Thunderous Strike

The leader was a middle-aged disciple at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. He stared at Qin Yuan and said in a deep voice, "Senior Brother Qin, in the secret realm, everyone relies on their own abilities. Let us part ways here. How about it?"

He clearly did not want to clash head-on with Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan did not want to make a move yet either. He nodded. "Please."

The Third Peak team breathed a sigh of relief and quickly departed.

"Senior Brother Qin, what do we do now?" Zhao Tiezhu asked.

"Gather resources and head for the core region," Qin Yuan said. "Take all the spirit herbs and demonic beasts we encounter along the way."

Everyone answered in acknowledgment and began moving.

Misty Forest was rich in resources. Before they had gone far, they discovered several century-old Mist Spirit Grass plants, as well as a nest of Ironback Ants—their shells were excellent materials for refining defensive artifacts.

Qin Yuan had the Inner Sect disciples gather them while he spread out his Spiritual Sense and kept watch over their surroundings.

After walking for roughly an hour and collecting quite a few resources, the group gradually ventured deeper into the forest.

Just then, hurried footsteps and the sounds of battle suddenly came from ahead.

Qin Yuan raised a hand, and the team immediately stopped and concealed themselves.

A blood-covered young man staggered out of the woods. When he saw the Fifth Peak group, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly cried, "Senior Brother Qin! Save... save me!"

Qin Yuan recognized him—it was Zhou Ming, the Tenth Peak disciple he had rescued at White Bone Cave.

"What happened?" Qin Yuan asked.

"The Seventh Peak... the Seventh Peak people surrounded our Tenth Peak!" Zhou Ming panted heavily. "There are eight of them, but only five of us. We simply can't beat them! I risked my life to break out and seek help!"

"The Seventh Peak?" Qin Yuan's gaze turned cold. "Who is leading them? Is Xiong Li there?"

"He isn't!" Wu Hao shook his head. "Xiong Li took the main force to the core region, leaving this team behind to clear out the outskirts. They said... they said they would eliminate small peaks like ours first, then head to the core region to fight for resources."

After thinking briefly, Qin Yuan asked, "Where are they? Lead me there."

Zhou Ming was overjoyed. "In a valley three li ahead! Senior Brother Qin, follow me!"

Zhou De frowned. "Senior Brother Qin, could this be a trap?"

"It does not matter," Qin Yuan said lightly. "It will save us the trouble of dealing with some enemies later."

He turned to the Fifth Peak group. "Stay here and remain hidden. Wait for my signal."

"Senior Brother Qin, I'll go with you!" Zhao Tiezhu said.

"I'm going too!" Zhou De stepped forward as well.

Qin Yuan looked at them and nodded. "Fine, but do not make a move. Protect yourselves."

The three followed Zhou Ming and hurried toward the valley.

The valley was small, enclosed by mountains on three sides with only one narrow entrance.

At that moment, seven Seventh Peak disciples were relentlessly attacking a defensive formation inside the valley. Within the formation, four Tenth Peak disciples struggled to hold on. All of them were wounded and on the verge of collapse.

The leader of the Seventh Peak disciples was a scar-faced man at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment. As he attacked the formation, he sneered viciously. "Tenth Peak trash, stop struggling! Get eliminated early and spare yourselves the pain of flesh and blood!"

Inside the formation, a Tenth Peak disciple snapped, "Zhang Kuang! Your Seventh Peak has gone too far! Once Senior Brother Wu brings reinforcements, you'll pay for this!"

"Reinforcements?" The scar-faced Zhang Kuang burst into laughter. "With the little strength your Tenth Peak has, what reinforcements could you possibly bring? Fifth Peak? They can barely protect themselves! Sixth Peak? Would they dare offend our Seventh Peak?"

Before he could finish, a calm voice came from the valley entrance.

"Oh? Is the Seventh Peak really so impressive?"

Zhang Kuang spun around sharply and saw Qin Yuan walking in with Wu Hao, Zhou Ming, and Zhao Tiezhu.

"Qin Yuan?!" Zhang Kuang's pupils contracted before he sneered. "I was wondering who it was. So it is the Fifth Peak's 'genius.' What, are you planning to stick your nose into this?"

Qin Yuan swept his gaze over the scene, confirming that Xiong Li was absent before looking at Zhang Kuang. "You have two choices. First, crush your transmission talismans and leave the secret realm yourselves. Second, I will send you out."

"Arrogant!" Zhang Kuang flew into a rage. "You're only at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment, yet you dare spout such nonsense? Brothers, attack! Cripple him first!"

