Li Chunhou said, "She is that kind of person, you shouldn't provoke her."
However, Jia Guan seemed to have no regrets, with a hint of satisfaction still on his face.
Mo Qi sighed repeatedly, "Those who bring trouble upon themselves cannot live."
Then, Mo Qi quickly returned to his tent to absorb the spiritual energy of the Thousand-Year Ice Marrow, hoping for a breakthrough.
The other captains and colonels were all Heavenly Immortals, while he was still a Human Immortal. He felt ashamed not to break through!
With so many subordinates, how could they respect him if his cultivation was the same as theirs?
Therefore, his desire to break through was stronger than ever.
After consuming the Thousand-Year Ice Marrow, a great energy indeed erupted within him.
However, it was not the fiery sensation of other spiritual energies. This was a thoroughly chilling spiritual energy, a coldness that instantly filled his entire body, threatening to freeze the meridians and blood throughout his system.
Mo Qi instinctively summoned his Ice and Snow divine abilities to suppress and guide the cold energy.
If it were not suppressed, it could easily escalate into a disaster.
However, this was the difference between spiritual medicine and poison; spiritual medicine would follow the natural flow, while poison would surge against it.
The cold energy rapidly integrated into his soul sea, and with the power of the Soul Sea Worm Grass, it gradually circulated through the heavenly cycles.
After several cycles, fortunately, Mo Qi consecutively broke through two levels, reaching the fifth stage of Human Immortal cultivation.
This made Mo Qi quite satisfied; achieving two consecutive breakthroughs was already good.
Just as he concluded his cultivation, Xiao Yun came to report that Colonel Shou Tao wanted him to come to his tent for a discussion.
Mo Qi, for some reason, felt a slight premonition of something bad.
Because Shou Tao was particularly close to Captain Ming, he wondered if they might be conspiring to set a trap for him.
But when summoned by a superior, he couldn't refuse without a valid reason.
Even if it were a dragon's pool or a tiger's den, he had to brave it.
Mo Qi decisively went.
As he approached the camp entrance, he felt an atmosphere thick with tension.
The guards at the entrance said he had to disarm all his magic treasures before entering.
Mo Qi replied, "My magic treasures are within my body; I cannot take them out for you."
The soldier insisted, saying he wouldn't be allowed in without disarming his treasures.
Mo Qi turned and went straight back to his own tent.
With nothing else to do, he sat down to cultivate.
At this moment, two fully armed soldiers barged in and walked imposquely before Mo Qi, saying, "Captain Mo, apologies, but please come with us."
He guessed Shou Tao had come to hold him accountable for not attending the meeting.
But these two soldiers were too arrogant!
You should at least announce yourselves before barging in; it's as if you don't consider this Captain worthy of respect.
Mo Qi stood up, and without a word, with two swift kicks, he sent both soldiers flying out of the tent.
Then, he followed them out and stood at the camp entrance, "Who are you people? Don't you know you need to announce yourselves before entering? Who gave you the audacity to barge into my tent?"
The two soldiers, battered and disoriented, lost their tempers.
Even a dog needs to consider its master before being struck. Your rank is higher than ours, but we are here under orders to apprehend you. Not acting directly was already being polite. How dare you retaliate?
You are compounding your crime!
The two soldiers scrambled to their feet, each forming a hand seal. The soldier on the right summoned a broom-shaped magic treasure, which spun in the air, making one dizzy.
Xiao Yun, who had followed out, swayed and held onto the tent to avoid falling.
Mo Qi immediately used his Earth Arrow to protect his mind, barely managing to stay upright.
As the broom magic treasure spun, it suddenly emitted a blue light, blasting towards Mo Qi.
Mo Qi, having just broken through, still had excess spiritual energy. He opened his mouth and spat out, unleashing a torrent of powerful spiritual energy like a raging storm. It surged forward, striking the blue light and instantly shattering it. The flood continued to sweep forward, knocking the broom to the ground.
The soldier on the right was hit by the impact, sent flying backward, and fell to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
The soldier on the left pointed his finger, and a light sword suddenly emerged, splitting into two, then splitting into four. In an instant, a dense array of light swords struck towards Mo Qi.
It was like a fine drizzle falling horizontally.
But the light swords whistled and flashed, separated by a great distance, already penetrating with a sharp force that could pierce everything, nowhere near the gentleness of raindrops.
Mo Qi wielded the Xuanyuan Sword, employing his swordsmanship, blocking left and parrying right, a fluid and masterful display, deflecting each light sword.
The light swords were formless, but at that moment, they seemed to have substance. Each one was completely repelled with a clanging sound. Countless light swords flew back, striking the soldier. The soldier frantically summoned more light swords to block, resulting in another cacophony of clangs.
The light energy shattered, and the light swords dissipated one by one.
"Hmph, don't think you're anything just because you got lucky and became a mere captain. In terms of cultivation, we are evenly matched. I can't hurt you, and you can't hurt me," the soldier said, his eyes sharp as he looked at Mo Qi, his imposing aura undiminished. "You just have a powerful magic artifact. Without that artifact, you're nothing."
