Even Grandmasters Must Bow Before Me

In the early night, the teahouse stood nestled among silver-orchid trees and sweet osmanthus. The Fire Spring flowed quietly past, casting a soft, hazy glow over the scenery. Nearby, many onlookers watched the front entrance, their faces bearing expressions that said, *Just as expected.* Two elderly men in black appeared in the doorway, their hair crane-white and their complexions ruddy and youthful. Someone recognized them as esteemed seniors of the Helian family, figures who had attained the fourth realm—Embracing Simplicity—many years ago. Chills ran through the crowd; the Helian family truly was not a force anyone dared provoke. Some sighed inwardly. In recent days, Qin Ming of the Newborn path had been riding high on fame and momentum, but what was the result? Faced with an immortal seed of the Helian family, he was still going to suffer a devastating setback. Seeing the Helian seniors step out first, everyone naturally drew their own conclusions. "Wait, what?" Someone noticed something amiss. Behind the two Helian seniors, the youth in white was covering his face with half of a torn, wide sleeve. The chest of his robes was spattered with glaring crimson blood. Most critically, sharp eyes caught sight of what seemed to be... footprints on his white clothing! "Is that Helian Zhaoyu?" Several people gasped in shock. How was this possible? For him to look so disheveled and battered, he had clearly suffered an immense beating. Beside him, the youth in black, Wei Cheng, and the youth in purple, Luo Jingxiao, were in equally tattered clothes, covered in bloodstains and using severed sleeves to mask their faces. A sudden commotion broke out. This was completely contrary to what anyone had imagined. Ordinarily, these three should have been the tormentors. Whether judged by their status or the strength of the seniors accompanying them, subduing Qin Ming should have been as easy as turning their hands. The sight left many staring wide-eyed, struggling to believe their own vision. Some were frozen on the spot. Such a turn of events was downright bizarre. In truth, once Yu Gensheng released the five of them, he had unceremoniously swept them out the door, leaving them no chance to tidy up or disguise themselves properly. Helian Zhaoyu, Wei Cheng, and Luo Jingxiao had reacted rather swiftly—the moment the doors opened, they covered their faces with their sleeves. Otherwise, with their faces swollen beyond recognition, they would have been utterly unfit to be seen. Yet who were the onlookers gathered here? Nobles of the three imperial dynasties, elite disciples of the immortal path, and even top-tier immortal seeds. They realized in an instant that the three had lost face in every sense of the word. Some experts even pushed their consciousness in secret to probe the truth directly. "Hiss!" A sharp intake of breath cut through the night mist. What had they seen? Helian Zhaoyu, Wei Cheng, and the others had their faces beaten into swollen pigs' heads! Helian Zhaoyu and Luo Jingxiao were incensed. To think they would be gawked at by a crowd the moment they stepped outside! Some were even quietly activating memory crystals to preserve the moment as a keepsake for them. This was explosive news, bound to trigger a massive uproar. The two Helian seniors cleared the way, taking the lead forward. Helian Zhaoyu, Wei Cheng, and Luo Jingxiao followed behind without uttering a word. In the tea room, Qin Ming put away the three storage pendants. It was not yet the right time to give them to Wu Yaozu and Xiang Yiwu, as the danger from this incident had not completely passed. Judging from the murderous glares in the trio's eyes, the storage pendants had to contain items of extraordinary value. Although Qin Ming was unstained by blood, he still washed his hands with clean water, feeling rather repulsed by the physical contact with those three. In the room, the two sun elves stood in utter awkwardness, neither speaking a word. "You two may leave," Qin Ming said. In a critical moment, these two truly could not be relied upon. When Qin Ming and his companions walked out of the tea room, the outside had already erupted into a cacophony of noise. Many were startled upon seeing Yu Gensheng. When had an expert like this entered the teahouse? A small number recognized his identity, and the whole situation instantly made sense. "Yu Gensheng, one of the two heads of the Newborn path at Shanhe Academy. He's