Threat of an Immortal King

Threat of an Immortal King . . .

"How astonishing," murmured a patron in the inn, their voices reduced to mere whispers. The once vibrant atmosphere had turned stiflingly silent, and the faces of those present paled in the wake of the overwhelming oppressive force. Many among them were involuntarily driven to their knees, their bodies succumbing to the irresistible might.

Lin Xian'er's visage underwent a dramatic transformation as she fixed her gaze in the direction of the Star River Association. The figure adorned in golden robes appeared like a deity, his aura enveloping everything. Despite the encompassing aura, his devastating attacks remained tightly focused, neither seeping into the surroundings nor inadvertently affecting them.

Such absolute control was nothing short of terrifying.

Had the Star River Association dispatched an extraordinarily formidable expert to this world?

Prior to this cataclysmic event, Qin Wentian had already sensed an impending danger. His immortal senses delved deep into the nine bells, causing Driftsnow City to emanate layers of scintillating light that formed a protective barrier. Nevertheless, this barrier crumbled under the sheer force of a single strike, leaving everyone within Driftsnow City reeling. Even Qin Wentian himself felt his body quaking from the impact.

—Bzz!— There was scarcely any time to react as an immense, terrifying hand materialized instantaneously, hurtling toward the ancient Driftsnow City.

"ARGH!" A thunderous, earth-shattering roar resounded as Driftsnow City radiated an overwhelming immortal might. The Nine Immortality Bells quivered, coalescing once more into a colossal, resplendent bell that shrouded the entire city. Subsequently, this grand bell, too, soared into the air, colliding with the colossal palm descending upon it.

—BANG!—

Another deafening, sky-rending explosion reverberated through the heavens. The venerable grand bell trembled, causing Qin Wentian to involuntarily spew a mouthful of blood. His body convulsed violently, and maintaining his balance proved to be an arduous task. Yet, he lifted his head, resolutely channeling his immortal senses to forge a deeper connection with the city that the Driftsnow Master had meticulously crafted. Driftsnow City, as a weaponized city, excelled not only in offense but also in defense, and in times of crisis, defense took precedence over offense.

Driftsnow City came alive as countless runes materialized, hovering above the grand bell. The colossal bell shimmered brilliantly, its peals echoing through the void. The city walls, crafted from divine iron, materialized around the grand bell, forming the city's impregnable fortress.

—BOOM BOOM BOOM!— The expert in the skies above underwent a profound transformation in his demeanor. Despite his imposing stance and the titanic force behind his attacks, he found himself incapable of breaching the city's formidable defenses. It was unfathomable.

The venerable grand bell quivered incessantly, yet its fortifications held steadfast, repelling the devastating impact of the attacks. Still, the ensuing shockwaves left those within the city deeply unsettled. Those with weaker cultivations were injured, coughing up blood, while some had succumbed to unconsciousness.

The residual impact reverberated through the air, and it was Qin Wentian who bore the brunt of this powerful assault. His eyes remained shut, and his countenance had paled from the overwhelming force. Despite his physical distress, his unwavering determination kept his immortal sense intently focused on activating the city's impregnable defensive measures, firmly denying the Star River Association's expert any entry. Unfortunately, the immortal king from the Star River Association had arrived slightly ahead of his reinforcements from the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect.

In the celestial expanse, this seasoned expert continued his relentless barrage of attacks, each one proving futile against the city's impenetrable defenses. His demeanor grew colder with each fruitless attempt, and in his frustration, he stomped the air beneath him, causing the very heavens and earth to quake. As if summoned by his fury, numerous immortal foundation experts materialized behind him, their expressions twisted in frustration. How could the city's defenses be so unyielding?

"Qin Wentian, begone!" The immortal king draped in golden robes arrogantly commanded, his authoritative voice merging with the heavens themselves, its energy reverberating within the grand bell's confines. Qin Wentian reluctantly opened his eyes and gazed upward, his expression darkening. "The Star River Association seems to hold me in quite high regard. Sending an immortal king to deal with me."

The immortal king's countenance turned frigid, and a crushing pressure emanated from him as he descended, his foot landing firmly on the grand bell's pinnacle.

