The stronger he becomes, the more excited Ye Qing gets?

"I... I'm not dead?"

Immediately, Venerable Shen Fu snapped back to reality and pinched his thigh hard.

"Ouch! That hurts!"

"This isn't a dream!"

"This Ye Qing... he, he, he actually slapped the head of a Supreme Aristocratic Family and many Elders away with one palm?!"

For a moment, Venerable Shen Fu's eyes nearly popped out of his head, and a wave of fear washed over him.

He had actually thought about capturing such a powerful individual as a congratulatory gift before?

And he actually managed to capture him?

Thinking back now, this wasn't capturing a gift; this was leading Death itself by the hand!

Walking all the way here...

Hadn't he been dancing with his head hanging by his belt?

...Meanwhile.

The huge commotion here also alarmed the many guests in the Qin Residence's side courtyard and the outer banquet tables.

"What happened?"

"Why did the Qin Residence's main courtyard collapse?"

"It seems like someone started a fight!"

Curious gazes gathered toward this direction.

Among the crowd in the side courtyard.

Wang Family Old Ancestor Wang Yunshan was holding a wine cup, boasting to a few old friends about how meticulously prepared his congratulatory gift was and how the Qin Family would be extremely satisfied.

Hearing the commotion, he curiously craned his neck to look.

At that sight, the wine cup in his hand clattered to the ground.

"That's..."

Wang Yunshan's pupils contracted violently.

He stared fixedly at the figure in green robes standing amidst the ruins of the main courtyard.

"Isn't that... the fraud Qian Liu brought back?!"

"Shouldn't he be at the Wang Residence in Qianshan City? Why is he here?!"

"Wait!"

Wang Yunshan looked at the surrounding devastation and the Qin Family members lying on the ground, his mind struggling to process it.

"Judging by the situation... is he here to cause trouble?"

"Is he insane?!"

"Daring to cause trouble at the Qin Residence of a Supreme Aristocratic Family? Isn't that just seeking death?!"

"And..."

Wang Yunshan felt uneasy and suspicious.

"Why are Qin Family Head and the others all lying on the ground?"

"This, this... what kind of illusion or Demonic Technique did he use? To cause such massive destruction?"

"But, fake is fake. Once Qin Family Head regains his senses, he's probably dead for sure!"

...In the ruins.

Qin Wanshan spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with bits of internal organs and struggled to get up.

He looked at Ye Qing, the disdain in his eyes long gone.

Replaced by wariness.

And a hint of madness.

"Good! Very good!"

Qin Wanshan gnashed his teeth, his face contorted:

"Ye Qing! I admit I underestimated you!"

"Your strength truly exceeds my imagination!"

"But..."

"Do you think this allows you to run wild in my Qin Family?!"

"You should never, ever have stepped onto Qin Family territory. Today is your death day!"

Before his words faded.

Qin Wanshan suddenly pulled out a crystal-clear white jade token from his chest.

"Crack!"

He crushed it without hesitation!

Immediately!

Boom!

A blinding white light shot into the sky, disappearing into the Qin Residence's rear mountain Forbidden Ground.

"Hahahaha!"

After doing this, Qin Wanshan let out a mad laugh:

"Ye Qing! You're dead!"

"I've awakened my Qin Family's slumbering Old Ancestor!"

"Old Ancestor is a super powerhouse at the Void Returning Fourth Layer!"

"Suppressing an ignorant brat like you is as easy as flipping a palm!"

..."Oh?"

Hearing this, Ye Qing raised an eyebrow slightly.

"There's still an Old Ancestor?"

"Void Returning Fourth Layer?"

"Flipping a palm to suppress me?"

However.

He couldn't be bothered with Qin Wanshan's bluster, finding it merely noisy.

Since there's still an old one, he'd just deal with them together.

First, kill this Qin Wanshan.

"Die!"

Ye Qing raised his hand and casually blasted out a green Sword Light.

Planning to eliminate Qin Wanshan and the other noisy flies first, then meet that so-called Old Ancestor.

However.

Just as the Sword Light was about to strike Qin Wanshan.

"How dare you!!!"

An aged yet authoritative roar, like thunder from the Nine Heavens, exploded over the Qin Residence!

"Who dares to act recklessly in my Qin Family?!"

Immediately!

Rumble!

A thick white light pillar shot up from the Qin Residence's rear mountain Forbidden Ground!

Accompanied by an overwhelmingly terrifying aura, the light pillar instantly crossed space, blocking the Sword Light Ye Qing had unleashed!

"Bang!"

The Sword Light and light pillar collided, turning into countless Spiritual Qi particles that scattered in all directions, annihilating each other.

Afterward.

The light dispersed.

An old man wearing ancient Daoist robes, with white hair and beard, a withered face but eyes sharp as lightning.

Slowly revealed his form.

He hovered in mid-air, squinting his eyes, coldly staring at Ye Qing.

An overwhelming, even blindingly powerful pressure emanated from his entire body.

