Chapter 225: What, You Don't Agree?

Chapter 225: What, You Don't Agree?

Xu Yan, unaware of the customs of the Spirit Domain, immediately took possession of the unclaimed giant stone.

To him, it was a simple matter of first come, first served, and as he had arrived first, this place was now his.

As for the rules?

Those were for the weak to follow. Although he wasn't considered exceptionally powerful in the Spirit Domain, none of those present in the Black Cloud Swamp were his match.

As the strongest here, it was only right for him to claim this advantageous spot!

Looking at the poisonous miasma shrouding the Black Cloud Swamp, Xu Yan fell into contemplation.

"I have detoxifying and poison-blocking pills refined by my junior sister, Soling Xiu. These should protect me from the miasma. Should I enter the Qing Tian Jiao's tomb ahead of time?"

The miasma seemed intense, capable of corroding one's essence. One would have to constantly expend essence to resist it and couldn't stay there for too long.

Moreover, if one encountered danger, they would have to deal with both the miasma and the threat, which could be overwhelming, leaving them unable to fully utilize their strength.

This was why the major forces were waiting for the miasma to dissipate before entering the Qing Tian Jiao's tomb.

Xu Yan, however, had the detox pills and poison-blocking pills crafted by Soling Xiu, which meant he wouldn't need to expend essence to resist the miasma and could still fight with full strength if he encountered danger.

"No rash actions. This is my first time in the Spirit Domain, and I don't know what threats this treasure land may hold. It's better to wait."

Xu Yan changed his mind and abandoned the idea of entering the Qing Tian Jiao's tomb early.

He looked at the proud geniuses of the various forces in the Spirit Domain, noticing that almost all of them were accompanied by several peak grandmaster-level warriors, their faces pale.

They had the look of people who were risking their lives.

If his guess was correct, these warriors were the ones Dai Yinging had mentioned, sent to scout the way.

"There must be some danger in the Qing Tian Jiao's tomb, and the most dangerous thing is probably poison, which is why they sent people ahead to explore.

"Entering with these people will help me avoid some unnecessary trouble. Anyway, there's no one here who can compete with me!"

With that thought, Xu Yan sat down on the giant stone and continued to contemplate the martial path.

It wasn't arrogance; even if everyone present joined forces, they couldn't do anything to him!

A day later, the poisonous miasma in the Black Cloud Swamp had thinned out a little more.

In another three to five days, the miasma would temporarily dissipate, and that would be the time to enter the Qing Tian Jiao's tomb.

Two figures flew over.

The one in the lead was a round-faced, slightly chubby young man, accompanied by an attendant.

"They're here!"

The proud geniuses of the various forces in the Black Cloud Swamp immediately became alert and looked at Xu Yan, who was sitting cross-legged on the giant stone, with schadenfreude.

Many of them glared at him as if he were already dead.

This was the genius of the Shen family, one of the top clans in Yuzhou—Shen Haizhou!

That giant stone was supposed to be the Shen family's spot!

Shen Haizhou arrived with his attendant, proud and arrogant. Aside from the Jade God Sect, no other force in the entire Black Cloud Swamp could compare to the Shen family!

Here, he was superior to everyone else.

As he flew towards the spot that was implicitly considered the Shen family's, he suddenly paused.

There was someone sitting cross-legged on the giant stone.

"Is that person from a Spirit Sect or a top clan? Could they be stronger than my Shen family?"

Shen Haizhou was taken aback.

For someone to dare to occupy a spot that originally belonged to his family, the force they belonged to must be stronger than the Shen family.

Otherwise, this was a blatant disregard for rules and a challenge to their authority!

However, the young man on the giant stone seemed to be a solitary cultivator, and his strength didn't seem remarkable.

Shen Haizhou frowned, his face showing displeasure.

How dare a mere solitary cultivator occupy a spot that belonged to a top clan?

This was courting death!

"How bold of a solitary cultivator!" Shen Haizhou thought.

His cautious nature prevented him from immediately suppressing the intruder with force.

"Young Master, I'll kill him! How dare he defile your chosen spot!" Shen Haizhou's attendant said angrily.

