The sacred figure stood in mid-air against a backdrop of golden light, her robes fluttering, her face pure and beautiful, astonishingly stunning, inspiring endless fantasies yet daring no approach.
The golden light sword, incredibly sharp, tore through the green light layer by layer at a visible speed, scattering it.
Zi Luo flicked the tip of her sword, and the circle of light vanished, taking the golden light in the air with it.
The entire space was crystal clear, as if nothing had happened.
"Do you see the gap between us now?" Zi Luo looked at Mo Qi with playful amusement. "I was holding back out of respect for you, and you mistook it for fear. That's where you're wrong."
Mo Qi truly saw the difference between himself and her. She had held back; otherwise, he might not have had the chance to stand here and speak with her.
"Space Manipulation!"
Unwilling to accept defeat, Mo Qi slashed his hand, and a shadow appeared where Zi Luo stood.
Mo Qi brought his hands together, and the entire space folded inward, centered on that shadow.
If all went as planned, Zi Luo's body would be cleaved in two by the folding space.
However, Zi Luo muttered an incantation, and with a gentle sweep of her hand, the shadow was lightly erased.
"Is this all you've got? If so, I advise you to go back. You still want to destroy the Red Leaf Kingdom and Gonggong. I think you're dreaming." Zi Luo said nonchalantly.
Mo Qi was truly angered. "Thirty million small worlds!"
His body shot forward, his palm striking like lightning towards Zi Luo.
Myriad bubbles expanded before Zi Luo, then burst with a roar.
The sounds of explosion were continuous, light and energy flickered, and the space pulsed with light and darkness.
As the last bubble space exploded, the entire space was enveloped in white light, including Zi Luo.
Mo Qi retreated at extreme speed, flying back hundreds of feet before hovering in the air, watching the ball of light with trepidation.
His mind was a chaotic mess.
He stared intently at the light, his heart filled with anticipation, unsure if he was anticipating seeing her again or her disappearance.
A moment later, the light dispersed, followed by a lingering mist that refused to dissipate.
He was losing patience, feeling a sense of loss as he prepared to leave.
Just then, a cold voice echoed, "A good attack, but too slow. I left long ago, and you didn't even notice."
At first, hearing the voice, Mo Qi felt a surge of excitement, but in an instant, he was almost driven mad. "She's too arrogant!"
Zi Luo then stood gracefully before him, her breathing audible.
"What do you want?" Zi Luo challenged Mo Qi. "If I were you, I'd turn back and focus on improving my cultivation. Come out again when you're strong enough."
"Sky Burning Stone!"
Mo Qi's heart hardened. "Too arrogant! Die!"
The Sky Burning Stone suddenly grew and hurtled towards Zi Luo.
At such close range, it was well within the stone's lethal radius.
In his eyes, she was doomed.
He hadn't intended to kill her, but she was too arrogant, practically inviting her own demise!
In Mo Qi's vision, the massive form of the Sky Burning Stone instantly engulfed Zi Luo.
He was certain she was dead.
However, Zi Luo merely flicked her sword, deflecting the Sky Burning Stone back. With a roar, flames erupted, surging upward but never touching her.
The Sky Burning Stone circled and returned to Mo Qi's hand. Mo Qi threw it again, aiming for Zi Luo.
Zi Luo, however, walked on air, heading straight for the Sky Burning Stone. Just as she was about to be hit, she flicked her sword again, sending the stone back.
But Zi Luo's figure vanished.
Mo Qi's eyes darted around, searching for Zi Luo everywhere.
Suddenly, Zi Luo appeared before Mo Qi, a fragrant breeze preceding her. She smiled, elegant and graceful, almost mesmerizing Mo Qi.
Mo Qi retreated a few steps, composing himself. "Don't try to use your beauty on me, it won't work."
Zi Luo's cheeks flushed slightly. "I want to tell you that if you don't harm my family, you can have beauty and the world. But if you harm my family, I will perish with you. Then all will be for naught. You decide."
"To exchange the world and beauty for the dignity of my millions of kin? That is desecration of the souls of my departed people," Mo Qi said dismissively.
"That's not what I meant..." Zi Luo suddenly felt she was in the wrong and was somewhat flustered.
Then, with a touch of emotion, she said, "What dignity? What souls? They're dead, they're gone, all is for naught. You always bring up those departed souls just to find excuses for your ever-growing ambition."
Mo Qi retorted just as fiercely, "I can forgo the world and only kill your father. Does that count as ambition?"
"Impossible. I won't let you harm my father. If you speak such heartless words again, I'll kill you first," Zi Luo said fiercely.
Mo Qi suddenly looked into her eyes. "Repeat after me: I am a selfish and petty person."
Zi Luo's eyes glazed over for a moment, then she snapped back to awareness and gave a light laugh. "You truly are a selfish and petty person."
Mo Qi was speechless. It seemed the Soul Calming Technique had failed.
"Do you think I truly have no way to deal with you?" Mo Qi suddenly smiled at Zi Luo.
