Chapter 133: Today, I Take the Lead

In the valley, all things returned to their original state.

The thunder that had filled every corner like a vast ocean vanished. The Heavenly Thunder Array, personally laid by the Immortal Master of the Imperial Spirit and capable of slaying an expert of the Profound Realm, had been shattered by a single sword strike from Jiang Yu.

That sword strike was comparable to the might of an Earth Immortal.

The valley was in shambles. As the clouds of dust settled, people finally noticed the massive craters and sprawling fissures covering the ground. It seemed as if even the light tread of a young child could cause the earth to collapse further. Every structure, from the villas down to the pavilions and towers, had been utterly destroyed.

Such was the terror of a battle between masters.

At this moment, everyone finally understood why masters, when clashing, chose locations far from human habitation. It was because every gesture they made possessed the power to manipulate the forces of heaven and earth. Had this occurred in a bustling city, innocent bystanders would surely have been caught in the crossfire.

Jiang Yu’s eyes were dim and listless. He spat out another mouthful of blood; by forcing himself to use his trump card, he had nearly damaged his internal organs and caused his cultivation to regress. That single sword strike had drained every ounce of true essence from his body.

"It would be better to use such trump cards sparingly in the future," he muttered with a bitter smile, wiping the blood from his lips and looking around.

The collateral damage was too severe. Many innocent people had suffered this disaster, their breaths faint, their lives hanging by a thread. Being mere mortals of flesh and blood, how could they walk through thunder as Jiang Yu did? In the end, without reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, his strength remained insufficient. Facing an array laid by the Immortal Master of the Imperial Spirit required his most powerful trump card to shatter it. Had he already reached Foundation Establishment, there would be no need for such immense effort; he could have slain the Lord of the Qin family and broken the array with his bare fists alone, not even deigning to use divine abilities.

Look at Qin Muchen, lying on the ground covered in wounds. His Daoist robes had long since turned to dust, revealing vast stretches of withered skin. In his current state, he could not even defeat an ordinary person. That sword strike could sever time itself! Qin Muchen had been shorn of fifty years of his lifespan; he was now senile, his cultivation completely extinguished. He looked as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in his life, acting like a madman, gripped by intense agitation. Indeed, Jiang Yu’s sword strike was akin to immortal learning.

"My Lord has lost?"

The Grand Elder’s body went limp, and he knelt on the ground. He found this scene impossible to accept. The head of the Qin family, whom they worshipped like a god, had exhausted all his trump cards and even activated the clan-protecting array, yet he had been defeated so miserably and wretchedly.

Jiang Yu walked up to Qin Muchen. He pressed two fingers together and slowly raised them above his head. As if experiencing a final burst of clarity before death, Qin Muchen’s cloudy eyes cleared. He smiled bitterly, "So, it was the True Immortal of the Imperial Spirit standing before me. I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai."

"I gave my word that I would extinguish the Qin family, and my resolve is set; no one can stop it. Do you have any final words?"

Both sides knew well that no matter how much the other praised him, there would be no mercy. Just as Qin Muchen, despite his constant praise for Jiang Yu’s cultivation, would never have spared him had Jiang Yu been the one to fall.

"True Immortal Jiang, the fault lies with us, and it has nothing to do with the younger generations. I offer my life in exchange for their safety. I hope you will spare them."

Jiang Yu looked back at the wailing crowd and frowned slightly. Originally, he had intended to wipe out the entire Qin clan, but now, he changed his mind. Among the Qin clan, there were many students of previous generations; how could he distinguish them? To act now would inevitably lead to accidental killings. While he did not care much, he did not wish to commit excessive slaughter. Precisely because he knew how fragile worldly life was before a cultivator, he respected life all the more.

"Very well. I shall grant you this wish."

Jiang Yu’s expression was indifferent. He brought his fingers down like a blade. A generation of masters fell right there. In the hundred years of Huaxia, following Chen Jianyan of the Chen family, Qin Muchen was the second master to fall.

"My Lord!"

Countless Qin disciples wept bitterly. With Qin Muchen slain, the Qin family had effectively lost its spiritual pillar. Without a master in the house, their status would be as low as dogs. It was easy to foresee that soon after Qin Muchen’s death, the Qin family would fall from their pedestal.

The Grand Elder knelt on the ground, his face full of despair. "Qin Fenggu, what kind of powerful enemy have you brought upon the Qin family?" He wept, his heart shattered.

Jiang Yu flicked a few pills toward the Grand Elder. "Those people are innocent after all. Have someone fetch a few buckets of water, soak the pills in them, and let them drink."

