Starting with a Family System to Become an Immortal Official-Chapter 99: Flattering Daoist

Hai Tung Wan gritted its razor-sharp teeth and its red eyes burned with humiliated fury as it glared down at the smirking human cultivator.

This arrogant human...

Still wearing that lazy, condescending half-smile...

The beast reinforced its fist with surging water spiritual energy as its muscles bulged. With a deep roar, it brought the massive limb crashing down like a falling mountain aimed straight to crush Li Qingmu into bloody paste.

Yet again.

One slender finger rose casually.

The descending fist met an immovable wall.

The impact force rippled outward in concentric shockwaves that kicked up towering curtains of sand.

Li Qingmu didn’t even shift his footing.

"Oi..."

He said, voice flat and mildly annoyed.

"How many times do I have to say it?"

He frowned like an old man.

"Water-type attacks... won’t... work... on me."

Before the beast could wrench its arm back.

WHOOOOSH!

Li Qingmu’s other hand shot forward like lightning.

Fingers clamped around the beast’s scaled and wounded face in an iron grip.

Then came the torrent.

A concentrated jet of pure, tyrannical water spiritual energy exploded from Li Qingmu’s palm straight into Hai Tung Wan’s dislodged maw.

BOOM──!

The pressure was apocalyptic.

Hai Tung Wan’s head jerked violently backward as its entire upper body was blown apart. Blood, shredded scales and torn flesh exploded outward in a gruesome spray. Massive chunks of its immortal-grade flesh rained down across the desert for hundreds of zhang in every direction.

Xu Lingxi stared with wide purple eyes.

"He did that... in one move?"

She mumbled in a faint and disbelieving voice.

Li Qingmu flexed his fingers once to shake off stray droplets then strolled casually toward the largest remaining chunk of the beast.

It was a mangled torso still twitching feebly.

"Hmm..."

He muttered, squatting down.

"I’m thinking... maybe I’ll take one arm back for my little girl. She has frighteningly high water affinity. This thing’s limb should make decent cultivation resources for her special needs. She’ll be thrilled."

The words acted like lightning striking dry tinder.

Hai Tung Wan’s remaining eye snapped open.

Regeneration began at frantic speed.

Flesh bubbled, bones regrew, spiritual energy erupted.

It slammed one newly formed fist into the sand so hard the ground caved in a thirty-zhang crater.

『I... am the ultimate water creature!』

It howled inwardly.

『No one should stand above me in the Water Dao! If this human surpasses my power... does that mean he stands even higher than the Great Water Spirit itself!? NO! This doesn’t make sense! I am the peak! I am perfection! How dare he shame me like this... it’s not fair! I must give my all... I must humble this arrogant worm!』

The beast spread both arms wide.

The air groaned.

Unholy amounts of water spiritual energy began to pour into its body from every direction.

Everything was a source of water energy.

Even the faint moisture in the desert wind!

The entire Thousand Empty Sea Domain trembled as though the earth itself were afraid.

The more power it gathered, the darker its chuckle became.

Dark violet light pulsed from every scale.

It would end this.

It would make him regret every mocking word.

But in that exact moment—

Li Qingmu suddenly looked past the charging beast.

His expression softened instantly.

Behind Hai Tung Wan, two graceful figures appeared atop a distant dune.

Su Liyue and Song Ruyi.

He lifted a hand and waved cheerfully.

"Hey! Liyue, Ruyi! Over here!"

Su Liyue crossed her arms, frowning deeply.

"We’ve been searching everywhere for you. Where did you run off to this time?"

Song Ruyi stomped one foot, cheeks puffed in anger.

"Do you not know how embarrassing it is for this lady to waste time looking for a nobody like you!?"

Li Qingmu scratched his cheek sheepishly.

"I sensed something causing trouble, so I came to take a look. No big deal."

Hai Tung Wan’s charging aura nearly collapsed from sheer disbelief.

『He... he’s ignoring me again!? Right now!? When I’m pouring every ounce of strength into the strongest attack I’ve ever unleashed!? Because of... two women!?』

The same thing that happened with Xu Lingxi...

Was happening again.

This man didn’t respect it.

Not even a little.

Rage boiled over.

"ENOUGH!!!"

Water energy detonated outward in a violent ring.

Hai Tung Wan’s voice thundered across the desert.

"Disrespectful human! From the moment we clashed you’ve mocked me! Do you even know how many cultivators I’ve slain? How many proud clans I’ve reduced to bloodstains and ashes? I’ve come too far—too far!—to be shamed by a lecherous pervert like you!"