—BOOM!— A deafening roar resounded. Qin Wentian felt his entire body quaking violently as the grand bell, which encompassed all of Driftsnow City, began sinking into the earth under the impact of the immortal king's relentless assault. Within the city, its occupants suffered varying degrees of injuries.

Perched atop the grand bell, the immortal king glared down at Qin Wentian with undisguised disdain, reiterating his command. "Leave, now."

Qin Wentian tilted his head, meeting the immortal king's tyrannical gaze with a cold smile. "Resorting to immortal kings to bully inhabitants of a particle world. Is your shamelessness truly boundless?"

"INSOLENT!" The immortal king unleashed another violent stomp, causing the grand bell to sink further into the earth. Qin Wentian's eyes remained ice-cold as he stared up at his formidable adversary. As long as the grand bell's defenses held, even an immortal king would face certain death when reinforcements from the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect arrived.

"Do you truly believe I cannot reach you within that shell?" The immortal king's laughter was as cold as ice. He pointed toward Sky Harmony City and continued, "This city is your hometown, is it not? Many of your friends are there. Do you believe I wouldn't hesitate to obliterate the entire city?"

Though Qin Wentian's heart quivered, he fought to maintain a composed facade. In this critical moment, he could not afford to waver. He understood that the more he appeared to care, the more his opponent would exploit Sky Harmony City as a means of coercion.

"You, a high-ranking immortal king, dare to slaughter innocents? Are you not afraid of committing great sins?" Qin Wentian's voice carried a chilling undertone as he confronted his adversary. "Furthermore, all my close friends and comrades are already within Driftsnow City. There's no longer anyone connected to me outside of it."

"At my level, who among us doesn't bear the weight of sin?" The immortal king retorted indifferently. "Though you currently stand at the immortal foundation level, haven't you taken lives as well? As long as I don't annihilate an entire world, it doesn't constitute a grave sin. There's no retribution by karma. In the grand scheme of all realms, what is the worth of an entire city's lives?" With that, he delivered another earth-shaking stomp, causing Driftsnow City to sink further. His question echoed ominously as he demanded once more, "Still refusing to come out?"

"You expect me to sacrifice the lives of my close friends, comrades, and myself for the people of Sky Harmony City? Preposterous," Qin Wentian scoffed. "No one in this world would willingly make such a selfless sacrifice. By doing so, you'd be slaughtering innocent lives."

Though Qin Wentian's demeanor remained outwardly composed, his heart had turned icy. He hadn't anticipated that an immortal king would force him into such a dire decision. For now, he had to feign indifference. His logic was sound – there was no conceivable reason for the immortal king to massacre the innocent citizens of Sky Harmony City, and nobody in the world would readily sacrifice their own life and the lives of their loved ones for strangers.

"Hmph," the immortal king huffed in response, seeing through Qin Wentian's facade. He extended his arm, snatching over a dozen individuals into his giant palm, hoisting them into the air. These helpless souls trembled in terror, their screams piercing the heavens. "SAVE US!"

"These insignificant people of Sky Harmony City are mere ants to me," the immortal king sneered. "I can extinguish their lives with a mere thought. Will you still not emerge from your sanctuary?" He directed his intense gaze at Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian maintained his unwavering expression, steeling his resolve. The more he revealed his concern, the more lives the immortal king would ruthlessly extinguish.

"THEN PERISH!" The immortal king clenched his fist, extinguishing the lives of all within his grasp. Their lifeless bodies plummeted from the sky, leaving the spectators from Sky Harmony City trembling in fear. Their anger and resentment had evaporated, replaced by an overwhelming dread. To the immortal king, they were nothing more than insignificant ants, easily extinguished at his whim.

Qin Wentian bore witness to the merciless deaths of these innocent people. Though his fury raged within, he maintained a serene countenance. He couldn't afford to show his distress, or the immortal king would claim even more lives to force his capitulation.

"Is there any meaning in slaughtering these innocents?" Qin Wentian's voice dripped with mockery.

