6: Qingzhu launched a sneak attack and annihilated her opponent.

Li Yinglong's pupils constricted.

This attack... was clearly a Spiritual Qi attack! Yet, it was far from what a Mortal's martial arts could contend with.

The scorching aura, even from a zhang away, made his skin burn. If he were hit, he would surely suffer the same fate as the horse's head.

He suddenly leaned back, and as he landed, he slapped the ground with one palm, his body flipping like a kite, steadying himself three zhang away.

"Oh? The old fellow is quite slippery."

The lewd Daoist sneered, gathering a fireball in his palm again:

"Let's see how long you can dodge!"

Li Yinglong's expression was grave, and he urgently thought:

"System, investigate this person!"

"Ding! Investigation successful: Liu Yi (Loose Cultivator)"

"Realm: Qi Refining Second Layer (Early Stage)"

"Spiritual Root: Miscellaneous Spiritual Root of Earth, Wood, Fire, Water"

"Status: Scornful, Greedy, Lifespan Nearing Its End"

"Cultivation Technique: Basic Qi Guiding Art"

"Divine Ability: Fireball Spell (Proficient)"

Qi Refining Second Layer! Only one minor Realm higher than himself! And he was a miscellaneous fellow whose Lifespan was nearing its end and hadn't even reached the Qi Refining Middle Stage!

Li Yinglong's thoughts spun rapidly.

Cultivators in the early Qi Refining Stage have thin Spiritual Qi and are reluctant to use it for body tempering. They mostly use it for cultivating Divine Abilities, improving their Realm, and suppressing opponents with their Realm.

Only Body Cultivators would be willing to use precious Spiritual Qi to temper their bodies.

This Liu Yi's figure was flimsy, clearly not a Body Cultivator... Close in! Only by closing in would there be a glimmer of hope!

The 'actor' Li Yinglong took over again.

He feigned shock and retreated, his steps faltering, and he cried out in a hoarse voice:

"Immortal, please wait! The Li family is willing to offer all its wealth, only asking for your mercy!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yi indeed slowed his attack slightly and laughed triumphantly:

"Now you know to beg for mercy? Too late! Unless you kneel and kowtow, and then obediently offer up that little girl..."

Before he finished speaking, Li Yinglong suddenly erupted!

His figure was like an arrow released from a bowstring, but he wasn't charging towards Liu Yi; instead, he was pouncing towards the horn bow stuck in the ground!

That was the three-stone strong bow left behind by the Lin family guards, and there were still over a dozen feathered arrows in the quiver.

Nock the arrow! Draw the bow! Fire!

His movements were fluid and fast, leaving only afterimages!

"Whoosh~"

The arrow pierced the air, aiming straight for Liu Yi's face!

"Ant, you seek death!"

Liu Yi hadn't expected him to dare resist. Shocked and enraged, he hastily conjured a palm-sized ebony shield from his sleeve.

That was his protective Magical Artifact—a Low Grade defensive Magical Artifact, the "Ironwood Shield."

The small shield grew with the wind, instantly transforming into a half-human-tall barrier, firmly blocking the incoming arrow.

"Clang!"

Metal clashed, and the arrow bounced away.

Li Yinglong's heart sank.

This fellow had, after all, cultivated for a long time and had some savings!

But he didn't stop moving, stepping in a 'Z' pattern, using withered trees and scattered rocks for cover, continuously firing arrows!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Arrows flew in quick succession, all aimed at vital points!

Liu Yi was initially flustered, but having cultivated for many years, his experience was decent, and he quickly calmed down.

He manipulated the Ironwood Shield to block while simultaneously forming hand seals and chanting spells.

"You've exhausted your tricks! How can a Mortal's iron break an Immortal's Magical Artifact?"

Fireballs shot out one after another, crashing into Li Yinglong's hiding place, sending rocks flying and scorching grass and trees.

Li Yinglong rolled clumsily, a corner of his clothes catching fire and instantly turning black.

He quickly patted out the sparks, his breathing already becoming rapid.

This couldn't go on!

The opponent had a Magical Artifact for protection, and his Spiritual Qi hadn't been depleted, while he himself would exhaust his strength first!

In the distance, Li Qingchuan's face was ashen, and he was quietly retreating, actually trying to slip away in the chaos!

