It was truly dire, an absolute tragedy.
Zhang Yangxu's current state was no better than Yin Chuan's had been back then.
His body was drenched in blood, his vitality withered to its absolute extreme.
The arrogant pride he had felt earlier had vanished completely.
At this moment, Zhang Yangxu's eyes held only terror.
Utter, unadulterated terror.
The gap in power was too immense.
His cultivation at the third level of tribulation seemed like mere plaything before his opponent, easily manipulated at will.
Even against other cultivators at the fourth or fifth level of tribulation, Zhang Yangxu had never experienced such despair.
"Cough, cough... you hid your strength!" he exclaimed, looking at Li Qi.
Although Li Qi's cultivation strength remained at the peak of Hegemony.
Now, even a fool wouldn't believe Li Qi was merely at the peak Hegemony stage.
Someone capable of crushing him with such overwhelming power had to be at least a cultivator at the sixth level of tribulation or higher.
But Li Qi offered no reply.
Zhang Yangxu's previously chaotic aura suddenly surged once more.
Simultaneously, without any hesitation, Zhang Yangxu's figure shot away into the distance.
At this moment, Zhang Yangxu no longer dared to linger.
One strike had reduced him to this state; another would surely cost him his life.
At the same time, Zhang Yangxu couldn't help but regret his actions.
He had heard that in the vicinity of a certain void black market, a new tribulation stage cultivator had appeared. He had intended to find an excuse to harvest some resources.
However, he never expected that this newly advanced tribulation cultivator would have such a terrifying background.
Had he known this, he wouldn't have dared, even with ten times the courage!
After all, cultivators at the tribulation stage were still vastly outmatched by stronger ones, just as he had been against Yin Chuan.
Li Qi's strength was arguably among the very top in the surrounding dozens of void black markets.
"My Lord, he's getting away!" Yin Chuan exclaimed, seeing this.
"I know. He won't get away."
Li Qi understood the principle of cutting off roots better than anyone.
So far, no one who had fought Li Qi had managed to escape his grasp.
Even Yin Chuan, the only survivor, had been subjected to numerous restrictions, becoming his subordinate without question.
In an instant, Li Qi's figure vanished from his original position.
With the enhancement of a hundredfold speed, Li Qi's velocity far surpassed that of a third-level tribulation cultivator.
In mere breaths, he had closed in on Zhang Yangxu.
As the threat of death drew ever closer, Zhang Yangxu turned and met Li Qi's gaze. An icy chill spread through his entire body, as if he had plunged into an abyss.
And in the next moment.
Before Zhang Yangxu could even cry out, his vision plunged into darkness.
Thus, Zhang Yangxu, the strongest in the Xianyang Domain.
Perished!
Witnessing Li Qi brutally kill the veteran tribulation cultivator whom he himself could never hope to match, Yin Chuan's heart roared with excitement.
It was worth it! It was truly worth it!
All the Hegemony-level Heavenly Will he had previously provided to Li Qi now felt incredibly justified.
Before this, Yin Chuan had harbored a certain degree of dissatisfaction with Li Qi's forceful demand for Hegemony-level Heavenly Will.
After all, if such Heavenly Will had been used for his own Yin Zong Heavenly Dao, perhaps his Yin Zong Heavenly Dao would have already reached the tribulation stage.
But he had no choice. His strength was no match for Li Qi's, and he was bound by countless restrictions imposed by Li Qi. Yin Chuan couldn't even resist.
However, now, Yin Chuan was completely willing.
This was not Li Qi forcefully extorting Hegemony-level Heavenly Will from him!
This was entirely him willingly paying for protection!
After all, if Li Qi hadn't forcefully taken him as a subordinate and compelled him to help collect Hegemony-level Heavenly Will, Li Qi might have simply ignored him being chased by Zhang Yangxu earlier, allowing him to be killed.
In fact, Yin Chuan no longer felt averse to being Li Qi's subordinate.
From Yin Chuan's current perspective, losing a portion of his interests paled in comparison to having a powerful protector.
After all, profits could be earned later, but if a powerful figure no longer protected him, his life itself might be at risk at any moment.
As Yin Chuan was inwardly marveling, Li Qi, having dealt with Zhang Yangxu, returned.
"The matter is resolved. Do you have any other enemies?"
"No, no. Thank you, my Lord, for your intervention. If not for your help this time, it's uncertain if Yin Chuan would have even survived."
Yin Chuan spoke with heartfelt gratitude.
Hearing the sincerity in Yin Chuan's voice, Li Qi's eyes showed a hint of surprise.
He himself hadn't expected that.
His casual intervention, a mere chance encounter, had led Yin Chuan to completely submit with genuine heartfelt devotion.
"It's fine. If there's nothing else, let's return together. I suddenly have something that requires your assistance."
Upon hearing this, Yin Chuan's expression immediately became serious.
"Whatever it is, my Lord, please tell me. If Yin Chuan can do it, I will spare no effort!"
Li Qi nodded in response.
Originally, he had intended to assign this task to Yin Chuan. He hadn't expected to run into Yin Chuan on his way back.
The matter he needed Yin Chuan to handle concerned the Cangyan Medicine Pavilion's headquarters, which he had just destroyed.
Although the headquarters was annihilated.
There were still branches of the Cangyan Medicine Pavilion scattered in the surrounding void black markets.
The existence of these branches was a potential threat.
The task Li Qi intended for Yin Chuan was to travel to the surrounding void black markets and annihilate these branches, ensuring no loose ends.
Therefore, Li Qi slowly began to speak.
"I just annihilated the Cangyan Medicine Pavilion's headquarters. I also killed their Pavilion Master and Deputy Pavilion Master."
"I need you to help me clear out the Cangyan Medicine Pavilion branches in the surrounding void black markets. Although you are currently injured, there are no longer any tribulation-stage experts in those branches. With your strength, you are more than capable of eliminating them."
ps, I haven't left home for ten days. My family is all negative. I got infected, be careful of malicious neighbors deliberately trying to annoy you. Knowing they are positive, they don't wear masks, knocking on doors one by one to ask for help, then returning the favor? A "positive package" for each household.