standing up for Qin Ming." Astonishment showed on many faces. They thought inwardly that this old man was truly fierce and unyielding. Who else would dare confront the Helian family directly? "Brother, what happened in there just now?" someone asked. "There was a fierce clash inside the teahouse! How badly hurt are Helian Zhaoyu and his friends?" An expert called out from the shadows, his voice shifting unpredictably from left to right to conceal his identity. Wu Yaozu adopted a solemn expression. "Don't speak recklessly. We were merely having tea together, engaging in a warm and friendly exchange." Ahead, Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Possessing noble standing, they were both proud people who cared deeply about saving face. "Then why are they covering their faces?" someone asked again. "They're losing their baby teeth, that's all," Xiao Wu said nonchalantly. Dead silence fell across the scene. That buzzcut youth truly dared to blab anything! Without question, this news was far too shocking. Up ahead, even Helian Zhaoyu's body stiffened slightly. Flashes of fury nearly burst into literal flames across Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao's skin. At this moment, even Princess Yao Ruoxian, the fourth princess of the Dayu Imperial Dynasty, was stunned speechless, divine light shimmering in her beautiful eyes as disbelief overwhelmed her. Several seeds of the immortal path had come, and even though they all possessed extraordinary backgrounds, each was deeply wary of the Helian family. Yet right now, Qin Ming and his companions had actually knocked Helian Zhaoyu's teeth out? An uproar erupted outside the teahouse. The crowd looked at Qin Ming drying his hands, Wu Yaozu with his short crew cut, and Xiang Yiwu with his door-broad frame. They could not help feeling that the scene was entirely wrong—completely inverted. By all logic, Qin Ming was supposed to have suffered a crushing defeat. Even if he held great renown, he should have been flattened by the Helian family and carried out drenched in his own blood. "You've stirred up a massive disaster!" someone said bluntly. The Yuxian Sect was like a behemoth looming in the clouds, casting a suffocating shadow over even figures of the older generation. "Flee quickly!" someone else urged out of goodwill. Yu Gensheng, Qin Ming, and the others walked through the crowd and left directly. Behind them lingered a chaos of voices, as no one could remain calm. The news spread at astonishing speed because it was simply too explosive. Soon, the entire mountain city was boiling over. "Did you hear? Helian Zhaoyu was beaten black and blue!" "How could that be? He's an immortal seed of the Helian family, an immortal lineage presided over by an old Heavenly Immortal! Who would dare run wild against them?" "I didn't believe it either, but many people say the news is genuine. Word has it that Helian Zhaoyu and Wei Cheng even had their permanent teeth knocked out." "This... which powerhouse did it?" ... Qin Ming knew that if the time and place were right, an encounter between him and Helian Zhaoyu would undoubtedly be a fight to the death with no possibility of reconciliation. "During the pioneering expedition, if we cross paths in the Great Wilderness, we'll take his head!" Wu Yaozu said via secret transmission. Xiang Yiwu said, "Let's get past the hurdle in front of us first." Qin Ming said, "Senior, I dragged you into danger this time." Yu Gensheng shook his head. "What kind of talk is that? What do I have to fear? I'm just a decrepit old man—how many years do I have left to live anyway? If I can put my remaining warmth to use at the final juncture, nothing could be better. Besides, since I brought you here, how could I fail to keep you safe?" Gratitude filled Qin Ming's heart. Despite Yu Gensheng's casual tone, would anyone else have dared step forward at such a moment? Even the two local sun elves had been trembling in fear. Yu Gensheng added, "The Helian family went too far. No one could endure that at such a moment. What you did wasn't rash either. They were practically stepping on your face. If you didn't fight back, were you supposed to spend the rest of your life living in that brat's shadow?" Then his tone grew even firmer: "Well struck! Our path has always undergone rebirth and nirvana in desperate straits. We need our successors to possess this kind of drive; their blood must not grow cold. You are a youth, not a decayed, dying old