All seven Seventh Peak disciples turned and charged at Qin Yuan!

Blade light, sword shadows, and the radiance of spells instantly swallowed Qin Yuan!

Qin Yuan did not move.

He did not even draw his sword.

He merely raised his right hand, spread his five fingers, and then—

Gently clenched them.

"Condense."

As the word left his lips, the air in the valley seemed to freeze solid in an instant!

The movements of the seven Seventh Peak disciples abruptly stagnated. It was as though invisible shackles had locked them down completely, leaving them unable to move! Terror appeared on their faces as they desperately circulated their spiritual power, yet they could not even move a finger!

What kind of spell was this?!

Zhang Kuang was even more horrified—his cultivation at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment was as powerless as an ant before this force!

Qin Yuan slowly walked forward and stopped before Zhang Kuang.

"It seems you chose the second path."

He extended one finger and lightly tapped Zhang Kuang's forehead.

Bang—!

Zhang Kuang was struck as though by a massive blow and sent flying backward. Before he even landed, he turned into a streak of white light and vanished—judged "dead" by the secret realm, he had been transmitted out.

Immediately afterward, Qin Yuan repeated the process, tapping with his finger again and again.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Six soft sounds. Six streaks of white light.

All seven Seventh Peak disciples were wiped out.

The entire process took less than three breaths.

The valley fell into dead silence.

The four Tenth Peak disciples stared blankly at the scene, their mouths hanging open in disbelief.

Although Zhou De and Zhao Tiezhu knew Qin Yuan was strong, they had never imagined he was this strong—those were seven mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, including one at the seventh layer! And just like that... they were gone?

Zhou Ming trembled with excitement. "Senior Brother Qin... is too powerful!"

Qin Yuan turned to the Tenth Peak disciples within the formation. "It is safe now. Come out."

Only then did the four recover their senses. They hurriedly withdrew the formation, stepped before Qin Yuan, and bowed. "Many thanks to Senior Brother Qin for saving our lives!"

"No need." Qin Yuan waved a hand. "What do you plan to do next?"

Their leader was a young man at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. He smiled bitterly. "We are too weak. We originally intended to gather some resources around the edges, but we did not expect to encounter the Seventh Peak... Now, may we follow Senior Brother Qin?"

Qin Yuan looked at them and nodded. "You may, but if danger arises, take care of yourselves."

"Yes!"

The group left the valley and reunited with the main Fifth Peak force.

Outside the Xuan Yuan Small Realm, on the grassy ground of the valley.

The elders of the Nine Peaks sat in a circle, and a huge water mirror floated in the middle. It was divided into dozens of smaller images, displaying scenes from throughout the secret realm in real time.

Suddenly, seven streaks of white light flashed in succession within an image in the water mirror's upper-left corner.

"Oh? People have already been eliminated so quickly?" The presiding elder raised his brow.

The elders all looked over.

Elder Li of the Seventh Peak changed expression—the location where those seven streaks of white light appeared was precisely the valley occupied by one of his Seventh Peak teams! Judging from the image, that team had been instantly wiped out!

"Who did this?!" Elder Li's face darkened.

The image shifted, revealing the valley scene. Qin Yuan was leading the Tenth Peak and Fifth Peak disciples away, while the seven Seventh Peak disciples had already vanished without a trace.

"Fifth Peak... Qin Yuan!" Elder Li gritted his teeth.

The other elders saw the scene as well, and surprise appeared on their faces.

"This Qin Yuan... his strength exceeds the rumors," the Eighth Peak elder said, stroking his beard.

"The leader of that Seventh Peak team, Zhang Kuang, was at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment, wasn't he? He was actually instantly defeated?" The Ninth Peak elder clicked his tongue in amazement.

A smile appeared on Elder Xu's face. "That child Qin Yuan truly is not bad."

Elder Li's face was livid as he snorted coldly. "He merely succeeded in a sneak attack. Once he encounters Xiong Li, he will learn what true strength is!"

Before his words had faded, the water mirror changed again.

At the edge of the core region, two teams had encountered each other.

They were the main forces of Third Peak and Seventh Peak!

Qin Yuan led the combined Fifth Peak and Tenth Peak team toward the core region.

With his Spiritual Sense scouting ahead, the team avoided many demonic beast nests and teams from other peaks, reaping considerable gains.

By the time they reached the edge of the core region, every person's storage pouch contained quite a few spirit herbs and materials.

