Chapter 10: Refusal

Chapter 10: Refusal

Encountering a BOSS in a game without any health potions, mana, or stamina is indeed a dire situation. Qin Ze's predicament is precisely that—suddenly confronted with a humanoid BOSS, and he's left feeling helpless and frustrated.

Faced with Qin Xiangtian, resplendent in golden light, Qin Ze finds himself uncontrollably salivating, as if he were facing an alluring beauty slowly stripping off her clothes to tempt him. It's a mix of excitement and distress.

Without sufficient qi gong, he can't activate the Dragon Elephant Void Scripture, and even if he could, he knows he's no match for Qin Xiangtian. Having barely endured a devastating blow, Qin Ze's internal organs are still reeling, his life force halved.

The onlookers are perplexed, wondering how Qin Ze can still manage a smile when facing his mortal enemy.

Could he have been stunned by the earlier qi gong blast?

Ignoring the murmurs, Qin Xiangtian's steps quicken as his anger boils over at seeing his son lying helpless on the ground. He yearns to crush Qin Ze beneath his palm.

Qin Ze, however, feels no fear. Instead, he muses, "A BOSS will always initiate the attack."

"Just wait, I'll take you down eventually."

"The experience points from a BOSS are always generous..."

"Maybe there'll even be a treasure trove of loot..."

Has Qin Ze lost his mind?

Everyone in the training ground, save for Meng Lei, believes so.

Another moment's hesitation will mean death under Qin Xiangtian's palm.

"Young Master..." Meng Lei exclaims anxiously, rushing to shield Qin Ze, but his speed is no match for Qin Xiangtian, who stands at the pinnacle of the Quliang realm.

Yet, even the peak of the Quliang realm pales in comparison to the might of the Lianggang realm.

Amidst the crowd, a dark figure flashed, leaving behind a trail of illusory shadows.

"Enough!"

The voice thundered down even before the person arrived.

Clad in a black long robe, with two sword-like eyebrows piercing straight out, his body exuded a faint radiance. As he landed, a wave of qi erupted around him, clashing directly with Qin Xiangtian's qigong and dissipating it instantly.

Qin Zhantian stood proudly in front of Qin Ze, hands behind his back, facing Qin Xiangtian.

The patriarch of the Qin family, Qin Zhantian.

"The realm of Refining the Qi-sheath is indeed formidable. The gap is too vast; I must work harder."

Qin Ze felt Qin Zhantian's depth to be immeasurable. Intangibly, the aura emanating from Qin Zhantian's body neutralized Qin Xiangtian's fierce qigong, something not easily accomplished by ordinary individuals.

The first master of the Qin family was indeed extraordinary.

Qin Xiangtian was secretly startled, muttering to himself, "He's actually broken through to the Refining the Qi-sheath realm!"

Moreover, he desperately needed these pills to replenish his qi gong. Glancing secretly at the pills' properties, he felt a small thrill.

Nourishing Spirit Pill

Grade: Third-Grade

Effect: Clears the mind, enhances mental clarity, replenishes physical strength, and promotes the smooth flow of meridians.

Health Points: 500

Qi Gong Points: 300

Survival Value: 50

Compared to the properties of the Dragon and Tiger Pill, the Nourishing Spirit Pill seemed woefully inadequate. Qin Ze now realized the true potency of the Dragon and Tiger Pill left to him by Cang Tianji, which he had previously dismissed as worthless.

Qin Ze was grateful that he hadn't discarded the Dragon and Tiger Pill in a fit of anger.

However, he was unaware of the significance of pills to martial practitioners. Low-grade pills were often in short supply, and high-quality pills were practically priceless. If Qin Ze were to buy the Nourishing Spirit Pills he held in the market, each would cost at least a thousand taels of silver, and they were rarely available for purchase.

The Tianyuan Continent was filled with countless martial practitioners and cultivators, but alchemists were exceedingly rare.

A low-grade alchemist could prop up an entire family, while a high-grade alchemist would be courted and revered by powerful factions and sects alike.

Coincidentally, the Qin family possessed a low-grade alchemist in Qin Zhantian's own sister, Qin Pei, which was the reason Qin Zhantian, despite his young age, had been able to ascend to the position of clan patriarch.

"Thank you, Patriarch," Qin Ze bowed in gratitude.

Qin Zhantian smiled and said, "Move back to the Qin mansion tomorrow. It will be more convenient for your future cultivation."

Qin Ze knew that Qin Zhantian would make such a request.

But he was not a dog of the Qin family to be summoned and dismissed at will.

Ten Nourishing Spirit Pills were not enough to lure him back.

Your offer is too low.

Qin Ze did not harbor deep feelings for the Qin family, nor did he feel particularly grateful to Qin Zhantian. When his dantian was shattered, he had been treated like a prisoner in the Qin mansion, despised by all, even below the status of servants. Had Qin Zhantian ever spoken up for him?

Having been maliciously framed by Qin Xiangtian in the past, Qin Ze was abruptly exiled from the Qin Clan with a mere transfer order, reduced to a humble odd-jobber at the Lotus Blossom Tavern. There, he struggled with hunger, cold, and even slept in a pigsty, yet Qin Zhantian never once criticized or blamed anyone for Qin Ze's plight.

Qin Ze was no fool to be overly grateful for Qin Zhantian's minor gestures of kindness. Living under the same roof as Qin Xiangtian, a formidable foe who actively sought to harm him, his safety was constantly in jeopardy.

His display of strength was a strategic move, seeking refuge that would buy him the time he needed to grow stronger.

But he didn't want to stay within the Qin Clan.

At least, not now. He intended to return, but only after three years, when he could walk into the Qin Clan with his head held high and present a different picture altogether.

Three years later, Qin Ze would be eighteen, and it would be the final assessment of the Qin Clan.