“crazy lunatic!” the blood tiger gang’s squad leader sneered coldly.

a dozen gang members armed with weapons surged forward, resembling a group of ruthless gangsters.

“you’re the lunatic!” qi yuan stood in the middle of the road, gripping the broken handle of a hoe, looking every bit like an imposing bandit.

in the neighboring courtyard, wu xiang was frantic. “what should we do?”

the situation felt strange and ominous.

the blood tiger gang’s focus on qi yuan meant that this was the perfect opportunity to flee.

but wu xiang’s indecisive nature made him hesitate.

his tendency to overthink meant he could spend half the day stuck in indecision.

meanwhile, qi yuan charged into the gang members, swinging his hoe handle.

“anyone who dares obstruct my mortal transcendence is my enemy!”

to prepare for this mortal transcendence, qi yuan had deliberately instructed chen kangbao and shen lingxuan to stay away and avoid contacting him for the time being.

this attempt was crucial—it was his stepping stone to the ancestor god realm.

in simpler terms, the yang god realm.

if qi yuan pursued the traditional path of killing countless yin gods to ascend to yang god, the energy required would be astronomical.

it might even be a number impossible to comprehend.

but if he succeeded in achieving transcendence, his progress would be instant—a leap to unimaginable heights. the value of this method was incalculable.

“you think you can stop me from transcending?”

“do you seriously believe a simple wooden stick can contend with our blades and swords?” the squad leader kept his tone disdainful, even though he secretly acknowledged qi yuan’s strength. maintaining morale was crucial in any gang confrontation.

“all things are equal. why can’t a wooden stick compete with blades and swords?” qi yuan retorted.

“crush him!”

at that moment, qi yuan demonstrated what “brute force” truly meant.

without any fancy techniques, he swung the stick with raw power.

the swing was so forceful that the wind from the strike reached them before the stick itself.

bang! bang! bang!

seven inner disciples of the blood tiger gang were sent flying over ten meters. when their bodies hit the ground, they were lifeless.

their internal organs had been shattered.

score: 7-0.

“with strength like this, you dare to block my mortal transcendence? what’s your monthly salary—three thousand taels? and you’re still risking your lives?”

like a whirlwind, qi yuan continued his assault, giving the remaining gang members no time to react.

his wooden stick swept through the crowd. not a single person could withstand even one strike.

he was like a god of fury, rampaging through the gang.

in just a few breaths, all the blood tiger gang members lay dead on the ground.

qi yuan glanced at the corpses, visibly angry. “the blood tiger gang is rotten to the core! and yet, my role-play progress is still stuck at 0%.”

he was certain that without the interference of these gang members, his progress bar might have increased by now.

“senior... you’re incredible!” wu xiang finally stepped out, his voice filled with awe. he looked at qi yuan with reverence and asked, “senior, are you a xuan-tier weapon master?”

such overwhelming power surely belonged to someone at the xuan-tier or higher.

“don’t spout nonsense. i’m just a mortal,” qi yuan said, casting a sidelong glance at wu xiang.

wu xiang was dumbfounded.

what kind of mortal could send seven inner disciples of the blood tiger gang flying with one swing?

what kind of mortal’s stick generated air blades?

seeing wu xiang’s disbelief, qi yuan added, “i just happen to be a bit stronger than most.”

to successfully transcend the mortal realm, it was essential to make people believe he was truly mortal.

“if you don’t believe me, we can arm-wrestle—or leg-wrestle if you prefer,” qi yuan offered nonchalantly.

wu xiang was thoroughly confused.

why were they suddenly talking about arm-wrestling?

what exactly was he supposed to do here?

“senior, you’ve killed members of the blood tiger gang. it won’t be long before they send reinforcements. staying in yunxue city will be extremely dangerous. why not come with me to the wilderness?” wu xiang suggested, extending an invitation.

the blood tiger gang itself wasn’t overly formidable. but their backers—the blood tiger cultivator and the thorned blood specters—were terrifying forces.

qi yuan gave wu xiang a dismissive glance. “i have no interest in joining your rebellion. i just want to live a quiet and peaceful life in the city.”

his ability to see hidden information was a unique talent, something he considered a gift. surely using it didn’t count as employing supernatural powers?

wu xiang was taken aback. he hadn’t expected qi yuan to see through his identity as a rebel.

“i don’t have time to waste with you. i’ve got important matters to attend to. i’m going to destroy the blood tiger gang. goodbye.”

with that, qi yuan turned and walked away.

the blood tiger gang’s actions had crossed the line. their atrocities were unforgivable. qi yuan had had enough.

hr

but what xianling yingjun described felt eerily familiar.

