Chapter 142: Overwhelming Strength, Universally Awed

Qin Wudao raised his palm.

One of the sealed meridians within his body ruptured, and a surge of ferocious, mad power rushed toward his palm.

Feeling that power, Xia Jiuxuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

"A sliver of saintly power!"

Above spiritual power was saintly power.

This indicated that Qin Wudao was indeed a cultivator of a higher tier than those who merely used spiritual power. At the very least, he had cultivated saintly power in the past.

"Wait!"

Just as Qin Wudao was about to strike, Xia Jiuxuan suddenly called out.

"What?"

Qin Wudao raised an eyebrow. "Is Worthy Nephew Xia planning to surrender?"

Qin Wudao thought to himself that the young man must have sensed the might of his power and realized he could not withstand the blow, hence wishing to concede.

Xia Jiuxuan smiled. "It's not quite time to surrender yet. You said earlier that you would use your strongest combat power for this strike, but I'm afraid this palm isn't your absolute peak yet, is it?"

"?"

Qin Wudao furrowed his brows.

"Why would Worthy Nephew say such a thing?"

Xia Jiuxuan pondered for a moment. "Your meridians are sealed in eighteen places. In truth, unsealing one more will not damage your foundation at all, so please, Uncle Qin, go all out."

Hearing this, Qin Wudao was stunned.

"How do you know about my sealed meridians?!"

Qin Wudao blurted out, lowering his voice.

Only he and Jing Wenchen knew about this matter; even his son, Qin Wei, was unaware of it! Therefore, it was impossible for anyone else to have told Xia Jiuxuan.

"Naturally, I can see it," Xia Jiuxuan said calmly. "Let's finish our spar before discussing anything else, shall we?"

Storms raged in the depths of Qin Wudao's heart, leaving him utterly shaken and unable to calm down.

"Very well, as you wish. I will unseal one more meridian. But this will be the absolute limit of what I can do, and I hope Worthy Nephew Xia will not regret it."

Once another sealed meridian was opened, the combat power he unleashed could no longer be easily controlled. If this palm strike accidentally killed Xia Jiuxuan, there would simply be no helping it.

"I will not regret it."

Xia Jiuxuan nodded.

"Worthy Nephew Xia, take care!"

Rumble!

A violent oppressive force descended, causing the entire plaza to fracture under its weight.

On Qin Wudao's palm, streaks of purple lightning danced and flickered.

"The Seething Thunder Palm. Very well."

Those purple lightning marks were far from ordinary. They were vastly more powerful than thunder and lightning generated by spiritual power alone.

By executing this technique at the threshold of the Saint Realm, Qin Wudao could easily unleash combat prowess at the mid-stage of the Sea-Splitting Realm—and this was even with him nursing old injuries and having his meridians sealed.

Hearing Xia Jiuxuan call out the name of the technique, Qin Wudao felt even more suspicious and unsettled.

Regardless, he had to finish this final strike first.

"Cosmic Strike!"

Xia Jiuxuan selected another appropriate palm technique. Channeling his spiritual power and pushing his strength to its peak, he surged forward like a shooting star.

Rumble!

The two palms met once again.

This time, both parties actively released defensive barriers to prevent the shockwaves from escaping and destroying the palaces within a radius of a thousand zhang.

"What kind of power is this?!"

"It feels like the heavens are collapsing!"

"Good heavens, Lord Qin's true strength is actually this terrifying!"

"That young man is no slouch either; he actually went toe-to-toe with Lord Qin on that strike!"

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Even Jing Wenchen, who knew Qin Wudao well, was immensely shocked.

For all these years, this was the first time he had ever witnessed Qin Wudao display such formidable combat power. What shocked him even more was that the young man hadn't been obliterated by that single palm strike!

Everything transcended his expectations and defied his imagination!

"It seems Worthy Nephew Qin Wei's earlier description was not exaggerated in the slightest!"

Prior to this, Jing Wenchen had held doubts about Qin Wei's account. But looking at it now, there was no exaggeration at all!

This Xia Jiuxuan was truly a peerless monster, one born only once in ten thousand years!

The gazes of the crowd remained locked onto the sky above.

Blinding brilliance pierced the heavens, swallowing the figures of the two men, rendering the outcome invisible to onlookers.

Finally, the radiance faded.

The two figures stood facing each other.

However, a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of Qin Wudao's mouth.

"Cough, cough."

Qin Wudao clutched his chest and coughed violently.

"Father!"

Qin Wei cried out anxiously.

High in the air, Qin Wudao spoke, "Wei'er, do not panic. Your Brother Xia showed mercy; your father is in no serious condition."

!!!

As soon as these words were uttered, the entire assembly erupted.

Just now, Lord Qin actually stated that the young man had shown *him* mercy?

It was simply unbelievable!

Just how terrifying must the combat prowess of that youth surnamed Xia be?!

Especially the Crown Prince and the Seventh Princess; upon hearing this, they were so terrified they nearly fainted on the spot.

Only now did the two of them realize how foolish and ridiculous their earlier actions had been. If a heaven-defying expert of this caliber truly wanted to kill, all the masters in the entire imperial palace combined wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.

Thinking of this, cold sweat broke out across their backs, and chills wracked their entire bodies.

At this moment, the Crown Prince and the Seventh Princess regretted their actions so bitterly their intestines turned green.

Why on earth had they acted on impulse to offend such a heaven-defying figure?!

