Chapter 1416: So You Are The Mastermind Behind The

The surroundings were eerily silent.

Liu Tiannan, kneeling on one knee, stared wide-eyed, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

Why on earth was he kneeling on the ground?

Just moments ago, he had been preparing to unleash his divine power, but his hands had inexplicably reached out on their own, firmly gripping the opponent's longsword. The entire process felt as if he had no control over his own body, and the majestic aura of heaven and earth had dissipated without a trace.

How could this be possible?

At this moment, feeling the absolute silence, Liu Tiannan was extremely embarrassed, and the confusion in his eyes grew even stronger.

Suddenly, he raised his head and shouted sharply, "You! What kind of demonic art is this?!"

"Why can't I even control myself? This must be some kind of evil sorcery! As a human, you've fallen so low as to practice such demonic arts. You're truly despicable, and everyone has the right to kill you!"

Seeing the old man's furious and humiliated expression, and hearing him immediately label him as an evil cultivator, Li Jin couldn't help but laugh.

After just one exchange, he had become a demon?

This old man, not only was he ignorant, but he was also quite skilled at slandering others.

With someone like this, reasoning was probably useless.

Reluctantly, Li Jin could only coldly ask, "Whether you believe it or not, this is the 100% Empty-Handed Blade Catch technique, not some evil sorcery."

"You don't need to know too much. If you admit defeat and retire now, I might spare you. Otherwise, you'll have to face the consequences."

As he spoke coldly, Li Jin kicked out, breaking the stalemate.

"Bang!"

In the next moment, Liu Tiannan was sent flying a hundred feet, sliding across the ice and leaving a straight trench. He propped himself up with both hands, his face dark and filled with humiliation and anger.

"Hmph!"

"Relying on some demonic art, you dare to be so arrogant? And what's this nonsense about 100% Empty-Handed Blade Catch? Do you think such gibberish can intimidate me? Do you take me for a three-year-old child?"

"Your underestimation of me is your greatest mistake! Once I unleash my divine power, you'll regret ever crossing me!"

With that, Liu Tiannan gritted his teeth and stood up, beginning to channel his cultivation. His palms gathered the power of ancient times, and the heavens and earth once again began to change.

"Ice Seal..."

His stubborn attitude showed that he had never truly suffered defeat. It seemed he wouldn't give up until he was utterly beaten.

It looked like the only way was to beat him into submission.

Li Jin shook his head helplessly and casually swung his sword.

In the next instant.

A familiar dull thud sounded as the old man once again caught the sword with both hands and knelt on the ground.

His movements seemed quicker this time, but his eyes were wide with shock. The arrogance from before had faded, and his pupils trembled uncontrollably.

"This!"

"This can't be!"

"How can I, with my level of cultivation, be controlled like a puppet and forced to kneel again!?"

Li Jin coldly asked, "Do you submit?"

The old man was clearly shaken, his eyes filled with panic and humiliation, but his mouth remained stubborn.

"I... I don't submit!"

"If you have the guts, let me go, and we'll fight fair and square!"

As soon as he finished speaking, there was another "bang" as Li Jin kicked him again.

The old man was sent flying another hundred feet, the trench in the ice even deeper this time.

He struggled to his feet, his face flushed red, and a terrifying killing intent flashed in his eyes. After a few moments of hesitation, he eagerly began channeling his cultivation again.

Clearly, he thought he could still win.

Where this confidence came from was a mystery. Perhaps he was so angry that he had lost his senses. Even a donkey knows not to step in the same place twice after falling.

Such stubbornness was truly remarkable.

And to think he called himself an ancient being. It seemed all those years had been wasted.

Seeing this, Li Jin sighed softly.

"Ah..."

Then, with a sharp whistle, the sword sliced through the air, and another dull thud echoed.

"Swish!"

"Do you submit?"

"I..."

"Bang!"

Finally.

After skillfully falling to the ground and sliding into another deep trench, Liu Tiannan's eyes showed a hint of fear, and his gaze became uncertain.

He was starting to believe that something was off.

While secretly channeling his cultivation, he kept a close eye on Li Jin's movements.

Seeing Li Jin about to swing his sword again, Liu Tiannan's mouth twitched, his face alternating between green and red. Then, he burst into a furious tirade, spittle flying everywhere.

"You brat!"

"You, you, you... you have no honor!"

"You keep using the same damn move! How shameless! If you have any guts, stop using that demonic art and fight me fair and square!"

Hearing this, Li Jin couldn't help but laugh.

Change his move?

What a joke. Only a fool would abandon a surefire technique.

This old man was acting like a child, throwing a tantrum because he couldn't win. It seemed his years of being a revered elder had spoiled him rotten.

He needed to be taught a proper lesson.

Li Jin decisively swung his sword.

Looking down at the kneeling old man, he asked with a smile, "Do you submit?"

"If you don't, I'll kick you away and ask again. If you still refuse to see reason, then I'll have to get serious."

At this moment.

Even the stubborn Liu Tiannan couldn't help but tremble. Seeing Li Jin's smile, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, and a cold wind seemed to blow down his back.

Finally, with a red face, he gritted his teeth and lowered his head.

"Stop!"

"I... I submit! I submit, alright?!"

