Wu Qi turned to look at Zhang Yi, startled as he said with a bitter smile, "Old Mister Zhang Yi, what are you doing? We have stood together through storms and stress over the past months, and finally, we are safe from the two Gold Immortals. Is being ungrateful a custom practiced in Great Qin?"
Zhang Yi gnashed his teeth in anger, and his beard fluttered like a butterfly below his chin. Pointing at Six Rivers City, he said furiously, "What am I doing? We have stood together through storm and stress? Ah? Curse you!" Although he was a cultured and refined man, he could not help but use some coarse words. "If not because of you, how would the two scourges have come to Six Rivers City? If not because of you, how would Six Rivers City become something like this?"
With his mouth twitching, Wu Qi turned around and glanced at the Six Rivers City. He felt embarrassed at the sight of it.
It was once a lively city with buildings neatly constructed. But, all was gone now. What was left where once the city stood was a massive sinkhole that went almost one hundred miles deep, and having a huge mouth measuring about forty to fifty miles from edge to edge. Water from the great lake next to it was gurgling into the massive hole. Judging from the flow rate, it would not take long before the Six Rivers City had to be renamed as the Six Rivers Lake.
Over hundreds of miles of fertile farmlands around Six River City had sunk into the ground, some a few miles deep and some dozens of miles deep. No ordinary people could work on a landscape like this. It was simply a huge crater.
And, the ripening corps were all destroyed by the few powerful spells Wu Qi had cast. Not even a single grain was left, everything getting buried under the messy soil. A few villages closest to Six Rivers City had vanished completely. All the livestock in the villages, such as pigs, dogs, cows, and horses all were ripped into pieces by the spells. Their blood and flesh were mixed with the blackened earth.
Zhang Yi pointed at the utter mess and bellowed, "Before we arrived, the two hundred thousand people of Six Rivers City had spent a couple dozens of years to build this foundation. We wanted to make this city as Great Qin's stronghold on Pangu Continent, and once His Majesty descended here, Great Qin would begin the expansion of our territory and raise our flags. But look at it now. What have you done to the fruit of our painstaking labor?"
Wu Qi shook his head. It was not his intention to create such a mess. Even though he was the Marquis of the Great Yan Dynasty, he did not have the intention to make things difficult for Great Qin!
He gave them a wry smile, spread his arms helplessly, and said, "Well, in order to deal with the two Gold Immortals, I had no other choice but to go hard! Unfortunately, I can't compensate your losses as I don't have even a single copper coin with me. Why don't you tell me what I should do?"
Right after he finished the last word, Wu Qi burst into laughter suddenly. "Aye, I'm such a fool! Why should I be reasonable with you? Aye, Zhang Yi the old man, Bai Qi the boorish fellow, I've destroyed your Six Rivers City, but what can you do to me? And yes, you are right. I've intentionally lured Reverend Li Yang and Fairy Xuan Die here, but what can you do to me now?"
Initially, Wu Qi had thought of explaining the difficulties he was facing and the reasons for his decisions. But, he suddenly came to realize that they were in the world of cultivators, and the three of them, he, Zhang Yi, and Bai Qi, were all Immortal cultivators! Hence, there was no better way to resolve their conflict than using the rules of Immortal cultivators! Who had the biggest fist would be the one with reason, and the one who dominated the others! Why should he explain to them, to someone who was so weak that he could easily kill with just a pinch of his fingers?
An armored soldier standing behind Bai Qi cursed, as he suddenly pulled out a single-handled halberd and swung it down towards Wu Qi. He was almost ten feet tall, body corded with muscles like a wild boar. As he swung the halberd with his right hand, a Palm Thunder darted out of his left palm, piercing through the air with its head aiming at Wu Qi's chest. The man's attack style was clean and simple, without any fancy patterns that came with no benefits but just wasting time. Clearly, it was an ability which he had gained through battles, a combative quality that no cultivators who only cultivated in a seclusion could ever possess.