man like me. You should have a temper and daring! Be calm when you need to be calm, but when a confrontation is unavoidable, vent your chest and fight! Otherwise, were you going to wait around for him to humiliate you mentally and ruin your spirit?" Warmth welled within Qin Ming. The elder had not blamed him for causing trouble; instead, he was encouraging him. Wu Yaozu spoke up as well. "Brother Ming, worst comes to worst, I'll flee into the depths of the night mist world with you and hide in the wilderness." Xiang Yiwu said, "I'll return to the sect in a bit and ask the elders what methods they have." Yu Gensheng waved his hand. "We haven't reached such a pessimistic point yet." Qin Ming understood that escaping into the depths of the night mist world was easier said than done. At their current realm, they would face almost certain death. On the road here, they had witnessed those perils: the soul-luring flowers capable of absorbing human consciousness, the seemingly tranquil "luminous basin," and that "tongue" thrusting thousands of meters into the night sky, blasting the night mist apart. Any of those could slaughter an expeditionary force or wipe out a small tribe. And those were only the overt dangers visible along their journey. In the dark, there were countless unknown yet lethal zones, not to mention the terrifying creatures lurking in dormancy. Cultivators of the second realm were still far from strong enough to push into the deep night mist. Qin Ming and his companions returned to the vicinity of their flying ship. They had originally set up camp here, and many assumed they were about to flee. Far away, figures lurked in the hazy woods bathed in flowing fiery sunset glow, watching in secret. However, Qin Ming and the others had no intention of launching the Shanhe. "Lu Zizai has arrived," Yu Gensheng disclosed. "Ah, where is Senior Brother Lu?" Qin Ming asked. "At the ancestral lands of the sun elven race. He is studying the immortal contract," Yu Gensheng said, delivering news more astonishing than the last. Both Xiang Yiwu and Wu Yaozu cried out in astonishment. "The sun elven race actually agreed?" Qin Ming asked, surprised. Yu Gensheng nodded. "Yes. Lu Zizai represents the will of the various patriarchs of the Newborn path. If they didn't agree, he would have torn straight through their clan." Immediately after, his expression turned profoundly solemn. "For that clan to allow the immortal contract to appear in the Dayu imperial capital was not necessarily an accident." Some seniors of the Newborn path suspected that even if Liguang hadn't revealed it, that clan might still have leaked the information. Whether intentional or not, the appearance of the immortal contract would inevitably stoke tensions between the immortal path and the Newborn path. Thus, Lu Zizai had been forceful this time, entering the sun elven race's core territory to demand all detailed records, including ancient counter-methods to break the immortal contract. After all, the patriarchs of the Newborn path believed that given the personalities of certain old fellows on the immortal path, whether they actually used it or not, they would certainly obtain the immortal contract to use as a deterrent. ... Word spread across the immortal graves area, stirring up an uproar. It had now been confirmed that Qin Ming of the Newborn path had clashed with Helian Zhaoyu and the others from the Yuxian Sect, forcing the latter to "lose their baby teeth." Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao were infuriated when they heard this mockery. That damned bald youth's "jest" had only caused the news of their knocked-out teeth to gain more and more traction. Helian Zhaoyu's face was dark as well, his mood vile to the extreme. He had truly lost all face this time. The three immediately went looking for healing treasures, eager to regrow their missing teeth. Outside the mountain city, aboard the Shanhe, light and shadow flickered. Before even Yu Gensheng could react, another figure had appeared inside the cabin. Dressed in coarse hemp robes, his black hair hanging loose and his eyes clear and bright, he looked like a youth. Between his every glance and gesture, an extraordinary demeanor emanated from him, shrouded in immortal aura. "Senior Brother Lu!" Qin Ming stood up immediately. Hearing Qin Ming address him like that made Yu Gensheng's facial muscles twitch. Xiang Yiwu and Xiao Wu hurriedly rose to their feet as well. This time, neither