Even Grandmasters Must Bow Before Me

In the Shallow Night, the teahouse is nestled among Silver Orchid Tree and Moon Laurel, with Fire Spring flowing quietly by, casting a soft and hazy glow on the scenery.

Many people nearby looked ahead, all wearing expressions of "I knew it!"

Two elderly men in black appeared at the door, their hair white but their faces youthful. Some recognized them as venerable elders of the Helian Family, who had reached the Fourth Realm — Embracing Simplicity— many years ago.

Some people felt a chill run down their spines; the Helian Family was indeed not to be trifled with.

Some people sighed inwardly, thinking that Qin Ming of New Life Path had been riding high lately, but what happened? After encountering the Immortal Seed of the Helian Family, he was still going to suffer a huge loss.

Seeing that the renowned members of the Helian Family had come out first, everyone naturally made their own judgment.

"Hmm?" Someone noticed something was wrong.

Behind the two renowned figures of the Helian Family, the White-clothed Youth covered his face with a half-length wide sleeve, and there were some bloodstains on his chest, which were quite conspicuous.

Most importantly, they keenly noticed that there seemed to be... footprints on his white clothes!

"He is Helian Zhaoyu?" Some people were immediately surprised.

How could this be? He looked so disheveled; he had clearly suffered a great loss.

Beside him, the black-clad youth Wei Cheng and the purple-clad Luo Jingxiao were also dressed in tattered clothes, stained with blood, and their faces were covered with torn sleeves.

Immediately, a commotion broke out, something completely different from what people had imagined.

Normally, these three should be the "abusers," because judging from their own status and the strength of the renowned figures accompanying them, they could easily have Qin Ming under their thumb.

This scene left many people speechless, convinced they hadn't misread it.

Some people were stunned on the spot; such a situation was truly extraordinary.

In fact, after Yu Gensheng released these five people, they were immediately "kicked out," and they couldn't even try to cover themselves up.

Helian Zhaoyu, Wei Cheng, and Luo Jingxiao reacted quickly; the moment the door opened, they covered their faces with their sleeves, otherwise their faces would be so swollen that they wouldn't be able to show themselves.

However, who were the people present? They were nobles from the Three Great Dynasties, Elite Disciple of the Immortal Path, and even high-level Immortal Seed. They immediately realized that the three of them had "lost face".

Some experts even secretly used their Consciousness Spirit Light to directly investigate the truth.

"Hiss!" In an instant, someone gasped in the night mist. What did they see? Helian Zhaoyu, Wei Cheng, and the others had been beaten into a pulp.

Helian Zhaoyu, Luo Jingxiao, and the others were furious; they were immediately surrounded by onlookers as soon as they stepped outside.

Some people are even secretly using Memory Crystal to preserve memories for them.

This is absolutely explosive news and will cause Xuanran.

Two renowned members of the Helian Family led the way, with Helian Zhaoyu, Wei Cheng, and Luo Jingxiao following behind in silence.

In the tea room, Qin Ming put away the three storage pendants. It was not advisable to give them to Wu Yaozu and Xiang Yiwu now, because the crisis was not over yet.

Judging from the murderous glares of the three people, the storage pendant must contain an extremely valuable item.

Although Qin Ming was not stained with blood, he still washed his hands with clean water, feeling somewhat disgusted by the physical contact with the three men.

Inside the room, the two Sun Elf were extremely embarrassed and remained silent.

"You two should leave!" Qin Ming said. In this crucial moment, these two were truly unreliable.

When Qin Ming and his group stepped out of the tea room, the outside was already filled with noise.

Many people were surprised to see Yu Gensheng; when did this expert get in?

A small group of people knew his identity and instantly pieced together the whole story, making everything make sense.

"Yu Gensheng, one of the two people in charge of the New Life Path at the Mountain River Academy, is standing up for Qin Ming."

Many people were astonished, thinking to themselves that this old man was truly brave and resolute; how could anyone else dare to confront the Helian Family directly?

