I Stepped on a Bug, and the System Says I Slayed a Dragon? - Chapter 248 - 247: Unbalanced Dao Heart, Qi Qingshan’s Defenses Shattered
“What do we do, Wushuang?!”
’If they actually catch up to us, I’m dead for sure!’
“Don’t panic,”
Liu Wushuang heard the cowardice in his tone. Frowning, he couldn’t help but snap, “Where did all that bravado from before go? You go on ahead. I’ll hold them off for you!”
As he spoke, he turned and unslung the Profound Bow from his back.
“You’re the one who pissed them off. I’ll hold them back for a little while… Run as far as you can, and don’t you dare look back!”
His voice had barely faded.
“Sigh… Who would have thought they’d turn on us just like that…”
Qi Qingshan gave a bitter smile and cupped his fists. “Thank you. Once I’m back at the Alliance, I will definitely repay you for this kindness!”
With that, he turned to leave.
But just then!
“Who gave you permission to leave?”
A cold voice rang out, stopping them in their tracks.
Ye Fan of the Sky-Covering Palm was a step faster than the others and had already appeared above them. His black robes billowed, and without a single wasted word, he struck down with his palm!
The palm descended, covering everything.
The mountain winds stirred,
’Not good!’
Greatly alarmed, Liu Wushuang immediately drew his Profound Bow and aimed at the Star Pressure from above, attempting to shatter the technique with an arrow, but it was all in vain.
The rushing wind from the palm strike billowed out!
It blotted out the sky and sun!
The ferocious pressure descended with a crushing force, slamming heavily into Liu Wushuang’s and Qi Qingshan’s chests!
The next moment.
PTHOO!
Blood gushed from their mouths and noses as they were sent flying backward through the air. Only by desperately circulating the Star Force in their bodies did they manage to stabilize themselves and avoid plummeting from the sky.
’The Heaven-Blasting Gang’s power is truly terrifying!’
The two of them were stunned and bewildered, the meridians in their bodies trembling.
That palm strike was an Emperor Level Martial Arts technique, too!
It was one thing for everyone from the Jianghai Sword God’s sect to be a prodigy, but a single Emperor Level Martial Arts technique was enough to found a new sect. Yet the Heaven-Blasting Gang used them as if they were free!
’If every move they use is an Emperor Level Martial Arts technique…’
’How am I supposed to fight this?!’
“Everyone! Stop, please! We surrender!”
Liu Wushuang’s face was deathly pale. A full seven Venerables attacking together could unleash world-ending power. They were not an existence he could possibly withstand.
The Heaven-Blasting Gang’s foundation was simply too outrageous!
There was no room for maneuver at all.
“Outrageous…”
Qi Qingshan’s face was ashen, his lips trembling. After taking that palm strike, his meridians were already on the verge of shattering!
He wasn’t afraid of death, but the thought of being stuck at his current level for the rest of his life, unable to ever break through again, was a fate worse than death!
“Ganging up on us like this! What kind of heroes are you?!”
Qi Qingshan was terrified, his eyes like those of a frightened rabbit, seething with impotent rage.
At that moment, another voice cut in.
“You say we’re bullying you?”
The other six members of the Heaven-Blasting Gang arrived.
Lin Dong and the others descended onto the battlefield. His voice was cold and grim, rumbling like distant thunder. “When the two of you, powerful experts of the Venerable Realm, ganged up to pressure a junior of my Heaven-Blasting Gang, did you ever consider this day would come?”
“Someone who bullies juniors actually has the gall to say we’re bullying you?”
“I…”
Hearing this, Qi Qingshan knew he was in the wrong and fell silent, not daring to utter a single word of rebuttal.
’In the end, this was all my own doing!’
’I forced Qin Yang to summon his elders, and now I’ve tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it. I have no one to blame but myself!’
“So, have you had enough?”
Ye Fan crossed his arms, looking at Qi Qingshan’s agonized expression, and said coldly, “Even if you’re angry, you’ll just have to swallow it!”
“We of the Heaven-Blasting Gang are not kind people. We don’t care about your rules and regulations. If you mess with one of our own, you must pay the price!”
