"Everyone, please don't be so agitated," Qin Chuan said, raising both hands and pressing them downward in a calming gesture.
"In fact, what you should be doing right now is feeling fortunate that you're still alive and thanking me for sparing your lives."
Thank you, my ass!
The crowd roared inwardly.
Of course, this anger remained internal.
Suddenly, they realized that their lives were now in someone else's hands, and being overly arrogant would do them no good.
They were the fish, and he was the knife. They had no choice but to endure.
However, asking them to swallow their pride and express gratitude was beyond what they could do. They still had some dignity left, after all.
So, the group remained silent.
They reasoned that since this person hadn't killed them outright, there must be some considerations holding him back. As long as they didn't provoke him, their chances of survival seemed high.
"Yes, you're thinking correctly," Qin Chuan said with a smile. "You are all the proud prodigies of the Chiming Domain, from various powerful factions. If I killed you, your sects would undoubtedly hunt me down, and I wouldn't be able to escape."
He continued, "So, I'm not going to kill you today. I'm only after your wealth… meaning, I'll let you go when we leave the secret realm."
The crowd's eyes flickered, their minds racing.
Just then, Qin Chuan added, "However, to prevent you from seeking revenge later, I'll need to take some precautionary measures."
The crowd instantly tensed.
But Qin Chuan reassured them with a smile. "Don't worry too much. Actually… I've already taken care of it while you were unconscious."
"What?!"
The crowd was shocked, their faces paling in horror.
Some of the women, in particular, immediately wrapped their arms around their chests, instinctively tightening certain muscles to check if everything was intact and functioning.
"While you were unconscious," Qin Chuan said, with a playful smirk, "I took the liberty of inspecting your, uh, physical conditions and recorded everything with a recording stone…"
As he spoke, he waved his hand, and a series of recording stones appeared around him, forming a fan-like array.
It was like a shady merchant on Earth selling pirated DVDs.
At the same time, Qin Chuan glanced suggestively at everyone's most private areas—both male and female.
"You despicable villain!"
"Shameless scoundrel!"
Several women shouted in rage, their faces flushed with anger and humiliation.
Some, though, lowered their heads in guilt, realizing that even the cotton padding they used to stuff their attire had gone missing...
As for the men, many of them turned red with embarrassment, their eyes darting around in shame. It seemed that not all men were as confident as they appeared; some had very visible shortcomings.
Seeing that he had successfully intimidated the group, Qin Chuan calmly put away the recording stones and said with a grin, "I hope that when we leave the secret realm, none of you will cause me any trouble. Otherwise, I'll make copies of these recording stones and distribute them widely. I'm sure there's a sizable market for this kind of content."
The crowd ground their teeth in frustration.
But they were powerless.
Just imagining the consequences of these recordings getting out was enough to send shivers down their spines.
It would be total disgrace and ruin!
"Fine, once we leave, we'll pretend we never met you. Just don't push us too far," one person said.
"Yeah, I've never seen you before."
"Neither have I."
The others quickly echoed this sentiment.
However, some of the more clever individuals had already spotted a loophole. While they couldn't openly seek revenge, they could certainly engage in underhanded tactics—framing him, sowing discord, or stirring up trouble.
That way, if Qin Chuan were hunted by some powerful figures due to other reasons, it wouldn't be their problem. And Qin Chuan, unsure who was behind it, wouldn't dare release those recordings because it would enrage the factions behind them.
"Hmph, let's see how he deals with this silent payback."
"Only brute strength, but so short-sighted—what a limited perspective!"
"Too young, far too young."
These clever minds chuckled to themselves, inwardly plotting their future moves.
Outwardly, however, they maintained a fearful, submissive posture, as though completely at Qin Chuan's mercy.
As for Qin Chuan, who was supposedly "too young," he was thoroughly pleased with their brilliant schemes.
After all, in a world full of clever people, every action could be predictable—and that was what con artists thrived on.
Qin Chuan could already foresee it: When Qin Xiao Zhu happily arrived in the Chiming Domain, many would secretly stab him in the back with smiles on their faces. And Xiao Zhu would be utterly confused, wondering why these people had turned against him without any apparent reason.
