Borrowing a Knife to Kill

Qian Xunji walked toward the two kneeling figures step by step, his face cold, one hand gripping his sword while the other clamped firmly onto Yu Rongrong's head.

Qian Xunji came to a halt, looking down at Yu Fengzhi, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Sect Master Yu, I trust you have been well." Qian Xunji spoke indifferently, his voice devoid of any discernible emotion.

Yu Fengzhi raised his head, his face a mask of disbelief, his voice raspy:

"Angel Douluo... Qian Xunji!"

"Oh? So you do recognize me?" Qian Xunji sneered.

Yu Fengzhi's mind was in total chaos. Hadn't Qian Xunji been wanted by Haotian Hall across the entire continent? Hadn't the rumors from the outside world long claimed he had died from his severe injuries? How could he suddenly appear here, and with strength that had reached such a terrifying realm!

Wait!

Yu Fengzhi suddenly realized. That child named Qian San had a Blue Silver Spider martial soul, and Qian Xunji had called him his son... That was the bloodline of the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Spider Emperor from back then!

Yu Fengzhi dared not dwell on it further; the more one knew, the faster one died. The most critical thing now was how to survive. He didn't even dare look at Yu Rongrong, who was being held by Qian Xunji, and simply lowered his head.

"Your Excellency..." Yu Fengzhi's tone was servile.

"I was momentarily muddled, blinded by a desire for talent, and thus committed this offense. But I truly did not know... that young master was your son. Had I known, how could I have dared to come? I beg Your Excellency to show mercy and spare us this once."

"Oh? Very well."

Qian Xunji agreed readily. With that, he actually closed his eyes and swung the super-artifact [Oath of the Angel] in his hand casually to the side.

Swish—

A blinding golden light flashed.

"Ah!" Chen Rong, who had been kneeling to the side, let out a stifled groan as his left arm was severed at the shoulder! Fresh blood sprayed out instantly, staining the ground red.

At the same time, a distinct ripple of soul power emanated from the wound of the severed arm, clearly indicating that a spirit bone was hidden within.

Qian Xunji slowly opened his eyes, looked at the severed arm on the ground, and feigned surprise: "Oh my, how clumsy of me. I had my eyes closed and didn't know who I hit. I hope I didn't damage any of the surrounding flowers or grass?"

Chen Rong was trembling with pain, but he dared not utter a single word of protest. He bit his lip hard, forcibly channeling his internal soul power to seal the wound and stop the bleeding, while lowering his head to comply with Qian Xunji's words in utter humiliation.

"No... Your Excellency is benevolent, how could you have harmed the flowers or grass."

Seeing this, Yu Fengzhi felt bitter beyond words, yet he didn't even dare to breathe loudly. He hurriedly followed the lead: "Your Excellency, I know my mistake. Once I return, I will certainly offer the most generous compensation, ensuring Your Excellency is satisfied!"

Qian Xunji ignored Yu Fengzhi's promise and turned to look at Dugu Bo, who was hiding in the back.

"Old Poison, the spirit bone in that severed arm is yours."

Dugu Bo had been hiding in the back watching the show and was stunned by these words. There's something in this for me?

He quickly stepped forward and said loudly: "Many thanks for the senior's grace!"

With that, Dugu Bo waved his hand, and with a surge of soul power, he sucked Chen Rong's severed arm directly into his grasp. He probed it slightly with his soul power, and his heart bloomed with joy. The soul power fluctuation from this arm bone was extremely strong; it was a top-tier piece of at least fifty thousand years.

Dugu Bo felt wonderful. Today, he hadn't even used a single spirit skill, just stood by and watched, and he had picked up a high-year spirit bone for free. Following this master was truly profitable.

Yu Fengzhi and Chen Rong watched as their own foundation was taken away, but they dared not speak, only keeping their heads bowed low.

Qian Xunji watched the two kneeling before him in silence, his mind beginning to calculate.

Should he kill them now?

Killing them outright would certainly be satisfying, but the subsequent trouble would be significant. The Seven Treasure Overlord Pagoda Sect was one of the Upper Three Sects, with numerous disciples and a deep foundation. Even if he killed the Sect Master and the guardian elder, there would always be survivors who would escape to spread the news.

His primary task now was to lead people to explore the Surface World; he simply didn't have much time to stay in this world to clean up the aftermath of a major sect. Being targeted and harassed by a group of people from the shadows was an annoying prospect.

However, letting them off so easily was clearly impossible.

After thinking it over, Qian Xunji suddenly smiled.

"Sect Master Yu," Qian Xunji began unhurriedly, "I recall that our Upper Three Sects have always been of one mind, supporting each other, haven't we?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Fengzhi thought Qian Xunji was going to show some old sentiment and nodded like a chicken pecking at grain: "Yes, yes! Your Excellency is absolutely right! The Upper Three Sects are of one mind; that has always been the rule."

Qian Xunji looked at him, his tone suddenly dropping: "Then where were you when I was being hunted by Haotian Hall and the Angel Sect was forced to seal its mountain?"

Yu Fengzhi cursed internally—of one mind, my foot. Back then, who dared to provoke Haotian Hall?

But he could only offer a sheepish, apologetic smile: "I was muddled back then, my strength was low, and I was cowardly... It was my fault."

"You really are muddled whenever a major event occurs!" Qian Xunji sneered.

"Enough. The death penalty may be avoided, but the living penalty is unavoidable."

"You will immediately send a message to your sect and have Gu Xin go to Haotian Hall. Have him hunt down all the promising talents of this year's Haotian Academy. Except for those so-called Platinum Generation, kill all the rest. Then, bring their heads to me."

Hearing this condition, Yu Fengzhi froze completely.

"This... this, this..." Cold sweat poured down Yu Fengzhi's face.

"Your Excellency, it is an unspoken rule across the continent that various factions do not secretly assassinate the younger geniuses of their rivals. If I send someone to kill the people of Haotian Hall, it will completely break the rules. If things go wrong, Haotian Hall will surely wage total war against us!"

"Rules?" Qian Xunji's gaze turned dangerous in an instant.

"You ran over in the middle of the night to kidnap my son; why didn't you talk about rules then?"

Qian Xunji's patience had run out, and he hoisted Yu Rongrong up in front of Yu Fengzhi.

A golden radiance ignited in his hand, his divine soul power pressing directly against the back of Yu Rongrong's head. If he were to release even a sliver of that soul power, her skull would burst open like a watermelon.

"I don't have time for your nonsense. Either send the message now, or the three of you die here today. I'd like to see if a dead sect master can still enforce any rules."

Feeling the threat of death looming inches away and hearing his daughter's terrified whimpers, Yu Fengzhi's psychological defenses completely collapsed.

"I'll do it, I'll do it! Please, Your Excellency, show mercy!"

Yu Fengzhi's hands trembled as he fished a communication gemstone radiating a strange light from his storage ring.

He had found this gemstone years ago in an ancient ruin, relying on the treasure-seeking ability of his martial soul. It was a pair of Parent-Child Stone, capable of transmitting information instantly regardless of the distance, though the parent stone could only be used five times in total. Two uses had already been spent on testing, leaving only three chances remaining.

But at this moment, Yu Fengzhi could no longer afford to mourn the loss of such a rare, peerless treasure.