The core region was a vast valley. At its center stood a hundred-zhang-high platform, upon which rested three jade boxes—the final rewards placed there by the sect. Only the top three peaks had the right to open them.

Around the valley lay the Hundred Herbs Garden and Spirit Beast Valley, where spirit herbs carpeted the ground and rare demonic beasts lurked in hiding.

At that moment, two teams were confronting one another at the valley entrance.

One side was Third Peak, led by Lu Yun, with nine Inner Sect disciples behind him, each possessing an impressive aura.

The other side was Seventh Peak, led by Xiong Li, likewise accompanied by nine elite disciples.

The two were experts at the ninth and tenth layers of Foundation Establishment. Their released auras collided, and faint sparks of spiritual power crackled through the air.

"Lu Yun, your Third Peak snatched a thousand-year spirit ginseng from our Seventh Peak last year. It is time to settle that debt," Xiong Li said with a cold smile.

Lu Yun was expressionless. "Treasures belong to those capable of claiming them. If you have the ability, take it back this year."

"Good!" Xiong Li laughed. "Then let us fight first and warm up!"

Just as the two were about to make their move, Lu Yun suddenly raised a hand. "Wait."

"What, afraid?" Xiong Li mocked.

Lu Yun ignored him and said solemnly, "Xiong Li, sooner or later, you and I will have to determine who is superior. But before that, there is something we need to handle first."

"What is it?"

"Fifth Peak's Qin Yuan." A cold gleam flashed through Lu Yun's eyes. "He poached a disciple from my Third Peak and injured Third Peak people. This debt must be settled."

Xiong Li raised a brow. "What a coincidence. Our peak master also instructed us to 'take good care' of that Qin Yuan in this secret realm."

The two looked at each other, then suddenly both smiled.

"How about..." Lu Yun said, "we temporarily join forces, deal with Qin Yuan first, and then compete for the core region's resources?"

Xiong Li rubbed his bald head and considered it. "Fine. But after we get rid of Qin Yuan, how do we divide the spoils?"

"Each relies on their own abilities," Lu Yun said. "First Peak and Second Peak have not arrived yet. We have plenty of time."

"Deal."

Having reached an agreement, the two were about to discuss the specifics when a Seventh Peak disciple came running over in a panic.

"Senior Brother Xiong! Zhang Kuang and the others... have been eliminated!"

"What?!" Xiong Li's expression changed. "What happened?!"

"It was Qin Yuan of Fifth Peak! He led people from Tenth Peak and wiped out Zhang Kuang's group in a valley!"

Xiong Li and Lu Yun exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in the other's eyes.

Zhang Kuang was at the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment and had six mid-stage Foundation Establishment disciples with him, yet Qin Yuan had wiped them all out? Then Qin Yuan's strength...

"It seems we underestimated him," Lu Yun said gravely.

A savage gleam flashed through Xiong Li's eyes. "Then we should get rid of him even sooner!"

At that moment, footsteps sounded from the valley entrance.

Qin Yuan led the combined Fifth Peak and Tenth Peak team inside.

Seeing Xiong Li and Lu Yun, Qin Yuan did not slow. He walked straight ahead and stopped ten zhang away from the two.

"Oh, you are both here." He swept his gaze across them and said lightly, "That saves me the trouble of finding you one at a time."

Xiong Li stared at Qin Yuan and suddenly frowned—he still could not see through Qin Yuan's cultivation! A trace of unease rose in his heart.

"Qin Yuan, where are your people?" Lu Yun asked coldly. "Were you the one who killed Zhang Kuang and the others?"

Qin Yuan nodded. "I was. Your people will soon join them."

"Arrogant!" Lu Yun was so enraged that he laughed instead. "Do you think defeating trash like Zhang Kuang means you can contend against us? Let me tell you, the seventh layer and the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment are two different worlds!"

Xiong Li also stepped forward, and the aura of the peak tenth layer of Foundation Establishment erupted with a boom. "Qin Yuan, I will give you one final chance. Hand over all your resources, crush your transmission talisman, and leave the secret realm yourself. I can let you suffer a little less."

Qin Yuan looked at the two, then suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint, yet it made Xiong Li and Lu Yun's hearts tighten.

"I will give you an opportunity as well." Qin Yuan raised three fingers. "Leave the secret realm yourselves within three breaths. Otherwise..."

He paused, and his gaze abruptly turned icy.

"I will send you on your way."

As his words fell, the terrifying aura of Foundation Establishment's ultimate realm erupted without reservation!

Boom—!!!

A violent wind suddenly swept through the entire valley!