Cold sweat covered Liu Man's forehead as those around her hurriedly summoned their magic treasures to shield themselves.
The Red-Armored Centipede gleamed with a metallic golden luster, boasting an exceptionally formidable defense!
Only a brief moment had passed, yet the sweeping motion of its massive body had already gravely injured several disciples who were too slow to dodge.
Thanks to Li Guanqi's intensive training over this period, everyone reacted swiftly. Almost the moment the Red-Armored Centipede appeared, the disciples with higher cultivation realms naturally split into several groups to mount a defense, shielding their junior brothers and sisters while executing an orderly retreat.
Yet the Red-Armored Centipede was far too powerful. The sword rays they unleashed landed upon it like mere scratches, failing to even breach its defenses.
"Hurry, get back! This beast's defense is too strong!"
However, just as the group was withdrawing, Tang Jing lunged forward to protect a newly inducted disciple.
The sight scared the soul right out of Liu Man.
The Red-Armored Centipede's compound eyes instantly locked onto Tang Jing!
Circulating their movement techniques, Liu Man and the others sped toward Tang Jing while unleashing long-range attacks in a desperate bid to draw the monster's attention. Yet the beast did not spare them even a glance; all of their attacks left nothing more than faint white marks on its body.
Rumble!
Amid billowing dust, the Red-Armored Centipede swooped downward straight toward Tang Jing!
Its terrifying aura made everyone's hearts tighten in despair. They could not help but lament inwardly, *It's over.*
The Red-Armored Centipede moved with blinding speed, its razor-sharp legs slashing thin rifts into the surrounding space. Tang Jing had pushed the boy away, but her ankle twisted, leaving her entirely unable to dodge in time as she fell back.
The centipede's mandibles spread wide, revealing rows of densely packed teeth. A foul, sickening stench washed over her. Pale as death, Tang Jing collapsed to the ground, trembling so violently that all will to fight deserted her.
Seeing this, Liu Man bellowed, "If you don't want to die, move! Run!"
*Skreeee!*
A gleeful screech issued from the Red-Armored Centipede's maw as it poised to bite off Tang Jing's head.
Suddenly!
A figure in white abruptly materialized before Tang Jing.
Tang Jing stared dazedly at the fluttering white robes in front of her, momentarily lost in a trance.
Liu Man was equally startled. *Why isn't he drawing his sword?*
Under everyone's bewildered gazes, Li Guanqi exhaled a breath of turbid air and dropped into an opening martial stance.
The Red-Armored Centipede glared coldly at the human blocking its path, an earthy-yellow radiance enveloping its entire body! Flames ignited across the fangs in its maw. The beast was naturally attuned to both earth and fire, possessing an exceedingly high defense.
Yet at the very instant its mandibles snapped toward Li Guanqi, Li Guanqi moved.
Primal energy roared through his body. Circulating the Dragon Elephant Prison-Suppressing Art to its limit, Li Guanqi drove his fist forward, imbued with the overwhelming might of dragons and elephants!
This punch was like the overturning of mountains and rivers!
As the fist struck, heaven and earth seemed to dim. Purple-black lightning wrapped around his fist and crashed squarely into the Red-Armored Centipede's head.
*Boom!*
"Holy mother of... what the hell was that..."
"Good lord... that works too?!"
Everyone's eyes widened in utter disbelief. The scene before them completely exceeded their comprehension.
They had only seen Li Guanqi step in front of Tang Jing and throw a sudden punch. The next moment, the colossal Red-Armored Centipede reacted as if it had slammed headfirst into an immoveable mountain. Its joints seemed to cave inward under the impact, and its massive body was hurled into the air, writhing in agony.
*Crack, crack, crack!*
A continuous series of sharp fractures rang out. The Red-Armored Centipede's carapace, which rivaled a spirit tool in durability, began to shatter like brittle porcelain. It was as if an unimaginably terrifying force was coursing through its innards.
Then came a deafening blast.
Countless bolts of lightning erupted violently from inside the Red-Armored Centipede, blowing its body to pieces!
Liu Man swallowed with great difficulty, staring at Li Guanqi's nonchalant figure and muttering, "He... he... killed the Red-Armored Centipede... with a single punch?!"
The Red-Armored Centipede was at least equivalent to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. Not to mention its exceptionally tough defense, which would have made it a grueling fight even for a genuine Nascent Soul expert.
Yet Li Guanqi had casually crushed it with one blow?
Did that not mean Li Guanqi was fully capable of beating a Nascent Soul cultivator to death with a single strike?
Just how terrifying was his physical strength?!
*Dual cultivation of spirit and martial paths!*
A truly frightening thought took root in Liu Man's mind.
Li Guanqi crouched down, looked at Tang Jing, and asked, "Are you alright?"
Her cheeks flushing slightly, Tang Jing reached toward her swollen ankle and was about to speak when Li Guanqi stood back up. "Just a sprain, nothing serious. I'm going to check on the others."
With that, he turned and walked off to see if anyone else was injured.
Tang Jing scooped up a handful of dirt and hurled it at his back, fuming, "You dumb blockhead, are you really that obtuse?!"
Liu Man stepped over and couldn't help but smile at the irritated Tang Jing. "How is he being obtuse? He simply doesn't want to get too tangled up with you, so you won't end up heartbroken later. Someone like him... he probably understands these things all too well."
Tang Jing sighed softly at those words. In truth, she had already understood. A monstrous prodigy like Li Guanqi would never be content staying bound to a single place. His future belonged to a far vaster world.
Li Guanqi looked around the clearing. Not many were injured, and those who were had only sustained minor scrapes. It seemed his intensive training during this period had borne fruit; otherwise, this bunch of inexperienced fledglings would have panicked completely in such a crisis. Had that happened, casualties would have been severe.
Li Guanqi instructed the disciples to butcher the Red-Armored Centipede. They could keep all the materials, but the beast core was his.
The disciples burst into cheers. A Red-Armored Centipede over thirty zhang long was a treasure trove from head to tail. The shattered red carapace alone could easily be forged into top-grade defensive spirit tools. Working together, the disciples swiftly and cleanly disassembled the beast's corpse.
Seeing everyone carrying armfuls of carapace fragments and legs, Li Guanqi waved his hand. "Let's go. Time to head back."
Looking at the disciples, he murmured to himself, *It seems it's time for me to leave, too.*
Upon returning to the Wind Thunder Sect, Li Guanqi went straight to Chu Xingxian.
When the old man learned that he had pulverized a Red-Armored Centipede with a single punch, he looked at him as if staring at a monster. "Could it be that absorbing all the lightning from the thunder pool can temper a physical body into something like yours?"
Afraid the old man might get any reckless ideas, Li Guanqi hurriedly warned, "Don't go trying anything foolish, Old Chu. My... situation is unique. By the way, Old Chu, I plan to leave first thing tomorrow morning. The Wind Thunder Sect... shouldn't need me anymore."
Chu Xingxian let out a soft sigh and said gently, "I already guessed as much. Are you really not interested in staying? Name any condition you want. Even if you want my position as sect leader, I'll give it to you."
Startled, Li Guanqi waved his hands repeatedly. "Please, don't! You certainly know how to run your numbers, old man. Next thing you know, you'd pull out a couple of granddaughters for me, and this whole enterprise would still end up right back in your pocket!"
"Hahahahahaha!"
The old man and the youth looked at each other and burst into hearty laughter.
Chapter 310