One palm strike?

Though Qin Ya’s cultivation was hidden by Scenic Landscapes, everyone present was an Extraordinary Strong Person. The gap in cultivation was so immense they could tell with a single glance that Qin Ya was merely at the Celestial Essence Realm. A Celestial Essence Realm Martial Artist wanted to withstand a direct palm strike from an Extraordinary Strong Person?

This demand earned the secret scorn of the crowd. ’Like father, like son, I suppose.’ The Celestial Essence Realm and the Extraordinary Realm were two fundamentally different levels of existence, beyond comparison. In the world of Martial Artists, there was a saying: all those beneath the Extraordinary Realm are but ants.

Hearing this demand, Shangguan Feiying’s face fell. "Island Master Lan," he said, "how is this demand any different from killing him? Ask yourself—if you were at the Celestial Essence Realm, could you withstand the palm strike of an Extraordinary Strong Person?"

’Of course not,’ Lan Qijin thought to himself.

That was precisely why he had made such a demand.

"Hmph. This is my final offer," Lan Qijin said coldly.

"I accept your condition."

Just then, an indifferent voice sounded. Everyone turned toward Qin Ya, their eyes filled with astonishment. ’This kid must have a death wish, actually agreeing to such a condition.’

Shangguan Feiying was exasperated. Every time he tried to save Qin Ya, the boy would leap forward and dig his own grave.

"Young Friend Qin, you mustn’t agree!"

The first to try and stop him was not Shangguan Feiying, nor was it Shangguan Yue, but the Eighth-Grade Alchemist, Yun Loxi. His old face was flushed with anxiety, his eyes growing bloodshot. "Young Friend Qin, with your talent, you will absolutely be able to reach the Realm of the Pill King in your lifetime! You can’t die here!"

The Realm of the Pill King... a realm that surpassed even that of a Ninth-Grade Alchemist.

Yun Loxi knew that with his own talent, he would likely never reach it. But Qin Ya was different. He was so young, with all the time in the world. With his talent, in just a few years, his name would shake the entire Azure Sky Realm.

"That’s right, Brother Qin, please don’t agree to it!" Shangguan Yue said anxiously. "With your cultivation, it’ll be nearly impossible to block an Extraordinary Strong Person."

She was a Celestial Essence Realm Martial Artist with combat strength far exceeding that of her peers. It was precisely for this reason that she understood just how powerful these Extraordinary experts truly were.

To someone in the Extraordinary Realm, a Celestial Essence practitioner was no different from an ant.

"Don’t worry. Brother Qin knows what he’s doing."

"But..."

Shangguan Yue wanted to say more, but Qin Ya cut her off. "Yue’er, Brother Qin has made up his mind. There’s no need to say any more." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Just then, Yun Loxi turned to Lan Qijin and roared, "Lan Qijin, if you dare harm Young Friend Qin, I swear I will not let you get away with it!"

Lan Qijin’s expression flickered with surprise at his words.

’Why would an Eighth-Grade Alchemist speak up for a mere boy, even threatening me in public? Wait... A life-saving favor?’

’Qin Ya saved Shangguan Yue’s life, and I knew she’d been afflicted with Corpse Poison. Could the Antitoxic Elixir have been refined by Qin Ya?’

Thinking back on Yun Loxi’s attitude toward Qin Ya, a chilling realization washed over him. ’This boy’s skills are far too great. For his Alchemy Dao to have reached such a level... No. I absolutely cannot let him live.’

’Since I’ve already offended him, I may as well see it through to the end.’

’Qin Ya’s abilities are already shocking. If I let him continue to grow, the consequences will be unimaginable. No. I must kill him.’

"Young Friend Qin, be careful."

Shangguan Feiying sighed.

At this point, the outcome of events had become impossible to predict.

"Yes, I know." Qin Ya nodded, his expression perfectly composed.

Seeing his reaction, the crowd, while impressed by Qin Ya’s composure, was also bewildered and contemptuous of his recklessness. A Celestial Essence Realm Martial Artist taking a palm strike from an Extraordinary Strong Person? Even a single strike was an almost impossible feat.

