Li Wang and Li Lei were both stunned, almost thinking they had misheard.

For Junior Brother Chen to contradict Senior Sister Nie to her face... could it be...?

Nie Shanshan’s hand, reaching for the Cold Jade Bottle, froze mid-air. She slowly turned her head to look.

"Oh?"

Nie Shanshan’s elegant brows rose slightly, her voice still calm. "Junior Brother Chen, do you think I’m... taking too much?"

Chen Qing met Nie Shanshan’s gaze and nodded frankly. "That’s right."

He hadn’t competed for it before for two reasons. First, the benefit from one or two drops of Centennial Earth Core Milk was too small to be worth revealing his strength and inviting trouble. Second, with Xiao Bieli’s Lifeng imminent, it was better to observe the situation and bide his time than to become a target over a moment of pique.

But things were different now!

More than ten drops of Centennial Earth Core Milk every month! And a drop of three-hundred-year-old Earth Core Milk dangling before him!

It was enough to save him several months of arduous cultivation. It might even help him open his Eighth and Ninth Main Meridians ahead of schedule and touch the threshold of the Late Stage.

’Time waits for no one. I don’t know how the situation will develop, but I have to secure these benefits first.’

"Good!"

A sharp glint flashed in Nie Shanshan’s eyes. She said indifferently, "You talk tough. Let this Senior Sister see if your skills are just as tough!"

Her Gui Water True Qi erupted without warning!

The temperature in the entire Council Hall seemed to drop several degrees, and the faint sound of surging waves could be heard.

The next moment, she moved!

She raised a fair hand. The movement seemed gentle, but it was as fast as lightning. A Palm Power like a raging sea’s tempest, carrying a majestic impact, shot straight toward Chen Qing’s chest!

The Gui Water True Qi condensed in her palm, forming a visible, pale blue Palm Seal. Wherever it passed, the air was compressed until it let out a muffled sonic boom!

This palm strike contained the vast True Qi from her eleven opened Main Meridians.

Chen Qing’s reaction was also extremely fast. The Cyan Wood Eternal Spring Technique within him circulated to its absolute limit, and his Cyan Wood True Qi surged like a river breaking its dam!

Vast and pure True Qi instantly filled his limbs and bones, and an aura far surpassing that of an ordinary Mid-stage Embracing Pill Power expert erupted from him!

At the same time, beneath the skin of his body, a faint, almost tangible golden radiance suddenly lit up!

The Eight Extremes Vajra Body’s Golden Body Realm was activated at full power!

His muscles and bones tensed in an instant, their toughness increasing exponentially. He seemed to transform into an Arhat cast from molten gold and iron!

He didn’t dodge. Instead, he took a fierce half-step forward with his left foot and sank into his stance. With his right fist clenched and wreathed in Cyan Wood True Qi, he met her attack head-on, launching a ferocious punch straight toward the tempestuous power in Nie Shanshan’s palm!

BOOM—!!!

The moment the fist and palm collided, it was like a sudden clap of thunder on a clear day!

A violent wave of air exploded outward from the two of them, like a tangible shockwave!

Inside the Council Hall, several chairs near them were instantly sent flying and shattered! The teacups and documents on the tables scattered like pieces of paper!

From the spot where they stood, spiderweb-like cracks instantly spread across the hard, green flagstone floor!

Li Wang and Li Lei’s expressions changed drastically. They felt a colossal, overwhelming force rush toward them, roiling the qi and blood in their bodies. Unable to keep their footing, they were involuntarily forced back several steps before they could steady themselves, their faces filled with horror!

Nie Shanshan felt a tremendous, powerful force transmit from Chen Qing’s fist. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

The raw, domineering power of it far exceeded her estimations!

What shocked her even more was that when her Gui Water True Qi struck him, it felt as if it had crashed into an indestructible wall of metal.

THUD THUD THUD!

Nie Shanshan’s figure swayed slightly. She was actually forced back half a step by this immense force!

Though it was only half a step, a flicker of astonishment had already appeared in her heart.

Her beautiful eyes widened, and for the first time, she looked at Chen Qing with an incredibly serious gaze.

Although she hadn’t used her full power in that strike, it was by no means something an ordinary Mid-stage Embracing Pill Power practitioner could have taken so easily!

He had met it head-on and withstood it!

Li Wang’s eyes were filled with incredulous astonishment. He knew Chen Qing’s progress was fast, but he never imagined it was *this* fast!

In just a few short months, he had already reached the threshold of Late-stage Embracing Pill!

Li Lei was also greatly surprised, his heart trembling.

He had originally thought that after breaking through to Late-stage Embracing Pill, he would be able to hold his own against Chen Qing. Now, it seemed Chen Qing’s progress was even greater than his.

A brilliant light erupted in Sang Yanping’s cloudy old eyes!

’Good kid! You really know how to hide your strength! It’s obvious you’re about to break through to Late-stage Embracing Pill. And that Hard Skill... you couldn’t have mastered it without a certain degree of tenacity...’

The hall fell deathly silent, with only the dust kicked up by the aftershocks of Strong Qi slowly drifting down.

After one direct clash, the two seemed to be evenly matched, standing as equals.

"Good!"

Nie Shanshan spoke again. Her voice had returned to its usual calm, but now carried a new gravity. "Junior Brother, your strength is indeed deeply hidden. Your Senior Sister was rude just now."

Her gaze swept over the ten Cold Jade Bottles on the table. "In that case," she said decisively, "let’s split the ten drops of Centennial Earth Core Milk. Junior Brother Chen and I will each take four. Junior Brother Li Wang and Junior Brother Li Lei, one each. How does that sound?"

’Four drops of Earth Core Milk are enough for me to digest and absorb in a short amount of time. Besides, we’ll be getting more of this every month. There’s no need to fight to the death over it right now. More importantly, I see his potential now. It’s not worth creating bad blood over a few drops of Earth Core Milk. Better to go with the flow and leave some room for goodwill.’

Chen Qing looked at Nie Shanshan and nodded. "Senior Sister Nie’s proposal is fair. I agree."

’My goal has been achieved. Four drops are enough.’