Chapter 52: This is the Overflowing Qi of Awe-Inspiring Uprightness

"Foundation Establishment peak! The intelligence report is wrong!"

Both of them were in the early stage of Foundation Establishment. The gap was so vast that even with Zhao Qing's pride, he knew he could not possibly defeat an enemy of this caliber.

Yet, if they were to cast aside all their dignity and run, abandoning the group of civilians behind them, it would directly contradict the very foundation of their proud Dao heart.

From that day forward, this failure would become their inner demon, constantly disturbing the tranquility of their spiritual platform.

They had no choice but to fight!

Hardening their scalps, the two charged forward, unleashing every ounce of their strength.

"Penglai Thousand Swords!"

Zhao Qing's sword suddenly multiplied into three, stabbing toward the Blue Demon Old Ghost from three distinct directions.

"Blood Transformation Art."

Unflustered, the Blue Demon Old Ghost flicked his fingertip, drawing a drop of blood that instantly enveloped the three long swords. The momentum was neutralized on the spot, and the blades could advance no further.

Just as Zhao Qing became trapped, the female cultivator stepped onto his shoulder, using the propulsion to leap forward, her sword thrusting straight at the Blue Demon Old Ghost.

"Urgh, ah!"

Zhao Qing was kicked flying backward, his internal organs churning violently. Yet, far from being angry, his eyes gleamed with light. "She did this for me—to keep me out of danger!"

Of course, the female cultivator had no such intention whatsoever; it was simply a matter of tactical convenience.

"Old ghost, pay with your life for my senior brother!"

Seeing the Penglai female cultivator fly toward him, the Blue Demon Old Ghost made a mere grasping motion in the empty air, and her body froze instantly in mid-air.

With a subsequent flick of his hand as if slamming something down to the ground, the female cultivator was cast heavily downward, plunging several meters deep into a crater and coughing up a mouthful of blood.

The absolute suppression of cultivation realms rendered any advantage in numbers and technique utterly meaningless.

...

"The people of the Penglai Immortal Sect fight using momentum. If their momentum overwhelms the enemy, the opponent becomes completely unable to resist. However, if the enemy's momentum suppresses them, they lose a portion of their combat capability as well," Ah Ling explained.

"In other words, they completely crumble in an unfavorable situation. What kind of seal-clubbing sect is this... Looking at them, they won't last much longer."

Observing the one-sided battle, Qin Xi held no optimistic expectations for the outcome.

At most, within the time it takes to brew a cup of tea—roughly fifteen minutes on Earth—the two Penglai immortals would be defeated.

As for what the Blue Demon Old Ghost would do to the villagers after defeating those two remains uncertain.

Yet, judging purely by his identity as a demonic cultivator, the villagers falling into his hands could never expect a good end.

In such a short span of time, the four of them could only transport a small fraction of the villagers to safety; the rest would be sacrificed in vain...

"What should we do?" Bu Weiwei's expression lost its playful air as she asked solemnly.

"Right now, either we step up and help those two completely defeat the Blue Demon Old Ghost, or we use the time those two buy by stalling the demonic cultivator to rescue as many civilians as possible," Bu Weiwei analyzed. "Instead of snatching villagers directly from the village, he used bewitchment to make them walk up the mountain on their own accord, which must mean he is wary of something. Following that logic, perhaps the villagers will be safe as long as they return to the village."

"Not necessarily."

Qin Xi retained his unhurried demeanor. "What you stated is merely a hypothesis. What if the bewitchment is just his hobby, and if pushed into a corner, he resorts to a massive massacre? Can anyone stop him? Ultimately, you are still handing the power of life and death over to the opponent."

"...... What you said makes sense." Bu Weiwei nodded upon hearing Qin Xi's words. "Then we have only one choice..."

"Fight."

Qin Xi looked at the three companions around him and smiled. "I am a perfectionist. If we are going to save people, we save every single one of them."

"Then Qin Xi, let's go beat him up right now!" Jiang Baiqiu waved her fair little fists in the air.

"Hold on a moment, Jiang Baiqiu. I have a very important question for you." Qin Xi patted her shoulder. "When I channel righteous indignant Qi into your spiritual roots, can you use it?"

Uncomprehending, Jiang Baiqiu simply nodded. "...I can."

"Good."

"How long has it been since our last rest, and we have to fight again, and it's already Foundation Establishment... Is this what they call 'great fortune'? Now I know." Qin Xi sighed. "Let's move!"

...

The two members of the Penglai Immortal Sect had already been defeated.

One knelt half-supported by a sword, while the other was embedded in the ground, looking utterly wretched.

Witnessing the scene with their own eyes, the villagers saw nothing but confusion in their gazes.

Meanwhile, Li Wu's internal greed was instantly scattered by panic. He watched with his own eyes as a mighty, bloody aura—repulsive and nauseating—emerged around the "great expert."

Why had that "great expert" transformed into such a terrifying entity?

Could it be that they had truly been bewitched by a demonic cultivator?

Yet now that the two immortal sect disciples were defeated, the situation was likely beyond redemption.

Just as Li Wu awoke into despair, four figures suddenly appeared before everyone's eyes.

Qin Xi stood ramrod straight, facing the Blue Demon Old Ghost directly without a trace of fear on his face.

