Covering the Sky with a Single Hand!

Qingdong's teeth chattered violently as he trembled from head to foot. Never had he encountered such a terrifying existence. Merely by standing there, the being exerted a suffocating presence that bore down upon him so heavily he dared not draw a single breath. Furthermore, the colossal figure had correctly seen through his true nature—an ant. "To dare disturb my secluded cultivation—what brazen insolence!" Meng Jingzhou glared with fierce, tiger-like eyes, radiating an innate authority. The spiritual qi of heaven and earth instantly congealed! Qingdong was scared out of his wits. Spiritual energy solidifying like this was a manifestation exclusive to mighty Foundation Establishment cultivators, who transformed qi into a bedrock foundation! How on earth had the Qiang Insect Tribe found such a formidable patron?! "How utterly vexing." The other colossal figure stirred. His voice was languid and his expression detached, resembling a sword about to be drawn from its scabbard; unsheathing merely an inch produced a dazzling sword light so piercing that no one could keep their eyes open. If Meng Jingzhou's emergence caused the spiritual qi to freeze, then Lu Yang's presence infused that congealed spiritual energy with an aura of chilling slaughter! An... another Foundation Establishment cultivator! Qingdong felt utterly suicidal. Had he known the Qiang Insect Tribe had connected with two Foundation Establishment experts, nothing could have persuaded him to come here and force a marriage. What did the Foundation Establishment stage even signify? The territorial lord of this five-li radius was an Old Mountain Goat. Every single year, both the Qiang Insect Tribe and the Jiang Insect Tribe had to pay tribute to that Old Mountain Goat to pray for peace. That Old Mountain Goat was an almighty Foundation Establishment expert! Meng Jingzhou stretched out a single hand, descending upon the Jiang Insect Tribe like an imposing mountain. Seeing this, Qingdong fought desperately for his life. Channeling a secret art of the Jiang Insect Tribe, he reverted to his original insect form, temporarily boosting his battle prowess from the early fourth level of Qi Refinement to the late fourth level of Qi Refinement! "If you kill me, Lord Goat will never let you off!" "Clamorous nuisance. What Lord Goat? Even if it shows up in person, I will suppress it all the same." Meng Jingzhou was not the least bit intimidated by the Lord Goat Qingdong spoke of; his giant hand continued its crushing descent. Seeing his threat fail, Qingdong had no choice but to stake everything on survival. "Sky-Piercing Whirlwind!" Qingdong spun maniacally, turning himself into a miniature drill-like cyclone. A teal gale whipped up, shredding the surrounding grass and fallen leaves into fragmented tatters. On this single technique alone, no one in the Qiang Insect Tribe could stand against him. His eyes bloodshot, Qingdong roared as he charged headlong into the giant hand. Alas, before absolute power, all techniques were in vain. The massive hand possessed irresistible might; when the Sky-Piercing Whirlwind slammed into its palm, it proved utterly inconsequential, causing neither pain nor an itch. Confronted by Qingdong's assault, Meng Jingzhou's eyes did not ripple in the slightest. He merely uttered a single, impassive word. "Suppress." The Sky-Piercing Whirlwind collapsed without effect. Qingdong suffered a severe backlash and crashed to the ground. In sheer despair, he watched the giant hand loom ever closer, feeling with agonizing clarity the insurmountable chasm between himself and the Foundation Establishment stage. An almighty Foundation Establishment expert could cover the sky with a single hand. Meng Jingzhou's palm halted less than half an inch above Qingdong's head. He calmly withdrew it, resting his hands behind his back while using a subtle spell to stir a gentle breeze, fluttering his hair and the lapels of his robe. "For me to crush you is as effortless as squashing an insect, yet it would only soil my hands. "You disrupted my quiet cultivation. Consider this a light lesson. If there is a next time, atone with your life." "Yes, yes, of course!" The mighty expert was benevolent enough not to embark on a slaughter. Having barely escaped death, how could Qingdong dare disagree? The Qiang Insect chieftain watched dumbfounded. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined these two were great Foundation Establishment cultivators! For a tiny tribe like theirs to have the fortune of forming a bond with two Foundation Establishment experts... if word got out, who would dare provoke them? Chishui stared up at Meng Jingzhou's towering figure with profound veneration. This was the true powerhouse he envisioned! Without such strength, how could he speak of protecting the one he loved most? His mind was made up. Once this matter concluded, he would temporarily leave the tribe to venture into the outside world, cultivating until he reached the same heights as Meng Jingzhou! "Which fellow Daoist creates a ruckus on my territory and dares entertain thoughts of a massacre here? Are you not crossing the line?" An ancient voice echoed from the distance, giving both the Qiang Insect chieftain and Qingdong a violent jolt of terror. It was the voice of the Old Mountain Goat. The two of them had only ever been fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of it from afar during its birthday banquets. Those privileged to sit beside the Old Mountain Goat were peerless experts of the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refinement, among whom were geniuses possessing a chance of breaking through to Foundation Establishment. A full one-in-ten chance! An Old Mountain Goat with smooth, lustrous fleece stepped out from the mountain woods. At the sight, both insect tribes dropped to their knees in unison. The Old Mountain