C62 Fighting Qi Yun

"Crack!"

A sound akin to shattering glass emanated from within Qin Buyi.

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

"Crack!"...

A series of crisp noises resonated from his body, and before Qin Buyi could even grasp what was happening, a wave of sharp pain spread through his bones, quickly escalating into an excruciating agony.

His skeleton creaked ominously.

Sweat burst forth from Qin Buyi's pores, drenching his clothing in an instant.

It felt as though an invisible hand had seized his bones, exerting a crushing pressure from the outside, threatening to pulverize every bone in his body.

The pressure was fleeting, and within seconds, tranquility returned to his body.

Qin Buyi exhaled in relief.

But then, a barrage of explosive sounds erupted from within.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"...

His internal organs seemed to be under the relentless assault of a sledgehammer, emitting dull, drum-like thuds.

While the hammer pounded his organs, his bones were subjected to the strikes of a smaller hammer.

Seconds later...

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

"Crack!"...

Qin Buyi's bones were hammered into fragments.

The severe pain of his bones shattering relentlessly tormented his nerves.

Qin Buyi remained silent, clenching his teeth, his face flushed with the effort to endure.

The heavy pounding in his organs ceased, replaced by a powerful twisting force.

This force wrung his internal organs as if they were caught in a frenzied spin cycle of a washing machine.

The disintegration of his bones continued, reducing them from fragments to dust.

Once the bones became dust, the relentless hammering ceased.

Out of the pulverized bone dust, golden ant-like creatures emerged.

Almost instantly, these golden beings filled every crevice of his skeleton.

They devoured the white bone dust voraciously.

At that moment, the pain inside Qin Buyi peaked.

Beads of sweat the size of soybeans streamed down his forehead as if they cost nothing.

Within a few breaths, the white bone dust was completely consumed.

Where Qin Buyi's original bones once were, the golden creatures now linked together, head to tail.

If someone could peer inside Qin Buyi's body at this moment, they would see golden creatures intertwined within him, resembling a network of golden bones.

The once intense twisting sensation in his organs had subsided, replaced by a refreshing coolness emanating from his heart.

This soothing sensation traveled through his blood vessels, reaching every corner of Qin Buyi's body.

Upon reaching his bones, the coolness meandered along them, transforming the interconnected golden creatures into segments of golden bone.

Within a few breaths, the coolness vanished, and with it, the excruciating pain that had plagued Qin Buyi's body.

He exhaled deeply as his Divine Consciousness swept through his body, noting that his once white bones were now a brilliant gold.

These golden bones were now more resilient and harder than before.

Meanwhile, in the Water Moon Secret Realm, Hong Wanrou's brow furrowed slightly.

"What's the matter?" Qi Yun inquired, standing beside her.

Hong Wanrou replied with uncertainty, "Qin Buyi has halted at the entrance to the secret realm. I'm not sure what he's up to."

Qi Yun, equally baffled by her observation, asked, "He didn't launch an attack on the entrance?"

Shaking her head, Hong Wanrou responded with a hint of trepidation, "No, he didn't. Could it be that he's aware Elder Qi is with me, and that's why he's hesitant to enter?"

The thought of Qin Buyi barging in directly was less disconcerting to Hong Wanrou than his inexplicable pause outside, which only heightened her anxiety.

Qi Yun dismissed the notion, "That's not possible. From what I know of him, he's not one to shrink back or be intimidated."

With a look of fear in her eyes, Hong Wanrou turned to Qi Yun and asked, "So, what do we do now?"

"Let's go have a look," Qi Yun decided.

Taking comfort in Qi Yun's resolve, Hong Wanrou followed him to the secret realm's entrance, and after a brief teleportation...

They emerged before Qin Buyi and his companions.

Little Azure eyed Qi Yun cautiously, while Lan Linglong and Lang Ye stepped forward to join Azure, their expressions equally guarded.

