C19 The Posture Was Very Obvious

A Thunder-shape Arrow pierced through Qian Ji's chest, nailing him firmly to the wall. It was only then that he realized his naivety in underestimating the Vicious Thunder Grandma's cruelty.

Convinced that the Blazing Fire Sect was no match for the Vicious Thunder Grandma, Qian Ji chose to submit and follow the old woman's orders without question. He betrayed the inn run by multiple sects, seizing a vast amount of Spirit Stones, and then forcefully activated the City Protecting Magic Array, trapping Qian Xiaoruo with no means of escape.

The Vicious Thunder Grandma utilized her Lightning Measuring Technique to produce countless Thunder Crystal Grains, spreading them throughout Multicolored City. She swiftly found Qian Xiaoruo, who had the rare Thunder Tribulation Body constitution. After killing Zhao Mingli and others, she kidnapped Qian Xiaoruo and took her back to the Blazing Fire Sect.

Qian Ji and the others had to serve the Vicious Thunder Grandma with extreme caution, providing her with the best and largest Quiet Room in the sect. They supplied the finest food and all other essentials without uttering a single complaint, not daring to give an extra glance at Qian Xiaoruo, the Vicious Thunder Grandma's captive.

Qian Ji believed that everything would be resolved once the Vicious Thunder Grandma departed. He did not foresee her brutal rampage, slaughtering the entire Blazing Fire Sect to eliminate any witnesses.

She wanted to prevent the news of her abducting Qian Xiaoruo from reaching the Thousand Thunder Sect, knowing that Old Monster Qian would stop at nothing to hunt her down.

By the time Qian Ji grasped the full extent of the situation, it was tragically too late; the Blazing Fire Sect had lost over 300 of its members.

He was the sole survivor.

"I must avenge my son, Qian Tianhong. I must avenge the Blazing Fire Sect," he vowed.

With nothing to lose, Qian Ji stormed into the Quiet Room... and there, he was struck by a Thunder-shape Arrow summoned by the Vicious Thunder Grandma, pinning him to the wall like a piece of clothing.

"Quite interesting," a dry voice sounded. The withered Vicious Thunder Grandma, with her hands clasped behind her, looked on at Qian Ji, impaled against the wall.

Enshrouded in a sphere of blazing fire, Qian Ji gripped the Thunder-shape Arrow, its lightning crackling intensely, as he resisted with unwavering resolve.

"You've actually attained the second realm of the Fire God Technique," Vicious Thunder Grandma commented as though she were reviewing a theatrical play. "You're trying to stop the explosive power of the Thunder-shape Arrow's lightning, using everything at your disposal—your Vital Spirit, Lifespan, and even your own flesh and blood—to forcibly activate the third realm of the Fire God Technique... It's pointless. You'll barely last as long as it takes an incense stick to burn."

Indeed, Qian Ji, who once stood seven feet tall, had noticeably shrunk in stature. He was holding on, but he was also withering.

Yet, his rage was unmistakable.

"For some reason," Qian Ji said, his eyes bulging with intense anger, "I can't shake the feeling that your demise, Vicious Thunder Grandma, is imminent."

"Hmph."

Her voice oozing with contempt, Vicious Thunder Grandma didn't bother to give Qian Ji another look. She turned and walked toward Qian Xiaoruo, proclaiming, "Ever since I heard about you from Appropriate Prosperity City, I rushed to Multicolored City and conducted some investigations. I am certain that not one of the tens of thousands of cultivators in this city is a match for me."

Qian Xiaoruo, looking bored and uninterested, wandered aimlessly. Above her, the Thunder Tribulation Cloud floated three feet high, casting down bolts of thunder and lightning that encircled her like a curtain of beads.

In this way, she was free to move within the area, drink water, or even stretch and jump, yet she remained under the constant shadow of the Thunder Tribulation Cloud's confining space.

The cloud followed her wherever she went, ensuring she stayed within Vicious Thunder Grandma's line of sight, eliminating any chance of escape.

Of course, she was also unable to use any Vital Spirit, magical techniques, or artifacts within this restricted space.