Truly, a Void Returning Fourth Layer powerhouse!

"Old Ancestor!"

"Old Ancestor has emerged from seclusion!"

Seeing this, Qin Wanshan and the others were overjoyed, as if seeing a savior.

They quickly knelt and shouted:

"We pay our respects to Old Ancestor!"

"Fortunately, Old Ancestor acted in time, otherwise our Qin Family would be in peril!"

"Please help us, Old Ancestor!"

That white-haired old man was one of the Qin Family's foundations, Qin Family Old Ancestor—Qin Xiaotian!

He ignored everyone's kneeling.

Instead, he turned and glared fiercely at Qin Wanshan, angrily saying:

"Trash!"

"That sword strike just now, while somewhat skillful, was at most at the Void Returning Third Layer level!"

"With so many of you, you can't even handle a junior at the Void Returning Third Layer?!"

Qin Xiaotian was angry.

Extremely angry!

His Lifespan was already running out; every second was precious, forcing him to sleep to delay his end.

But the cost was that each awakening consumed a massive amount of Life Qi.

Awakening?

That was trading life for it!

In his view.

A mere Void Returning Third Layer, while extraordinary, no matter how much attention was paid.

At most, gathering the entire Qin Family's strength and using Formations should be enough to handle it easily!

Why bother awakening him, tormenting his old bones?

"Old Ancestor, please calm your anger!"

Qin Wanshan's face flushed with shame as he quickly explained:

"It's not that your descendants are incompetent; it's that this youth is too much of a Prodigy!"

"He just broke our combined attack with one palm and destroyed the main hall!"

"I thought, to be safe, we should use our full strength, seize him in one go to avoid complications!"

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Qin Xiaotian squinted his eyes, re-examining Ye Qing.

"A Prodigy?"

"How much of a Prodigy?"

Though he said this, he also grew secretly wary.

After all, Qin Wanshan wasn't a fool; unless things were truly uncontrollable, he wouldn't dare awaken him lightly.

But... as an old monster who had lived for thousands of years, Qin Xiaotian still had his own pride.

"Hmph!"

"No matter how extraordinary, in the end, he's just a slightly stronger ant."

"Can he overturn the heavens before this old man?"

...On the ground.

Ye Qing looked at the old man in mid-air and was slightly taken aback.

"He really summoned an Old Ancestor?"

"A Void Returning Fourth Layer old fossil?"

"Heh, so after beating the young one, the old one comes? A thousand-year turtle calling out a ten-thousand-year tortoise?"

However.

Ye Qing secretly assessed.

"That casual sword strike I just unleashed could annihilate Void Returning Second Layer, indeed roughly equivalent to Void Returning Third Layer power."

"Slapping Qin Wanshan away earlier relied on Physical Body strength."

"Now this Void Returning Fourth Layer old fossil is out..."

A flicker of Battle Intent flashed in Ye Qing's eyes.

"Interesting."

"Seems like it's worth using some unconventional combat power to stretch my muscles a bit!"

...Just then.

Qin Xiaotian in mid-air was already impatient.

He didn't want to waste time.

After all, every moment was burning his Lifespan.

That was hard to replenish!

"Kid, remember to keep your eyes sharp in your next life!"

Qin Xiaotian's gaze was cold and severe.

Without any more words, he directly attacked!

"Ancient Roaring Heaven Seal!"

He formed hand seals with both hands and pressed down fiercely.

Rumble!

Instantly, the sky and earth changed color, winds and clouds reversed!

A Spiritual Qi giant hand, thousands of zhang in size, descended from the sky!

The giant hand's palm lines were clear, like divine punishment from the heavens.

Carrying a terrifying might and essence that could suppress everything and shatter all things, it pressed down toward Ye Qing!

This strike contained the full magical power and understanding of the Dao of a Void Returning Fourth Layer powerhouse.

Mysterious and unfathomable.

Enough to instantly flatten an ancient city! Enough to easily annihilate a quasi-Supreme Aristocratic Family!

However.

Facing this world-destroying strike.

Ye Qing showed no panic.

Instead, a hint of Battle Intent rose in his eyes.

He flicked his wrist, and a long sword appeared in his hand.

Then.

"Sword Dao Divine Ability—Three Thousand Realms!"

Ye Qing shouted lightly.

No longer holding back, he directly used his self-comprehended, trump-card Sword Dao Divine Ability!

Hum!

Instantly.

The sword trembled, emitting a clear dragon's roar.

As Ye Qing swung his sword.

The originally single Sword Light instantly split into two, then three, then thousands!

Thousands of Sword Lights.

Each seemed to contain an independent Small World, carrying the profound Law of endless life and cyclical rotation.

Stacking Sword Dao power together.

They whistled forth!

"Hmm?"

In mid-air.

Qin Xiaotian, who had been watching his Spell's giant hand about to crush Ye Qing and had already revealed a disdainful smile at the corner of his mouth.

Suddenly stiffened.

"This Sword Intent..."

"Not good!"

Before he could react.

