Chapter 875: A Small Favor, No Need for Repayment

"Success makes a king, failure makes a thief!"

"He Pingsheng, if I hadn't lost the 【Heaven-Earth Cage】, you could never have killed me!"

Vast energy surged outward again from He Pingsheng in all directions.

One-third of the entire imperial city had become ruins.

He Pingsheng stood at the very center of the ruins, beneath his feet an endless churning sea of molten lava, while starlike ashes floated endlessly around his body—drifting away, then returning.

A black hook gripped a soul that struggled incessantly.

The soul still refused to submit, shouting: "If I had another chance, I might not die!"

"Yes," He Pingsheng nodded. "If I gave you another chance, I might not even defeat you."

"But what good would that do?"

"Now, I am the butcher's knife, and you are the meat!"

He Pingsheng turned his head, withdrawing his gaze from the horizon, fixing it on the soul of Tianyuan Thunder Emperor.

In a sense, Tianyuan Thunder Emperor was right—if he hadn't lost the Heaven-Earth Cage, that top-grade Emperor treasure, He Pingsheng could never have slain him.

At least, not so quickly.

"It's just my bad luck!" The soul looked up at the sky. "Heaven, why won't you help me?"

He Pingsheng said: "Why would Heaven help a man who has lost all moral compass?"

"Come…"

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and two objects lying deep in the molten lava flew into his grasp.

A green ring.

And a pearl—he recognized it at once: the small world, a realm only cultivators of Mahayana Emperor realm could open.

He Pingsheng's spiritual sense swept into the small world, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Dozens of people had been imprisoned within this small world!

Some were refining elixirs, others crafting talismans.

Still others were assembling arrays.

Good heavens!

"He Pingsheng, I give you everything I own—and I swear a Heavenly Oath to become your servant forever!"

"Just spare my life!"

He Pingsheng shook his head. "I fear having a servant like you would taint me with karmic debt."

"Die!"

Puff!

Crackling…

Lightning and mystic fire surged forth simultaneously, instantly devouring the soul—leaving not a trace.

He Pingsheng looked again at the devastated city, then at himself—and found not a single speck of karmic debt on his person.

Heaven above sees all; karma bears its own weight.

"Young Master!"

"Master!"

Hu Chen, Feng Wu, and Luo Bingyao arrived beside He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng nodded.

"Hu Chen, Feng Wu, you two stay behind and inspect what's left at the Shanquan Trading House."

He Pingsheng gestured toward the direction of the Shanquan Trading House.

The battle had occurred near the Imperial Palace, still some distance from Shanquan Trading House.

Shanquan Trading House had been scorched once by Feng Wu's fire, but its contents should still be intact: "From today on, we take over Shanquan Trading House!"

"Inventory everything!"

"Yes!"

Feng Wu and Hu Chen immediately flew toward Shanquan Trading House.

As for Shenlei Beast Emperor?

Ignore him!

If he dares show up to fight for Shanquan Trading House, we'll deal with him then.

He Pingsheng, meanwhile, returned to Dinglu Street with Luo Bingyao and his doppelgänger.

Fortunately, Dinglu Street was far enough away to escape the shockwaves of the recent battle.

Whoosh!

He Pingsheng waved his hand, and a vast quantity of elixirs spilled out before him.

During his forty-four years of imprisonment, he had refined elixirs nearly every month.

Every material Tianyuan Thunder Emperor sent him, he strengthened into double the amount, then refined two batches into four.

Only one-quarter of these elixirs ever reached Tianyuan Thunder Emperor.

The remaining three-quarters had all been kept by He Pingsheng.

After forty-four years of accumulation, the quantity was unimaginable.

Enough to supply Grand Void Alchemy Shop for centuries.

"I've just broken through to Body Integration realm—I must close off for several days to stabilize my cultivation base!"

"Don't let anyone disturb me!"

With that, He Pingsheng stepped directly into the small room behind.

Inside the room, he did not immediately begin closing off to stabilize his cultivation.

That was merely an excuse.

After swallowing the Creation Immortal Light, his cultivation had long been stabilized—he had no need to close off again.

He pulled out a single pearl.

With a thought, he opened it.

Out stepped twenty-six people in total.

"This… what is this?"

"What's going on?"

"We're out?"

"Who are you?"

"Where's Tianyuan Thunder Emperor?"

They looked at each other, then all turned their gazes back to He Pingsheng.

"All of you," He Pingsheng's gaze swept over them. "Tianyuan Thunder Emperor has just been slain by me… From now on, you are free—no longer his elixir slaves!"

"Huh?"

At that moment, none of them showed joy—only confusion and disbelief.

"Is this… really true?" An old man with white hair stared at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng said: "It's true… Those who commit too many evils will perish by their own hand—I just killed him, and shattered the Imperial Palace. If you don't believe me, go outside and see—the battlefield is just beyond."

"Go!"

He Pingsheng waved his hand, dismissing them all.

Then his gaze returned to the small world in his hand.

Aside from those just freed, no other humans remained within this small world.

The entire realm was new, with no signs of prior human habitation.

It must have been created not long ago.

Whoosh!

He Pingsheng pulled out even more items at once.

Two blood-red turtle shells—one upper, one lower; two small worlds; one Five-Five Talisman; two drops of 【Nanke Immortal Spring】; the Emperor treasure, the Golden Flag of Time and Space; one worn array plate; one Nirvana Divine Stone; the Emperor treasure 【Heaven-Earth Cage】.

Every item's rank was at least eighth-grade!

Higher grades were unknown.

Not knowing which could be fully strengthened, He Pingsheng dumped them all into the Treasure Basin at once.

Let them strengthen!

He had barely sat down when seven or eight people arrived together from outside the shop, and immediately fell prostrate before him.

"Thank you, He Daoist, for slaying Tianyuan Thunder Emperor—it's truly happened!"

"We'll refine elixirs for you for a thousand years to repay your kindness!"

These were some of those he had freed from the small world.

He Pingsheng smiled and shook his head. "No need… it was but a small favor—no repayment required."

"I must close off now—I won't see you off."

He Pingsheng waved his hand.

Helpless, they each bowed deeply, then left—after bowing three more times toward his shop before departing.

But one old man with snow-white hair remained kneeling at the entrance of He Pingsheng's small room, refusing to leave.

"Daoist, what's wrong with you?" He Pingsheng asked him.

The old man had a cultivation base of Mahayana peak, eleventh layer.