Goat completely disregarded the frail insects, fixing its gaze entirely on Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou. Only cultivators of the same rank were qualified to speak with it. It had been meditating when it sensed a terrifying sword qi flash past the southern border of its territory. Evidently, a Foundation Establishment cultivator had crossed into its lands. Much like the demon beasts in dense jungles, the demon beasts of the Demon Domain possessed an even fiercer territorial awareness. An uninvited intrusion without a proper explanation could be construed as a declaration of war. Three great cultivators towered over the earth. From the ground below, the insects looked up in awe at the three beings who vastly surpassed them in both cultivation and stature. "Hmph." Lu Yang let out a cold snort. "And here I thought what remarkable existence had arrived. Nothing more than a Foundation Establishment brute. So what if I kill, and so what if I do not?" Even the nasal resonance of Lu Yang's voice carried sharp sword qi, giving the Old Mountain Goat a full-body shudder. "This pressure... You are Golden Core seniors!" The Old Mountain Goat shrieked in shock. While the others could not perceive it, it could clearly sense the oppressive aura radiating from Lu Yang—an aura as bottomless as an abyss and as vast as an ocean, far beyond anything a Foundation Establishment cultivator like itself could rival! Moreover, Meng Jingzhou beside Lu Yang radiated an aura that was not the least bit inferior. "What? They are Golden Core seniors?!" The Qiang Insect chieftain's face changed drastically. He was so overwhelmed by joy and astonishment that he nearly fainted. What virtue or capability did he possess to be worthy of speaking with two revered Golden Core figures, even conversing through the entire night? What glorious honor this brought to his ancestors! "The Golden Core stage...?!" Qingdong's legs turned to jelly as he recalled the scene from moments ago. He had previously assumed Meng Jingzhou held back partly out of deference to Lord Goat; now it was clear Lord Goat was utterly trivial in the eyes of these two. He had truly clawed his life back from the brink of the grave. "Revered Seniors, you grace my humble lands with your presence! Forgive this old one for failing to welcome you properly. Might you honor my humble dwelling with your visit?" The Old Mountain Goat instantly plastered on a flattering smile, performing a total hundred-and-eighty-degree pivot as it invited them to be its guests. The Old Mountain Goat had been fortunate enough to meet three or four Golden Core cultivators in the past, but compared to these two, the difference was as vast as clouds and mud. Could it be that these two were mighty experts of the mid Golden Core stage? In that case, currying favor was all the more imperative. Even if forming close ties proved impossible, it had to establish good karma. Lu Yang gave a subtle nod inwardly. As he had remarked last night, there was no point showing off before tiny insects; one had to find at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator to act as a proper audience. His deliberate release of sword qi moments ago had been intended specifically to draw the Old Mountain Goat over. The plan had proceeded smoothly. "A visit will not be necessary. The two of us had a pleasant conversation with the Qiang Insect Tribe and stayed here as guests last night. It was quite enjoyable." The Old Mountain Goat nodded vigorously. "I, too, find the Qiang Insect Tribe most commendable! Though they belong to the Insect Clan, their perseverance is astonishing, and their future holds boundless promise. I have long wished to invite the promising youths of the Qiang Insect Tribe to visit my estate, yet never found an appropriate opportunity." How could the Old Mountain Goat fail to understand? This was a clear hint that it had to shelter the Qiang Insect Tribe. "As long as you understand. You may leave." Meng Jingzhou waved his hand, dismissing the Old Mountain Goat. The goat departed, beaming with delight at having escaped unscathed and formed a favorable impression. The Jiang Insect Tribe also seized the chance to scurry away from this perilous ground. What if these two suddenly recalled the earlier grievance and went back on their word to slaughter them? "Alright, it's about time for us to depart as well." Lu Yang stretched lazily. Having spent a night in the Qiang Insect Tribe, he had witnessed many novel sights. "Seniors, please wait! I have something to present to you both." The Qiang Insect chieftain gritted his teeth and resolved his mind. This treasure had been uncovered purely by accident by their Qiang Insect Tribe. Given their meager abilities, they certainly could not safeguard it, and keeping it would only invite catastrophic slaughter upon themselves. Rather than courting doom, it was far better to offer it to their two saviors. The warriors of the Qiang Insect Tribe dug out a medallion from the earth and carried it over together. The medallion was archaic and primitive, its surface still bearing uncleaned soil. One glance was enough to tell it was an ancient relic of considerable age. "This is..." Lu Yang hesitated slightly, thinking to himself that good deeds truly brought good rewards; the medallion looked far from ordinary. The Qiang Insect chieftain ordered his surrounding clansmen to withdraw. Looking up solemnly at Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, he said in an earnest, grave tone: "When our tribe was first founded, we unearthed this by chance while digging the ground. It is said that holding this medallion allows one to open the treasure vault of a half-step Nascent Soul ancestor!" Even as two mighty Golden Core experts, surely they would be tempted when faced with the treasure trove of a half-step Nascent Soul ancestor, right? Lu Yang: "..." Meng Jingzhou: "..."