Chapter 476 - 455: Senior! This Is All a Misunderstanding
He was a grand imperial official of the Sacrificial Hall, a great Mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator. He had practiced Cultivation for over three hundred years, was revered by the masses, and even the reigning emperor had to treat him with courtesy.
When had he ever suffered such utter humiliation?
This terrifying being before him, who could rewrite the laws of heaven and earth with a flick of his finger, didn’t... he didn’t even have the interest to crush him personally!
He’d sent out an Evil Cultivator handmaiden instead!
The paltry Spiritual Power of this red-robed Evil Cultivator... ordinarily, she wouldn’t even be qualified to carry his shoes. Yet now, she’d been ordered to personally end his life?
This was a humiliation!
He was treating a magnificent Nascent Soul great Cultivator like a toy for his handmaiden to practice on!
A surge of blood rushed to his head, and the muscles beneath the old man’s skin twitched uncontrollably.
He could even imagine it: if he were truly finished off by a Foundation Establishment Evil Cultivator today, then from this day forward, whether he lived or died, he would become the biggest joke in the entire Cultivation Realm.
The shame of the Nascent Soul realm, a whetstone for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
But the old man looked at the yellow-robed figure with his back to the world, and a fear that stemmed from the depths of his soul sobered him slightly.
’I can’t kill him.’
He couldn’t even see how the man attacked, let alone fathom the source of his Daoist techniques.
Rushing forward would be no different from a moth flying into a flame.
The space around him was still viscous. The thought of escape had no sooner arisen than he’d already dismissed it.
’The path of retreat is blocked.’
’To fight is also a dead end.’
And now, it was his turn.
In this Turn-Based Force Field, agility was the key to determining one’s move.
Among the enemies present, the agility of these so-called immortal masters far exceeded that of the mortal soldiers below, and was even higher than that of Lin Qingfeng’s people.
Their turns would come before most others.
So, now, it was their turn.
The Nascent Soul leader, Mr. Wang, swallowed hard. Three hundred years of experience allowed him to make a swift decision.
He took a deep breath and tried to control his facial muscles, attempting a polite smile, though it came out stiff and twisted.
"Fellow Daoist... please wait."
"I came here because I was deceived by treacherous court officials. I was only told that some evil was stirring, and never imagined I would find a Fellow Daoist here... in secluded Cultivation."
He chose his words carefully, trying to downplay the rebellion as "secluded Cultivation" to test the other’s attitude.
"Since it’s a misunderstanding, why don’t you retract your Divine Techniques? There must be some misunderstanding regarding the dynasty’s affairs. I am willing to explain things on your behalf. With your heaven-defying abilities, why harm the harmony of the Cultivation Realm over trivial mortal matters?"
As his voice fell, the wind howled.
The yellow-robed figure with his back to the world remained utterly motionless, offering no response.
In truth, Lin Qingfeng had figured that constantly being on defense would get boring. He had no idea how many pokes it would take for his junior sister to kill the guy, so he just set his defense to auto-pilot and started watching short videos.
Sweat trickled down Mr. Wang’s temples and into his eyes.
With every breath of silence, another piece of his dignity crumbled.
’He doesn’t want to talk.’
’Or rather, he doesn’t think I’m worthy of talking to him.’
Mr. Wang’s back gradually began to bend.
’There’s no other way. To survive, I must endure!’
"Se... Senior."
The form of address had changed.
"If Senior is dissatisfied with the imperial court, I... this junior is willing to punish the dynasty on your behalf. Spirit Stones, magical treasures, cultivation cauldrons... as long as Senior asks, this junior will do his utmost to provide them."
Lin Qingfeng still didn’t reply. The short video hadn’t finished playing yet.
But this silence was the final blow that shattered the dam of the Nascent Soul cultivator’s dignity.
The face of a Nascent Soul Ancestor, the prestige of an imperial official of the Sacrificial Hall... under the shadow of death, none of it was worth a damn.
