Facing Qin Jishi's palm strike, though it appeared utterly ordinary, the phantom palm bearing down on him filled him with deep terror. That fear rose from the depths of his heart, so profound that they felt death itself.
He...
His strength?
Even Black Eagle Ninth, standing to the side, widened his eyes as his pupils contracted violently.
He could be certain that there had not been the slightest fluctuation of profound qi around Qin Jishi.
And now?
This pressure had already surpassed theirs.
Not good!
By the time Black Eagle Ninth reacted, it was too late. The phantom palm struck with the force of dry weeds and rotten wood, blasting Black Eagle Tenth away before hurtling toward Black Eagle Ninth.
Helplessly, it had all happened too fast. Black Eagle Ninth could only use his profound qi to protect his body.
Boom~
Unfortunately, all their efforts were futile. Before absolute strength, they seemed so insignificant.
Two arcs tore through the air, blood sketching a beautiful scene before they crashed heavily to the ground, their auras feeble and their faces deathly pale.
"Cough, cough~ You... your strength... your cultivation... impossible..."
The instant Qin Jishi's profound qi erupted, Black Eagle Ninth saw through his cultivation.
Earth Fiend Level Nine!
They were Heavenly Gang Level One experts. They simply could not bring themselves to believe that he could fight above his level.
"Surprised?" Qin Jishi's expression did not change much. "Let me tell you, never mind Heavenly Gang Level One martial artists like you—even Heavenly Gang Level Nine martial artists, if I wished it, I could still kill you."
"Can you tell me now who sent you?"
"Hmph..." Though shocked, Black Eagle Ninth showed no fear. "The winner becomes king, the loser becomes a bandit. Kill us or torture us, do as you please."
From the moment they became Black Eagle Guards, they had been prepared to die at any time.
"You have some backbone." Qin Jishi praised him. "Fine, I'll let Prefecture Lord Pan speak with you."
As he spoke, he took out the Sound Transmission Stone, and a respectful voice soon came from within.
"Young Pavilion Master, what may I do for you?"
"Prefecture Lord Pan, you truly have some nerve, sending Black Eagle Guards after me..."
Gulp~
Having heard Qin Jishi's words, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord was terrified. "Y-Young Pavilion Master, this is absolutely a misunderstanding... Please... please do not blame us..."
If Qin Jishi became enraged, even Black Eagle Prefecture was not worth mentioning.
As long as Qin Jishi wished it, hundreds or thousands of forces across the Azure Wave Continent would willingly serve him like dogs and horses...
"Prefecture Lord Pan, I naturally know it was not your doing. But I am very curious—other than you, who in all of Black Eagle Prefecture can mobilize the Black Eagle Guards?"
"Speak with them."
As his words fell, Qin Jishi tossed the Sound Transmission Stone to Black Eagle Ninth.
Black Eagle Ninth had heard the conversation between them clearly. His hand trembling, he accepted the Sound Transmission Stone. "P-Prefecture Lord..."
Very quickly, Black Eagle Ninth explained the entire course of events. Once the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord heard him out, an enraged voice immediately came through the Sound Transmission Stone.
"Sun Baitan?"
"The Black Eagle Token?"
"Damn it!"
"It must have been the Second Madam. Damn it, they are trying to drag Black Eagle Prefecture into an abyss ten thousand fathoms deep."
"..."
After the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord finished venting his fury, Qin Jishi took back the Sound Transmission Stone.
"Prefecture Lord Pan, please keep your subordinates under control from now on. This is the first time, and it will be the last."
"Understood..." The Black Eagle Prefecture Lord vowed solemnly, "Please rest assured, Young Pavilion Master. This will never happen again. I will certainly give you a satisfactory explanation."
"Mm." Qin Jishi responded and put away the Sound Transmission Stone.
At this moment, Black Eagle Ninth and Black Eagle Tenth were trembling like leaves, staring at one another in terror.
"Can you speak now?"
"Yes!"
Black Eagle Ninth nodded stiffly. "It... it was Sun Baitan. He used the Black Eagle Token to command us."
