Chapter 176 : How High Was His Cultivation Exactly?
Chapter 176: How High Was His Cultivation Exactly?
Endless flying leaves surged like a raging torrent, crashing into Li Qingqiu, the deafening noise flooding the ears of both Li Qingqiu and Chu Jing.
Just as Chu Jing waited in tense anticipation, he suddenly noticed strands of silver sword phantoms condensing all around.
Soul-Seizing Flying Sword?
As a sword soul, Chu Jing had long known that Li Qingqiu had been researching this spell, and Li Qingqiu had relied on the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword to slay the Tree Demon’s avatar.
However, in his view, no matter how powerful the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword was, it was simply too small.
How could it possibly shake an Ancient God?
Yet the moment this thought arose, he saw the surrounding silver sword phantoms erupt with dazzling brilliance, illuminating a one-li radius of the city and continuing to expand.
The ferocious visage of the Ancient God was also bathed in silver light, its eyes revealing a trace of disdain.
Shen Yue, who was still fighting, was likewise drawn by the distant radiance.
Not only him—those fleeing townsfolk, merchants, and martial artists all turned their heads.
Even the Qi Clan martial artists charging toward Shen Yue could not help but look back.
In the depths of the night, that resplendent silver light appeared at the edge of the horizon, like radiance driving away darkness, as though it were about to draw open the curtain of dawn.
Around Li Qingqiu, the Soul-Seizing Flying Swords continuously bloomed with silver light, finally gathering above his head into a gigantic silver sword phantom that continued to grow.
The Tianhong Sword still blocked in front of him, fending off the endless flying leaves.
Even when the Ancient God’s wooden vines lashed out, they still could not shake the sword-energy barrier.
“This is…”
Chu Jing stared in disbelief at the silver sword phantom above, feeling such vast Vital Energy for the first time, as if he were facing an ocean of Vital Energy.
All along, Li Qingqiu had never revealed his true strength.
Even when privately cultivating the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword, he had exercised extreme restraint.
He was no ordinary Ninth Layer Nourishing Vital Energy Realm cultivator.
Possessing the fate trait of the Hundred-Refinement Demonic Body, his Vital Energy was a hundred times that of those in the same realm.
It was true that he had not mastered large-scale destructive spells, but his Vital Energy was boundless.
Any spell, in his hands, could have its power multiplied.
Boom—
The ruins around Li Qingqiu were blasted apart.
The Soul-Seizing Flying Sword above his head instantly reached ten zhang in length, vast sword might spreading out and suppressing everything.
Chu Jing’s heart pounded in terror.
From this Soul-Seizing Flying Sword, he felt a chilling, heart-palpitating aura.
Even he, who possessed the fate trait of Human Ghost-God, felt this way—let alone the Ancient God.
The Ancient God stared at the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword, instinctively feeling fear.
It became even more frenzied as more and more wooden vines burst from the soil, lashing toward Li Qingqiu, many of them even sprouting sharp barbs.
Li Qingqiu was not in the least anxious.
The Ancient God’s bark was incomparably hard, but its weakness was also obvious—it could not move.
Since it could not move, Li Qingqiu had plenty of ways to deal with it.
“If you had not sent an avatar over, I truly would not have dared to deal with you. Yet you haven’t even reached the Spirit Perception Realm and still dare to get in my face?”
Li Qingqiu’s expression was icy as he thought this to himself.
He continuously injected Vital Energy into the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword, taking the opportunity to let the Ancient God suffer.
After killing his disciple, how could he let the Ancient God die easily?
Boom! Boom! Boom…
One street after another in Nightbright City split apart.
Wooden vines surged upward, buildings collapsed one after another, as if some extremely malevolent demon had leapt forth, trying to drag the entire city into the abyss.
Li Qingqiu’s gaze sharpened.
The ten-zhang-long Soul-Seizing Flying Sword above his head erupted with terrifying momentum.
Almost instantly, the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword shot forth, swift as a startled swan.
