"Hmph, you're lucky to have been discovered. I thought we could take care of you in one go."
As Li Qi was stunned, a cold voice suddenly rang out.
Among the many powerhouses, a seemingly emaciated old man gazed at him with cloudy eyes.
Though the old man appeared frail, the aura he exuded was terrifyingly profound.
Beside this old man, there were five others just like him.
And at this moment, as these six half-step Mahayana cultivators shifted their bodies, they had already subtly formed a blockade around Li Qi.
But Li Qi was unconcerned by the encirclement and attempted assassination by these six half-step Mahayana cultivators. Instead, he murmured to himself.
"Hmm, it seems they've discovered my actions against the Tian Qin Merchant Association and the Yan Zhi Merchant Association. They're making a preemptive strike, I see."
However, it was only natural.
The commotion I caused when I dealt with the Tian Qin Merchant Association and the Yan Zhi Merchant Association was not small.
These eight merchant associations had joined forces to destroy my Penguin Medicine Pavilion a few days ago. Although I didn't make a direct move initially, it didn't mean they would completely let down their guard.
After I dealt with two of the merchant associations, the remaining six made their move. It wasn't too fast, but it wasn't slow either.
And in the next moment, Li Qi's lips slowly curled into a smile. He looked at the numerous cultivators and powerhouses who were now surrounding him and revealed a grin.
"But... you guys are all gathered here now, ready for me to finish you off all at once?"
Hearing this, the six half-step Mahayana cultivators from the six merchant associations instantly showed anger on their faces, laughing in exasperation.
"Hmph, brat, you're indeed capable of dealing with those two old fellows who took down two merchant associations. But now, we are six half-step Mahayana cultivators."
Six half-step Mahayana cultivators. Unless a true Mahayana realm expert personally arrived.
Otherwise, for any other half-step Mahayana cultivator, no matter how strong they were, they would not have the strength to contend with six peers simultaneously.
What's more, besides these six half-step Mahayana cultivators.
There were also about twenty ordinary peak Tribulation Transcending cultivators and fifty to sixty ninth-heaven Tribulation Transcending cultivators present.
Such a terrifying lineup was only because they had temporarily joined forces.
If they were truly from a single force, even the few Mahayana realm powers in the Qing Rao Domain would have to be wary.
After all, even for the few Mahayana realm powers in the Qing Rao Domain, it would likely be very difficult to produce so many experts at once.
"Brat, your Penguin Medicine Pavilion is an outsider force after all. Judging by your appearance, your Penguin Medicine Pavilion can't produce any true Mahayana realm cultivators, right? A strong dragon doesn't crush a local snake. Kid, today we will join forces to kill you and teach your backing, the Penguin Medicine Pavilion, a lesson."
One of the six half-step Mahayana cultivators said with a cold laugh, his killing intent radiating outwards, locking onto Li Qi.
But Li Qi merely smiled, unfazed.
"You guys are so confident you can take me down. Is it possible that all of you here will be wiped out by me after today?"
"Hmph! Insolent! I'd like to see how you plan to wipe us out. Fellow Daoists, stop wasting your breath with him. We don't need to adhere to any martial ethics when dealing with an outsider like him. Let's attack him together and kill him."
One of the half-step Mahayana cultivators said so.
In the next moment, his aura surged to its peak, and ripples began to surge and tremble in the void around him.
Similarly, after this half-step Mahayana cultivator made his move, the other five half-step Mahayana cultivators were not idle.
Six terrifying auras erupted almost simultaneously, locking onto Li Qi with their formidable might.
The lock-on from six half-step Mahayana cultivators' auras was something that, unless a true Mahayana realm expert descended, no one could handle.
When they first received news that a cultivator from the Tian Qin Merchant Association had been easily defeated by an expert from the Penguin Medicine Pavilion and their sect's treasure vault had been looted, they were all terrified.
Therefore, they had contacted other merchant associations as early as possible to join forces and intercept Li Qi.
But unfortunately, during the process of contacting them, the Yan Zhi Merchant Association, which had not yet received the news, also fell victim to Li Qi's brutality.
According to the news gathered by their subordinates, even cultivators who sensed the battle fluctuations and wanted to check the situation, upon approaching the headquarters of the Yan Zhi Merchant Association, found that Li Qi's battle had been swift and decisive, and he had already finished.
It was precisely because of this that they realized how powerful the half-step Mahayana cultivator from the Penguin Medicine Pavilion was.
Lingering in their own headquarters to face slow death was naturally not something they were willing to do.
So, they discussed it, and the merchant associations that had not yet been targeted mobilized all their combat power, their sole purpose being to join forces and kill Li Qi.
Six half-step Mahayana cultivators. This time, they didn't believe they could lose.
What's more, in addition to these six half-step Mahayana cultivators, their six merchant associations had also gathered dozens of ordinary peak Tribulation Transcending and ninth-heaven Tribulation Transcending cultivators.
With such a lineup united, perhaps they could even contend with a true Mahayana realm cultivator for a while.
"Today, we shall slay you, who has disrupted our Qing Rao Domain's merchant associations."
Countless dense incantations emerged, colorful and dazzling, almost illuminating the entire area around Li Qi, next to the Tian Dan Merchant Association.
"To die under the combined might of our six great merchant associations, brat, your death is not unjust."
A faint laugh rang out.
One of the half-step Mahayana cultivators unleashed a world-shattering palm strike, completely engulfing Li Qi.
And in the next moment, the smile of this half-step Mahayana cultivator had just appeared when it froze instantly.
At the center of the attack, a faint sound arose, belonging to Li Qi.
"Oh? What are you saying? Do you really think you can kill me by ganging up on me with numbers?"
Following that, under the horrified and disbelieving gazes of everyone,
The terrifying attack waves unleashed by the countless cultivators began to weaken.
Within a few breaths, they completely disappeared.
At the same time, behind Li Qi, a vast space of deathly stillness once again rose.
Li Qi licked his lips. This was the boundless energy that the space of deathly stillness had never managed to obliterate.
He admitted that his space of deathly stillness had almost reached its overload under the terrifying combined attack.
Fortunately.
At the critical moment.
Li Qi chose to directly use his body to withstand part of the attack.
Hundredfold defense, coupled with Li Qi's passive Immovable as a Bell's hundredfold defense.
This was ten thousandfold defense.
Coupled with Li Qi's normal state of strength, which could rival cultivators around the peak Tribulation Transcending realm.
Under the tenfold defense amplification of a peak Tribulation Transcending cultivator.
Let alone these cultivators who were still in the Tribulation Transcending realm, even a true Mahayana realm expert would come.
Li Qi could withstand a minute of Mahayana realm attack head-on.
As for after one minute... naturally, because the hundredfold defense amplification would be gone, Li Qi estimated he could only flee.
But Li Qi did not know the extent of the shock he had caused them by withstanding the combined attacks of these six half-step Mahayana cultivators and numerous peak Tribulation Transcending cultivators unharmed.