Chapter 2178: God King Strongman

Relaxing, she realized the young man before her had undergone astonishing changes, both in temperament and strength.

“A low-grade Heavenly God… at the peak? You’ve broken through?”

Qi Linger felt dizzy.

“I had a bit of luck, and so I broke through…” Zhang Xuan replied, unfazed.

Clasping her chest, Qi Linger found it hard to breathe. This was truly disheartening.

Just a few days ago when I saw you, weren’t you only at the peak of a low-grade Spirit God? How long has it been… and you’ve already broken through to a Heavenly God! Three major ranks! Can an Emperor’s bloodline truly be this formidable? It seems to completely disregard cultivation levels and natural laws…

The most crucial thing was his attitude! The Heavenly God realm, a level others found incredibly difficult to surmount, seemed no more remarkable than any ordinary breakthrough to him, offering no sense of achievement… This alone made her even more certain of his true identity. What else but an Emperor’s bloodline could grant such power?

The Qi Clan, one of the most prominent families in the imperial city, resided on a floating mountain suspended in the sky. They rented a flying divine beast and ascended straight up into the heavens.

Standing beside her, Zhang Xuan also clearly perceived Qi Linger’s true strength: a peak high-grade Spirit God! While not as powerful as him, her bloodline, derived from a Conferred God King, meant she was not to be underestimated.

“As members of the same family, shouldn’t we be united against external threats?” Recalling her earlier words, Zhang Xuan looked at her, puzzled. As core members, they must be siblings with very close blood ties, so why would they dislike each other and actively seek to suppress one another?

“There used to be no conflict within the clan,” Qi Linger explained with a wry smile. “The resources of a Conferred God King were almost limitless, so there were no conflicts of interest, and everyone lived in peace. However, more than forty years ago, the spiritual energy began to wane, and resources became limited. No one was exempt from this, and naturally, the harmony we once shared vanished. Twenty years ago, a dispute over resources between my branch and Qi Weier’s branch led to an unfortunate incident: her father was accidentally killed. Because of this… she harbors a deep resentment towards us, and seizes every opportunity to make things difficult.”

“I see.” Zhang Xuan nodded in understanding. With the decline of spiritual energy and the scarcity of resources, conflicts of interest arose. Even blood brothers would come to blows over such matters, let alone distant clan members. Such is human nature!

“Previously, our branch was more prosperous, so they didn’t dare to speak out,” Qi Linger said, shaking her head as she thought of their recent circumstances. “But with her brother’s rise, we’ve been systematically suppressed, step by step.” If she had remained within the clan, she would undoubtedly have broken through to the Heavenly God realm much sooner, instead of being stuck at her current cultivation level.

“Tell me more about Qi Weier’s brother, the one with the potential of a God King,” Zhang Xuan requested. To be deemed capable of becoming a God King meant exceptional talent, far beyond mere physical prowess.

“Her brother is named Qi Yue,” Qi Linger began, a hint of admiration in her eyes. “His bloodline test results were far purer than average. What’s more, any cultivation technique or martial skill he gets his hands on becomes remarkably simple for him, allowing for rapid progress. He has not only reached the peak of a high-grade Heavenly God but is also ranked seventh on the God King Potential List!” Despite their animosity, there was no denying Qi Yue’s formidable talent and strength.

“The God King Potential List?” Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.

“It’s a ranking compiled by the Nether Imperial City for powerful individuals who have the potential to become God Kings,” Qi Linger explained. “Although nine out of ten on the list won’t ultimately succeed, it signifies immense strength and status. Every individual on it commands respect and admiration!”

“Seventh place? Doesn’t that mean there are six individuals stronger than him?” Zhang Xuan wondered. The Qi Clan, with its own Conferred God King, was considered one of the pinnacle families in the entire Nether Imperial City. Yet, their most talented scion was only ranked seventh…

“Don’t underestimate his seventh-place ranking!” Qi Linger said, her expression serious as she understood his thoughts. “Heavenly God cultivators live for roughly a thousand years. Of those ranked in the top six, none are younger than five hundred years old. Qi Yue, however, is under forty and has already achieved this much—that’s truly terrifying! Who can guarantee he won’t reach first place in another fifty or one hundred years?”

Zhang Xuan was speechless. The younger the age and the greater the achievement, the more immense the potential. A seventh-place ranking at under forty years old undoubtedly indicated a significantly higher chance of breaking through to a God King than someone ranked sixth at five hundred years old.

“Young Master Zhang, have you prepared the pill that will allow me to withstand the power of the Moon Cleansing Pool?” After flying for a while longer, Qi Linger could no longer hold back and asked. He had agreed to come, but she hadn’t seen him prepare any medicine. What if he hadn’t done it yet? If that were the case, it would be better to wait a little longer, as once they entered the family compound, there might not be another opportunity.

“There’s no rush for that,” Zhang Xuan said casually. “I need to personally observe the Moon Cleansing Pool’s condition to formulate the appropriate medicine. Otherwise, it won’t achieve its maximum effect.”

“Alright then…” Seeing the young man’s confidence, Qi Linger said nothing further.