Lin Liang, supported by a guard, laughed maniacally:

"Immortal's Divine Ability! The Li family is doomed today!"

And Li Qingzhu... the child had, at some point, lowered her body, using the tall grass for cover, quietly circling to the flank!

Li Yinglong's heart tightened. What was this girl trying to do?!

Immediately, a trace of understanding dawned on him!

Liu Yi apparently also noticed the significant consumption of Spiritual Qi. He snorted coldly, then pulled out a jade bottle from his embrace, poured out afishyred Medicinal Pill, and swallowed it.

Instantly, his complexion became rosy, and Spiritual Qi surged around him again!

"Tsk, look at this? A Qi Replenishing Pill."

Liu Yi licked his lips, exceedingly smug.

"Mortals, how can you know the methods of Immortals? Let me..."

Before he finished speaking, Li Yinglong suddenly burst forward!

No longer skirmishing, but charging straight ahead!

"Hehehehe~ Excellent!"

Liu Yi sneered, firing fireballs in quick succession.

Li Yinglong's figure was elusive, always narrowly dodging at the last moment, but his speed did not diminish in the slightest! Thirty zhang, twenty zhang, ten zhang... the distance rapidly closed!

Liu Yi's expression finally changed.

Is this old bastard not afraid of death?!

He hastily retreated, while simultaneously fully channeling fireballs.

One fireball finally grazed Li Yinglong's left arm!

"Hiss~"

The smell of burnt flesh permeated the air.

Li Yinglong grunted, his movements slightly slowing.

"I got him!"

Liu Yi was overjoyed, stopping his steps to fully concentrate his final attack.

"Turn to ash for me..."

Before he finished speaking, he felt a strong gust of wind from behind him!

A slender figure, like a ghost, suddenly sprang from the tall grass behind him!

It was Li Qingzhu!

What she held tightly in her hand was none other than her mother'srelics—the Ziqing Daggers!

Upon the sword blades, a faint green spiritual glow was faintly shimmering.

"Pfft!"

The dagger pierced Liu Yi's back with incredible precision, emerging from his chest!

Liu Yi's body trembled violently, and the fireball he had gathered suddenly dispersed.

He lowered his head in disbelief, looking at the blood-dripping sword tip on his chest, then turned his head with difficulty.

When he saw the young face behind him, tender yet filled with determination, his pupils widened:

"You... actually... are also..."

His guess was correct; in just 27 days, not only had Li Yinglong broken through to the Qi Refining First Layer, but Li Qingzhu had as well!

Moreover, Li Qingzhu's Breakthrough time and the amount of Spirit Stones used were both less than Li Yinglong's!

Her talent was evident.

She was also Li Yinglong's trump card, originally not intended to be used, but the situation was sudden, and the opponent had actually hidden a Cultivator. Her eagerness to save her father compelled her to act.

Li Qingzhu didn't give him a chance to speak. She gritted her teeth and twisted her wrist, the dagger twisting inside his body!

Liu Yi spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, the light in his eyes rapidly dimming.

But just as his life force was about to completely extinguish, an extreme, unwilling malevolence supported him in a final burst of life!

His left hand, which hadn't been completely restrained by the dagger, suddenly reached back like an iron clamp, firmly grasping Li Qingzhu's sword-wielding wrist!

The immense force made Li Qingzhu cry out in pain, and the dagger almost slipped from her grasp.

At the same time, his last remaining trace of Spiritual Qi surged wildly into his other palm. A fireball, only the size of an egg, suddenly appeared, carrying all his hatred, and was raised high.

He was actually planning to perish together!

"Die together!"

Li Qingzhu's wrist was seized, unable to break free!

She was, after all, just a child. Facing such a desperate situation, her mind went blank, and she didn't even have time to react to fear.

"You fiend! How dare you!"

A furious roar exploded like thunder!

Almost at the same instant Liu Yi raised his hand to gather the fireball, a furious roar came!

From the smoke, Li Yinglong's figure shot out.

Just now, he had concentrated all his Spiritual Qi in his arm, barely enduring the grazing fireball from the opponent. Although injured, his life was not in danger.

Now, seeing Li Qingzhu in peril, the blood-stained family heirloom overlord spear was used by him as a javelin, carrying the last wisp of pure Evergreen True Qi, transforming into a green lightning bolt that tore through the sky and arrived with a whoosh!