How utterly ill-fated!

In the sky, Xia Jiuxuan cupped his fists in salute. "Thank you for conceding, Uncle Qin. If not for the flare-up of your old injuries, I might not have been able to defeat you."

Xia Jiuxuan spoke the truth.

Judging by the combat power displayed just then, had Qin Wudao not triggered his chronic injury—which caused the might of his palm strike to plummet abruptly—Xia Jiuxuan would have been slightly inferior. After all, Xia Jiuxuan had not been willing to risk severe backlash to unleash an even more formidable martial art.

Qin Wudao smiled bitterly and shook his head. "A loss is a loss. In a true battle of life and death, who cares whether you are injured or not?"

Xia Jiuxuan nodded. "That is indeed true. Uncle Qin's injuries have lingered for several decades, haven't they?"

Qin Wudao made no attempt to conceal it, speaking frankly, "Forty-five years ago, I was injured by someone and trampled underfoot. By now, it is entirely beyond saving."

The corners of Xia Jiuxuan's mouth lifted in a smile. "Not necessarily. Such a minor injury is not difficult to cure."

"Hah."

Qin Wudao wore a bitter expression. "Best not to speak of it."

Qin Wudao knew all too well that his injury was known as a "Dao Wound," against which even the divine physicians of the sacred lands were helpless. How could it possibly be as effortless as Xia Jiuxuan made it sound?

The matter was too troublesome to discuss, so Qin Wudao simply chose not to explain further and plummeted downward.

Xia Jiuxuan said nothing more and followed him down.

"Lord Xia, I was blind and offended you just now. I hope you can be magnanimous and forgive me."

"Brother Xia, I acted out of haste and offended you. Please grant me your forgiveness."

The moment they touched the ground, the Crown Prince and the Seventh Princess cast aside all pride and hurriedly bowed to apologize to Xia Jiuxuan.

"A mere misunderstanding, pay it no mind."

Xia Jiuxuan replied indifferently. He did this entirely for the sake of Jing Wenchen. Otherwise, based solely on the murderous intent the pair had previously harbored, they would already be dead and would never have been given the chance to apologize.

"Someone come! Immediately arrange a state banquet of the highest grade to host Worthy Nephew Xia and all the honored prodigies!"

Jing Wenchen issued an immediate command.

"There is no need."

Xia Jiuxuan waved his hand dismissively.

"I still have urgent matters to attend to back in the Xianwu Kingdom, so I will not linger any longer."

Hearing this, Jing Wenchen's face clouded with worry. "Worthy Nephew Xia, those people from the outer realms are still blockading you. If you return to your country at a time like this, I fear you will meet with misfortune!"

Qin Wudao also frowned. "It looks like those people will not leave easily. If the Emperor of the Xianwu Kingdom opens the barrier, Worthy Nephew Xia, you will be in grave danger."

"Ha." Xia Jiuxuan smiled. "It's fine. They cannot harm me."

"This..."

Jing Wenchen and Qin Wudao exchanged glances, both utterly uncomprehending.

"Thank you both, Your Majesty and Uncle Qin, for today's hospitality. Once I have finished my business, I will certainly send generous gifts in return. Farewell."

Since they had helped him today, Xia Jiuxuan would not treat them poorly in the future.

Without further ado, Xia Jiuxuan stepped into the empty air, preparing to leave.

"Big Brother, wait for us! We will go with you!"

Scores of talented youths from the mortal kingdom behind him also took flight to follow Xia Jiuxuan.

Qin Wei hesitated for a moment, then bowed to Qin Wudao. "Father, I wish to follow Brother Xia. I hope you will grant your permission."

Qin Wei's heart was pounding with anxiety, but to his surprise, his father directly nodded without the slightest intention of stopping him.

"Thank you, Father!"

Overjoyed, Qin Wei bowed to both Jing Wenchen and Qin Wudao before soaring into the distance to depart.

...

"Brother Qin, Worthy Nephew Qin is heading into extreme danger. Aren't you worried..." Jing Wenchen asked anxiously.

"If he dies, it means his fate was poor. If he survives, he will soar into the heavens!" Qin Wudao muttered, gazing at the receding figures.

Jing Wenchen was startled.

"Brother Qin values Xia Jiuxuan that much? What he faces are the hundred sects of the outer realms."

"Hah," Qin Wudao smiled faintly. "This world extends far beyond those hundred outer realm sects. If one cannot even take this step, there will never be a day of prominence."

Indeed, the so-called hundred sects of the outer realms appeared formidable to mortal cultivators, but placed in the context of the entire world, they were nothing more than ants.

Qin Wudao's expectations for Qin Wei went far beyond his current achievements. In the past, he had lacked the opportunity to let Qin Wei truly soar; now that the opportunity had arrived, he had to seize it.

Jing Wenchen sighed softly and nodded silently.

"Had I known, I should have asked Xia Jiuxuan to take in Hui'er and Min'er."

The Crown Prince and the Seventh Princess shuddered violently at these words.

Powerful though Xia Jiuxuan undoubtedly was, by daring to oppose the hundred sects of the outer realms, he was undoubtedly walking a path to certain death.

Fortunately, their imperial father hadn't lost his mind earlier; had he really allowed them to follow Xia Jiuxuan, it would have been no different from descending into hell!

Of course, the Crown Prince and the Seventh Princess could never have imagined that they had just missed out on a monumental fortune of a lifetime.