“How does it feel?”
Qi Ping ignored his own injuries and the wounds still bleeding from the sword energy. Looking at Lu Ming—bound in his grasp, battered and miserable—a savage smile spread across his face.
Meanwhile, Lu Ming felt the searing pain radiating from every part of his body, along with the terrifying sensation of having his life held in someone else’s hands. Fear flooded his heart, and his eyes couldn’t hide the dread any longer.
This was the first time he had ever felt the threat of death so up close!
The experience shattered every glorious memory and achievement of his past. Now, staring at Qi Ping, who held his life in his grasp, he had no idea what to say.
But even though Lu Ming stayed silent, Qi Ping had no intention of letting him off. He delivered a heavy slap across Lu Ming’s face.
“Did you see the evidence I sent back to the sect?”
“Did you deal with the bastard who framed me?”
“You’re targeting me just because I refused to join you?”
With every question, Qi Ping delivered a solid slap to Lu Ming’s face—knocking out nearly all his teeth, cracking his skull in several places, and leaving his flesh mangled beyond recognition.
Lu Ming, battered by Qi Ping’s furious questioning and slaps, was so dazed he couldn’t even begin to answer.
Only after seeing the man beaten half to death did Qi Ping’s anger finally begin to subside.
If he hadn’t been strong enough, Han Li and Zhang Danu would have died with him! Framed, disgraced, and executed under sect law!
Still, Qi Ping knew he couldn’t kill Lu Ming—not yet. That would truly be poking a hole in the sky. Actually, he wasn’t afraid of that either. What worried him was how it might affect his plans going forward.
Whether it was slaughtering the city and burying the hidden masterminds behind Starfall City’s black market, or earning contributions to be promoted to core disciple and access knowledge about advancing to the Golden Core stage—these were things he absolutely had to accomplish.
So for now, Qi Ping could only suppress his killing intent!
“Go back and tell the people behind you—I, Lin Ya, have not violated any sect rules! If they want to punish me by bypassing the rules, then I, Lin Ya, will bear it all alone! Right now, I just want to see whether the sect’s rules are just for show!”
Qi Ping’s voice, transmitted through spiritual power, resounded throughout all of Starfall City!
He said it for Lu Ming and the law enforcement hall disciples who had come with him—and for everyone in Starfall City to hear.
Given the current situation, the higher-ups of the Qingyuan Sect wouldn’t openly violate sect rules. That was the card that could keep Qi Ping safe for now.
After all that, Qi Ping forcibly erased the spiritual imprint on Lu Ming’s sword and claimed it for himself.
Although the sword was only Tier 2, its materials included precious Tier 3 components. A sword-belt of a genius like this would make decent food for Little Stone Spirit when it broke through to Tier 3.
He’d consider this the interest on today’s debt.
With that done, Qi Ping tossed Lu Ming back to the other terrified law enforcement disciples like a piece of trash.
Finally, after sweeping his gaze across all of Starfall City, Qi Ping turned and returned to his residence.
He knew this incident would cause a huge uproar, but for now, it would buy him some time.
His main body was making rapid progress in understanding the [Yin-Yang Heaven Severing Formation] and the [Five Elements Birth-Destruction Formation]. He just needed a little more time.
“Soon—very soon, the day of reckoning will come!”
With that thought, Qi Ping closed his eyes and threw himself into full-force cultivation.
While Qi Ping was fully immersed in seclusion, everyone in the outside world truly felt like the world had gone mad.
Lu Ming, the senior disciple of the law enforcement hall, had been captured and beaten by Qi Ping in just a few breaths!
Qi Ping’s madness and ferocity were now burned into everyone’s minds.
Everyone felt differently about it, but they all knew this was going to be a huge mess. What happened next was beyond anyone’s ability to predict—it had already surpassed their understanding.
At the same time, a consensus rose in everyone’s hearts:
Lin Ya is not to be provoked!
After the law enforcement hall’s attack, Qi Ping remained in seclusion.
About half a month passed. Once he was sure there was no immediate danger, he informed Han Li and Zhang Danu and quietly left Starfall City.
