The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace-Chapter 189 Daoist Swears

"To think... a Qi Refinement cultivator could be this formidable!"

Hidden in the shadows, Xia Changqing stood alongside a black-robed rogue cultivator, their eyes fixed on Li Qing in the skies above.

The sight was nothing short of terrifying. Li Qing effortlessly slaughtered wave after wave of fierce demon birds, his strikes showing no signs of fatigue. Xia Changqing couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

"Those demon birds are only at the Embryo Breath Realm. Compared to the Qi Refinement stage, they're vastly inferior. Even being able to stall Li Qing for this long is remarkable."

"True. The gap between the Embryo Breath and Qi Refinement stages is as vast as heaven and earth," Xia Changqing agreed with a slight nod.

Then, glancing at the black-robed cultivator beside him, he added with a tinge of curiosity, "I must admit, I didn't expect you to know beast-taming techniques."

The black-robed cultivator chuckled lightly. "It's nothing special. My brother and I stumbled upon an incomplete beast-taming manual during our early travels through an ancient immortal estate. It's flawed, hardly a masterpiece."

Despite his calm demeanor, the rogue cultivator was cautious not to reveal too much. He feared Xia Changqing might covet their technique and eventually target him and his brother for it.

"Incomplete or not, it's still remarkable. Even in its current state, it's powerful enough for you two to control so many demon beasts with ease. If it were complete..." Xia Changqing trailed off, his tone tinged with wonder. "I imagine it would be a truly fearsome art."

The rogue cultivator stiffened slightly, his wariness growing. He quickly deflected, "You flatter me, Young Master Changqing. Completing such a technique is easier said than done. My brother and I have tried countless times to fill in the gaps, but our efforts have been fruitless.

"Besides," he continued with a feigned sigh, "this incomplete technique has severe drawbacks."

"Drawbacks?" Xia Changqing raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Yes. Every time we use it, it drains a tremendous amount of our vitality and spiritual energy.

"That's why my brother and I have been stuck at the peak of the Embryo Breath Realm for years, unable to advance even a step further. Most likely, we'll remain at this level for the rest of our lives," the rogue cultivator said, his tone laced with false bitterness.

Hearing this, Xia Changqing nodded thoughtfully but remained skeptical of the rogue cultivator's claims. "I see. Such a significant flaw indeed makes it a risky technique to practice."

"Exactly. Were it not for the hardships of life as rogue cultivators, my brother and I would never have taken such a gamble," the rogue cultivator replied, feigning another heavy sigh.

Whoosh!

The sound of something slicing through the air abruptly broke their conversation.

Both Xia Changqing and the rogue cultivator tensed, instinctively sensing the presence of someone behind them.

The rogue cultivator reacted instantly, spiritual energy surging as he prepared to strike.

But before he could move, a flash of cold light streaked through the air—swift and lethal.

In a heartbeat, the glimmering blade pierced through the rogue cultivator's forehead.

His body froze, eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the cold, expressionless face of the young figure before him.

A single thought echoed in his fading consciousness: Qi Refinement? That strike... was it sword intent?!

Beside him, Xia Changqing stood frozen in shock. Watching the rogue cultivator's lifeless body crumple to the ground, his fear took hold.

The moment he snapped out of his daze and reached for a talisman to escape, the youth moved again.

With inhuman speed, the young man's hand shot out, gripping Xia Changqing's neck like an iron vice.

Xia Changqing's breath hitched, his limbs growing limp as a strange force surged through his body. His dantian was instantly suppressed, rendering him unable to channel spiritual energy.

Terror and despair filled his pale face.

As sunlight filtered through the canopy above, Xia Changqing finally caught a clear look at the youth before him. His eyes widened in utter disbelief.

"Y-you... Yun Yanshui?! It's you?! You're... a cultivator?!"

The face was unmistakable.

He recognized the boy from the grand banquet at the Wanlong Hall. Back then, Yun Yanshui had seemed like an ordinary mortal, one who had embarrassed Xia Changqing by shamelessly clearing his table of spirit fruits and wine.

At the time, Xia Changqing, as a proud scion of the Tongshan Xia Clan, hadn't even considered retaliating. Killing a mere mortal like Yun Yanshui would have felt beneath him.

But now…

This wasn't the same carefree, ordinary boy he remembered.

This was a cultivator—a Qi Refinement cultivator.

