Chapter 120: Specialist in Curing All Forms of Defiance

"This... this..." Han Lu collapsed to the ground, completely stunned. He stared at the fireball in Yue Qi’s hand in disbelief, finally realizing why this man had been able to rescue Xue Hong from several mutated zombies. At first, he had assumed this man had used some clever scheme to lead the zombies away and lose them, but now he suspected that those mutated zombies were likely already dead.

"Big brother!" Han Zhi, watching Han Lu get kicked to the ground, also saw the fireball in Yue Qi’s hand. That tiny sphere of flame was truly shocking. Han Zhi himself was a cultivator who had once reached the Huitong stage, so he understood that while this was only a minor first-tier spell—comparable in power to the scrolls they carried—the true significance lay in its fluidity and control.

Having seen this man cast "Wind Leaf Slash" so effortlessly, Han Zhi deduced that he must have reached at least the middle or late stage of the Foundation Establishment period. Han Zhi was certain that if a Foundation Establishment cultivator wanted to kill ordinary people, everyone present here wouldn't even be enough to satisfy his appetite.

Gritting his teeth, Han Zhi took advantage of Yue Qi’s momentary distraction and grabbed the bound Xue Hong. They had already burned their bridges with Xue Minwen’s group, and since this cultivator was clearly siding with them, their only chance of survival was to secure a hostage.

"Let my brother go, or I will kill her!" Han Zhi produced a second-tier scroll and a medium-grade spirit stone. The scroll was already activated; with the slightest loosening of his grip, it would be unleashed.

"If you want to die, go ahead, but don't drag others into it..." Yue Qi frowned, and the fireball in his hand vanished. He had been too busy showing off to save Xue Hong in time.

"Of course we don't want to die," Han Zhi replied calmly, shaking his head. "I just want you to release my brother and let us leave. Don't worry, as long as you don't make things difficult for us, we can give you some of the cultivation techniques of the Sanqing Sect."

Yue Qi was immediately intrigued. Remaining impassive, he probed, "What stage did you reach while at the Sanqing Sect?"

"We reached the late Huitong stage. Our master sent us down the mountain to gain experience, hoping we would find the opportunity to breakthrough to the Golden Core stage. We never expected to run into this mess..." Han Zhi remained respectful, knowing that in this world of "survival of the fittest," strength was everything. If Yue Qi truly didn't care about their threats, they had nowhere to run.

"Late Huitong stage..." Yue Qi felt a stir of excitement. He understood the value of such techniques. As the premier sect of the cultivation world, the Sanqing Sect surely had their own unique methods for training disciples. Yue Qi believed that obtaining this knowledge would not only significantly boost his strength but also provide him with a deeper understanding of the path of cultivation.

Xue Minwen and his followers behind them didn't dare to breathe. They could see how powerful this man was. Even though the Han brothers had lost their spiritual energy, the scrolls in their hands were not something ordinary people could withstand. Xue Minwen knew he could never defend against a surprise attack from the brothers, yet this young man had just saved their lives and possessed a mysterious, powerful fireball. These facts left the Han brothers with no desire to attack again.

"Release Xue Hong first, and we can discuss," Yue Qi said, glancing at the bound girl. He felt a bit awkward discussing terms while she was still being held hostage.

"No!" Han Zhi refused firmly. "Our only leverage is the young mistress. If we release her and you renege on your word..."

Yue Qi felt a bit helpless; that was indeed his plan, but Han Zhi had seen right through it. "How about this: let me speak with Xue Hong for a moment. If she agrees, you are free to go!"

Han Zhi was tempted. He looked at the fallen Han Lu and pulled the cloth from Xue Hong’s mouth.

"Brother Yue, don't let them go! It doesn't matter even if I die!" Xue Hong’s stubborn nature flared, and she shouted the moment she could speak.

Han Zhi’s eyes flashed with murderous intent, but it quickly faded. He knew that if he killed Xue Hong, he and Han Lu wouldn't survive either. He was unwilling to pursue such a mutually destructive path unless absolutely necessary.