As long as he could live, what did saving face matter?
If not for the Turn-Based Force Field restricting his movements, he would have likely already fallen to his knees and kowtowed.
Even so, his spiritual backbone had already snapped.
"Your Majesty!!"
The cry was heart-wrenching and utterly shameless.
"A misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding, Your Majesty!"
He didn’t even have time to wonder why the words "Your Majesty" came so naturally to his lips; he only knew it was perhaps the only title the other person wanted to hear.
"This humble one was blind to the true dragon in my midst and nearly offended Your Majesty’s sacred presence. I deserve to die a thousand deaths! That fatuous ruler is depraved and has long incurred the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people. Your Majesty acts in accordance with heaven’s will and the people’s desire; your ascension is what everyone hopes for!"
"This humble one wishes to surrender! I am willing to be Your Majesty’s guard dog, to cleanse the world and bite to death those blind rebels! I beg Your Majesty... please give this humble one a chance to live!"
The several hundred Cultivators behind him watched this scene, first shocked at how quickly their strongest expert had changed his tune.
’Seriously, you’re going to grovel that fast? What about your dignity as a Nascent Soul? Are you just throwing it away?’
If even their Ancestor had abandoned his dignity, what dignity did they have left to keep?
They too desperately wanted to shout slogans like "We wish to surrender!" and "Long live Your Majesty!", but alas, the turn-based system restricted their actions.
And Lin Qingfeng was busy watching his interesting little video.
And this leading Nascent Soul, the great Ancestor of the Wang Family, a Mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator, couldn’t even get the other party to say a single word?
He disdained to offer even the slightest response, deigning not to even glance at them as they offered their surrender...
That figure was clearly not far away, yet he gave off the illusion of being at the edge of the heavens, or perhaps not even in this world at all.
’Impossible to fathom, impossible to understand, impossible to defeat.’
’If that’s the case...’
’If that’s the case!’
The old man’s gaze shifted.
He couldn’t kill this monster, and he certainly couldn’t bring himself to submit to him.
The old man’s line of sight fell upon the red-robed young woman who was also shrugging her shoulders rhythmically.
𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
’This woman must be this fiend’s one weakness! His prized possession! His cherished disciple! Or even... his cultivation partner!’
’Otherwise, why, before an army of thousands, would he use such an absurd method to bestow a sword upon her and order her to "sharpen" it?’
’This isn’t sharpening a sword!’
’This is clearly him using his own supreme might to pave the way for this woman! To make a name for her!’
’He wants the entire world to know that his person, even a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, can trample a Nascent Soul Cultivator underfoot!’
Having figured this out, the venomous resentment from his humiliation finally found an outlet.
He smiled, a twisted smile.
’Good!’
’Very good!’
’Then you’d better be prepared for the sword to shatter and its wielder to die!’
’I can’t kill you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a chance to kill your Foundation Establishment handmaiden!’
’If I get the chance, one strike is all I’ll need!’
He wanted to make him watch with his own eyes!
Watch his beloved pet, his whetstone, turn to bloody dust right before him!
He wanted to see if even a single crack would appear on that indifferent, benevolent face!
This was perhaps the only way to break a few of this monster’s teeth!
And Lin Qingfeng still stood with his hands behind his back.
He was still watching his short video!
"You whelp! How dare you humiliate me!"
A roar filled with endless humiliation and fury exploded from the old man’s throat.
Without the slightest hesitation, his hands formed a seal, and the Spiritual Power in his body surged forth without reservation.
If he was going to fight, he would do so in his strongest form and deliver a thunderous blow!
He would let that yellow-robed monster know that the dignity of a Nascent Soul Cultivator could not be trampled! Even in death, he would splatter the handmaiden’s blood all over him!
BOOM—!
A terrifying pressure erupted with the old man at its center.
A massive phantom rose up around him.
The phantom wore a Daoist crown, was clad in armor formed from lightning, had a majestic face, and held a spectral Thunderous Giant Hammer.
A Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect!
This was the manifestation of a Nascent Soul Cultivator’s own Dao combined with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Its every move held world-destroying power.
The moment the Dharma Aspect appeared, countless soldiers in the hundred-thousand-strong army below were forced to their knees by the pressure, dropping their weapons, scared witless.
The other Cultivators in the air also retreated one after another, staring at this Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect.
’Mr. Wang of the Sacrificial Hall is going all out!’
The giant Dharma Aspect lowered its head, its gaze locking onto Su Ling’er in the distance. It raised Mjolnir high, arcs of lightning coiling around it.
If this hammer were to fall, forget a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, even a mountaintop would be leveled!
’Die!’
’Let your master have a good look at how you, his little whetstone, are shattered into dust!’
He was prepared to face the yellow-robed monster’s world-crushing rescue attempt, or, what he anticipated even more... his indifference.
However.
Nothing he’d envisioned happened.
Because he had already used his turn to activate his Dharma Aspect!
His turn was over!
INHALE— EXHALE—!
That strange rhythm descended once more.
The ferocious expression on the old man’s face instantly froze, replaced by a look of stunned disbelief.
He had poured all his strength, staked his life and dignity, to unleash his ultimate attack, and the result... was merely completing the wind-up?
And then, that was it.
As for swinging the hammer to attack?
Sorry, please wait for your next turn.
Now, it was someone else’s turn.
An Early-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator standing not far from Mr. Wang had a look of grim determination flash in his eyes.
His turn had arrived.
With a flick of his wrist, a purple talisman appeared in his palm.
"Boundary-Breaking Talisman!"
He let out a low growl and poured all his Spiritual Power into it.
A flash of purple light erupted!
The talisman burned, and a distorted spatial rift was about to form.
However, the purple light only shone for an instant before dimming.
The space merely rippled slightly before returning to its original viscous and solid state.
It had failed.
This world had become a cage.
The color instantly drained from the Cultivator’s face. His body went limp as he was once again controlled by the formless rhythm, rejoining the breathing army.
Another turn began.
It was finally the turn of another, more hot-tempered Cultivator.
He was one of the unarmed Confucian cultivators on the city wall.
"You whelp! How dare you insult my immortal sect! Die!"
He opened his mouth and spat, and three streams of fire shot out in a triangular formation, hurtling toward the crowd of Confucian scholars.
The air sizzled where the flames passed.
However,
a ripple spread through the void.
The three streams of fire were simply annihilated in the ripple, not even leaving behind a wisp of smoke.
The attacking Cultivator’s eyes went wide, and then he let out a desperate, bitter laugh.
His turn was over.
INHALE— EXHALE—!
Next, it was a female Cultivator’s turn.
This woman wore a moon-white, cloud-patterned Daoist robe. A jade hairpin made from a Face-Stabilizing Pearl was stuck in her hair bun. The Spiritual Qi surrounding her gave her a cold and aloof look, like the Guanghan Fairy who did not partake of the mortal world.
Her entire outfit, along with the heavenly materials and earthly treasures she consumed for her daily Cultivation, were all taken from the Great Yan’s national treasury and the offerings of lower-level disciples in her sect.
But now, she was breaking down. She didn’t want to die!
She remembered the underhanded methods she’d used while struggling at the bottom before she made her name.
Charm Skills!
She bit her lip hard and, with a forceful tug, actually ripped the sleeve of her own moon-white robe, revealing a section of her smooth arm.
Using all her strength, she flashed a fawning smile at the yellow-robed figure.
"Senior! Senior, spare my life!"
Seeing no reaction from the figure, she immediately changed her address.
"Your Majesty! It’s Your Majesty!"
"We also offended Your Majesty’s sacred presence because we foolishly believed the slander of others! I... We wish to surrender! We are willing to cleanse the six directions and pacify the disloyal for Your Majesty!"
"I... I can also serve Your Majesty personally..."
Su Ling’er: "!!!"