"Brother, what just happened?" someone asked.

"A fierce conflict broke out in the teahouse. How badly were Helian Zhaoyu and the others injured?" A skilled voice spoke from the left and right, unwilling to reveal its identity.

Wu Yaozu said seriously, "Don't talk nonsense. We're just having tea and having a friendly exchange."

Ahead, Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao both secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They were people of noble birth and both cared a lot about their reputation.

"Then why are they wearing masks?" someone asked again.

"They're losing their baby teeth," Little Wu said nonchalantly.

The scene fell silent instantly. This bald guy really dared to spill the beans!

There is no doubt that this news is extremely shocking.

Ahead, even Helian Zhaoyu's body stiffened slightly, and Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao's bodies almost burst into flames.

At this moment, even Yao Ruoxian, the Fourth Princess of the Great Yu Dynasty, was stunned, her Divine Radiance eyes gleaming with disbelief.

Several promising talents have arrived on the Immortal Path. Even though they are all from powerful backgrounds, they are still wary of the Helian Family.

But right now, Qin Ming and his group have actually knocked out Helian Zhaoyu's teeth?

Outside the teahouse, an uproar erupted.

People looked at Qin Ming wiping his hands, Wu Yaozu with his buzz cut, and Xiang Yiwu with his wide frame, and felt that something was wrong with the scene; it was completely reversed.

In their minds, Qin Ming was going to suffer a huge loss this time. Even though he was quite famous, he would be crushed by the Helian Family and would be dragged out covered in blood.

"You've gotten yourselves into Great Calamity!" someone bluntly stated.

The Imperial Immortal Sect was like a colossal behemoth standing in the clouds, making it hard for some of the older generation to breathe.

"Run away quickly!" someone kindly advised.

Yu Gensheng, Qin Ming, and the others walked through the crowd and left.

Behind them, a chaotic commotion erupted; everyone was in a state of agitation.

This news spread extremely quickly because it was so sensational.

Subsequently, the Mountain City erupted in uproar.

"Have you heard? Helian Zhaoyu got beaten up!"

"How could that be? That's Immortal Seed from the Helian Family, an immortal clan with Old Heavenly Immortal being presiding over it. Who would dare to act recklessly?"

"I also find it hard to believe, but many people say the news is true. It's rumored that Helian Zhaoyu and Wei Cheng's permanent teeth were knocked out."

"Who... did this amazing person do this?"

Qin Ming knew that if the time and place were right, his meeting with Helian Zhaoyu would be a fight to the death, with no possibility of reconciliation.

"If we meet in the Great Barrens during the pioneering work, I will take his head!" Wu Yaozu said in secret.

Xiang Yiwu said, "Let's get past this hurdle first."

Qin Ming spoke up, "This time, we've dragged our senior into a dangerous situation."

Yu Gensheng shook his head and said, "What are you talking about? What do I have to fear? I'm just an old man, how many more years can I live? It would be great if I could contribute something in my final moments. Besides, you're someone I brought here, how could I not protect you?"

Qin Ming was grateful. Although he said that, would anyone else dare to stand up in that situation? Even the two local Sun Elf were afraid.

Yu Gensheng said, "The Helian Family went too far. No one could tolerate that at that critical moment. What you did wasn't impulsive. They were practically riding roughshod over you. If you didn't fight back, were you going to live in that brat's shadow for the rest of your life?"

Then, his words hardened further, saying, "Well done! Our path is always one of Nirvana and New Life from the brink of despair. We need newcomers with this kind of drive; our blood can't run cold. You're a young man, not a decaying, senile old man like me. You should have a temper, a pioneering spirit. Be calm when you need to be, and speak your mind when you can't avoid conflict. Just fight! Otherwise, are you waiting to be mentally humiliated and crippled?"

Qin Ming felt a warmth in his heart; the old man didn't blame him for causing trouble and was even encouraging him.