“these so-called all-things realm lords are plagiarizing my methods!”

qi yuan became more convinced as xianling yingjun continued explaining.

according to the npc, these realm lords primarily reincarnated as living beings—humans, animals, or plants—to immerse themselves in the natural world and glean wisdom.

but qi yuan’s approach went further. he could role-play not only as living entities but also as objects like stones, kitchen knife, and divine artifacts.

“those all-things realm lords clearly copied my system!” qi yuan thought indignantly.

“they didn’t even do it properly! they only understood half of the process.”

he clenched his fists. “if i were already in the yin god realm, i’d charge them royalties for intellectual theft!”

he paused, a realization dawning on him.

across the vast multiverse, countless worlds and realms existed. and in each one, there were likely realm lords who owed him for using his system without credit.

yet qi yuan also understood the danger of speaking up. in zhou cosmos, gratitude was often met with hostility. if he accused these powerful beings of plagiarism, they might unite to silence him permanently.

for now, he resolved to keep this revelation to himself.

“of course,” xianling yingjun added, unaware of qi yuan’s inner musings, “the methods of these top-tier realm lords differ from yours. still, there’s value in studying their approach.

“for example, you could seal your own memories, begin a new life, and experience the world from an entirely fresh perspective.”

“thanks for the suggestion,” qi yuan replied sincerely, though he immediately dismissed the idea.

in his eyes, the realm lords’ methods were flawed imitations of his own system.

what xianling yingjun described felt like the equivalent of news from qi yuan’s world being reposted abroad, only to be re-imported and repackaged as foreign insight.

“i’ve been on the right path all along,” qi yuan thought.

“the only reason my transcendence hasn’t progressed is because too many people are interfering. once i eliminate those obstacles, i’ll achieve peace and clarity.”

his gaze hardened.

“should i keep killing the blood tiger gang?”

he reconsidered. “no. they’re just small fry. i’ll skip them and go straight to the thorned blood specters!”

hr

meanwhile, within the blood tiger gang’s headquarters...

the gang’s leader, a burly figure with arms as thick as most men’s thighs, sat brooding in his grand hall. his expression was dark, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

“he’s risen from the dead, has he? how bold of him to kill my inner disciples! does he think he can challenge me?”

the gang leader had always been known for his brute strength, bolstered further by his cultivation. at his peak, his power rivaled that of a low-tier earth-tier weapon master.

a subordinate entered the hall, handing him a letter.

the leader skimmed it, his lips curling into a sneer.

“has old man wang lost his mind?”

he tossed the letter to the ground dismissively, leaning back with a look of disdain.

the gang’s strategist didn’t need to read the letter to know its contents.

old man wang, a wealthy merchant in the city, had a history of intervening on behalf of captured rebels. using his wealth, he often ransomed them out of the blood tiger gang’s clutches.

at the beginning, when the leader of the blood tiger gang was weak, old man wang saved his life.

this time, the letter offered ten thousand taels of silver to spare qi yuan’s life.

“hmph! ten thousand taels for my brothers’ lives? add another zero!” the gang leader growled, raising three fingers. “tell them it’s thirty thousand!”

the subordinate nodded, rushing off to deliver the message.

the strategist hesitated. “boss, this cultivator seems different. if we take the money but don’t handle this properly, it could upset our superiors.”

the leader’s expression darkened. “do you think i’m an idiot? we’ll take the money—and then kill him anyway. problem solved.”

this deal would be his ticket to appealing to the blood tiger cultivator, who could grant him noble status by transforming him into a half-human, half-specter hybrid.

once he became a noble, he would no longer need to lead the blood tiger gang like a common thug.

“boss, you’re brilliant!” the strategist flattered.

“gather everyone. let’s find that bastard!”

the gang leader strode out of the hall.

in the courtyard, over a hundred gang members stood ready, their weapons gleaming under the sun.

the leader surveyed his forces with satisfaction.

a scout hurried over. “boss, that man is heading toward the inner city!”

the leader frowned. “the inner city? why would he go there?”

few dared to enter the inner city, as it was strictly controlled by the thorned blood specters. only nobles, their servants, and specter members were allowed within its walls.

“bring me the footage from the overseer eyes!” the leader barked.

these surveillance artifacts—similar to flying drones—had been tracking qi yuan ever since he killed the inner disciples.

the strategist offered a theory. “perhaps he realized he couldn’t escape the city and hopes to become a noble’s servant for protection.”

the leader’s face darkened.

if qi yuan succeeded in gaining the favor of a noble, dealing with him would become infinitely more complicated. perhaps he would have to ask blood tiger cultivator for help.