Qin Yu slowly walked out of the room. He looked at Cui Shuo, whose face shifted between storm and sunshine, then at the stunned Qin Feng and Qin Yong. Slowly, he placed the unconscious Xiao Tao and Xiao Hua, along with the injured Long Yu, inside the room. Then his blood-red eyes fixed on Cui Shuo. "You are Cui Shuo?"
"You are that beast... Qin Yu?" Cui Shuo suppressed the shock in his heart and asked in a low voice.
He could clearly see that Qin Yu was only at the Martial Realm Sixth Level, yet the aura Qin Yu gave off made his heart pound in fear. For a moment, he did not dare make any rash moves.
"It is me. Since all three of you have come, do not think of leaving." Qin Yu spoke softly. When he saw Qin Xue severely wounded, the killing intent in his heart became impossible to suppress, as though an unparalleled fierce beast lurked within his body.
"Cousin Cui Shuo, kill him! He is only putting on a bold front!" Qin Feng pretended to be calm. Although Qin Yu looked exceptionally strange now, especially with the blood-red aura streaming from his body like blazing flames, Qin Feng, who knew Qin Yu's capabilities well, did not believe Qin Yu could kill Cui Shuo. Yet what left Qin Feng uncertain was this: Had this trash not only been at the Martial Realm Third Level a few days ago? How had he reached the Martial Realm Sixth Level now?
Cui Shuo snorted coldly, angered by Qin Yu's words as well. He said icily, "Even the glow of a grain of rice dares to shine."
As soon as the words fell, the crimson longsword in Cui Shuo's hand burst into flames. He stepped forward fiercely, swung his sword with his right hand, and roared, "Blazing Flame First Sword!" As he swung, scorching heat filled the air, and a flaming sword radiance swept toward Qin Yu, blotting out the sky and covering the earth.
Qin Yu did not dare be careless. He had only just entered the Martial Realm Sixth Level, and this was also his first attempt at the Mad Demon First Transformation, so he did not fully understand the changes in himself. Earlier, he truly had been putting on a bold front, merely to buy time and gain a precise grasp of the power within his body.
If Cui Shuo had only been in the Martial Realm, even at the peak of the Ninth Level of the Martial Realm, Qin Yu would not have feared him. But although Cui Shuo was merely at the Early Astral Qi Stage, there was an enormous difference between it and the Martial Realm.
Under normal circumstances, even ten cultivators at the peak of the Martial Realm could not defeat a Gangqi Realm cultivator. First, Gangqi could protect the body. Second, Gangqi was tyrannical and fierce, something Martial Realm cultivators simply could not withstand.
Qin Yu's body darted aside. With surging power inside him, he circled around the flaming sword radiance at extreme speed and appeared before Cui Shuo. His hands clenched into fists like two horned dragons, madly smashing against Cui Shuo's Gangqi shield.
"Courting death!" Cui Shuo sneered. His left hand slanted into the shape of a blade and chopped toward Qin Yu. The palm infused with Gangqi was incomparably sharp. At the same time, Cui Shuo thrust his sword with his right hand toward Qin Yu's abdomen, determined to kill Qin Yu in a single strike.
The power is still not enough! Qin Yu thought as he launched a frenzied assault. Although he had entered the Mad Demon First Transformation, he felt that his power was still insufficient to cross an entire major realm and kill Cui Shuo.
At that moment, Cui Shuo attacked from both sides. Qin Yu's body suddenly swayed, and he directly grabbed Cui Shuo's sharp sword with both hands before fiercely punching Cui Shuo's wrist.
But at that moment, Cui Shuo's palm came chopping down, its Gangqi striking Qin Yu's back.
Qin Yu had no time to dodge. Blood streamed down his back.
Yet astonishingly, the blood Qin Yu shed caused the aura around his entire body to blaze even more intensely. Qin Yu only felt a wave of pure power wildly flooding through his limbs and bones.
So that is how it is! Qin Yu rejoiced inwardly. He vaguely understood the wondrous use of the Mad Demon First Transformation. Ignoring the searing pain in his back, he spun through the air and swept both fists at Cui Shuo.
