Chapter 44: Heading to Vast Sea City

Lu Qingyun’s eyes were filled with murderous intent, ready to vent all the fury that had built up recently.

Zhao Tuo’s eyes were full of terror, and his voice trembled as he stuttered, "What I did before was indeed wrong, but you don't have to kill me, do you? I don't think there is such a deep conflict between us, and there is no need to take my life!"

"Don't you think you should calm down a bit? Think carefully about what is going to happen next and how we should handle it. I believe all of that should be within the scope of consideration."

Listening to his rambling and illogical nonsense, which could hardly be said to have any meaning at all, Lu Qingyun raised the corner of his mouth into a smile and slowly spoke.

"Heh, matters have already escalated to this point, and you think you can just call it even? Now you tell me to calm down. Do you think I can possibly calm down?"

"Things have reached such a pass that there is no way back. How can you still utter such laughable words? Do you honestly believe I would let you go?"

When someone brings change to another person, even altering their destiny—if the outcome is good, the natural response is gratitude, perhaps even providing for them in their old age. But if it leads to a terrible result and threatens someone's life, those responsible must never be let off lightly!

Lu Qingyun was certainly not someone who held petty grudges, but returning an eye for an eye was naturally the truest thought in his heart.

Desperate for a glimmer of survival, Zhao Tuo pleaded bitterly once more.

"If you want me to confess my wrongs, it's not impossible. I never said I wouldn't apologize to you. I only hope you can spare my life and let me live!"

"We are both cultivators; surely you shouldn't push me so hard. Some things are simply unnecessary. Even if you kill me, what will you gain from it?"

With an unsightly expression, Lu Qingyun shook his head. Zhao Tuo’s ability to think on his feet in a crisis was truly displayed to the absolute limit.

However, Lu Qingyun was not as kind-hearted this time. With a swift sweep of the Qingyun Sword in his hand, Zhao Tuo’s tall, fine horse instantly collapsed to the ground.

The horse struggled frantically, its blood staining the earth as it emitted bursts of pathetic whinnies.

Zhao Tuo’s body was also hurled heavily to the ground, smeared with the horse's blood, and he continuously struggled within the pool of crimson.

He had broken down in tears by now, trembling as he stammered, "I beg you, don't kill me! I will give you whatever you want. As long as our Zhao family possesses it, it's all yours. I only ask that you spare my life!"

"Everything I did before was my fault. Just give me one chance, and I will surely behave myself in the future. I will never do such things again, I beg you!"

Other than begging for mercy, Zhao Tuo seemed capable of doing nothing else at this moment. His pleading posture resembled that of a hunted prey.

The surrounding onlookers began to murmur and discuss among themselves.

"What Lu Qingyun is doing is simply ridding the people of a scourge. Zhao Tuo has committed so many evil deeds; he deserves to be punished!"

"Before, we lacked a backbone and were bullied terribly by him. The City Lord wouldn't even manage such matters—it was truly heartbreaking..."

"He deserves it. He used to seize commoners' daughters and bully the market by relying on the Zhao family's status. He never did a single good thing."

Now that Lu Qingyun had unhorsed Zhao Tuo and left him in such a pathetic state, everyone felt an immense sense of satisfaction.

Lu Qingyun had never expected that his actions would evoke such widespread public joy.

He slowly closed in, dragging his Qingyun Sword along the ground, producing a harsh, grating sound. He looked like the arrival of the Grim Reaper.

Staring fixedly at Zhao Tuo before him, his eyes remained shrouded in killing intent.

"Zhao Tuo, since you are so sincere, and since I am not someone who relishes slaughter, killing you indeed gains me nothing. But if I were to let you go, I could never accept it myself."

"Since that is the case, I will reduce you into a cripple. From this day forward, you can only eke out a meager existence, which will be even more agonizing than death itself. This is the punishment you deserve. Whether you are willing to accept it or not, the matter is settled, and you have no choice!"

The Qingyun Sword in Lu Qingyun’s hand began to hum rhythmically.

