Tian Gang Zhenren smiled faintly at Li Qiuyu's inquiry, a subtle smile gracing his face.
At this moment, the most pressing matter was to eliminate the person at hand.
Everything else could be discussed later.
Furthermore, dealing with a dead person would not pose many issues.
Seeing that Tian Gang Zhenren chose to act rather than explain, Li Qiuyu no longer concealed his true intentions and focused all his attention on Tian Gang Zhenren.
It was evident that the most difficult opponent among the group was not Su Xi, but Tian Gang Zhenren.
Tian Gang Zhenren had been inconspicuous before, but his strength far surpassed that of ordinary individuals.
Since Tian Gang Zhenren was unwilling to speak the truth, Li Qiuyu would have to resort to other means to extract the information he desired.
Winning people over with fists had always been his principle in life.
With this thought, he initiated the attack on Tian Gang Zhenren, intending to finish the matter in one decisive blow.
Although it seemed difficult to deal with Su Xi in such a straightforward manner at this moment, it did not mean he lacked other methods besides formations.
Su Xi watched the scene unfold, instantly engulfing her surroundings within her supercomputer, meticulously recording everything that transpired.
After all, it was a rare opportunity to witness Tian Gang Zhenren fighting with all his might, and she couldn't possibly miss it.
Missing this chance might mean waiting an unknown amount of time for the next.
If she could learn even a fraction of such potent combat techniques, it would be more than enough for her to utilize effectively.
Tian Gang Zhenren, seeing Li Qiuyu dare to attack him, felt an unexplainable sensation. This fellow was clearly seeking death.
Moreover, he had chosen the most direct path.
In all his years, he had never encountered someone who dared to attack him, let alone with such arrogance.
Li Qiuyu was truly a man, possessing the courage to act in such a manner. Ordinary individuals certainly lacked the nerve to do such a thing.
In past battles, he would often strike lethally without a trace, leaving opponents with no thought of resistance.
While contemplating the situation, Tian Gang Zhenren's actions did not falter in the slightest.
Regardless of how Li Qiuyu was courting death, the priority was to defeat him first.
With this resolve, Tian Gang Zhenren gathered all his power into his palm and struck out with immense force.
Su Xi, witnessing the elaborate preparation by Tian Gang Zhenren culminating in a mere slap, froze in disbelief.
"That's it?"
She could hardly believe her eyes.
Why only a simple strike without any other techniques?
She suspected this method of slapping was something even the elderly women in the marketplace might employ.
However, Su Xi soon understood why Tian Gang Zhenren had chosen to use a palm strike instead of other methods.
As Tian Gang Zhenren's palm landed squarely on Li Qiuyu's face, a powerful vibration reverberated, leaving him utterly stunned and seemingly disoriented.
With a single slap, his entire mental power dissipated.
Simultaneously, his previous abilities became utterly useless, offering no resistance whatsoever as Tian Gang Zhenren's palm connected solidly with his face.
What happened?
Li Qiuyu, witnessing the unfolding events, couldn't react.
He couldn't comprehend how this could have occurred.
He felt as if all his magical power had vanished instantly, and he had reverted to being a mere mortal.
Tian Gang Zhenren smiled at the bewilderment on Li Qiuyu's face. "You might find this strange, but I assure you, it's all perfectly normal."
This seemingly simple slap was, in reality, far more potent than any flashy techniques.
Since Li Qiuyu hadn't grasped what had happened yet, Tian Gang Zhenren saw no reason to hold back.
He was a being born of this world, representing the will of the heavens.
Therefore, if he didn't want Li Qiuyu to possess magical power, then no one, no matter who they were, could help him. From this moment on, Li Qiuyu was destined to be a powerless waste.
If Li Qiuyu still had his mecha, he might have had a fighting chance.
But unfortunately, he was now just an ordinary person without a mecha.
"No," Li Qiuyu's realization struck him, and he felt utterly devastated.
He was accustomed to his elevated status and did not wish to become an ordinary human.
Why was all of this still so perplexing?
However, Tian Gang Zhenren paid no heed to Li Qiuyu's pleas, delivering slap after slap, venting his pent-up frustration.
Just moments ago, due to a lapse in his guard, he had been banished to a spatial rift.
Had he not devised a solution, he would not have survived.
This method of fighting with slaps was a delightful spectacle for the observers, but a source of despair for the recipient.
With each slap from Tian Gang Zhenren, Li Qiuyu lost a portion of his magical power. The souls that had been absorbed by his physical body began to dissipate.
In the end, Li Qiuyu was completely reduced to a mortal, his face swollen like a pig's head from the repeated blows.
