Turned to Dust

Seeing Liu Kai's lifeless body, everyone in the hall froze where they stood.

"M-My son... my son..." Liu Qiang came back to his senses. Unable to believe it, unwilling to believe it, his body trembling as his legs shook, he staggered to Liu Kai's side.

"My son... my son... wake up... wake up..."

"No..."

"No..."

Liu Qiang held Liu Kai's body, howling and roaring. Yet no matter what he did, it was all in vain.

"Pills..."

"Right..."

"Mystic energy..."

A great number of pills scattered across the floor. Liu Qiang kept stuffing them into Liu Kai's mouth while dense mystic energy poured into his body as though Liu Qiang's life depended on it. Sadly, it was all futile.

"My son..."

"My son..."

As he looked at Liu Kai, devoid of life, killing intent that filled the entire hall came roaring forth.

"Ah—"

A furious roar that pierced the clouds echoed above the Liu Family, and hundreds upon thousands of disciples surged over without pause.

"Qin Jishi..." Liu Qiang's eyes were crimson. His powerful aura sent his hair flying wildly about, making him resemble a demon crawling out of the abyss, his Killing Intent towering to the heavens.

"I want you buried with my son..."

"Buried with him..."

Liu Qiang had gone mad. At this moment, there was only one obsession in his heart: Qin Jishi had to die—die without a burial ground, vanish into smoke and ashes, never to enter reincarnation.

"Kill... Kill him for me... Don't let him leave this place alive!"

"Kill—"

As Liu Qiang's roar fell, everyone in the hall came back to their senses. Rampant mystic energy swept through the air as all manner of mystic techniques, carrying fearsome pressure, crashed down upon Qin Jishi like the sky collapsing.

Facing their frenzied assault, Qin Jishi merely cast them a cold glance. "Stubborn beyond salvation."

The next moment, Qin Jishi pressed two fingers together, and a golden needle condensed between them.

"Endless Vitality, the cycle of reincarnation without end. The God Slaying Needle can save people, and it can kill people."

"One Needle Manifests Myriad Forms!"

"Silence—"

As Qin Jishi extended his arm, the golden needle began to tremble rapidly.

Swish, swish, swish—

As the Liu Family members charged forward, golden needles suddenly erupted across the sky.

Pfft—

The golden needles pierced into their glabellas. Time seemed to freeze, and everyone was locked in place.

Liu Qiang's pupils contracted violently, then widened. The golden needle between his brows made him barely dare to breathe. His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, terror filling his eyes.

Qin Jishi raised his foot and slowly walked before him, a faint smile curling his lips. "Liu Qiang, when you reincarnate next time, remember to be smarter. The person you look down on may be the very one who takes your life."

"Y-Your strength..." Liu Qiang was no longer crazed. His Divine Soul trembled violently. "How... impossible... Aren't you a mere mortal?"

"Hehe." Qin Jishi smiled and shook his head. "Who said I was a mere mortal? That was merely what you all believed. Remember what I said. In your next life, be smarter."

"No... no... You can't kill me... My younger sister is the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's wife... If you kill me... Black Eagle Prefecture... Black Eagle Prefecture won't let you go."

Faced with death, Liu Qiang was afraid.

He still had so much time left to enjoy. To die just like this—he was unwilling to accept it.

"Black Eagle Prefecture?" Even in the face of Liu Qiang's threat, Qin Jishi retained his smile. "Liu Qiang, Liu Qiang, I truly don't know whether I should call you foolish or clever."

"Fine!"

"Then I'll let you die knowing the truth."

"..."

Qin Jishi's expression turned cold as he spoke in a low voice.

What?

Upon hearing those words, Liu Qiang's face turned ashen. "Y-You are Ji—"

Before Liu Qiang could finish speaking, Qin Jishi swept his arm.

Pfft—

The golden needle pierced his glabella. Liu Qiang's eyes widened as he fell backward and crashed onto the ground.

It was clear that deep regret filled Liu Qiang's dead, lifeless eyes. If he could choose again, he would never become Qin Jishi's enemy.