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Their cultivation was comparable, so why did he become a captain as soon as he arrived, while I can only be a lowly soldier my whole life?
How unfair is heaven!
Being able to achieve merit doesn't mean you have the ability to be an official!
If your cultivation were a bit higher, I could accept you acting superior in front of me, but since your cultivation doesn't suppress mine, I'm not convinced.
Moreover, I am here under orders to apprehend you. If you resist, it is only right that I kill you.
At this moment, he truly wished to kill him.
His companion hadn't attacked with him just now. If they had acted in unison, they could have captured the opponent.
He then turned to look at his companion, seeing him struggling to get up, and asked, "Can you still fight? If so, let's attack together and take him down."
Xiao Yun, who had just managed to stand firm, immediately stepped in front of Mo Qi, "You are audacious! How dare you commit insubordination. Do you not wish to live?"
Mo Qi gently pulled her aside and continued to look at the soldier on the left, "Don't ask if others can fight again; first, see if you can fight yourself."
"A joke, haha... You're trying to scare me... How can I not... again..." The soldier on the left started laughing wildly, but then a sharp pain in his abdomen made him stop laughing. He looked down and was horrified to discover that his abdomen was already a patch of red.
When blocking the reflected sword light earlier, there were still a few stragglers that had gotten through. Some of the sword light had penetrated.
The soldier cried out and fell to the ground.
The soldier on the right, instinctively preparing to fight again, froze there, caught in a dilemma.
What to do?
If he fought, he would definitely lose;
If he didn't fight, he would lose face and couldn't report back properly.
While he was hesitating, a steady voice suddenly broke through the air, "You are simply lawless. I summoned you for a discussion, you defied the order and did not come. Then, I sent someone to invite you, and you dared to injure my men. You surely don't wish to live."
Needless to say, it was Shou Tao.
Mo Qi followed the sound and saw that beside Shou Tao were Captain Ming and Captain Jiang, along with a group of soldiers.
Captain Ming looked at Mo Qi with an expression that seemed to say, "Your doom is sealed today," as if he were already a corpse.
Xiao Yun looked at Mo Qi in surprise, "I wondered why he came back so quickly; it turns out he defied orders. That temper is not good! He's gotten a bit of success and become arrogant; he's still too young! I hope he can get through this trial. But it will likely be difficult."
"Colonel Shou, our Captain Mo was briefly returning for something. He didn't say he wouldn't go. He was just preparing to go when your men arrived. They didn't explain themselves clearly when they came, and they were very impolite. Then Captain Mo gave them a little 'education.' So, all of this is just a misunderstanding," Xiao Yun said apologetically.
Mo Qi shot her a glance, "Children shouldn't interrupt when adults are speaking."
Xiao Yun stuck out her tongue.
Mo Qi looked sternly at Shou Tao, "First, let me ask you, who made the rule that one must disarm magic treasures to enter your camp for a discussion?"
"I made it. What of it?" Shou Tao said righteously.
"You have no right to make such a rule," Mo Qi said unceremoniously. "If you have the right to make such a ridiculous rule, then I have the right not to enter and participate in the discussion."
This was clearly a denial of guilt.
Shou Tao, as if standing on high ground, looked around at the people who had gathered, "You all heard it. He is openly opposing me and defying orders. If I kill him later, you must bear witness for me; he deserves to die!"
"Yes, he deserves to die. Kill him quickly," the crowd shouted enthusiastically.
Many people disliked those who climbed faster than them, especially those who were dumber yet climbed faster.
Only Xiao Yun remained silent, on the verge of tears.
Shou Tao's expression was stern, as if he could bring Mo Qi to his death with a mere gesture.
He first ordered two soldiers to take away the two soldiers Mo Qi had injured earlier, then stepped forward, staring at Mo Qi, "Don't you know you are wrong?"
"And do you know you are wrong?" Mo Qi retorted.
Shou Tao was furious and said, "Then are you ready to die?"
Mo Qi snorted, "I am ready to send you to your death."
He then cast his gaze around, "You all bear witness for me. He came looking for death himself, not that I wanted to kill him."
"Tsk!" A wave of jeers erupted from the crowd.
"Who do you think you are, that you can kill him?"
"Overestimating yourself."
"It's people like this who overestimate their own strength who are most likely to die."
Captain Ming, however, whispered, "Colonel Shou, you should still be careful. His techniques are very strange. Last time, I don't know how I fell into his trap."
Colonel Shou glanced back at him dismissively, "That was you. Can you compare yourself to me?"
Captain Ming's expression became slightly awkward, "I just feel there's no need for you to go personally. If he disobeys orders, you can punish him. You can let the soldiers attack him en masse. It's both convenient and safe."
Shou Tao glared at him, "You know nothing!"
It's precisely for these sure-win situations that I go myself. If there were any danger, I would definitely send my subordinates. There's a reason I have so many soldiers and don't use them. This fellow has only been in the army for a short time but has gained so much fame. I want to personally destroy his fame and pride. This way, all the attention and buzz around him will be transferred to me!
Watch, everyone, as I crush this guy. From today onwards, I will be the brightest star in this army!