165: Chapter 165 Raising Prices on the Spot! You Want War? Then Let's Fight!

[Meta-Cognitive Tactics Panel]

Core Objective: Achieve a seamless physical transition from 'Chapter 164', reshape the negotiation outcome through 'escalation of conflict', and introduce the core face-slapping and compensation plotline from [Material A].

Pleasure Point Engineering:

* Overwhelming Superiority: Qin Ji (protagonist) exerts absolute martial dominance over Princess (royalty).

* Aesthetics of Greed: The reversal in bargaining dynamics, from 'reluctant acceptance' to 'asking for the moon'.

* Numerical Thrill: Display the visual spectacle of a single damage number: -860,010.

Material Forging:

* Framework: Material A (Qin Ji vs. Princess combat sequence).

* Substitutions: Qin Ji -> Qin Ji; god-beating whip -> green copper block/Abyssal skill; Platinum shield -> Divine Frost Shield.

* Expansion: Add environmental destruction descriptions (e.g., molecular-level depiction of shield shattering).

Main Text Begins

The sunset bled like a wound, staining the ruins a deep crimson. Qin Ji's figure hovered a thousand meters in the air, one foot planted on a floating fragment of rock. His profound pupils shimmered in the twilight, like an ancient Vicious Beast sated from a recent feast, coldly observing the approaching night.

Yet, just as he turned, poised to leave completely, an incredibly obscure spatial fluctuation emanated from below.

Qin Ji's movement halted abruptly, a frigid curve hooking the corner of his mouth.

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh—!"

His response to this fluctuation wasn't words, but three streaks of black light tearing through the air. They were shadow arrows casually flung by Qin Ji, carrying a suffocating aura of corrosion aimed directly at Princess's forehead.

Down in the ruins, Princess, who had been secretly gripping a communication jade Talisman in her sleeve, hadn't even had time to crush it before the terrifying Killing Intent locked onto her entire being.

"If that's the case, then let's have Princess die once first!"

Qin Ji's voice was like a gale from the deepest hell, instantly freezing the surrounding air.

"Have you gone mad?!"

Princess's face paled in shock. She hadn't expected Qin Ji's perception to be this sharp, nor had she anticipated this man to turn hostile so suddenly and without warning.

Facing the cascading shadow arrows, light flashed in Princess's hand. A heavy Platinum shield radiating with brilliant, frigid energy materialized out of thin air.

[Divine Frost Shield (Legendary Rank)]!

As she raised the shield, her other hand swiftly grasped a Talisman shimmering with silvery spatial light—a 'Grand Teleportation Talisman' capable of crossing battlefields.

"Clever plan, trying to call for help? But a mere Platinum Rank shield won't protect you."

The [star abyss dark wings] on Qin Ji's back suddenly trembled, and his entire person transformed into a black afterimage impossible for the naked eye to track.

Although the Grand Teleportation Talisman was powerful, it wasn't instantaneous, requiring roughly three seconds of channeling time.

And before a powerhouse of Qin Ji's level, three seconds were more than enough for him to kill and loot ten times over!

"Flash Step: Shadow Flicker!"

Space seemed to fold. Qin Ji's figure vanished from his original spot, crossing hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye. His face, bearing a sinister smile, pressed directly in front of Princess.

"Boom!!"

Without any flashy techniques, the ancient-looking green copper block in Qin Ji's hand smashed down.

This seemingly unremarkable green copper block erupted with the terrifying gravitational force of a billion *jun* the moment it made contact with the Divine Frost Shield.

"Crack—"

A grating, brittle sound rang out.

On that Platinum heavy shield, reputed to withstand forbidden Spell bombardment, fine cracks actually appeared. The cracks spread wildly like a spider's web, the magical runes on the shield's surface extinguishing one by one with mournful cries.

Princess's pupils trembled violently, the blood draining from her face.

How was this possible?!

This was a top-tier defensive artifact from the royal treasury, possessing the 'Absolute Block' attribute. Even thousands of ordinary Legendary Rank attacks might not wear down a single point of its durability.

Yet Qin Ji, with just a single basic attack, had brought this divine shield to the brink of shattering?

However, there was simply no time for her to think. Qin Ji's green copper block had already been raised again. The second attack, like a hammer of judgment, descended with the roar of wind and thunder.

"Boom!!"

A deafening blast shook the heavens.

The Divine Frost Shield in Princess's hand completely exploded. Countless crystalline fragments vaporized instantly under the green copper block's pressure, transforming into a sky full of icy powder.

