Chapter 31: Crushing the Peak of Qi Refinement

Among the four members of the Lingyuan Sect’s group, Tang Hai possessed the highest cultivation, yet even he had only reached the twenty-second level of Qi Refinement. Li Xingyao, on the other hand, was a consummate practitioner at the thirty-third level, the peak of Qi Refinement; in terms of the amount of vital energy within his body, he surpassed the twenty-second level by a factor of ten.

Such an immense disparity was not something mere numbers could bridge.

After a comprehensive analysis by his system assistant, Qingxi reached a conclusion: even if all four of them attacked together and Li Xingyao used only one hand, he could easily annihilate them.

“Assistant, what should I do? I’m waiting for an answer online—this is urgent!” Qingxi urged the system repeatedly. Outwardly he remained calm, but inside his heart was in utter turmoil.

“Don’t panic, Host. Don’t be intimidated; if you’re not convinced, go up and fight. At worst, sixteen years later you’ll be a hero again.” Compared to Qingxi’s frantic anxiety, the assistant was almost cheerful.

Qingxi pursed his lips, entertained by the sudden desire to remove the system entirely.

“And you call yourself the strongest auxiliary system? At a time like this, can’t you be a bit more reliable?”

“If you wish to defeat Li Xingyao, it’s not impossible, but you’ll have to pay a hefty price!” The assistant’s tone abruptly shifted, making Qingxi’s eyes light up. He immediately asked, “What’s the method? What’s the price?”

“If you sacrifice the stored Five Elemental Essences within the system space, you can unleash extremely powerful force. This is, at present, your only way to defeat Li Xingyao.” As the assistant spoke, it quickly pulled up the panel displaying the quantities of the Five Elemental Essences.

In Qingxi’s line of sight, he saw his current status:

[Current stored Five Elemental Essences: Metal Essence (78/1000 threads), Wood Essence (335/1000 threads), Water Essence (135/1000 threads), Fire Essence (56/1000 threads), Earth Essence (99/1000 threads)]

For some time now, whenever there was an opportunity, Qingxi had converted the surrounding energy into Five Elemental Essences, storing them within the system space, aside from his routine cultivation.

Thus, the total amount of Five Elemental Essences now far surpassed what he’d possessed previously.

Especially when he looked at the abundant Wood Essence, he felt coming to Tiger Roar Forest had truly been the right decision.

Within this ancient forest, the aura of wood was exceedingly dense.

He had been here but a short while, and already acquired two hundred threads of Wood Essence.

If he could cultivate here for several more days, he might even accumulate a thousand threads of Wood Essence.

“Assistant, how many threads must I sacrifice to defeat Li Xingyao?”

Although Li Xingyao merely blocked the path, Qingxi could sense his hostility. A battle was inevitable; rather than passively react, he preferred to prepare his own counter.

The assistant explained, “Each type of Five Elemental Essence possesses its own attribute and power, any of which can be converted into a formidable attack. However, the Metal Essence boasts the highest offensive power.”

Qingxi said, “So you’re suggesting that with just seventy-eight threads of Metal Essence, I can defeat a prodigy at the peak of Qi Refinement?”

“Seventy-eight threads of Metal Essence alone are insufficient, of course. But as long as you follow my instructions, there will be no problem.” The assistant quickly outlined the detailed plan, and Qingxi listened intently.

Meanwhile, on the narrow path, the atmosphere was thick with tension.

Nie Yu finally realized that the man in the painting was the very one he had knocked unconscious.

Recalling what Li Xingchen had muttered before losing consciousness, Nie Yu suddenly shivered, the truth dawning on him.

The formidable figure before him was that man’s elder brother!

“This is bad. That guy really does have a powerful brother. We’re in big trouble now!” Nie Yu was so nervous he made Qingxi look calm by comparison.

He felt as though he’d just pierced the heavens themselves.

Before him stood a master at the peak of Qi Refinement! Even ten of him wouldn’t stand a chance.