Meanwhile.

In a hidden immortal realm in the west.

Deep within a mountain range filled with imperial tombs, countless terrifying trenches crisscrossed the landscape. Ouyang Qing, covered in dust, burst out from the mountains, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

At this moment.

The once proud ancient elder was nowhere to be seen. His eyes were filled with shock and confusion, and he looked utterly disheveled.

In his line of sight.

A bald man with a cape draped over his shoulders walked forward, his dead fish eyes rolling white.

He looked like a mere extra, a background character, but at this moment, he held Ouyang Qing's full attention, causing the elder to breathe heavily, his face filled with fear.

"Ha... ha..."

As he struggled to breathe, a terrifying pressure enveloped his entire body.

This bald man was unbelievably strong!

With just three casual punches, he had completely overwhelmed Ouyang Qing, leaving him severely injured in an instant. Even when Ouyang Qing used his innate divine abilities, he was no match for the bald man.

The gap between them was like the distance between heaven and earth, and Ouyang Qing couldn't help but feel a sense of despair.

As the bald man stopped a hundred feet away, Ouyang Qing's breathing hitched, and an involuntary sense of panic surged within him.

In the distance.

The bald man cupped his hands around his mouth and called out in a harmless tone, "Hey, old man!"

"You should just admit defeat. Otherwise, I'll have to get serious!"

Hearing this, Ouyang Qing's face turned red with anger!

The terrifying power behind those punches was something he had never encountered before. Even Jiang Lao's legendary finger, which had once severed the demonic path, might not compare.

And this guy was saying he hadn't even used his full strength?

That was impossible!

Damn it!

This little bald guy was really putting on airs!

Ouyang Qing was furious. Gritting his teeth, he roared, "You bastard!"

"You demon, how dare you insult me like this? I won't let this go! Even if I have to fight to the death, I'll see this through!"

Seeing the old man's rage, Bai Qiyu scratched the back of his head helplessly.

"This old man, why is he so stubborn? It seems he still has some fight left in him."

As he muttered to himself, a glint appeared in Bai Qiyu's eyes.

"Looks like I'll have to get serious."

With that, Bai Qiyu clenched his right fist, raised it slightly to gather strength, and then swung it with all his might!

"Serious Punch!"

The move seemed ordinary, and the name was a bit underwhelming.

But Ouyang Qing didn't dare to take it lightly. He channeled all his cultivation, even burning his soul, to prepare for what he believed would be the bald man's strongest attack.

However.

Just as the punch was about to land, Ouyang Qing suddenly panicked.

His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open.

In his line of sight.

The fist's shadow suddenly expanded, towering into the clouds in an instant, large enough to fill the entire valley before him. It seemed as if it could easily pierce through heaven and earth.

Even a demon god's strike might not compare to this!

Death!

A terrifying premonition filled Ouyang Qing's heart, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

In that moment.

All color drained from his face, and his mind went blank. The previous humiliation and anger vanished, replaced by sheer terror. He had no courage left to fight.

As death loomed, he could only scream in desperation.

"I surrender!!!"

His voice echoed through the heavens.

The demonic fist's shadow came to an abrupt halt.

Even so.

The infinite storm stirred by the punch's momentum sent rocks and dirt flying, shrouding the sky and earth in a haze.

"Boom!"

The fierce wind swept past his ears, cutting his cheeks with its force.

But Ouyang Qing seemed oblivious to the pain. Cold sweat dripped down his temples, and his throat moved involuntarily.

"Gulp..."

Behind him.

The endless wind flattened mountains, turning the landscape into a thousand-mile desert in an instant.

Similar terrifying scenes were unfolding across Yunxing, causing many hidden powerhouses to tremble in fear, clutching their coffin lids. Even Jiang Yuan, an ancient sage who had been in deep slumber, was awakened and appeared.

He stood silently on the sea's surface for a long time, his fingers constantly moving as if calculating something.

When he finally stopped, his eyes were filled with shock.

"Feng Jiuxiao's aura has completely vanished, Lei Qianjue is far away in the starry sea, and the auras of two other comrades are faint. What could have happened to reduce them to such a state?"

"Terrifying auras appearing simultaneously across billions of miles—who could be behind this? How could such beings exist in Yunxing today?"

"After that misguided junior clashed with them, how could such anomalies occur one after another?"

"Could it be..."

As he pondered, Jiang Yuan's gaze suddenly froze.

Behind him, ripples appeared in the void, and a lazy figure stepped out, his aura profound and unfathomable. Even Jiang Yuan couldn't immediately discern his true strength.

The newcomer spoke softly, causing the surrounding waves to still.

"Old senior, I hope you'll be sensible and not disrupt the current state of Yunxing."

Hearing this, Jiang Yuan's expression turned grave.

In his mind, various strange phenomena flashed, seemingly connected in some way, causing his eyes to darken.

In the next moment.

The ancient sage slowly turned his head, his eyes glinting with cold intent.

"That junior indeed has accomplices!"

"It seems you are the true mastermind behind all this. If I'm not mistaken, the recent anomalies in Yunxing, the uncertain fates of my comrades—they are all connected to you, aren't they?"

Damn it, my mouth is full of blisters, fifty of them. Damn it all.