His appearance was utterly pathetic.
*Slap.*
Li Qiuyu could no longer bear the injuries inflicted upon him and collapsed heavily onto the ground. He wriggled like a caterpillar, trying to escape Tian Gang Zhenren's grasp.
He now knew he was truly finished.
In this Seventh World,罡风 (gāngfēng - fierce winds) could appear at any moment.
Now, as a mortal, he wouldn't even need Tian Gang Zhenren to act; he would be unable to survive on his own.
The bone-chilling 罡风 would strip the flesh from his body, leaving behind only a skeleton.
Li Ping watched Li Qiuyu's plight with a look of shock.
He had never imagined these individuals could be so formidable.
Without any defense, they had managed to cripple someone's entire magical power.
If he were to anger Tian Gang Zhenren, he shuddered to think of the tragic fate that awaited him.
For his own safety, he turned to Su Xi and cautiously asked, "Do you know what happened?"
Su Xi nodded, indicating that she was well aware.
This was standard procedure for Tian Gang Zhenren, and she was quite accustomed to it.
"Who is this person?" Li Ping voiced his burning question, eager to know the answer.
If this individual was truly so powerful, why had he never heard of him before?
Was he merely ignorant, or had Tian Gang Zhenren been hiding his true strength too well?
Su Xi, knowing that Tian Gang Zhenren's identity was no secret, replied, "This person is the chosen son of this planet, the will of the heavens itself."
Upon hearing Su Xi's words, Li Ping's face contorted in disbelief.
"What the hell?"
"He's a cheater!"
Someone like that, even with exceptional talent, would be no match for him. Furthermore, any confrontation would inevitably lead to his own defeat.
And yet, he had just considered challenging Tian Gang Zhenren to a contest of strength. The thought was utterly absurd.
Suddenly, he felt the urge to be left alone.
Gu Lao, observing Li Ping's dejection, approached and patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Don't be too discouraged. It's not entirely hopeless."
"Huh?" Li Ping looked up at Gu Lao, a flicker of hope in his eyes, and asked, "Is there still a way?"
He had once been the God of War for humanity and did not wish to become this useless. If there was an opportunity to grow stronger, he would certainly seize it.
Gu Lao smiled and said, "He doesn't act often anyway. When he's not around, you're still number one. Don't lose heart."
Hearing Gu Lao's unhelpful words, Li Ping felt like finding a corner to squat in and draw circles.
While Gu Lao and Tian Gang Zhenren were engaging in banter, Lin Qing was sent flying, blood spewing from his mouth as he slid across the ground.
Lin Qing landed and looked at Shen Wushuang opposite him with a grave expression.
This woman was far more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.
Su Xi watched the unfolding events, filled with confusion.
What was happening?
Lin Qing climbed to his feet, wiped the blood from his lips, and said to Su Xi, "I'm fine. I just wasn't paying attention and was ambushed."
After speaking, Lin Qing prepared to get up and rejoin the fight.
However, Tian Gang Zhenren stopped him, saying, "Leave this to me. You're no match for her."
As the representative of the planet's will, Tian Gang Zhenren was most sensitive to the surrounding power dynamics. Upon sensing the abnormality, he knew immediately.
Lin Qing, hearing Tian Gang Zhenren's words, wanted to retort.
But after a moment's thought, he stopped.
The current situation was clearly not the time for him to be pondering such matters.
Since Tian Gang Zhenren had spoken, he must have his reasons.
There was no need for Lin Qing to overthink it.
After stopping Lin Qing, Tian Gang Zhenren's gaze fixed intently on Shen Wushuang, and he asked, "Who exactly are you?"
He had recognized that the person before him was not the Shen Wushuang he knew, but an unfamiliar soul.
This soul was currently possessing Shen Wushuang.
Shen Wushuang, clad in her mecha, landed before Tian Gang Zhenren, a scornful smile on her face. "Asking me that question now, does it not seem utterly futile?"
She had already been summoned; inquiring about her origin felt disingenuous.
More importantly, the battlefield was where true proof lay.
Otherwise, all this talk would be nothing but a waste.
Hearing Shen Wushuang's words, Tian Gang Zhenren nodded, acknowledging that it was indeed the case.
Fighting without unnecessary words had always been his way. How had he now come to engage in idle chatter?
"Let's fight," Tian Gang Zhenren declared, his voice barely finished before his power intensified, bearing down on Shen Wushuang.
Shen Wushuang, piloting her mecha, looked at the scene with a dismissive expression.
"Is that all?"
Did he intend to fight her? And he dared to call himself the chosen son of the planet?
He was merely someone she could crush.