C59 The Birth of an Oscar

After incapacitating Lang Ye, Qin Buyi focused a sliver of his strength into the arrow notched between his fingers and took aim at Huo Lia.

"Whoosh!"

The arrow flew with incredible speed toward Huo Lia.

Huo Lia barely had time to register the threat before the arrow was upon him.

"Chi!"

It struck him squarely, and without losing momentum, continued its trajectory to land behind him.

"Bam!"

The impact echoed across the Fire Cloud Secret Realm, leaving a crater hundreds of meters wide in its wake, as if a shell had detonated upon impact.

Huo Lia's body had been obliterated, reduced to dust by the sheer force of the attack.

The remaining disciples of the Fire Cloud Secret Realm stared at Qin Buyi, their faces etched with horror.

In one fell swoop, Qin Buyi had annihilated Huo Lia and all the disciples in his vicinity.

Murmurs spread among the Fire Cloud disciples, "Those who stood by Senior Brother Huo Lia were truly unfortunate. Because of his refusal to heed warnings, so many have perished alongside him."

"Who is this figure in the sky? His actions are merciless."

"Why hasn't our ancestor emerged? What's happening?"

Qin Buyi surveyed the destruction he had wrought without a hint of surprise.

With the rise in his cultivation, all his attributes had been enhanced. In theory, even a minor increase could lead to a significant transformation.

And with more than a mere increase, his physical strength had surged after mastering the Eight Nine Profound Arts.

Coupled with the boost from his Desolate Body, even a modest exertion of force was lethal enough to dispatch a cultivator in the early stages of Void Refining.

Qin Buyi's decision to inflict collateral damage had a dual purpose. He sought to assert his dominance. He was not one to kill indiscriminately, nor was he faint-hearted. He had spared the disciples of the Kunlun Secret Realm, not wishing to slay the innocent.

But when under attack, Qin Buyi spared no thought for accidental casualties. With his life in jeopardy, there was no room for misplaced mercy. Those who perished had only themselves to blame.

Secondly, he aimed to convey his stance to Huo Qianyun and to draw him out into the open.

Qin Buyi addressed the gathered crowd of disciples below, "Have you all had your fill of the spectacle? If so, show yourselves. Otherwise, next time there will be more than just these few casualties."

Huo Qianyun emerged from the crowd, his face contorted with displeasure as he gazed in the direction of Huo Lia's demise.

Internally, Huo Qianyun berated, "Fool!"

Upon recognizing Huo Qianyun, the Fire Cloud disciples exclaimed:

"It's the Patriarch!"

"Greetings, Patriarch."

"Ancestor, they've slain Senior Brother Huo Lia. You must seek vengeance for him!"

Huo Qianyun had been present since Huo Lia had spoken, but Qin Buyi's actions were too swift.

He could do nothing but stand by and watch Huo Lia die, unable to intervene in time.

Moreover, even if he had the chance to save Huo Lia, he wouldn't have dared to. Huo Qianyun was in a precarious position himself, akin to a clay Buddha crossing a river, barely able to ensure his own safety, let alone provoke Qin Buyi on Huo Lia's behalf.

While inwardly fuming at Huo Lia's foolishness, Huo Qianyun was forced to plaster on a smile and offer an apology: "Young Master Qin, I apologize for any shortcomings in the hospitality of the Fire Cloud Secret Realm. Please, forgive us."

For the first time, the disciples of the Fire Cloud Secret Realm witnessed their usually lofty Patriarch adopting such a humble demeanor, their faces registering shock and disbelief.

Qin Buyi spoke with a neutral tone, "Huo Qianyun, you ought to be aware of my purpose for coming here."

Confronted with Qin Buyi's question, Huo Qianyun dared not admit any knowledge.

Acknowledging that he knew might as well have been signing his own death warrant.

Feigning bewilderment, Huo Qianyun responded, "Young Master Qin, I truly am at a loss. I implore you to enlighten me."

Observing Huo Qianyun's feigned ignorance, Qin Buyi dispensed with the pretense and got straight to the point:

"To kill you!"

At these words, Huo Qianyun managed a bitter smile. "Why would Young Master seek my life?"

"Do you truly claim ignorance?" Qin Buyi pressed.

With earnest eyes, Huo Qianyun met Qin Buyi's gaze and insisted, "I genuinely have no idea."

Just then, a disciple hurried up to Huo Qianyun and presented him with a letter, saying, "Ancestor, we've just learned that Lord Huo Dao has betrayed you by joining forces with the Kunlun Secret Realm to attack Young Master Qin."

Huo Qianyun's face registered shock as he snatched the letter from the disciple and quickly read through it. After a moment, tears streamed down his cheeks, and he spoke with heartfelt emotion, "It's heartbreaking. Huo Dao has fallen under the spell of the Kunlun Secret Realm and turned against Young Master Qin. He is hereby banished from the Fire Cloud Secret Realm."

Turning to Qin Buyi with a look of remorse, he continued, "Young Master Qin, I owe you a debt of gratitude for purging our realm of this treachery."

Huo Qianyun then produced a storage ring and, channeling his spiritual energy, floated it towards Qin Buyi. "Please accept this modest token of my appreciation for your valorous intervention, Young Master Qin."

Qin Buyi accepted the storage ring and sent his divine consciousness inside to find it filled with neatly stacked boxes of low-grade spirit stones, amounting to over ten million.

Observing Huo Qianyun's desperate gambit, Qin Buyi might have been taken in by the charade if he were not so steadfast. Internally, he couldn't resist commending Huo Qianyun, "He's a talent indeed, far surpassing any award-winning actor with his performance."

