Chapter 077: Robbing Li Hongtao

  A loud, arrogant laugh echoed through the stone hall, reverberating so intensely that it made several people's ears ache. The sound seemed to linger, filling the entire space.

  "Who is that? Such an overbearing voice," many in the hall thought, their hearts tightening. Just from the sound, they could tell this person's cultivation was formidable.

  "Why does that voice sound so familiar?" Yang Tian's eyes flickered with suspicion as he turned his head slightly, his gaze landing on a green blur rushing toward them at incredible speed, rivaling even Shan Qu's agility.

  "Who is this?" Many shifted their attention to the newcomer, whose aura was overwhelming, radiating a pressure that made it impossible to gauge his true strength.

  A chubby, round-faced figure came into view, and a sense of familiarity washed over the crowd. For some reason, a chill ran down the spines of a few.

  "He looks familiar... Have I seen him before?" Yuan Ling scratched his head, his face filled with confusion as he stared at the pudgy man.

  The chubby man's eyes swept the room, and when they landed on Yang Tian, a wide grin spread across his face. He suddenly bellowed, "Haha, Yang Tian! I found you at last!"

  "Is that... Qing Yuan? He's healed?" Yang Tian's eyes widened in shock. He never expected Qing Yuan not only to have recovered his dantian but also to have made it to Martial Mountain.

  "Why is it this fat guy? Damn it!" Huang Li's eyes filled with venom as he recognized Qing Yuan. Not long ago, Qing Yuan had kicked him so hard he still remembered the humiliation.

  Li Hongtao's gaze shifted, and when he saw the chubby man, his face darkened. He glared at Qing Yuan and barked, "Get lost, fatso! I'll deal with Yang Tian first, then you."

  "Isn't that Qing Yuan? How did he get here?" Xing Hao's eyes narrowed in disbelief as he stared at the pudgy man. Qing Yuan was from the same era as his elder brother and had even sparred with him. Xing Hao had met Qing Yuan before and knew he had a good relationship with his brother. Back then, Xing Hao was just starting his cultivation journey, and the fearless, chubby man had left a deep impression on him.

  "How dare you!" Qing Yuan's face twisted with anger as he glared at Li Hongtao. With a sinister smile, he pulled out a massive silver hammer. The hammer gleamed with a silvery light, intertwined with streaks of purple lightning. Tiny arcs of electricity danced around it, and divine patterns swirled on its surface, exuding a terrifying aura.

  "Is that... the Thunder God Hammer?" Shan Qu's eyes lit up with greed as he stared at the hammer, his throat bobbing. But then he slapped his forehead and muttered, "Scared me for a second. It's just a replica. I thought it was the real thing."

  In the distance, the black-clad youth's eyes also flickered with shock. He recognized the Thunder God Hammer. Though it wasn't the genuine article, its power was still immense. The hammer was sealed, but it was undoubtedly a Dao artifact!

  "He's... Qing Yuan..." Someone in the crowd gasped, their face pale with fear as they remembered the name. Qing Yuan had once been a dazzling genius of the Eastern Continent, rivaling even the most reclusive saint-level figures. His strength was terrifying, and his audacity was legendary—he had even dared to flirt with a saintess. However, he had disappeared from the cultivation world, and rumors spread that he had lost all his cultivation. There were many stories, but none confirmed.

  "It's him," Yuan Ling thought, his heart skipping a beat. He had heard of Qing Yuan's reputation and was surprised to see that Yang Tian not only knew him but seemed to be on good terms with him.

  "Oh no... Why him?" Li Hongtao's eyes darted around nervously as he stared at the silver hammer in Qing Yuan's hand. He quickly turned and bolted for the door.

  "Hmph, trying to run from me? Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of Li Xuan," Qing Yuan sneered, shaking his head dismissively. With a wave of his chubby hand, a powerful suction force pulled Li Hongtao back, his body flying helplessly toward Qing Yuan.

  "Retreat!" Seeing Li Hongtao being handled like a chicken, the others panicked. Qing Yuan's reputation was too fearsome. By the time they had started their cultivation journey, he had already made a name for himself in the Eastern Continent. Without hesitation, they turned and fled toward the hall's entrance.

  "You think you can run after messing with my brother?" Qing Yuan chuckled darkly. He swung the silver hammer, and a surge of terrifying energy erupted, accompanied by countless arcs of purple lightning. The attack tore through the void, striking those who were too slow to escape.

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  "Boom! Boom!" Like a storm, the lightning engulfed the slower ones, their agonized screams echoing through the hall.

  "Such strength. It seems Qing Yuan has truly regained his dantian. At the half-step Martial Warrior level, he's practically unmatched," Yang Tian murmured, clicking his tongue in admiration.

  Even the black-clad youth, without his trump cards, would struggle to defeat Qing Yuan, especially with that silver hammer in his hands.

  "Uh, Brother Qing Yuan, that was just a slip of the tongue earlier, I swear..." Li Hongtao's face turned pale as he looked at the shredded remains of his companions. Qing Yuan was a madman who killed without hesitation.

  "You called me fat? How about I turn you into a pig's head?" Qing Yuan clenched his fist, looking down at Li Hongtao with a sinister grin.

  "Bam! Bam!" Ignoring Li Hongtao's terrified expression, Qing Yuan began pummeling his face with his fists.