The immortal king's unfeeling gaze lingered on Qin Wentian, revealing his utter indifference toward the deaths of these mortals. His hand extended in another direction, and yet another group of people met their demise—each life ruthlessly extinguished.

"Do you truly not care about the life and death of these people?" the immortal king inquired, his tone devoid of emotion.

"Who's the real fool here? Why would I sacrifice myself for people who have no connection to me?" Qin Wentian retorted, his voice tinged with defiance.

"Hehe, it seems there's someone who hasn't fled yet. Judging by her expression, she seems genuinely concerned about you," the immortal king chuckled. Qin Wentian's brow furrowed as the immortal king reached out once more, seizing a figure exuding an ethereal aura. This person possessed exquisite beauty. In an instant, the immortal king removed her veil, unveiling a visage of flawless features. However, her fear diminished some of her radiance.

"Lin Xian'er," Qin Wentian muttered, his expression darkening. Why was Lin Xian'er here?

"So exquisite. Even among female immortals in the immortal realms, such beauty is a rare find. Don't tell me you don't know her?" the immortal king coldly laughed. His immortal sense was formidable, allowing him to scrutinize the movements and expressions of those in Sky Harmony City. Lin Xian'er didn't exhibit much fear; instead, her emotions seemed to be a mix of worry and apprehension.

Qin Wentian's heart grew cold. Immortal kings were indeed formidable. The immortal king had a purpose; when he previously attacked, he used his immortal sense to identify someone Qin Wentian was acquainted with.

"Indeed, I am acquainted with her. She's quite renowned and possesses exceptional beauty," Qin Wentian admitted. "However, consider the number of beauties in my city. In this particle world, countless beauties admire someone like me, Qin. Isn't it natural for her to feel concerned and nervous when she witnessed you attacking me? What's so unusual about that?"

"Ah, it seems you have a way with the ladies," the immortal king remarked coldly. With a casual wave of his hand, Lin Xian'er was thrown toward the immortal foundation experts behind him. He continued, "Such a stunning woman in this rustic world. You all can do as you please with her; make sure to savor every moment."

"Senior, I truly don't know him. You, as a highly respected being in the vast immortal realms, why must you trouble me...?" Lin Xian'er implored, her demeanor exuding fragility.

"Even her voice and expression possess a certain charm. You all are in for a treat," the immortal king stated dispassionately. To him, the inhabitants of particle worlds were like insignificant weeds, unworthy of his consideration. Lin Xian'er held no value in his eyes.

"Thank you, immortal king," the immortal foundation experts chorused in gratitude, bowing respectfully. Lin Xian'er was swiftly taken away by them. As Qin Wentian gazed in their direction, he caught Lin Xian'er's eyes fixed on him, a glint of despair in her beautiful gaze.

"You can come out if you've thought things through," the immortal king taunted, laughter in his voice. He stomped once more before vanishing completely. Qin Wentian clenched his fists, unable to forget the despairing look Lin Xian'er had cast his way.

People from Driftsnow City gathered around, their faces pale from their injuries. They implored Qin Wentian, "Wentian, you must leave this place. Just return to the immortal realms."

"I must seek revenge," Qin Wentian declared with ice-cold determination. He owed Lin Xian'er a debt of gratitude. During their time in the Immortal Martial Realm, she had come to the aid of Ye Lingshuang and Ouyang Kuangsheng.

"Lin Xian'er..." Ouyang Kuangsheng began but faltered, his heart brimming with anger. "Who would have thought an immortal king could be so despicable?"

"He has no regard for anyone in this world," Fairy Qingmei remarked coldly. "Wentian, you truly should leave."

"It's all right. They've arrived," Qin Wentian's voice was as cold as ice that had endured for millennia. Everyone turned to him, puzzled by his words. To them, the only apparent solution was to escape this world. They couldn't envision any other choice.

"Qingcheng, please talk some sense into Wentian," Fairy Qingmei urged, directing her gaze at Mo Qingcheng. Yet, the palpable aura of vengeance radiating from Qin Wentian was now overwhelming. He lifted his head, eyes fixed on the sky, where a multitude of experts were descending.