Zi Luo's heart trembled, then she calmed herself. It's just a psychological battle, what's there to fear? I know his tricks well enough.
"Of course, this is the gap," Zi Luo said indifferently.
"What do you think my most powerful technique is?" Mo Qi continued to ask with a smile.
"Hmm... Azure Lotus Fire? Or Space Manipulation?" Zi Luo said dismissively.
"No, it's pills!"
"Heh, pills count as techniques?"
"Don't forget, how did I make Xiao Tie die when he couldn't die no matter what?" Mo Qi said with a beaming smile.
Zi Luo's expression changed drastically. "You poisoned me?"
Mo Qi nodded. "Yes. I quietly sprinkled the same poison I used on Xiao Tie into the air just now, and you didn't notice, yet you kept getting closer to me..."
Zi Luo's eyes showed panic. "I don't believe it. I feel nothing, no discomfort at all."
Mo Qi said gravely, "The time hasn't come yet. I can give you a few breaths to consider. If you surrender, I'll give you the antidote."
Zi Luo looked at him with a mournful gaze. "I'm willing to surrender, but my father isn't. I can't do anything about it."
At this moment, she truly felt something was wrong. Her abdomen felt like it was being twisted by a knife, and she could barely stand.
"My Undying Golden Body is immune to all poisons. How could I be poisoned?" Zi Luo said unyieldingly, managing to steady herself.
"Your understanding is as shallow as your cultivation," Mo Qi said bluntly.
Zi Luo collapsed to the ground, her body trembling violently.
"If I die, please spare my family. Take this kingdom if you wish, but spare their lives," Zi Luo pleaded, looking at Mo Qi.
Mo Qi hesitated for a moment, then produced a pill and held it before her. "This is the antidote. Eat it first."
Zi Luo did not take the pill, shaking her head gently. "If I live, I will still do everything in my power to stop you from harming my family."
Mo Qi directly put the pill into her mouth. "Stop with the nonsense."
After taking the pill, Zi Luo quickly recovered and stood up, retreating dozens of feet. "If I stay away from you, you can't poison me, right?"
Mo Qi rolled his eyes. "You've forgotten your pain once the wound heals!"
"Heaven and Earth Laws... Never mind, that's enough for today." Mo Qi sighed, turned, and slowly walked away.
Zi Luo watched his retreating back. "What laws? Have you learned new techniques? Show me, I want to see."
"That would cost too many pills, I can't afford it!"
Mo Qi left without looking back.
Zi Luo's heart was filled with mixed emotions. Watching his retreating figure, she couldn't help but sigh softly, "Fate plays cruel tricks!"
Afterward, Mo Qi's army continued to surround the royal capital, besieging it but not attacking, waiting for King Liang to surrender.
Subsequently, other forces coming to the king's aid were all annihilated by Mo Qi.
King Liang's confidence gradually eroded, but he still refused to surrender, believing surrender was a dead end.
The military power of the entire Liang Kingdom had been largely eliminated. King Liang was now defending only a solitary city, with soldiers gradually deserting. Eventually, only the royal family remained within.
In fact, the entire royal city had become a mere formality!
Mo Qi could have immediately ordered an attack, captured the royal city, and declared the end of the Liang Kingdom!
But he did not.
The process of eliminating other feudal lords earlier had given him inspiration. He believed he could lure the snake out of its hole and let more people come to their deaths, including Lian Min!
Mo Qi's actions in the lower realm were so significant that Gonggong in the upper realm could not possibly be unaware or indifferent. Thus, he dispatched the Black and White Gods to investigate the situation.
His instructions were: "If Ye Yun is found to be undeserving of his reputation, let Lian Min deal with him. Human affairs should be handled by humans; the Heavenly Realm should not extend its reach too far. If Ye Yun is indeed powerful and excessively arrogant, and no one can suppress him, then he must be disciplined and his arrogance curbed."
The Black and White Gods accepted their orders and departed.
While in the military camp, when Mo Qi had free time, he would cultivate and refine pills.
Ye Xiaowei was anxious and urged him daily to attack the city.
Mo Qi always said the time was not yet right, never mentioning anything else.
And then there was Er Zhu Lin, who pestered him every day.
Mo Qi was greatly annoyed and wanted to lose his temper many times, but seeing her risk her life, he pondered what her true motive was. Was it truly just power?
As he was lost in thought, Er Zhu Lin entered again. Seeing Mo Qi sitting there in a daze, Er Zhu Lin directly threw herself into his arms. "My King, are you thinking of me?"
Mo Qi pushed her away. "What do you need?"
"What else? Just... missing you." Er Zhu Lin tried to snuggle into Mo Qi's arms again.
Mo Qi stood up, and Er Zhu Lin leaned onto his shoulder. "Are you missing me?"
Mo Qi pushed her away again and said seriously, "If you want to be my queen, your cultivation must catch up to mine. Once you reach my level, I can agree to you."