What possible motive could they have?
Naturally, no one would tell him.
In fact, to prevent "Qin Xiao Zhu" from releasing those embarrassing recordings, they would go out of their way to prove their innocence.
Thus, Qin Xiao Zhu would be left utterly baffled, questioning, Who's plotting against me?!
"Alright, you're free to go."
Eventually, Qin Chuan released the power binding them with a pleasant smile.
The group regained their freedom.
"Kill!!"
"Die!"
Several of the prodigies leapt up, intending to launch a counterattack. But Qin Chuan responded with a single punch, his divine power surging!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Those prodigies were sent flying, their clothes shredded to pieces. The scene was nothing short of pitiful.
"Hmph, if I dare let you go, do you think I fear you turning on me? Even if you all attack at once, I wouldn't mind dealing with you."
Hovering in the air, Qin Chuan exuded an overwhelming aura, like a primordial beast. His terrifying energy made everyone's skin crawl.
Though his cultivation level seemed suppressed, the sheer strength he displayed far exceeded that of a typical four-star saint. The others couldn't comprehend how he was so monstrously strong, thinking only that he was a freak.
No one dared to make another move.
"I'm leaving. Until we meet again."
Qin Chuan said lightly, then flew off into the distance, quickly disappearing from sight.
The prodigies looked at each other, but none could meet anyone's gaze. They all turned away in shame, each of them thoroughly humiliated.
They had once stood side by side, flaunting their superiority together. Now, they had all become equally pitiful.
Comrades in adversity, they all went their separate ways without a word.
As for the business of taking down that "detestable villain," each person buried their thoughts deep inside, vowing never to speak of it.
Meanwhile…
After leaving the group behind, Qin Chuan flew back toward the deep abyss where Emperor Kun was sealed.
He was planning to collect the treasures from the bodies of the Heaven-Heng Clan spies, especially the bloodline verification compass—it might come in handy later.
In fact, he hadn't forgotten to loot earlier.
He had intentionally fled in a panicked rush, as part of his act to convince Emperor Kun that he was fleeing in terror, too scared to pick up anything along the way.
After all, the enemy Emperor had just broken through, and any four-star saint in their right mind would be scared out of their wits and flee without hesitation. Who would have the nerve to stop and grab a few things?
That was the logical course of action!
And now, after some time had passed and Emperor Kun still hadn't broken free, Qin Chuan figured it was reasonable for a cowardly person like "Qin Xiao Zhu" to muster up the courage to return and scavenge the battlefield.
This behavior perfectly aligned with a young man's sneaky and self-serving nature—exactly how Qin Xiao Zhu would act.
...
Down in the abyss.
On the altar, Emperor Kun remained bound to the pitch-black cursed pillar, his limbs pulled taut by thick chains.
The altar continuously drained his power, but with his breakthrough in cultivation, his body was slowly regaining vitality, fighting back against the altar's suppression.
"Crack, crack…"
Thin layers of stone flaked off his body, revealing the savage, bronze-colored skin underneath.
His body, once petrified, was gradually restoring itself, transforming from a giant statue back into living flesh.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
His heart pounded louder and stronger, like thunder crashing through the mountains.
If one listened closely, they could even hear his blood flowing, like a frozen river thawing and beginning to rush through his veins. The flow quickened, the sound growing ever more powerful, like a surging river.
This once-exhausted Emperor was now reviving in his broken state, like a god waking from slumber, his power beginning to emerge.
"You vile brat from the Nine Heavens! If I ever see you again, I'll tear you to pieces and torment your soul for ten thousand years!!" Emperor Kun roared, his voice low and dangerous, like a wounded lion.
Nearby, the corpses of his fallen comrades lay like daggers in his heart, filling him with unbearable grief.
Just then…
A familiar head poked out from the edge of the abyss, peering cautiously over the cliff as if its owner were scouting the situation below.
"It's you!!!"
Emperor Kun instantly recognized the sneaky face, and his fury erupted. His entire being surged with boundless energy.