Princess herself was sent flying backward by the immense recoil force, her palms splitting open, blood staining her silver light armor.

"How could..."

She stared in disbelief at her now-empty left hand. The fear originating from the depths of her Soul finally overwhelmed the dignity of royalty.

Qin Ji stood in place, casually tossing the green copper block in his hand, a faintly discernible mocking smile on his face.

Shattering a Legendary shield in two hits. If this got out, probably every blacksmith in the divine realm would question their life's work.

But under Qin Ji's monstrous attribute stacking, so-called 'defense' was nothing but a joke.

"Run?"

Seeing Princess unfold ice wings behind her back, attempting to soar skyward to create distance, the mockery in Qin Ji's eyes deepened.

"Comparing speed with me, who possesses [star abyss dark wings]? Your Highness, aren't you being a bit too naive?"

"Boom!"

The ground beneath Qin Ji's feet instantly collapsed. His entire person shot into the sky like a black cruise missile.

Almost instantaneously, he caught up to Princess, who was climbing at extreme speed. The green copper block in his hand smashed down mercilessly towards her back.

Critical Hit!

-860,010!

A crimson, massive damage number floated above Princess's head.

One critical hit. Eight hundred and sixty thousand damage!

Princess's previously full health bar instantly evaporated by four-fifths, plunging directly into the red, near-death state.

What made her most despairing was that the several Frost control Spells she had released in retaliation all displayed as 'Immune' when they struck Qin Ji.

[Frost Immunity]!

"How can you be this terrifying?!"

Princess's voice trembled. She barely stabilized her form mid-air, waving a hand to summon three more backup magical shields.

But before Qin Ji's savage, unreasonable attack power, these shields were as fragile as paper windows.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Qin Ji swung three times in succession. The three shields shattered accordingly, the exploding magical energy shredding the surrounding clouds.

Can't escape.

Can't win.

Can't defend.

This was the hopeless predicament Princess now faced.

"Qin Ji, what exactly do you want!"

Princess was both furious and ashamed, but more than anything, she felt the utter helplessness of being completely overpowered. As the favored daughter of the Star Kingdom, she had never been this humiliated before.

Qin Ji halted his attacks, hovering three meters above her, looking down from his superior position. The green copper block in his hand still radiated a heart-palpitating sense of oppression.

"Don't you know me? I'm a man who only cares about profit."

Qin Ji sneered coldly, his gaze sharp as a blade. "I don't care what schemes your royal family has, nor do I care if you were trying to tip off Leona just now. But, trying to play tricks in front of me, even attempting to shortchange my rewards..."

"You can't. Leona, she can't either!!"

Princess drew a sharp, cold breath. Only today did she truly witness the horror of this man.

This level of combat power was simply not something a player at this stage should possess. Even ordinary mythic rank bosses might not be his match!

"Fine! I agree to your previous terms!"

Princess gritted her teeth, speaking rapidly. "As long as you stop, I'll give you the rewards right now!"

If she didn't agree, that green copper block would smash her skull the next second. She had no doubt whether Qin Ji dared to kill her—this madman had even dared to kill the leader of the Yin and Yang masters; what was killing a Princess to him?

However, Qin Ji did not put away his weapon. Instead, the curve of his mouth widened further.

"You said it yourself. That was *before*."

Qin Ji extended two fingers, waving them before Princess's face. "Now, the terms are doubled."

"Qin Ji! I came to negotiate in good faith!" Princess trembled with rage.

"Good faith?"

Qin Ji scoffed derisively. The dark wings behind him flapped slowly, stirring up a black storm. "Princess, when you took out that communication Talisman just now, did you think of the words 'good faith'?"

"You..."

"Spare me the nonsense." A cold glint flashed in Qin Ji's eyes as he raised the green copper block again. "Either give it, or die. Your choice."

"Stop!!"

Feeling that tangible Killing Intent, Princess finally broke. She screamed, "Let me go! Name your price!!"

The corners of Qin Ji's mouth lifted, sketching a satisfied smile.

He had been waiting for these exact words.

Killing Princess would, at most, net him some first-kill rewards and a few pieces of dropped equipment. While not bad, it might not yield what he urgently needed.

Extortion was the fastest path to wealth.

"Listen carefully. What I want isn't much."

Qin Ji spoke unhurriedly. "First, the [Footsteps of the Snow Corpse] dungeon secret key. Only the royal family has this."

