Pressure.
Hei He felt unprecedented pressure, something he had not felt from the Emperor Capital or Qiu Li.
Yet the ordinary figure before him was able to make him feel this pressure.
"Chen Xia," Hei He uttered only these two words.
The formal disciples beside him had already started trembling in their hearts, especially those in the same batch as Chen Xia. At this time they lowered their heads, not even daring to look at Chen Xia.
"Fight if you want, otherwise never come again," Chen Xia spoke flatly, reaching to pick his ear. Neither his words nor actions took these formal disciples seriously.
The spectating preparatory disciples were even more confused, asking each other questions. Some had seen Chen Xia before, but did not know his background.
Could he be some hidden expert?
Why would such an expert stand up for Liu Qing? Could there be some unknown inside story?
Hei He seemed to know. He asked, "How many spirit stones did you take from them?"
"Two thousand," Chen Xia answered frankly.
"Three thousand," Hei He held up three fingers and said heavily, "We can give you three thousand, as long as you don't get involved in this matter."
Liu Qing's heart skipped a beat. What she feared most seemed to be happening. After all, Chen Xia did not look like a good person.
"You want to give three thousand..." Chen Xia chuckled. "I want two thousand too."
Hei He frowned deeply, "What do you mean?"
"I'll take it all," Chen Xia answered plainly, as if it was a matter of course.
He pointed his finger at the ground, "This is the preparatory disciple area. I'm a preparatory disciple. I haven't even started collecting protection fees yet, and you've taken it all?"
Chen Xia raised his eyebrows and continued asking, "Then where am I supposed to earn money?"
Hei He was silent for a long while, before responding, "We can cooperate. The Law Elder can have a good talk with you."
"I already said it," Chen Xia crossed his arms. "Seventy for me, thirty for you. But you don't agree, right?"
Hei He furrowed his brows tightly, "Let's stop with the jokes. We have so many people here..."
"You didn't understand me?" Chen Xia's tone rose slightly, showing impatience.
"This is the preparatory disciple area. I'm a preparatory disciple. If there's any exploitation to be done, it should be done by me. Giving you thirty percent is already a huge concession. Still not satisfied?"
"How can you guys be so greedy? You take thirty percent, I only take seventy percent."
He even made himself out to be the victim.
Hei He did not speak, pressing his lips together. His gaze shifted between Liu Qing and Chen Xia as he finally let out a sigh.
"I really don't want you as an enemy, but I have no choice."
Chen Xia repeated, "As I said, fight if you want to fight, otherwise never come again."
Hei He's golden black robe fluttered. His whole body suddenly expanded, as if great wings had emerged behind him, dark and vast, blotting out the sun.
This was the first move.
Before the spectating disciples could exclaim at Hei He's imposing manner,
The second move.
It was as if a shadow flashed, unclear, stretched out like an elongated shadow.
The third move.
Hei He's figure disappeared, vanishing abruptly from where he stood, gone without a trace.
Three and a half moves.
A loud boom rang out between heaven and earth. Gale winds began howling, space itself trembling from the tear. The people could not even lift their heads.
The fourth move.
Everything stopped.
Chen Xia was pinching Hei He's head in one hand, like carrying a chick. His expression was nonchalant.
The preparatory disciples who realized what happened watched in horror, their mouths agape and bodies trembling. They had not imagined this outcome at all.
Three moves!
Hei He had only lasted three moves!
A Peak of the Ocean stage cultivator was defeated so easily, like a joke.
The preparatory disciples were silent, because if they went up, they would be even more of a joke.
Everyone capable of speech was quiet.
Liu Qing's delicate body shook uncontrollably as she recalled Chen Xia's relatively polite manner when sending her away earlier.
Beside them, Li Yang stared blankly, seemingly lost in thought.
This had likely delivered quite a shock to her mind.
However, the most miserable was still Hei He, now gripped in Chen Xia's hand. Overwhelming strength suppressed him, not even leaving room to struggle.
He hadn't even realized what happened to make him lose. He only remembered his head suffering tremendous force, losing consciousness for an instant, before finding himself in Chen Xia's grasp.
Chen Xia did not torment him further. With a flip of his arm he tossed Hei He out. At the same time he called to the formal disciple holding the suona horn, "Start playing."
"Oh...okay!" The formal disciple hurriedly acknowledged, then played a few notes on the suona.
This was the victor's music.
Hei He sat numbly on the ground for a while, likely contemplating life. After a bit he stood up and cupped his fists towards Chen Xia, "Thank you for showing mercy."
"No need to thank me," Chen Xia responded politely. He could not kill now, due to the restrictions of the dark rings.
So he had not used much strength, worried that he might outright kill Hei He. Fortunately Hei He was tougher than expected and understood reason.
Hei He left silently without looking back. Having lost, he no longer had the qualifications to negotiate conditions.
The remaining formal disciples did not dare meet Chen Xia's gaze, also wanting to leave.
"You don't need to come collect from the preparatory disciples anymore. If you want money, come to me. I'll take it all," Chen Xia called to the formal disciples. Then he turned to ask the group of preparatory disciples, "You guys don't have any objections, right?"
The preparatory disciples did not dare object, hurriedly shaking their heads. They had heard Pan Dadao's promotion before and were hesitating.
Now having personally witnessed this, their hesitation was gone.
Wow, he really is that fierce!
"Then get ready to pay up. I won't say how much for now, but you have to at least pay something," Chen Xia said flatly.
The preparatory disciples only dared to nod.
Chen Xia was now completely opposed to the Fourth Law Elder. There was no hope of reconciliation. If you want to send someone to fight, then do it.
After the fight, everything goes to you.
If it really came down to it, the Fourth Law Elder could come fight in person too. Chen Xia was not afraid at all.
Now in the Peak of the Ocean stage, he had defeated the six-layered Ocean stage Qiu Li. He should at least be able to fight the eight or nine-layered Law Elder to a draw.
If you wanted to send someone even stronger, Chen Xia could also call over Fishing Old Man.
It was still the same phrase.
Great Emperor, do you still want to live?
This was also one of Chen Xia's hidden trump cards, along with the body clone cultivating outside the Death Star, and the strand of divine soul in his little world.
Liu Qing stood to the side, hands clenched, and nodded to Chen Xia, "Thank you, thank you!"
"No need for thanks," Chen Xia tidied his robes. "I'll do the job after taking the money."
He spoke very plainly. His retreating figure did not fluctuate.
The wind was gentle and the clouds light.
The swaying figure seemed extremely ordinary, yet was the most dazzling existence within the Vast Heaven Sword Sea.
The newborn calf starved to death because it could not drink milk on an empty stomach.