Chapter 85 - 82: Is This Reason Enough?

"You..." Luo Jinhao was just about to speak when his face smashed directly into the ground.

"PFFT!"

This kowtow was so forceful that several of his teeth snapped off, and blood spurted from the corners of his mouth. In truth, his head had been forcibly shoved into the dirt by Mo Qianqian’s Spirit Body. Pinned against the ground, neither the surrounding crowd nor the guards could see the invisible force holding him down.

"What’s going on? Could this person have such a high status that Young Master Luo is kowtowing to apologize?"

"He’s wearing a mask. How would Young Master Luo even know his background?"

"Then why did Young Master Luo suddenly kneel and kowtow to him?"

Many people in the crowd had never seen a Spirit Master in action and were completely clueless.

The beautiful woman who had just been bullied also looked stunned. Just moments ago, she had been worrying about the masked middle-aged man who stepped up to help her. Now, the situation had taken such an unexpected turn that she could barely process what was happening.

The guards surrounding Mo Qianqian sensed that something was amiss, but they didn’t dare act rashly.

"Where did this Spirit Master come from? To dare lay a hand on my brother—you certainly have a lot of nerve!" an angry female voice rang out. A woman in her late twenties, wearing a long white dress, strode over. She was as bright and flawless as the autumn moon, possessing a rare, undeniable beauty. However, her aura was far beyond that of the woman Luo Jinhao had been trying to harass. This was the stark difference between a cultivator and an ordinary person. Moreover, she radiated a vigorous Spirit that set her apart, giving her an air of absolute elegance. Yet, her face bore an unapproachable, icy arrogance that brooked no offense.

"Luo Wushuang! Luo Wushuang is here!"

"Luo Wushuang is Luo Jinhao’s sister. I heard she is a First-Grade Spirit Master who can enhance the quality of pills. She is the Luo Family’s cash cow."

"Can a Spirit Master do more than just refine pills? Can they actually force someone to kneel?"

"I’m not sure. Let’s just watch. If that masked middle-aged man forced Young Master Luo to kneel, rather than him doing it willingly, then he is probably finished."

"I knew it! There was no way Young Master Luo would willingly kneel to someone. The other guy definitely did something to him."

The crowd whispered amongst themselves. Many had only heard that Spirit Masters could enhance pills, but they had never actually witnessed one in combat, leaving them entirely unsure of what was going on. However, now that Luo Wushuang had arrived, they all assumed the masked middle-aged man was in for a world of trouble. To avoid getting caught in the crossfire, the bystanders hastily retreated to the sides.

"First-Grade Spirit Master?" Hearing the hushed whispers of the crowd, Mo Qianqian furrowed his brow slightly. No wonder she could tell he was a Spirit Master at a single glance. It turned out she was one herself. To become a First-Grade Spirit Master by her late twenties was indeed the mark of a great genius. Neither her status nor her position could be low.

It was no surprise Luo Jinhao acted so brazenly. Aside from having Patriarch Luo as his grandfather, he also had a First-Grade Spirit Master for a sister. Her standing in Central Earth might even eclipse that of Patriarch Luo, provided the Patriarch’s cultivation wasn’t excessively high.

"SWISH!"

Right at that moment, Mo Qianqian was startled to see a figure identical to Luo Wushuang suddenly materialize before his eyes. The only difference was that this figure was transparent, much like his own Spirit Body. Clearly, this was Luo Wushuang’s Spirit Body.

The moment it appeared, Luo Wushuang’s Spirit Body launched a direct palm strike at Mo Qianqian. Startled, Mo Qianqian shifted his stance and hastily dodged the blow. He was, after all, a Body Cultivator at the third level of the second realm. Combined with his sharp reflexes, he was fast enough to evade her attack. Having dodged the strike, he immediately retreated outward.

"SWISH!"

Simultaneously, he dispersed the Spirit Body that was pinning down Luo Jinhao. It instantly reappeared by his side and threw a punch straight at Luo Wushuang’s Spirit Body. Luo Wushuang’s Spirit Body was already launching its second wave of attacks, swinging a palm to intercept the incoming fist.

"BAM!"

Mo Qianqian’s Spirit Body smashed Luo Wushuang’s Spirit Body apart. It shattered into a powerful wave of Spirit energy that surged outward. Even Mo Qianqian felt his blood and qi churn from the impact, and his physical body was forced back several paces.

"SPURT!"

At the same time, Luo Wushuang suddenly spat out a massive mouthful of blood. Her entire demeanor instantly withered.