And his strength was leagues beyond anything Xia Changqing had imagined.

Back at the Wanlong Hall, the figure he had once dismissed so carelessly now held his life in a firm, merciless grip.

"What's wrong? Surprised?"

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Yun Yanshui's voice was icy, his gaze sharp with murderous intent.

"You... you were just a mere mortal! How could this be..."

Xia Changqing's mind reeled. He had investigated Yun Yanshui before—an ordinary, rootless mortal with no spiritual potential. How could he have possibly become a cultivator?

But as the words left his mouth, a sudden realization dawned on him.

"So that's it... That's it! I never imagined your Yun family was hiding such an enormous secret! No wonder your clan has risen so rapidly in just a few short years. It must be some incredible fortune or celestial blessing!"

"A rootless cultivator... truly unbelievable!"

"Are you done talking?"

"Wait—spare me! I swear, I'll ensure the Tongshan Xia Clan never troubles the Yun Cang Yun Clan again. I'll even swear on my Dao heart to keep your secret safe!"

Sensing the cold killing intent in Yun Yanshui's eyes, Xia Changqing's heart raced with terror. He frantically pleaded for his life, desperation dripping from every word.

"A Dao heart oath?"

Yun Yanshui's lips curled into a cold sneer.

"The only way to keep a secret... is to kill the one who knows it."

"Yun Yanshui—don't do anything rash! If you kill me, the Xia Clan will inevitably trace my death back to your Yun Cang Yun Clan. Do you really want to bring endless trouble upon your family? Will you throw caution to the wind and act so recklessly?"

"Let them come. If the Xia Clan dares to harm even one member of my Yun family, I'll annihilate your entire clan," Yun Yanshui replied coldly.

Without giving Xia Changqing another chance to speak, Yun Yanshui tightened his grip, snapping his neck with a chilling crack.

Casually tossing Xia Changqing's lifeless body to the ground, he began rifling through his belongings. He quickly retrieved the storage pouches from both Xia Changqing and the black-robed rogue cultivator before summoning the Golden-Eyed Beast.

"Feast," he commanded.

The beast eagerly devoured the two corpses—one at the Embryo Breath Ninth Stage and the other at the Embryo Breath Ninth Stage Peak. Such potent nourishment was a rare boon for a creature like the Golden-Eyed Beast, an opportunity that could not be wasted.

Once the beast had consumed its fill, Yun Yanshui dismissed it back into the storage pouch and disappeared into the forest without a sound.

He moved like a ghost, leaving no trace of his presence.

Elsewhere in the forest, a white-robed rogue cultivator, dressed like a scholar, suddenly paused. A sense of unease crept over him as his gaze swept toward the area where his brother and Xia Changqing had been hiding.

A faint foreboding tugged at the edge of his consciousness.

"Surely I'm overthinking this," he murmured to himself. "Unless the Yun family is hiding a Qi Refinement cultivator, no one could possibly harm my brother.

"And as for Li Qing, he's still occupied with the demon birds I've summoned. There's no way he could break free and attack my brother."

Reassuring himself, the white-robed scholar turned his attention back to controlling the beasts surrounding Li Qing.

He had no idea that Yun Yanshui had already slipped behind him, a gleaming dagger poised at his throat.

By the time the scholar sensed the danger, it was too late.

Slash!

The dagger sliced cleanly through his neck. Blood spurted into the air as the scholar's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

His body crumpled to the ground, twitching briefly before going still in a pool of crimson.

Yun Yanshui calmly summoned the Golden-Eyed Beast once more, allowing it to consume the body. He then collected the storage pouch hanging from the scholar's waist and vanished into the shadows, leaving no trace behind.

High in the sky, Li Qing continued to battle the horde of demon birds and beasts swarming him.

Suddenly, a strange shift occurred. The beasts, as if awakening from a spell, began to realize the overwhelming pressure emanating from Li Qing.

One by one, they faltered, their primal instincts kicking in.

Fear replaced their aggression, and the beasts screeched in terror before scattering in all directions.

Watching this sudden retreat, Li Qing felt a flicker of confusion. There was no time to dwell on it, however. Without hesitation, he turned and sped toward Yun Yantian and the others.

He knew full well that the beasts had been sent to stall him, to prevent him from protecting the Yun family.

If the mastermind behind this scheme had gone to such lengths, it was likely that Yun Yantian and his group were already in danger.