Proofreader & Editor: Lotas
Even Thousand Poisons Qian, a seasoned veteran in the Cultivation World, had never encountered such a ruthless child. It was too extreme!
Despite his merciless reputation, Thousand Poisons Qian couldn't bear the thought of dying, especially now with his formidable strength and the luxurious life he led. The idea of dying alongside Mi Xiaojing was simply unthinkable.
Wang Weijun couldn't help but burst into laughter atop the Heart Tower. He hadn't expected Thousand Poisons Qian to be intimidated, but then it made sense. After all the hardships and narrow escapes, it would be a huge loss for Thousand Poisons Qian to perish with a mere Foundation Establishment youngster.
Wang Weijun wouldn't have wanted to either.
"Stay calm, stay calm!"
Sweat beads formed on the forehead of Thousand Poisons Qian, a man who never perspired. He was clearly frightened.
Mi Xiaojing glanced at Yong Ji and then stepped back, demanding, "Release my master!"
Without moving, Thousand Poisons Qian uttered a single word of true power, instantly freeing Yong Ji from his restraints.
"My spirit sword!" exclaimed Yong Ji.
"Give it back to him!" Mi Xiaojing ordered.
Thousand Poisons Qian, feeling utterly humiliated, not only threatened but now commanded, had no choice but to toss over the Qianyang Sword with a bitter smile.
Yong Ji excitedly reclaimed the Qianyang Sword. With the sect gone, obtaining a good spirit sword would be tough. The loss of his sword had pained him, but he knew that without Mi Xiaojing's bold move, they might have lost more than just the sword—their lives were at stake.
"I'm very calm! So, don't move a muscle!"
Mi Xiaojing warned Thousand Poisons Qian as he watched him throw the spirit sword.
Thousand Poisons Qian raised his hands and took a step back, "Okay, okay, I won't move!"
Yong Ji struggled to suppress his laughter. A notorious fiend like Thousand Poisons Qian was at a loss against a child.
Truth be told, Mi Xiaojing was unsure of what to do next. He couldn't keep using the Deadly Thousand Thunder as a threat, nor could he keep Thousand Poisons Qian around forever. The standoff was agonizing.
Yang Shan returned and was stunned to see Thousand Poisons Qian. What was this deity doing here? Then, noticing the blood at Mi Xiaojing's mouth and Yong Ji's defeated demeanor, he sensed trouble but remained composed upon seeing Thousand Poisons Qian's odd state.
Curiosity piqued, Yang Shan carefully approached Yong Ji and asked, "What happened?"
"We got beaten up…" Yong Ji replied irritably.
Yang Shan glanced at Thousand Poisons Qian, a figure he remembered well for his formidable reputation.
"He… he…"
Yang Shan couldn't fathom why Thousand Poisons Qian looked so defeated.
"What's he holding?" Yang Shan inquired, not recognizing the Deadly Thousand Thunder.
"Idiot, that's the Deadly Thousand Thunder!" Thousand Poisons Qian blurted out.
With that, Yang Shan understood. The infamous weapon had broken the Heart Sect's grand sword formation.
Confused, Yang Shan muttered, "So, he's holding the Deadly Thousand Thunder… but why?"
"To go down together!" Yong Ji replied flatly. "You've returned at quite the moment."
Yang Shan's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe it, but it made sense. Mi Xiaojing's stance was the only appropriate one—if he hadn't taken it, they would have been doomed.
The commotion had alerted the manor's residents. Luo Bo arrived first, followed by Mu Xiaoyin, and then Zhang Ke.
"Put down the Deadly Thousand Thunder, or your people will die too!" Thousand Poisons Qian threatened Mi Xiaojing in turn.
Luo Bo, quickly grasping the situation, shouted, "Brother Xiao Mi, don't put it down! If we're going to die, we'll die together!"
Thousand Poisons Qian was livid. Mi Xiaojing pointed at him and said, "Put down the Deadly Thousand Thunder, then wait for you to kill us?" He then feigned a throw, posing as if to launch the Deadly Thousand Thunder.
Thousand Poisons Qian screamed in panic, "Stay calm! Stay calm…" He was frustrated; why resort to throwing thunder at the slightest provocation? It was too much.
Soon, Mu Xiaoyin and the others understood the situation. Like Luo Bo, they were prepared to stand with Mi Xiaojing. They knew of Thousand Poisons Qian's fearsomeness from Mi Xiaojing's stories about the sect's destruction.
"If you don't want to die with us, then leave!"
Mi Xiaojing, concerned for his own people, decided to drive the intruder away. It was too dangerous to keep him around, whether Thousand Poisons Qian went mad or he did, the outcome would be unbearable.
Thousand Poisons Qian, realizing retreat was the best option, lamented the loss of the Lotus Platform but knew it was better than losing his life. He also had a nagging suspicion that someone powerful was backing Mi Xiaojing, someone he couldn't contend with.
In the Cultivation World, there were many you could provoke, but a few you must never touch, for the consequences would be dire.
"Fine, fine, I'll leave… Just stay calm…"
Thousand Poisons Qian muttered as he backed away.
Mi Xiaojing was satisfied to have scared off his opponent. Initially, he had considered mutual destruction, but as he cooled down, he saw victory in Thousand Poisons Qian's retreat and had no complaints.
Both had suffered losses—Thousand Poisons Qian the Lotus Platform, and Mi Xiaojing the Green Wood Formation. The grudge was set.
Thousand Poisons Qian, feeling extremely aggrieved, had no choice but to retreat, faced with the abnormality of the Deadly Thousand Thunder. Unless he wanted to perish alongside Mi Xiaojing.
For Thousand Poisons Qian, dying with Mi Xiaojing was out of the question. He carefully backed away, not too quickly, step by step, until he was out of the manor, always facing Mi Xiaojing.
Only when Thousand Poisons Qian was out of sight did Mi Xiaojing lower his arm, a wave of relief washing over him. He sat down, feeling utterly drained, and cursed, "That shameless scoundrel! Bullying a child!"
Yong Ji nearly burst into laughter. Bullying a child? A child like Mi Xiaojing was terrifying enough to send an Elemental Infant stage old monster running. To be continued.