Chapter 156: I'm stronger than you imagine by a bit

In the Bai Clan's main hall, Shen Qing and Lu Yun sat there, silently waiting for Bai Buzheng.

Lu Yun felt a bit nervous: "Commander Shen, the Bai Clan is being courteous, but I keep feeling something is off."

Lu Yun looked at Shen Qing, but Shen Qing didn't speak, merely sipping tea lightly—this was already his fifth cup.

Seeing this made Lu Yun thirsty; he picked up his teacup, about to drink.

But Shen Qing's hand firmly pressed down on his arm, leaving Lu Yun puzzled.

Shen Qing said, "Don't drink it; there's poison in the tea."

Lu Yun's hand trembled, and he looked at Shen Qing in panic: "Ah?"

But he quickly realized Shen Qing had already drunk five cups.

"Then Commander Shen, you..."

Shen Qing was nonchalant: "Relax, I'm fine."

"The Bai Clan has been loyal and righteous for generations; I thought only their young master Bai Qing was involved, and I had wanted to let them off, but now it seems the whole Bai Clan is corrupt."

"The scene later might get rather bloody."

Lu Yun glanced outside; many people had already arrived in dribs and drabs, and far off he could see more rushing over.

"Commander Shen, why don't we break out now?"

"After all, this is the Bai Clan's main stronghold; we came hastily, bringing few men, so we're at a disadvantage."

"No matter how fierce a tiger is, it can't withstand a pack of wolves."

Lu Yun gripped his sword hilt, waiting for Shen Qing's order.

He certainly knew Shen Qing was extraordinarily formidable, but this was, after all, someone else's home.

Moreover, he was only at the peak of the Ancestral Master realm; if a fight really broke out, aside from cheering Shen Qing on, he'd basically be of little use.

Besides, Shen Qing had already drunk five cups of poisoned tea; clearly the best option now is to flee.

Shen Qing smiled.

"Look, you're getting anxious again."

"Rest assured, I'm stronger than you imagine by a bit."

What Lu Yun said was certainly true: even a fierce tiger would struggle against a pack of wolves.

But if that tiger were a Storm Star Cloud–Splitting Tiger King, what would you do then?

Just then, Bai Buzheng walked in from outside, a smile on his face.

"Commander Shen! Why didn't you give notice before coming? My Bai Clan has been remiss in hospitality."

At that moment, Lu Yun's back was completely soaked with sweat.

Shen Qing rose and walked slowly toward Bai Buzheng, smiling warmly.

"It's nothing; I'm just glad the Bai Clan chief could come."

"Especially since you're so close by?"

Bai Buzheng stared for a moment, wondering what that meant.

No sooner said than done.

Shen Qing's right hand suddenly gripped the hilt of the Slaying Dragon sword; the sheath burst open, and a strange purple mist mixed with brilliant gold light exploded forth.

This was Shen Qing's self-created supreme art, Open Heaven.

In an instant, a swing of the blade unleashed endless radiance.

Wherever the blade's light passed, Bai Clan members were cut in half, and trees and stones were shaken to dust by the blade's aura.

With that strike, heaven and earth fell silent.

Bai Buzheng leapt back several steps, performed a stylish backflip in midair, and landed steadily on one foot amid the ruins, standing with his hands behind his back.

"Commander Shen, someone already warned me you might lash out violently; I've been prepared."

"But since you've chosen to strike, don't blame me, Bai Buzheng, for what happens today."

"I, Bai Buzheng, have spent my life avoiding conflict, but today I intend to really contend."

But Shen Qing paid him no heed, turning and walking toward Lu Yun.

Bai Buzheng frowned: "Shen Qing, you... how..."

His voice cut off; a blood line appeared on Bai Buzheng's neck, his head slowly slipped off, tumbled several times in the air before hitting the ground, rolling repeatedly, emitting a gurgling sound.

Lu Yun stared at Bai Buzheng's head, swallowed, and thought, "He's just dead like that?"

Shen Qing looked at Lu Yun: "Lu Yun, are you afraid of heights?"

Lu Yun hadn't recovered yet, didn't even catch what Shen Qing was asking; he looked at Shen Qing with clear yet foolish eyes.

Shen Qing didn't bother with him, grabbed Lu Yun's shoulder and hurled him high into the air— as for the roof? Shen Qing had already sliced it away.