Lang Ye really didn't want to align himself with Qin Buyi, but the thought of opposing such a fearsome man gave him pause. To choose neutrality now would be tantamount to betrayal at a critical moment. History had shown that those who waver like reeds in the wind seldom meet a good fate. With a heavy heart, Lang Ye made the difficult decision to stand by Qin Buyi.

Just then, a formidable presence emanated from the core of Azure's dragon form. Qin Buyi burst forth from Azure's coils, fixing his gaze upon Qi Yun. "Elder Qi, we meet again," he said.

Qi Yun's eyes widened in shock. "You've actually advanced to the Combination Stage," he exclaimed.

At Qi Yun's revelation, Hong Wanrou felt her knees buckle, nearly collapsing to the ground. Her eyes clouded with despair. "How could he have progressed so swiftly?" she wondered silently.

Even before his breakthrough, Qin Buyi had laid waste to both the Fire Cloud Secret Realm and the Kunlun Secret Realm. Now, with his ascension to the Combination Stage, a shadow of hopelessness settled over Hong Wanrou. She looked to Qi Yun with eyes brimming with desperation, placing her last vestiges of hope in him.

Qin Buyi's eyes briefly flashed with murderous intent as they met Hong Wanrou's before he addressed Qi Yun, "Elder Qi, our encounters do seem to be growing rather frequent."

Qi Yun, detecting the displeasure in Qin Buyi's voice, offered a sheepish smile. "I'd rather not meet with you so often, young Qin, but age has made me susceptible to the entreaties of the younger generation."

"Must you truly kill Hong Wanrou? Or could she perhaps spare herself by ceding the secret realm to you?" he inquired.

Qin Buyi's response left no room for discussion. "Her death is non-negotiable. The secret realm will be mine as well."

Qi Yun, upon hearing Qin Buyi's unwavering stance, turned to Hong Wanrou and said resignedly, "I've done all I can."

Hong Wanrou was stunned. Was that it? A mere exchange of words with Qin Buyi was the extent of Qi Yun's effort? Qin Buyi had spoken, and Qi Yun hadn't even attempted to counter.

In that moment, Hong Wanrou felt a kinship with the late Huo Qianyun, as the true weight of Qi Yun's parting words, "you'll see," hit home.

She had lived through it firsthand.

After addressing Hong Wanrou, Qi Yun turned to leave, pausing only to remind Qin Buyi of a crucial commitment:

"Qin, don't forget your promise to keep the Blue Star cultivation system alive. You mustn't break your word."

Confronted with Qi Yun's serene demeanor, Qin Buyi was momentarily taken aback, managing only a simple affirmation, "Certainly."

Lan Linglong, having twice been intercepted by Qi Yun, was utterly astonished.

Even Little Green's dragon eyes bulged in surprise at the sight of Qi Yun's graceful departure.

Such was the reaction of onlookers, and all the more so for those directly involved.

Hong Wanrou was slumped on the ground, her gaze vacant. It took her a moment to snap out of her daze as she watched Qi Yun's silhouette nearing the horizon. She then called out loudly, "Uncle Qi, you made a promise to my mother..."

Qi Yun's flight halted momentarily. He sighed, then turned and flew back with incredible speed.

Upon reaching Hong Wanrou, he gently lifted her to her feet.

Standing protectively in front of her, Qi Yun's gaze drifted towards Qin Buyi, lost in thought.

After a brief pause, he came back to the present and said with a resigned tone, "Forgive me for this, Qin."

Qin Buyi stepped forward, drawing the Killing Saber, and questioned, "Elder Qi, what are you implying?"

Qi Yun offered a wry smile, remaining silent, but his stance was clear as he kept Hong Wanrou securely behind him.

Understanding dawned on Qin Buyi, and he declared, "It seems we're destined for a confrontation today."

"You're the first I'll face since reaching the Combination Stage. Let's see just how formidable the Blue Star's combat prowess truly is."