Chapter 176: Chapter 176: This Road Is Blocked
’Stop you? Who in their right mind would even want to try?’
At the thought of Qin Ya’s monstrous strength, Ouyang Lin and the others felt a wave of helplessness well up from deep within. But this was a matter of pride for the Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain. If they didn’t act, how could they ever face their sect again?
"Qin Ya, let Senior Brother Fang go," one of them said, his face grim. If he weren’t outmatched by Qin Ya, he would have charged forward to fight to the death long ago.
"That’s right. You may be powerful, but you’re still just one person. There are hundreds of Purple Cloud Disciples gathered here in the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo. If we all swarm you, you’ll die, no matter how strong you are."
Hearing this, the corner of Qin Ya’s mouth curled into a cold smile. A frosty glint appeared in his eyes as he asked indifferently, "Is this how you ask me to release someone?"
"You..." The young man started to say more, but Ouyang Lin held up a hand to stop him. Taking a step forward, he looked at Qin Ya and said, "Brother Qin, it has only been a few days, yet your strength has already reached such a level. It is truly shocking. However, I must still ask you to release Senior Brother Fang. I, Ouyang Lin, would be immensely grateful."
"Now *this* is how a conversation should proceed," Qin Ya said with a faint, indifferent smile. He then raised his right foot and planted it on Fang Yu’s chest. Fang Yu himself had fainted long ago and remained completely still, oblivious to the act.
Seeing this, the faces of Ouyang Lin and the others darkened. Their fists clenched so tightly that veins bulged on their arms, and rage flashed in their eyes. Yet, they were desperately holding themselves back. Then, Qin Ya spoke: "I want you to apologize to Shangguan Yue."
"Fine," Ouyang Lin said.
At that, Qin Ya smiled. He lifted his right foot and suddenly kicked Fang Yu away. Ouyang Lin reacted instantly, catching his fellow disciple.
Staring at the nearly lifeless body of Fang Yu, the mood of the disciples turned grim.
They handed Fang Yu to one of the younger disciples to be carried away. Then, the remaining few exchanged a look, took a deep breath, and abruptly lunged at Qin Ya, striking with their palms.
"Qin Ya, die!"
"You utterly humiliated our Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain, and you still expect us to apologize to some little brat? You’re delusional! Go to hell!"
Qin Ya’s expression turned icy. "So, you’ve chosen to be unrepentant," he said coldly.
Facing the immense Palm Power, Qin Ya neither dodged nor evaded. He simply stood there and allowed the force of the blows to hit him. Just as Ouyang Lin and the others were starting to feel a surge of glee, the dust settled. They saw Qin Ya, still clad in his white robes, completely unscathed. The sight left them utterly dumbfounded.
’He took a direct hit from all of us and came out completely unscathed? How is that possible? Is he really that powerful?’
’No, wait... it’s like he didn’t even do anything to defend himself.’
Qin Ya let out a cold laugh. Cloaked in his Scenic Landscapes, he could withstand an attack from even an Extraordinary Strong Person, let alone a few cultivators at the Celestial Essence Realm.
Ouyang Lin’s face twisted into a sneer, all traces of his earlier restraint gone. A sinister light glinted in his eyes. "No matter. He dared to humiliate my Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain in public. For that alone, he deserves to die a thousand times over."
"Exactly. There are hundreds of our Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain disciples in the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo. If we all attack together, we can bury him with our sheer numbers. Hmph."
Meanwhile, the young man who had carried Fang Yu away arrived at the area occupied by the Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain disciples. After carefully setting Fang Yu down, he raised his arm and rallied them, crying, "Today, our Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain has been humiliated! If we do not avenge this, how can we possibly face our sect elders and masters back home? All disciples, follow me! We will execute Qin Ya!"
"Execute Qin Ya! Wash away this shame with blood!"
"Execute Qin Ya! Wash away this shame with blood!"
"Execute Qin Ya! Wash away this shame with blood!"
Roaring with indignation, the crowd of Purple Cloud Disciples surged towards the center of the conflict.
Over with the contingent from the Vast Sea Divine Palace, Shangguan Yue watched this unfold and turned anxiously to Lii Yunge. "Sister Lii, we have to hurry and help Brother Qin!"
Lii Yunge hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth. "Alright!"
After all, Qin Ya had only stepped in for Shangguan Yue’s sake. Now that he was facing such a crisis, she couldn’t just stand by and watch. But just as she was about to rally the other disciples to go help, Chu Lingfeng stepped in her way.
"Chu Lingfeng, what are you doing?" fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
When Fang Yu had openly insulted her and Chu Lingfeng had remained indifferent, any sense of camaraderie Lii Yunge felt for him had been shattered. Now that he was actively obstructing her, her expression turned cold and she spoke without a trace of warmth.
Chu Lingfeng noticed the change in her demeanor, and a flash of regret crossed his face. But it was quickly replaced by jealousy and resentment. ’Why? Why do all my years of effort mean less than the few times she’s met Qin Ya?’
’Why?’ Burning with jealousy, he said coldly, "Junior Sister Lii, while the Vast Sea Divine Palace may not be on friendly terms with the Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain, there’s no need to fight them to the death over an outsider. It’s not worth it."
Shangguan Yue exploded in fury. "Chu Lingfeng, you ungrateful bastard! Have you already forgotten who just saved you from that poison? Brother Qin is in mortal danger, and you’re just going to stand here and watch? Are you even human?"
Lii Yunge stared at Chu Lingfeng, her gaze as cold as ice. ’How did I never realize how despicable he was?’ she thought. Now, any positive feeling she might have had for him was gone, replaced by a profound sense of disgust. The very idea that she had been a fellow disciple with someone like him for so long made her sick to her stomach.
Chu Lingfeng naturally saw the disgust in Lii Yunge’s eyes, and his heart clenched in pain. But that pain was instantly consumed by rage and jealousy. He said, "I cannot send all the disciples of the Vast Sea Divine Palace into danger for an outsider. If I must, after this storm passes, I will personally kowtow and apologize to Qin Ya."
’In his eyes, there was absolutely no way Qin Ya could survive a siege by hundreds of Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain disciples. His offer to kowtow and apologize was nothing but an empty joke.’
As for the Martial Artists from the Yunxiao Empire, though their hearts were willing, their strength was insufficient.
They were already the weakest of the three major powers, with only a few dozen of them gathered here. Facing hundreds of disciples from Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain was like an egg trying to smash a rock. Nevertheless, a few of them, disregarding the disparity in strength, charged into the fray in a fit of righteous anger.
Among them, Lu Yin and Xiao Yunchen threw themselves into the fight to repay the debt of him saving their lives. They used all their strength to intercept a dozen disciples from Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain who were at the Earth Element Perfect Realm. Looking at the disciples seething with rage before him, Xiao Yunchen gave a bitter smile. "Teacher Qin, this is all we can do for you. As for the rest... well, you’ll have to look out for yourself."
Elsewhere, the two women, Muu Xue and Li Peiyi, also blocked a squad of Purple Cloud Disciples. Dressed in white and holding a longsword, Li Peiyi stood coolly before the group, her slender figure as poised and sharp as a peerless Divine Sword.
"Who are you?" one of the Purple Cloud Disciples demanded coldly.
"Get out of our way!"
Facing the menacing crowd, Li Peiyi simply smiled indifferently. She then slowly drew her longsword. As if a Divine Sword, long sealed away, was finally being unearthed, a powerful Sword Momentum erupted from her body and soared toward the heavens.
Under the pressure of her Sword Momentum, the Purple Cloud Disciples felt a piercing sharpness wash over them. It was accompanied by her cold, unyielding words: "This path is closed!"