Chapter 179: Threat and Intimidation, Qingzhou Shakes

Qin Xiao’s actions left everyone present utterly astonished.

They had originally assumed he was merely trying to scare Chen Shunyi or coerce him into some agreement, but no one expected Qin Xiao to kill him outright.

No matter what, Chen Shunyi was an official of the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty, a Fourth Rank Grand Commander.

“This is a disaster. If he had just beaten him up, I could still have helped smooth things over. But now that he has killed him, I am afraid even my Immortal Dao Merchant Association cannot protect him.”

Ling Ruoxue was the most shocked of all. Although she often haggled and schemed against Qin Xiao, she always did her utmost to help him when a true crisis struck. Yet now, even if she wanted to help, her hands were tied.

“This kid really has guts. Even I have to admire him a little, though it is a pity he is still too young.”

Tao Tianyuan hadn’t expected Qin Xiao to kill Chen Shunyi either. He marveled at it, but felt some regret too.

Any of the other four Body Integration stage cultivators could have been killed without grave consequence, as their sects were hardly overwhelming powers. Chen Shunyi was entirely different; he was a Fourth Rank Grand Commander of the Heavenly Dynasty.

“Husband, it seems that after today, we will need to go into Secluded Cultivation for a while longer.”

Li Wuyang also thought Qin Xiao had brought down great trouble. She and her husband had helped him, so they could only lie low for a while too.

“Big Brother, I am afraid we cannot wait a month. Let us resign today.”

Li You was completely dazed. A Fourth Rank official of the Heavenly Dynasty, a master at the Body Integration stage, had been beaten to death with a single punch?

“Second Brother, I agree. The Heavenly Dynasty will react immediately. We had better pull back at once.”

Zhang Zuo knew the authorities would demand an explanation for a Grand Commander’s death. If the consequences caught them too, they would certainly die.

Earlier, Qin Xiao’s killing so many Soul Formation cultivators had seemed no great matter. At worst, they would face Body Integration cultivators. With Chen Shunyi dead, though, the Heavenly Dynasty might send Great Ascension cultivators to call him to account.

“Xiao’er was a little impulsive. After today, I should have him lie low for a while.”

Ye Qiuyue was rash too, but not as rash as Qin Xiao.

Chen Lou, the City Lord of Tianyi City, collapsed to the ground. The Chen Family’s only pillar was gone. His time as City Lord was probably over. They had offended so many people; without his uncle, the Chen Family would surely suffer retaliation.

“You four old things, what do you have to say for yourselves now?”

Qin Xiao knew killing Chen Shunyi was extremely risky, but what else could he do? As long as Chen lived, trouble would keep coming. Better to end it cleanly than keep struggling with him. Now he was considering what to do with the other four Body Integration cultivators.

Having already killed Chen Shunyi, he didn’t care about killing a few more. Once troubles piled up, one more made little difference. Offending one person or a whole group was still an offense. Follow the newest chapters on novelрing.com.

“Little Friend Qin, we were entirely misled by Chen Shunyi’s deceptions! We never wished for any of this.”

“Indeed! We only agreed to come out of consideration for old friendships. If we had known what he intended, we would never have set foot here today.”

“Though we lost some disciples today, that was merely the result of our own misjudgment and has nothing to do with Little Friend Qin. We share no enmity with you. Let us simply treat this day as if we were never here.”

The four Body Integration cultivators were afraid too. They had to be: Qin Xiao had dared to kill Chen Shunyi, and they had no doubt he would dare kill them. Even their form of address had changed to “Little Friend Qin.”

“So, you are saying this was all just a misunderstanding?”

Since the four had changed their attitude, Qin Xiao didn’t want to kill them all. They hadn’t attacked, after all.

“A misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding! This entire affair was deliberately concealed by Chen Shunyi, and we were merely his victims. Little Friend Qin can rest assured-those juniors attacked you of their own accord, and their deaths were simply their fate. We hold no grievances against you whatsoever.”

“Precisely as my fellow Daoist said. Their perishing was the consequence of listening to slander, entirely our own responsibility. It has nothing to do with you.”

Desperate to preserve their lives, the four men eagerly offered up any excuse that might appease him.

“Since you put it that way, we truly have no enmity between us. You may leave. But remember-I have already thoroughly investigated your respective factions. You had better keep your word. If we meet again under different circumstances, the outcome will not be so pleasant.”