Boom—

Boom—

Looking at the elders and stewards sprawled across the ground in every direction, Qin Jishi's thoughts stirred.

In an instant, a dazzling blue radiance burst from his glabella. Blue light enveloped the entire hall, followed by a powerful suction force.

The mystic energy of everyone in the hall rushed toward him, their blood essence vanishing. In only a few moments, the Liu Family elders became dried corpses, before finally turning to smoke and ashes...

The disciples who had rushed over were completely rooted to the spot when they saw this scene.

They looked at Qin Jishi as though they were looking at a monster.

"Baihe, it seems their mystic energy and blood essence aren't much help in raising my cultivation."

After absorbing the blood essence and mystic energy of so many people, Qin Jishi only felt the faintest improvement. He could not help feeling helpless.

"That is normal." Baihe's voice sounded in his mind. "As your cultivation rises, the mystic energy you require will multiply. Unless they possess special bloodlines, those whose cultivation is lower than yours will be of little benefit."

Qin Jishi shrugged. "All right."

"You're about to advance into the Heavenly Dipper Realm?"

"Just a little short..."

"Mm."

Baihe was always so cold and indifferent. After that, she fell silent.

Qin Jishi likewise said nothing more. He turned around, raised his foot, and walked out of the hall.

Even after Qin Jishi had left the hall, those Liu Family disciples still had not recovered.

There was nothing but fear in their eyes. Their scalps tingled, and cold sweat streamed down their bodies.

Gulp—

After a long while, someone swallowed hard, and a cry that pierced the clouds rang out.

"H-He is a demon... a demon... Run... run for your lives..."

They had witnessed with their own eyes how the Liu Family elders had died so miserably. How could they possibly be a match for Qin Jishi?

There was only one thought in their minds now: flee. The farther away, the better.

As soon as that voice rang out, those standing frozen in place came back to their senses. Like frightened birds, they scattered in every direction, unwilling to remain there even a moment longer.

"Trying to leave?"

Qin Jishi looked at them coldly, lightly tapping the ground beneath his feet. His entire body rose into the air.

"Pagoda Heaven Flipping Seal!"

Qin Jishi's hands moved swiftly, and an ancient square seal appeared above his head.

The square seal emitted an ancient aura. One glance at it felt as though ten thousand towering mountains were pressing down upon one's head.

"Suppress!"

As his voice fell, the square seal rapidly enlarged, covering the entire Liu Family.

Rumble—

The earth trembled, space twisted, and the Liu Family was reduced to dust.

If anyone had been present at that moment, their eyes would surely have split wide with rage as they stared in utter disbelief.

One of Soaring Dragon City's three great families, the Liu Family, had been reduced to a wisp of dust?

Qin Jishi did not linger. With a movement of his palm, he retrieved the square seal, then vanished into the darkness. From beginning to end, his expression barely changed.

Such a disturbance naturally drew the leaders of many factions.

A moment later, figures arrived one after another. Seeing the Liu Family reduced to dust, they were shocked and deeply frightened. Only Yang Kun and Zhao Tai remained relatively calm.

Who possessed such terrifying strength that they could annihilate the entire Liu Family overnight?

Liang Simeng arrived with an old man. The moment they saw the sight before them, they fell silent...

"Elder Ge, who did this?" After the silence, Liang Simeng's face was filled with fury.

Today, she had personally stepped forward to protect the Liu Family, yet before even one night had passed, they had been exterminated. How was this any different from provoking the Black and White Academy?

"The Yang Family?"

"The Zhao Family?"

"The Zhang Family?"

The old man shook his head. "They do not possess such thunderous methods. I fear the culprit is not a force from Soaring Dragon City."

Liang Simeng nodded in agreement. Even if they joined forces, they could not have exterminated the Liu Family in such a short time. If it was not them, then who could it be?

"Elder Ge, I'll have to trouble you with this matter."

"Rest assured. I will investigate tomorrow." The old man narrowed his eyes slightly. "I also want to see who has such great power that they could do this right beneath my nose."