76: Chapter 76 Snake Demon? Slay it!

Shen Qingyuan stood there lazily with his hands tucked into his sleeves, his gaze falling on Lan Xi, the corners of his mouth curling slightly into a playful arc.

"Spare her life?"

He chuckled softly, his tone flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"She was just trying to kill my people."

Old Turtle shuddered, cold sweat sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto the ground, making a faint sound.

"Senior... it's all a misunderstanding..."

Lan Xi lay on the ground, watching the Old Ancestor's terrified expression, and realization dawned on her.

Although she did not know the origin of this young man, a figure who could make the Old Ancestor so fearful was definitely someone she could not afford to provoke.

"Se-Senior..."

Lan Xi struggled to crawl up, then knelt on the ground with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Senior! This lowly one was blind and failed to recognize your greatness; I have offended you. Please spare my life! Please spare my life!"

Her voice trembled. Her forehead struck the cold ice, producing dull "thud, thud" sounds. After a few strikes, the skin broke, and blood flowed down her forehead, staining the ice and snow beneath her red.

Shen Qingyuan looked at her state, his eyes devoid of any ripples.

"You are quite sensible."

He spoke indifferently, his tone still revealing neither joy nor anger.

Hearing this, a glimmer of hope rose in Lan Xi's heart. She hurriedly lifted her head, looking at him with a face full of pleading.

"Senior, this lowly one is willing to be a beast of burden and serve you! I only beg that you spare my life!"

As she spoke, she kowtowed repeatedly, keeping her posture extremely low.

Shen Qingyuan looked down at her and suddenly smiled.

"A beast of burden?"

He shook his head, his tone casual.

"You, a mere snake demon, what qualifications do you have to be a beast of burden for me?"

Lan Xi's expression stiffened.

Shen Qingyuan stopped looking at her and simply raised his hand, his slender fingers gripping lightly in the Void Realm.

The movement was casual, as if crushing an ant.

Yet, with this casual grip—

Lan Xi's body stiffened abruptly.

She widened her eyes, her pupils shrinking, her face full of terror.

An invisible force squeezed in from all directions, binding her tightly, unable to move even a single finger.

"Se-Senior..."

Her voice was hoarse, her eyes filled with despair.

Shen Qingyuan did not speak, merely tightening his fingers slightly.

"Crack."

The sound of bones shattering was clearly audible.

Lan Xi's body seemed to be gripped by an invisible giant hand, beginning to twist and deform. Her bones shattered inch by inch, and her flesh was squeezed inch by inch, emitting a teeth-gritting sound.

"Ah—!!!"

Lan Xi let out a shrill, miserable scream, the sound sharp and piercing, echoing across the desolate ice field.

Her body began to crack, blood gushing from the fissures and staining the ice and snow beneath her red.

"Senior! Spare me! Spare me—!!!"

Her voice grew weaker, her eyes filled with despair and unwillingness.

She was not willing!

She was a Prodigy of her clan, a Peak Dharma Image Realm demon Cultivator, possessing the Ancient Mysterious Snake Bloodline, with hopes of reaching the Saint realm in the future!

But now—

Was she going to die here?

Die at the hands of a young man whose cultivation she could not even fathom?

"No... I am not willing..."

Lan Xi shrieked hoarsely, her eyes full of venomous hatred.

Shen Qingyuan was expressionless, his fingers tightening once more.

"Bang!"

Lan Xi's body exploded, turning into a cloud of blood mist!

Blood splattered, bits of flesh flew, staining the ice within several meters red.

The cloud of blood mist drifted slowly in the air, soon blown away by the cold wind, disappearing without a trace.

All that remained in place was a dark golden turtle shell, lying quietly in the pool of blood, emitting a faint light.

The entire scene was deathly silent.

Shen Yuanshan and Shen Yuanhe stood there, watching this scene, their expressions extremely vivid.

Although they knew Ninth Elder's strength was unfathomable, seeing him crush a Peak Dharma Image Realm demon Cultivator with a single finger still left them shocked.

That was the Peak Dharma Image Realm!

Placed in Guangnan City, that would be a top-tier expert!

Yet in Ninth Elder's hands, she didn't even have room to struggle.

Shen Quan was full of admiration.

This is Ninth Elder!

Ninth Elder truly hides terrifying strength!