Across several li, it arrived in the blink of an eye.
Chu Jing’s eyes could not even keep up.
By the time he turned his head, the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword had already pierced into the Ancient God’s human face.
With this strike, all the wooden vines throughout the city froze in place.
Succeeded?
Chu Jing was stunned, joy surging in his heart.
However, he then saw the Ancient God’s human face twisting, causing his heart to sink once more.
“Mortals… what do you take me for…”
The Ancient God’s voice rang out, teeth clenched.
Its boundless hatred sent chills down the spine, making the scalp tingle.
“With just this one sword, you think you can kill me… With such power, your Vital Energy should already be exhausted, right? Li Qingqiu, your abilities are indeed extraordinary. Even a thousand years ago, you could have made a name for yourself. Pity—you were born in the wrong era.”
The Ancient God laughed savagely, its tone manic, already beginning to fantasize about devouring Li Qingqiu’s flesh and blood.
Such cultivation, such flesh—surely a great tonic, better than consuming tens of thousands of mortal spirits.
“Exhausted?”
Li Qingqiu’s voice followed, clearly entering the Ancient God’s ears, the clamor of heaven and earth unable to drown it out.
The Ancient God’s expression turned to shock.
Before it could think further, sword after sword of Soul-Seizing Flying Swords condensed above Li Qingqiu’s head, each one no weaker than the previous sword.
Once the Soul-Seizing Flying Swords appeared, they shot out instantly, fast beyond extremes!
One sword after another struck the Ancient God, its massive body trembling violently.
It withstood seven swords, but when faced with the eighth, its mountain-like tree body was directly pierced through and shredded.
The colossal Ancient God, towering like a mountain, was forcibly torn apart!
Amid the ruins, Qi Tianquan pushed aside a broken door panel.
Just as he poked his head out, he saw the Ancient God—invincible in his mind—being annihilated by the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword.
His eyes widened as he stared in disbelief, thinking he was trapped in a dream.
Watching as the Ancient God was pierced through at the waist, its demonic soul nailed in midair by sword after sword, Li Qingqiu quietly let out a breath of relief.
He had expended the majority of his Vital Energy to slay the Ancient God.
This had not been easy, yet outwardly he still appeared calm and unhurried.
This scene was not witnessed by Qi Tianquan alone.
Many people in the city saw it, and every witness was dumbfounded.
Qi Tianquan turned his head and saw Li Qingqiu holding his sword, deeply shaken.
Li Qingqiu glanced over, noticed Qi Tianquan, and directly executed the Extreme Movement Technique, shifting to Qi Tianquan’s front.
Qi Tianquan was startled by Li Qingqiu’s sudden appearance.
Once he saw his face clearly, his expression changed drastically.
With a thud, he knelt atop the ruins.
“I was wrong… the Qi Clan was wrong… just as you said, the Qi Clan was deceived…” Qi Tianquan said in a trembling voice, his face filled with pleading.
Seeing that this man was clad in a dragon robe, Li Qingqiu knew his status within the Qi Clan was not low.
“Knowing your mistake is enough.”
Li Qingqiu spoke.
Upon hearing this, Qi Tianquan was overjoyed.
Slash!
Qi Tianquan’s head flew up, blood spraying forth.
Li Qingqiu, who had swung the sword, remained expressionless, as if he had not killed a man but slaughtered a chicken.
Not only that, Li Qingqiu also took out the Soul Refining Banner and drew Qi Tianquan’s soul into the banner.
He then turned and walked toward the Ancient God’s demonic soul.
That demonic soul was not in the form of a tree body, but an old man wearing loose robes, his features identical to the human face on the Ancient God’s tree body.
The Ancient God looked at its demonic body, severed at the waist, its face filled with despair and disbelief.
“How could this be… who exactly is he… how could his Vital Energy be so immense…”
The Ancient God could not comprehend it.
The Soul-Seizing Flying Swords embedded in it began to exert force, tormenting its demonic soul and causing it to emit shrill screams.