"Blazing Flame Second Sword!" Cui Shuo was startled. He too sensed Qin Yu's aura growing even stronger. Though shocked, he did not dare delay any longer. With his roar, the sword in his hand rang out with a clear clang. The flames bursting from the longsword grew fiercer, transforming into a fire dragon that slashed straight toward Qin Yu's fists.
Boom!
A violent explosion thundered out.
Qin Yu staggered back repeatedly, his hands already mangled and bloody. Struck by the flaming Gangqi, his flesh had been shredded, blood spurting from both arms. Yet this blood was like oil poured onto raging flames, transforming into pure power that surged into Qin Yu's body.
"What an uncanny Six Transformations of the Mad Demon! What a terrifying Six Transformations of the Mad Demon!"
Although Qin Yu had obtained the Six Transformations of the Mad Demon, its incantation contained no introduction to any of its transformations. It only gave him the formula.
Only now, after truly using the Mad Demon First Transformation, did Qin Yu understand the true purpose of the Six Transformations of the Mad Demon.
Originally, Qin Yu had not been confident. He had only felt that burning his qi and blood could grant him power, but he had never expected that when he was injured while using the Mad Demon Transformation, his blood could actually turn into the purest power.
In other words, the worse his injuries were, the more power he gained from burning his qi and blood—and the stronger that power became!
Cui Shuo, whose sword had collided with Qin Yu's fists, only felt his right hand go numb from the shock, nearly unable to hold the sword hilt. When he sensed Qin Yu's aura becoming even stronger, terror filled Cui Shuo's heart.
It was too bizarre.
He could not understand why, in such a short time, Qin Yu's aura had changed again and again. If this continued, Cui Shuo could imagine that he would surely die miserably at Qin Yu's hands. Even if he did not die, he would suffer grave injuries.
In that instant, Cui Shuo began to think of retreating. Losing his life for spirit stones would be far too great a loss, would it not?
"Every grievance has its debtor, every debt has its owner. Settle this matter yourselves." Cui Shuo was someone who acted once he made up his mind. Having decided that today's outcome would not be good, how could he still be willing to remain here? As for killing Qin Yu, he had only done so for the spirit stones.
Qin Feng and Qin Yong's faces instantly turned deathly pale. Their minds were still blank. Even Cui Shuo could not defeat this trash?
How could this be?
"Leave? I said it already. Today, all of you will remain here." Qin Yu said coldly. He fiercely stomped his right foot on the ground and said in a low voice, "Three Mountains Guarding Heaven Formation!"
Following Qin Yu's low shout, a light curtain suddenly enveloped the small courtyard. Above the light curtain floated three illusory mountains, each roughly thirty zhang tall. This was precisely the formation Qin Yu had set up before entering seclusion.
At the same time, inside one of the Qin Family's shops in Tianwu Main City.
"Cui Liu, did you not want to investigate? The account books are all here. Is this how you investigate them?" Qin Zhan stared at Cui Liu as she flipped through the account books and spoke coldly.
"Hmph, Qin Zhan, you and I have been husband and wife for over twenty years. For that beast born by that vixen, do you really want to part ways with me, Cui Liu? Let me tell you, as long as we are in the Wu Kingdom, not everything is decided by you, Qin Zhan. From today onward, all of the Qin Family's businesses will be placed under Qin Yong and Qin Yu." Cui Liu casually flipped through the account books and sneered.
Qin Zhan frowned slightly. He vaguely sensed something unusual. Just as he was deep in thought, a cry of alarm rang out from outside the shop. "Something terrible has happened, Patriarch! The Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master have taken Young Master Cui Shuo to the house."
Qin Zhan abruptly rose to his feet, his expression changing sharply. Looking at Cui Liu's sneering face, he backhanded her, sending her flying. So furious that he laughed instead, he said, "Lure the tiger away from the mountain? If anything happens to Qin Yu or Xue'er, I, Qin Zhan, will uproot your Cui Family even if I die!" With that, Qin Zhan left the shop at extreme speed.
When Qin Zhan arrived at Qin Yu's small courtyard, he saw three great mountains floating in the air. His pupils shrank slightly. When he saw the scene within the formation's light curtain, the anxiety on Qin Zhan's face swiftly turned into disbelief as he stared in shock at what was happening inside.
There, before his eyes—
Qin Yu was covered in mangled flesh and blood. Yet what stunned Qin Zhan was that Qin Yu was enveloped in a blood-red radiance. That blood-red radiance seemed to swallow the void, filling the entire formation's light curtain.