Wu Yaozu also spoke up, saying, "Ming Ge, at worst I'll accompany you to escape into the depths of the Night Mist World and hide in the wilderness."

Xiang Yiwu, "I'll go back to the sect later and ask the elders what methods they have."

Yu Gensheng waved his hand and said, "It hasn't gotten to that pessimistic point yet."

Qin Ming understood that escaping into the depths of the Night Mist World was no easy feat; given their current level of cultivation, the odds were against them.

On their journey, they witnessed the perilous Soul-Guiding Flower that could devour human consciousness, the incredibly peaceful "Luminous Basin," and the "tongues" that pierced the night sky thousands of meters high, shattering the night fog—all capable of killing expeditionary forces and wiping out small tribes.

These are just the visible dangers along the way. In the darkness lie many unknown but deadly territories, not to mention the terrifying creatures lurking there. Even cultivators at the Second Realm are not strong enough to venture deeper into the night fog.

Qin Ming and his group returned to the vicinity of the spaceship, where they had originally set up camp. Many people thought they were going to escape.

In the distance, amidst the hazy, Fire Haze forest, someone was peering out from the shadows.

However, Qin Ming and his team had no intention of launching the Mountain River spaceship.

"Lu Zizai arrived," Yu Gensheng announced.

"Ah, where is Senior Brother Lu?" Qin Ming asked.

"He's researching the Immortal Pact in the Ancestral Land of the Sun Elf Race," Yu Gensheng said, each piece of news more astonishing than the last.

Xiang Yiwu and Wu Yaozu both exclaimed in surprise.

"The Sun Elf Race actually agreed." Qin Ming was surprised.

Yu Gensheng nodded and said, "Yes, Lu Zizai represents the will of the Ancestor of the New Life Path. If they do not agree, they will destroy the clan."

Immediately, his expression turned extremely serious, and he said, "It's unlikely that the appearance of the Immortal Pact in the Great Yu Capital by this clan was a coincidence."

Some prominent figures on New Life Path speculate that even if Li Guang did not use his power, the clan might still have leaked the information.

Whether intentional or unintentional, the appearance of the Immortal Pact will stir up tension on the Immortal Path and the New Life Path.

Therefore, Lu Zizai was very assertive this time, entering the stronghold of the Sun Elf Race and demanding all detailed information, including ancient methods for breaking the Immortal Pact.

Because the Ancestor of the New Life Path believed that, given the personalities of certain old guys on the Immortal Path, they would definitely obtain the Immortal Pact regardless of whether they used it or not, to intimidate others.

The news caused an uproar in the Immortal Grave area. It was now confirmed that Qin Ming of the New Life Path had clashed with Helian Zhaoyu and others from the Imperial Immortal Sect, forcing the latter to replace his "baby teeth".

Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao were furious when they heard this teasing. The damned bald man's "joking" only made the story of them getting beaten up and losing their teeth even more popular.

Helian Zhaoyu's face darkened, and he was in a terrible mood. He had truly lost face this time.

The three of them immediately went to find Treasured Medicine to heal their wounds, hoping to make their missing teeth grow back.

Outside the Mountain City, on the Mountain River spaceship, a flash of light appeared, and before Yu Gensheng could even react, another person had instantly appeared in the cabin.

He wore coarse linen clothes, his black hair was loose, and his eyes were clear and bright, like a young man. His demeanor was extraordinary, and he exuded an ethereal aura.

"Senior Brother Lu!" Qin Ming immediately stood up.

Yu Gensheng's face twitched slightly when he heard Qin Ming address him that way.

Xiang Yiwu and Little Wu also quickly stood up. This time, they didn't dare to shout like Qin Ming, and instead addressed him as "Senior Lu."

Lu Zizai smiled slightly and waved for everyone to sit down.

"I am aware of your conflict with the Helian Family," he said directly.

Then, Lu Zizai calmly said, "It's nothing."