Immediately afterward, sword flower after sword flower burst into the sight of the onlookers.

Wherever the falling sword blooms touched, a trail of blood appeared. Lu Qingyun swiftly crippled all four of his limbs, shattered his dantian, and completely destroyed his cultivation, reducing him to a useless cripple!

On his way here, Lu Qingyun had indeed intended to kill him.

Yet, in the end, he still lacked the ruthlessness to do it. After all, he had always been someone who disliked killing; if a problem could be solved through reason, he would not resort to force.

"Ah..."

Zhao Tuo’s piercing screams echoed endlessly, sounding thoroughly agonizing to everyone who heard them.

After all, being reduced to a complete and utter cripple was a result no one wished to face. But there was no alternative; what was done was done, and the only remaining option was to accept it.

As for the rest of the Zhao family, they did not dare to show their faces. Even the head of the Zhao family had chosen to play the coward.

The emergence of this affair had placed them in a tremendously awkward position. If too many people intervened, the consequences would be catastrophic.

After all, the golden-haired elder and Night Owl had both appeared on the scene.

Should the Zhao family dispatch more personnel and incur even greater charges, the entire clan risked being exterminated.

The current outcome was considered quite acceptable; at least Zhao Tuo was not dead and still retained a breath of life.

An event of this nature truly exceeded all their expectations.

After all, surviving on this continent was indeed far from simple.

Along the path of growth, one had to endure all kinds of trials, and every battle carried immense peril.

Walking up to Zhao Tuo, Lu Qingyun looked down at him from above. This farce had finally drawn to a close, but before leaving, he naturally had a few words to impart.

"Zhao Tuo, and all members of the Zhao family, listen well: I, Lu Qingyun, never offended you. Everything that happened is entirely your own doing—you brought this upon yourselves!"

"The punishment you suffer now is completely deserved. I have already shown mercy. If any of you dare to come and provoke me again, feel free to try!"

"But next time, I will show no mercy whatsoever. I care not what power you wield, nor do I give any thought to your status. Should you dare to strike at me again, bear the consequences yourselves!"

Lu Qingyun was far from just making empty threats; he had already given them countless chances.

The surrounding spectators were left awestruck by his words.

"This kid is bound to achieve great things in the future! To possess such magnanimity at such a young age—who could possibly compare?"

"At least among everyone I've ever seen, even including the City Lord, I doubt anyone can reach his height!"

"It remains a mystery where this young man came from. For a family to nurture such a talent, it is truly a great blessing..."

Praise for Lu Qingyun poured in from every direction, and everyone felt that this young man possessed an extraordinary aura.

In their experience, they had never witnessed a youth endowed with such breadth of mind.

Handling matters so flawlessly that not a single flaw could be found, they all felt that encountering such a person was witnessing a miracle.

Although Zhao Tuo's eyes were brimming with hatred, he did not dare utter a single word. If he dared to speak even one more syllable, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Being able to survive right now was already a stroke of luck; if he dared to utter any more nonsense, he would surely lose his life!

Having settled everything, Lu Qingyun turned and walked away. Seeing the pale light of dawn breaking across the sky, he realized this ordeal had consumed the entire night.

The great battle among the experts had also concluded. Chu Batian and the First Elder of the Zhao family lay heavily injured and paralyzed on the ground, looking utterly wretched.

They gazed weakly at Lu Qingyun, gripped by the fear that he might pull out his Qingyun剑 and finish them off.

However, this time, Lu Qingyun didn't even glance at them. He simply cupped his fists toward the golden-haired elder and Night Owl and said,

"Many thanks to the two of you for your assistance. Without your help, I could never have survived; I likely would have been killed by them. I will do my utmost to help your master fulfill the tasks entrusted to them."

"Since matters here have concluded, I have no desire to pursue any of them further. Whatever they wish to do has nothing to do with me. That is all..."

With those words, Lu Qingyun dragged his exhausted body toward the City Lord's Mansion.

Through this intense battle, he had gained new insights. He had originally thought his own strength would suffice to defeat them.

