So Fierce!?

"Clang!"

With a crisp sound, Liu Wang's tiger mouth went numb.

He looked up in shock, seeing Chen Qing holding the tip of his sword between just two fingers.

"You-"

Before Liu Wang could finish speaking, he felt a powerful force surge from the sword. He quickly let go and leaped back, only to see his sword shatter into pieces in Chen Qing's hand!

"Qi penetrating muscle and bone? Second Realm?!" Liu Wang's pupils contracted sharply, "Impossible! Just a few days ago, you were..."

At the same time, Chen Qing's mind was flooded with images of battles on the field and clashes with others. These were clearly the experiences of "Chen Xu" leading troops to conquer the Western Desolate Continent. He was stunned and didn't wait for the other party to finish speaking. He casually threw the sword hilt, the sound of its passage through the air like thunder.

Liu Wang dodged hastily but still had his shoulder grazed, blood pouring out immediately.

"I believe I have no great enmity with you all, and moreover, there is the South Sea Blood Tax Alliance's pact between our families. Yet, you attack me with the intent to kill?" Chen Qing's eyes were icy cold, "It seems this enmity cannot be resolved!"

"Of course, it can't be resolved! To reach the Second Realm without a sound, and then deliberately descend the mountain to lure us into attacking, such talent and scheming... if you live, in a few more years, my Sea Abyss Temple will likely face suppression!"

Liu Wang said coldly, then suddenly raised his voice—

"Attack!"

Four figures leaped out from the bushes simultaneously!

Shi Hong's fingers flicked repeatedly, and the Five Poisons Powder spread out as a green mist. The other three each held talismans, weaving a net of lightning and fire.

"Attacking together to besiege someone, and you can still solidify your Dao Heart? What kind of Dao Heart is that?"

A warning bell rang in his mind. Chen Qing knew that if these attacks landed, he would be severely injured, if not killed. He decided to stop probing and unleash his trump card!

"Mountain Collapse Sea Tsunami!"

As his mind moved, the Will of Mount Tai descended like an overturned mountain, and the Vastness of Intent surged like towering waves. Two opposing forces collided within his meridians, like waves crashing against the shore, unleashing terrifying power far exceeding the early stage of the Second Realm!

"Boom!"

In an instant, waves of qi surged around him, his robes fluttered, and the mountain rocks and ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch. Broken stones were swept up by the surging energy, forming a whirlwind around him, sweeping the incoming poison powder and lightning away!

"Not good!" Liu Wang's expression changed drastically, and he quickly formed a hand seal, "Form the array!"

But it was too late.

Chen Qing took a step forward, his strength rising from the soles of his feet, merging with the Qi of the Yellow Court into a single stream, reaching his right shoulder and then channeling through!

Crack, crack, crack!

His right fist surged, like Mount Tai pressing down, aiming directly for Liu Wang's face!

Before the punch even arrived, Liu Wang felt his breathing become difficult. He hastily raised his arm to block.

"Crack!"

The sound of bone breaking was clear and distinct. He was sent flying backward, crashing through three pine trees as thick as bowls before finally stopping.

"How can he be so fierce!?"

Seeing this, Shi Hong quickly threw out more Five Poisons Powder, but Chen Qing waved his left hand, and the Vastness of Intent transformed into a water curtain, blocking all the poison powder. His right hand changed from a fist to a palm, and he unleashed a "Pushing Mountains Filling Seas" with a roar!

Rumble!

His mind radiated outwards, and Shi Hong felt as if a great mountain was collapsing before her eyes, yet all around were surging, towering waves!

Nowhere to retreat!

"Pfft!"

After taking the blow head-on, she spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered back, her vision darkening.

The other three Sea Abyss Temple disciples saw that the situation was dire and turned to flee. Chen Qing snorted coldly, infused his legs with internal energy, and moved like a phantom!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three precise hand chops landed on the backs of their necks, knocking them out cleanly. The three collapsed to the ground.

"This is too brutal! We're no match for him at all! Defeated in a single exchange!"

On the other side, Shi Hong struggled to get up and was about to crush a communication talisman when a golden light flashed. Her wrist felt cold, and her entire right hand had been severed at the wrist. She let out a scream of pain!

Chen Qing retracted his hand and suddenly noticed Liu Wang quietly getting up, then gathering his strength to leap away!

"You led the charge, and now you want to escape? Do you think you can?"

Chen Qing immediately formed a hand seal with one hand, channeling the Supreme Harmony Qi to activate the earth's meridians.

"Mountain trend, rise!"

The ground trembled, and earth and stone surged, instantly forming a circular stone wall around Liu Wang, trapping him within.

"Chen Qing!" Liu Wang's face contorted, his killing intent like a knife, "You've injured us today and disrupted my Dao Heart. The Sea Abyss Temple will not let you go!"

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Qing had already leaped over the wall, his eyes icy cold.

"What kind of third-rate villain speech is that? And you call that a Dao Heart? I originally intended to spare your life, but your words reminded me. Even if I let you go, nothing would change; it would only spur the Sea Abyss Temple to escalate. Since that's the case, I might as well send you on your way..."

He pointed his right hand, fingers together like a sword, and Supreme Harmony Qi condensed at his fingertips.

"Show mercy!"

A voice suddenly came from the distance!

But Chen Qing ignored it, pointing his sword finger forward, striking Liu Wang directly between the eyebrows.

Liu Wang's eyes widened, and he suddenly opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He slowly fell to the ground, unable to believe until his death that he would be defeated by a cultivator who had just entered the second realm.

Chen Qing stood still as his aura receded like a tide.

He looked down at his palm, feeling the stinging pain in his meridians. Compared to the tragic state when he first used it in his dream, this minor injury was insignificant. When he acted just now, he had done his best to control its power, preventing the explosion from the collision of mountains and seas from damaging his flesh and meridians. Otherwise, he could have increased its power by another thirty percent!

