Chapter 45: Entering the Inner Sect to Demand a Person by Force

Qin Anyu took a single step into the inner gate, only to realize that there were not just over three hundred Qi Condensation realm practitioners gathered there, but well over five hundred.

To mobilize this many people just for his sake—did none of them cultivate?

Well, that made sense; the Lingqiao Realm was practically barren, and its inhabitants knew nothing of true cultivation.

Not seeing Qin Wushuang among them, he asked Qin Lingxue, "Little sister, how did you used to find Second Brother?"

This was the limitation of a low cultivation tier; divine sense could not be projected outward, making it impossible to locate people.

Qin Lingxue had been somewhat nervous, but the moment his hand rested upon her shoulder, a wave of instant calm washed over her. She shook her head and replied, "I have never come in here before; Second Brother always came to find me."

Qin Anyu nodded, patted her shoulder, and said to her and Qin Youqin, "Perhaps our campaign of conquest begins right here. Anyone who dares to raise a hand against you shall be killed."

Qin Youqin responded in a resolute voice, "Understood, Young Master."

After a momentary hesitation, Qin Lingxue also replied, "Understood, Eldest Brother."

Qin Anyu nodded, then turned his gaze back to the five hundred Qi Condensation practitioners ahead, saying, "Seeing all of you makes me want to fight. However, I will give you a chance now: bring my brother here."

Standing in the front row of the formation, a practitioner in the middle stage of the Qi Condensation realm shouted angrily, "And if we don't?"

Before his third syllable had fully left his lips, he saw Qin Anyu's figure flicker and rush straight toward him.

He showed no fear; swinging his broad saber, he advanced instead of retreating, charging toward Qin Anyu while finishing his sentence, though his final syllable sounded rather feeble.

For his head had already flown high up into the air.

Killing a mid-stage Qi Condensation practitioner with a single sword strike—such fierce and decisive slaughter did not strike terror into the hearts of the Wuyuan Sect's disciples; instead, it only further enraged them. Immediately, two more figures lunged forward.

Seeing this, the corners of Qin Anyu's mouth twitched.

Are they all truly this clever? Not swarming together all at once, as if afraid I won't be able to kill every last one of you?

He took another single step forward, brandishing his sword to slash left and parry right, then retreated back to his original spot.

Everything happened with the speed of lightning, flashing by in the span of a flint's spark.

Half a second after he stepped back to his starting position, bloodlines burst across the upper bodies of those two men, and their torsos slid downward.

As they watched four severed halves of bodies slowly tumble to the ground, the five hundred Qi Condensation practitioners finally understood just how formidable this man's combat power was, and how ruthless his methods.

Someone doubled over, retching—not weeping, but vomiting.

Crying out in wails, vomiting with heave after heave.

Others retreated step by step; the scene was simply too bloody, too much to bear.

Too cruel.

Some turned pale as paper, gripping their weapons tightly, their entire bodies trembling violently.

Others had bloodshot eyes, brandishing their weapons as they roared, "This man is so murderous, and he has dared to slaughter his way into our sect's inner gate! If we do not kill him, where will our sect's dignity remain? How can we face the sect that nurtured us? Attack!"

Faced with this instigation, Qin Anyu remained completely indifferent. He merely tightened his grip on his plain sword and slightly adjusted his stance.

His right leg stamped heavily onto the ground into a bow stance, the tip of his sword pointing toward the lower left, his elbows drawn in as both hands gripped the hilt firmly.

If there were few opponents, he would kill them one by one; if there were too many, he would unleash his sword intent—do not blame him for a massacre.

When that man and a dozen or so Qi Condensation practitioners rushed forward, he relaxed; there was no need to resort to sword intent.

Gripping the sword with both hands, he swept it upward and to the right.

In an instant, sunlight blazed like a sharp point, radiating dazzling brilliance.

The Quick-Draw Sword Technique!

Of the five Qi Condensation practitioners running in the front, three were cleaved cleanly in two, while the remaining two lost either both legs or both arms.

Seeing this, the few trailing behind reacted instantly: two leaped over the corpses while the rest slammed on the brakes in sheer terror.

The two who crossed the bodies did not continue their charge; instead, they abruptly changed direction, bolted toward the flanks, and fled straight toward the rear of the formation.

They had been frightened out of their wits by the slaughter.