Yet he had never expected that the sudden appearance of two formidable experts would nearly cost him his life. Without outside help, he might well have perished today.

Even so, he felt no discouragement, knowing deep down that the emergence of these powerhouses had demonstrated just how crucial strength truly was.

Especially on a continent where martial artists ran rampant and might made right, if one could not elevate their own power, there was scarcely any point in struggling to survive.

Since heaven had brought him to this realm, he must cast away the past. What he needed to do now was accept this world and become its overlord!

He had read countless stories before, filled with fantasies of stepping into such a world—gaining cultivation that others envied and becoming a renowned, formidable cultivator.

Previously, he had considered this an impossible dream, something that could never happen to him. Now that fate had granted him this chance, he had to seize it firmly!

Reaching a firm resolution, Lu Qingyun's face shone with confidence. After all, he still had a system backing him up.

Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, he suddenly felt a wave of profound weakness sweep through his body, as if every ounce of strength had been drained. Darkness overtook his vision, and he collapsed to the ground.

When he finally regained consciousness, he found himself inside the City Lord's Mansion.

"You're awake?"

Meng Li had been keeping vigil by his side. The moment she saw him open his eyes, her gaze was filled with deep concern.

Lu Qingyun tried to push himself up, only to find that every single bone and muscle in his body ached fiercely.

Clutching his head and recalling the preceding events, he asked in a weak voice, "How long have I been asleep?"

Meng Li replied gently, "Two days and two nights. The City Lord had you take some medicinal pills. If you hadn't ingested them, you might never have been able to practice martial arts again..."

"Fortunately, the pills the City Lord gave you were remarkably effective, otherwise your life would have been ruined!"

As she spoke, Meng Li's distress grew; her voice trembled, and tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.

A faint smile touched the corner of Lu Qingyun's mouth as he said reassuringly, "I feel like I'm almost fully recovered. We'll set off tomorrow morning!"

He didn't want to stay here a second longer, and moreover, he had gained fresh insights.

He simply hadn't anticipated the consumption to be so massive; he still couldn't fathom how much spiritual energy the Azure Dragon Martial Soul required for its sustenance.

It seemed he would need to refine his Azure Qingyun Sword Technique even further in the future and strive to earn alternative rewards from the system.

With evident anxiety, Meng Li cautioned, "The City Lord said you should wait until you've completely recovered before departing, lest it delay important matters."

By now, Lu Qingyun had slowly gotten up and begun to cross-legged meditate. The pills he had consumed during his unconsciousness had not yet fully integrated with his body.

Through meditation now, the process proved remarkably effective.

Within a short span of time, his strength had largely returned, yet rather than stopping, he chose to continue cultivating.

Naturally, Meng Li chose not to disturb him. Instead, she went to prepare some food and notify the others that Lu Qingyun had regained consciousness.

After meditating for half a day, Lu Qingyun slowly opened his eyes in the dead of night.

However, instead of feeling elated, he received a sudden prompt from the system.

[Ding! Ultimate weakling detected. The system suggests continuing cultivation in this city and avoiding rash actions!]

Lu Qingyun furrowed his brows. The system had never issued such a warning before.

The abrupt notification left him feeling deeply conflicted.

He could sense that this warning from the system was certainly not without reason.

Just as he was pondering this dilemma, the City Lord pushed open his bedchamber door.

"I heard you've fully recovered. Are you setting out today?"

Lu Qingyun was still wrestling with the system's warning, but upon hearing those words, he slowly nodded.

"Thank you for your help!"

Without saying anything further or dwelling on the system's caution, Lu Qingyun called Fat Wang and the others together, assembling them into a group.

After a thorough inspection, Lu Qingyun addressed everyone with utmost seriousness.

"The journey ahead will be extremely perilous. Everyone must prepare themselves. If anyone wishes to withdraw now, it's still not too late!"

None of those present showed the slightest intention of backing down. With resolute determination, Lu Qingyun commanded,

"Let's move out!"