Although it was only two words, Qin Ming immediately felt at ease.

"I've caused trouble for Senior Brother Lu this time," Qin Ming said. He understood that the matter couldn't be resolved with just a few words, Lu Zizai would definitely have to intervene personally.

"I sent you here, how could I watch you get into trouble? This time... it's alright." Lu Zizai seemed to possess a mysterious power; his simple and peaceful words could instill a strong sense of conviction in people.

Wu Yaozu and Xiang Yiwu were moved.

After all, that's the Helian Family; who would dare to provoke them lightly?

Lu Zizai said, "This matter isn't that serious. They invited people from New Life Path and the Esoteric Sect here. If someone from Beyond the Mundane causes trouble, it's undermining the established understanding."

Qin Ming and the others were taken aback upon hearing this. Was this land reclamation not as peaceful as they had imagined?

The Immortal Path is notoriously "aloof" and domineering, and the fact that it's their higher-ups solemnly inviting someone over is quite serious upon closer examination.

But the Immortal Grave was clearly sacred and peaceful, with even the grass on the tomb mounds covered with dense clusters of medicinal herbs and precious trees.

Lu Zizai reassured them, saying, "Don't overestimate yourselves. The old monster of the Helian Family is high and mighty; he won't even glance at you."

He continued, "The Ancestor of the Immortal Path are all the most outstanding Immortal Seed of their respective eras. Not everyone is like Cao Qianqiu. Especially in the Great Pioneering Era, the more extraordinary talents like you are, the better for the Immortal Path. I hope you will grow up as soon as possible."

"Huh?" Wu Yaozu exclaimed in surprise.

Lu Zizai said, "Let's take a long-term view. Once the Great Wilderness Campaign begins, it will be difficult to end in a short time. During this period, they hope to have many outstanding young people like you. Once you grow up, you will be the sharpest blades. In the Pioneering War frontiers, they need people like you to emerge one after another."

Immediately, everyone understood what he meant.

Lu Zizai said, "In such a great era, the problem isn't the rapid growth of geniuses, but rather the lack of successors, leading to a situation where there are no geniuses left to use."

Then, Lu Zizai couldn't help but reveal the truth, saying, "Actually, almost every time we were pioneering, it was out of necessity. We sensed an impending crisis and needed to defend ourselves from the outside."

Yu Gensheng nodded and said, "The last time we pioneered the land, we almost wiped out all the talented people accumulated over generations. Fortunately, all of them who survived became great figures."

These simple yet truthful words carry a hint of bloodshed.

However, the Immortal Grave was clearly peaceful, and Wu Yaozu and Xiang Yiwu could not yet guess where the danger lay.

Is there a powerful external enemy, or is there something incredibly terrifying about to emerge from the great tomb?

Lu Zizai didn't Say More on this issue, saying, "The matter is still undetermined. After the Immortal Path arrived here, they only had a temporary understanding of the situation. They invited people from the New Life Path, the Esoteric Sect, and even other beings."

"For now, let's ignore everything else and focus on reaping the benefits from the Immortal Grave, converting them into our own strength as quickly as possible."

"No wonder the Immortal Path has been opened; it turns out a major crisis might be about to erupt," Wu Yaozu said.

Lu Zizai said, "You all hurry up and try to comprehend the scriptures, obtain the Strange Medicine that will benefit you, and do your best to gain good fortune. With me here, you don't need to worry."

Immediately, the three boys felt reassured.

"Senior Brother Lu, how's the Immortal Pact research going?" Qin Ming asked.

Lu Zizai's expression was calm as he said, "If there's a way to use it in reverse, Immortal Pact has flaws, we can use it to deal with them. Anyone who has no bottom line and crosses the red line will inevitably face retaliation from the other side. Everything can be balanced, and everyone will use it more cautiously."

The Immortal Grave area is where most of the experts and promising talents from various paths gather.

