Qin Yun’s expression changed slightly. He looked at the distant Old Master Chu and said, “An Essence Soul realm existence like yourself wants to take treasures from me, a mortal Connate Golden Core?”
“That way of putting it is just too nasty.” Old Master Chu smiled as he shook his head. “It is only right for the world’s treasures to be in the hands of the capable. Does a mere Connate Golden Core like you not know his place? Do you really want me to attack?”
“Aren’t you afraid of karma?” Qin Yun gave a mix look of anger and fright.
“Haha,” Old Master Chu laughed. “Punk, the higher one’s cultivation realm is, the better they are at withstanding the tribulations. Killing you might result in considerable amount of karma but if I just forcibly snatch your treasures, the karma is a lot less than killing you! That bit of karma… is something I can still bear. However, if that were to happen, it’s equivalent to losing all decorum with me. It’s not the best option for you! If you hand over the treasures to me while I’m offering you an opportunity, it will be beneficial to us both.”
Qin Yun fell silent as though he was hesitating.
“If I take action, you will lose all your treasures. You will also lose the opportunity.” Old Master Chu’s expression sank. “Punk, be sure of one thing, you do not want to force my hand.”
Qin Yun clenched his teeth and hesitated.
“Alright, I’m willing to give them to you.” Qin Yun nodded and could not help but ask, “Senior, what kind of expert are you? What’s your name? You can at least tell me that, right?”
Old Master Chu knitted his brows when he heard that but he smiled and said casually, “My name is Hu Chang. I cultivate in Po Cloud Lake.”
“A demon?” asked Qin Yun.
“Yes.” Old Master Chu nodded indifferently.
“I heard that after Palatial Lord Black Dragon’s death, the Po Cloud Lake’s Nine Demon alliance only has eight Essence Soul realm great demons,” said Qin Yun. “There are none by the name of Hu Chang.”
Old Master Chu’s expression changed slightly.
A mere Connate Golden Core actually knew that much about the Po Cloud Lake’s Nine Demon alliance?
“All I do is focus on cultivation. Few people know of me,” bellowed Old Master Chu with a frown. “Why are you asking so many questions? Quickly hand over your treasures and I will still bestow you with an opportunity.”
“Senior, that’s just too nasty,” Qin Yun said angrily. “I’m willing to hand over all my treasures but you deceive me in such a manner? You aren’t even willing to tell me who you are. Aren’t you being just too much of a bully?”
“Are you handing them over or not? Are you trying to force my hand?” Old Master Chu’s expression sank as his aura surged out oppressively.
“Since you aren’t even willing to tell me your identity, why should I give you anything? I refuse to believe that you would dare to kill me,” said Qin Yun coldly.
Old Master Chu winced secretly when he saw the situation reach this point. “The effects of killing a Connate Golden Core is extremely great. It is no worse than killing hundreds of commoners. Even if I were to forcibly snatch it from him, the karma still matches dozens of commoners. The limitations of the Heavenly Dao sure are troublesome! There are so many restrictions just for killing some ants!” According to Old Master Chu’s thoughts, getting Qin Yun to willingly initiate the exchange naturally had the smallest karma.
“Senior, if you only inform me of your identity, allowing me to know who you are, I’d be willing to do the exchange,” said Qin Yun. “When the time comes, I’ll naturally offer the treasures to you with both hands.”
“Punk.” Old Master Chu nodded and said, “I won’t lie to you. I’m a reincarnated demon immortal. I was reincarnated a few decades ago. Few people in the world know of me.”
Qin Yun felt somewhat disappointed when he heard that.
Once he exposed his true strength, it would prove difficult to force Old Master Chu to reveal his identity.
Therefore, he had deliberately acted weak to lure Old Master Chu into giving the answer. Unfortunately… Old Master Chu was too careful!
“First you claim to be a demon that focuses on seclusive cultivation and the next moment you claim to be a reincarnated demon immortal. It’s all random fabrications and there is not one shred of proof,” said Qin Yun with a sigh as he shook his head. “I never expected a Connate Golden Core like me who cannot contact the outside world in this Grotto-heaven to merit such carefulness from you. You are unwilling to reveal yourself at all.”
Old Master Chu’s expression changed slightly as he began to suspect something was amiss. He immediately waved his hands. “How long-winded you are!”
His palm struck out and expanded abruptly. A membrane of black skin covered his palm as he struck out with it, now in gigantic form, causing the void to distort.
“Go!”