  "Ah—!" Blood splattered with each punch, and Li Hongtao's agonized screams filled the air. A protective robe appeared around his body, but Qing Yuan's punches were relentless, the force shaking the robe and causing Li Hongtao to cough up blood.

  "Crack!" Teeth flew out, making Shan Qu's scalp tingle. At this rate, Li Hongtao would be beaten to death.

  "So brutal!" Shan Qu rubbed his hands together, his face filled with admiration.

  After nearly a hundred punches, Qing Yuan noticed Li Hongtao's barely detectable breath. He lifted the battered man and turned to Yang Tian. "What should we do with this guy? Should we kill him?"

  "You can't kill me! My father left a divine mark in my body. If you kill me, he'll hunt you down!" Li Hongtao screamed in terror.

  "Threatening me? I don't give a damn about threats," Qing Yuan chuckled, delivering a few more punches.

  "By the way, the Li family auctioned off a Soul Crystal recently. I wonder if he has it," Xing Hao suddenly said with a sly smile.

  "A Soul Crystal?" Qing Yuan's eyes lit up, and he licked his lips, staring at Li Hongtao with newfound interest. The Soul Crystal's effects were too powerful for anyone to resist.

  "Xing Hao, you'll die a horrible death!" Li Hongtao trembled. If he lost the Soul Crystal, even if he survived, he would face severe punishment, possibly even losing his status as a saint-level disciple.

  "Tell me where the Soul Crystal is, and I might spare your life," Qing Yuan said, narrowing his eyes with a wicked grin.

  "I don't have it! It was sent back to the family. I swear!" Li Hongtao screamed. "I have pills and other treasures, but the Soul Crystal was taken by the family!"

  "Fine. I'll just crush your lower body, and you'll never be able to climb on a woman again," Qing Yuan said casually, scratching his head. His cold tone made several men instinctively cover their groins.

  "You bastard!" Li Hongtao's anger flared, almost making him vomit blood. The thought of never being able to perform with a woman again was worse than death.

  "You have three breaths to decide. One... Three! Time's up!"

  "..."

  A faint *clink* echoed through the hall as everyone's eyes turned to the ground. A black stone, glowing faintly, lay there, sending a ripple of awe through the crowd.

  "That's the Soul Crystal! Haha!" Excitement filled the air as everyone stared at the priceless treasure.

  "Not bad. You're quite obedient," Qing Yuan picked up the Soul Crystal, inspected it, and confirmed its authenticity. A wide grin spread across his face.

  "Now can you let me go...?" Li Hongtao's voice was weak, but he dared not show any resentment.

  "Hand over your spatial ring too. Don't try to trick me. Hurry up," Qing Yuan barked, his brow furrowing.

  "You... you're not keeping your word..." Li Hongtao was on the verge of exploding with anger, his face turning red.

  "Who said anything about keeping my word? Hand it over, or I'll crush your lower body. What's more important—treasures or women? You decide," Qing Yuan roared menacingly.

  After a few moments, a spatial ring clattered to the ground. Judging by its quality, it was a high-grade spatial ring. Yang Tian and the others exchanged glances, clicking their tongues. Li Hongtao was too much of a coward.

  A mountain of treasures spilled out, filling the hall. Ancient pills, rare spiritual herbs, and precious refining materials—everything was there. Li Hongtao was a walking treasure vault, even wealthier than Wang Long.

  "Where are the artifacts? Hand them over, and I'll let you go. Don't try anything funny," Qing Yuan barked, scanning the pile.

  After a moment of silence, a small cauldron appeared in the hall—the Qian Yuan Cauldron, a semi-finished Dao artifact.

  "Haha, now get lost!" Qing Yuan roared with excitement, grabbing Li Hongtao and hurling him out of the hall.

  "So brutal," Shan Qu muttered, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. They had just pulled off a perfect heist.

  "Yang Tian, these two are for you," Qing Yuan stood up, tossing the Qian Yuan Cauldron and the Soul Crystal to Yang Tian.

  "I can't accept these," Yang Tian shook his head. Though the treasures were valuable, they had been obtained together. It wouldn't be right for him to take everything.

  "You have to take them. You two don't mind, do you? We'll split the rest," Qing Yuan said firmly, glancing at the others with a threatening look.

  "Of course not! Let Brother Yang have them," the two quickly waved their hands, grinning. "It doesn't matter who uses them. Let Yang Tian have them."

  After a moment of thought, Yang Tian took out three purple lotus seeds. "Consider these a compensation. Don't refuse—I've already taken too much."

  "These are Soul-Nurturing Lotus Seeds!" The group exclaimed in unison. These seeds had an incredible effect on those who hadn't yet reached the Martial Warrior realm. They could strengthen the nascent soul, making it far more powerful and accelerating its growth.

  While many spiritual herbs were potent, they couldn't be consumed when the soul was just forming. The Soul-Nurturing Lotus Seeds, however, were most effective at that critical moment.

  "Where did you get these?" Qing Yuan asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. He had never managed to obtain these seeds during his previous cultivation journey. Now, after starting over, he had finally gotten his hands on them.

  "I found them in the herb garden outside," Yang Tian replied. As they chatted, the light gate nearby began to stir.