Midair, Lu Yun's eyes suddenly cleared, and he let out a heart-rending scream.

"What kind of escape route is this?"

Just then, a fierce dragon-elephant roar rang out, and a terrifying blade aura shot straight into the sky.

Lu Yun lowered his head and glanced.

He saw the entire Bai Clan shrouded in terrifying blood-red mist and purple mist.

Four massive blood-dragon phantoms appeared above the Bai Clan's ruins.

"Come on, all of you remaining!"

"And the one hiding in the dark—come out and die!!!"

Lu Yun, in the sky, grimaced with bared teeth.

Just then, two shadows swiftly approached from far away; a huge eagle's talon emerged from the clouds, precisely grabbed Lu Yun, and swiftly flew him to a safe spot.

At the same time, a gigantic white flood dragon in the clouds let out an earth-shaking roar and charged straight at the Bai Clan battlefield.

Lu Yun was dumbfounded; he instantly understood—this White Flood Dragon and Black Eagle had been waiting far away for the battle to break out.

It turns out all of this was in Sir Shen's calculations, right?

Too terrifying.

On the Bai family battlefield, Xuanwu didn't make a move; he only wanted to flee, knowing that whenever Shen Qing went out, he would bring his Primordial Core Realm mount.

His original plan was that after Shen Qing drank his poison, he and Bai Buzheng would quickly subdue Shen Qing.

He only allowed Bai Buzheng to approach Shen Qing after seeing Shen Qing drink five cups of poison.

But judging from just now, the poison had no effect at all.

Just then, Bai Yun descended from the sky, a claw wrapped in blue light blocking Xuanwu's retreat path.

Xuanwu and Bai Yun exchanged a palm strike, then Xuanwu turned and ran in another direction—but a black shadow swiftly descended: it was the Black Eagle, who had already tossed Lu Yun to a safe spot and rushed back onto the battlefield.

For a moment, Shen Qing, Bai Yun, and the Black Eagle formed a triangle, surrounding Xuanwu.

Xuanwu knew escape was impossible today; he turned his head to look at Shen Qing and drew the treasure knife at his waist.

"Shen Qing! I know you are a limit-breaker! And you are skilled with the blade!"

"How about a duel? If I win, you let me go; if I lose, you can ask me anything and I will tell you."

Shen Qing snorted.

"Are you out of your mind? You, a second-level Primordial Core Realm cultivator, want to duel me, a first-level Grand Master? How could you say such a thing?"

"Besides, isn't this already a duel? You, one person, challenging us three."

"Obviously they could gang up on him, so why is Shen Qing insisting on a duel?"

Shen Qing clearly remembered that in his past life there was a purple potato spirit named Mie Ba who, despite overwhelming military force and firepower, insisted on going down for close combat and ended up overturning.

"This story teaches us: if you can overwhelm with firepower, don't be stingy with it; if you can gang up, don't go for a duel."

"Villains often die from talking too much and being overconfident."

With the eruption of Shen Qing's qi and blood, Bai Yun struck first, leaving a faint blue phantom in the air as he swiftly charged at Xuanwu, his claw aiming for the sword in Xuanwu's hand; the violent shockwaves continuously destroyed the surrounding buildings.

Meanwhile, black mist spread; the Black Eagle was weakest in direct combat, but in support and ambush he was top-notch.

The fierce black mist swept in, obscuring Xuanwu's vision; several feather shafts like arrows shot toward him, and Xuanwu swung his long blade, sparsely blocking the feathers.

However, the Black Eagle never intended to injure Xuanwu; it was merely a temporary restriction.

Just then, an immensely ferocious purple python lunged from the black mist, instantly biting his sword‑holding right arm; Xuanwu's face changed, and his left palm gathered dark light to grab the python.

But the next moment, his left palm froze in mid‑air, and he struggled to lower his head.

Only to see the Slay Dragon sword, wrapped in golden light, already pierce his dantian.

The Black Eagle lightly flapped its wings, the black mist slowly receded, and Shen Qing slowly drew the Slay Dragon sword.

Xuanwu lost his support and dropped to one knee on the ground.

"How fast... the blade."

Shen Qing came before Xuanwu.

"Thank you for the praise."

"Now, let's have a good talk."