"It's a shame Liu Wang is only in the second realm. If I had a third realm opponent to spar with, I could accurately estimate my combat power..."

"Uncle-Master..."

Beside him, Han Sha collapsed on the ground, his face ashen.

"You have quite the nerve!"

The shadows of the trees swayed, and an old man in gray robes walked out slowly. His aura was as deep as an abyss, and with each step he took, ripples like water appeared on the ground.

Late second realm!

"Enforcement Elder of Sea Abyss Temple, Zhao Shun." He calmed his mind and recognized the person. "You've been hiding in the dark and watching for so long, are you finally going to show yourself?"

"Since you recognize me, how dare you kill a disciple of my temple?" Zhao Shun narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. "It's not easy to cultivate a second realm cultivator for any sect. You just killed him as you pleased. Tell me, what should we do about this..."

"You've come at the perfect time!" Chen Qing suddenly interrupted him sharply, taking out a crimson jade talisman from his robe. "The Various South Coast Sects have jointly established a Blood Pact! We advance and retreat together! Yet your people openly ambushed the Sect Master of Hidden Star Gate, setting an ambush and trying to kill him with every move. What is your intention?"

"The Blood Tax Pact?"

Zhao Shun's footsteps halted, and the ripples on the ground froze.

He stared at Chen Qing, recalling the decisive and ruthless methods the young man had just displayed. The wrinkles at the corner of his eyes twitched slightly. "Well said, you sharp-tongued brat. Do you think..."

Zing!

Before he could finish speaking, a green rainbow flew from outside the sky and accurately embedded itself at Zhao Shun's feet. The words "Xuanji" on the sword tassel fluttered in the wind.

Zhao Shun's eyes narrowed.

His expression changed rapidly. Finally, he flicked his sleeve and shot out three water arrows to wake the unconscious disciple. At the same time, he scooped up Liu Wang's corpse and said, "I'll give Xuanji Pavilion face today and retreat for now. But this blood debt will be settled with you by someone else!"

"I'll be waiting at any time," Chen Qing replied neither subserviently nor arrogantly. "However, once I recover, I will also visit your temple to seek justice."

"Bold!" Zhao Shun snorted coldly, and his figure disappeared at the end of the mountain path.

After Chen Qing withdrew his gaze, he looked up at a figure standing on a distant hill. It was the man who had been behind Mo Huaiyong that day, carrying a sword box on his back.

The two looked at each other from a distance. Chen Qing cupped his fists in a salute and turned to leave.

"You just let him go?"

On the hill, a young girl of sixteen tiptoed and gazed into the distance, the golden bells on her wrist jingling.

"Senior Brother, you even made a move, you should at least have let that guy say thank you!"

Beside her, the young man carrying the sword box clenched his five fingers. The long sword on the ground flew back into its sheath with a zing. Then, without looking back, he said, "If I hadn't intervened, he wouldn't have suffered any losses."

"How do you know? Zhao Shun is in the late second realm!" the girl said. After recalling for a moment, she added, "But his attack was indeed fierce and powerful! Full of momentum!"

The young man finally turned around and said calmly, "This person was still in the first realm a few days ago, but now he can instantly kill a second realm cultivator." He looked in the direction Chen Qing had disappeared. "Such a person, why would he need others to bestow him life?"

"Forget it, I won't dwell on it. Anyway, as Master said, just keep an eye on this person." The girl changed the subject, tilting her head and asking about another matter. "What is this South Sea Blood Tax Alliance he mentioned? Zhao Shun seemed very wary of it."

"The South Coast region is located at the southernmost tip of the Eastern Spirit Continent and has always been disregarded by the thirty-three major powers of the Central Plains." The young man lightly stroked the sword box. "Our Mystic Chess Academy nominally governs this area, but in reality, our reach is too short, and we only conduct occasional inspections."

The girl vaguely understood and asked, "Could it be further south..."

"That's right." The young man nodded. "It's a branch force of the Crimson Flame Dynasty in the South Flame Continent, using sea routes to infiltrate here. This Blood Tax Pact is their method of wooing the small sects of the South Coast, and it's a system for them to infiltrate, corrupt, and exploit these sects. Every few years, they collect taxes. Those who can pay receive nominal protection, and if they can't pay..."

The girl gasped. "Isn't that just the Crimson Flame Dynasty's blood tribute? Their so-called protection isn't just fattening them up before slaughtering them, is it!"

"The Blood Tax Alliance is ultimately a temporary measure. It can only restrain Sea Abyss Temple on the surface, and the conflict will not disappear because of it."

The mountain path wound on, and Chen Qing's footsteps were steady.

He carefully reviewed the battle he had just fought, analyzing his gains and losses.

Both Liu Wang and Shi Hong were in the early second realm. Under the explosion of his Mountain Collapse Sea Tsunami, they were like fragile chickens and dogs.

"If I fought with full power, I might be able to contend with a late-stage cultivator!" Chen Qing felt the lingering sting in his meridians. "But against a third realm cultivator, it's hard to say."

The existence of the third realm was like a sword hanging over his head.

If Sea Abyss Temple truly had a newly promoted third realm cultivator, their sect-protecting formation could at most withstand three impacts. Although the Blood Tax Pact could delay things, it was ultimately an external force and could easily be bypassed.

"Not enough!"

Chen Qing looked in the direction of Misty Gorge Mountain, seeing the clouds and mist swirling around the mountain peak, reminiscent of the stone platform in his dream.

"After I stabilize, I must re-enter the Dao Evolution Records! This time, I'll try to see if I can find a way to counter the third realm!"

Please readers, please give me a collection. A novice thanks you! o(╥﹏╥)o