C6 The Second Elder Made a Move!

Bai Ning'er's voice carried a gentle softness that would likely send any ordinary man into a daydream upon hearing her speak.

Yet Chu Qing was the exception. His heart felt as though it had been carved into, and he was seething with rage to the point of nearly bursting.

Chu Qing had long harbored feelings for Bai Ning'er, and discovering that she was now defending another man left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Ling Han, you coward. Miss Bai Ning'er saved your life before, and now you're still cowering behind a woman?" Chu Qing's voice boomed, not just to intimidate Ling Han, but also out of the pain of not winning Bai Ning'er's affection.

"Hahaha!" Ling Han's laughter drowned out Chu Qing's voice. "You think I'm unaware of your intentions toward Miss Bai Ning'er? Sadly for you, your underhanded tactics will never earn you even a second glance from her."

In truth, Ling Han's taunt was designed to back Chu Qing into a corner. If Chu Qing attacked him again, Ling Han would stand on the moral high ground. Regardless of the Second Elder's immense power, he wouldn't dare to continue his assault under such a universally condemned pretense.

The Second Elder had been at the eighth level of the Qi Refining Realm for years, possibly due to depleted potential, leaving him unable to progress. Ling Han, now at the seventh level, was understandably reluctant to confront the Second Elder directly.

Progressing through the levels of the Qi Refining Realm was fraught with peril and difficulty, with each subsequent level posing greater challenges.

Consider someone like the Second Elder, who had been stuck at the eighth level of Qi Refining for years.

Ling Han's body housed purple genuine energy with the Earth System, which had amassed the faith of over a hundred individuals to leap from the third to the seventh level of Qi Refining. Having exhausted all Earthly methods to reach this level, his future prospects for advancement were uncertain.

"Ling Han, you scoundrel!" Chu Qing, having been pampered from birth, was accustomed to being the bully, not the bullied. Ling Han's biting challenge incited him to charge forward in a fit of fury.

"Chu Qing, stop! You're no match for him!" Despite the Second Elder's warning, Chu Qing was already clouded by Bai Ning'er's previous remarks. In that moment, he lunged at Ling Han, flicking his sleeve dramatically.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!" Three thumb-sized throwing knives, propelled by Chu Qing's genuine energy, hurtled towards Ling Han.

"How despicable!" Ling Han nearly shouted in outrage.

The knives were deceptively small but deadly, launched by a practitioner of the Qi Refining Technique. A direct hit would cause unbearable pain.

"Haha! Ling Han, you underestimate the power of these knives. Even if my Qi Refining level is lower than yours, your fourth level won't be enough to protect you," Chu Qing thought to himself, determined that no one would lay a hand on the woman he desired.

Chu Qing might have been momentarily blinded by the exchange between Bai Ning'er and Ling Han, but he was no fool; he wasn't about to take a beating from Ling Han without a fight.

"Hmm? Ling Han's in trouble!" Bai Ning'er's brow furrowed. Having reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, she saw things with exceptional clarity.

She noticed that one of Chu Qing's knives was aimed straight for Ling Han's heart. Even with his protective genuine energy activated, his fourth-level energy wouldn't be enough to stop it.

Bai Ning'er's heart raced. The attack was so sudden, she was powerless to intervene. All she could do was silently pray for Ling Han's safety.

As expected, Ling Han activated his protective genuine energy. But contrary to what was anticipated, the knife didn't pierce his heart due to insufficient energy.

Ling Han was no simpleton. He was actually at the seventh level of Qi Refining, having only displayed the fourth level as a feint.

Thus, the genuine energy Ling Han summoned for his defense was of the seventh level, causing the three knives to skitter harmlessly to the ground upon contact.

"No! This can't be!" Chu Qing's previously smug expression turned ashen. The turn of events was as surreal as a dream to him.

"Why? Why?" Chu Qing cradled his head in his arms, squatting on the ground as if he had lost his mind.

"Wow! That's a protective shield that's only supposed to be accessible at the seventh level of Qi Refining." The disciples spectating were just as astonished as Chu Qing, having witnessed Ling Han's surge of genuine energy firsthand. The power he displayed was nearly 70% of the way to Perfection, indicating that Ling Han had achieved the seventh level of Qi Refining.

"What? His cultivation level is higher than mine? When I first rescued him, he was barely at the third or fourth level." Bai Ning'er was taken aback, but then a thought crossed her mind: "Is it possible that he's been concealing his true strength all along? He even demonstrated the capabilities of the fourth level initially. Humph! I definitely shouldn't have saved him last time."

Ning'er's temper flared quickly, particularly towards someone like Ling Han who had previously deceived everyone.

If Ling Han were aware of what Bai Ning'er was thinking, he would likely be so frustrated that he'd spit blood. His skills had indeed been recently honed.

Nevertheless, Ling Han was now approaching Chu Qing, his fists tightening with each step.

"Chu Qing, you've ambushed me so cunningly. If I were truly only at the fourth level of Awakening, I might now be a ghost under your blade," Ling Han said, his face hardening. "It seems that without a harsh lesson, you might become a recurring threat."

"You little wretch, you dare?" The Second Elder, with the highest level of cultivation among them, had long since reached the eighth level of Awakening. Having spent considerable time at this level, he was at the peak of his powers.

While he spoke, the Second Elder shaped his genuine energy into a palm print and thrust it towards Ling Han.

Ling Han had only recently harnessed the faith of Earth's inhabitants to ascend to the seventh level, and he hadn't had time to solidify his new realm. Now, the Second Elder was unleashing the full force of the eighth level's peak against him.

The genuine energy emanating from the Second Elder's palm was dense and intense, a clear sign that he was serious and not holding anything back in his strike.

"Second Elder, how dare you strike at Ling Han!" Bai Ning'er was both furious and frantic. Even though she currently found Ling Han disagreeable, it wasn't anyone else's place to use their power to bully the weak.

Ling Han, recognizing the formidable palm strike heading his way, took it seriously. He responded with a palm strike of his own and activated a protective shield to guard against any residual force that might injure him.

With a resounding "Bam!" the collision of their palms sent dust billowing into the air.

"This is bad! Ling Han, you scoundrel, you've injured Chu Qing with the repercussions of our fight!" The Second Elder's face paled when he saw Chu Qing, who was close to the shockwave, lying unconscious.

Ling Han had indeed intended to make an example of Chu Qing before the other disciples to cement his authority, hoping it would make his life easier and prevent others from picking on him.

Unexpectedly, the Second Elder had launched an attack, and at that moment, Chu Qing was right at the fringe of the impact zone. Without the protection of the seventh level of Awakening that Ling Han had activated, Chu Qing was inevitably knocked out cold.