"Hmph! No matter who it is, since they want to cause trouble, then this is an opportunity to display the strength of Penguin Medicine Pavilion, lest any Tom, Dick, or Harry dare to cause trouble later."
Li Qi's eyes grew colder.
Before substantial evidence, the current incident was merely his conjecture that the Mo Dao Merchant Guild was behind it.
Since someone was coveting the pill formulas of Penguin Medicine Pavilion, Li Qi might as well use this opportunity to make an example of them.
Defeating three at the ninth heaven of tribulation and one at the peak of tribulation at once was a feat that peak tribulation experts at the half-step Mahayana stage could easily accomplish.
Li Qi believed that if he displayed strength comparable to the half-step Mahayana stage, there wouldn't be many who dared to cause trouble for Penguin Medicine Pavilion afterward.
With this thought,
Li Qi glanced at the asteroid clusters outside the hidden formation surrounding them.
With a slight shift of his mind, a portal appeared in the hidden formation.
In a flash, Li Qi's figure vanished from his original spot.
...
Several figures engaged in a chase, creating torrents of light like lightning in the void.
Along their path, countless dead and silent meteorites were instantly compressed into dust around them.
Terrifying auras surged from these figures.
The lords of the surrounding minor worlds all extended their divine senses to probe the situation.
When these world lords perceived the cultivation levels of the figures, they were somewhat aghast.
Regardless of the figure fleeing at the front or the four figures pursuing from behind,
Judging solely by their auras, their strength was at least at the ninth heaven of tribulation.
Moreover, one of the four pursuing figures had reached the peak of tribulation.
Even in this prosperous region, different areas had varying levels of power.
The ninth heaven of tribulation, and even the peak of tribulation, represented considerable combat power anywhere.
The current location was within the Qing Rao Domain, in an area called "Fang San District."
There were a few experts at the ninth heaven of tribulation, and even the peak of tribulation, but most world lords were only around the sixth or seventh heaven of tribulation.
"What's going on with those guys? Where did they come from?"
The world lords whispered to each other, filled with confusion.
After the initial shock, they were no longer afraid that the chasing figures might inadvertently cause their minor worlds to be annihilated by stray energies.
After all, Fang San District also had experts with comparable strength to those individuals. Whether intentional or not, if any minor world within Fang San District faced a life-threatening crisis, the strongest expert in Fang San District would surely intervene.
It was precisely because of this that these world lords could casually observe the five individuals passing through their minor worlds.
Divine senses probed the five individuals once more.
Soon, someone noticed the fleeing figure.
Fang San District was considered within the territory described by the two natal spirit puppets, and many cultivators who had heard of Penguin Medicine Pavilion had purchased elixirs there.
Thus, the identity of the third natal spirit puppet was quickly recognized.
"Huh, isn't that fleeing figure one of the two managers from Penguin Medicine Pavilion? What kind of grudge is this?"
Upon hearing this, many world lords also realized it.
Indeed, many of them had purchased Jade Dew Concentric Pills from Penguin Medicine Pavilion over the past twenty years, and had even casually chatted with the third natal spirit puppet at times.
Yet, seeing one of the once enthusiastic managers of Penguin Medicine Pavilion now in such a sorry state was indeed difficult to adjust to.
Subsequently, their attention shifted back to the four individuals pursuing the third natal spirit puppet.
But the next moment, the many world lords showed looks of regret.
The figures of the four pursuing experts were extremely well disguised, and upon closer inspection, their auras appeared somewhat unusual, clearly adjusted by some elixirs or special spiritual treasures.
In short, these four individuals concealed their identities flawlessly. The numerous world lords of Fang San District, and even the few experts in Fang San District who had already noticed the situation, could not discern their origins.
Just then, someone couldn't help but softly say,
"That manager from Penguin Medicine Pavilion is about to collapse."
Many gazes once again converged on the third natal spirit puppet.
It was clearly felt that the aura of the third natal spirit puppet, which originally rivaled the ninth heaven of tribulation, was rapidly declining at a terrifying speed.
Furthermore, his life force was also continuously draining.
His originally fleeing speed abruptly weakened, and blood mist continuously emanated from his body.
To others, it looked like an old injury had recurred.
But only the third natal spirit puppet knew that his two secret techniques had reached their time limit.
In a little while, when the time limit for his secret techniques expired, the third natal spirit puppet would likely be close to death.
Thinking of this, the third natal spirit puppet's eyes rolled, and he began to devise a plan to hide his resources and await Li Qi's arrival, after which he would emerge as a hero a year later.
But the next moment, the third natal spirit puppet's eyes flickered, and a look of surprise instantly appeared.
Concurrently, the third natal spirit puppet's gaze shifted forward.
Others might not know, but as Li Qi's natal spirit puppet, he could faintly sense Li Qi's aura.
Just then, a cold voice, clearly disguised, sounded in the third natal spirit puppet's ear.
"That guy is finally going down. I knew a mere fourth heaven of tribulation cultivator couldn't maintain such speed. It was indeed a secret technique. Let's capture him alive when he's incapacitated."
It was one of the four pursuers behind him.
The third natal spirit puppet slightly turned his head, and a terrifying, oppressive aura immediately washed over him, completely engulfing him.
At the same time, it was vaguely visible that in front of him, a disguised figure had approached, and a hand containing封禁 (fēngjìn - sealing) spiritual power was reaching out directly towards him.
If nothing unexpected happened, the third natal spirit puppet would be captured alive at this moment.
But it didn't matter. He now knew that his true body had arrived. Instead, at this moment, the third natal spirit puppet relaxed completely, not even intending to resist.