Chapter 419: Crushing Long Yuan

Not just Long Yuan!

The competitors below also trembled one by one.

What's the point of fighting anymore?

Go up, and one strike kills—no chance to surrender.

Fight?

He looked one by one at Long Yuan, eyes full of longing.

Long Yuan naturally understood the longing in their eyes.

"I'm sorry…" Long Yuan stood, bowed to the host, and said: "Liang's strength is overwhelming; our Qi state knows we cannot prevail!"

"They surrender!"

Humming… humming… humming…

At these words, countless people below began to murmur.

But it could be understood.

After all, He Pingsheng's methods are far too powerful.

"Good," the host nodded, then added: "I must remind you that in today's first match, if not for the intervention of our Ancestor, the Qi competitor Xiao Xuan would already be dead…"

"Therefore, although Xiao Xuan is still alive, from the perspective of the competition, he no longer exists!"

"The Ancestor has decreed that, to ensure fairness toward all subsequent competitors and nations, Xiao Xuan's eligibility has been revoked!"

"Please take note!"

The host smiled at Long Yuan.

Long Yuan's face was utterly black: "This… is far too heartless!"

How can we fight without Xiao Xuan?

We'd win nothing but dirt.

"Hehe…" the host said: "If Xiao Xuan were to compete, the other nations would object!"

"Exactly!"

"We object!"

"How can someone who should have died in the arena still compete?"

"Exactly! To be alive is already lucky—trying to keep competing is impossible!"

The stance of the other nations was obvious even by common sense.

"Let's go!" Long Yuan angrily led his people away from the venue.

"Let's go too!" Ancestor Zhenyu chuckled, leading his group back to the guest quarters.

He was in an exceptionally good mood today, smiling at He Pingsheng: "Well done. Regardless of other matters, we've defeated Qi and taken Shangdang Commandery!"

"He Pingsheng… He Pingsheng…"

"You've done Qi a great service!"

"I'll petition the Ancestor to grant the newly acquired Shangdang Commandery as a fief to the Princess Royal. What do you think?"

Zhenyu glanced at He Pingsheng, then at Liang Huaqiu.

Liang Huaqiu's face instantly flushed red.

The Ancestor's words nearly explicitly offered Liang Huaqiu to He Pingsheng as a principal concubine.

But…

Isn't being a concubine supposed to be humiliating?

Why… why do I feel a strange joy inside?

And this man—he's plain-looking. Shouldn't I reject him in my heart?

At this moment, Liang Huaqiu confused herself completely.

"Elder!" He Pingsheng bowed: "Let's discuss these matters after we return. Qi has lost Shangdang Commandery—no telling what schemes they'll hatch!"

"Whether we can even receive it smoothly is uncertain!"

Zhenyu said: "That's true."

He Pingsheng said: "I'll take my leave now… I must visit the Qi guest quarters."

Saying this, he descended the stairs and went from the Liang guest quarters to the Qi guest quarters.

In Long Yuan's hall, the two stood facing each other.

Long Yuan didn't even invite He Pingsheng to sit.

But it didn't matter—He Pingsheng hadn't come to sit and chat with Long Yuan.

"Good… good… good…"

Long Yuan, upon seeing He Pingsheng, said three "good"s in succession: "He Pingsheng, He Pingsheng, what have you done? Aren't you worried about your Master, your Senior Sister, and your Senior Brothers?"

He Pingsheng said: "The situation is now clear."

"I am not a great destiny-bearer."

"And the Tianque Divine Spear now rightfully belongs to me."

"For Qi to continue holding my sect members is unjustifiable."

"Of course," He Pingsheng said coolly: "I don't expect you to release them—releasing them isn't Qi's style."

"I've come here today only to tell you one thing."

Long Yuan snapped: "Speak!"

He Pingsheng's face showed a faint sneer: "My Master Yu Ning has been like a mother to me—her kindness is immense."

"My Senior Brothers and Sisters are as close as blood siblings."

"If you kill them, I will be heartbroken."

"Of course," He Pingsheng smiled again: "Though I will be heartbroken, I will never be coerced by you—go ahead, order them killed now!"

"But to threaten me with their lives? That's pure fantasy."

"Lord Long Yuan, surely you have family too."

"I imagine if I went to Qi, it wouldn't be hard to find out who your kin are."

"What do you intend?" Long Yuan sneered: "You're not thinking of capturing my family to threaten me?"

"A mere Golden Core—I can crush you with a flick of my hand!"

He Pingsheng ignored him and continued: "After this Nine Nations Competition, I must listen to the Dao for ten years. When I return to Liang's capital after those ten years, I expect to see my Master and the others—alive, and none missing."

Saying this, He Pingsheng turned and left.

But as he reached the hall's entrance and was about to step out, he suddenly turned back: "Just now you said you could crush me with a flick of your hand?"

Long Yuan said: "Isn't that right?"

He Pingsheng's lips curled slightly.

In his mind sea, the seven spiritual nail-needles he had nurtured suddenly shot out six of them.

Six invisible spiritual nails pierced Long Yuan's mind sea with lightning speed.

Puff…

Puff puff puff…

Long Yuan staggered back three steps, spitting out four mouthfuls of blood.

At this moment, his face was deathly pale.

His mind sea had been destroyed by over ninety percent.

He Pingsheng had not used his full strength.

Otherwise, that single strike would have killed him outright.

But He Pingsheng did not wish to kill him yet.

One, because this man held his Master; two, because killing the leader of the opposing team here would make escape difficult.

"Puff… puff puff puff…"

After He Pingsheng left the hall, Long Yuan spat out several more mouthfuls of blood.

"Damn… damn it…"

He slowly rose from the ground and sat heavily on his seat, face ashen.

His mind reeled: This man, a mere Golden Core, possesses such formidable spiritual sense? And he's cultivated that spiritual technique? Clearly, the spiritual attack at the edge of the Five Dragon Gorge all those years ago… wasn't from anyone else.

It was from He Pingsheng.

It was him.

Hiss… hiss… hiss…

Has this boy grown this powerful already?

Am I no longer his match?

Long Yuan's body trembled, his hands shaking.

One reason: spiritual sense injury; the other: shock at He Pingsheng's combat power and growth speed.

"But how is this possible?"

"He was nothing but a trash cultivator of the Third Nine Tribulation!"

Long Yuan could not fathom it.