Swish, swish, swish!

The three thousand Sword Lights had already met that sky-covering Spiritual Qi giant hand!

"Rip!"

Like a hot knife cutting through butter, or popping a giant soap bubble.

That seemingly invincible giant hand was instantly torn to pieces under the slaughter of the three thousand Sword Realms!

Turning into scattered Spiritual Qi dissipating in the air!

Immediately after.

The Sword Lights, momentum unabated, like a dazzling river of stars, instantly swept past Qin Xiaotian's body!

Too fast!

Faster than thought could follow!

Qin Xiaotian's eyes were horrified; he didn't even have time to summon a defensive Magic Treasure, only feeling a blur before his eyes.

Then.

Intense pain struck.

He looked down.

Seeing his body slowly disintegrating into countless points of light.

"This, no... this is impossible..."

Qin Xiaotian's eyes showed intense despair and unwillingness.

He, he had just awakened!

According to his habit, each awakening should involve drinking the blood of a hundred sixteen-year-old virgins.

To properly replenish himself!

Now, before he could, before he could... ack!

How... ack, ack, did he die?!

"Pfft!"

A light sound.

Qin Family Old Ancestor, Void Returning Fourth Layer great power Qin Xiaotian.

Instantly turned to ashes!

Divine Soul annihilated!

...In the field.

Deathly silence.

Qin Wanshan and the Qin Family Elders and others, mouths agape, eyes nearly popping out.

Stunned!

Completely stunned!

Their own Old Ancestor... that invincible existence seen as the Qin Family's stabilizing pillar... just... died?!

Killed with one sword... instantly?!

"This... this..."

Qin Wanshan felt like the sky was collapsing.

Only when Ye Qing's indifferent gaze swept over did he jolt, face pale, as if waking from a dream!

"Damn you! You deserve to die! You deserve to die!"

Qin Wanshan screamed, terrified to the extreme.

Without any hesitation, trembling, he pulled out a pitch-black, ancient-aura-emitting black jade token from his chest.

This was the Qin Family's ultimate trump card!

Also a forbidden move not to be used unless facing clan extinction!

"Crack!"

He crushed it without hesitation!

..."Hmm?"

Ye Qing had originally planned to raise his hand for another sword strike, directly annihilating these Qin Family members.

Seeing this, he couldn't help but pause.

"Still have a trump card?"

"This Supreme Aristocratic Family indeed has some tricks."

"Fine."

Ye Qing withdrew his hand, expression calm.

"Then I'll eliminate them all together, uproot them completely, to avoid regrowth with the spring breeze."

He looked at Qin Wanshan, saying lightly:

"Whatever Old Ancestors, whatever foundations, call them all out."

"I'll solve them all at once."

"Arrogant brat!!!"

Hearing this, Qin Wanshan trembled with rage, eyes full of madness and venom.

He suddenly knelt on the ground.

Facing a certain unknowable place deep within the Qin Residence, his voice respectful yet shrill.

He roared:

"Qin Family unworthy descendant Qin Wanshan!"

"Respectfully welcomes Supreme Ancestor's descent!!!"

"Please, Supreme Ancestor, take action! For our Qin Family... eliminate this great enemy!!!"

The moment his words landed.

"Rumble—!!!"

The entire Qin City, floating in the clouds, suddenly shook violently!

As if a magnitude-twelve earthquake had occurred!

Immediately after.

An aura countless times stronger than before, as if from ancient primordial times, terrifying.

Slowly awakened from the deepest part of Qin City!

The aura was so strong it changed the sky and earth, reversed winds and clouds!

In the sky above.

Endless dark clouds gathered, lightning flickering.

Within those rolling dark clouds.

A pair of enormous, indifferent eyes, like Incarnations of the Heavenly Dao, slowly took shape!

Those eyes held no emotion, looking down from above.

Their cold gaze locked onto Ye Qing below!

..."Hiss—!"

Beside Qin Wanshan, a surviving Qin Family Elder felt this aura, moved to tears.

He couldn't help but say tremulously:

"Family Head! Supreme Ancestor is mighty!"

"Such majesty... it's like a deity descending to the mortal world!"

"This is the legendary 'One Thought Transforms into Antiquity,' achievable only when our Qin Family's Cultivation Technique is practiced to the extreme, right?"

"Since Supreme Ancestor is personally taking action... that youth Ye Qing should be undoubtedly dead, right?"

Hearing this, Qin Wanshan showed a proud expression, about to agree:

"That's inevitable! What kind of existence is Supreme Ancestor? Once, a stomp of his foot would shake the entire Central Region three times!"

"Killing a Ye Qing..."

However.

Halfway through his words, his voice cut off abruptly.

Because he saw.

Facing such terrifying celestial phenomena and Supreme Ancestor's pressure.

That Ye Qing... still looked calm!

Even... with an appraising look in his eyes, a trace of... intrigued smile at the corner of his mouth???

Such a powerful Supreme Ancestor emerging.

Actually made him... excited???