Buzz!
Outside the Forbidden Divine Mountain, the space rippled like water, forming a vortex. Two figures emerged and landed on the ground.
But that wasn't all.
After they landed, the vortex spewed out a large number of treasures. These treasures, upon being expelled, didn't fall to the ground but seemed to have had a seal lifted, glowing brightly and floating in the air.
"These treasures are so powerful!" Qin Zi's eyes lit up. He could sense that these treasures were even stronger than the ones he had scavenged earlier.
"Your cultivation level is too low. You can't handle such powerful treasures right now. Let your father hold on to them for you," Qin Chuan said.
With that, he stored all the treasures in his inner world, leaving only a blood-colored Divine Sword. "This one is for your protection," he added.
"Thank you, Father!" Qin Zi happily accepted the Divine Sword.
He didn't think much of it, instead, he felt that his father made sense—his current cultivation level was indeed too low to manage such powerful treasures.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a shadow of a setting sun suddenly appeared over the Forbidden Divine Mountain, enveloping the entire mountain. The sunset shadow seemed eternal and indestructible, completely isolating everything from the outside world.
The Forbidden Divine Mountain had sealed itself!
"Let's go," Qin Chuan said after a brief silence, preparing to leave with Qin Zi. But just then, a terrifying sword light whistled through the air.
Clang!
The sword light was incredibly fearsome, spanning thousands of miles, shredding through the clouds and sweeping over them with reckless abandon!
Its sharpness was unparalleled, unstoppable.
"Retreat!"
Qin Chuan quickly pulled Qin Zi back. The sword light grazed past them, carving a deep trench in the ground, extending from right in front of them all the way to the horizon, disappearing beyond the edge of the earth.
"Heh, you actually dodged that," a mocking voice rang out. In the sky above, a blonde youth had appeared at some point.
This person had pale skin, sharp eyes, and exuded a wild and unruly aura.
"Who are you?" Qin Chuan frowned and asked.
"Jin Ao Jian!" The blonde youth stood with his hands behind his back, proudly announcing his name.
"Why did you ambush us?" Qin Chuan asked.
Jin Ao Jian didn't answer. Instead, he extended a hand lazily and said, "Hand over everything you got inside."
"Are you trying to rob us?"
Qin Chuan narrowed his eyes.
"What do you think?" Jin Ao Jian asked nonchalantly, seeming a bit impatient.
"You don't even bother asking who you're trying to rob before you start?" Qin Chuan's voice grew cold.
"I don't care who you are! Either hand over your loot, or... die!" Jin Ao Jian said arrogantly.
"How audacious!" Qin Zi could no longer hold back and shouted, "You think you can act wild in front of my father? When my father roamed the world, your ancestors weren't even born yet!"
Jin Ao Jian glanced at Qin Zi with some surprise but wasn't angry. Instead, he mocked, "Heh, a mere Heaven Gate realm dares to claim he roams the world! What world, exactly? The space between a woman's thighs?"
Hearing this, Qin Zi was thoroughly enraged. He retorted, "So that's how you define 'roaming the world'? Perhaps your father once competed on that battlefield with a group of powerful men, where sigils danced, and after besting them all, you were born?"
Jin Ao Jian froze for a moment.
Then, he realized the insult and his face darkened instantly. His eyes flashed with killing intent as he growled, "You're courting death!"
A sharp golden light shot from his brow!
Ding! A Heaven Palace realm expert has developed killing intent toward your son. Following the principle that 'a father's love is like a mountain, and the father must win,' your cultivation has been elevated to the Heaven Palace realm, invincible within the same realm!
The system's voice echoed in Qin Chuan's mind.
Qin Chuan's cultivation was instantly boosted, and he stepped forward, standing in front of Qin Zi.
Ding!
The golden light struck Qin Chuan's chest, but sparks flew, and the light was deflected.
"What?!" Jin Ao Jian's pupils contracted, and he shouted in shock, "You... you're also in the Heaven Palace realm?!"
"Of course. And I'm much stronger than you," Qin Chuan said coldly.
He extended his right hand, like an eagle grabbing a chick, reaching for Jin Ao Jian.
"Not good!"
Jin Ao Jian's expression changed drastically. A deep sense of crisis surged from within, and he turned to flee.
Whoosh!
But with Qin Chuan's grasp, the space twisted, and an invisible force enveloped Jin Ao Jian, slowly dragging him backward.
"No, no, no!!!"
Jin Ao Jian screamed in terror, struggling like a duck caught by the leg, flapping wildly.
He had just begun to enjoy the era of "no tigers in the mountain, so monkeys become kings" and wasn't willing to die like this!
"Hehe, friend, it's better to show mercy when possible. How about we let this matter go?"
At that moment, a gentle and aged voice rang out, as if from a well-meaning elder.
Simultaneously, the invisible force restraining Jin Ao Jian was cut off by another power, and Jin Ao Jian regained his freedom.
"Senior Qing Xuan!" Jin Ao Jian exclaimed in delight, immediately bowing. "Junior Jin Ao Jian greets Senior Qing Xuan!"
"No need for formalities."
In front of Jin Ao Jian, an elderly man in plain, rough clothing suddenly appeared. His skin was sallow, and he had a kindly, weathered face, resembling a simple farmer.
"And who might you be?" Qin Chuan asked coldly, eyeing the old man.
"Hehe, I am Qing Xuan Sanren. I've had some dealings with his master, so I ask you to show some leniency and spare his life," the old man said with a smile.
"And what's in it for me?" Qin Chuan asked indifferently.
"Hehe, doing a favor for others is also doing a favor for oneself. If you go too far... it might be difficult to save face later on," the old man replied with a smile.
Qin Chuan's eyes narrowed, and he said coldly, "Are you threatening me?"
"Not at all. I'm just trying to mediate. I have no intention of becoming enemies with anyone," the old man maintained his smile.
"If you don't want to become enemies, then get lost!" Qin Chuan's voice suddenly turned harsh.
Whoosh!
The old man's smile froze, and his expression turned a bit awkward.
Qin Chuan sneered, "Mediation? Do you really think you have the qualifications? You're just relying on your old age to take advantage, acting generous with other people's things! Do you think you have the right to interfere in my affairs with him?"
"How dare you! Who do you think you are to disrespect Senior Qing Xuan! In his prime, he was—"
Jin Ao Jian shouted in anger, but a glare from the old man silenced him.
Qing Xuan Sanren looked at Qin Chuan with a self-deprecating smile. "Hehe, these young people today... their ambition is growing. They no longer have any respect for us old folks."
"Old man, quit flaunting your age! In front of my father, who do you think you are?" Qin Zi snorted. It seemed he had developed a habit of attracting animosity.
However, the old man simply glanced at him and dismissed him without further attention.
He turned back to Qin Chuan and said in a deep voice, "I must take this young man with me today, and you won't be able to stop me."
"Then try it," Qin Chuan replied calmly as a radiant glow enveloped his body.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
One by one, shattered treasures began to float behind him, suspended in the air like ticking time bombs.
"What is that?!"
Qing Xuan Sanren's pupils contracted sharply. He felt an overwhelming sense of danger from these broken treasures, filling him with an eerie fear!