With a whoosh, Li Chengdi stood still, merely extending a single finger. Instantly, a divine light shot from his fingertip, slashing towards Ye Qiu.
In that moment, Ye Qiu felt a chill run through him. He had encountered King Realm experts before, but Li Chengdi was different. He seemed like a sovereign of life and death itself.
Ye Qiu had no time to think, dodging with lightning speed. However, just as he evaded, Li Chengdi’s voice sounded beside him. “Not bad, dodging my strike.”
Turning, Ye Qiu saw Li Chengdi had somehow appeared next to him, startling him into high alert. With a flash, Ye Qiu dashed towards the door. “Old thing, run!”
Yet, before they could reach the exit, Li Chengdi’s figure blocked the doorway. “I told you, escape is impossible. Accept your fate.”
Li Chengdi smiled. “With your low cultivation, dying by my hand should be an honour.”
“To hell with your honour!” the Long Eyebrow Immortal shouted. “Debts have owners. Ye Qiu killed Li Zhengxi. This has nothing to do with me. If you want to kill him, go ahead. Why drag me into it?”
Ye Qiu was furious. “Old thing, you—”
The Long Eyebrow Immortal said, “Little rascal, don’t blame me. It’s not that I don’t want to help. Li Chengdi is too strong, and I’m no match for him. Better I survive than both of us die here. At least I can collect your body afterwards.”
Damn it, Ye Qiu thought. What happened to facing danger together? Abandoning me at the first sign of trouble? Shameless!
Though angry, Ye Qiu stayed calm. Looking at Li Chengdi, he said, “The old thing has a point. You’re after me. Let him go.”
Li Chengdi laughed. “You two are quite amusing. I’ll tell you this: neither of you is leaving alive today. Especially you,” he pointed at the Long Eyebrow Immortal. “Your friend’s in danger, and instead of helping, you abandon him. How dare someone like you live?”
The Long Eyebrow Immortal cursed loudly. “Li Chengdi, you’re a King Realm expert, yet so unreasonable. I curse you with infertility and a house full of descendants!”
A loud slap rang out before he could finish. Li Chengdi had struck him, sending him flying. The Long Eyebrow Immortal spat blood mixed with two front teeth. “Little rascal, my teeth are gone! I don’t care, you have to avenge me!” he wailed.
“Shut up!” Ye Qiu snapped. “You’re not dead. Stop whining.”
The Long Eyebrow Immortal scrambled up and hid behind Ye Qiu. “Old thing, I’m sorry I dragged you into this. Find a chance to run. Don’t worry about me,” Ye Qiu whispered.
The Long Eyebrow Immortal grinned. “Little rascal, you’ve got some conscience, finally saying something human.”
Since escape was impossible, they had to fight. Ye Qiu faced Li Chengdi. “Let me test the might of Korea’s Guardian.”
“Go ahead!” Li Chengdi said, hands behind his back, exuding arrogance.
Ye Qiu snorted, spreading his arms. Instantly, a piercing sword cry echoed. Thousands of sword intents swirled around him. “Slaughter Technique!” he roared, unleashing a torrent of sharp sword intents like dense rain, enveloping Li Chengdi.
Li Chengdi stood unmoved, hands still behind his back. As the sword intents neared, a radiant white light formed a protective shield around him. The sword intents struck it like rain on steel, sparking and clanging.
Moments later, Li Chengdi uttered a single word: “Extinguish!” Instantly, the thousands of sword intents turned to dust.
“Your swordsmanship is decent, but your realm is too low to harm me,” Li Chengdi commented.
Another sword cry rang out. This time, Ye Qiu used the Six Meridians Divine Sword. With his current strength, its power was a hundred times greater than before, each sword qi hidden in the air, striking suddenly with terrifying force. But he faced a peerless expert who had surpassed the King Realm a century ago.
“Break!” Li Chengdi spoke again, and the Six Meridians Divine Sword collapsed. Ye Qiu trembled, blood trickling from his mouth.
Li Chengdi said, “Your understanding of the sword path is deep, but your cultivation is too weak.”
“Again!” Ye Qiu shouted, gripping his half-broken Emperor Sword. Li Chengdi’s eyes lit up. “A spatial treasure? I tried crafting one but always failed. It seems I won’t need to anymore.”
“If you want my treasure, let’s see if you’re alive to take it!” Ye Qiu retorted, unleashing the Peerless Sword Technique. “Kill!” Holding the Emperor Sword, he charged.
Li Chengdi remained still, undefended, his protective white light growing brighter. Ye Qiu struck eighteen times, each blow landing on the shield, sparking and clanging.
Li Chengdi remarked, “This sword technique surpasses your previous ones. If a King Realm expert used it, it might pose a slight threat.”
Ye Qiu was shocked. His immense strength, combined with the razor-sharp Emperor Sword and the powerful Peerless Sword Technique, couldn’t even dent Li Chengdi’s shield. “His methods are unfathomable, perhaps not inferior to Master Ancestor. What now?”
As Ye Qiu strategized, Li Chengdi said, “Ye Qiu, try taking one of my fingers.” He pointed a sword-like finger at Ye Qiu’s forehead, swift as lightning, unstoppable.
Ye Qiu retreated quickly, but the sword qi seemed to track him, closing in on his forehead. In this critical moment, the ten-thousand-year ice marrow coffin nearby began to tremble violently.