As Vicious Thunder Grandma drew near, Qian Xiaoruo heard her distinctively grating, dry voice and replied sharply, "I feel the same way. Vicious Thunder Grandma, I think your end is fast approaching."

"Insolent brat," Vicious Thunder Grandma was about to discipline Qian Xiaoruo but stopped abruptly, sensing something. She looked towards the Quiet Room entrance and scoffed, "Two have come. One at Foundation Stage Level Two, and the other at Body Refining Grade One Level Three. As if they'll make any difference."

"Oh?"

"Hmm?"

Both Qian Ji and Qian Xiaoruo turned their attention to the doorway, their hearts filled with a blend of anticipation and incredulity. Who could it possibly be?

After a short while, Soong Yuan made his entrance. He was of medium build, dressed in a pale blue short-sleeved shirt, his features bright and clear.

Little Qing was right on his heels.

"Little Qing! What brings you here? And why are you with Soong?" Qian Xiaoruo inquired, her confusion evident.

Little Qing succinctly explained the situation.

Qian Xiaoruo shook her head emphatically and shouted at Little Qing, "You're out of your depth, leave, now!"

Qian Ji, too, was disheartened; the pair that had arrived seemed far too feeble.

Yet Little Qing persisted, raising her voice to Qian Xiaoruo, "Soong Yuan says he can save you. He's confident he can take down Vicious Thunder Grandma."

A hush fell over the group.

Everyone present – Qian Xiaoruo, Qian Ji, Vicious Thunder Grandma, Little Qing, and Soong Yuan – entertained a similar notion: Could this man be here to save this woman in a heroic feat?

Following the silence, Qian Xiaoruo, seething with anger, turned her back. She refused to even glance at Soong Yuan, waving her hand dismissively, "Laughable. A good-for-nothing, trying to save me... just leave."

Contrarily, Vicious Thunder Grandma appeared to be in a rather pleasant mood. She glanced between Soong Yuan and Qian Xiaoruo, her dormant love for gossip bubbling to the surface with a hint of mockery. She sneered at Soong Yuan, "She looks down on you, yet here you are, attempting a rescue. Hmph, you're just deluding yourself."

"Right, that's what I've noticed too. Soong Yuan seems to have... feelings for our miss," Little Qing added, with his flat nose and small eyes.

"Shut up."

Both Soong Yuan and Qian Xiaoruo snapped at Little Qing simultaneously.

Soong Yuan advanced a step, cutting straight to the chase, and with a deliberate gesture, pointed his index finger squarely at Vicious Thunder Grandma.

The Divine Sense, which can be honed through cultivation, manifests as Innate Divine Thought, a power Soong Yuan acquired by consuming the Divine Thought Fruit. His Innate Divine Thought was unparalleled in strength, allowing him to clearly sense three distinct presences within his sea of consciousness: they were pure, highly concentrated, and impossibly light, brimming with an unimaginable amount of mental energy ready to be unleashed with just a thought. Simply put, Soong Yuan could activate his Innate Divine Thought with a mere intention.

Soong Yuan fixed his gaze on Vicious Thunder Grandma.

Startled by an unexpected sense of impending destruction, Vicious Thunder Grandma recoiled, retreating three steps and swiftly summoning a thick shield of lightning to protect herself.

"Good, kill her, kill her!" Qian Ji, previously crestfallen, saw Vicious Thunder Grandma's evident fear and became utterly convinced of Soong Yuan's ability to defeat her. Elated, he shouted, "Vicious Grandma, I told you, I had a premonition that today would be your doom! Haha, haha, haha! Kid, kill her, kill her!"

In that moment, Qian Ji had shrunk to a height of six feet.

"Ah!" Xiao Qing, too, let out an excited shriek before quickly covering her mouth, nervously watching Soong Yuan's every move.

"Can this failure really do it?" Qian Xiaoruo, still standing tall and composed under the Thunder Tribulation Cloud's suppression, watched intently with a solemn look on her face.

Soong Yuan, his finger still aimed at Vicious Thunder Grandma, had caused the Thought Dividing Stage Great Cultivator to step back in fear. His posture remained resolute as he continued to point at her, but internally he was panicking, "Damn it, why can't I activate my Innate Divine Thought? Damn it."