The Grand Elder’s hands trembled as he picked up the pills and sniffed them. He suddenly shrieked, "Pills? And premium-grade pills at that? Could it be that the Immortal Master is also an alchemist?"

Under the dazzling titles of True Immortal of Arts, Martial Arts Master, and Body Tempering Grandmaster, was there now the identity of an alchemist? A tempest surged within the Grand Elder’s heart.

Jiang Yu sneered, "If I told you that besides these, I am also a master of arrays and a master of the spirit, would you believe me? What you have seen is merely the tip of the iceberg. How could my power be something you could fathom?"

The Grand Elder knelt respectfully and kowtowed. "I, Qin Hou, pay my respects to the Immortal Master."

Jiang Yu asked him, "I slew your Lord, killed your elders and many disciples, and destroyed the Qin family. Do you not hold a grudge for any of this?"

The Grand Elder replied piously, "In the presence of the Immortal Master, it was our own lack of insight. Those who offended you deserved to die; they brought it upon themselves. As long as the Immortal Master is willing, the Qin family shall henceforth serve you as our Lord, and we shall obey your every command without hesitation."

Jiang Yu flicked his sleeve and turned away, leaving behind one sentence: "Tell the Royal Family and the Fang family that within three days, they are to come to the Qin family to see me."

The Grand Elder’s body shuddered as he obeyed, "I shall strictly follow the Immortal Master’s decree."

Hundreds of meters away, the Lu sisters were weak and struggling on the verge of death. Seeing Jiang Yu walk over, a complex smile appeared on her face. "Immortal, are... are we going to die?"

Jiang Yu squatted down and smiled slightly. "Don't worry, you won't die."

The younger sister’s eyes were filled with terror, her face stained with tears. "Immortal, please, save our lives." Beside them, several sounds of crying emerged. The Qin family girl had already stopped breathing; to save her companions, she had used her own body to withstand the heavenly thunder, and her cultivation had been sealed by Jiang Yu. Three or four bolts of thunder had struck her back, and she had collapsed onto the others, falling into a coma.

"None of you will die."

Jiang Yu pried open the girl’s mouth and inserted a pill. As long as they were not dead, the pill could heal any injury, no matter how severe. Otherwise, why would pills be known to the world as sacred objects?

"Jiang Yu, I... I am sorry."

The girl woke up in immense pain and offered a miserable smile at Jiang Yu. Soon, the Grand Elder brought several buckets of water, dissolved the pills into them, and fed them to the others. From this day forward, they would find a blessing in their misfortune; not only would their cultivation surge, but their physiques would surpass those of normal people. How could the Essence-Solidifying Pills refined by Jiang Yu be compared to common clay pellets? Each pill was enough to make countless tycoons and nobles in the world scramble for them.

He gradually realized just how strong the attraction of such pills was to the world. The reason Jiang Yu dared not circulate pills on a large scale was the fear that the world's powerful nations would be unable to resist the temptation and do something irreversible. After drinking the water, the pain on everyone's faces eased significantly. Those with lighter injuries were already energetic and joined in the cleanup.

Jiang Yu turned and walked to the shade of a tree, leaning back and pulling out a cigarette. Despite slaying Qin Muchen in today's battle, he had fallen into a state of weakness. That sword strike had even drained away several years of his life; though he could recover it later, it highlighted the various flaws of relying on trump cards when one's strength was insufficient. Jiang Yu decided that once matters were settled, he would return to Yun City to push toward the Foundation Establishment stage. He had now collected the materials for refining Great Medicine and had even unexpectedly obtained a Golden Flame Coral Fruit. Once he stepped into Foundation Establishment, he would never struggle so much in similar situations again.

The Grand Elder approached with several other elders and bowed his head. "Immortal Master, what are your plans for the future? If you are willing, you may reside permanently at the Qin family estate."

Jiang Yu replied, "First, have someone renovate the pavilions and courtyards of the Qin family. I will be recuperating here for a while." After saying this, he tossed out a few Spirit-Returning Pills. "As long as you remain sincerely loyal to me, such benefits will not be lacking in the future."

The elders who had previously harbored hostility toward Jiang Yu felt it vanish instantly upon seeing the pills, replaced by a profound, inner respect. They accepted the pills with ecstasy and bowed. "Thank you for your grace, Immortal Master."

Jiang Yu lowered his eyes, muttering to himself, "Three thousand years have passed; I fear you have already been reincarnated, haven't you?"

In his heart, there remained one person.