Overwhelming Slaughter

Overwhelming Slaughter . . .

In the midst of this dire situation, Qin Wentian posed a surprising question to Qin Feng. The young man stood there, frozen, unable to fathom why Qin Wentian would broach such a significant matter at a time like this.

Qin Wentian, known for his exceptional cultivation talent and profound understanding of the martial path, had always refrained from taking on disciples. Instead, he had chosen to offer guidance and mentorship to Qin Feng, helping him along his journey of cultivation.

Yet, now, in the heart of this crisis, Qin Wentian was extending an unexpected offer: "Qin Feng, are you willing to take me as your master?"

For a moment, Qin Feng was bewildered, grappling with the gravity of the question. Why, he wondered, would Qin Wentian ask him to become his disciple in this critical moment?

Qin Feng knew well that his elder brother possessed extraordinary cultivation prowess and an unparalleled comprehension of the martial arts. Previously, Qin Wentian had shown no intention of accepting disciples; his role had been more that of a guiding presence, directing and advising without formalizing a master-disciple relationship.

However, here and now, in the face of danger, Qin Wentian was extending an offer that left Qin Feng both surprised and conflicted. Should he accept, he would forever be bound to Qin Wentian, unable to extricate himself from the connection they shared.

"I can't accept," Qin Feng hesitated, his heart racing. "If I say yes, you might never be able to leave."

Qin Wentian shook his head, a gentle smile gracing his lips. He understood the turmoil in Qin Feng's heart. In the past, he had been hesitant to take on disciples, not because he lacked the ability but because he knew his own path was one of constant motion. He would inevitably depart from any one location, and by accepting Qin Feng as his disciple, he would potentially hinder the young man's progress.

However, Qin Wentian had reconsidered his stance. He recognized that his decision could, in fact, benefit Qin Feng's growth without imposing limitations. He wasn't interested in founding sects or cultivating legacies; his actions were guided solely by his heart.

Moreover, Qin Wentian felt a genuine fondness for Qin Feng, admiring his character and personality. For Qin Wentian, a disciple's talent and strength held less significance than their character. His disciples were not meant to bolster his own prestige; they were an extension of his ideals and values.

With newfound clarity of purpose, Qin Wentian decided that by becoming Qin Feng's master, he could justifiably intervene in the current crisis.

"Qin Feng, are you willing?" Qin Wentian's gaze bore into Qin Feng, searching for a response.

Qin Feng's eyes shimmered with emotion. After a brief pause, he knelt on the ground, his voice resolute. "Disciple pays his respects to Master!"

Qin Wentian helped Qin Feng rise to his feet, fully aware that the surrounding onlookers were sneering and smirking with contempt.

"Savoring the moment, are we?" Qin Xiao jeered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He regarded the pair with undisguised scorn. "Since you insist on being obstinate, let the Qin Clan escort you to your fate."

"Qin Feng," Qin Wentian began, "now that I am your master, your sister, Qing'er, can also be considered my disciple. Since these individuals seek to harm both of you, I will employ my methods to deal with them. Do you have any objections?"

Qin Feng's eyes widened, struggling to comprehend the enormity of Qin Wentian's declaration. Deal with them? The implications of his new master's words sent shockwaves through his being.

As a tense silence hung in the air, Qin Wentian interpreted Qin Feng's silence as a reluctant but undeniable agreement. With unwavering determination, Qin Wentian's gaze shifted to Qin Xiao, and an icy aura emanated from him like a surging tide.

"You must be courting death," Qin Xiao hissed through gritted teeth, his hands dancing through the air, gathering astral energy. Yet, his futile attempts barely registered before Qin Wentian's actions unfolded. With a swift motion, Qin Wentian reached into the empty space before him, conjuring a colossal palm imprint that materialized from the very void itself. This monstrous manifestation bore down on Qin Xiao, the very atmosphere trembling with its immense power.

Qin Xiao's visage turned ashen at the sight of the gigantic palm hurtling toward him. His defensive efforts crumbled in an instant as the enormous hand clutched him tightly, rendering him utterly immobile.

"STOP!" The onlookers cried out in alarm and desperation. Qin Wentian's aura, now revealed as that of a second-level ascendant, sent a frigid shiver down everyone's spine. His eyes burned with an incandescent fury as a chilling wind enveloped him, each glance piercing like an icy blade. His eyes seemed to smolder with a blazing wrath, a tempest within.

Qin Xiao, held captive within the crushing grip of the gigantic palm, could only gasp for breath. Never had he fathomed that Qin Wentian could wield such terrifying power.

"If you seek to kill me, you must be prepared to meet your own end," Qin Wentian declared icily. Without further hesitation, he brought the enormous palm slamming down to the earth, reducing Qin Xiao to an unrecognizable, lifeless pulp.

A stunned hush settled over the bystanders as they gaped at the gruesome scene before them. Qin Feng, standing behind Qin Wentian, was equally astounded. He had never imagined that his elder brother possessed such incredible might.

"HOW DARE YOU!" The others roared, their collective anger surging forth. Though Qin Wentian had displayed formidable strength, his status as a second-level Celestial Phenomenon expert did little to intimidate them. After all, more than six individuals among them had reached higher Celestial Phenomenon levels, including two at the fourth level.

"KILL!" Their unified battle cry resonated, and a third-level ascendant led the charge, hurtling toward Qin Wentian with fervent determination. A golden stone platform materialized out of thin air, bearing a crushing force aimed at obliterating their adversary.

"Bzz!"

In a resplendent flash, Qin Wentian drew the demon sword strapped to his back. A melodious hum filled the air as an unending torrent of sword intent engulfed their surroundings. With a swift slash, Qin Wentian severed the very fabric of reality, rending the golden stone platform asunder with effortless precision.