Soon after, the flying divine beast traveled thousands of kilometers, and then a large, cloud-shrouded mountain appeared before them. This mountain was unlike any ordinary range; it appeared as if a colossal force had inverted it. Its pointed base rooted into the void, while its summit lay flat as a mirror. Upon this grand expanse stood a magnificent and towering mansion, where countless immortal cranes soared amidst rainbows, making it seem like a dwelling fit only for deities. Truly worthy of being one of the most powerful families in the Nether Imperial City—it was indeed extraordinary!

“Are there formations around here?” Activating his Eye of Discernment, Zhang Xuan looked around, puzzled. While he could clearly sense the presence of formations around the floating peak, his Eye of Discernment inexplicably couldn’t discern them! Even after advancing to a Heavenly God, which significantly improved his Eye of Discernment’s capabilities, he still couldn’t see through them. This indicated that the formations surrounding the peak were incredibly powerful, likely personally set up by the Conferred God King himself.

“Yes, there’s a grand formation,” Qi Linger confirmed. “But don’t worry, it automatically recognizes our bloodline. As long as a clan member returns, it will grant passage.” Zhang Xuan nodded, asking no further questions.

Just as she had said, the flying divine beast entered the mountain’s domain without triggering any formation attacks, quickly arriving before a massive gate.

“Sister Linger, you’re back…” Two young men guarding the gate recognized Qi Linger and greeted her with smiles.

“I need to see the family head!” Qi Linger stated, without preamble.

“This way, please!” One of the young men glanced at Zhang Xuan, then without another word, led the way.

Upon entering the estate, Zhang Xuan immediately felt waves of rich spiritual energy penetrate his skin, giving him an irresistible urge to sit down and cultivate. It was indeed worthy of being the residence of a Conferred King; the spiritual energy of the imperial city paled in comparison. Cultivating here, one could quickly break through to a mid-grade Heavenly God even without the aid of high-grade Divine Essence Pills!

Following the young man, they walked for a while before arriving at a magnificent great hall. After a brief wait, the two entered.

A middle-aged man, with his hands clasped behind his back, stood in the exact center of the room. Two other individuals stood to one side. The man appeared to be in his thirties, while the woman was similar in age to Qi Linger, possessing a striking beauty. Her tight-fitting attire perfectly accentuated her figure, making her no less stunning than Qi Linger herself.

“Family Head!” Qi Linger bowed with clasped fists. Knowing he was merely there to gain access to the Moon Cleansing Pool, Zhang Xuan remained silent, mimicking her actions.

“Hmm,” the family head acknowledged, casting a detached gaze. “Although Night冥 City is located in the most remote and backward region of Nether Heaven, its strategic significance is extraordinary. I assigned you to guard it and gather intelligence, strictly forbidding your return without my permission! How did you manage to come back so stealthily? If Wei’er hadn’t told me, no one in the clan would have even known you were here!”

Though his voice was not loud, it carried an immense authority that made it difficult to breathe. A God King! Zhang Xuan’s expression tightened. Though the family head displayed no overt power, he exuded an unfathomable aura, as if every movement aligned with the Heavenly Dao. Disobeying him felt like inviting severe punishment. Retracting his spiritual energy, Zhang Xuan stood motionless, eyes lowered, his entire essence, energy, and spirit completely contained. He was only there for the Moon Cleansing Pool and had no desire to provoke a God King. With his powers concealed, the Qi Family Head indeed detected nothing unusual, assuming he was merely a retinue accompanying Qi Linger and paying him no mind.

“Family Head, I…” Qi Linger began, a little nervous under the pressure. Just as she started to speak, the family head’s voice resonated once more: “I’ll give you one chance to explain yourself. If your reason isn’t satisfactory, you know the consequences!”

“Understood…” Qi Linger took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. “By a strange coincidence,” she began, “my body underwent a complete transformation. That’s why I returned, to request entry into the Moon Cleansing Pool for further refinement…”

“That’s a rather flimsy excuse, isn’t it?” The family head remained silent, but the woman standing to one side sneered, “A person’s talent is determined at birth. Do you honestly believe your innate talent can simply increase?” Core disciples had three opportunities to temper themselves in the Moon Cleansing Pool. She had only used one of hers. Under normal circumstances, she could indeed apply for a second visit, but given her abysmal performance the first time, what more could possibly be assessed? Innate talent couldn’t possibly change after a mere period of time, could it?

“I also believe that talent cannot simply increase,” Qi Linger replied, ignoring the woman. “However, I trust the Family Head can discern the truth for himself!” The reason she believed Zhang Xuan could help was that after consuming the beauty pill, not only were her hidden ailments cured, but her constitution also seemed to have transformed, and her true qi circulated much more rapidly than before.

“Increased talent?” The family head shook his head. “I’m not satisfied with that explanation…”

“The Family Head can test it for himself…” Qi Linger quickly offered.

“Test? How exactly do you test innate talent?” the woman to the side scoffed. One could test strength or techniques, but how did one test talent?

“It’s quite simple,” Qi Linger replied with a faint smile. “The Family Head can teach a martial skill, and both Sister Wei’er and I will learn it simultaneously for half an hour. Then, we’ll suppress our cultivation to the same realm and compete. Whoever demonstrates a more profound comprehension of the martial skill will prove to have superior talent… There’s no issue with that, is there?” Having successfully managed a black market for so many years without issue, she was naturally not one to be easily manipulated. Given that Qi Wei’er’s tattling had put her in such an awkward position, Qi Linger had already devised a plan to teach her a lesson before arriving.