Chapter 24: Engage!

"Master, he is truly blind enough to challenge Feng Chen!" Liang Xiaolong said to the Third Elder. At this moment, he didn't know what kind of mood he should be in to view this affair.

"Hmm..." The Third Elder was also speechless. He had originally held high hopes for this youth; after all, his spiritual roots were truly outstanding. He had even considered admitting him as an exceptional case, especially since not only this youth, but the entire group he brought along were geniuses.

Just as the Third Elder was hesitating, Liang Xiaolong's expression began to turn strange.

"What is it, Xiaolong? What have you seen with your Heavenly Eye?" The Third Elder felt a bit puzzled. Even when Xiaolong had seen the Heavenly Spiritual Root earlier, he hadn't worn such a twisted expression.

"This—this kid wants to have a one-on-one duel?"

"?"

He had thought that a mortal challenging a Foundation Establishment cultivator was blind enough, but to demand a fair duel on top of that? What was the point? Liang Xiaolong had initially thought the kid was crazy, but seeing such a bizarre turn of events, he couldn't help but think deeper. Perhaps the youth had a profound plan that he simply didn't understand.

But what could be the profound meaning behind getting beaten up?

Just as Liang Xiaolong was pondering, the Third Elder suddenly broke into tears.

"Poor child."

"What's wrong? Master, did you figure out why he's doing this?"

"He must be so destitute that he's hoping to get beaten up just to claim medical expenses from us!" The Third Elder beat his chest in lamentation. How could one not feel sympathy? "Look at the patches on his clothes, those ragged garments... Alas, all living beings suffer."

"...Is that really it?" Liang Xiaolong felt that his master might be overthinking things a bit too much.

"Forget it, forget it. Stop using the Heavenly Eye. Watching this kind of bullying of a mortal is not good for one's Dao heart," the Third Elder said. He and Liang Xiaolong then retracted their Heavenly Eye technique.

...

"Then let us begin."

Qin Xi stepped closer. He was now only a foot away from the courtesan, close enough to strike her by simply reaching out.

"No, it can end now." The courtesan felt a bit helpless. She reached out her hand; she could send Qin Xi flying with just a light wave.

"Ah~"

But Qin Xi showed no signs of wanting to counterattack. Instead, he yawned as if he were sleepy.

The courtesan was incensed. Such nonchalance—he clearly didn't take her seriously at all! If that was the case, he was just asking for trouble!

She no longer hesitated, channeling spiritual power into her palm. She partitioned off some of the energy to protect his heart and meridians so he wouldn't be killed by a single strike. However, he would certainly have to suffer the agony of torn skin, ruptured muscles, and broken bones!

"Dust-Rending Sand Palm!"

A gust of wind and sand rose from her palm out of thin air, coiling and swirling like a miniature sandstorm. The power contained within was enough to completely destroy the room, or even bring ruin to the Bliss Pavilion itself.

Qin Xi hadn't even finished his yawn, but seeing the opponent about to strike, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Foundation Establishment brat! You dare to strike!"

The courtesan froze for a split second, but that single moment was enough to render her completely immobile. The voice hadn't come from Qin Xi, but from a woman.

The courtesan’s pupils constricted. It was a sight that defied every ounce of imagination she possessed!

From Qin Xi's mouth, which was wide open from the yawn, a figure suddenly lunged out—the source of that voice. The figure extended her hand, and her index finger was already pressed against the courtesan’s brow!

*Oh no!*

But it was too late! Whether due to her underestimating the enemy, her inability to imagine such a grotesque way of fighting, or because the move itself was simply too bizarre, the courtesan failed to dodge that slender hand. The move wasn't fast, and she could have dodged it easily had she tried, but who the hell would expect a person to pop out of a mortal’s mouth during a fight?

The figure was Jiang Baiqiu.

She thrust her hand directly into the courtesan’s sea of consciousness and squeezed hard, flooding it with overwhelming Haoran Righteous Energy. The sheer volume of this energy caused the Foundation Establishment expert's consciousness to overload. Her mind became like a boat taking on water; the energy poured in through the breach, forcing her to dedicate her entire focus to containing it. She couldn't even use her spiritual sense to control her own body!

Her vision blurred. Someone was manipulating her memories within her sea of consciousness!

Wait... her memories were fading. Who was it that had grabbed her sea of consciousness just now?

Jiang Baiqiu was meticulously stripping away the memory of the courtesan seeing her emerge from Qin Xi’s body. After all, this was a secret that must not be known.

Immediately after, Qin Xi spat Jiang Baiqiu out, and despite the discomfort in his throat, he shouted with all his might.

"Bu Weiwei!"

"Here!"

Suddenly, the top-floor window was kicked in. The shattered frame danced like a broken-winged butterfly along with the maiden’s graceful silhouette, and the fierce sunlight outside was scattered across the floor.

"Hold your breath!"

Bu Weiwei, carrying a half-human-sized burlap sack, took a deep breath. Using her waist as an axis, she spun three times and flung the sack, which slammed heavily into the courtesan.

The courtesan saw it coming, but unable to control her body, she couldn't dodge. What was inside?

The speed of the sack created a whistling sound. When it hit the courtesan’s head, it burst open, and in an instant, a flour-like substance filled the entire room.

*What happened to the one-on-one duel?!*

The courtesan realized she had been ambushed. She didn't feel angry, but rather a sense of "as expected." She knew they wouldn't have come to die alone. Although she had forgotten who had ambushed her just moments ago, her combat experience allowed her to quickly judge what to do.

*Hold breath!*

The young girl who threw the item at her had said "hold your breath." The flour-like substance must be some kind of poison that acted through respiration. If she didn't breathe, she wouldn't be affected! Even though her body was immobilized by the attack on her consciousness, she could still control a simple, vital function like breathing.

The courtesan stood like a wooden puppet amidst the dust cloud created by Bu Weiwei, her mind still active. This control wouldn't last; if she could hold out for ten seconds, she would be free. In other words, if they couldn't finish her off within ten seconds, she would win.

It wasn't difficult for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to hold out for ten seconds. In fact, she was certain that even if she had breathed in the poison, it wouldn't have mattered. Mortals couldn't afford poisons capable of threatening a Foundation Establishment expert.

*Good idea, but unfortunately, your perspective is too shallow. The gap between immortal and mortal cannot be bridged by mere cleverness,* she thought to herself.

But just then, she suddenly felt something forcing her jaw open from top to bottom.

?

The dust in the air hadn't settled, and she couldn't see what was happening. She couldn't counter, either, and had to let them act.

At that moment, an iron pipe was violently thrust down her throat!