Noticing the outcome, Qin Anyu nodded inwardly. Ever since advancing to the Qi Condensation realm, the power of the Quick-Draw Sword Technique had grown immensely. If he were to cultivate sword intent in the future, its might would be even more unfathomable.

Seeing that no one else dared to step forward, he demanded in a cold voice, "Would you all rather die than bring my brother here?"

A sigh echoed through the air, followed by a crushing wave of pressure.

A few moments later, several late-stage Qi Condensation practitioners emerged from beside a building. They were the high-ranking figures of the sect, hurrying over with great haste.

A white-haired elder flew slowly down from a distant mountaintop. Though he appeared unhurried, his speed was terrifyingly fast, quickly surpassing the group of sect elders and taking the lead before them.

That elder was in the Foundation Establishment stage; the sigh and the oppressive aura had originated from him.

The inner gate disciples hurriedly stepped aside to clear a path, keeping their heads lowered toward the ground.

Qin Anyu glanced sideways at Qin Lingxue and Qin Youqin. Seeing that they were struggling against the oppressive aura—their bodies trembling slightly, yet their eyes devoid of fear—he couldn't help but praise them inwardly.

Though their cultivation realm was still lacking, their willpower was firm and fearlessness defined them; they would be able to walk very far on this path.

He turned his gaze back to the Foundation Establishment elder and said with indifference, "Old man, do not court your own destruction. You are only a hundred and twenty or thirty years old, with another seventy or eighty years left to live. Therefore, withdraw your petty pressure, or the consequences will be more than you can bear."

This elder was the pillar of the Wuyuan Sect, normally never showing himself unless faced with such a grave threat from an outsider. Never had he expected his true age and foundation to be seen through at a single glance, deeply shocking both the elder and the high-ranking sect officials.

A mere Qi Condensation practitioner—how dared he issue such a threat to the Ancestor?

How could a Qi Condensation practitioner discern this immortal's age, and how could he remain completely unfazed in the face of his oppressive aura?

No, his gaze is too cold, and that battered sword is deeply bizarre. He must possess an extraordinary background; this immortal should proceed with caution.

If Qin Anyu knew that the elder was calling himself "this immortal" in his own mind, he would have laughed his teeth off—what a reckless fool.

The elder's reaction was swift. He immediately withdrew his oppressive aura and forced an ugly smile. "I wonder which faction the young friend hails from? How did our sect's disciples offend you to drive you to such ruthless methods?"

The Wuyuan Sect elders and disciples present were completely bewildered upon hearing their Ancestor use such a mild tone.

Was this still the Ancestor who would instantly execute any intruder without a second word?

Qin Anyu replied indifferently, "A rogue cultivator. I came here to find my brother. It has already been two and a half hours, and he has yet to appear. I can only assume he has been ambushed and harmed by members of your sect."

The elder asked, "Who is your brother?"

Qin Lingxue answered in a ringing voice, "My second brother is called Qin Wushuang, an inner gate disciple."

The elder commanded, "Find Qin Wushuang and escort him here."

Qin Anyu immediately scanned the hundreds of Qi Condensation practitioners, noticing three whose expressions turned pale with panic. He pointed directly at those three. "Don't trouble yourselves. Let the three of them lead me."

One of them immediately dropped to his knees, wailing, "Ancestor, Sect Master, Elders, it has nothing to do with me! I was only keeping watch!"

Seeing his companion drop to his knees to beg for mercy, another spun around and fled.

Qin Anyu made no move, nor did he utter a sound; he merely shifted his gaze to the elder, waiting to see how he would handle it.

The elder let out a cold snort and pointed a finger at the fleeing figure. The runaway's head instantly exploded into a mist of blood.

Among the high-ranking officials, the face of one individual instantly twisted in agony, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

The elder reached out with a grab, lifting the kneeling disciple up by the throat, and asked coldly, "Where is Qin Wushuang?"

The disciple responded in terror, "In... in his dormitory, currently unconscious."

The elder applied a fraction of force; a sharp "crack" echoed from the disciple's neck, and his head slumped limply to the side.

He then pointed at another shivering disciple and commanded, "Lead the way."

That disciple was shaking like a sieve, stammering in response, "Y-yes... yes."

The elder forced a stiff expression at Qin Anyu. "Young friend, let us go together."

Qin Anyu nodded, beckoned to Qin Lingxue and Qin Youqin to follow closely behind him, and then, maintaining a distance of five paces from the elder, walked along with them.