dared follow Qin Ming's lead, addressing him simultaneously: "Senior Lu." Lu Zizai smiled faintly and waved his hand for them to sit. "I am already aware of your clash with the Helian family," he said directly. Then, Lu Zizai said calmly, "It's fine." Though it was only two words, Qin Ming immediately felt at peace. "I've caused trouble for Senior Brother Lu this time," Qin Ming said. He understood that matters could not simply be dismissed with a single sentence; Lu Zizai would certainly have to step forward in person. "Since I told you to come here, how could I watch you come to harm? This matter... is of no concern." Lu Zizai seemed to possess a mysterious power; his simple, tranquil words carried an immense sense of conviction. Wu Yaozu and Xiang Yiwu were deeply moved. After all, that was the Helian family. Who dared cross them lightly? Lu Zizai said, "This matter isn't as severe as you think. This time, their side formally invited people from our Newborn path and the esoteric sects. If people from the outer realm stir up trouble arrogantly, they are breaking the tacit understanding that was established." Qin Ming and the others were taken aback. Was this pioneering expedition not as peaceful as imagined? The immortal path was renowned for being aloof and domineering, yet their upper echelons had formally invited external help. Thinking about it carefully, the situation was rather grave. Yet at the immortal graves, the atmosphere was manifestly sacred and serene; even the weeds over the mounds were dense spiritual herbs and precious trees. Lu Zizai put their minds at ease: "Do not overestimate yourselves. The old monster of the Helian family stands high above; he won't spare you so much as a single glance." He continued, "Moreover, the patriarchs of the immortal path were all the pinnacle immortal seeds of their respective eras. Not everyone is like Cao Qianqiu. Especially in this Era of Great Pioneering, youths of exceptional talent like you are welcomed by the immortal path in large numbers. They hope to see you grow as quickly as possible." "Ah?" Wu Yaozu was surprised. Lu Zizai said, "Take a longer view. Once the great pioneering begins, it won't conclude quickly. During this period, they hope to see many outstanding youths like you grow into the sharpest of blades. In the pioneering war, they need people like you emerging crop after crop." Instantly, all three understood his meaning. Lu Zizai said, "In such a grand era, they don't fear geniuses growing too fast—they fear a generational drought, where in the end, no geniuses are left to be used." Then, unable to hold back, Lu Zizai revealed a truth: "In truth, almost every pioneering expedition has been forced upon us. We sensed a crisis approaching and had to repel the enemy from beyond." Yu Gensheng nodded. "During the last pioneering expedition, the geniuses accumulated across several generations were nearly wiped out. Fortunately, those who survived all became great pillars." These simple, authentic words carried a faint scent of blood. Yet the immortal graves were clearly so peaceful. Wu Yaozu and Xiang Yiwu could not guess where the crisis lay for the time being. Was there a powerful external enemy, or was something terrifying about to emerge from the great graves? Lu Zizai did not elaborate on this topic, saying, "The matter remains unconfirmed. Upon arriving here, the immortal path merely sensed something tentatively. That is why they invited the Newborn path, the esoteric sects, and even the non-human races." "For now, do not concern yourselves with other matters. First, seize the benefits from the immortal graves and convert them into your own strength as quickly as possible." "No wonder the immortal path opened up access. It turns out a great crisis might erupt," Wu Yaozu remarked. Lu Zizai said, "Make good use of your time. Go comprehend the scriptures, obtain spiritual herbs useful to yourselves, and seize fortune with all your might. With me here, there is no need to worry." At once, the three youths felt thoroughly reassured. "Senior Brother Lu, how has the study of the immortal contract progressed?" Qin Ming asked. Lu Zizai's expression remained tranquil. "There are ways to use it in reverse. The immortal contract possesses flaws, and we can use it against them just as well. Whoever abandons their baseline and crosses the red line will inevitably suffer retaliation from the other side. Everything can be met equally, so each side