Amidst the shocked gazes of everyone, Shen Lang looked at Shanyuan and said with a smile, "Master, I apologize, but I never intended to compete with you from the very beginning. My objective has always been Qi Dingjiang."
"Joke, to fight to the death with a Heaven Realm expert? Before I reach the Heaven Realm, I would never do such a thing."
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Shanyuan calmly uttered, "Evil creature, how cunning."
Now Shanyuan understood what was happening. Shen Lang had enraged her precisely to use her momentum to bypass her and seize Qi Dingjiang.
Shanyuan never imagined she would be played by an unknown brat like Shen Lang. As a grandmaster, she felt an unprecedented surge of anger and humiliation.
The others also hadn't anticipated Shen Lang's meticulous planning, controlling everything within his calculations from start to finish.
Meticulous in thought, unfathomably profound in martial arts cultivation, how could such a person as Shen Lang exist in this world?
"Shen Lang, release Young Master Qi, and I shall spare your life."
Two minutes later, Shanyuan's emotions somewhat calmed, and she said.
"Master, you are no longer in a position to negotiate with me, because the leverage is in my hands."
Shen Lang looked at Shanyuan and smiled, "Although you are a Heaven Realm expert, if you dare to make a move, I will snap Qi Dingjiang's neck."
"Shen Lang, don't do anything rash. I am a member of the Qi family. If you harm me, you will pay a heavy price."
Feeling his life was in Shen Lang's grasp, Qi Dingjiang exclaimed in shock and anger.
"Ridiculous. I have offended the Qi family multiple times. Even if I don't kill you today, your Qi family will never let me go."
Shen Lang ignored Qi Dingjiang's threat and said with a smile, "You had best cooperate, or I will truly crush your throat."
"Come on, Young Master Qi, answer me, where did Long Po take Yu Xiao and Yu Fei?"
Qi Dingjiang's face contorted with rage, "What Yu Xiao? What Yu Fei? I don't know them. How would I know where they went?"
"Shen Lang, you are simply holding a grudge against me and my elder brother, Qi Tuojiang. You are fabricating charges and looking for trouble where there is none."
"Yes, Shen Lang, you claim Young Master Qi captured your girlfriend. Present the evidence, or today, this esteemed one will surely slay you!"
Shanyuan echoed, her voice rising.
"Master Shanyuan, Shen Lang's girlfriend Yu Xiao and her sister were indeed captured by Long Po. After Long Po captured them, they got into the black BMW car parked nearby."
Qin Long, enduring his pain, walked step by step towards Shanyuan and spoke.
"Master, don't believe him. He is a subordinate of Song Shaodao, and Song Shaodao is the elder brother of Shen Lang's godmother, Song Qingyi. They are in league with each other, all planned."
Qi Dingjiang shouted, "This is all a scheme designed to deal with me. Master, save me."
"Swish—"
As Qi Dingjiang finished speaking, Shanyuan's eyes turned cold, and she lunged forward, grabbing Qin Long's throat.
"Captain—"
Seeing Qin Long caught by Shanyuan, Xiong Zi and the other forty members of the special forces team shouted in unison.
Everyone wanted to rush out to save Qin Long, but they realized their injuries were too severe, making it difficult even to stand up.
"Shen Lang, release Young Master Qi, or I will kill him."
Shanyuan looked at Shen Lang and said coldly.
"Master, you are also a man of attainment. Are you not afraid of being ridiculed for doing this?"
Qin Long felt Shanyuan's formidable power, knowing that with a mere gesture, she could end his life if she wished.
However, there was no fear on Qin Long's face as he said sternly, "I am from the Military Guard Department. Director Song is my superior. Can you afford the consequences if you kill me?"
"Are you trying to scare me with Song Shaodao?"
Hearing Qin Long's words, Shanyuan sneered, "If it were ten years ago, I would have been wary of Song Shaodao. But now, I have absolute confidence in eliminating Song Shaodao."
Having said that, Shanyuan ignored Qin Long and turned her attention back to Shen Lang, "Either we kill the hostage together, or we release them together. What do you say?"
"Shanyuan, you win. I thought you, as a master, had some sense of honor. Now it seems you are as shameless as I am."
Upon hearing Shanyuan's words, Shen Lang finally released Qi Dingjiang.
Qin Long had come to help Shen Lang rescue people, and no matter what, Shen Lang could not let Qin Long lose his life.
Therefore, at this critical moment, Shen Lang made his choice.
After being released by Shen Lang, Qi Dingjiang immediately ran behind Shanyuan.
What happened next was completely beyond everyone's expectations.
As Qi Dingjiang reached safety, Shanyuan did not release Qin Long. Instead, she looked coldly at Shen Lang and commanded, "Kneel."
"What?"
Hearing Shanyuan's words, Shen Lang looked shocked, "You intend to go back on your word?"
"Kid, now that your man is in my hands, you will do as I say. If you want him to live, kneel before me immediately."
Shanyuan said coldly, "If you don't kneel, I will snap his throat right now."
"Master..."
At this critical juncture, Miao Shan called out, "You cannot kill him. He is Qin Long, a trusted subordinate of Song Shaodao. If you kill him, Song Shaodao will not let this go."
Miao Shan did not understand why her master's killing intent was so strong today, but she knew the consequences of her master killing Qin Long, so she had to remind her.
"Silence. Do I need you to remind me of what I do?"
Hearing Miao Shan's words, Shanyuan said calmly.
After speaking, she ignored Miao Shan and turned back to Shen Lang, "Have you thought about it? Kneel or not kneel?"
"I will kneel. I will kneel for you."
Hearing Shanyuan's words, Shen Lang pondered for a moment and said, "As long as you don't harm him, I will kneel for you now."
With that, Shen Lang bent his knees and knelt directly.
"Brother Shen, you mustn't kneel."
Seeing Shen Lang kneel, Qin Long's pupils widened, and he shouted.
"Brother Shen, you mustn't kneel."
Xiong Zi and Long Zi also cried out upon seeing this.
But Shen Lang did not listen to them and continued to kneel.
"Hahaha, Shen Lang, you've come to this day?"
Seeing Shen Lang kneel, Qi Dingjiang burst into laughter, "Weren't you arrogant and presumptuous? Weren't you reckless? Why are you kneeling now?"
"Kneel, kneel for me."
While Qi Dingjiang was mocking him, Shen Lang's knees were less than two centimeters from the ground.
However, at that very moment, Shen Lang's eyes suddenly turned cold, and with a wave of his right hand, two Taiyi Divine Needles shot towards Shanyuan.
"This..."
The sudden turn of events caused Shanyuan to panic. She hurriedly released Qin Long and retreated seven or eight steps to create distance from Shen Lang.
But Shanyuan's speed was no match for the Taiyi Divine Needles.
The Taiyi Divine Needles had become an extension of Shen Lang's will. Wherever Shen Lang wanted them to go, they would go, a feat that even Heaven Realm experts could not evade.
The next second, two Taiyi Divine Needles pierced Shanyuan's chest, and she immediately vomited a mouthful of blood.