“This fellow Daoist, please show mercy.”

As the voice fell, an unseen force appeared before Lu Qing, shielding the two disciples of the Myriad Beasts Sect.

The two who should have been crushed to death by Lu Qing’s willpower spewed blood, yet miraculously survived.

A thin old man appeared before the gathered Nascent Soul cultivators of the human race. His body was lean rather than burly, with a head of gray-white hair, a heavy black sword strapped to his back, and an austere aura surrounding him.

“Elder Xing!”

The human Nascent Soul experts cried out in joy at the sight of him, their hearts easing considerably.

Lu Qing’s aura just now had been terrifying even to them, striking dread into their souls. His speed as well left them wary—so much so that even the purple-robed, high-crowned middle-aged man at the peak of the third tribulation Nascent Soul dared not act rashly.

But with Elder Xing’s arrival, they finally felt they had a pillar of support.

After all, Elder Xing was a four-tribulation peak Nascent Soul expert, just one step away from the fifth tribulation.

Moreover, he was a pure sword cultivator whose combat strength was nearly equal to true five-tribulation powerhouses. Among the many elders of the Holy Assembly, his strength was considered top tier—second only to the venerable ones who had mastered spatial power.

“Haha, Xingjian, I didn’t think you’d get here before me.”

A boisterous laugh followed Elder Xing’s arrival.

Another figure appeared before the demon clan’s Nascent Soul cultivators—a burly monkey-faced being with golden-black fur, arms so long they nearly dragged on the ground, radiating an aura of absolute dominance.

“Greetings, King Zhenwu!”

The demon cultivators all brightened and hurried to salute.

“King Zhenwu, you’ve come as well.”

Elder Xing nodded at the ape, but his cold face twitched slightly upon seeing the black-golden fur.

“You broke through?”

“Hehe, just a stroke of luck.”

King Zhenwu grinned, words modest, expression anything but.

In their past clashes, though they were equals in realm, he had always been slightly suppressed by this sword cultivator. Now, having taken that key step forward—though not fully broken through yet—he stood ahead.

Elder Xing’s eyes darkened. Once King Zhenwu shed his skin fully, he would step into the fifth tribulation. With his ancient bloodline fully awakened, his power would soar to terrifying heights. Sparring with him again would be nothing but self-torment.

The two titans chatted freely, leaving human and demon cultivators alike too wary to interrupt.

Even Lu Qing waited calmly, as though biding for them to finish.

Suddenly, King Zhenwu’s gaze fell on Lu Qing, then swept over the white flood dragon behind him, as well as Xiaoli and Wuxing perched on his shoulder.

“So, you too came because of that strange tribulation? Judging by this, is this youth the one who triggered it?”

“I just arrived. I don’t know the full story yet,” Elder Xing replied with a shake of his head.

“Elder Xing…”

The purple-robed middle-aged man sent a soul message to Elder Xing, reporting quietly. Elder Xing’s expression shifted subtly, his gaze landing on Xiaoli.

Lu Qing, of course, noticed all this, but he paid it no mind. His abilities had only grown sharper after reaching the Nascent Soul Realm. He had already pried into their information with ease—even four-tribulation and five-tribulation experts yielded their secrets to him in mere breaths.

Seeing both of their eyes turn toward him, Lu Qing calmly looked back at Elder Xing.

“May I ask, Senior, why you blocked me from punishing those two villains?”

“For what reason do you wish them dead, fellow Daoist?” Elder Xing asked.

“They tried to seize my spirit beasts while I was crossing tribulation. Senior, tell me—should they not die?”

The two Myriad Beasts Sect disciples panicked and shouted desperately.

“Elder, we’re innocent! We thought those beasts were native to the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range! We never knew they were your spirit pets, Senior. Even with ten lives we wouldn’t dare offend!”

“We’re disciples of the Myriad Beasts Sect—our sect master is one of the Holy Assembly’s elders. Elder, save us!”

Lu Qing let them speak, eyes steady on Elder Xing, waiting to see what he would do.

Elder Xing’s face didn’t shift.