Qin Wentian underwent a breathtaking transformation, emerging as a luminous streak of light. His celestial constellation unfurled, releasing a supreme, otherworldly sword energy that cascaded downward, shrouding the entire space in a blanket of unimaginable, malevolent power.

With the appearance of his Sword Slaughter Constellation, all other constellations belonging to the experts of the Qin Clan paled in comparison, their energy rendered feeble and inconsequential before this overwhelming might.

"A seemingly insignificant clan, rife with infighting and treacherous scheming, leading to this internecine strife. If you crave death so ardently, I shall grant your wish," Qin Wentian's voice rang out, and his constellation gave birth to torrents of sword energy that descended upon them. The sword qi pierced through their bodies, the sounds of slashing and rending echoing mercilessly. Several figures plummeted from the skies, their forms torn asunder by the ceaseless sword energy, meeting an instant demise.

This was the dominion of swords, a realm where Qin Wentian wielded supreme authority. With a single thought, he eradicated most of the combatants, leaving only two fourth-level ascendants alive. Though their lives were spared, dread gripped their hearts. The might of this young man's celestial constellation was beyond their comprehension.

Qin Wentian advanced with the demon sword in hand, golden roc wings resplendent behind him, casting a dazzling radiance. In a flash, he soared through the air, his sword emitting a cold, spatial-severing light. This strike spelled certain death, imposing its domination over the entire space. One of the fourth-level ascendants trembled uncontrollably, his complexion ashen. How could a second-level ascendant wield such formidable power?

"Puchi..."

Darkness descended as the sword struck true.

The remaining fourth-level ascendant, overcome by terror, abandoned all pretense of valor and fled. A fourth-level ascendant opting for flight over battle baffled the onlookers.

"Can you escape?" Qin Wentian's laughter resonated coldly. Runes swirled around him, converging on his palms. With a bellow reminiscent of the roar of a fiend god, an awe-inspiring star-seizing palm imprint surged through the space. With an earth-shattering crash, the fourth-level ascendant disintegrated, leaving behind no trace of his existence, not even bones.

The battle had been brief, yet the expert assailants encircling them were utterly decimated.

Qin Wentian's wings vanished, and he returned to Mu Feng's side. Mu Feng stood there, his senses overwhelmed by the shocking spectacle that had unfolded.

"Big brother Qin, no, I mean, Master..." Qin Feng stammered, his lips quivering. Qin Wentian gently took him by the hand, and they soared to the location where Qin Mu had been imprisoned. With a deft stroke, the prison disintegrated. Qin Mu's condition was dire, shackled in heavy iron restraints that testified to the fears the other Qin Clan experts harbored regarding his potential escape.

Qin Wentian approached, sundering the shackles and offering a restorative medicinal pill to Qin Mu.

As the medicinal elixir coursed through his system, Qin Mu's pallor receded, and vitality returned to his features. When he beheld Qin Wentian, an impulse to kneel overcame him, but Qin Wentian quashed that notion with a stern gesture.

"Back then, I already recognized your extraordinary character, sir, which is why I wanted those two siblings to interact with you more often. However, I never anticipated such an outcome. This time, the lives of my grandchildren will depend on you, sir." Despite being held back by Qin Wentian, Qin Mu kept his head bowed, as if the events of this wave had aged him considerably.

"Grandpa, sis..." Qin Feng found it hard to revel in their safety. While they were out of immediate danger, Qin Qing's fate still hung in the balance.

"Tell me in detail what happened to Qin Qing," Qin Wentian urged.

"Mhm," Qin Mu nodded and began his account. "In the Cloud Prefecture, there was once an exceptionally skilled divine inscriptionist grandmaster named Jiang Chao. His mastery of weaponsmithing reached its zenith, and the immortal-ranked weapons he forged were so rare and potent that even immortal emperors coveted them. After gaining fame, Jiang Chao established the Jiang Clan. However, his arrogance and numerous feuds eventually led to his demise, and the Jiang Clan's glory dwindled over time, descending to its present state. Nonetheless, it remains a preeminent power in the Cloud Prefecture and is revered as the foremost authority on weapon forging."

Currently, emissaries from the Jiang Clan were visiting Worryfree City, a development that had stirred great excitement. To foster relations with the Jiang Clan, the City Lord had dispatched her son, Xie Yu, to participate in the Immorseize Residence's gambling match with the Sky Demon Oracle Bone as the prize. Although the Jiang Clan had no shortage of such materials, gifting such a rare and valuable item would certainly make an impression. Additionally, they sought to recruit beauties from Worryfree City to entertain the Jiang Clan's experts. Qin Xiao, that scoundrel, had registered Qin Qing for the occasion, essentially tossing her into the fire. He was well aware that Qin Mu would never consent to such an arrangement. As a result, he conspired with the experts from the City Lord Manor to harm Qin Mu, killing two birds with one stone: sending Qin Qing away and seizing the Clan Lord's position.

"They forcibly took her away?" Qin Wentian inquired, his voice taking on a frosty tone.

"Yes, in their eagerness to curry favor with the Jiang Clan, they cared little for a small clan like ours," Qin Mu replied. "What worries me the most is that Qin Qing may truly be chosen. In that case, I shudder to think of what might happen." Worry etched deep lines on Qin Mu's face.

Given Qin Qing's spirited nature, she would never willingly submit to the other party's demands, even if she were selected. It was a truly harrowing situation.

"I will find a solution to this," Qin Wentian assured them. The Jiang Clan and the City Lord Manor were both formidable forces. But with Qin Qing abducted, he could not simply stand aside. While he was no saint, he had interacted with Qin Qing for a period of time and could not sit idly by. Though it might put him in peril, he couldn't care less!