Begging the Senior for Mercy

Mo Shan stepped forward with two voluptuous women in his arms.

"Is that brat Xiao Ce?"

"Should be him."

Mushe nodded. Though he had never met Xiao Ce, the spectacle before him made it obvious at a glance.

"This kid has some skill. His method of concealing his aura is quite something. If you hadn't told me his strength beforehand, even I might have been fooled by him."

Mo Shan spoke calmly.

He did not truly regard Xiao Ce as a Nine-Star Dou Zhe merely because of his own senses.

Just thinking about it made it clear that Mushe would never go to such lengths to invite him here over a mere Nine-Star Dou Zhe.

Seeing that Xiao Ce was so young yet had reached the Nine-Star Doushi level, Mo Shan actually felt an inexplicable unease in his heart.

But on second thought, the Jia Ma Empire's only great clan surnamed Xiao had declined more than a decade ago and was no longer worth fearing.

The Mo Clan also had ties with the Misty Cloud Sect, yet he had never heard of such a person.

Therefore, the brat before him was most likely some unaffiliated genius.

And since he had reached the Nine-Star Doushi level at such a young age, he surely possessed a great fortuitous encounter. If Mo Shan could capture him and force him to reveal it, perhaps he might yet reach the First Elder's level in this life. It might even be possible for him to surpass the First Elder.

After thinking this through, his gaze at Xiao Ce immediately turned scorching. He even subconsciously ignored the elegant and ethereal Xiao Yi Xian standing beside Xiao Ce.

Xiao Ce noticed this and frowned.

The way this man looked at him was far too heated. If not for the women in his arms, Xiao Ce might have suspected he was gay.

At that moment, Mushe said respectfully, "Brother Mo Shan, I'll leave this boy to you!"

"With me making a move, just rest assured. A mere Nine-Star Doushi can be suppressed with a flip of my hand!"

Mo Shan replied casually, not taking Xiao Ce seriously at all.

His confidence naturally came from his strength.

Though he guessed that Xiao Ce might possess some great fortuitous encounter, the gap between a Nine-Star Doushi and a Two-Star Da Dou Shi was not something ordinary cultivation methods or Dou Skills could bridge.

Even Earth Class cultivation methods and Dou Skills would find it difficult to make up for the difference of an entire major realm.

Furthermore, aside from one's realm, cultivation method, and Dou Skills, actual combat experience was also extremely important.

Could his three or four decades of combat experience really lose to some green brat?

On the other side, Xiao Yi Xian smiled teasingly. "Ah Ce, he says he can suppress you with a flip of his hand."

Xiao Ce gave a soft snort, the corners of his lips lifting slightly as he casually looked toward Mo Shan.

Mo Shan clearly knew that Xiao Ce was only a "Nine-Star Doushi," yet the moment their eyes met, the hairs on his body stood on end and a sudden unease flashed through his heart.

His vision blurred. When he looked again—

Xiao Ce had vanished from his sight at some unknown moment.

In that instant, an icy chill pierced straight to the top of his head.

His mind frantically sounded alarms.

Not good—

This man is definitely not a Nine-Star Doushi!

Mushe set me up!

Only that thought remained in Mo Shan's mind as he tried to retreat explosively.

But before he could move, a gale suddenly rushed toward him, and a tall figure had already appeared before him.

Mo Shan stared dumbfoundedly at the scene before him. An invisible aura enveloped his body, as though a mountain were pressing down upon him so heavily that he could barely breathe.

Only then did he realize just how ignorant his earlier words had been.

This man's strength was likely no weaker than the First Elder's!

Mo Shan could not help swallowing. In a dry, trembling voice, he said, "S-Senior, I am the chief guard commander of the Mo Clan in Yancheng. I have offended you greatly. I beg Senior to be magnanimous and spare my life!"

"Begging now is too late!"

Before the words had even faded, Mo Shan's pupils suddenly shrank.

In his vision, a finger gradually enlarged.

It seemed like a light, casual movement, yet it made Mo Shan feel as though he had fallen into an ice pit, his limbs turning cold.

"No—"

A single syllable burst from his mouth as Dou Qi surged wildly from his entire body, whipping his robes into loud flutters.

Mo Shan used all his strength in an attempt to escape, but the finger had already descended and landed on his forehead.

Bang!

A dull sound rang through the air.

The next second, a surging wave of white air blasted forward.

Boom!

