Crushing Others with Power? Come! Speak!

Su Jinshan plummeted from the void, his complexion ghastly beyond measure. *Cultivators at the Great Perfection of the Golden Immortal realm, without a doubt!* In just a single clash, they had severed both his arms, leaving him entirely powerless to resist. Naturally, Su Jinshan’s roar had produced some effect: all the slaves of Xutian Palace had come to their senses and were slowly backing away from Su Mei. Yet Su Mei now lay expressionless on the ground, two trails of bloody tears clinging to the corners of her numb, hollow eyes. Her four limbs were crushed to pulp, and half her face was a mangled mess of blood and flesh. Her vacant gaze seemed drained of all color, steeped in dull numbness. Watching this, Meng Wanshu did not show the slightest emotional ripple in her eyes. To say nothing of her, had it been Li Guanqi in her place, he would have been even more ruthless! Were it Li Guanqi, he would have personally pulverized everything Su Mei held dear. Su Jinshan flew upward through the air, halting outside his own Xutian Palace without daring to advance half a step further. Three figures barred his way, their eyes calm, yet showing no intention whatsoever of letting him pass. At a glance, Su Jinshan saw Su Mei lying on the ground, her life or death uncertain. His eyes bloodshot, his fists clenched tightly within his sleeves, he fought with everything he had to rein in his emotions. The man had sharp, handsome features. Though middle-aged, his face bore few traces of the passage of time, making him quite distinguished. Meng Wanshu cast a sidelong glance at the man, then turned and walked over to Li Guanqi’s side. By now, Li Guanqi’s injuries were largely healed. Meng Wanshu came to his side and gently helped him up, then turned and bowed slightly to Lin Jinting and Lin Shengwu. Flattered and overwhelmed by the gesture, the two hastily cupped their fists in return. Straightening up, Meng Wanshu supported Li Guanqi as they walked slowly into midair. Flanking both sides, the four Immortal Monarchs remained within thirty zhang of Meng Wanshu at all times, while the mighty Golden Immortals gathered slowly behind her. When Su Jinshan saw that the person in command was such a young, beautiful woman, he could not help but frown. It was unimaginable what terrifying status this woman held within the Jiuding Heavenly Palace to warrant having so many Dao protectors. At this moment, Su Jinshan could not afford to attend to the half-dead Su Mei on the ground. Facing Meng Wanshu, he bowed deeply, lowering his head and raising his cupped hands as he said in a solemn voice, “I, Su Jinshan, Palace Master of Xutian Palace, pay my respects to the Lady.” “Lady” was an honorific in the Immortal Realm commonly used for a noblewoman younger than oneself. The moment Su Jinshan finished speaking, a fawning smile formed on his face as he moved to straighten up and speak. But in the next breath— *Boom!!!* A vast, boundless heavenly might suddenly crashed down upon him!! *Bang!!* Su Jinshan’s body plummeted from the sky, slamming straight down onto the bluestone pavers of the ground. With a deafening crash, the man’s knees were brutally shattered by the force. The master of a palace was forced to kneel bolt upright on the sect’s square. Immortal Elder Yu had merely cast a single glance his way. Meng Wanshu’s voice slowly rang out. “Who gave you permission to look up?” As her words fell, lotus blossoms bloomed beneath Meng Wanshu’s feet as she led Li Guanqi slowly downward. With every step she took, the pressure released by Immortal Elder Yu grew heavier. With a flick of her wrist, two chairs appeared on the square, and Meng Wanshu descended with Li Guanqi. Sitting down, Meng Wanshu tilted her chin slightly and looked down at the kneeling man, her voice chilling. “If you have something to say, say it on your knees.” Su Jinshan gritted his teeth, his face flushed the color of pig liver from the strain. Li Guanqi leaned back in his chair with an amused expression. His legs had already recovered, medicinal power surging within him as his injuries healed at rapid speed. The immortal essence in his body also steadily expanded as his cultivation technique refined the medicine. His aura grew increasingly profound, faintly showing signs of breaking through to the second tier of the Heavenly Immortal realm. Immortal Elder Yu was thrilled at the sight. *Heh, he absorbed a bottle of thousand-year Azure Mystic Lingzhi Liquid to this extent?* *He barely wasted a drop... and this kid’s dantian is enormous!!