Qin Xiao decided to let them go. A wise man knew when to yield, as the saying went. They had chosen to be wise, so he could hardly kill them now.

“Many thanks, Little Friend Qin.”

Without another word, the four figures shot into the distance, desperate to leave before Qin Xiao changed his mind.

As the four Body Integration experts vanished from sight, Tao Tianyuan stepped forward to address Qin Xiao.

“Qin Xiao, you’ve already gone this far. Why let dangerous enemies go free? Killing one is still killing, and so is killing five.”

Tao Tianyuan was puzzled. They could have killed all five.

“Senior, I understand the principle. While I am no saint, I have no desire to slaughter the innocent indiscriminately. They never actually attacked me. Letting them go carries hidden risks, but for now, it is best to reduce our troubles where we can.”

Qin Xiao had been firm in killing Chen Shunyi, but he knew the matter wouldn’t be easy to explain away. He would have to face pressure from the Heavenly Dynasty, and couldn’t afford to deal with pursuit from four other factions too.

Those four old foxes might harbor thoughts of revenge, but none would dare act in the short term. They could not afford the gamble. Perhaps if the Heavenly Dynasty drove him into a corner later, they would swoop in to finish him off, but for the immediate future, he had bought himself breathing room.

“Qin Xiao, you’ve brought serious trouble on yourself this time.”

Ling Ruoxue had come out of the city and reached Qin Xiao.

“I am well aware. This disaster had to come sooner or later. If Chen Shunyi had been left alive, the troubles would never have stopped.” Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping.com.

Qin Xiao replied with total indifference.

“You should at least wait until you’re strong enough! With your strength now, you don’t even count as an ant before the Heavenly Dynasty.”

Ling Ruoxue was furious at his unbothered attitude.

“What strength could I reach that would be enough against the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty? With my strength lower now, the people they send after me won’t be too strong either. That gives me more of an advantage. Besides, what if things aren’t that bad?”

Qin Xiao was so unconcerned because he trusted his speed when it came to escaping.

Qin Xiao had learned enough to know his speed exceeded that of most cultivators. Flying speed had a limit: it wouldn’t keep increasing just because cultivation did. Unless they could tear space open and teleport straight to him, that was.

Unless the Heavenly Dynasty dispatched a Tribulation Transcendence grandmaster to personally hunt him down, even a Great Ascension expert might not be able to catch him.

“Senior Tao, I must ask a favor. You and your wife have long kept to secluded cultivation in an undisclosed location. Could you take Qin Xiao with you to lie low for a time?”

Realizing she could not reason with him, Ling Ruoxue turned to Tao Tianyuan with a plea.

“Since Miss Ling has asked, I’ll certainly help. I like Qin Xiao too. It would be a pity for him to die like this.”

Tao Tianyuan nodded in immediate agreement.

“I appreciate your kindness, both of you, but there’s no need. I don’t want to hide yet. I could hide for a while, but not forever. First I want to see what the Heavenly Dynasty does.”

Qin Xiao flatly rejected their proposal. If he intended to run and hide, he would never have struck down Chen Shunyi in the first place.

“Since you have already made up your mind, follow your own path. This is my sound-transmission bead. If you ever require assistance, transmit your voice to me. If it lies within my power, I will lend a hand.”

Seeing that Qin Xiao would not hide, Tao Tianyuan took out a bead and handed it to him.

“Many thanks, Senior.”

Qin Xiao accepted without fuss. He might need these two experts’ help later.

“Since everything is settled, my wife and I will take our leave. May we meet again if fate allows.”

Once Qin Xiao accepted the Sound-Transmission Bead, Tao Tianyuan said farewell and left with his wife, Li Wuyang.

Qin Xiao then entrusted Yun Man to Ling Ruoxue. He planned to face the Heavenly Dynasty’s questioning alone. His speed would let him escape, but Yun Man couldn’t keep up. At his side, she would become a vulnerability. Sending her to the Immortal Dao Merchant Association under Ling Ruoxue’s protection should be the best arrangement.

Yun Man offered no stubborn resistance this time. It was not out of cowardice, but because she understood all too well that she had become his burden, and she refused to hold him back.

As news spread, all of Qingzhou was shaken. Even the neighboring provinces gradually heard about it.