Yue Qi didn't respond. He turned to look at Xue Minwen, believing that persuasion was best left to those closest to the victim.

Having been a leader for so long, Xue Minwen knew how to read the room. He understood Yue Qi’s intention and stepped forward immediately, desperate to save his daughter.

"Han Lu, Han Zhi, leave my daughter out of this. I, Xue Minwen, promise that as long as you release her, I will let you leave without interference." His words carried weight.

"No, Father! These two animals schemed to harm you and now use my life as a threat. Who knows what they’ll do if we let them go?" Xue Hong retorted angrily.

"Hong’er, listen to me. Why do you think I worked so hard to build this camp? It was for you! If you die, what point is there to this camp? You are my only daughter; who else would I cherish? If you continue to be stubborn, I will simply go with you!" Xue Minwen threatened. Yue Qi was speechless—what kind of father threatened his own daughter with his own death?

"Father!" Xue Hong sighed, feeling defeated. She agreed to her father’s terms, realizing her earlier outburst was just an emotional reaction; she couldn't bear to let her father die because of her pride.

"Fine. They’ve agreed. Now go, but remember to leave behind your cultivation insights and techniques. If I find anything wrong with them, well, hmph!" Yue Qi warned.

"Yes, yes, of course!" Han Zhi promised, pulling a book from his robes. "This is the 'Sanqing Scripture.' It contains our sect's cultivation methods and the insights my brother and I have gathered along the way."

Yue Qi took the book, seeing the title written in bold characters. He guessed they wouldn't dare trick him. He had been monitoring Han Zhi’s mental state; any deception would have been obvious. Given the suddenness of the events, he doubted they had the foresight to forge the manual.

"Get lost, then!" Yue Qi didn't intend to kill them all. He didn't ask for the scrolls or spirit stones in their possession; they were of little use to him, and he didn't plan on staying in Fengzhou City forever anyway.

"Yes, yes!" Han Zhi released Xue Hong and helped Han Lu up, hurrying away as if afraid the "god of death" would change his mind.

"Wait!" Yue Qi suddenly remembered something and called out to the brothers.

"Fellow cultivator, is there something else?" Han Zhi asked, a bitter smile on his face, fearing a change of heart.

"Can you contact the Sanqing Sect after the disaster?" Yue Qi asked, revealing his deepest concern.

Relieved that the question was only about this, Han Lu bowed. "When we left, our master gave each of us a 'Resonance Stone' to report back to the sect. At first, it worked, but after the disaster, we lost contact. We thought it was just because of the distance..."

"A Resonance Stone?!" Yue Qi’s heart sank. If the sect claimed it could be used for constant reporting, they wouldn't lie to their disciples. If the brothers couldn't contact them, there was only one conclusion: the Sanqing Sect had become a paradise for zombies.

He felt a chill. The Sanqing Sect’s leader was rumored to be a cultivator nearing the Tribulation stage. A Tribulation-stage zombie capable of instant spell-casting—the thought made his scalp tingle.

"Can you leave one of those stones with me?" Yue Qi asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Of course, if you need it!" Han Lu didn't hesitate, pulling a square, emerald-green stone from his robes that looked much like a spirit stone.

"Thank you," Yue Qi said. The two men bowed and hurried away.

Once the brothers were gone, those who had joined their mutiny didn't know what to do. After a moment of hesitation, someone shouted, "The Han brothers are cowards! We’re dead either way—we might as well take someone down with us!"

The crowd responded, and the archers raised their bows again.

Yue Qi frowned. This was dangerous. He could protect himself, but he couldn't cast second-tier spells indefinitely. Once his spiritual energy was exhausted, the others would be in grave danger.

Deciding to strike first, he crossed his palms and began chanting.

Suddenly, fireballs of various sizes floated in the air. One shot forward, striking the man who had incited the crowd, instantly turning him into ash.

Yue Qi was making an example of him. The floating fireballs gave him an air of authority. He looked at the crowd coldly and said, "Who else is dissatisfied?"

The scene fell into absolute silence, save for the crackling of the fireballs, which radiated a terrifying energy.