will exercise caution." ... In the immortal graves region, most of the experts and seeds from various paths were gathered. The events that had unfolded in the mountain city were still fermenting, sparking heated discussion everywhere. Many felt that Qin Ming had best stay far away; otherwise, disaster might strike. Many knew he had patriarch-grade aptitude, but reaching that height would take several hundred years. At this stage, he still needed to bide his time and lie low. Too many geniuses died prematurely along the way. Furthermore, even if figures in the upper echelons of the Newborn path appreciated him, if things escalated and provoked the old monster of the Helian family, it would be impossible to wrap up neatly. "Strange. Did no experts from the Helian family step forward?" What shocked people most was that one of the parties involved—Qin Ming, whom everyone assumed ought to flee far away—actually showed up in the immortal graves region. For a time, quite a few people were left dumbfounded. Was he the God of Longevity tired of living? Not only did he not retreat, but he also came here openly. Did he not fear enraging the Helian family into striking with lethal force? "He's probably worried he'd be caught even if he ran." Some guessed that Qin Ming had simply decided to throw caution to the wind. Without question, hardly anyone dared approach Qin Ming right now, mindful of the Helian family's feelings. Those Dayu nobles who had previously tried to win him over or invited him to banquets now pragmatically kept their distance, fearing they might be implicated. "He's likely headed for trouble," even some immortal seeds remarked. "He's narrowed his own road. To still dare come to the immortal graves to comprehend the Dao—even if he has the life to enter, he might not leave in one piece," someone scoffed sarcastically. Clearly, it was precisely in moments like these that the fickleness of worldly relationships was laid bare. Yet they could hardly be blamed; after all, human nature seeks fortune and avoids calamity, so warmth giving way to cold detachment was only natural. "Brother, you have guts!" a divine seed of the esoteric sects called out. It was none other than Cheng Sheng, the prominent figure of equal standing to Zhao Qingcheng. When the old monster of the Yuxian Sect went to the Fourth Peril to recruit the esoteric sects' peerless powerhouse, it had thoroughly infuriated many juniors of the esoteric sects, leaving a bitter taste in their mouths. "You're too kind," Qin Ming responded with a nod. At this juncture, anyone who dared approach and speak with him was no ordinary figure. Yao Ruoxian transmitted her voice secretly: "Qin Ming, your life will be in peril if you stay. I am willing to take the risk and gift you an exceptionally rare Thunder Royal Bird, the fastest flyer there is, to carry you away swiftly and keep you safe. The condition is that you serve my Dayu royal family for ten years. This is very fair—an equal exchange." Qin Ming shook his head and naturally refused. Helian Yaoqing appeared, fanning her folding fan, and also sent a secret transmission: "You truly are daring, knocking out six of my cousin's teeth. You're so young and impulsive; years from now, you'll realize none of this was worth it. Why not reconsider coming to my side? I can absolutely ensure your safety." Qin Ming refused outright without second thought. Master Wu and Tang Jin appeared nearby, communicating secretly to advise him to lay low and avoid the storm for now. Qin Ming thanked them, but it was inconvenient to explain in detail at the moment. Soon after, the crowd saw Xiang Yiwu and Wu Yaozu appearing alongside elders of the Rulai Sect. "Huh? They went to fetch reinforcements?" Many were astonished. Quickly, everyone noticed that multiple elders of the Liuyu Sect had also arrived, all nodding toward Qin Ming. The ancestral seats of the most flourishing great sects of the Newborn path were now making their stances clear through those present. Then, elders from the Yinyang Daoist Temple and the Five Elements Palace looked over and gently nodded as well. Qin Ming earnestly returned each greeting in turn. Quite a few people on the immortal path were taken aback. Were experts from multiple sects of the Newborn path all backing him? In the mountain city, Li Qingyue bowed to her master, saying, "The Helian clan's old ancestor will not intervene. Master, please step in to hold back Grandmaster Helian Yunji." In a quiet