The events that occurred in the Mountain City are still unfolding and are being hotly debated by all parties.

Many people believe that Qin Ming would be better off leaving now, otherwise something bad might happen.

Many people know that he possesses extraordinary talent at the Grandmaster Level, but reaching that level is something that will happen hundreds of years later.

He needs to remain in seclusion for now, because there are far too many geniuses whose talents are cut short along the way.

Moreover, even if there are high-ranking officials on New Life Path who appreciate him, if things escalate and he offends the old monster from the Helian Family, it will be difficult to handle the situation.

"Strange, didn't the Helian Family send out any experts?"

What's most surprising is that one of the parties involved in this matter actually showed up, and it was Qin Ming, who was thought to need to flee far away, who came to the Immortal Grave territory.

For a moment, many people were stunned.

Is he some kind of old man who's tired of living? Not only has he not retired, but he's also come here like this. Isn't he afraid of angering the Helian Family and causing them to act ruthlessly?

"I guess they're worried they'll be caught even if they try to escape."

Some people speculate that Qin Ming is going to throw caution to the wind and do whatever he wants.

Undoubtedly, few dare to approach Qin Ming now, as everyone is mindful of the Helian Family's feelings. Those nobles of the Great Yu Dynasty who used to try to win him over and invite him to banquets are now realistically keeping their distance, fearing being implicated.

"I reckon something bad is going to happen to him." Even some of the Immortal Seed said so.

"He's really pushing his luck. He dares to come to the Immortal Grave to seek enlightenment. Even if he gets in alive, he might not leave safely," someone said sarcastically.

Clearly, it is precisely at such critical junctures that the coldness and indifference of human nature become most apparent.

However, we can't be too harsh on them. After all, people naturally tend to avoid misfortune and it's perfectly normal for human relationships to be fickle.

"Brother, you've got guts!" said one of the Esoteric Sect's God Seed. It was none other than Cheng Sheng, a prominent figure who was on par with Zhao Qingcheng.

The old monster of the Imperial Immortal Sect went to the Fourth Forbidden Land to dig up that peerless master of the Esoteric Sect, which really angered many of the younger generation of the Esoteric Sect and left them with a grudge.

"No problem," Qin Ming nodded in response.

At this time, anyone who dares to approach and speak with him is no ordinary person.

Yao Ruoxian secretly transmitted her voice. "Qin Ming, your life is in danger. I'll risk sending you an extremely rare and fastest flying Thunder Royal Bird to take you far away quickly and ensure your safety. The condition is that you serve my Great Yu Royal Family for ten years. This is fair; it's an equal exchange."

Qin Ming shook his head, naturally refusing to agree.

Helian Yaoqing with a folding fan, and secretly transmitted her voice. "You're really brave, knocking out six of my cousin's teeth. It was youthful impulsiveness. Years later, you'll realize that it wasn't worth it at all. Why don't you reconsider and come to my side? I can definitely protect you."

Qin Ming refused without even thinking.

Crow Master and Tang Jin appeared not far away and secretly communicated, telling him to lay low for a while.

Qin Ming thanked them, but it wasn't appropriate to go into details now.

Immediately afterwards, people saw Xiang Yiwu, Wu Yaozu, and the elders of the Tathagata Sect walking together and appearing at this place.

"Hmm, they went to ask for help?" Many people were surprised.

Soon, everyone noticed that several elders of the Six Sovereigns Sect had also arrived and were nodding to Qin Ming.

The most powerful ancestral Ancestral Court of the New Life Path has already appeared here to express its stance.

Then, the elders of Yin Yang Temple and Five Elements Palace looked over and nodded slightly.

Qin Ming returned each of the greetings respectfully.

Many on the Immortal Path were taken aback. Were all the experts of the New Life Path Sect supporting him?

In the Mountain City, Li Qingyue bowed to her master and said, "The Old Ancestor of the Helian clan will not intervene. Please, Master, step forward and stop Grandmaster Helian Yunji."

