Chapter 26: Extending an Olive Branch
Everyone present was utterly stunned.
Yet Qin Feiyang remained half-squatting on the ground, gazing at his fist, his brows slightly furrowed.
To be honest, he was still dissatisfied with the power of that punch.
Martial techniques enhanced one's strength in an increasing fashion.
A lower-grade technique would increase one's might by the force of a wild elephant.
A mid-grade technique by the force of two.
A high-grade technique by the force of three.
A perfect technique by the force of four wild elephants.
The Thunderbolt Slaughter Fist was a perfect technique.
But just now, Qin Feiyang had clearly felt only the strength of two wild elephants coursing through him.
In other words, he had only unleashed half its true power.
Had it been otherwise, Ma Hongmei would not have escaped with just serious injuries—she would have died on the spot!
“I haven’t used these techniques in five years; I’m already growing rusty.”
“Luckily, Ma Hongmei’s cultivation isn’t high. Otherwise, I’d be the one suffering this time.”
“Looks like I’ll need to find time to practice and regain my familiarity.”
He let out a long breath, murmuring to himself, then stood up and strode over to Ma Hongmei.
Seeing this, the Third Hall Master’s face changed dramatically, and he barked, “Qin Feiyang, this is the Pill Hall. Mind your manners!”
“If this weren’t the Pill Hall, I wouldn’t have bothered to come!” Qin Feiyang sneered, halting before Ma Hongmei.
The Third Hall Master was desperate.
But Elder Yuan was standing right there; he did not dare to come to Ma Hongmei’s aid.
With a metallic ring, Qin Feiyang drew Cangsnow, its chilling blade gleaming!
Ma Hongmei trembled all over, her voice quivering with terror. “Qin Feiyang, if you dare kill me, you’ll be making an enemy of the entire Pill Hall!”
Qin Feiyang crouched beside her head, waving Cangsnow across her throat, his tone mocking. “Is the Pill Hall really so formidable?”
“What?”
“He actually dares say such a thing?”
Everyone was speechless.
It seemed they had still underestimated just how arrogant this man was.
Ma Hongmei, however, was beside herself with fear, terrified that Qin Feiyang might slip and let the blade slash her throat.
The Third Hall Master tore his gaze away, turned to Elder Yuan, and said, “Qin Yuan, Elder Ma has already been gravely wounded by Qin Feiyang. Surely your grudge is satisfied? Why not let this matter end here?”
Elder Yuan replied coolly, “If you don’t pull weeds out by the roots, they’ll grow back with a vengeance.”
The Third Hall Master stiffened, his voice rising in anger. “If you insist on taking this further, the Pill Hall is not afraid of anyone! When the First and Second Hall Masters return, I will report everything to them!”
The threat in his words was left completely undisguised.
“As you wish.” Elder Yuan cast him a glance, still as calm as ever, as if he didn’t regard the Pill Hall as anything at all.
The Third Hall Master was livid, forcing out each word: “You’ll regret this!”
“Regret?”
Elder Yuan looked him up and down, his expression unchanged.
But in the next instant, his feet left the stone steps and he slowly rose into the air!
“What!” the Third Hall Master cried, his face contorted with shock.
At the same time, Lin Baili’s whole body shuddered, incredulity written all over his face.
This old man was actually a War Emperor!
The Master of the Martial Hall, the Lin Family Patriarch, and the Zhao Family Patriarch were all equally stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief.
As for the others, it was as if they had seen a living deity; terror gripped them to their core!
Elder Yuan hovered in midair like a sovereign king, looking down at the Third Hall Master and saying coolly, “Today, even if I razed the Pill Hall to the ground, no one would dare stop me. Do you believe it?”
The Third Hall Master looked up at Elder Yuan, dazed, and after a long silence managed a bitter smile, bowing low. “Senior Qin, it was the rashness of youth that made me speak out of turn. Please, do not hold it against me.”
No one would dare joke about such a thing.
This was a War Emperor!
Forget the Pill Hall—if he destroyed the entire Iron Ox Town, not a soul would dare utter a word in protest.
Elder Yuan neither forgave nor condemned him, but simply asked, “Can Ma Hongmei be killed?”
The Third Hall Master’s face went rigid, inner conflict warring within him. At last, he steeled his resolve and nodded. “If it will appease you, then do as you wish—kill her.”
At these words, Ma Hongmei’s face turned deathly pale, her eyes filling with utter despair.
Only then did she realize she had offended someone she could never hope to cross.
“No, I can’t die…”
“I still have such a bright future ahead…”
“Qin Feiyang, please, don’t kill me. I’ll kneel and beg for your forgiveness…”
Enduring her agony, Ma Hongmei rolled over and scrambled to her knees before Qin Feiyang, pleading desperately.
Qin Feiyang said, “Then tell everyone: five days ago, did you or did you not kick me down?”
“Yes! Yes, I did!” Ma Hongmei nodded frantically. “It was all my fault. I’m sorry, please forgive me, please!”
“So it wasn’t Qin Feiyang who fell on his own.”
“Ma Hongmei has gone too far!”
