A terrifying pressure exploded outward, filling every living being between heaven and earth with dread.

The blood-red threads coiled around one end of the golden chain. A slender artifact spirit struggled and roared, but resistance was futile. No spirit treasure artifact spirit could withstand that power.

A red phantom appeared behind Li Guanqi. It extended a hand and pointed at the artifact spirit. Countless threads drilled into the spirit’s body, and its aura turned docile. The chain piercing Zhou Shiyu’s heart dissolved, transforming into a cluster of golden chain holograms that coiled around it.

The onlookers stared at Li Guanqi in utter shock. They knew Zhou Shiyu’s confidence in coming for revenge had rested on that golden chain, but that chain had ultimately trapped him. And yet, Li Guanqi had casually refined it, making the artifact spirit merge obediently into Zhou Shiyu’s body.

Pei Shishi observed from a distance with an inscrutable expression.

Sun Tianqi’s robes hung in tatters. He squinted at Li Guanqi. Until now, he had taken Li Guanqi for an irrelevant stranger with some strength. But clearly, his identity and intentions were more than what he’d assumed.

Cold sweat seeped from Sun Tianqi’s palm as he gripped his sword. He said in a deep voice, “Who are you?”

Every eye turned to Li Guanqi. He glanced at Zhou Shiyu, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground. With that spirit treasure chain at work, repairing his sea of consciousness was only a matter of time.

Li Guanqi had always stood taller, but the gap felt wider now as he looked down on Sun Tianqi with open contempt.

That contemptuous gaze set Sun Tianqi off at once. He flourished his sword and thrust straight at Li Guanqi’s face.

Slash!

The sword tore space open. Pei Shishi clenched her fists, muttering under her breath, “Kill him! Kill him!”

The sword light moved like lightning. Kong Xun’s vision blurred, and the blade was already at Li Guanqi’s brow.

Li Guanqi did not so much as blink. Hands clasped behind his back, he murmured, “Kneel.”

Thud!

Sun Tianqi, brimming with killing intent only moments before, dropped to his knees before Li Guanqi as if struck by a heavy blow. His sword fell from his hand with a crisp clang, and his knees smashed two deep craters into the stone tiles.

The surrounding cultivators stared, mouths agape. The shift was too abrupt for them to process.

“Who is this guy? He said one word, and the young master of the Sun clan actually kneeled?”

“Look at Sun Tianqi’s face. That wasn’t voluntary...”

“Hahahaha! Serves him right for being so arrogant.”

The observing cultivators chatted amongst themselves, and the disciples of the Six Gates Holy Sect all brimmed with excitement. The tide had turned in their favor.

In contrast, Pei Shishi had gone paper-white, trembling like a sieve. Her legs gave out under her, and she stared at Li Guanqi in terror. Even Sun Tianqi, the man she herself feared, had kneeled at a single word from him. Given her narrow perspective and lack of experience, she couldn’t even grasp the sheer power Li Guanqi must have possessed to do what he did.

She recalled her actions, and the fear of death seized her. Her gaze darted to the barefoot Zhao Nian; her decision was already made. Zhao Nian must have washed his feet by now... right?

Sun Tianqi kept his head down, his forehead slick with cold sweat. He had figured out who Li Guanqi was. Lightning had bloomed inside Sun Tianqi, locking his primordial soul in place. One wrong move would destroy both his body and soul.

Sun Zhen finally moved, planting himself between them in a fury. However, he kept his head down, not daring to meet Li Guanqi’s gaze.

Li Guanqi tilted his head down at Sun Tianqi. He said calmly, “I warned you, didn’t I?”

Sun Tianqi stayed on his knees, teeth clenched. He had completely lost control of his body, and his life and death rested in Li Guanqi’s hands.

“You warned me, and so what? The world runs on the law of the jungle. Otherwise, what are we cultivators even striving for? I didn’t kill anyone. The Six Gates Holy Sect doesn’t deserve to hold so many resources!”

Li Guanqi nodded slowly. “You mean whoever’s stronger should hold more resources?”

Sun Tianqi raised his head slowly, eyes on Li Guanqi. He asked coldly, “Isn’t that how it should be? If you were at the Mahayana Stage today, and you wiped out our Sun clan, so what? Who would dare breathe a word against you? Heh, they’d all be saying we’d brought it on ourselves. Just like when you slaughtered the Liu clan, an ancient clan no less. With the Five Yang Ghost Emperor at your back, who’d dare say a word? Reason and justice? They don’t exist, hahahaha! Only the strongest possess them. Was I wrong? I don’t think so!”

Li Guanqi fell silent. A long moment passed before he spoke. “That’s the reality. But the reasoning is wrong.”

A bitter smile pulled at Li Guanqi’s mouth, and he shook his head. With a wave of his hand, the lightning inside Sun Tianqi erupted, shattering his primordial soul. Sun Tianqi’s eyes flew wide as lightning-element power burst from his seven orifices. His body charred and withered where he kneeled.

Li Guanqi spoke quietly. “Why am I even discussing this with you?”

Sun Zhen’s eyes flew wide. “Li Guanqi! You’re courting death!”

Boom!

Countless lightning spirit swords condensed behind Li Guanqi, all aimed at Sun Zhen.

“I said if there was a next time, I would kill him,” Li Guanqi said calmly. “I don’t mind killing you along with him.”

Sun Zhen swallowed hard, forcibly suppressing the rage in his heart. He said coldly, “You’re making an enemy of the Sun clan!”

Li Guanqi shrugged. “Do you think I’m afraid?”

Pei Shishi sank the rest of the way to the ground, her eyes widened with fear as she stared at Li Guanqi. “He... he actually killed Sun Tianqi!”

Li Guanqi turned and walked toward Zhou Shiyu, his voice resonating through the surroundings. “I’ll give you thirty minutes to take the Sun clan and leave. As for revenge, you’re welcome to seek it anytime.”

Li Guanqi paused, then turned to Sun Zhen. “You’re free to come for me. But if you dare touch a disciple of the Daxia Sword Sect... For every disciple of the Daxia Sword Sect who dies, I will kill a hundred from your Sun clan. Try me if you don’t believe it. “