The Five Pattern Qiu was a peculiar type of Demon Beast, extremely rare and seldom seen. It resembled a tiger or leopard, but its body was covered in five-colored patterns. Moreover, its entire pelt was an exceptional material for crafting Magical Artifacts; if used properly, one could even craft a Spirit Grade Magical Artifact.

"S-So what if I snatched it? At worst, it’s death—just a scar the size of a bowl. Besides, *I* didn’t even take it," the head said, its mouth barely seeming to open, its voice a thread of air.

SWISH!

The words had barely left his lips when a swift, cold glint of light flashed past. A jet of blood shot into the sky, its source a bulging vein on the man’s forehead.

One had to admit, the swordsman’s speed and control were extraordinary. He had only cut a single vein, causing the taut vessel to pump out a massive amount of blood.

The man buried in the ground looked even more drained. He was on his last breath, as if he could die at any moment.

The youth barked, "Speak! Where exactly is the Five Pattern Qiu’s pelt?"

A handsome, fair-skinned youth from the Glazed Ancient Country stepped forward and said coldly to the buried man, "That’s right. Hurry up and tell us where you hid the Five Pattern Qiu. Don’t think we won’t touch you just because you’re from the Desert North Ancient Land. Let me tell you, my Asura Sect has no fear of you people from the Desert North!"

The Desert North Ancient Land was also located in the northwest and was extremely powerful. However, because its people rarely interacted with outsiders, they weren’t widely known. They were considered the only Major Sect on good terms with the Celestial Profound Sect.

"My Daoist School of Non-action isn’t afraid either." A man with a stern expression, dressed in a Daoist robe, stepped out from the group from the Daoist School of Non-action. He carried a powerful aura, giving him the air of an otherworldly master.

A woman stepped out from the red-robed crowd and sneered, "My Sun and Moon Sect isn’t afraid either, and we certainly don’t fear the Celestial Profound Sect. To be frank, in our eyes, your Celestial Profound Sect is as useless as a clay chicken or a pottery dog."

The man buried in the ground, his breathing nearly gone, still struggled to open his mouth. "I was the one who discovered the Five Pattern Qiu first. You killed it, so why couldn’t I take its pelt? Besides, I really didn’t take it. What more do you want from me?"

Another man, this one slightly portly, stepped out from the Daoist School of Non-action and snorted. "Hmph! Your words aren’t trustworthy. The most valuable part of the Five Pattern Qiu is its pelt. For you to just take it as you please is to show us a complete lack of respect. Speak! Where did you hide it?"

The sword-wielding youth looked at the man buried in the ground and said coldly, "You ask why you couldn’t? I’ll tell you. Strength. That’s why."

Faced with the crowd’s overbearing pressure, the buried man forced a smirk onto his lips but said nothing.

Pei Yuan gasped. "These people are all top-tier experts from the Cyan Cloud List."

Yan Yuhuan nodded, her heart hammering in her chest. She said in astonishment, "Li Da of the Asura Sect is ranked three hundred and one. And Liang Qingzhou from the Daoist School of Non-action who came out earlier is ranked one hundred and forty-seven. That woman from the Sun and Moon Sect seems to be their new genius, Ruan Ying. Rumor has it she has a complicated relationship with the Cold Venerable, one of the seven venerables of Taiyi Pavilion."

"And that’s not all. You forgot the two most formidable ones," Pei Yuan said, his brow deeply furrowed. "That portly man from the Daoist School of Non-action is Fangg Xin, famous throughout the Eastern Profound Domain and a super expert ranked thirty-ninth on the Cyan Cloud List. And the one with the sword is even more terrifying—he’s Taiyi Pavilion’s Jiang... Hey, Sis!"

As Pei Yuan spoke, he realized Liu Jingwen had already rushed forward.

The crowd had noticed Wen Qingye’s party as well, but they had merely glanced at the Ring Spirit, seemingly ignoring the others. Liu Jingwen’s sudden charge left everyone a bit baffled.

Liu Jingwen faced the sword-wielding youth and roared, "You’ve all gone too far! If you’re going to kill him, then just kill him! Why torture someone like this?"

The sword-wielding youth’s eyebrows shot up and his expression shifted, but someone else was faster. Li Da of the Asura Sect lashed out, shouting, "Where the hell did you pop out from? Is this any of your business? Scram, before I decide to kill you too!"

"You... You people are bullies!" Liu Jingwen felt an immense pressure radiating from Li Da. Her face paled, and she stumbled back several steps.

Pei Yuan could no longer hold back. He stamped his foot and glared at Li Da. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"Something’s in the air today. Where did all these random ghosts, goblins, and good-for-nothings crawl out from? In any case, the Great Wilderness Ancient Stele hasn’t revealed its Dao Patterns yet, so I don’t mind sending you all on your way to the afterlife," Li Da said, a blood-red glint appearing in his eyes as he licked his lips.

Hearing Li Da’s words and seeing his blood-red eyes, the people from Yihai Country all took a small step back, like a flock of sheep before a hungry tiger.

"Hahahaha!"

"Hahaha!"

The surrounding crowd erupted in laughter.

"Have a safe trip!"

With that, Li Da’s hand chopped down like a blade, striking at Pei Yuan who was at the very front. His Palm Qi was as sharp as a knife, fierce and domineering.