meditation room, when Helian Zhaoyu heard the news that the youth he had placed on his death list had actually reappeared and headed straight for the crowded immortal graves, he shattered the study desk with a single palm strike. Upon learning this, Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao were equally shocked and enraged, feeling violated a second time. Was that kid trampling on their dignity to go comprehend the Dao at the immortal graves? "Zhaoyu, we must ask the grandmaster to act!" "That's right! Otherwise, how will outsiders look upon us?" Wei Cheng and Luo Jingxiao could not swallow this humiliation. It was not that they were inferior to Qin Ming, but rather that Yu Gensheng had shielded him, which was why they had suffered such a devastating beating. "The grandmaster just finished consuming the third precious medicine gathered from the immortal tombs yesterday. By the timeline, he should have exited seclusion by now. Let us go ask his venerable self to teach Yu Gensheng a lesson." The Helian family naturally would not let this rest. The two seniors who had personally experienced the incident set off to see Helian Yunji. Anyone else fell short of the mark and would not be able to subdue the fifth-realm Yu Gensheng cleanly and decisively. ... Ahead, the immortal grave resembled a colossal mountain, magnificent and majestic, covered all over with spiritual herbs. Weapons belonging to more than one patriarch were planted there, prying open a slit in the grave's restriction. Qin Ming prepared to enter. His targets were the mysterious scripture carved into the stone cliff and the fruits on the Vajra tree atop the peak. With a whoosh, a figure materialized outside the great grave. He had pitch-black hair, wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and the sound of blood flowing through his body was immense—listening closely, it was like deafening rolls of thunder. Grandmaster Helian Yunji swept an indifferent gaze across his surroundings. Like a deity, he radiated overlapping silver ripples that formed a protective halo of light around him. In this instant, his pressure blanketed the sky and rolled outward. Many felt suffocated; even without the pressure being directed at them, some trembled involuntarily, unable to resist the urge to yield and kowtow. Helian Yunji was not intentionally trying to suppress the crowd; that was merely the natural flow of his runic light. He had not yet unleashed his true grandmaster-level might. Fixing his gaze on Qin Ming, he said, "Go call Yu Gensheng here!" As he spoke, silver ripples churned from his mouth and nose into the void ahead. His words carried the weight of a decree. Disgusted by the youth before him, he intended to force Qin Ming to his knees to receive his reprimand. Yet Qin Ming did not budge. He did not bend his waist in the slightest, remaining standing straight as a javelin. "Helian Yunji, targeting a youth like this is crossing the line, isn't it?" From afar, a grandmaster appeared, approaching swiftly like drifting light. It was none other than Li Qingyue's master. Silently, an elderly man appeared, blocking the path of Li Qingyue's master. It was Grandmaster Su Yuxiao. Though he spoke not a word, his intention was unmistakable. "You dare refuse to bow before me?" Helian Yunji looked at Qin Ming and naturally noticed the abnormality. Someone in the second realm should have been utterly incapable of withstanding his pressure. "If you have this much energy, wouldn't it be better directed outward?" At the horizon, a voice spoke. Helian Yunji was greatly shocked. From such an immense distance, someone was actually able to shield Qin Ming, allowing the youth to stand there quietly and unmoved! "I am a grandmaster! What is wrong with him bowing to me? Why shouldn't he!" Helian Yunji said in a deep voice, his entire body glowing as he pressed his might down toward Qin Ming. "Even grandmasters must bow before me," a youth in hemp robes said calmly at the edge of the horizon. Before his words had even finished echoing, he had already crossed a path paved of golden light to arrive at Qin Ming's side. "You..." Helian Yunji was terrified, feeling an immense pressure descending upon him from the realm of consciousness. "Bow your head. Pay your respects," Lu Zizai said placidly. Helian Yunji immediately felt as though Feixian Mountain were crashing down upon his head. His neck cracked and creaked, bending downward completely out of his control.