Chapter 82: Not Using Full Power

Seeing Lin Qian stand up unscathed, Zhu Xiaojia, who had retreated a few steps, exclaimed in disbelief, "How is this possible? You clearly inhaled the Numbing Soul Smoke; there's no way you could still be standing!"

Lin Qian sneered as he turned to look at Zhu Xiaojia. "What if I told you I'm immune to all poisons? From the beginning, your so-called Numbing Soul Smoke had no effect on me."

"Immune to all poisons?" Zhu Xiaojia's face changed at Lin Qian's words. She had never imagined that such a constitution could actually exist.

"Hahaha, how amusing." At this moment, Fu Heng, standing nearby, also laughed mockingly. "Even if you're not poisoned, so what? Do you think you can take on all four of us by yourself?"

"Lin Qian, don't worry about us—just run!" Fu Heng's words snapped Ye Xin back to reality. Gathering the last of her strength, she anxiously shouted at Lin Qian, urging him to escape.

Fu Heng's grandmother wasn't just the Great Elder of the Divine Sword Sect but also her master's senior sister. With such a powerful relative and his own natural talent, Fu Heng's strength was unfathomable.

Even though Ye Xin had greater talent, she had only just broken through to the Nirvana Realm and was far from being Fu Heng's match.

Among the six disciples of the Divine Sword Sect who had come this time, Fu Heng was by far the strongest, on par with the prodigies of the Victorious Sky Sect.

With the equally formidable Zhu Xiaojia, as well as Ma Shaoyuan and Shi Sanmei, who stood behind Fu Heng, how could Lin Qian possibly take on all four of them?

Ye Xin's warning made Ma Shaoyuan and Shi Sanmei, who stood behind Fu Heng, become even more alert, ready to prevent Lin Qian from escaping.

"Stupid girl, why are you shouting?" Zhu Xiaojia sneered at Ye Xin, then turned her attention back to Lin Qian with a cruel smile. "No matter what, you're all dead today, hahaha."

Leaning weakly against Lin Qian, Ye Xin urgently pleaded, "Lin Qian, run! Don't worry about me!"

Lin Qian gently helped Ye Xin sit down on the ground, comforting her, "Don't worry. They're nothing to be afraid of."

As soon as Lin Qian finished speaking, Ye Xin saw him disappear from her sight, leaving only a flash of crimson-gold lightning in the room.

The next moment, Lin Qian, bathed in crimson-gold thunderous soul power, was already standing before Zhu Xiaojia.

Startled by Lin Qian's sudden advance, Zhu Xiaojia quickly gathered her soul power. After all, as one of the top disciples of the Divine Sword Sect, her reflexes were sharp. She immediately cloaked herself in soul power imbued with the metal element, forming a seemingly impenetrable shield.

But just as she began to feel relieved, she saw Lin Qian's eyes flash with electricity, and his face twisted into a disdainful sneer.

"You're too weak!" Lin Qian's voice was cold as he reached out toward her.

Crackle...

Lin Qian's crimson-gold lightning-infused soul power crackled as his hand effortlessly tore through Zhu Xiaojia's protective barrier and lightly pushed her.

Bang!

Zhu Xiaojia's body froze before being sent flying backward, crashing into the wall with a thud before sliding to the ground, blood spurting from her mouth.

Clutching her chest, Zhu Xiaojia looked up at Lin Qian in terror, her pupils shrinking as if she'd seen a ghost. "Impossible, how can this be?!"

What she saw left her speechless. Lin Qian's crimson-gold soul power radiated with a brilliance that was unmistakably layered twelve times.

The number of layers indicated the number of Nirvana cycles a soul warrior had completed before breaking through to the Nirvana Realm.

In Zhu Xiaojia's understanding, completing nine Nirvana cycles made someone an elite among elites, a prodigy celebrated throughout Lanhai Prefecture.

But Lin Qian, standing before her, had twelve layers of soul power, meaning he had completed twelve Nirvana cycles before breaking through.

"How can this be!" Fu Heng shouted in disbelief, his voice trembling. "After nine Nirvana cycles, it's supposed to be impossible to dissipate soul power. How did you manage twelve cycles?!"

Behind Fu Heng, Ma Shaoyuan and Shi Sanmei were equally stunned, too shocked to utter a word.

"Lin Qian, you..." Ye Xin, who had collapsed on the ground, also looked at Lin Qian in awe, unable to believe what she was seeing.

She never imagined that Lin Qian had accomplished something so extraordinary, something seemingly impossible.

Crack!

At that moment, the crisp sound of shattering glass echoed in the room, and Fu Heng's face contorted in fear.

He watched in horror as Lei Qian and the others pulled out transparent crystal bottles, pouring dark gray liquid into their mouths. After consuming the liquid, they all stood up as if nothing had happened.

Lin Qian crouched beside Ye Xin and took out a crystal bottle, carefully feeding her the dark gray liquid.

After swallowing the liquid, Ye Xin was amazed to find that her previously numbed soul power quickly returned, and the weakness in her limbs vanished.

The liquid in the crystal bottle was a simple antidote, and being a low-level remedy, it easily neutralized the effects of the Numbing Soul Smoke.

Lin Qian had also given similar antidotes to Lei Qian and the others beforehand. To him, these items were practically worthless, so gifting them to his friends was an easy way to earn their gratitude.

Fu Heng's expression turned dark and filled with fear. The Lin Qian standing before him had completed twelve Nirvana cycles—a feat of monstrous proportions—and now they were enemies.

Moreover, Numbing Soul Smoke could only be neutralized by antidotes of high value, like upper-rank grade C antidote pills, which Lin Qian's group shouldn't have had access to. Yet, they had easily dispelled its effects with some mysterious liquid.

The situation had suddenly turned against him.

"Grandmother, you've really led me into a trap. This Lin Qian isn't some washed-up loser—he's a complete monster!" Fu Heng gritted his teeth, glaring at Lin Qian with a mix of fear and hatred.

Ye Xin, her usually serene face now cold as ice, exuded a murderous aura as her sword intent flared.

But before she could act, Lin Qian suddenly raised his hand, signaling her to stop.

"Ye Xin, Lei Qian, and the rest of you, keep an eye on those three. Leave Fu Heng to me," Lin Qian said, his eyes locked on Fu Heng. "Your biggest mistake was targeting me."

As Lin Qian spoke, the oppressive aura around him weakened, and the layers of soul power reduced until only six remained.

Everyone understood what Lin Qian was doing—he was suppressing his own strength. With his soul power reduced, the layers naturally diminished.

"Lin Qian, what are you doing?" Ye Xin asked, confused by his sudden decision to suppress his power.

Lei Qian and the others exchanged knowing looks, then sneered at Fu Heng. "Only six layers of soul power? Looks like Lin Qian doesn't even consider Fu Heng a challenge."

Lin Qian smiled reassuringly at Ye Xin before turning his attention back to Fu Heng, who was just as puzzled. "If you want a chance to survive, fight me. If you win, I'll let you go."

"Of course, to avoid you claiming I'm bullying you, as you can see, I've suppressed my strength," Lin Qian declared, patting his chest confidently. "I promise...

I won't use my full power!"