Wu Qi snorted coldly, and a crystal clear shield made of ice suddenly emerged before him. The pitch-dark Palm Thunder arrived and smashed into the icy shield, instantly being frozen into an ice cube by the intense cold air before it could explode. When the burly man's single-handed halberd was about three feet away from Wu Qi's head, Ao Buzun, who was laying atop Wu Qi's shoulder, flew up into the air in a lazy manner and flung his little tail out. A cracking noise was heard as the single-handed halberd was knocked flying away from the burly man's palm. A large piece of skin from his palm was scraped off, blood dripping out from the wound.
Zhang Yi was stunned, and Bai Qi had the corners of his eyes twitched violently. The burly man was Meng Zhang, one of Bai Qi's loyal subordinates. He had just transcended his Heavenly Tribulation and stepped into the realm of Heaven Immortal one year ago. Although his attack style was simple, they were personally taught by Bai Qi, which was the most effective battlefield style with the strongest offensive strength. On the other hand, the Palm Thunder was named the 'Army Breaking and Slaughtering Thunder', an attack based on the aura of death and grievance left behind by countless people before they were killed. It was an attack with a very strong power, yet Wu Qi managed to counter it without too much effort.
Zhang Yi and Bai Qi knew they were not much stronger than Meng Zhang. They had just transcended their Heavenly Tribulations a few years earlier than him.
Zhang Yi gave Ao Buzun a few glances, who had returned to his Master's shoulder, then fixed his gaze at Wu Qi's face and asked in a deep voice, "I thought you were only a Nascent Soul cultivator?"
Wu Qi chuckled. His Nether Inferno Fiend Nascent Soul suddenly disintegrated, transforming into chaotic energies and returning to the various parts of his body. A strange aura was emanating from inside his body. Staring at the transfixed Zhang Yi and Bai Qi, he said with a smile, "Now, my cultivation base is the peak stage of Xiantian realm!"
Using the chaotic energies, he formed a Gold Core inside his body based on the Dark Yin Water Scripture. Now, the aura of Gold Core realm was emanating from his body. He laughed complacently and said, "Now my cultivation base is of Gold Core realm!" Then, he opened his mouth and spat out the purple-and-blue Gold Core, which was as large as a chicken egg and exuding an immense cold air. He gave it a heft, and suddenly threw it out as if it were just a small rock.
With his current muscle strength, the casual throw had sent the Gold Core several tens of miles away. Then, with a thought of his mind, it slammed into an earth mound and exploded. The violent explosion destroyed everything within tens of miles of distance, and left a huge hole that sunk a few miles deep into the ground.
Staring at Zhang Yi and Bai Qi, whose faces were blank, Wu Qi said smilingly, "Look, I've just detonated my Gold Core, but I'm alright!"
He laughed strangely and exercised the Inferno Hell Fiend Scripture, forming another Nether Inferno Fiend Nascent Soul in his body. An eerie fiend energy began to seep out of his skin as dark clouds and mists swirled around him, while a ring of fiend runes emerging behind his head, inside which, a few runes of Fiend League could be seen blinking and flashing. Wu Qi chuckled and said, "And now, I have a cultivation base of peak stage Nascent Soul realm. Oh, and I'm a Fiend cultivator!"
The Nether Inferno Fiend Nascent Soul flew out of his body, transformed into a wisp of dark smoke, and kept wheeling around him. Suddenly, Wu Qi grabbed it over and ripped it apart. A vast stream of black fiend energy sprayed out of the broken Nascent Soul as Wu Qi let out a miserable cry, "Oh no! I've destroyed my own Nascent Soul! I'm going to die!"
Under the glances from Zhang Yi, Bai Qi, and the people around him, who looked like some statues carved out of stones, Wu Qi opened his mouth and swallowed the broken Nascent Soul, as well as the vast stream of fiend energy. He burped satisfyingly, spreading his arms and said with an indifferent smile, "Actually, I am cultivating a Buddhist cultivation technique. It has a myriad of changes, and what you witnessed are just its external behaviors. Do not be fooled by it, my fellow Daoists! What you see with the naked eyes are mere illusions. Only by holding firm to your heart can you seek the ultimate truth!"