Unfortunately, it was already dead—living people could not hear its voice.
Watching its suffering, Chu Jing realized that the Soul-Seizing Flying Sword possessed killing power far beyond his understanding.
“Martial arts temper muscles, bones, and flesh… while the immortal path can harm the soul?”
Chu Jing pondered silently, his gaze toward Li Qingqiu filled with admiration.
After seeing the Ancient God, his trust in Li Qingqiu had wavered, yet Li Qingqiu had once again decisively exterminated the enemy.
He was still that powerful, still that unfathomable.
With such a Sect Master, the future of the Clear Sky Sect was immeasurable.
Just as Chu Jing was sighing inwardly, the ground began to tremble.
Li Qingqiu frowned slightly, then summoned Nangong E and Lin Chuan, instructing them to infiltrate the underground to investigate.
He quickened his pace and arrived before the Ancient God.
He first cast the Soul Restraining Curse on it, then pulled its demonic soul into the Soul Refining Banner.
This process took quite some time, and Nightbright City gradually fell into silence.
Light appeared on the horizon.
The sun rose in the east, and the first ray of sunlight of the day swiftly swept across Nightbright City.
The once-prosperous Nightbright City had been completely destroyed, ruins everywhere.
Shen Yue stood on a rooftop, breathing slightly heavily.
Centered on him, within a five-li radius, over a thousand Qi Clan martial artists lay scattered.
Most were unconscious; those still conscious were severely injured and unable to move.
As for him, not to mention injuries—his robes were not even stained with dust.
“The battle ended so quickly. Li Qingqiu, just how high is your cultivation?”
Shen Yue could not help but ponder this question.
Though he had not directly fought the Ancient God, its aura had been far too terrifying.
Even from afar, he knew he was no match for it.
Yet such a powerful Ancient God had appeared swiftly and disappeared just as swiftly.
What did that mean?
It meant there was a considerable gap in strength between the Ancient God and Li Qingqiu.
It seemed that if he wanted to pursue Li Qingqiu, he still had a long road ahead.
He suddenly saw a massive black eagle descending from the sky, grabbing a segment of giant wood with its talons before flying toward his direction, passing over his head and disappearing at the end of heaven and earth.
Shen Yue leapt upward, stepping on a wooden sword, and flew toward the inner city.
Not long after, he spotted Li Qingqiu on a street.
He landed before him and asked, “Is it resolved?”
“Mm,” Li Qingqiu replied.
He could confirm that the Ancient God was dead, though he was unclear about the source of the earlier tremors.
Shen Yue smiled and said, “Looks like we won’t end up as a joke.”
Li Qingqiu glanced at him and asked, “Is that so? How many people did you kill?”
Shen Yue snorted.
“You had me draw the Qi Clan’s attention—wasn’t that so you could leave survivors? Sect Master Li, you’re really saying one thing while meaning another.”
“That doesn’t matter. You failed to complete the task. Once we return, I’ll still have to punish you and make an example for the disciples,” Li Qingqiu said as he continued forward.
“Fine then. For the sake of your iron-blooded image, I’m willing to take the blame,” Shen Yue replied indifferently.
Li Qingqiu’s lips curved upward slightly, but he said nothing more.
Shen Yue did not kill, but Mo Jiuhong would not show mercy—and he could tell who belonged to the Qi Clan.
“Where to next?” Shen Yue pressed.
“Of course, to receive our spoils of war,” Li Qingqiu replied casually.
The sky grew ever brighter.
After hesitating for a moment, Shen Yue asked, “Sect Master, in the world today, is there anyone who can force you to go all out?”
Li Qingqiu answered with a question of his own, “Will it be you in the future?”
Upon hearing this, Shen Yue’s eyes lit up with renewed fighting spirit.
Though he did not answer, Li Qingqiu’s counter-question was like a seed, taking root deep in his heart.
At the same time, he felt a sense of emotion.
So Li Qingqiu had always regarded him as an opponent—and even looked forward to his cultivation!