"Why are you two even more useless than I anticipated!" Shouting at the incapacitated pair while confronting the Blue Demon Old Ghost, Qin Xi yelled, "Go rescue the villagers, we're taking over here!"

"You... you're taking over? Do you four fellows have any idea what his cultivation realm is!" Zhao Qing choked out another mouthful of blood, losing even the strength to support himself with his sword as he collapsed flat onto the ground.

"...... Fine, fine. If you can't save the villagers, just stay out of the way."

Qin Xi made a few hand gestures, and the other three understood instantly, dispersing to stand at the four cardinal points—front, back, left, and right—around the Blue Demon Old Ghost.

"Oh? The four of you intend to block me as well?" The Blue Demon Old Ghost glanced over them. "Wait, the four of you are only at Qi Condensation?"

"So what if we're at Qi Condensation? We are Qi Condensation cultivators of the Great Thousand Sect!" Qin Xi proudly declared his affiliation.

"Hah, I don't care what sect you're from. Even if you were Confucian sages or reincarnated Dao ancestors, it is utterly impossible to defeat a Foundation Establishment peak expert when you haven't even reached the fifth layer of Qi Condensation," the Blue Demon Old Ghost mocked.

...... Actually, your guess is remarkably close.

"If you dare try to stop me at mere Qi Condensation, how is that any different from seeking death?!"

The Blue Demon Old Ghost extended his left hand. The dark red hue upon it seemed soaked in blood, bearing witness to countless lives claimed by those claws and the lingering grievances of countless wronged souls.

The corners of Qin Xi's mouth twitched upward into a grin.

"But there are four of us. Jiang Baiqiu, go!"

To the left of the Blue Demon Old Ghost, Jiang Baiqiu snapped a tree branch, and righteous Qi surged across it, seemingly conjuring a sharp blade out of thin air.

Leaping lightly into the air, Jiang Baiqiu twisted her waist and swept the branch in a semicircle. The branch cut through the air with a whistling shriek, slashing directly toward the Blue Demon Old Ghost.

The Blue Demon Old Ghost showed not the slightest intention of dodging. He refused to believe that a Confucian cultivator at the Qi Condensation stage could possibly injure a dignified demonic cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

Extending two fingers, he prepared to effortlessly pinch Jiang Baiqiu's branch, aiming for an effortless and imposing display of dominance.

He pinched it.

"Hah, righteous Qi... mere Qi Condensation righteous Qi... Ah!!!!!’"

When the righteous Qi met the demonic cultivator, it was like fire meeting gasoline. White radiance spread across the Blue Demon Old Ghost's body, unleashing agonizing pain that felt as though it would tear his soul apart.

"Are you fucking kidding me, this is Qi Condensation? Huff! Huff! Huff!"

Stamping hard onto the ground, he hastily scrambled out of Jiang Baiqiu's attack range. Glaring at his left hand—charred black by the righteous Qi purely because he wanted to act cool—he blew desperately on it to dissipate the remaining righteous Qi.

The excruciating pain brought tears to the corners of his eyes.

"Qin Xi, I don't think I can one-shot him!" Jiang Baiqiu gasped in cold sweat. "What should we do now? Aren't we completely doomed?"

"...... I feel like we have a massive advantage here. Couldn't you just swing your sword a few more times?"

"Oh, I suppose so."

"Righteous Qi... Hah, did you really think we demonic cultivators have no means to counter it?"

Gritting his teeth, the Blue Demon Old Ghost hid his charred left hand behind his back and extended his right hand instead.

Apart from appearing somewhat withered, his right hand looked otherwise normal.

Yet upon closer inspection, one could discern scales shimmering with a golden light beneath the skin of his right hand.

"It is true that righteous Qi restrains our demonic arts."

"But what if I tell you that alongside demonic arts, I also master so-called righteous path spells?"

"This right arm... I looted it from the corpse of an immortal sect disciple. Ah, the girl from the Penglai Immortal Sect earlier told me to pay with my life for her senior brother. Then this must be her senior brother's arm."

Hearing these words, the fallen female cultivator of the Penglai Immortal Sect could only shed silent tears of bitter helplessness.

A cruel smile crept onto the face of the Blue Demon Old Ghost.

"Golden Scaled Wind-Turning Claw!"

The thumb, index, and middle fingers of his golden-glinting right hand curled into a claw, spinning half a circle around his wrist. In an instant, it shredded the righteous Qi, carrying a vortex of air currents determined to tear Jiang Baiqiu's body to shreds.

It appeared that righteous Qi possessed no restraining effect against these immortal sect spells.

Witnessing this, Qin Xi drew a deep breath, and boundless spiritual energy surged toward his spiritual root—which was channeled directly through Jiang Baiqiu!

The "Joy" formula!

A sudden, sharp pain flared in the right hand of the Blue Demon Old Ghost.

He saw the righteous Qi surrounding Jiang Baiqiu gradually weakening, only to be replaced by an eruption of billowing black Qi!

And his claw struck directly against this black Qi.

He froze for a fraction of a second before shrieking in agony.

"Ahhhhhhh!!!!!"

The pain surpassed even that of his left hand contacting the righteous Qi—a piercing, bone-deep torment.

The agony scorched his golden-glowing right hand, rendering even blowing breath useless for neutralization.

"What the fuck kind of trick is this?! Huff! Huff! Huff!"

"This," Qin Xi said, raising his thumb, "is righteous indignant Qi."