"Second, the [Eternal Scroll]. Don't tell me you don't have it. If Leona could produce one back then, you, as the Second Princess, must have one too."

"Third, three thousand free attribute points. Not one point less."

"You truly have the audacity to ask for the moon!"

Princess's face turned pale as she listened. Each of these three items was a priceless, strategic-level resource.

"The [Footsteps of the Snow Corpse] key is needed to open the royal Forbidden Ground... Three thousand free attribute points are the treasury's accumulated reserve..."

"Give, or not?" Qin Ji didn't listen to her explanations at all. The green copper block pressed down another inch.

"I'll give it! I'll give it!!"

Princess gnashed her silver teeth. She knew this was the limit of what she could bear, and also the bottom line Qin Ji had precisely calculated.

"I happen to have one [Eternal Scroll] on me. It was originally meant to reinforce the throne's defensive Formation for the new king... The free attribute points and the key, I'll transfer them to you now!"

Qin Ji narrowed his eyes, watching as Princess tremblingly retrieved from the Void Realm a piece of ancient-looking parchment scroll and a crystalline, translucent ice-key.

Taking the items, watching the three thousand free attribute points instantly appear in his panel, the Killing Intent on Qin Ji's face vanished in an instant, replaced by a smile as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Wouldn't it have been better to do this earlier? All this unnecessary fighting and killing, damaging our rapport."

Qin Ji casually stowed the green copper block, now flecked with ice shards, back into his pack, as if the Devil Head intent on killing just moments ago wasn't him at all.

This feeling of demanding an exorbitant price and haggling on the spot was truly exhilarating.

Moreover, what he actually wanted most was the [Eternal Scroll].

This item could bestow an 'Indestructible' property on equipment. For Qin Ji, who frequently engaged in high-intensity battles, it was an absolute necessity among necessities.

"Go back and tell Leona."

Qin Ji toyed with the secret key in his hand, his tone flat yet carrying an undeniable air of dominance. "If she dares to discount the rewards for my support in making her king again, I won't mind pulling her off that throne and letting someone else sit on it."

Princess looked at Qin Ji meaningfully, her gaze complex.

She knew this man wasn't joking.

"Very well. I will convey your words to the new king."

Princess gave Qin Ji one last deep look. Clutching her injured arm, she awkwardly departed, riding her tattered ice wings. She didn't want to stay near this demon a moment longer.

Watching Princess leave, Qin Ji wasn't in a hurry to depart.

He took out the [Eternal Scroll], his gaze falling upon the pitch-black [netherworld longbow] in his hand.

Although smashing people with the green copper block had been satisfying, he was, at his core, a 'mage' who preferred long-range kiting. This netherworld longbow wasn't just top-tier in attributes; more importantly, it possessed growth potential.

"Use!"

Following Qin Ji's mental command, the ancient scroll transformed into a stream of golden light, slowly merging into the bow's body.

[Ding! Enhancement successful! Your weapon 'netherworld longbow' has acquired the property: Eternal and Unfading (Durability fixed at ∞, cannot be destroyed, corroded, or decomposed by any means).]

"Done."

Qin Ji flicked the bowstring with satisfaction, producing a clear, resonant hum. With this property, even when facing bosses possessing 'equipment corrosion' abilities, he could output damage without any reservations.

"Next up, the main event."

Qin Ji looked at the ice-crystal key in his hand—the [Footsteps of the Snow Corpse] dungeon secret key.

The efficiency of grinding the Black Water Lake Dragon Turtle dungeon had become too low by now. To dominate in the upcoming National War version, he needed to stack his health pool to a number that would drive everyone to despair.

And that dungeon, filled with ice and snow monsters and possessing a special health regeneration mechanism, was his paradise for grinding health.

"After this grind, I guess it'll be time for me to go check out the so-called 'real world' and see what the fuss is about."

Qin Ji murmured to himself, recalling the recent forum frenzy about 'anomalies' appearing in the real world. Rumor had it that a laboratory leak of some unknown virus had turned a city into a dead zone, even spawning monsters similar to zombies in games.

Some said it was a precursor to the game invading reality. Others called it a coincidence.

But in Qin Ji's view, no matter how the real world changed, as long as his attributes were high enough, even if the apocalypse descended, he could treat it as a dungeon and grind it!

"Let's go!"

Qin Ji's figure flickered, transforming into a streak of light that shot toward the horizon, leaving behind only the shattered ruins that, in the night, whispered of the brief yet violent domination that had just transpired.