"What a pity."

"Indeed. Such a young genius, undone by his own arrogance. Did he really think a palm strike from an Extraordinary Strong Person would be so easy to receive?"

"’Beneath the Extraordinary, all are ants.’ That’s no joke."

Stepping before Lan Qijin, Qin Ya remained perfectly calm. "Remember your promise," he said coolly. "After this one palm strike, you will no longer pursue this matter."

"But of course," Lan Qijin sneered.

’What a joke. You think you can actually take a palm strike from me?’

"Let’s begin," Qin Ya said impassively.

Instantly, a formidable aura like a raging sea surged toward Qin Ya, pressing down on him. Hidden within that pressure was a terrifying killing intent.

That pressure alone was enough to make any Martial Artist beneath the Extraordinary Realm tremble in fear, yet Qin Ya’s expression remained unchanged, not a single flicker of emotion showing on his face.

"Hmph! Mountain-River Oblivion!"

With Lan Qijin’s cold shout, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi violently converged in his palm, forming a massive Palm Seal. Everyone present could feel the immense power it contained.

It was enough to shatter mountains and part rivers! Before the palm even arrived, the sheer force of its pressure had already caused the ground beneath Qin Ya’s feet to sink several feet.

’This power... it’s likely on par with Huaa Que’s!’

Qin Ya mused to himself. A single Island Master from the Vast Sea Divine Palace could rival a titan like Huaa Que of the Yunxiao Empire. And there were thirty-six such islands in the Vast Sea Divine Palace. ’As expected of a top Sect in the Southern Domain.’

In the next instant, Qin Ya drew his black Coiling Dragon Spear. Purple Flame and a chilling aura—two completely different energies—converged at the spear’s tip. "Star-Shattering!"

This single spear thrust contained not only the four Great Trends—Speed, Fire, Frost, and Wind—but each had also been comprehended to an extremely profound degree.

This was the culmination of Qin Ya’s insights into various mysteries from his time in the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo at Hidden Dragon Valley. It was, without a doubt, his most powerful strike to date.

"Four Great Trends. What a terrifying young man."

"Good heavens, that combat power already exceeds the limits of the Celestial Essence Realm."

"Now that’s an interesting spear strike."

Everyone’s face filled with astonishment upon seeing his attack.

Clearly, the combat power Qin Ya possessed was beyond anything they could have imagined.

"Hmph, parlor tricks!" Lan Qijin sneered as the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi around him began to boil. The massive Palm Seal then descended upon Qin Ya.

"Bring it on!"

With a furious roar, Qin Ya thrust his spear forward, its power concentrated to the absolute limit. The instant the spear tip touched the Palm Seal, Frost, Flame, and Wind Blades danced wildly, only to be extinguished in the blink of an eye by the overwhelming Extraordinary Power.

CRACK! The long spear in Qin Ya’s hand shattered!

’It’s over!’ The thought flashed through everyone’s mind.

His weapon was broken. There was no way he could possibly stop this attack now.

As the Palm Qi washed over him, Qin Ya’s black hair whipped about wildly. But instead of retreating, he advanced. He took a step forward, clasped his hands behind his back, and faced the mountain-toppling, sea-crushing palm strike without a shred of fear!

BOOM! The massive explosion shook the entire island.

Smoke and dust billowed, sending sand and stones flying. Even the very ground was torn asunder.

"Hmph. A mere ant, daring to resist Extraordinary Power."

Lan Qijin said coldly, the corner of his mouth curling into a disdainful smirk.

"A genius who could have become a Pill King, dead just like that. What a waste. If only he could have been recruited by our Vast Sea Divine Palace."

"Tell me about it."

A wave of sighs and regrets swept through the crowd.

"Impossible! Look!"

A sudden cry of alarm rang out. Everyone stared at the dissipating smoke and dust. There, a solitary figure stood tall and distinct. It was Qin Ya, who had taken the full force of the blow.