35: man in white

[Year Twelve,]

[After reaching the initial level of "Body Manifests Myriad Forms," you traveled to the Great Jin Dynasty and blackmailed the Jin Emperor for many rare Materials.]

[One day, you suddenly remembered Fragrant Lord Qiao's deep-seated hatred and secretly investigated Prime Minister Zhao Yi's past.]

[This investigation revealed something shocking: Zhao Yi had framed Fragrant Lord Qiao's parents, embezzled the Qiao family's assets, and slaughtered over two hundred members of her clan, with Fragrant Lord Qiao being the sole survivor.]

[Even more infuriating was that Zhao Yi relied on his daughter's position as Empress to act tyrannically in court. Greedy, lustful, and oppressive, he was rotten to the core...]

[You immediately sent a message for Fragrant Lord Qiao to come to the Jin Dynasty capital at once.]

[As soon as she arrived, you wordlessly led her to storm the Zhao Residence.]

[The bloated Zhao Yi saw Fragrant Lord Qiao and then glanced at your smiling mask, immediately sensing that things were taking a turn for the worse.]

[Fragrant Lord Qiao's eyes were bloodshot: "Traitor Zhao, do you still recognize me?"]

["Who are you?" Zhao Yi squinted as he sized her up, looking completely bewildered.]

["Corrupt official! I am Qiao Yingying, the daughter of Minister Qiao!" Qiao Yingying gritted her teeth. "Just because my father impeached you, you had my entire family executed! Today, I want a blood debt for a blood debt!"]

[Her voice was trembling.]

[Zhao Yi suddenly began to grin hideously: "Qiao Yingying? Hahaha! Do you know that before your mother died, she knelt and begged me..."]

[Fragrant Lord Qiao's body swayed, and the blade in her hand almost fell to the ground.]

[You couldn't stand to watch any longer: "Why waste words with such a person? Just kill him."]

[Qiao Yingying looked at you pitifully: "He is a Great Grandmaster, I cannot beat him..."]

[Although she had reached a Breakthrough to the Grandmaster Realm, Zhao Yi had also achieved a Breakthrough to the Great Grandmaster level.]

["Go ahead, he cannot hurt you," you said nonchalantly.]

[Qiao Yingying nodded, drew her blade, and slashed.]

[Zhao Yi suddenly laughed maniacally, and a blood-colored jade pendant slid from his sleeve!]

["You want to kill me? In your next life!" He suddenly crushed the jade pendant, and a beam of blood-red light soared into the sky!]

[You snorted coldly, transforming your True Essence into a palm and grasping at the air—]

["Boom!" The blood-red light exploded, turning into a sky full of poisonous needles shooting toward Fragrant Lord Qiao!]

["That's it?" With a wave of your sleeve, your inner force dispersed all the poisonous needles!]

[Fragrant Lord Qiao's face turned pale with fear, but she bit her lip: "Zhao Yi... you are still as despicable as ever!"]

[Zhao Yi took the opportunity to retreat, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Guards—"]

[Before he could finish, you flicked your finger, and two strands of True Essence like blades "cracked" as they severed both his arms!]

["Consider this interest," you said calmly.]

[Fragrant Lord Qiao seized the opportunity to lunged forward, her blade aiming straight for Zhao Yi's heart!]

[Zhao Yi roared ferociously, unexpectedly using his severed arms to strike his Dantian—]

["Let's die together!"]

[A Great Grandmaster's self-destruction was no laughing matter!]

[Your gaze turned cold, and you instantly blocked Fragrant Lord Qiao, pressing down with a palm—]

["Suppress!"]

[That majestic True Essence instantly solidified, and Zhao Yi's swelling body exploded into a mist of blood with a "poof!"]

[As the dust settled, Fragrant Lord Qiao knelt in a pool of blood, holding Zhao Yi's head and weeping loudly: "Father, Mother... your daughter has finally avenged you..."]

[Looking at the blood covering the ground, you suddenly remembered how your hands shook the first time you killed someone.]

