Volume 5, Chapter 289 – Knowing Death is Certain, Why Struggle?

“It’s me.”

Qi Huang hovered mid-air, gazing down at the people below with the detached indifference of someone observing ants, ready to crush them beneath her foot at any moment. ‘They dare to think of killing me at the slightest provocation? Do they truly believe I’m some soft, easy target?’

Immortal Huo looked up and saw a black-clad figure wearing a bamboo hat, peering down at him from above. In their hand was a strangely shaped bronze mirror. His face instantly paled. As a cultivator, he knew exactly what flight signified.

“May I ask which esteemed senior has graced us with their presence? This junior was disrespectful!”

Immortal Huo immediately bowed deeply. The others exchanged bewildered glances.

“I’ve come from the capital,” Qi Huang replied coolly. “Just now, I heard you all discussing plans to kill Qi Huang?”

“From the capital?”

Immortal Huo’s eyes lit up. A high-ranking figure arriving from the capital at this time could only have one objective. Eagerly, he responded, “Yes, we must eliminate Qi Huang to complete our mission. Might I ask what business the esteemed senior has here?”

“What a coincidence. My mission is also to kill Qi Huang. So, there’s no need for you to trouble yourselves, I’ll handle it.”

Qi Huang lied without batting an eye. For her, deception was second nature.

“We wouldn’t dare compete with the esteemed senior! Then we leave it to you!”

Immortal Huo was overjoyed. The others exchanged glances, relief and delight spreading across their faces. Just moments ago, they had been agonizing over how to kill Qi Huang—now, a powerful figure had arrived to do the job for them.

“Rest assured. This venerable one is, after all, a Divine Realm expert. Killing a mere Qi Huang is nothing, annihilating the entire Honghua Sect wouldn’t even require lifting a finger.”

Qi Huang’s tone was brimming with confidence.

“What? A Divine Realm expert?!”

Shock rippled through the group below, and they immediately prostrated themselves in submission.

“But here’s the problem, how can I be certain you won’t interfere?”

Qi Huang’s voice abruptly turned icy.

“Esteemed senior… what do you mean?”

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Immortal Huo asked cautiously, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.

“This venerable one must personally kill Qi Huang to claim my reward. Yet you lot also intend to kill her, making you my competitors. To ensure there are no… complications, shouldn’t I eliminate you first?”

A cold smirk played on Qi Huang’s lips.

“Esteemed senior! Spare us! We wouldn’t dare challenge you even if we had the courage of bears and leopards!”

Immortal Huo dropped to his knees, kowtowing frantically. He knew a Divine Ability expert could erase him as easily as crushing an ant, there was no room for defiance. His followers also banged their heads against the ground, pleading for mercy.

“Pity. I only trust the dead.”

Qi Huang’s feet left the tree branch, her body descending like an autumn leaf. At the same time, her divine sense unfurled in all directions, condensing into an invisible mountain that crashed down upon the group below.

BOOM!

The divine sense mountain struck like a meteor, smashing into the granite-paved street and carving out a crater three zhang in diameter.

The weaker followers didn’t even have time to react, their bodies burst apart like overripe melons under immense pressure, splattering the ground in a grotesque mix of red and white. Not a single intact bone remained.

Immortal Huo fared only slightly better. His legs gave out, knees slamming into the ground hard enough to crack the stone beneath him. The sharp snap of breaking bone echoed through the night.

“AAAAHHH!”

A bloodcurdling scream tore from his throat as blood gushed from his seven orifices like a fountain. His internal organs had been grievously damaged, had he been any weaker, he would have died instantly.

Nearby residents, startled by the screams, hastily extinguished their oil lamps. The street fell deathly silent.

Not wanting to incite panic, Qi Huang used her divine sense to drag Immortal Huo away, streaking toward the city outskirts.

“E-Esteemed senior… s-spare me! This junior truly d-dares not compete with you!”

Immortal Huo’s words were slurred, blood frothing from his lips with every syllable.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived outside the city. Qi Huang unceremoniously dumped him onto the ground.

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“Speak. Who sent you? If your employer has enough influence, perhaps I’ll spare you as a courtesy.”

Her feet touched down lightly as she strolled forward, infusing her true qi into the Shadow-Retaining Mirror to record the exchange.

Unaware of the mirror’s function, Immortal Huo’s face lit up with desperate hope.

