Chapter 87: A Fist to Press the Tide

"Dong Shao and Sister Liu have both perished; I just received news from Mo Can!"

On the high platform, Qin Xian and the dwarf cultivator had originally sat in the eastern and western corners, meditating and refining their true qi.

Seeing the dwarf cultivator look at him in confusion, Qin Xian halted his cold laugh, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes:

"Sister Liu discovered Chen Heng’s true identity thanks to the divine eye technique granted by the Flower God Mansion—but after sending her message, she was killed, and even Dong Shao, who rushed to her aid, died! Only Mo Can, who arrived late, barely escaped with his life. Do you really think the deaths of these two fellow disciples have nothing to do with that brat? I refuse to believe it!"

"Dead? How could this be? They were both Foundation Establishment cultivators!"

The dwarf cultivator leapt to his feet in shock, exclaiming:

"They’re not some stray cats or dogs that vanish without a trace! Which heretic could kill a sect disciple? Who would dare?"

The gap between ordinary heretics and sect disciples was incomparable; whether in qi cultivation techniques, Dao methods, or talismans and artifacts, the difference was immense.

Unless one was extraordinarily lucky, a heretic facing a sect disciple would meet an inevitable fate...

"Did I say it was a heretic?!"

Qin Xian impatiently swept his sleeve, glaring at the dwarf.

"Chen Heng? Brother Qin... I’m not deaf—I just find this utterly absurd. Who would believe it?"

The dwarf cultivator let out a bitter laugh, bowing respectfully, and said:

"He was doted on by Yan Zhen, granted every request without refusal—but have you ever seen him enter any true Dao path? How long has Yan Zhen been dead? Even if he’s achieved embryonic breathing and cultivated qi, how could he possibly possess the strength to murder two of our Blood Lotus Sect’s Foundation Establishment cultivators?"

This argument held some merit.

Qin Xian frowned, pondering for a long while, yet still shook his head—he clearly didn’t fully believe the dwarf cultivator’s words.

"How many non-sect cultivators remain in this Huaiwu Cave?"

He shouted down to the platform.

"At most, no more than fifty... Those with sense have left on their own; those who stubbornly held out have either been driven away or slain by us."

Below, a thin, withered man clad in colorful robes replied.

"Fifty?"

Qin Xian paced a few steps, raising his eyebrows:

"Only two hours remain until the three-day limit of the Huaiwu Cave expires—if any change is coming, it will happen within these two hours."

The Huaiwu Cave trial lasted three days...

Only those who remain in the magic artifact after the three days are complete will be counted, and their rankings will be determined by the amount of essence in the vials left within the artifact.

As for those who left Huaiwu Cave before the three days were up, they are not even eligible for ranking.

"If this succeeds, the sect will surely reward us—and if we’re fortunate enough to gain the Flower God Mansion’s favor, your futures will be boundless!"

Qin Xian scanned the crowd and shouted loudly:

"This is the decisive moment! Fellow disciples, stay alert—don’t let failure come at the final hour!"

The Blood Lotus Sect cultivators responded in unison, their qi surging simultaneously, shaking the earth with thunderous force and scattering the clouds on the horizon—a terrifying spectacle.

Seeing this, Qin Xian’s usually tense expression softened slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

All the Blood Lotus cultivators here were skilled qi refinement experts—over two hundred in total. United, they could even stall a high-level cultivator who had just formed a Purple Mansion!

And only qi refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators were permitted inside the Huaiwu Cave.

Thus,

With these two hundred qi refinement disciples at his side,

Qin Xian had already secured an invincible position—he could easily claim one of the top three ranks, and within the Huaiwu Cave, he could walk with absolute authority!

"We originally came with six Foundation Establishment true cultivators. Though Sister Liu and Dong Shao have inexplicably perished, Mo Can and Brother Zhang remain. Send out two golden arrows to summon them here immediately!"

Qin Xian told the dwarf cultivator again.

"Brother Qin, you’re overthinking this."