[—It turned out that not everyone can remain clear-headed amidst blood.]

[Looking at Fragrant Lord Qiao's trembling back, you couldn't help but sigh: It truly wasn't easy for a woman to endure until now.]

[Recalling the look in her eyes when she looked at you to survive back then, your heart trembled slightly.]

[In this world where the strong prey on the weak, how many people have lost their true nature because of power and status?]

[Can those who kill indiscriminately still be considered human?]

[You remembered your past self—though a bit of a playboy when you lacked power, you were still soft-hearted.]

[But after gaining power, it was inevitable that your hands would be stained with blood.]

[Why do some people lose their humanity after becoming stronger?]

[Especially those Cultivators, how can they stand by and watch Yao Beasts eat people?]

[Among the billions of living beings on this Desolate Heaven Continent, the Cultivators are cold-blooded enough to let Yao Beasts run rampant.]

[You really couldn't understand what the hearts of those Cultivators were made of.]

[Suddenly, you whipped your head around—]

[A white figure stood on the roof beam at some unknown time, gently fanning a folding fan with a gentle smile, yet it made your hair stand on end.]

["Fragrant Lord Qiao, get back!" you barked, the True Essence within your body surging instantly, ready to strike.]

[This person could approach silently without even you noticing... either his strength far exceeded yours, or he was a Cultivator!]

[The Man in White sized you up and suddenly clapped and chuckled: "Interesting, in this remote backwater, there really is someone in the Heavenly Human Realm."]

[Your fingers curled slightly as you asked coldly, "Is Your Excellency a Cultivator?"]

[He didn't answer, but simply closed his folding fan, pointed at Zhao Yi's headless corpse, and said slowly, "Although this stupid dog was useless, he did collect many Cauldrons for me. Since you killed him, you'll have to compensate me with a better one, won't you?"]

["Is that so?" You laughed out of sheer anger and stopped wasting words. Suddenly executing "Subtle Steps of Ling Bo," your figure approached like a ghost, aiming a punch straight for his throat!]

[The Man in White shook his head and sighed, as a purple Talisman suddenly flew from his sleeve: "Thunder Curse, Release!"]

["Rumble—!"]

[The moment the Talisman exploded, blinding lightning pounced like a giant python, and the air was instantly filled with the scorched scent of thunder and fire.]

[You immediately expanded your Domain, and with a swirl of True Essence, the broken sword on the ground turned into a green light to meet the thunder—]

["Clang—Crack!"]

[The sword blade shattered inch by inch, and most of the lightning was neutralized, but the residual force still made your arm go numb.]

[You used the momentum to charge forward, your fist wind pressing toward his heart: "Die!"]

[But the Man in White was prepared, a golden light flashed from the "light evasion talisman" in his hand: "Escape!"]

["Swish!"]

[His figure was enveloped in a golden cocoon, streaking toward the horizon like a meteor, leaving only playful laughter echoing behind—]

["Resisting a Thunder Curse with your Physical Body? Quite a good hound... Next time, this Young Master will prepare chains before coming to meet you again."]

[The brief exchange just now left you with lingering fears.]

[You still knew too little about the methods of Cultivators.]

[That person had only casually thrown out a single Talisman, yet it forced you to respond with all your strength.]

[If he had plenty of Talismans, wouldn't you be in grave danger?]

[You pondered secretly—these Cultivators seemed more like sorcerers who could only cast spells from a distance; close-quarters combat might be their weakness.]

[The next time you encountered one, you had to seize the initiative and not give them a chance to use their Talismans!]

[After much thought, you decided not to look for Xue Yuntao this time.]

[If this Cultivator was watching from the shadows, wouldn't it implicate the Xue Family?]

[After calming your emotions, you immediately evacuated with Fragrant Lord Qiao.]

[Year Fifteen. During these three years, you moved from place to place, hiding.]

[After parting ways with Fragrant Lord Qiao, you eventually hid in a secluded mountain cave, concentrating on Cultivating "Body Manifests Myriad Forms," finally achieving some success.]