“To stoop to such despicable deeds—she’s disgracing the Pill Hall’s name.”
The crowd immediately turned on her, glaring with revulsion and righteous anger.
“So in the end, Qin Feiyang wasn’t lying…”
“How blind I was!”
The Third Hall Master was filled with remorse. Lifting his head to Ma Hongmei, he said with disappointment, “As the Pill Hall’s elder steward, you should have set a good example, yet you committed such a base act.”
He then looked to the gathered crowd and announced, “From this moment, Ma Hongmei is expelled from the Pill Hall and will never be reinstated!”
Ma Hongmei’s body trembled, her pallor growing worse.
Not only had she lost her reputation, but her status as an elder steward was gone—she was left with nothing.
A faint, cold smile touched Qin Feiyang’s lips. “Now tell the Martial Hall Master and everyone else who Cao Lang is.”
“Hm?” The Martial Hall Master frowned.
Ma Hongmei declared, “Cao Lang is the son of the Black Demon Fortress’s chieftain. Also, it was Qin Feiyang who burned down the Black Demon Fortress.”
“What?”
“He’s actually the son of that demon?”
“Good riddance!”
“Yes, someone like that deserves a thousand deaths!”
“Qin Feiyang, my apologies for blaming you earlier.”
“You burned the Black Demon Fortress and rid us of a scourge. We should be thanking you, yet we just accused you. Forgive us.”
Upon learning Cao Lang’s true identity, the crowd’s attitude flipped instantly.
Some apologized.
Some cheered.
As for Bao Chuan, being Ma Hongmei’s disciple, the consensus was also that he deserved death.
It was obvious—Bao Chuan must have intended Qin Feiyang harm, which was why Qin Feiyang killed him.
Ma Hongmei looked at Qin Feiyang. “I’ve said everything you asked. Can you let me go now?”
“Very well.” Qin Feiyang nodded. “I’ll grant you release right now. I hope in your next life, you’ll be a better person.”
As he spoke, he swept his hand; Cangsnow flashed, and he drew the blade across Ma Hongmei’s neck. Blood spattered three feet!
“You…” Ma Hongmei clutched her throat, glaring at Qin Feiyang with venomous hatred.
“You should be grateful I’ve left your corpse whole. I had intended to take your head.”
Qin Feiyang cast her a cold glance, then gripped Cangsnow and strode down the stone steps.
Bang!
Ma Hongmei collapsed to the ground, dead.
“It’s finally over.” The Third Hall Master murmured to himself.
He strode up to Qin Feiyang, cupped his hands, and said solemnly, “Qin Feiyang, I owe you a sincere apology. If you still require a Marrow Cleansing Pill, I’ll give it to you right now.”
“I don’t need it anymore.” Qin Feiyang shook his head and walked past him.
Elder Yuan landed at Qin Feiyang’s side, smiling. “Do you feel better now?”
“No.” Qin Feiyang shook his head.
Only when he returned to the imperial capital and killed everyone who had wronged him would he truly be at peace.
Elder Yuan patted his shoulder and said no more.
“Qin Yuan is actually a War Emperor…”
“How could this be…”
“If I’d known earlier, I’d never have opposed Qin Feiyang and Yi Yi…”
“I’d have done everything to bring them together…”
Watching the two men on the steps, the Lin Family Patriarch clenched his fists in deep regret, even trembling all over.
Lin Baili, noticing his strange behavior, asked, “Uncle Lin, are you regretting it?”
The Lin Family Patriarch nodded without trying to hide it. “I do regret it. But what frightens me most is that Qin Feiyang will seek revenge. You saw it yourself—he’s not one to let a grudge go.”
“Revenge?”
“Heh, he wouldn’t dare.”
“Because the Lin family’s ancestor is also a War Emperor,” Lin Baili said with a smile.
“Really?” The Lin Family Patriarch’s eyes lit up.
“That’s not all. The Lin family has married into the royal family for generations. Our foundation is deep. As long as Qin Feiyang doesn’t join the Pill Hall or Martial Hall, he’s no threat.”
Disdain flickered in Lin Baili’s eyes.
The Lin Family Patriarch finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Though Ma Hongmei and Cao Lang deserved to die, after all that had happened, there would inevitably be a rift between Qin Feiyang, the Third Hall Master, and the Martial Hall Master.
It was clear that Qin Feiyang would never join the Pill or Martial Halls.
However, before this thought was even finished, the Third Hall Master suddenly turned, looked down at Qin Feiyang, and called out, “Qin Feiyang, if you’re willing to join the Pill Hall, whatever elixir you desire, as long as we have it, it’s yours!”
“What?” The Lin Family Patriarch was stunned.
The Third Hall Master was actively inviting Qin Feiyang to join, even making such a promise?
“Qin Feiyang, if you join the Martial Hall, I can’t promise as many pills as the Third Hall Master, but I guarantee you can choose any martial technique you like, and you’ll have the best resources at your disposal,” the Martial Hall Master immediately offered as well.
The Lin Family Patriarch was utterly dumbfounded.
Even Lin Baili was unable to remain calm.