Liu Xi strode confidently toward Futu Xuan, his gaze sweeping over the battlefield as he began counting the hostages in his possession. After tallying them, he couldn't help but smile — there were quite a few.
From the Buddha Clan, there was Futu Xuan himself; from the Maha Clan, the white-robed Second Elder. Two Saint Grade Heavenly Sovereigns — neither of their clans would dare abandon them.
Then there was Maha Tian, the Maha Clan's Clan Leader — another that wouldn't be forsaken — along with over a dozen Heavenly Sovereigns. The grand procession that had arrived so majestically now lay in utter ruin, their pride shattered and their ranks broken.
As for the Buddha Clan, Mo Tong, Xuan Guang, and the other four Heavenly Sovereigns were all sealed by Liu Xi's Spiritual Power. None could so much as think of escaping.
After some effort, Liu Xi tossed the entire group into a vast mountain valley. The three warships they'd arrived in, of course, were taken into his own possession.
Now the valley was filled with captives — a sea of figures. Most were from the Maha Clan; only seven were from the Buddha Clan, though every one of them was a Heavenly Sovereign or higher.
The once-proud experts now stood in silence, their faces twisted with humiliation and rage. They who once overlooked all creation were now reduced to mere prisoners — bound like goods waiting to be traded.
Maha Tian's face contorted, his voice trembling between fury and fear. "Qing Lian! You'd better release us now! Otherwise, my Maha Clan will never forgive you!"
Liu Xi raised his hand casually. A palm of Spiritual Energy condensed in the air — vast and immovable like the Five-Fingered Mountain.
Boom!
The hand slammed down, pinning Maha Tian flat against the earth. Only his head protruded, his expression distorted in pain. Even with his Heavenly Sovereign body, stripped of his Spiritual Power, he could barely endure the crushing pressure.
The rest immediately scattered, avoiding him like the plague. Maha Tian had become a symbol of misfortune — no one wished to share his fate.
The white-robed elder's eyes gleamed with venom. Though his cultivation had fallen — reduced now to merely an Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign — his cunning remained intact. After a brief moment of brooding silence, he steadied himself and spoke in a lowered, measured tone.
"Young friend," he began, forcing a smile, "since you chose not to kill us outright, there must be something you desire. Tell us — what would it take for you to release us?"
Instantly, countless gazes turned toward Liu Xi, eyes flickering with desperate hope. Even Futu Xuan's composure faltered. None of them had expected things to end like this.
Especially Mo Tong and Xuan Guang — both looked as though their souls had left their bodies.
Liu Xi chuckled lightly. "Smart."
"Prepare the ransom," he said simply, his tone sharp yet calm. "A Saint Grade will cost one thousand billion drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid. An Immortal Grade — five hundred billion. A Spiritual Grade — one hundred billion."
"If you don't have enough Sovereign Spiritual Liquid, you can substitute treasures of equal value. With the wealth of the Buddha Clan and the Maha Clan, I trust that won't be a problem."
His voice was pleasant, almost conversational, but the words struck like thunder. Both clans' members erupted in uproar. Even among Ancient Clans, Sovereign Spiritual Liquid was rare and precious. To pay such amounts would mean bleeding themselves dry.
The white-robed elder's face darkened. "You've gone too far! The Maha Clan would never agree to such terms!"
Liu Xi's smile vanished. His eyes turned glacial, and when he spoke, the air itself seemed to freeze.
"Then let's gamble," he said softly. "Let's see whether any of you can still return alive."
"After all the times you've chased me, hunted me, mocked me — did you think I had no temper?" His voice grew deeper, colder. "This is your final chance to walk away. Don't make me change my mind."
His tone was death itself — detached, merciless, devoid of warmth.
The entire valley fell silent. All eyes turned toward Futu Xuan and the white-robed elder, knowing the choice lay with them.
Futu Xuan was silent for a long time before he finally looked toward Qing Yanjing in the distance. His lips parted, but no words came out.
She met his gaze only briefly — then turned away.
Some choices came with prices that had to be paid.
A deep, searing regret filled Futu Xuan's heart. It was not the fear of death that pained him, but the knowledge that his own arrogance had brought ruin to his clan.
The Buddha Clan's prestige was already in shambles, and now they were about to lose an unimaginable fortune as well.
If they all died here, the Buddha Clan's high-end strength would be halved — perhaps even enough to doom the entire clan's future.
The white-robed elder's expression shifted. His eyes darted toward Qin Tian and the Azure Sword Saint — but both ignored him entirely.
Considering how the two clans had acted, even if Liu Xi had slain them all, it wouldn't have been excessive. Now he was offering them a chance to live — an expensive one, but still a chance.
And truthfully, the price wasn't unreasonable. These were Heavenly Sovereigns, after all.
At last, Futu Xuan sighed and spoke hoarsely, "The Buddha Clan… will pay the ransom. But we'll need time to prepare it."
At his words, the six Heavenly Sovereigns from his side — Xuan Guang, Mo Tong, and the rest — breathed out in relief. Futu Xuan's concession meant they would live.
The white-robed elder, however, looked torn. The Buddha Clan had far fewer people here than the Maha Clan. His clan would have to pay far more.
The gazes of every Maha clansman fixed on him, the unspoken pressure weighing down like a mountain.
Sweat began to bead on his forehead. At last, with a heavy breath, he muttered through clenched teeth, "The Maha Clan… will pay as well."
Liu Xi's smile returned. He ignored the elder's venomous glare, speaking lightly, "A wise decision. I know you're unhappy about it — that's fine. You're welcome to come seek revenge anytime. Just remember to bring ransom money next time… because otherwise—"
He paused, his tone turning razor-sharp.
"I'll kill you on the spot."
The valley fell silent once more. The coldness in his voice was enough to freeze their souls. Even the mighty trembled.
——
With both the Maha and Buddha Clans finally yielding, the matter was effectively settled. When word of it spread, it sent shockwaves throughout the Great Thousand Worlds.
Liu Xi's fame reached new heights — blazing beyond anything before.
Years ago, he'd shaken the world merely by repelling a single Heavenly Demon Emperor. Now, he had defeated two Saint Grade Heavenly Sovereigns in succession!
It was an achievement that defied comprehension.
The Saint Grade represented the absolute peak of the Great Thousand Worlds — and Liu Xi, still only an Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign, had surpassed even that peak.
From this moment on, the Buddha Clan and Maha Clan had become his stepping stones, paving the path toward his invincible legend.
His name now stood among the greatest of the Great Thousand Worlds.
And when gossipmongers pieced together the details of the conflict, the root of it all became clear — a single woman: Qing Yanjing.
Thus the tale became known far and wide as "The Bloodstorm Caused by a Woman."
Just as Qin Tian had predicted, Liu Xi's defiance for love became a story of passion and glory — one that countless women now romanticized.
Throughout the Great Thousand Worlds, the name "Qing Lian" had become synonymous with:
"That perfect man every woman dreams of."
As for the Maha and Buddha Clans? They still had their uses — for now.
When they were no longer of any value, Liu Xi would deal with them permanently.
(End of Chapter)
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