"What?" The onlooking crowd and the guards were completely dumbfounded. They hadn’t seen a thing—only the two of them staring at each other. Yet the result was that the Luo Family’s genius, the First-Grade Spirit Master Luo Wushuang, was suddenly coughing up blood?

How exactly did Spirit Masters fight? Was this masked middle-aged man really that powerful?

"You... How is your Spirit Body so strong?" Luo Wushuang lifted her head, staring at Mo Qianqian in utter disbelief.

The man before her was only middle-aged. Advancing as a Spirit Master was exceptionally difficult; logically, one shouldn’t be able to reach the rank of Second-Grade Spirit Master before their fifties or sixties. Most middle-aged individuals who managed to become Second-Grade Spirit Masters were already highly renowned. They wouldn’t be hiding behind a mask and running around a small place like Luocheng. But if he was only a First-Grade Spirit Master, why was his Spirit Body so devastatingly strong that it could shatter hers in a single blow?

"It’s because you’re too weak," Mo Qianqian replied with a detached tone.

Inwardly, he couldn’t help but mutter to himself, "I am a Second-Grade Spirit Master, and you are a First-Grade Spirit Master. Can they even be compared? Not to mention, I have also refined the Bone-Eroding Spiritual Source. Even among Second-Grade Spirit Masters, I am at the absolute peak..."

Of course, Mo Qianqian kept his true grade hidden.

"You, you, you... You dare hit my sister and me?" Freed from being pinned down, Luo Jinhao scrambled to his feet. With a mouth full of blood, he was so furious he was about to explode. "Hmph! So what if you’re a Spirit Master? Offend the Luo Family, and you’ll die all the same!"

Mo Qianqian’s eyes narrowed as he shot Luo Jinhao a frosty glare.

"Stop!" Right at that moment, a figure flew through the air toward them. It was a white-clad old man whose facial features bore a slight resemblance to Luo Jinhao’s. He landed squarely between Luo Jinhao and Luo Wushuang, extending his senses into his surroundings and remaining on high alert, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

"SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!"

Behind him, another twenty or thirty men came rushing in rapid succession from the city gates.

"Patriarch Luo and the Luo Family are here."

"Patriarch Luo is an expert at the Second Level of Tongyou Realm. This guy is in massive trouble now."

The onlooking crowd backed away even further.

"Grandfather!" Luo Jinhao ran toward the old man in white, his face a picture of grievance.

Meanwhile, the guards—including the two who had been holding the beautiful woman—charged to either side of Mo Qianqian, encircling him completely. The beautiful woman, now released, sobbed in terror as she backed toward Mo Qianqian.

The Luo Family’s forces arrived at where Luo Wushuang, Patriarch Luo, and the others were standing. Seeing the injuries sustained by Luo Wushuang and Luo Jinhao, shock painted their faces.

"Who are you, sir, and why have you injured my granddaughter and grandson?" the white-clad old man demanded coldly, his gaze locked on Mo Qianqian.

"I am Asura!" Mo Qianqian directly announced his moniker.

He wanted to see the old man’s reaction. He also wanted to test the waters to see if these Central Earth factions had heard of the name Asura, and if they had, what their attitude toward him would be.

After all, under his Asura identity, he had only killed an Elder of the Cloud Void Sect. He hadn’t killed anyone from the Ling Family or any of the Central Earth factions, nor did he possess any known treasures. Moreover, as Asura, his only connection was to Shi Muyao; it had nothing to do with the identity of Mo Qianqian. There wasn’t any deep-seated hatred or significant involvement between him and the Central Earth factions.

Revealing himself as Asura came with several benefits. For instance, if everyone believed he was Asura, they wouldn’t suspect that the man behind the mask was actually Mo Qianqian. He could walk openly in broad daylight wherever he went.

Furthermore, Asura supposedly had a master backing him who could effortlessly slay experts at the First Level of Tongyou Realm. Not knowing the truth, others would likely be wary of him. Given that he was a Spirit Master, it was highly probable that his master was a High-Grade Spirit Master. People couldn’t help but let their imaginations run wild in that direction.

What’s more, if the name Asura gained fame, it would eventually benefit the Yuling Sect and Shi Muyao. He would be able to blatantly protect the Yuling Sect and Shi Muyao, and even openly collaborate with the Ten Thousand Spirits Pavilion.

"As for why I injured your grandson? He was trying to abduct a woman in broad daylight. Is that reason enough?" Mo Qianqian added. His gaze remained fixed on Patriarch Luo, waiting to see exactly how the man would react.