"Pfft~ Bang!"

The spear tip arrived first, piercing Liu Yi's back of the head with incredible precision!

Liu Yi's head exploded like a ripe watermelon, red and white matter splashing everywhere.

The deadly fireball that was about to hit Li Qingzhu, losing its Spiritual Qi support, dispersed and vanished with a "pfft."

The headless corpse swayed, its grip on Li Qingzhu's hand finally loosened weakly, and it crashed to the ground.

Li Qingzhu stumbled back as if drained of strength, her small face as pale as paper. Looking at the headless corpse on the ground and her blood-splattered clothes, her stomach churned, and she finally couldn't help but bend over and dry heave.

This was her first time killing someone, and she had experienced such a bloody and terrifying scene.

Li Yinglong strode forward, first kicking Liu Yi's headless corpse away to ensure he was dead, then reached out to support the tottering Li Qingzhu.

"Qingzhu, are you alright?"

His voice was steady and strong, his gaze sharp:

"Well done! If not for your selfless attack, we would all have been buried here today! You saved your uncle, you saved the entire Li family! You are a hero of the Li family!"

These words of affirmation dispelled the fear and coldness in the young girl's heart.

Li Qingzhu slowly raised her head, looking at her uncle's resolute face and feeling the strength from his palm. Only then did the shock in her heart slightly subside.

All these changes happened too suddenly; from Liu Yi's sudden counterattack to being headshot by a spear, it was but a flash of lightning.

Only now did the remaining Li family servants in the distance, and Lin Liang, whose face was ashen, recover from their extreme shock.

Li Yinglong, however, had already turned abruptly, his killing intent surging!

He strode forward, pulled out the overlord spear deeply embedded in the earth, its tip still dripping red and white matter.

"No... don't..."

A guard, terrified, threw away his knife and knelt to beg for mercy.

Li Yinglong didn't even look, the spear striking out like a Dragon!

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

The spear's shadow flashed, and several guards each had a blood-hole in their throats, clutching their necks and stumbling to the ground.

Finally, the spear tip pointed at Lin Liang, whose face was devoid of color and whose crotch was already wet.

"Brother Li... spare my life... I am willing to offer everything..."

Before he finished speaking, the overlord spear had already flicked upwards, piercing his shoulder.

Subsequently, the obese body was directly lifted off the ground, hanging on the spear tip!

Lin Liang thrashed his limbs, letting out a pig-like scream.

Just at this moment, his eldest son, Li Qingshan, leading the Li family elites who had finished clearing the remaining enemies outside the city, finally rushed to the manor.

They happened to witness this shocking scene:

The Clan Chief stood alone in the field, at his feet lay the headless corpse of the Cultivator, and on the spear tip hung Lin Liang, like a dead dog, covered in blood, with Evil Qi soaring into the sky!

And the Third Young Miss, Li Qingzhu, stood beside him with her sword, although her small face was pale, she was unharmed.

"Father!"

Li Qingshan was both surprised and delighted.

Li Yinglong's gaze swept over the arriving clansmen, his voice resolute and clear, echoing across the wilderness:

"The Lin family colluded with a demon and sought to exterminate our clan! This is a blood feud! Today, they shall pay for their blood debt with blood!"

He shook the spear tip, flinging the wailing Lin Liang to the ground. Before he could get up, the long spear slashed downwards!

"Crack!"

Lin Liang's howling ceased abruptly, his head smashed to pieces.

"Li family children, heed my command!"

Li Yinglong's voice was like cold iron, the overlord spear pointing directly at the opened Lin family manor.

"The Lin family manor, leave no chickens or dogs! Slaughter them all!"

"Kill!"

The earth-shattering roar pierced the sky!

Li Qingshan led the charge, with the Li family disciples, fierce as wolves and tigers, surging into the Lin family manor like a broken dam.

Inside the manor, after brief screams, cries, and the clash of weapons, a chilling silence quickly descended.

Only the autumn wind carried the increasingly dense scent of blood, permeating the twilight sky.

In this battle, the Lin family, sea merchants who had dominated Linhai City's business world for decades, were utterly annihilated, their foundation destroyed, and from then on, became history.