The dwarf cultivator looked at Qin Xian with disbelief, shaking his head with a wry smile:

"Two hundred qi refinement cultivators—even a Purple Mansion cultivator would be delayed for a few breaths. Why be so cautious?"

Those who entered the Huaiwu Cave with Qin Xian all sought to earn merit for the sect to secure their future prospects.

The qi refinement cultivators were one thing.

But Qin Xian himself was a Foundation Establishment Stage Two cultivator—"Great and Small as One"—his true qi refined through countless trials, controlled with effortless precision, effortlessly dominating the qi refinement cultivators below him, making them obey without question.

But those other Foundation Establishment cultivators...

Were far less compliant...

The dwarf cultivator knew that, besides himself and the deceased Dong Shao, the others secretly resented Qin Xian. Though they hid it well, they likely harbored hidden schemes.

They helped Qin Xian gather essence only because their fortunes were tied together—if Qin Xian gained favor, they’d share in the glory.

They did so reluctantly...

And Qin Xian could never expect them to come at his command, like mere qi refinement disciples.

After all, they were all Foundation Establishment Stage One cultivators, only one minor stage below Qin Xian’s Stage Two.

If he tried to command them as he did the qi refinement cultivators, they might very well refuse to acknowledge his authority.

And as the one who spoke up, he might even become a target of resentment, facing sabotage and petty revenge later...

"I am the chief commander here! Master Li Lian personally wrote the order, the Sect Master personally sealed it with his divine stamp, and even the Flower God Mansion has approved it! All Blood Lotus disciples must obey my commands and act according to my will—who dares disobey? Who can defy me?!"

Seeing the dwarf cultivator’s fearful expression, clearly afraid of offending others,

Qin Xian stared at him coldly for a long moment until the dwarf trembled, drenched in sweat, then suddenly burst into a chilling, thunderous laugh:

"I know they resent me—but so what? As long as we’re still within this artifact’s inner realm... you—all of you!—must obey my orders!"

He pointed at the dwarf cultivator and barked:

"Now, send out the golden arrows! Order them back here immediately—or don’t blame me, your senior brother, for ignoring our brotherhood!"

The dwarf cultivator could only nod meekly, wiping his sweat as he pulled out two golden arrows and hurled them into the air.

After completing this, seeing Qin Xian’s expression soften slightly, he bowed obsequiously with a forced smile: "Brother Qin is truly cautious—such prudence is the mark of a true leader. I am far inferior."

"You’re a fool if you think this is already certain."

Qin Xian glanced at him.

"What do you mean, Brother Qin?"

"There’s clearly a great enemy hidden here—otherwise, how could Dong Shao and Sister Liu have died? If we split up, wouldn’t we be picked off one by one?"

"Who could this great enemy be?"

"If I’m not mistaken, it’s almost certainly the old master of the Huaiwu Cave!"

Qin Xian steeled himself and whispered softly: "We can manipulate the rules and humiliate him before the southern realm’s cultivators—would he just sit idly by and accept it?"

"...Could this old man also be gathering allies?"

At Qin Xian’s hint, the dwarf cultivator froze for a moment, then finally understood.

"It seems you still have some quick wit, Brother."

Qin Xian gave him a sly, half-smiling glance, then clapped his hands lightly and sighed:

"There must still be other cultivators hidden in the Huaiwu Cave. I’ve figured out the old master’s plan—he’s offering great rewards to lure them into opposing us, preventing us from claiming the top three spots and thus preserving his dignity... Clearly, we’ll face a brutal battle within these two hours if we’re to succeed."

——

The two great Dao powers of the southern realm—the Flower God Mansion and the Five Radiance Sect—

had long-standing grudges and had clashed repeatedly over the years.

But fearing mutual destruction that might benefit a third party, they had repeatedly restrained themselves.

The Huaiwu Cave Master rebuilt the "Golden Valley Market" on Fuyu Lake with substantial aid from the Five Radiance Sect, an act that enraged the Flower God Mansion, prompting them to send the Blood Lotus Sect to deliver a warning.