“Esteemed senior! I was hired by the Second Master of the Liu Family!”

“Second Master Liu? Which Liu Family?”

Qi Huang feigned ignorance.

“Liu Biao, the second uncle of Liu Yingyue! Since you’re from the capital, you must know the foremost noble family of the Western Radiance Dynasty?”

Immortal Huo swallowed a mouthful of blood before hastily explaining.

“Do you take me for a fool? If he’s her uncle, why would he sabotage his own family’s auction house?”

Qi Huang’s voice dripped with skepticism.

“Esteemed senior, you’re unaware of the internal strife. Liu Yingyue, as the capital’s number one beauty, has been coveted by many nobles since childhood. She was meant to be married off for political gain, but she refused to accept her fate, threatening to die rather than comply.

Her father, Patriarch Liu Zheng, couldn’t bear to force her. He proposed to the Liu Family’s ancestral elder that if his daughter could triple the profits of one branch within three years, the arranged marriage would be canceled. If she failed, she would obey the family’s arrangements. As collateral, he voluntarily stepped down as patriarch, handing the position to Liu Biao.

After much pleading, the ancestral elder agreed. Now, this is the third year. Liu Yingyue already bankrupted one auction house. If she fails to meet the target by year’s end, she must marry, and her father will permanently lose his position. That’s why Liu Biao sent me to sabotage her.”

‘I see. No matter how vigilant you are, treachery always comes from within.’

Qi Huang nearly laughed aloud but maintained her act.

“What does this have to do with Qi Huang?”

“We needed the Yongning Prefecture governor’s authority to ensure the auction house’s collapse. But Qi Huang’s allies interfered. So, she must die.”

Immortal Huo wiped blood from his lips.

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“Understood. But without proof, how can I believe Liu Biao is truly your employer?”

Qi Huang pressed further.

“Simple! I can contact Second Master Liu right now. If you doubt me, you can ask him directly!”

Eager to survive, Immortal Huo produced a Thousand-Mile Communication Tube.

Qi Huang didn’t stop him, this was exactly what she wanted.

“Second Master Liu? I have a matter requiring your assistance.”

Immortal Huo relayed the night’s events, emphasizing that a Divine Realm expert had intervened.

Liu Biao, though furious, dared not show it. He instructed Immortal Huo to pass the communication tube to Qi Huang.

“Might I ask which esteemed senior this is? Elder Zuo of the Immortal Alliance? Immortal Ye of the Donglai Sect? Or perhaps Peak Master Bai of Poyun Peak?”

His tone was obsequious.

“None of the above.”

Qi Huang’s voice was frosty.

“Impossible! To my knowledge, the Western Radiance Dynasty has only three Divine Realm cultivators!”

A trace of suspicion seeped into Liu Biao’s voice.

“Are you questioning this venerable one? The cultivation world has countless reclusive experts, how could a mere mortal like you know them all?”

Qi Huang’s displeasure was palpable.

“A misunderstanding, esteemed senior! Since you’re eliminating Qi Huang, you’re inadvertently aiding my cause. I’d like to express my gratitude in person.”

Liu Biao backpedaled hastily.

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“Unnecessary. This venerable one prefers anonymity.”

“Are you certain you require no assistance? Qi Huang’s true identity is the infamous Cheng Hongling!”

Liu Biao couldn’t resist probing.

“Do you doubt my capabilities? Should I kill you as proof?”

Qi Huang’s tone was lethally amused.

Immortal Huo’s face drained of color as he stumbled back.

“N-No need! Since you’re so confident, I wish you swift success.”

Liu Biao hurriedly ended the call.

Qi Huang snorted, deactivating the tube. This recording was enough to hand over to Liu Yingyue, this was a family affair, and she had no intention of overstepping by eliminating Liu Biao herself.

“Esteemed senior… may I leave now?”

Immortal Huo ventured weakly.

“Apologies. Since your employer doubted my strength, I’ll have to kill you as proof.”

Qi Huang sighed regretfully.

Immortal Huo’s eyes bulged in terror. He tried to flee, but his injuries made his movements clumsy and uncoordinated.

“Knowing death is certain, why struggle?”

With a flick of her wrist, a single strand of hair shot forth like a blade, wrapping around Immortal Huo’s neck—

—and with a gentle tug, his head toppled from his shoulders.

His Life Soul attempted to escape, but a divine sense hand crushed it to nothingness.