In the Quiet Room, Helian Zhaoyu heard the news that the boy he had written on the death list had reappeared, ran to the most crowded Immortal Grave, and shattered the desk with a single palm strike.

When Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao learned of this, they were both shocked and furious, feeling offended a second time. Was the other party trampling on their dignity to seek enlightenment at the Immortal Grave?

"Zhaoyu, we must ask Grandmaster for help!"

"That's right, otherwise, what would people outside think?"

Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao couldn't swallow this insult. It wasn't that they were no match for Qin Ming, but rather that they suffered a huge loss because of Yu Gensheng's protection.

"The Grandmaster just finished consuming the third Treasured Medicine he collected from the Immortal Tomb yesterday. Judging by the time, he should be out of seclusion by now. Let's go ask him to teach Yu Gensheng a lesson."

The Helian Family would naturally not let this go unpunished. The two renowned figures who had personally witnessed the incident set off to meet Helian Yunji.

The others were a bit lacking; they couldn't subdue Yu Gensheng, who was at the Fifth Realm, cleanly and decisively.

Ahead, the immortal Immortal Grave resembled a towering mountain, its imposing presence overwhelming, and its slopes were covered with spiritual herbs. More than one Ancestor's weapon was present, having pried open a crack in the tomb's Restrictions.

Qin Ming prepared to enter, his targets being the mysterious scriptures on the stone wall and the fruit from the Vajra Tree at the mountaintop.

With a whoosh, a figure appeared outside the large tomb. The figure had jet-black hair, wrinkles at the corners of the eyes, and the sound of blood flowing through the body was very loud, sounding like thunder, deafening.

Grandmaster Helian Yunji coldly surveyed the surroundings.

He was like a god, radiating layers of silver ripples, as if protected by Divine Ring.

At that moment, his overwhelming pressure spread outwards, suffocating many people. Even though it wasn't directed at them, some people trembled involuntarily and couldn't help but submit and kowtow.

Helian Yunji wasn't trying to suppress everyone; it was just the naturally flowing light of the runes. He hadn't yet unleashed his true Grandmaster- level power.

He fixed his gaze on Qin Ming and said, "Go and call Yu Gensheng here!"

As he spoke, silver ripples appeared around his mouth and nose, and in the void in front of him. His words were like decrees, and he was clearly disgusted with the boy in front of him. He intended to force Qin Ming to kneel down and listen to his admonition.

However, Qin Ming did not move, nor did he bend over; he remained standing ramrod straight.

"Helian Yunji, isn't this going too far in targeting a mere youth?" In the distance, a Grandmaster appeared, approaching rapidly like a streak of light; he was none other than Li Qingyue's master.

Without a sound, an old man appeared and blocked the path of Li Qingyue's master. It was none other than Grandmaster Su Yuxiao. Although he did not say a word, his intention was clear.

"Dare you not bow down before me?" Helian Yunji looked at Qin Ming and naturally noticed the abnormality. A person at the Second Realm should not be able to withstand his pressure at all.

"Wouldn't it be better to have that kind of energy for external affairs?" A voice spoke from the horizon.

Helian Yunji was greatly surprised. Even from such a distance, someone was able to protect Qin Ming, ensuring that the young man could stand there quietly and remain unmoved!

"I am Grandmaster, what's wrong with him worshipping me? What's wrong with that!" Helian Yunji said in a deep voice, his whole body glowing as he suppressed Qin Ming.

"Grandmaster must bow before me," a young man in hemp clothing said calmly from the horizon.

Before he could finish speaking, he had already stepped onto a golden path and arrived beside Qin Ming.

"You..." Helian Yunji was horrified, feeling a powerful sense of pressure emanating from the Spirit Domain.

"Bowing down, paying homage," Lu Zizai said calmly.

Helian Yunji suddenly felt Ascension Mountain was pressing down on him, his neck cracking and bending uncontrollably downwards.