14: Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife, a single thought to seal a throat.

At the instant that crimson light was about to pierce through Chu He's brow, time seemed to slow down.

The frenzied and triumphant expression on Li Zhentian's face froze at that moment.

The flicker of hope that had just ignited in the eyes of the surrounding Li Family Elders also solidified.

In the distance, within the City Lord's Manor, the City Lord who had been sitting calmly like an angler, suddenly leaned forward violently, his eyes bulging like copper bells.

Everyone thought that in the next second, they would witness the scene of Chu He's head exploding, blood splattering everywhere.

However, nothing happened.

No, that's not entirely true. Something did happen.

A thread of white light, finer than a strand of hair and almost impossible to catch with the naked eye, flashed out from Chu He's brow without any warning.

This white light carried no earth-shattering Aura, no world-destroying pressure. It just appeared silently, drifting lightly to meet that unstoppable crimson crossbow bolt.

The two met.

There was no violent explosion as one might imagine.

That crimson bolt, powerful enough to threaten a Mid Foundation Establishment stage Cultivator, melted away silently the moment it touched the white light, like ice and snow under the sun.

Not even the slightest ripple of energy escaped.

As if it had never existed at all.

"Wh... what?"

The smile on Li Zhentian's face completely stiffened.

His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, utterly unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before him.

His strongest trump card, activated at the cost of half a lifetime's vital essence... just vanished like that?

Without even a sound?

What the hell is going on?!

However, he no longer had time to think.

Because that slender white light, after annihilating the crimson bolt, did not disappear.

It traced an almost imperceptible arc through the air, moving at an extreme speed, bypassing the spirit-breaking divine crossbow in Li Zhentian's hand, and flashed past his neck.

Li Zhentian didn't even feel any pain.

He only felt as if his line of sight had suddenly risen.

He saw his own body, withered from exhausting his vital essence, still holding the crossbow in position.

He saw the faces of the surrounding Elders, twisted in extreme terror.

He also saw... the smooth cut on his own neck, and the geyser of blood shooting skyward.

"My... head..."

This was Li Zhentian's final thought.

The next second, his consciousness plunged into boundless darkness.

*Thud!*

Li Zhentian's head rolled onto the ground, his eyes wide open, filled with bewilderment and incomprehension.

*Thud!*

His headless corpse followed, collapsing to the ground. The "spirit-breaking divine crossbow" in its hand clattered loudly as it fell.

This sound was especially jarring within the deathly silent Li Family Courtyard.

It also struck like a thunderclap, jolting awake all those who had been petrified with fear.

"The... the Family Head... is dead?"

One Elder murmured, his lips trembling.

"One... one move?"

"What... what was that white light?"

Everyone was dumbfounded.

They hadn't seen clearly what happened at all.

They only saw Li Zhentian fire that world-destroying bolt, then Chu He's brow flashed, and then, Li Zhentian's head flew off.

The entire process was faster than a single breath.

Chu He hadn't even moved a finger from start to finish!

This was beyond their comprehension.

This was the method of an Immortal!

*Gulp.*

Someone, no one knew who, swallowed hard with difficulty.

Then, with a *thump*, Li Zhenwu, who was closest, was the first to react. His knees gave way, and he prostrated himself completely on the ground, not daring to lift his head.

"Senior, spare me! Immortal, spare me!"

His voice was choked with tears, filled with the most primal fear.

Where there was a first, there was a second, and a third.

*Thump! Thump! Thump!*

The dozen or so surviving Li Family Elders in the courtyard knelt and prostrated themselves one after another like dumplings dropping into a pot. Their bodies trembled like sieves as they kowtowed frantically towards Chu He.

"Immortal, spare us! We dare not oppose you again!"

"We were all deceived by Li Zhentian! We beg the Immortal to give us a chance to reform!"

"We are willing to serve you like oxen or horses! Please, do not kill us!"

Cries, pleas for mercy, and the sounds of kowtowing mingled into a cacophony.

They were utterly terrified.

Family honor, dignity, face—all were worthless in the face of death.

And at this moment, in every corner of Qingyang City.

Those powerful figures observing the scene with their Divine Sense all fell into a petrified state.

City Lord's Manor.

*Crunch!*

The white jade cup in the City Lord's hand was crushed into powder by his grip.

His face was ashen, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

"The Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger... That is definitely the legendary... Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger!"

As a City Lord, his knowledge far surpassed that of someone like Li Zhentian.

He recognized the origin of that white light!

It was a forbidden object, existing only in ancient texts, capable of felling even Immortals!

Although what Chu He used might be just a fragment or a replica, its power was still unimaginable for a Cultivator from a small place like him.

"It's over..."

The City Lord slumped into his chair, his eyes vacant.

He knew that his act of lending the "spirit-breaking divine crossbow" to Li Zhentian could absolutely not be hidden from Chu He.

He had provoked an existence he absolutely, absolutely could not afford to offend!

... Li Family Courtyard.

Chu He looked down at the head with unseeing eyes at his feet, feeling a wave of satisfaction in his heart.

[Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger], awesome!

Truly worthy of being a fragment of a supreme emperor weapon!

Although it's a single-use consumable, the effect is absolutely explosive!

A single thought, instant annihilation!

The effect for showing off is maxed out!

He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the Li Family Elders kneeling on the ground, kowtowing like pounding garlic.

His voice, icy and calm, yet clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Who's next?"