Chapter 439: Soul Transformation Powerhouse

This question left He Pingsheng speechless.

From childhood to adulthood, He Pingsheng had only studied cultivation, never read any classics on statecraft.

How could he possibly know?

"Hehe…"

He Pingsheng smiled and said, "Before today's lecture begins, I'll show you something!"

"After seeing this, you should gain some insight into the classics!"

"Come closer!"

He Pingsheng waved his hand, swept his sleeves, and sat down in his seat.

Soon, the twenty-one imperial princes and princesses gathered around He Pingsheng.

The captain of the enforcement squad outside frowned slightly.

He felt the Grand Tutor seemed different today—almost frivolous.

Why gather all the princes together just to show them something?

But due to his position, he dared not speculate.

Yet as the twenty-one gathered around He Pingsheng, he extended his hand—and with a thunderous burst, countless green thorn vines erupted from his palm, binding every single prince and princess in an instant.

"Pupu pupu…"

Poison sprayed out.

All twenty-one collapsed.

With lightning speed, He Pingsheng sealed all twenty-one bodies inside Jiang Lan's Great Freedom Pearl.

"Assassin!"

"Surround him!"

"Don't let him escape!"

"Activate the formation!"

Though He Pingsheng struck first, within a single breath, the entire imperial palace mobilized with terrifying speed.

Boom boom boom…

The golden defensive array outside the palace instantly expanded.

Countless formations followed in rapid succession.

Streams of light shot in, surrounding the Lecture Hall where He Pingsheng stood, leaving no escape.

Too fast.

This response speed made He Pingsheng's nerves go numb.

In that instant, the space around He Pingsheng was locked by rule-force.

He couldn't move an inch.

Teleporting out was impossible.

Pupu pupu…

The first dozen Golden Core disciples who rushed forward were all slain by He Pingsheng's Heaven-Defect Divine Spear.

At this moment, the Emperor of Qi, his ministers, and his experts…

One by one, they stepped into the void and arrived above the Lecture Hall where He Pingsheng stood.

"Long Yuan… what are you doing?"

"Release my children!"

A burly man with stern authority stared at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng immediately wiped away his disguise and sneered, "Your Majesty, you're mistaken—I am not Long Yuan…"

Seeing he wasn't Long Yuan, everyone was stunned again.

The Emperor asked, "Who are you?"

He Pingsheng said, "He Pingsheng."

"Who?" For a moment, the Emperor didn't recognize the name—but within a single breath, he erupted in rage: "So it's you! I thought it was someone else!"

"You're the one who caused our Qi Kingdom to lose a commandery?"

He Pingsheng coldly smiled: "Your Majesty, I've never offended the imperial family before—why did you seize my sect kin?"

The Emperor had no answer.

He Pingsheng pressed on: "You seized my sect kin—I took your Shangdang Commandery in return. Isn't that fair?"

"Release my children!" the Emperor's face darkened. "I… will spare your life!"

"Hehe!" He Pingsheng said. "If I were to beg for mercy, why would I be here today?"

Dead silence surrounded him; some still tried to move.

He Pingsheng said, "Who dares move? One step, one death."

The opposing side, fearing for their princes, dared not act.

The Emperor of Qi, face grim, asked: "Fine, He Pingsheng—what do you want?"

"Release my children, and I'll agree to any condition!"

The Emperor of Qi was nearly vomiting blood—he had only seventeen sons, and now all seventeen were in this man's hands.

At this point, compromise was unavoidable.

"Simple!" He Pingsheng swept his Heaven-Defect Divine Spear: "Bring me back every single member of my sect—none missing!"

"I give you half a stick of incense."

"If you're late, I kill one immediately."

Qi was a great nation—vast, with countless cases, countless criminals locked in the Celestial Prison.

Logically, the Emperor couldn't possibly know them all.

But oddly, he knew this case well.

And he had placed great importance on He Pingsheng.

Every pursuit against He Pingsheng had been personally planned by him; he knew exactly where He Pingsheng's sect kin were imprisoned.

"Fine!" The Emperor had no choice now: "Half a stick of incense!"

"Wait for me!"

The Emperor left.

He wouldn't go directly to the Celestial Prison.

Instead, he arrived at the entrance of a mysterious palace: "Third Ancestor… you've seen what's happening outside, haven't you?"

The Emperor paced anxiously before the palace gate.

A withered old man suddenly appeared.

"Third Ancestor!" The Emperor bowed.

"Hmm…" The Third Ancestor nodded. "No need to explain—come with me…"

A few breaths later, Master Yu Ning didn't come—but the Emperor arrived with a withered old man.

"Wuliang Tianzun!"

The expressionless withered elder stared at He Pingsheng: "You were a rising talent with boundless potential—why defy the Qi imperial family?"

"Today, I'll make sure you never leave alive!"

"Hehehe… Overconfident in your talent, blind to all else!"

"Young man, you'll regret this…"

The elder stared at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng said: "Think carefully—if you strike, your imperial descendants will die."

"Hehehe…" The aging True Person chuckled. "A mere Golden Core—what do you know of the divine arts of a Soul Transformation?"

"Die…"

Boom…

The aging True Person's vast spiritual sense surged like a stormwind, slamming into He Pingsheng's mind.

In the aging True Person's eyes, even a Nascent Soul would be obliterated.

Under my spiritual sense, death is certain.

But the result…

He Pingsheng's Nine Spiritual Shields within his mind calmly blocked the aging True Person's assault.

One strike!

Missed!

"Kill three…" Three words slipped from He Pingsheng's lips.

The next instant, three still-wriggling corpses were tossed out of the Great Freedom Pearl by Jiang Lan.

Pu…

Pupu pupu…

The Emperor spat blood.

Behind him, an Imperial Consort collapsed, eyes rolling back in unconsciousness.

"My son…"

"Fourth Prince!"

"Fourth Prince..."

"Wu wu wu..."

"Divine techniques of a Soul Transformation realm—would you like to try again?" He Pingsheng regarded the aged True Person with an expressionless face.

"Move again... and you all die!"

He Pingsheng's gaze was like a blade.

In his hand, he held a teleportation talisman.

If this Soul Transformation truly chose mutual destruction, He Pingsheng would have no need for the teleportation array.

He would simply teleport away!