Hearing this, Liu Wushuang’s and Qi Qingshan’s hearts sank to a new low.
’This…’
’This is too tyrannical!’
Moreover, this wasn’t the arrogance of reckless abandon, but the arrogance of absolute invincibility, an otherworldly pride that transcended everything in creation and looked down on them as if they were nothing.
“Is this the Jianghai Sword God’s sect?”
Qi Qingshan murmured, a metallic, sweet taste rising in his throat. He finally understood.
Forget about the Blood Spirit Contract!
Even if they knew about it, they would still act as they pleased, completely ignoring the contract’s restrictions. They truly lived up to the name “Heaven-Blasting”!
“Hey! We said you’d take a blow from each of us, and we’re not done yet… Come and try this blade of mine!”
At that moment, another voice suddenly rang out!
The flash of a blade was faster than the voice, striking out with the speed of lightning.
The Sword Emperor, Ye Wuque, drew his blade and cut in, aiming straight for Qi Qingshan’s neck.
’Not good!’
Sensing the danger, Qi Qingshan immediately drew his sword to block.
CLANG!
The next moment.
His sword blade shattered!
The single, merciless slash shattered the sword in his hand!
“A great hit!”
Suddenly, from the crowd below, a loud voice shot up to the heavens. It was impossible to tell who had shouted, but their voice was infused with a Secret Technique, causing it to echo between heaven and earth.
…
“Yeah! My senior uncles are awesome! That’s right, beat them senseless!!”
Li Qinghe deactivated the Sound Transmission Array, pumping her fist in excitement. “The Venerable Alliance knows who they’re messing with now, huh? So satisfying!”
“Sister Qinghe, you just love to stir things up…”
Li Zixuan tugged on Li Qinghe’s sleeve, chiding her. Looking at the riled-up citizens around them, she couldn’t help but worry.
“What if those two from the Venerable Alliance hear you? It could be bad for you…”
“Bad for me? Hmph, those two small-fry?”
Li Qinghe tossed her short hair, a smug smile on her lips, and said crisply, “Look at the pathetic state they’re in now. See what a beating our senior uncles gave them?”
Then, she looked at Li Zixuan beside her and said with a grin:
“Now… they should be the ones afraid of us! Our seniors are so protective, who would dare mess with our Heaven-Blasting Gang?!”
“Protective… Master was always protective like that, too.”
Li Zixuan murmured the word as scenes from the past surfaced in her mind. Back when they encountered the Blood Demon or the Grassland Sword Saint, whenever there was danger, her Master had been just as protective.
…
“Ye Fan, you’ve vented your anger! Do you really have to be so ruthless?”
“Don’t tell me the Heaven-Blasting Gang truly intends to wipe us out?”
Wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, Qi Qingshan knew he was in the wrong. He suppressed the surging Star Pressure in his body and looked down at the Broken Sword in his hand.
“Everyone, this is all a misunderstanding. This Venerable… I will apologize to you all!”
“Compensation?”
Hearing this, Ye Fan, Lin Dong, and the others lowered their hands, hesitating slightly.
Thousands of miles away, Qin Yang, who had been eating watermelon, stopped enjoying the show. He pondered for a moment. ’If I could squeeze some rewards out of this guy, that wouldn’t be so bad.’
But…
The system didn’t respond, which meant this guy wouldn’t even survive the next five hundred years.
He was just some minor trash.
What kind of compensation could he possibly offer?
“What compensation can you offer us?”
Acting on the thoughts conveyed to him, Ye Fan looked at Qi Qingshan and asked coldly, “Let’s hear it first.”
“I have something! I do!”
Relieved, Qi Qingshan looked at the Broken Sword in his hand and answered without a hint of hesitation, “I can pass on my Cultivation! If young Qin wants to learn in the future, I can teach him everything!”
“Qingshan… you…”
Liu Wushuang was astonished.
’Passing on his swordsmanship?’
“Wushuang, don’t try to stop me. This all started because of me.”
Qi Qingshan shook his head, his voice trembling. “If I can survive this, I’m willing to pass on my swordsmanship.”