Meanwhile, Old Turtle watched this scene, his eyes filled with wariness.

Decisive in killing!

Such an existence is the most terrifying!

Shen Qingyuan withdrew his hand, glanced down at the turtle shell on the ground, and beckoned casually.

The dark golden turtle shell flew up from the pool of blood and landed in his hand.

The turtle shell felt warm and cool to the touch. The fine patterns on its surface glowed slightly, with Dao runes faintly flowing within, exuding an ancient, weathered aura.

Shen Qingyuan played with it for a moment, then casually threw it to Shen Yuanshan beside him.

"Third Uncle, take it."

Shen Yuanshan instinctively caught the turtle shell, looked down, and his eyes instantly widened.

"This... how can I... be so embarrassed..."

He rubbed the turtle shell, his face full of excitement.

An Ancient Mysterious Turtle shell!

This is a supreme treasure capable of blocking a Primal Chaos Realm Cultivator!

With a little refinement, it would be a heavy treasure sufficient to serve as a Lifebound Treasure!

"Third Brother, if you are embarrassed, then give it to me!"

Shen Yuanhe, standing to the side, shot him a look and reached out to snatch the turtle shell.

"Hey!" Shen Yuanshan moved quickly, decisively putting the turtle shell away. "You old Sixth, you actually want to snatch my turtle shell!"

Shen Yuanhe scoffed, "Weren't you just embarrassed a moment ago?"

"Politeness! Do you understand politeness?" Shen Yuanshan looked back and glared at Shen Yuanhe.

Beside them, Shen Quan listened to their conversation and finally understood.

So these two men in black were actually Third Elder and Sixth Elder!

No wonder they had acted to save him earlier.

Thinking of this, he hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects, "Shen Quan greets Third Elder, Sixth Elder, and Ninth Elder!"

Shen Yuanhe frowned, his gaze falling on Shen Quan, his tone carrying a bit of reproach.

"You brat, you are only a Soul Fire Realm Third Layer Cultivator, why come to this Great Emperors Secret Realm to join in the fun? Do you know how dangerous it is here?"

Shen Quan lowered his head, his hands clenched until his knuckles turned white, his voice somewhat muffled: "Sixth Elder, I... I also want to compete for an Opportunity and increase my cultivation as quickly as possible."

"Increase your cultivation?" Shen Yuanhe snorted coldly. "You cannot gamble with your life just to increase your cultivation! Do you know that if we hadn't acted just now, you would already be a corpse?"

Shen Quan lowered his head even further.

Shen Yuanshan patted Shen Yuanhe's shoulder, signaling him to say less, his tone softening a bit: "Alright, Old Sixth, there is nothing wrong with a child coming out to venture; weren't we the same back then?"

As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Shen Quan, "Just be careful next time, and don't get targeted by others!"

Shen Quan nodded hurriedly, a warmth welling up in his heart.

However—

Just at this moment!

"Rumble—"

A heaven-shaking, earth-shattering loud noise suddenly came from the depths of the Secret Realm!

The sound was like ten thousand thunders ringing out at once, shaking the entire ice field violently!

The ice layer beneath their feet cracked into spiderweb-like fissures, rubble flew, and dust filled the air!

Immediately after, a terrifying, extreme pressure swept out from the depths of the Secret Realm, like the sky collapsing and the earth sinking, sweeping across all directions!

The strength, vastness, and irresistibility of that pressure were as if a supreme expert had descended into the mortal world!

Shen Yuanshan's expression changed drastically, his internal spiritual energy surging wildly as he desperately resisted the pressure, yet he was still pressed until he couldn't breathe, his legs trembling slightly!

Shen Yuanhe was no better off, his face deathly pale, veins bulging on his forehead, his entire body feeling as if pressed by a great mountain, unable to move!

Shen Quan was directly pressed to the ground by that pressure, blood seeping from his seven orifices, his whole body trembling, even breathing becoming difficult!

"This... what is this aura?!"

Shen Yuanshan's voice was trembling, his eyes filled with shock.

As a dignified Primal Chaos Realm Cultivator, in front of this pressure, he was as insignificant as an ant!

Liu Xuzi's voice exploded in Shen Quan's mind, filled with unprecedented terror and shock: "Saint... Saint! It is the aura of a Saint! And not just one!"