“These two belong to the Myriad Beasts Sect, an ally of our Holy Assembly. Their disciples fall under our discipline. If you trust me, hand them over. We will punish them strictly.”

“Hand them over?” Lu Qing arched a brow. “Would you execute them?”

“Of course not,” Elder Xing shook his head. “They erred, but the crime isn’t worthy of death. Still, I’d ensure they compensate you.”

“Compensation?” Lu Qing chuckled, stroking Xiaoli’s fur. “To me, this pet is family. Those two late-stage Golden Core cultivators combined their artifacts to strike at her. Had I arrived a moment later, my companions would be dead or maimed. Senior, if someone attacked your family, nearly killing them, what would you do?”

Elder Xing fell silent, sensing the killing intent in Lu Qing’s tone.

But after a pause, he still said, “If it were me, I’d hand them over to the Assembly.”

“Then we clearly cannot agree.” Lu Qing shook his head. “I repay grace with grace, hatred with vengeance. Since they wronged me, I’ll punish them myself.”

At his thought, the suppressive force on the two disciples suddenly intensified.

Elder Xing’s face changed. He strengthened his soul power to shield them, yet to his shock, Lu Qing’s force overwhelmed his own.

Bang!

A dull explosion rang out. Elder Xing’s protection shattered. Under Lu Qing’s crushing suppression, the two disciples burst into blood mist without even a scream.

“You dare!”

Elder Xing’s fury erupted.

A four-tribulation peak Nascent Soul, an elder of the Tribunal Hall of the Holy Assembly—yet this man had slain his charges before his very eyes.

“Senior,” Lu Qing said calmly, “the ones who offended me are gone. Do you have further business?”

Elder Xing’s eyes narrowed, killing intent leaking out.

Lu Qing only laughed.

“So much for impartiality. I killed two villains, and you already thirst for my blood. Tell me, did I commit some capital crime against the Assembly? Or are you done pretending at last?”

“What are you implying?” Elder Xing’s eyes flickered, while the purple-robed man and others stiffened.

“Haha. Did you think me blind to your transmissions? You recognized me through Xiaoli long ago, didn’t you?”

“So you truly are the fiend who, back at Sacred Tianxu Mountain, butchered our Nascent Soul cultivators?” Elder Xing’s voice turned frigid.

“Fiend?” Lu Qing mouthed the word, then smiled. “That’s right. I am the one your Assembly hunted—the ‘fiend’ of those years past.”

Gasps rang out.

Many had already suspected, but to hear Lu Qing admit it so openly shook them still.

Back then, rumors claimed that “fiend” was only at the Golden Core Realm when he slew multiple Nascent Souls at Sacred Tianxu Mountain. Few believed such a thing—how could an ant kill dragons?

Yet after investigation, the Holy Assembly had been forced to conclude it was likely true. Thus the bounty, thus the manhunt.

And now, the thunderous tribulation they’d just witnessed made sense. His foundation was unfathomably deep.

Both humans and demons stared at Lu Qing in shock. Some demon cultivators even fixed on Xiaoli, recalling rumors that the “fiend” had traveled with an ancient-bloodline beast… could it be that little black lynx on his shoulder?

“Excellent,” Elder Xing growled. “It is indeed you. No wonder you are so vicious—slaughtering even two junior Golden Cores without hesitation. Today, I’ll seize you and bring you to trial. Then you’ll learn the might of our human Nascent Souls!”

He drew the black iron sword from his back and prepared to strike.

“Hold.”

King Zhenwu appeared before him, raising a hand to block.

“What are you doing, Zhenwu?” Elder Xing snapped, suspicion flashing through his mind. Was the ape trying to intervene for his own gain?

“Don’t be so hasty, Xingjian,” King Zhenwu said evenly. “You humans may have debts to settle with him, but we demons also have questions. Let me ask mine first. Afterwards, you can act.”

Elder Xing seethed, but facing one who now stood half a step into the fifth tribulation, he had no choice but to yield.

“Fine. Ask, then.”

King Zhenwu turned to Lu Qing, eyes sharp.

“Boy, tell me. That lynx on your shoulder—what is its origin?”

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