Pei Yuan’s vision blurred as a gale-force wind rushed toward him. His heart sank. He frantically gathered his Primordial Qi, but before he could even execute a move, Li Da’s palm strike was already upon him.

"BANG!"

Pei Yuan’s body was sent flying like a paper doll, landing heavily on the ground. He couldn’t stop coughing up blood.

"Pei Yuan!"

"Yuan!"

Yan Yuhuan and Liu Jingwen cried out at the same time.

"Cough, cough... cough..." Pei Yuan tried to get up, but his chest felt like it had been blown apart. The slightest movement sent excruciating pain searing through his entire body.

Li Da then walked slowly toward Liu Jingwen, his eyes filled with cruel amusement.

"Li Da, since when did you stoop to bullying nobodies?" The man buried in the ground couldn’t help but speak up when he saw this.

Li Da seemed completely unmoved by the words, continuing his slow walk toward Liu Jingwen. "I kill whomever I please. Don’t try to provoke me, Gan Ziyuan."

Liu Jingwen knew she was no match for Li Da, but her face showed little fear. She planted her feet firmly, and a surge of Primordial Qi rushed from her Qi Sea throughout her body.

"Hmph. Truly courting death. Trying to be a hero without the strength to back it up."

"How ridiculous. With Li Da’s temperament, these people will end up dead or grievously injured. Do they have a death wish?"

...

Yan Yuhuan was extremely nervous, and her eyes subconsciously darted to the Ring Spirit beside her.

The Ring Spirit shook his head helplessly, indicating there was nothing he could do. ’If I were at my peak, Li Da would be no match for me at all. But I’m seriously injured right now. Knowing Li Da’s personality, he might just decide to get rid of me too.’

Li Da’s figure flashed. His palm strike, as swift as lightning and sharp as a blade, shot toward Liu Jingwen like a hawk spreading its wings, his powerful aura soaring into the sky.

Liu Jingwen’s heart seized in her chest. Watching Li Da’s ferocious approach, she grew extremely tense.

"Sis!" Yan Yuhuan couldn’t help but cry out in alarm.

But in the very next moment!

"BANG!"

A crisp crack reverberated in everyone’s ears.

SKID! SKID! SKID!

Li Da was sent tumbling backward, his feet skidding across the ground for several dozen steps before he stopped.

"Brother Wen!" Fang Yu’s eyes lit up upon seeing Wen Qingye. ’I’m happy to see him, but I’m more shocked than anything. Brother Wen’s strength has progressed by leaps and bounds! Before, I was confident I could last a hundred moves against him. Now... for some reason, I know I wouldn’t even last ten.’

"Brother Wen, you’ve gotten stronger again," Fang Yu said with a low chuckle.

Mad Blade Tu Bai stood out in the crowd like a crane among chickens. No one dared to come within ten feet of him. Seeing Wen Qingye, he was visibly startled. ’It’s him?’

"Who are you?" Li Da asked, steadying himself and suppressing the shock that rocked him as he looked at the youth before him.

Everyone in the crowd frowned, staring at Wen Qingye in disbelief. ’To send Li Da flying with a single punch... This person is no simple character.’

"Wen Qingye," he replied, his tone cold and detached as he stared calmly at Li Da.

Wen Qingye!

Li Da was stunned for a moment. A man’s reputation precedes him. After the news spread that Wen Qingye of the Celestial Profound Sect had killed Li Xingyun, his name had become a hot topic that everyone had heard.

But just as quickly, a glint of hatred appeared in Li Da’s eyes.

Bai Chen and Li Da had been very close friends. How could Li Da not hate Wen Qingye for killing him?

Liu Jingwen and Yan Yuhuan were dumbfounded, frozen on the spot. Who was Wen Qingye? It would have been normal not to know his name three months ago, but recently, he had become an incredibly famous figure.

The calm and composed youth with the gentle smile was actually a peerless genius from the Cyan Cloud List. For a moment, everyone from Yihai Country was utterly shocked and amazed.

Hearing Wen Qingye’s name, Gan Ziyuan glanced up at him before sighing internally and lowering his head again.

He had made a name for himself in the battle at Qinglan Platform, and later killed the Young Hall Master of Nebula Hall under the moonlit sky. By now, in the lands surrounding the Glazed Ancient Country, was there anyone for ten thousand miles who didn’t know the name Wen Qingye?

"So you’re Wen Qingye of the Celestial Profound Sect?" Hearing the name, the sword-wielding youth’s expression darkened. He began to walk forward, step by step. In an instant, an oppressive pressure, as heavy as a mountain, bore down on Wen Qingye.

"You must be from Taiyi Pavilion, then?" Wen Qingye asked, looking at the youth with an unconcerned smile.

The sword-wielding youth gave Wen Qingye a cruel smile. "You’re right. I am from Taiyi Pavilion. The name’s Jiang Wu."

As everyone watched the two men, they could feel the subtle atmosphere crackle with a tension like that of drawn swords and bent bows.

Wen Qingye looked at Gan Ziyuan, who was still buried in the ground. He knew that if he didn’t get him out within the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, Gan Ziyuan would surely die of blood loss.

"I’m saving him."

Wen Qingye pointed a finger at Gan Ziyuan, looking at the crowd with a calm and detached expression as he spoke.

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