And men like Qin Xian were the Blood Lotus Sect’s frontline enforcers.

The Huaiwu Cave trial had always claimed to be a benevolent act for the southern realm’s heretics, traditionally excluding sect disciples from the top three ranks—most sect disciples, being sensible, collected essence and left early.

But this time, Qin Xian was an exception.

Not only did he refuse to leave early, he sought to expel and kill every cultivator to monopolize the top three spots.

If this became known, it would be a devastating blow to the Huaiwu Cave Master’s prestige.

"Lure the remaining Huaiwu Cave cultivators to oppose us? Do they have the nerve? Don’t they fear angering the Flower God Mansion?"

Hearing Qin Xian’s words, the dwarf cultivator remained skeptical.

"Who’s right and who’s wrong will be clear within these two hours. Besides, consider this a precaution—if we do fight, Brother Xu, stay alert for Chen Heng."

Qin Xian said no more, merely swept his sleeve and murmured:

"Do as you will."

Then he returned to his original seat, sat cross-legged, and opened a scroll to read.

Only the dwarf cultivator remained, staring blankly, half-convinced, then finally shook his head in confusion and let it go.

An hour passed swiftly.

During this time, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators outside the Blood Lotus Sect had returned—Mo Can, who had sent the blood-swift message, and another male cultivator named Zhang Zhenghan.

Mo Can, as usual, wept silently.

But Zhang Zhenghan, the Foundation Establishment cultivator, wore an expression of impatience, frequently shooting hostile glances at Qin Xian, who sat quietly.

"What? A great enemy? Only one hour remains—where’s this great enemy? Is he hiding in your dreams?!"

Seeing only one hour left in the Huaiwu Cave trial, Zhang Zhenghan relaxed and couldn’t help but sneer:

"A true Foundation Establishment cultivator, acting so timid? With such a mindset, what’s the point of cultivating? Why not just retire to the mountains and live as a wealthy merchant—it’d be far more enjoyable!"

Qin Xian’s expression remained calm, as if he hadn’t heard a word.

The dwarf cultivator cautiously observed Qin Xian’s face, then turned to the resentful Zhang Zhenghan and urged:

"Brother Qin is the leader of this mission—he’s only thinking of our safety. Dong Shao and Sister Liu have vanished without explanation; staying together gives us mutual support."

“Dong Shao and Sister Liu are dead—they simply lacked skill in their cultivation, yet you act as if Huaiwu Cave were some deadly place!”

Zhang Zhenghan was about to mock further when Mo Can, weeping beside him, suddenly glared fiercely, eyes bloodshot and face twisted with fury.

“What? You’re upset I called your lover? Oh, right—I nearly forgot. Dong Shao was hopelessly infatuated with Sister Liu; you, filthy fool, had nothing to do with him. My apologies to Dong Shao!”

Zhang Zhenghan, startled by his glare, met it with equal defiance and sneered.

“Who says Dong Shao had nothing to do with me? You bastard—I loved him, and he loved me!”

Mo Can’s hair seemed to stand on end with rage.

The two began quarreling fiercely, soon nearly coming to blows; the dwarf Daoist, frantic, tried to calm one then the other, and the stage above became a chaotic mess.

Just as the dwarf Daoist was overwhelmed—

Suddenly, a thunderous boom erupted from the ground itself—like clouds collapsing and rocks shattering!

The dwarf Daoist stared in shock: nearly fifty cultivators had suddenly surged forward, riding light, their combined aura surging like a tidal wave. The Blood Lotus Sect cultivators felt stones beneath their feet leap and tremble.

Leading the cultivators was a man with six fingers, standing atop murky true qi, cradling a small furnace in his hands.

“Master Qin was right! The master of Huaiwu Cave has indeed gathered these rogue cultivators to block our success!”

The dwarf Daoist’s heart skipped: “And Lu Yu is leading them—this is truly troublesome!”

At this moment—

Qin Xian, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly laughed aloud, tossed his scroll aside, and rose.

“How can candlelight compete with the bright moon? The cave master has run out of tricks.”