Qin Yun waved his hand, shooting out a wisp of misty rain from his fingertip. It streaked across the sky like an endless tidal wave that unleashed surge after surge. Bang! Bang! Bang! The waves struck the gigantic palm incessantly, with each strike stronger than the previous one. It forcibly tore apart the gigantic palm, splattering blood all around.
This strike was Qin Yun’s newly-created sword art, the Dreamlike Sword’s ‘A Thousand Hates.’
This move was the culmination of Qin Yun’s pining for his wife and his hatred towards fiendish demons.
“Ah!” The gigantic palm ripped apart as Old Master Chu’s expression changed drastically. His body began to rapidly transform.
Soon, he became a terrifying behemoth that stood a few thousand feet tall. A red halo lingered around his body as a black fog emanated throughout the surroundings. His red eyes glared at Qin intently as his voice rumbled. “For a sword immortal to have such immense strength, are you that Sword Immortal Qin from Jiang Prefecture’s Grand Dominance? It’s said you are the best sword immortal in the world. Indeed, a mortal sword immortal that possesses such impressive strength does surprise me.”
“You gave me a greater surprise. You can hide your aura so well that even my Dao domain did not detect you,” said Qin Yun. “Speak, who are you? What motives do you have for hiding in my Great Chang world?”
“Haha, a dead person like you has no need to know.” The behemoth suddenly opened its mouth.
Boom!
A blazing red beam shot out with immense oppressive force.
Qin Yun snorted coldly when he saw this.
“Whoosh.”
The flying sword that resembled a wisp of misty rain streaked across the sky as a terrifying chill rapidly spread outwards. Even the void froze as visibly white frosty air took form. The burning red light that charged over rapidly froze under the billowing coldness. The frozen red beam was soon reduced to a red liquid that dripped to the ground.
The surrounding area was covered in a layer of ice. It became extremely cold. Even most Essence Soul realms might freeze to death immediately if they were there.
The behemoth’s body was covered in a layer of slate. Even the void had been frozen, so the behemoth found the pain unbearable. His reaction time turned slow and he found it exhausting just to move in the void. His speed was only about fifty to sixty percent what it usually was. Sword flashes occasionally grazed past his body, lacerating him with wounds. His blood could not even flow through him as it had frozen.
It was a frozen world!
This was the third move of the Dreamlike Sword Qin Yun had created years ago—Bright Moon Cold Nights.
It was a mid-autumn night from six years ago.
Qin Yun peered at the bright moon alone…
He recalled the night when he kissed his wife, Yi Xiao, for the first time. It was a night with a bright moon that emitted a hazy moonlight. Xiaoxiao was very beautiful.
And now, he was alone. Although the households in the city were reunited and enjoying themselves, all Qin Yun could do was watch the bright moon and feel his heart turn ice-cold.
Under the cold moonlight, he created the third move of the Dreamlike Sword, Bright Moon Cold Nights!
This strike could truly influence space itself. It made space freeze and all items freeze at their very core. It lowered the temperature of the environment to an unimaginably low level.
“Why is it so powerful? How is a mortal’s sword art so terrifying?” The behemoth was alarmed. He could not help but bellow, “Qin Yun, what sword art is this?”
“This strike is named Bright Moon Cold Nights. This is my first time using it against an enemy,” replied Qin Yun.
“Bright Moon Cold Nights?” The behemoth sensed the threat from the flying sword art. His reaction time was slowed down and he could only use a portion of his strength. He had been fully suppressed. “If this goes on, I’ll die!”
“Roar—”
The terrifying behemoth let out an angry roar.
The red light around his body intensified.
His might clearly increased as he pounced straight at Qin Yun.
“He sure is a handful. Let me try another move then. The fourth move of the Dreamlike Sword—Waning Waxing Moons.” With a thought, he used another sword move. It was created three years ago and was his strongest move to date.
The terrifying frostiness that covered the surroundings vanished.
However, a sword flash appeared that moved several times faster than before. It reached an unfathomable stage and, with a few whooshes, the flying sword penetrated space, disappearing and appearing in alternation. The terrifying behemoth had been charging towards Qin Yun but when it saw that the flying sword could easily disappear and appear in the void, his eyes could not help but fill with horror. “His control of the void has reached such a state?”
“Even if I were to burn my blood crystals and risk my life, I would not be able to withstand that. I have to escape!” The behemoth was extremely wise. He knew he was no match for the attack so he decided not to continue the battle. Without any hesitation, he turned around and headed straight for the cave abode’s exit.