Chapter 869

He Pingsheng's heart skipped a beat, his eyes flickering slightly.

So confident?

Mahayana Emperor Realm?

Before He Pingsheng could speak, the man pointed to the seat across from him: "Sit down and talk."

As soon as He Pingsheng sat, the man said: "Take the Peach Immortal's offer seriously."

"Let me be frank—your elixirs have disrupted our Spring Quan Society's high-grade elixir sales!"

"If you agree to lower all your elixir prices by ten percent and sell them to our society, this cluster of lightning essence is yours."

He Pingsheng's expression remained calm, showing no emotion.

But he knew the man's words were likely true.

He Pingsheng's elixirs were highly advanced and of superior quality—they wouldn't much affect the ordinary shops on Dinglu Street, but they definitely hurt the Spring Quan Society.

"Forgive me, but I cannot accept," He Pingsheng bowed slightly. "I opened this shop not just for profit, but primarily for cultivation."

"Hehehe…" The man ignored him entirely, sweeping his hand. "So there's nothing to discuss?"

He Pingsheng nodded: "Nothing to discuss."

"Good."

"Don't regret this."

The man's expression turned grim, and a ripple surged through the void.

As his spiritual sense flared, two hemispherical objects shot out from above and below He Pingsheng, snapping together with lightning speed to encase him completely.

"Contain!"

The man waved again—the spherical cage, originally a yard across, instantly shrank to palm-size, trapping He Pingsheng's physical form in his hand.

Naturally, He Pingsheng's body also shrank to palm-size.

"What are you doing?" He Pingsheng cried in alarm, unleashing his soul sense and magic power to shatter the cage.

But it was useless.

The cage didn't budge an inch.

The man laughed loudly: "Stop wasting your effort—this is my Emperor's weapon… and it's top-grade."

"You, a mere Void Refinement cultivator, will never break it."

Emperor?

Emperor weapon?

He Pingsheng said: "You're truly a Mahayana Emperor Realm cultivator."

"Correct," the man said. "Today you've stepped into my trap. Better to obey."

"Let me tell you plainly—this cage has held others besides you, Grand Void Master."

"If you follow my orders, you might one day walk free."

He Pingsheng stopped struggling and tucked the lightning essence away.

That cluster of lightning essence had remained in his hand all along.

Seeing He Pingsheng take it back, the man showed no concern.

He Pingsheng said: "I suspect you're not the Thunder God Emperor."

The ruler of the Divine Thunder Domain is the Thunder God Emperor.

The man asked: "How do you know?"

He Pingsheng replied: "The Thunder God Emperor would never be so shameless—a Mahayana Emperor seizing people for petty gain!"

"Hahahaha…" The man laughed. "True… I'm not the Thunder God Emperor."

"But I am still a Mahayana Emperor."

"Enough talk. Surrender your Dao Slave Seal—become my slave, and you'll have a chance to live."

He Pingsheng said nothing.

He ignored him entirely.

Slave?

Not in a million years.

Better to die—then let my soul take refuge in another avatar and be reborn.

Even a fool could guess why he wanted to make me his slave—just to get a free elixir slave.

"Heh…" He Pingsheng smiled faintly. "I know you're a Mahayana Emperor. Free me now, and we can still talk."

"Because I won't surrender the Dao Slave Seal—and you can't kill me."

"Or else, you'll regret it."

"Hahahaha… Really?" The man smiled confidently. "You'll agree… Come, let's move somewhere else to talk."

With a wave, the man tore open the void and stepped inside.

Held in his palm, He Pingsheng was dragged along into the vortex.

When they emerged, they stood inside a grand hall.

Thud…

The Emperor weapon cage was casually tossed into the hall, expanding back to a yard across.

"Think it over… I'll return in two days."

The man left immediately.

The vast hall was now empty—except for He Pingsheng.

But He Pingsheng was confined to that single yard by the yard-wide cage.

"Open… for me…"

He Pingsheng extended both hands—left hand: Heavenly Thunder of the Dantian; right hand: Nine Heavens Mystic Fire.

Boom…

Crack…

With a crash, his hands merged as one.

The thunder and fire merged as one.

A crimson lightning dragon shot forth, slamming into the cage with full force.

But it was useless.

He Pingsheng unleashed his strongest attack—and still could not break the Mahayana Emperor's weapon.

Yet he did not yield, continuing to try.

Burn it with Nine Heavens Mystic Fire!

Strike it with the Primordial Purple Gold Rod!

All failed.

He even tried tearing open the void to escape.

But the cage had built-in spatial seals—no internal void tear could break free.

He spat blood.

He spent two full days exhausting every method—found nothing.

He couldn't use the Void Jidong technique either.

Two days later, the Mahayana Emperor didn't come—but the Peach Immortal did.

"The Heavenly Yuan Thunder Emperor says… he no longer wants you as a slave. Just agree to forge elixirs for him for two thousand years!"

"After two thousand years, you'll be released."

"I've checked—though you're only Void Refinement, you're under a thousand years old, with over four thousand years of lifespan left. Selling two thousand to the Emperor is a fair deal!"

"Better than being his slave?"

He Pingsheng sneered: "What if I refuse?"

"Refuse?" The Peach Immortal smiled. "You may not know—this Emperor weapon carries lightning essence. When released, it will make you beg to die."

"Don't believe me? Try it."

As she spoke, several bolts of lightning struck from the weapon, slamming into He Pingsheng.

The lightning wasn't especially powerful—but the pain was excruciating, unbearable.

He Pingsheng screamed in agony.

After a moment, the lightning ceased.

The Peach Immortal asked: "Still refusing?"

"If you refuse, the lightning will never stop."

"Ow ow ow…" He Pingsheng howled. "I agree! I agree! Two thousand years? Fine!"

"But… I have a condition."

"Condition?" The Peach Immortal said. "You're not qualified to make demands."

"Still, I'll hear you out—if it's not too outrageous, I might grant it."