As Nie Yu’s anxiety mounted, his gaze turned rigid. Feigning ignorance, he stared at the painting and said, “Who’s this in the painting? Rather handsome, but I’ve never seen him.”

Tang Hai and Tang Jiang exchanged glances, both struck speechless.

They had already recognized Li Xingchen. The memory of Nie Yu knocking Li Xingchen out with a single punch replayed before their eyes, and now Nie Yu was brazenly denying it. The two brothers could only silently worry for him.

Still, they hoped Li Xingyao might be gullible enough to be deceived.

If not… things would turn very ugly today.

Yet Li Xingyao, as a prodigy of the Scarlet Flame Sect, was no fool.

Just from the subtle shifts in expression on Nie Yu, Tang Jiang, and Tang Hai’s faces, he could tell that matters were not so simple.

Combined with the distress signal his younger brother Li Xingchen sent through his spirit token, Li Xingyao immediately deduced that these masked disciples of the Lingyuan Sect were certainly involved.

“So, you insist on learning the hard way.”

Li Xingyao put away the painting. A cold, sinister smile played at his lips. He stamped his foot, and in the blink of an eye his figure vanished.

With a flicker of light, three dull thuds sounded. Nie Yu, Tang Jiang, and Tang Hai clutched their stomachs and fell to the grass, bodies curled in pain, groaning loudly.

As for Qingxi, since he’d been communicating with his assistant and his expression remained unchanged, Li Xingyao assumed he was not deeply involved.

After dispatching Nie Yu and the others with little effort, Li Xingyao appeared before Qingxi, arms folded over his sword. The overwhelming presence of a consummate Qi Refiner radiated from him, an invisible force weighing down so heavily upon Qingxi’s shoulders that he felt as if two mountains pressed him into immobility.

“I’ll ask only once—where is my brother Li Xingchen?”

Li Xingyao’s voice was sharp and cold, like a blade piercing straight into the soul.

Having ended his exchange with the assistant, Qingxi caught a glimpse of the three wailing figures on the ground. Anger flared within his heart.

“Do you know my name?” Qingxi did not answer Li Xingyao’s question. Instead, a faint smile curled his lips as he countered with one of his own.

Li Xingyao paused, surprised. “Do I need to know your name?”

“In a moment, you’ll wish you did.”

Qingxi narrowed his eyes, seizing the chance to stall with words, buying the assistant just enough time to complete the Five Elemental Essence sacrifice.

Quietly, five thick threads of green spiritual energy shot out, in an instant winding around Li Xingyao’s limbs and neck, tightening abruptly until his face turned purple.

These were spiritual threads formed from the sacrificed Wood Essence—resilient beyond measure.

“How dare you ambush me!”

“Protective Spirit Armor!”

Furious, Li Xingyao gathered his potent energy in an instant, manifesting a multicolored armor about a centimeter thick over his body.

The pressure of the spiritual threads eased considerably, but before he could draw his sword, he saw Qingxi’s eyes flash coldly. The green threads suddenly erupted with immense force, completely suppressing Li Xingyao’s aura.

Qingxi took the opportunity, flicking a hair-thin golden needle that pierced through the formidable Spirit Armor, leaving a bloody mark on Li Xingyao’s shoulder.

That was the result of sacrificing seventy-eight threads of Metal Essence—a strike powerful enough to shatter the defenses of a consummate Qi Refiner.

With his weak point breached, Li Xingyao’s gathered energy dissipated instantly, the spiritual armor on his body vanishing like smoke in the wind.

“Take my Diamond Fist!”

Qingxi unleashed the perfected Diamond Fist, his entire hand swelling like a sandbag. He drove a fierce uppercut into Li Xingyao, sending him flying, only for the green threads to yank him back, where the barrage of Diamond Fists continued.

Before long, Li Xingyao was sprawled on the ground, stars spinning before his eyes, his face battered and bruised beyond recognition.