* Pondering this, Immortal Elder Yu could not help sidling closer to the pair, wanting to observe Li Guanqi from up close. But the moment the elder moved, Li Guanqi actually turned his head slowly. Their eyes met, and Li Guanqi stood up, bowing respectfully to the old man. “Junior Li Congxin pays respects to Senior.” Stroking his beard, the old man laughed, appearing behind the two in a single stride. “Good, good, good, not bad. This old man is named... ah, never mind. The outside world calls me Immortal Elder Yu. You may just call me Elder Yu.” Li Guanqi nodded with a smile. “Then this junior will presume to address you as Elder Yu.” As he spoke, Li Guanqi naturally took the old man’s arm and fetched another chair crafted from precious timber, placing it beside Meng Wanshu for him. Unexpectedly, the old man moved the chair directly beside Li Guanqi, grasping Li Guanqi’s hand in return as he chuckled, “Sit, sit, sit, no need to stand on ceremony.” Yet before the old man could sit down, his eyelids twitched slightly... for inside Li Guanqi’s body, he sensed two auras that he could not see through! One was whatever constitution Li Guanqi possessed. The other... actually gave him a faint sense of danger, as though if he dared release his senses to probe it, even he would face peril. Immortal Elder Yu released his hand and tucked his arms into his sleeves with a smile, thoughts racing in his mind. *Hiss... seems this little fellow’s fortunes are far from ordinary!* Meng Wanshu’s gentle voice drifted over. “Elder Yu, release him. I wish to speak with him.” Hearing this, Immortal Elder Yu nodded, then withdrew the crushing pressure weighing upon Su Jinshan. *Pfft!!!* The man threw his head back and coughed up a huge mouthful of blood, his face deathly pale, his body trembling. Prostrate on the ground supported by both hands, he panted heavily in ragged gasps. It took a good while before Su Jinshan finally collected himself. Seated upright in her chair, Meng Wanshu looked calmly at Su Jinshan. “Do you know what has happened here?” Shivering, Su Jinshan replied in a low voice, “In response to the Lady, I have already learned the full story from start to finish.” Meng Wanshu’s voice was utterly serene. “Su Jinshan, listen closely now.” At those words, Su Jinshan prostrated himself even lower. “Please speak, Lady...” Meng Wanshu rose slowly, her entire presence undergoing a dramatic transformation! A status she had once cared nothing for had now become second nature to her. “Xutian Palace, Su Jinshan, and every last one of you, hear this well. “I am Meng Wanshu, Saintess of the Jiuding Heavenly Palace! “He is my husband. So what if he killed the assassins of your Xutian Palace?” Cold sweat drenched Su Jinshan. Kneeling on the ground, he dared not even breathe aloud. “It... it matters not...” Meng Wanshu continued, “So what if we refuse to hand over that worthless piece of junk, the Xutian Stone? “That’s right, your daughter was humiliated and broken by my hand just like this. What of it?” Su Jinshan nearly ground his teeth to dust. Though heartbroken over Su Mei’s plight, he could only grit his teeth and say in a muffled voice, “No... nothing...” Meng Wanshu crouched down slowly to look at the man before her. Roughly grabbing his chin to force his face up, she pointed at herself and said, “Remember this face. “If my husband does not wish to accompany me to Emperor Heaven and chooses instead to remain here in the Ten Lands to temper himself, should anything happen to him within the Linluan Realm, I will raze your Xutian Palace to the ground!!! “Remember, as long as an accident befalls him within the Linluan Realm, I will not care whether other factions were responsible. I will pin it all on your head, Su Jinshan. Do you understand?” With his neck craned upward, the man dared not meet Meng Wanshu’s gaze. Humiliation, yet utter helplessness. Troops lost, generals fallen, daughter humiliated, disciples dead and injured, a prized treasure lost... One after another, facing the Jiuding Heavenly Palace and the Saintess before him, Su Jinshan could only swallow his broken teeth along with his blood. In the end, he even had to grovel and beg that they not hold Xutian Palace accountable any further... This was the absolute crushing weight of overwhelming power! The man’s throat bobbed slightly. Lowering his gaze, he said in a heavy voice, “Su Jinshan... will engrave the Lady’s words in his heart.” *Bang!!!* Meng Wanshu slammed the man’s face into the bluestone pavers, the impact sending tremors rippling through the surroundings. “Release all these slaves from the lower realms.” At her command, the cultivators of Xutian Palace hastily unfastened the shackles and seals binding these people. Casting deep, lingering looks at Meng Wanshu, the slaves bowed one after another. Meng Wanshu said plainly, “Whether you can escape will depend on your own fortunes.” With those words, all the slaves circulated their long-dormant primal energy and took to the air, flying away in wobbly, unsteady flight. Having done all this, Meng Wanshu stood up and returned to Li Guanqi’s side. Taking several deep breaths, she finally looked up at him with a blooming smile. “Brother Qi.” Li Guanqi pursed his lips and chuckled softly. “Why aren’t you calling me Husband anymore? Your husband hasn’t enjoyed the feeling of being protected by his wife nearly enough.”