Their opponents’ killing intent was resolute; it was clear they wouldn’t stop until they got what they wanted. As long as he could live, he was willing to do anything—never mind teaching them everything he knew, he would even work like a horse or an ox for them!
He raised the Broken Sword in his hand and said helplessly:
“To atone for my earlier recklessness, this Venerable can pass on everything I have learned in my entire life, and even…”
At this, Qi Qingshan gritted his teeth, forcing out each word,
“In the future, it doesn’t have to be just the Sword God’s grand disciple! If anyone from your sect wishes to learn, I can pass on my swordsmanship to them as an apology for today’s events!”
“Qingshan…”
Hearing this, Liu Wushuang was about to stop Qi Qingshan, but upon seeing his expression, he lowered his hand and didn’t interfere.
The situation had escalated to this point almost entirely because of him. If he, Liu Wushuang, were to interfere now, he feared Qi Qingshan wouldn’t even be able to save his own life.
’Trading a Cultivation Technique for his life?’
’Although it would be shameful if word got out,’
’it’s a case of abandoning the vehicle to save the general. No matter what, it’s a path to survival.’
“How about it? As long as you all spare my life, I’ll…”
Qi Qingshan looked up at Ye Fan and the others, ready to continue, but just then, he swallowed the words he was about to speak.
He saw that the seven people opposite him had strange expressions, some of them struggling to hold back laughter, as if they had just heard something utterly ridiculous. The smiles at the corners of their mouths were undeniable.
“Heh, your guidance?”
The seven from the Sword God Master’s sect crossed their arms and looked at Qi Qingshan,
the message in their eyes… was half pity, half contempt.
“You… What are you laughing at?”
Seeing this, Qi Qingshan was at a loss. “This is my life’s enlightenment…”
“Pah! You think you’re worthy? A second-rate Venerable Realm cultivator?”
Ye Wuque laughed loudly, pointing his finger right in Qi Qingshan’s face. “Our grand disciple’s future achievements will surely surpass your Sword Dao! As for your pathetic, third-rate skills, you can keep them for your own amusement!”
“A swordsman would rather break than bend! With a disposition like yours, I’m afraid you’ll never advance beyond this point in your life!”
BOOM!
The words fell,
like a thunderclap, sending shockwaves through him.
“Stay calm! Qingshan, don’t let your will be shaken!”
Hearing that, Liu Wushuang sensed a fluctuation in the air. He glanced at Qi Qingshan beside him and suddenly realized his state was very wrong…
His aura was in disarray, his breathing abnormally rapid.
Those words had struck at the very thing Qi Qingshan was most proud of!
Now, after hearing them, his expression was dazed and vacant.
’It’s over!’
’This is bad!’
Liu Wushuang was horrified. The path of a Sword Cultivator emphasized one’s state of mind. If he couldn’t overcome this hurdle,
a single sentence could give rise to a Heart Demon!
’If he can’t advance his Realm,’
’it’s a torment millions of times worse than killing him!!’
“Never advance beyond this point? I can’t set foot in a higher Realm?”
Qi Qingshan murmured blankly, his Dao Heart beginning to crumble. “Impossible…”
He didn’t want to believe it, but their words echoed in his ears…
“That’s enough.”
The leader, Ye Fan, saw this and waved his hand dismissively. Looking at Qi Qingshan’s utterly broken expression, he couldn’t be bothered to pursue the matter further.
With such a weak disposition, after suffering a blow like this, he would likely never have any hope of breaking through for the rest of his life.
That was more painful than killing him.
“Go back and warn your Alliance Leader. From now on, Jianghai City will be protected by our Heaven-Blasting Gang. Since you’re unwilling to contribute during the Beast Tide, don’t bother coming here again.”
“Yes… yes, of course.”
Liu Wushuang nodded repeatedly, pulling at Qi Qingshan, who was in a state of a crumbling Dao Heart. “Your Heaven-Blasting Gang is magnanimous. After I return to the Alliance, I will certainly relay this matter to the Alliance Leader…”
But before he could finish,
a voice suddenly rang out from the void.
“No need to trouble yourself. Since you were looking for me, this Venerable has come in person!”