"First, expel him. Don't kill him," Shen Haizhou ordered after a moment's thought.

"Yes, Young Master..." The attendant wanted to say something more, but thinking of his master's cautious nature, he could only obey.

The two of them descended onto the giant stone.

Xu Yan, who had been contemplating the martial path, frowned and said, "Someone's here!"

"Kid, this place belongs to my Shen family. You've overstepped the rules. Scram and find another spot," Shen Haizhou's attendant said coldly.

At the same time, he exuded his aura, the might of a mid-stage Little Heaven Man pressing down on Xu Yan.

A mid-stage Little Heaven Man warrior!

Xu Yan looked up at him and said coldly, "Is this spot engraved with your Shen family's name? Unclaimed spots go to those who arrive first. I came here first, so it belongs to me now!

"Scram if you don't want to die. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

Xu Yan wasn't going to hold back when the other party tried to intimidate him.

Shen Haizhou's attendant flew into a rage. Judging from Xu Yan's attire, he was undoubtedly a solitary cultivator, and yet he dared to be so arrogant. If he didn't teach him a lesson, where would the Shen family's prestige be?

Xu Yan's eyes turned cold as he realized the audacity and arrogance of the warriors in the Spirit Domain. It was clear that the social hierarchy in the Spirit Domain was strict, with the great families and Spirit Sects looking down on solitary cultivators.

No wonder solitary cultivators in the Spirit Domain faced such difficult circumstances.

"Since you're asking for death, I'll grant your wish!"

Since his opponent was going for the kill, Xu Yan saw no reason to hold back, regardless of the other party's background.

Still seated cross-legged on the giant stone, Xu Yan didn't even bother to stand up. With a casual wave of his hand, he unleashed a powerful slash!

Boom!

The Mountain River Sword Intent, combined with the Xun Wind Sword Intent, slashed forth with tremendous force.

As Shen Haizhou and his attendant landed on the giant stone, all the geniuses from the various forces, including the youth from the Jade God Sect, turned their attention to Xu Yan.

In their eyes, Xu Yan was as good as dead.

They expected him to be swiftly crushed to assert the might of the Shen family, one of the top clans in Yuzhou.

"There are always some solitary cultivators who are overly proud and dare to seek death!" Dai Ying shook his head.

He recalled a recent incident where a solitary cultivator at the Heavenly Being stage had threatened to kill his sister, Dai Yingying, thinking that his strength was sufficient to challenge the Dai family.

That cultivator had undoubtedly faced the full wrath of the Dai family!

There was no doubt about his fate.

The young man before them was likely in a similar situation, brimming with youthful arrogance and overestimating his strength, thinking he could ignore the power of the great families and Spirit Sects.

Such occurrences were almost a daily affair in Yuzhou, and without exception, they all ended in death.

As expected, Shen Haizhou didn't even bother to make a move himself and left it to his attendant.

On the giant stone, as Xu Yan casually waved his hand, Shen Haizhou's attendant's expression changed drastically. He let out a low growl, and a layer of yellow light emerged from his body.

However, in the next moment, he felt a sharp pain in his consciousness, and his vision went dark. His power suddenly dissipated, and a terrifying force slammed into his body.

Death had arrived!

Puff!

Shen Haizhou's attendant didn't even have time to let out a miserable scream. His body disintegrated into flying ash, scattered by the wind!

Gulp!

Dai Ying, who was standing closest, swallowed hard, his face filled with shock.

Dead?!!

And not a single trace of his body remained!

By the edge of the Black Cloud Swamp, the gathered geniuses were stunned. They stared at the young man seated cross-legged on the giant stone, who hadn't stood up from beginning to end.

With a casual wave of his hand, he had slain Shen Haizhou's attendant!

He was only at the mid-stage of the Little Heaven Man realm.

Even if his strength was on the weaker side, he was still a Little Heaven Man warrior!

What shocked the geniuses even more was not the strength of Shen Haizhou's attendant, but the fact that the young man had dared to kill someone from the Shen family.

Right in front of Shen Haizhou!

