"Boom!"
An indescribable, terrifying roar erupted.
Centered around Li Qi and Qin Changwan.
Everything within a million li of them was, in an instant, engulfed by a dreadful power.
Under this terrifying force,
Qin Li, along with the other cultivators of the Qin Yang Merchant Association at the eighth heaven of tribulation passage, were utterly aghast.
They involuntarily trembled with fear.
At the same time, they were filled with confusion.
For they could sense that this power did not belong to Qin Changwan.
Moreover, while Qin Changwan's strength at the ninth heaven of tribulation passage was formidable, it seemed beyond his capability to generate such a tremor that caused them immediate palpitations.
"Could it be that this commotion was caused by that fellow at the second heaven of tribulation passage?"
"Impossible. Even if a cultivator at the second heaven of tribulation passage had their power amplified tenfold, they still couldn't achieve this."
One of the Qin Yang Merchant Association cultivators at the eighth heaven of tribulation passage speculated, only for his guess to be immediately dismissed by another.
Simultaneously, the eighth heaven cultivator who had made the guess thought about it and realized how absurd his own speculation was.
But soon, none of them could laugh anymore.
The sudden, terrifying fluctuation that had appeared vanished as quickly as it came, gradually dissipating.
And when they saw the center of the terrifying fluctuation, everyone's faces turned to disbelief.
For within their sight,
Two figures slowly emerged from the ripple, their forms still indistinct.
And within these blurred figures,
One of them had an expression of utmost tranquility, his robes not even creased by the terrifying fluctuation.
In this figure's hand, a half-dead, incredibly weak, and severely injured individual was casually being held.
But alas, the former was not Qin Changwan.
Instead, it was... Li Qi.
"You... how did you do it?"
"Senior Qin Changwan!"
Screams erupted.
At this moment, not only were the cultivators of the Qin Yang Merchant Association at the tribulation passage stage stunned,
Even Qin Tianyi, who had lower cultivation but possessed great authority, was utterly shocked by this scene.
The ninth heaven of tribulation passage was a top-tier combatant within the Qin Yang Merchant Association. Besides his grandfather, who was on the verge of breaking through to the Mahayana stage,
Only two other peak tribulation passage experts could consistently suppress Qin Changwan. However, those two peak tribulation passage experts had not invested in Qin Tianyi, but rather in others of the same generation as Qin Tianyi.
Even so, a peak tribulation passage expert facing Qin Changwan would merely be "consistently suppressing," not "overwhelming."
But at this moment, Qin Changwan was at his most pathetic.
All of this had transpired in the mere instant the terrifying fluctuation occurred, taking no more than two breaths from its appearance to its disappearance.
In two breaths, a ninth heaven tribulation passage expert had been reduced from peak condition to the brink of death!
Instantly, Qin Li and the other four eighth heaven tribulation passage cultivators felt their scalps tingle.
They looked at Li Qi with disbelief.
Qin Li, himself a ninth heaven tribulation passage cultivator, watched Li Qi with a mixture of shock and uncertainty.
"Who... who exactly are you!"
At the same time, due to the terrifying combat prowess Li Qi had displayed within those two breaths, Qin Li's tone had become respectful.
"Fellow Daoist, let's talk. If possible, please release Qin..."
"Peng!"
Blood splattered, and viscous brain matter drifted casually in the void.
Following that, a surge of spiritual energy swept over Qin Changwan's headless corpse, and his divine consciousness was instantly annihilated.
"Oh? What were you saying?"
Li Qi calmly looked up, casually tossing Qin Changwan's corpse aside.
To him, killing Qin Changwan had been as easy as killing a chicken.
He hadn't expected his strength to be so terrifying after activating the hundredfold amplification.
It wasn't that Li Qi had only thrown one punch in those two breaths.
Rather, by the time Li Qi threw his first punch, Qin Changwan was already close to being severely injured.
Then, relying on Li Qi's terrifying speed,
He had struck multiple times in the remaining more than one breath, thus reducing Qin Changwan to his near-death state.
Finally, the residual power of his first punch dissipated, leading to the scene observed by the others.
Qin Li, who had intended to negotiate and save Qin Changwan based on the strength Li Qi had shown,
Was now denied even that opportunity by Li Qi.
His friend of thousands of years, so easily slain before his eyes.
"You! You killed Qin Changwan!"
Qin Li's eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
At the same time, an unspeakable rage surged within his heart.
"Are you declaring an all-out war with our Qin Yang Merchant Association!"
Qin Changwan was a high-tier combatant of their Qin Yang Merchant Association, yet he had been so easily killed by Li Qi.
This meant that any possibility of negotiation between Li Qi and the Qin Yang Merchant Association was extinguished.
However, in truth, given Li Qi's nature, once he had acted, he had never expected to resolve the situation through negotiation.
"So much nonsense. Then the next one is you."
A faint voice echoed, and killing intent surged.
In an instant, Qin Li, who had been consumed by rage, felt an icy chill pervade his surroundings, and a sense of dread, akin to heart palpitations, arose from the depths of his being.
Without hesitation, Qin Li didn't even have time to be angry.
He tried to retreat from his current position.
But it was too late.
He was not Li Qi.
He did not possess Li Qi's speed.
Before Qin Li could even move, Li Qi, who had already vanished from his original spot, appeared before him.
A palm grew larger and larger in Qin Li's eyes, containing a terrifying sense of danger that even a ninth heaven tribulation passage expert like Qin Li found incredibly heart-wrenching.
"You're the one who sneak-attacks, aren't you? You old scoundrel who doesn't play by the rules."
"Boom!"
The palm slammed down, creating an incredibly terrifying spatial spiritual energy storm.
This terrifying spatial spiritual energy storm swept across the distance of several small worlds, completely engulfing Qin Li's figure.
The other four eighth heaven tribulation passage cultivators, feeling a sense of dread, saw Li Qi attack Qin Li and wanted to help.
But alas, under this terrifying spiritual energy storm,
Even these four eighth heaven tribulation passage cultivators could only temporarily retreat, finding it difficult to penetrate the center.
Sensing the terrifying aftermath, these four eighth heaven tribulation passage cultivators were utterly horrified.
They knew this was merely the residual wave from Li Qi's attack.
If Li Qi's attack had been directed at them directly, what kind of damage would it have caused?