Zhang Yi and Bai Qi turned their stiffened necks and exchanged a glance. Feeling enraged, Bai Qi grasped the hilt of his sword.
Wu Qi took a step forward and placed his hand on Bai Qi's wrist. Grinning coldly, he stared into Bai Qi's eyes and said, "Prince of Wu'an, General Bai Qi, you better don't draw that sword of yours, and we can still get along peacefully. But if you do, I swear I will slaughter all two hundred thousand people of Six Rivers City, and wipe out the ten thousand soldiers who you've trained!"
"Are you threatening me?" Bai Qi was so angry that the corners of his eyes were twitching violently. He swung his right arm, trying to draw his sword so he could fight Wu Qi.
But, as Bai Qi had just stepped into the realm of Heaven Immortal, his strength was nothing close to Wu Qi's current muscle strength. Despite how he struggled, Wu Qi's hand just would not budge, and same went for his hand that was placed in the hilt. Wu Qi gave him a cold glance and warned again, "If you dare to attack me, I'll kill all living beings in Six Rivers City. Bai Qi, you better don't reject the respect I have for you!"
Yells and roars rang out around them as tens of Bai Qi's subordinates drew their weapons and took a step towards Wu Qi. Their bodies were emanating a killing intent that towered into the sky. Among these captains of Great Qin, some of them had already transcended their Heavenly Tribulations and stepped into the realm of Heaven Immortal. However, when facing Wu Qi, who possessed a fleshly body and the power of a Twenty-seventh Tier Heaven Immortal, they were just too weak.
Wu Qi snorted coldly, dragging Bai Qi with him as he dashed between the captains. Even as he did that, he casually swung and thrust his finger, cutting and crashing the weapons held in the captains' hands. These were magical treasures and spirit treasures of excellent quality, but when facing Wu Qi's formidable fleshly body, they were as fragile as tofu.
Witnessing everything, Zhang Yi suddenly cried out aloud, "Enough! We are not Duke of Tianyun's match!"
Upon hearing that, Wu Qi released Bai Qi and took a few steps back. Then, he smilingly cupped his fist and bowed to Zhang Yi.
Zhang Yi returned a salute and said coolly, "Duke of Tianyun, as we have to rebuild the Six Rivers City urgently, and you are an honorable guest too prestigious for this wasteland, I hope you can take your leave now!"
Wu Qi laughed strangely, clasped his hands behind his back and said in a flat tone, "Things would have been easy to settle if you had not surrounded me just now. But since you've initiated the attack, how could I just leave like this? If you wish to live, I want the two of you, Zhang Yi and Bai Qi, to obey my three future requests! If you agree, I'll take my leave immediately. But if you refuse, I'll kill all the living beings here in the Six Rivers City!"
Zhang Yi and Bai Qi's faces turned extremely ugly, and Bai Qi was so angry that his body was shivering. To obey Wu Qi's three future requests? Was this an insult to them?
Zhang Yi opened his mouth, thinking to make a negotiation with Wu Qi. But Wu Qi spoke before him impatiently, "It will not harm Great Qin. I just need you to obey my three future requests. Zhang Yi, Bai Qi, if I need you to help me in the future, you just have to help me with all your effort, and only three times!"
Zhang Yi and Bai Qi exchanged a glance. Finally, they shook their heads helplessly, clenched their jaws, and agreed to Wu Qi's conditions!
Wu Qi roared with laughter. In just a blink of an eye, a clump of white cloud rushed out from under his feet, carrying him away into a far distance.
At the thought of Zhang Yi and Bai Qi had promised to help him three times, together with the help from Lao Ai and Lord Long Yang, as well as Su Qin, Wu Qi grew more cheerful as he flew across the sky. He felt that everything around him was pleasant to look at, and his heart was filled with nothing but joy!
After flying for several tens of thousands of miles while humming a little tune, Wu Qi suddenly halted the cloud and cursed frustratingly.
He had lost his way! Where exactly was the Six Rivers City located on Pangu Continent? And how could he return to the territory of Zhong Province?