Fully committed to his act, Huo Qianyun continued to play his part. Qin Buyi decided to play along, adopting a convinced demeanor as he inquired, "Huo Qianyun, isn't this gesture a bit too generous?"

"Not at all, not at all," Huo Qianyun insisted, his heart aching with the cost of his ploy to avoid a lethal fate. "As long as it pleases Young Master Qin, that's all that matters."

As Qin Buyi appeared to warm to his performance, Huo Qianyun felt a sense of accomplishment and silently lauded his own ingenuity. "Thank goodness for my quick thinking to devise such a plot, or today could have been my end," he mused to himself.

"Oh, then I'll gladly accept it," Qin Buyi said with a moment's hesitation.

Huo Qianyun spoke with a slightly hastened pace, "Young Master Qin, please, there's no need for formalities."

All Huo Qianyun wanted at that moment was to quickly get rid of the deadly Qin Buyi, hoping to never cross paths again.

Qin Buyi, holding the storage ring, let out a sigh, his face clouded with concern.

Seizing the moment, Huo Qianyun inquired, "Young Master Qin, what's causing you to sigh? Is something troubling you?"

With a look of distress, Qin Buyi replied, "Ah, Brother Huo, you're unaware, but I overexerted myself when I defeated your Huo Dao in the Fire Cloud Secret Realm. The aftereffects have caught up with me, leaving my body feeling weak and powerless."

Huo Qianyun's heart lurched at his words. Yet, observing Qin Buyi's flushed complexion and steady breath, there wasn't the slightest hint of frailty.

Despite knowing that Qin Buyi was blatantly fibbing, Huo Qianyun still had to play along, "Young Master Qin, you've certainly exerted yourself."

Internally, he was hurling curses at Qin Buyi to high heaven, while outwardly maintaining a facade of concern. With a clenched jaw, he produced another storage ring and offered it up, saying, "Young Master Qin, I have some extraordinary elixirs here that should help restore your vitality. Please, accept them as my gift to you."

Huo Qianyun was a living example of the adage about bowing one's head when under someone else's roof, except this time, he was bowing in his own home—a unique situation indeed.

The spiritual energy floated the storage ring towards Qin Buyi, who took it and probed inside with his divine consciousness to find five million neatly stacked low-grade spirit stones.

A smile spread across Qin Buyi's face as he said, "Thank you, Brother Huo, for these wondrous elixirs. I'm already feeling much better."

Watching Qin Buyi's radiant smile, Huo Qianyun mentally sent a round of curses to Qin Buyi's entire lineage.

He reflected on the shift in address—from Huo Qianyun before any payment to Brother Huo after receiving ten million low-grade spirit stones.

After forking over five million, he's now calling me 'Brother Huo.' Huo Qianyun had a real 'mother knows best' moment.

Holding back his irritation, he said, "Well, I won't keep you any longer. Brother Qin, feel free to go."

Qin Buyi stood his ground, showing no sign of leaving. "Big Brother, it's not just me who's wiped out—my pet is too."

With a glance at Azure perched on his shoulder, the dragon stiffened and collapsed into Qin Buyi's arms, lifeless as if it had died.

Qin Buyi, watching Azure's over-the-top act, grimaced and quickly telepathically chided, "I asked for a performance of weakness, not death. Don't overdo it."

Azure, still playing dead, whispered back, "Master, we can ask for more money this way. Make him pay up!"

Qin Buyi, struck by the cunning plan, turned to Huo Qianyun with a mournful expression. "My beloved pet has passed away. I'm heartbroken. I need to perform its last rites right here."

Huo Qianyun's annoyance was palpable. Qin Buyi and his dragon were clearly shaking him down.

If Qin Buyi insisted on performing last rites, Huo Qianyun knew he'd be the one truly sacrificed, not the dragon.

The worst part was knowing he was being extorted and still having to play along.

Resisting the urge to call out the scam, Huo Qianyun grumbled, "Your pet was just fine a moment ago. How could it possibly be dead now?"

Qin Buyi replied with deadpan sincerity, "Perhaps the delayed effects were too much. Do you have a problem with that?"

Sensing the veiled threat in Qin Buyi's words, Huo Qianyun reluctantly presented another storage ring. "Brother Qin, don't grieve too much. Please accept this token of my sympathy."

Qin Buyi accepted the ring and probed it with his Divine Consciousness, only to find a mere two million Low Grade Spirit Stones inside.

From Huo Qianyun's demeanor, it was clear he was tapped out financially. Qin Buyi gave Azure a pat on the back.

Azure perked up instantly, darting energetically around Qin Buyi.

Huo Qianyun winced at the thought of his lost Spirit Stones and couldn't help but ask, "Qin, what's your explanation for this?"

Qin Buyi shrugged it off with a flippant excuse, "Oh, it's just perking up. Nothing to make a fuss over, right?"

Having had his fun, Qin Buyi turned to Huo Qianyun with a teasing glint in his eye, "Huo Qianyun, such remarkable acting skills. You truly deserve an award."

"You're wasting your talent not being on stage."

"You... What are you implying!" Huo Qianyun exclaimed, taken aback.

"Relax, I'm just saying you're going to keep Kunxu company," Qin Buyi replied.

It dawned on Huo Qianyun that Qin Buyi had been playing him all along. Furious, he blurted out, "You..."

Then, a dragon's roar filled the air, and an immense Azure Dragon hundreds of meters long materialized in the sky.

With a commanding presence, the dragon's head faced Huo Qianyun and declared,

"Azure Dragon Battle Technique: Sky Devouring!"