More power exploded from its body.

Scales glowed blinding violet.

It opened its maw to scream again.

Li Qingmu sighed.

He raised one hand in a lazy wave.

"Shut up."

A colossal water palm bigger than mountains manifested in the sky and slammed down.

The impact was cataclysmic.

Su Liyue and Song Ruyi staggered, barely keeping their footing as violent winds howled past.

Hai Tung Wan was flattened into the sand like an insect beneath a god’s slipper.

Before it could even twitch, Li Qingmu snapped his slender fingers lightly.

A perfect hexagonal water barrier rose around them both as the walls stretched straight into the heavens to seal the area completely.

He placed both palms close together.

A devilish grin spread across his face.

"I’ve been waiting for a good chance to test some of my stronger water techniques. Thanks for providing the perfect stage."

He released cold mist from his lips.

Water qi so vast and oppressive flooded the barrier that an Immortal-grade beast like Hai Tung Wan felt like a naked infant abandoned in a blizzard.

Panic seized it.

『This barrier... it’s trapping me! I have to escape—I must escape! I can’t even begin to imagine what this ruthless devil is about to do to me—!』

Hai Tung Wan was desperate.

It sprouted extra limbs, crawling, scrabbling, slapping against the walls like a trapped moth.

It turned its mangled face toward Xu Lingxi.

"Mercy! Beg him—please!"

Then to Su Liyue and Song Ruyi.

"Beauties! Kind ladies! Speak for me!"

Even toward the barely conscious Auntie Chuyan.

"Please..."

It cried louder, slamming harder, scales cracking from sheer desperation.

Li Qingmu only spread his arms loosely.

Streams of water qi spiraled upward.

It magnificently painted the dry and cloudless sky with swirling ink-black patterns.

Thunder rumbled.

The qi condensed and took shape.

A gigantic warship of pure spiritual water emerged overhead like a planetary body.

It was vast enough to carry armies of giants.

And its spiritual pressure so heavy it seemed to drown the very heavens.

Xu Lingxi stared upward, lips trembling.

"What... what kind of strength is this...?"

Li Qingmu swiped his hand downward.

"Heaven-Drowning Warship."

BOOOOOOM──!

The colossal vessel crashed.

The barrier contained every shred of the apocalyptic impact.

When the hexagonal prison finally shattered into motes of light, a bone-chilling wave of cold air swept the endless desert.

Su Liyue hugged herself and shivered.

"Too cold... way too cold."

Song Ruyi rubbed her arms furiously.

Her rows of beautiful teeth chattered.

"It doesn’t make sense. How can a commoner wield water Daoist magic this terrifying...?"

Su Liyue gave her a sidelong glance and small smile.

"First thing you learn about Li Qingmu is that you never judge him by status alone. He’ll shatter every expectation you have until you feel quite foolish."

Song Ruyi glanced at him and her cheeks turned pink.

"...I can see that now."

Su Liyue immediately reached over and squeezed her face.

"Oi. Don’t stare at my man with those sparkling eyes. You’re still a little girl—keep looking at him like that and you’ll end up pregnant way too early!"

Song Ruyi’s face exploded bright red.

"Shut up!!"

Su Liyue just grinned wider.

Li Qingmu stretched both arms overhead and yawned hugely like a tired old man.

One would think he’d just woken up from sleep.

He strolled over to the center of the crater.

A palm-sized blue gem lay among the ashes.

The violet water soul left behind by Hai Tung Wan’s complete destruction.

[Congratulations! You’ve successfully obtained the Violet Water Soul of a High-Tier Immortal Water Beast which is a perfect substitute material for a soul fragment of the Heavenly Water King!]

He grinned and tossed it into his storage pouch.

A muffled, girly squeak came from inside.

"...Huh?"

He laughed.

"If I didn’t know better, I’d think my talent for picking up women is so great and ridiculous that I’ve got one living in my pocket now."

He was still chuckling when Xu Lingxi staggered toward him with shock in her eyes.

Li Qingmu smiled gently.

"You okay?"

"How..."

Her voice cracked.

"How did you do all of that!?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, a bit sheepish.

"Well... the thought of marrying a holy daughter like you got me a little too excited, I guess."

Xu Lingxi blinked.

"Being married to me... is that exciting for you?"

Li Qingmu chuckled low.

"Where’d all that pride and feistiness go? Of course any man would summon immortal strength if it meant becoming your husband."

Her cheeks flushed bright red.

This man...

He really knew how to flatter a lady.