After reaching a hidden mountain forest, Qi Ping handed his belongings to the bees and then controlled his tree-man clone to dissolve.
Not long after, a new tree-man clone radiating powerful yin-yang spiritual pressure reformed within the Nature Sanctuary!
Another week or so passed. After finishing nurturing the tree-man clone, Qi Ping once again controlled it to leave the territory.
But this time, Qi Ping didn’t head straight to Starfall City. Instead, he went to Old Zhou’s courtyard in District B.
The courtyard was the same as ever, and the bees were still the same bunch of bees.
The only thing that had changed dramatically was the once-aging, slacker of a stubborn old man.
Unlike before, the aura of decay and death around Old Zhou had completely dissipated, and his body now brimmed with vibrant vitality.
Even more astonishing was the aura of peak Qi Refinement radiating from Old Zhou!
“Old Zhou, how’s your comprehension of the Essence of Wood coming along?”
After Old Zhou finished cultivating, Qi Ping spoke with a gentle smile.
Here, he didn’t want to bring the outside world’s conflicts.
“Progress is decent. Let me give it a try—I should have a chance to grasp it within four or five years!”
After finishing his cultivation, Old Zhou returned to his cheerful, smiling self.
“Mm, we’ll see when the time comes. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll find you a Foundation Establishment Pill!”
As Qi Ping spoke, he handed Old Zhou a storage pouch filled with various honey resources.
There were honeys for boosting spiritual power, soul strength, aptitude, physical body—all different types.
Originally, Qi Ping had planned to respect Old Zhou’s wishes and let him naturally pass on as he saw fit.
But after the bees developed a honey that could effectively improve aptitude, Qi Ping made a decision—he wanted Old Zhou to live on!
In this world, Old Zhou was the only family he had. He truly didn’t want the old man to pass away just like that.
So Qi Ping showed unprecedented determination—expending great effort to cleanse and refine Old Zhou’s body, tailoring the most suitable cultivation method for him, and providing all types of honey…
It could be said that the resources Qi Ping spent on Old Zhou were enough to cultivate several Foundation Establishment cultivators. But Qi Ping didn’t feel it was wasteful. After all, Old Zhou’s importance to him couldn’t be measured in resources, and he wasn’t short on them anyway.
Qi Ping had only meant to give it his best shot—he wasn’t sure it would succeed.
But unexpectedly, after Old Zhou broke through to peak Qi Refinement a few years ago, he actually comprehended his Dao Heart!
Qi Ping couldn’t help but exclaim—good grief!
This old man’s got something!
But after learning what Old Zhou’s Dao Heart was, Qi Ping wasn’t surprised anymore.
The Carefree Dao Heart!
This kind of Dao Heart really suited Old Zhou’s open-minded outlook.
Free and unfettered, enjoying life, reveling in mountains and rivers!
No wonder Old Zhou had been such a slacker in his later years—and loved reading travelogues!
It turned out Old Zhou had always held the purest of wishes. Given his circumstances, he’d simply chosen the most comfortable life. Being carefree in Qingshi County was also a form of freedom!
And the reason he was so open-minded was simply that he didn’t want to become a burden to anyone.
Qi Ping suddenly recalled that the old mountain spirit he’d recently contracted had a personality somewhat similar to Old Zhou’s.
So Qi Ping immediately decided that once his strength broke through to the Golden Core stage and he no longer needed the old mountain spirit’s help, he’d introduce it to Old Zhou.
Those two—both lovers of fine wine and mountain scenery—should get along famously.
Old Zhou would be fascinated by the old mountain spirit’s centuries of experience, and the old mountain spirit would probably be delighted to have such a kindred drinking buddy in Old Zhou.
But the most important thing right now was whether Old Zhou could successfully comprehend the Essence of Wood.
If all went well, with Qi Ping’s help, he should be able to break through to Foundation Establishment smoothly.
If not, Qi Ping would find him a Foundation Establishment Pill—which wasn’t difficult for him now.
No matter what, Qi Ping was determined to protect this old man.
He’d already decided to protect this whole world—so why couldn’t he protect one more stubborn old man?