The Shen family was a top clan in Yuzhou, with no fewer than three God Refining Heavenly Beings!

Not only solitary cultivators but even second-rate clans and Spirit Sects wouldn't dare to kill a Shen family attendant over a minor conflict, especially not in front of Shen Haizhou.

"This is a direct challenge to the Shen family's authority!" Many of them thought with a sense of awe.

When Xu Yan made his move, Shen Haizhou's face paled, and he quickly retreated to the edge of the giant stone. But before he could react, his attendant was already dead!

There wasn't even any dust left behind!

Xu Yan's cold gaze fell on Shen Haizhou, who felt as if death was upon him.

Although his attendant's strength was inferior to his own, the young man had killed him with a casual wave of his hand. It wouldn't take much effort for him to do the same to Shen Haizhou.

"Calm down, calm down, my friend! You must stay calm and not act rashly!" Shen Haizhou quickly spoke up, his round face contorting into an ugly smile that looked worse than crying.

"He's your man, isn't he?" Xu Yan asked indifferently.

"Actually, I'm not that close to him. He's just someone I recruited along the way. Who knew he would do such a foolish thing to try and curry favor with me? He deserves to die, but it has nothing to do with me!" Shen Haizhou quickly distanced himself from his attendant.

Dai Ying and the other geniuses from various forces stared at Shen Haizhou, their mouths agape. They felt their faces burning with shame on behalf of the Shen family's genius.

He was so thoroughly cowardly!

Xu Yan raised his hand and said, "But he is your attendant, isn't he? Since he disturbed my cultivation, you should at least give me an explanation."

Shen Haizhou's face turned green, and he felt his insides trembling. He wiped the cold sweat from his hand and frantically waved the other, saying, "My friend, please calm down! I admit my attendant was wrong. I will definitely give you an explanation.

"I, Shen Haizhou, have always been kind and never oppress solitary cultivators.

"I'll compensate you! Tell me, how should I compensate you?"

Dai Ying and the other geniuses felt ashamed on Shen Haizhou's behalf. They couldn't believe that a member of a top clan would be so afraid of a solitary cultivator.

"Compensate? How do you plan to compensate me?" Xu Yan asked, seeing the panic and lack of arrogance or pride one would expect from a member of a great family. Shen Haizhou's quick surrender and willingness to compensate, without showing any hostility, made it hard for Xu Yan to simply kill him.

Chapter 225: What, You Don't Agree?

"How about a bottle of my Shen family's Gathering Spirit Pills?" Shen Haizhou offered cautiously.

The group of proud geniuses from various forces sucked in a breath of cold air. The Shen family's Gathering Spirit Pills were quite famous in Yuzhou, and they were not easy to refine. A single bottle was worth a significant sum.

Forget about a bottle, many solitary cultivators would consider themselves immensely honored if they could obtain even one or two Gathering Spirit Pills in their entire lifetime.

Dai Jun couldn't hold himself back any longer and interjected, "Gathering Spirit Pills are not something that can be easily given away. The Shen family has a Divine Refinement Heavenly Being. You should consider your offer carefully."

Shen Haizhou was being ridiculously humiliating.

Xu Yan smiled indifferently and disdainfully replied, "Gathering Spirit Pills? What a useless item, they're just wasting precious spiritual herbs. This compensation is unacceptable!"

He then turned his head towards Dai Jun and coldly smiled, "Divine Refinement Heavenly Being? Who would be scared of that? You have no right to speak here. If you want to bring someone, bring your Divine Refinement Heavenly Being!"

His tone was incredibly arrogant.

Dai Jun and the other proud geniuses were startled by Xu Yan's words. A Divine Refinement Heavenly Being was not someone to be trifled with, yet this young man before them seemed completely unafraid.

Furthermore, his strength was extraordinarily powerful despite his young age. How could a solitary cultivator possess such formidable abilities at this age?

And he showed no fear towards a Divine Refinement Heavenly Being.

Could he be from one of the top spiritual sects?

The fact that he wasn't wearing any sect clothing might be because he looked down on them.