Qin Xian unleashed his true qi, like a colossal waterfall roaring, surging like a tide. He pointed at the Blood Lotus Sect cultivators below the stage and roared:

“Brothers and sisters, follow me and meet the enemy!”

The Blood Lotus Sect cultivators shouted “Yes!” and charged forward with him.

The two sides clashed instantly—shouts of battle shook the heavens; talismans, weapons, and flying swords crisscrossed in dazzling flashes, sparks flaring wildly like clustered stars, fierce and furious.

But after several minutes of fighting, the rogue cultivators, outnumbered and exhausted, began to show clear signs of defeat.

“Fools! Greedy and reckless—they let the cave master trick them into coming here to die. They deserve to perish!”

With a casual flick, Qin Xian deflected a flying sword, then pressed his hand down. Several Qi Condensation cultivators saw a crimson glow rush toward them like a flood of red water; before they could even comprehend it, their heads fell, their bodies collapsing into pulpy sludge.

Qin Xian strolled through the battlefield like a man in his garden, glancing around. Seeing the rogue cultivators fleeing in terror, he sneered inwardly.

Now, many Blood Lotus Sect cultivators had gathered around him, guarding him like personal soldiers.

“Wait!”

Qin Xian’s gaze suddenly sharpened as he pointed at two figures in black-cloud robes approaching: “I don’t recall any of our Qi Condensation cultivators wearing masks. You two—remove those bamboo masks at once!”

His shout drew many eyes.

Zhang Zhenghan, mid-battle with a Foundation Establishment rogue, glanced over and thought bitterly: “Their aura is clearly Blood Lotus Sect—just wearing masks, and he’s making such a fuss? Qin Xian is a coward, laughable!”

After his shout, Qin Xian subtly gathered his true qi, tensing himself. A dozen nearby Blood Lotus cultivators rushed over, forming a protective circle around him.

“Chen, what’s going on? Their auras are identical—why is this Qin so suspicious?”

One of the two men in black-cloud robes complained.

Qin Xian’s pupils shrank!

Just as he moved to act, the speaking man laughed—and from his pupils shot a beam of white light, piercing through all things, straight toward him!

At the last possible instant, Qin Xian barely managed to summon a green jade talisman and held it before him.

But the white light, insubstantial and formless, passed straight through the jade like a net snaring a sparrow, enveloping Qin Xian completely!

At the eleventh hour, Qin Xian barely managed to summon a green jade and held it before him.

All thoughts froze. All colors faded into hollow black and white. All phenomena halted. Time itself stilled.

How long passed, he did not know. When Qin Xian finally struggled back to awareness, the only figure before him was Chen Hang—godlike, demonic.

His violent blood qi, no longer concealed, surged like ocean tides, coiling into a towering pillar of essence, like a celestial dragon bursting from its cage!

With each step he took, his aura climbed higher. In the flash of lightning, as he reached Qin Xian’s side, his presence was as overwhelming as a sky-reversing river—unyielding, absolute.

His violent blood qi no longer concealed itself, surging in Cengceng waves like a tidal sea, coiling into a pillar of essence tens of zhang tall, like a heavenly dragon bursting free!

Qin Xian had no time to react. From his dantian, he desperately summoned a surge of true qi—when Chen Hang roared, and swung one fist.

With just that single punch, Qin Xian’s ears were filled with a cacophony of clashing bells and drums, deafening noise drowning all else.

The green jade talisman blocking the punch trembled violently—and in an instant, like snow before the sun, its spiritual light vanished, crumbling into useless debris.

With a single punch, Qin Xian heard countless bells and drums clashing in his ears, a deafening roar drowning out all sound.

A thunderous crash, as if mountains shattered and rivers severed!

Both sides stared in shock: Chen Hang slowly opened his fingers.

Before him—

Qin Xian’s shattered body twitched once—then exploded into a cloud of blood mist, his body and soul annihilated at once.

And before him.

Qin Xian’s shattered body trembled slightly, then exploded violently into a cloud of blood mist, his body and soul instantly destroyed!