The mid-stage Foundation Establishment elder of the Gusu Clan was a saber cultivator who had pushed his techniques to a state of perfection.
The moment he attacked, his life-bound saber unleashed a massive wave of saber qi infused with a sharp saber intent. It tore through the air with an unstoppable momentum, surging directly toward Qi Ping.
Qi Ping's eyes narrowed as he observed the strike. The combat prowess of this Gusu Clan elder was indeed formidable; a typical early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would likely fall within just a few exchanges.
Carrying his blade, the elder charged forward with absolute confidence. He had defeated many mid-stage peers in his life; why should he fear a mere brat at the early stage?
His only confusion was the source of the Bee Daoist's confidence. Even after witnessing the power of the saber intent, the youth's eyes showed not a flicker of panic.
He soon received his answer.
Under Qi Ping's manipulation, the swarm of bees that had been fluttering in apparent chaos suddenly coalesced. In an instant, they merged into a massive, unified formation. Their previously scattered auras condensed into a single, overwhelming whole, turning the very atmosphere oppressive.
Immediately after, a thousand extraordinary, explosive earth spikes converged into an irresistible tide, striking out simultaneously. A sharp sense of crisis flared in the elder's heart.
"If this is all you have, it won't save you!" The Gusu Ancestor's eyes turned ruthless. Even as he manifested a protective shield, he poured his spiritual energy into his spiritual saber without reserve.
As long as he could kill the Bee Daoist in a single stroke, the bees would lose their master's control and cease to be a significant threat.
However, his plan was destined to fail. Qi Ping's body was instantly covered by a layer of bark-like skin, and a sturdy golden shield of spiritual energy formed before him. Simultaneously, a web of fire composed of Explosive Flame Fireballs swept out to envelop the elder.
In this moment, Qi Ping's powerful soul and masterful control over spells were on full display.
A series of terrifying attacks collided in mid-air. Thunderous booms echoed as the shockwaves pulverized the surrounding buildings. When the dust settled, Qi Ping remained standing in the air, completely unscathed.
With the Earth-Armor Bees weakening the elder's attack and the various layers of spells and the Farming Domain providing defense, he had perfectly neutralized the strike.
In contrast, the elder looked somewhat disheveled. Because he had focused entirely on offense, he had underestimated the swarm empowered by the Universal Earth-Armor Array. His spiritual shield had been shattered by the concentrated barrage.
"What?" The Gusu Ancestor couldn't believe his eyes. Not only had he failed to kill the Bee Daoist, but he had also suffered a slight setback.
This outcome stunned the other members of the Gusu Clan and the watching rogue cultivators alike. From where had this early-stage cultivator come? How could he be so ferocious?
"Damn you! I won't give you another chance!"
Sensing the gravity of the situation, the Gusu Ancestor ignited his blood energy. Terrifying spiritual power surged into his life-bound saber, and his saber intent reached for the heavens. The opponent was tough; he could no longer afford to worry about the toll this would take on his body.
"Hahaha! Die!" The return of his peak combat power filled him with excitement.
He was certain this strike would cleave the Bee Daoist in two. Behind him, the Gusu clansmen watched with frantic excitement, waiting for their ancestor to display his divine might. In their eyes, the enemy was already dead.
Yet, to their confusion, Qi Ping's face remained expressionless. He coldly uttered four words:
"It's time to end this."
Profound Gold Killing Array!
Under his silent command, the Profound Gold Killing Array—which he had been preparing for some time—finally stabilized. The moment this mid-tier second-grade array, overflowing with endless killing intent, solidified, the Gusu Ancestor felt his hair stand on end.
He was caught in a dilemma; his full-power strike was already committed, yet he felt the trap closing around him.
Qi Ping gave him no room to breathe. Seven streaks of razor-sharp sword qi, each possessing the power of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment attack, shot forth from various angles. This temporary formation, established using pre-prepared array bases from his territory, could only burst with such power for a short duration, but for Qi Ping, that was enough.
At that exact moment, the entire swarm launched a simultaneous assault.
The conclusion was swift. Amidst thunderous explosions and a single, piercing scream, a battered corpse tumbled from the sky.
When the lifeless body of the Gusu Ancestor hit the ground while the blood-robed figure of the Bee Daoist remained untouched in the air, the world fell silent.
Only Qi Ping remained unaffected. He spoke another four words:
"Leave none alive."
The bees received their order, and a bloody slaughter began.
The massacre didn't last long. Qi Ping soon departed, leaving behind a scene of carnage and a group of dazed, terrified rogue cultivators. Only a few parents whose children had been stolen by the Gusu Clan felt a surge of gratitude and the satisfaction of vengeance.
After his departure, the Celestial Envoy of the mysterious organization received the news. In truth, from the moment Qi Ping appeared, people both inside and outside the Gusu estate had begun transmitting messages.
Unfortunately, they had no other allies nearby. The location was too remote; even a Golden Core cultivator couldn't have arrived in time. They could only wait in anxious silence.
The Celestial Envoy sat on his luxurious throne, hoping the saber-wielding elder of the Gusu Clan could successfully kill the Bee Daoist or, better yet, imprison his soul.
Instead, the report confirmed that the Gusu Clan had been wiped out in an instant.
"Damn it! Damn it all!"
The Envoy roared, crushing another crystal cup of crimson liquid. His eyes blazed with fury.
"Deploy more men to the Azure Heaven Domain!"
"Tell those people in the Qingyuan Sect to find a way to help!"
"I want this man dead!"
"Whoever kills the Bee Daoist will be rewarded with three Celestial Medicines! Whoever captures his soul will receive ten!"
When the news of the Celestial Medicine spread, the entire organization went mad. Even cultivators hidden within the Qingyuan Sect felt an intense surge of greed.
The promise of Celestial Pills caused the winds of the Azure Heaven Domain to surge with violence.
Qi Ping was unaware of the massive ripples his actions were causing or the number of people now coveting his life. He simply organized his loot, submitted his tasks, and sent the bees to transport the items away before heading to his next destination.
In truth, even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared. No matter how much effort they expended, all they would eventually catch was the self-detonation of a Treant Clone.
What he needed to do now was complete a wave of Black Market tasks to earn more points. He also had to ensure his "final performance"—the show of despair and rage before the clone's self-detonation—was convincing.
After that, his main body could stay hidden and improve its strength. He also needed to find a way to test if his Curse Immunity talent could protect him from divination and heavenly secret techniques.
His first "death" by self-detonation should be convincing, but he couldn't be sure about the second or third time. Therefore, for his seventh animal companion, Qi Ping wanted to form a contract with a creature skilled in the arts of divination and heavenly secrets.
To afford such a rarity, he had to earn enough Black Market Points now.