With this possibility in mind, Dai Jun quickly closed his mouth.

Xu Yan smiled faintly, aware of his advantages. His youth and formidable strength meant that these people wouldn't be able to uncover his identity as a solitary cultivator in a short time.

Naturally, they would suspect that he came from a powerful force, so this was the time to be assertive and act arrogantly!

"Hand over your storage bag!" Xu Yan demanded as he looked at Shen Haizhou.

Being from a powerful family, this genius must be quite wealthy.

"Brother, this... I still have some things in my storage bag... Brother, you take it, it's yours!" Shen Haizhou's face was filled with conflict, but upon seeing Xu Yan's expression darken, he quickly handed over his storage bag.

"What? You don't agree?" Xu Yan asked as he took the storage bag and casually stuffed it into his pocket, glancing at Shen Haizhou, who looked reluctant to part with it.

"I agree, I agree, brother! Don't misunderstand!" Shen Haizhou quickly forced a smile, not daring to linger any longer as he hurriedly left the giant stone.

He made his way directly to the spot that Dai Jun had been occupying.

"Scram! I, Shen Haizhou, want this place!" Shen Haizhou coldly ordered.

F*ck!

Dai Jun's face turned green with anger. How dare this coward bully him?

"Young Master Shen, this place belongs to my Dai family..." Dai Jun began to protest.

Shen Haizhou's face darkened, exuding the demeanor of a first-rate aristocratic young master as he rebuked, "Your Dai family is only a second-rate clan. What gives you the right to be so audacious in front of my Shen family?

"Do you still understand the hierarchy among aristocratic families? Are you implying that my Shen family's Divine Refinement ancestor isn't respectable enough?"

F*ck you!!! Dai Jun was so angry that he felt like exploding. Why wasn't Shen Haizhou acting so tough a moment ago?

The geniuses from other forces were also stunned, their mouths agape.

So, he was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong?

"Fine, I'll leave!" Dai Jun said through gritted teeth, his face darkening.

As a second-rate clan, they naturally didn't dare to offend a first-rate clan. Even though the Dai family had connections with the royal family of the Zheng Kingdom, they couldn't afford to provoke the Shen family! After all, the Shen family was a long-established first-rate clan in Yuzhou, and their foundation was not something that an ordinary first-rate clan could compare to.

Dai Jun left with his attendant.

However, Shen Haizhou reached out and stopped one of Dai Jun's attendants, demanding, "Hand over your storage bag!"

Since his own storage bag was gone, he needed another one to store any treasures he might find in Qing Tian Jiao's tomb.

That attendant from the Dai family had a green face, feeling utterly humiliated.

Shen Haizhou didn't bother explaining and directly took the attendant's storage bag, putting it into his own pocket.

"Shen Haizhou, you're going too far!" Dai Jun was so angry that his eyes turned red.

Shen Haizhou's chubby face wore a proud expression as he raised an eyebrow and coldly replied, "What? You don't agree?"

F*ck!

Dai Jun was about to explode with anger. He glared at Shen Haizhou, clenching his teeth, but ultimately didn't dare to make a move, and he might not even be a match for Shen Haizhou!

"Let's go!" Dai Jun said as he left with his attendants.

The group of proud geniuses in Black Cloud Swamp stared at Shen Haizhou, their jaws dropping in disbelief. What kind of aristocratic young master was this?

One moment, he was acting obsequiously and cowardly, not daring to show the slightest bit of arrogance.

And the next moment, he was bullying Dai Jun!

Xu Yan watched Shen Haizhou's interactions with Dai Jun, and he, too, was stunned. At the same time, he became aware of the strict hierarchy in the Spirit Domain.

The Shen family was a first-rate clan, and the Dai family had more people. If it came to a real fight, Shen Haizhou might not necessarily gain the upper hand.

Even if he did make a move, if Dai Jun chose to stand his ground and not leave, Shen Haizhou wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

However, Dai Jun could only angrily give up his spot, showing that the rules of status and hierarchy in the Spirit Domain were strictly adhered to as long as things didn't escalate to a life-or-death situation.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end