Mo Shan's body seemed to have been struck head-on by a mountain. His head snapped back, and he flew backward like a cannonball, raising a wave of earth in his wake and carving a massive trench more than ten zhang long into the ground.

Mo Shan lay at the end of the trench, his forehead caved inward. His eyeballs bulged as if they were about to burst from their sockets, blood pouring from his seven orifices. He died with his eyes wide open.

For an instant, the entire scene fell silent.

Mushe's pupils contracted sharply, his mind going blank.

He could not understand it. A Two-Star Da Dou Shi against a Nine-Star Doushi—how had Mo Shan been crushed so completely?

Unless Xiao Ce had never been a Nine-Star Doushi to begin with!

The moment that thought surfaced, he immediately understood. His expression changed drastically as he whipped around toward Mr. Yao, his eyes nearly splitting apart.

"Yao Wanjin, you set me up!"

Mushe's roar jolted Mr. Yao out of his shock.

He had been extremely confident in Xiao Ce's strength and background, but he had never expected Xiao Ce to instantly kill Mo Shan, another Da Dou Shi, with such overwhelming force.

Anyone with eyes could see that the two were not on the same level at all.

Facing Mushe's roar, Mr. Yao sneered. "Mushe, blame yourself if you must. Young Master Xiao showed you mercy by not coming after you first, yet instead of keeping your tail tucked, you refused to know your place and tried to take revenge. You brought this upon yourself!"

"Ah—"

Veins bulged across Mushe's face. His gaze swept around before abruptly locking onto Xiao Yi Xian in the distance.

He had no way out now. His only chance of survival was to take Xiao Yi Xian hostage.

With a crash, the bricks beneath Mushe's feet shattered. His body shot forward, one hand shaped into an eagle's claw as he tried to seize Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Ce noticed this, yet he was in no hurry to help her.

As the bearer of the Woeful Poison Body, Xiao Yi Xian only needed sufficient poison to advance in realm as easily as eating and drinking.

After cultivating together with Xiao Ce for the first time, her strength had already reached the Nine-Star Dou Zhe level. During the days Xiao Ce had ventured deep into the Magic Beast Mountain Range to temper his combat experience, Xiao Yi Xian had not been idle either. Using the abundant medicinal herbs in the small valley, she had concocted several poisons.

After consuming those poisons, Xiao Yi Xian's strength had naturally broken through to the Doushi realm.

Though she was only a One-Star Doushi, dealing with Mushe would be more than enough.

Mushe had no idea what kind of opponent he faced. Seeing that Xiao Ce did not stop him immediately, wild joy appeared on his face.

As long as he could control Xiao Yi Xian, he could turn this dead end around.

"Hahaha!"

But before Mushe could rejoice for long, Xiao Yi Xian waved her jade-like hand, and a cloud of purple poison mist surged forth.

Unable to dodge in time, Mushe slammed straight into the purple poison mist.

"Ahhh!"

In an instant, Mushe's body stiffened in place, and a miserable scream erupted from his mouth.

At the side, Mr. Yao witnessed the sight and his pupils suddenly shrank. He cried out in disbelief.

"D-Doushi!"

Everyone was shocked once more. Who could have imagined that Xiao Yi Xian, the gentle and kind healer of Qingshan Town who had saved countless people, possessed such terrifying strength?

When the purple poison mist dispersed, everyone who saw Mushe's appearance sucked in a cold breath.

Mushe's robes had been completely destroyed. His body was covered in bloody blisters and rotting flesh, without a patch of normal skin remaining. His face was even more horrifying—the outer layer of flesh had been entirely corroded away by the poison mist, exposing the bloody tissue beneath.

Even the mercenaries present, most of whom had lived with their lives on the line in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, felt their scalps tingle and their stomachs churn at the sight.

Mushe was not dead yet, but living in such a state was far more painful than death.

Bloody tears streamed from his eyes, and nothing but terror remained in them. With a thud, he dropped to his knees, making hoarse "urgh, urgh" sounds without being able to speak.

Xiao Yi Xian had not expected her poison mist to be so terrifying. Seeing Mushe's miserable state, her face turned slightly pale.

At that moment, Xiao Ce appeared beside her.

Xiao Yi Xian could not help asking, "Was my method too vicious?"

As she spoke, she looked toward Xiao Ce, only to see him point through the air and blast Mushe's head apart, scattering chunks everywhere like a watermelon.

"Hm?" Xiao Ce said. "Vicious? I think it was fine."

Mr. Yao stood behind them. Hearing their conversation, he could not help swallowing and quietly taking a step back.