Compared to Qin Yu, Cui Shuo was not doing much better. His once-purple robe had become tattered, and his body was covered in blood as well—whether Qin Yu's or his own, no one knew. The blood-red longsword in his hand still shone, but its light flickered on and off, looking exceptionally unstable.
The entire situation lay beyond Qin Zhan's expectations.
Though Qin Yu appeared to be in worse shape, anyone with eyes could see that Cui Shuo was almost being beaten helplessly by Qin Yu. He was mostly defending rather than taking the initiative to attack.
Qin Feng and Qin Yong leaned against the light curtain, their bodies trembling. If not for the curtain supporting them, they likely would have already collapsed limply to the ground. Their minds were filled with shock. Was this still that trash?
They did not even notice Qin Zhan's arrival. Their pupils had contracted, their eyes filled with terror. They had never imagined that this trash, Qin Yu, would become so powerful—powerful enough that even Cui Shuo could not defeat him.
"Stop!" Seeing Cui Shuo retreating step by step, Qin Zhan hurriedly shouted. Though he did not know how Qin Yu had become so strong, if Cui Shuo were killed, the consequences would be unthinkable.
That furious shout startled Qin Feng and Qin Yong awake. Both cried out in terror at the same time, "Father, save us!"
Even Cui Shuo seemed to have found a lifeline. He turned his head and roared, "Uncle, save me!" As soon as the words fell, he took the chance to pull out a pill and place it in his mouth. He had already swallowed who knew how many pills.
If they had truly fought head-on, Cui Shuo would not have ended up so miserable even if he could not win. But the moment he had thought of retreating, he had already fallen into passivity. Coupled with Qin Yu growing stronger with every battle, how could he still dare continue fighting?
Covered in wounds but possessing boundless power within his body, Qin Yu looked coldly at Qin Zhan and did not stop. He continued his frenzied assault on Cui Shuo. Though he had been suppressing Cui Shuo all along, Cui Shuo's Gangqi had caused him no small amount of suffering. Now that he had finally suppressed Cui Shuo completely, Qin Yu would only be unwilling if he did not kill him.
Seeing that Qin Yu had not stopped, Qin Zhan grew anxious. He glanced at the Three Mountains Guarding Heaven Formation. After hesitating for a moment, light suddenly burst from his right hand, and he struck the formation's light curtain with his palm.
Boom! The formation's light curtain was shattered by Qin Zhan's single palm strike. His body flashed, and he appeared in front of Qin Yu. Looking at Qin Yu, covered in mangled flesh and blood, Qin Zhan felt both heartache and urgency. "Qin Yu, Cui Shuo cannot die!"
Qin Yu forcefully shoved Qin Zhan away and said coldly, "Move aside! Since you cannot protect Xue'er, then from today onward, I will protect Xue'er!"
But Qin Zhan's hands were like iron claws, tightly gripping Qin Yu's shoulders and leaving him unable to move.
At that moment, Cui Shuo, covered in wounds, held his sword in his left hand and fiercely slapped the hilt with his right. The longsword, trailing rolling flames, shot toward Qin Yu.
"Courting death!" Qin Zhan flew into a rage. He turned and shattered the longsword with a single palm strike. Stepping forward, he grabbed Cui Shuo's right hand with his left, while his right palm struck Cui Shuo's elbow.
Crack! A crisp sound of breaking bones rang out abruptly.
"Aah!" A scream like a pig being slaughtered rang out abruptly.
"Get lost!" Qin Zhan kicked Cui Shuo in the abdomen, sending him flying and slamming heavily to the ground more than ten zhang away.
After landing, Cui Shuo ignored his broken right hand and scrambled to his feet. He shot Qin Zhan a resentful glare before fleeing in panic.
Qin Yu staggered several steps back, shock rising in his heart. That boundless power was gradually fading away. As a wave of exhaustion swept over him, blotting out the sky and covering the earth, Qin Yu forced himself to stay alert. He looked coldly at Qin Feng, who was slumped on the ground, broke free from Qin Zhan's grip with all his strength, and walked toward Qin Feng.
"I said it before. If you dare provoke me again, I will sever your meridians!"
Before you continue