, it exploded completely! All that remained, suspended in his Dantian, was a single, translucent, gem-like crystal about the size of a fingernail!
Simultaneously, the powerful energy released from the explosion merged with the pressure from the woman in the palace gown, surging wildly into Qin Li’s Tendons and Bones!
-----------------
Phew, this isn’t me just torturing the MC, I swear... Please be patient, everyone! Even though I’m so tired I can barely think, I’ll waste a moment to explain: this is a crucial opportunity for Qin Li’s power to increase.
Yep, tomorrow’s Chapter will be awesome!
I promise!
Any monthly tickets left? I know there’s a double-vote event in two days, but we have to survive until then!
The competition is fierce! Please lend me your strength and toss a monthly ticket my way! (To be continued. For more Chapters, and to support the author and legitimate reading, please visit www.qidian.com!)