"Yes, yes, it was Sun Baitan!" Black Eagle Tenth echoed. "The Black Eagle Token has always been with the Prefecture Lord. The only person who could obtain it would be the Second Madam, Liu Benlian."
Sun Baitan?
Liu Benlian?
Qin Jishi already had the answer in his heart.
It seemed Liu Benlian was Liu Qiang's younger sister. She had placed all her hatred upon him.
Qin Jishi did not take it to heart. He believed the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord would handle the matter properly.
"Th-then... m-my lord... can we...?"
Seeing that Qin Jishi said nothing, the two asked in trembling voices.
"Go."
Those words were like heavenly music to them, making them feel as though a heavy burden had been lifted. How could they dare linger any longer? They scrambled and crawled away.
The battle in the dense forest had long since awakened the coachman. Looking at Qin Jishi as he approached, the coachman's formerly respectful expression now carried deep awe.
He was actually a martial cultivator who stood high above others?
Ignoring the coachman's astonishment, Qin Jishi entered the carriage. "Continue on our way."
"Ah... yes..."
The coachman nodded woodenly. He was no longer as uninhibited as before, replaced instead by utmost caution, terrified that even the slightest bump might occur...
Very soon, the place returned to silence.
After an unknown amount of time, an old man appeared. Looking in the direction Qin Jishi had vanished, he narrowed his eyes.
"When the Black Eagle Guards are deployed, it is either your death or mine. Yet he escaped from the hands of two of them? This Zhang Family son-in-law is not simple. His origins should be investigated thoroughly."
At the same time, Azure Wave Imperial Capital, Northern Commandery, Black Eagle Prefecture!
The instant the transmission ended, the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord no longer concealed the killing intent on his body.
"Great Elder, summon Second Elder and the others. Have them wait for me at Yihe Hall."
Hearing this, Black Eagle Prefecture's Great Elder, Pan Tu, stirred. "Prefecture Lord, what has happened?"
For the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord to be so enraged, Pan Tu knew this matter had to be extraordinary.
Pan Tu vaguely remembered that the last time their Prefecture Lord had become enraged was ten years ago. Back then, some force that did not know the immensity of heaven and earth had provoked them, only to be flattened overnight.
Could it be that someone else who did not know the height of heaven or the depth of earth was challenging their authority?
"Carry out my orders." A fierce light showed between the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's brows.
"Yes!" Seeing this, Pan Tu did not dare ask further and swiftly departed.
Before long, all the elders of Black Eagle Prefecture gathered in Yihe Hall. The confusion on their faces revealed their puzzlement.
"Tell me, what exactly happened? Why were all of us summoned here?"
"Who knows? Judging by the Great Elder's expression, it seems this matter is not simple."
"..."
Just as the elders were talking among themselves, Liu Benlian emerged from the hall.
"Second Elder, why have you come here?"
At her question, Black Eagle Prefecture's Second Elder, Pan Sen, stepped out from the crowd. "Second Madam, do you not know what this is about either?"
"Who summoned you here?" For some reason, Liu Benlian suddenly sensed that something bad had happened, though she could not say exactly what it was.
"It seems to have been the Prefecture Lord." Pan Sen was deeply puzzled. "If there truly is some major matter, why did the Prefecture Lord summon us to the Second Madam's palace? Why not the council hall? Could it be that the Prefecture Lord intends to appoint the Second Young Master as Young Prefecture Lord?"
"Yes!"
"It must be."
Other than that possibility, Pan Sen truly could not think of any other.
"Appoint Chen'er as Young Prefecture Lord?" Liu Benlian pondered for a moment, then shook her head slightly. "Second Elder, I'm afraid that is impossible."
"Impossible?"
"Mm..." Liu Benlian nodded. "Some time ago, I mentioned this matter to the Prefecture Lord, but his attitude did not change. To compensate me, he even gave me the Black Eagle Token. Surely he wouldn't..."
"Wait!"
Liu Benlian seemed to realize something. "Black Eagle..."
Before she could finish, a loud voice rang out. "The Prefecture Lord has arrived."
Before you continue