CHAPTER 32: PEAK QI CONDENSION REALM? TOO WEAK

The cultists weren’t randomly attacking. They were herding civilians toward a specific location—the city center, where the main plaza was located. That was where the real danger lay.

He moved quickly through the streets, heading toward the center. Along the way, he encountered several cultists.

The first was a Qi Condensation cultivator at the mid-stage. The man was dragging a terrified woman by her hair, clearly intending to take her as a sacrifice.

When he saw Xian Tiandi approaching, he threw the woman aside and drew a curved blade.

"Another fool who wants to die," the cultist sneered.

Xian Tiandi didn’t waste words. He moved forward with explosive speed, his Force Condensation Realm body providing tremendous physical power. His fist shot out, enhanced by both Martial Force and Chaos Qi.

The cultist tried to block with his blade, but the weapon shattered on impact. The punch continued through and struck the man’s chest. Bones cracked audibly. The cultist flew backward and crashed into a wall, blood spurting from his mouth. He didn’t get up.

Xian Tiandi didn’t even slow down. He continued moving forward.

Two more cultists appeared, both at late-stage Qi Condensation. They attacked together, one from each side, trying to flank him.

One used a fire technique, sending a stream of flames toward Xian Tiandi. The other used an earth technique, causing spikes to erupt from the ground beneath his feet.

Xian Tiandi’s response was calm and efficient. He activated the Phantom Moon Steps technique he had taught to Ying Yue.

His figure blurred, seeming to split into multiple afterimages. The flames and earth spikes hit nothing but empty air.

He reappeared between the two cultists. His hands shot out simultaneously, each palm strike hitting a target.

The cultists’ defensive techniques crumbled like paper under the force of his attacks. Both men collapsed, their meridians shattered by the precise strikes.

Peak Qi Condensation cultivators were no threat to him. His dual cultivation of both Qi Condensation and Force Condensation Realm, combined with his perfect foundation, made him far stronger than anyone at his nominal cultivation level.

He continued toward the city center, encountering and defeating more cultists along the way.

None of them could last more than a few exchanges against him. His movements were efficient and lethal, wasting no time or energy.

Xian Tiandi having broken through to the Qi Condension Realm and the Force Condensation Realm in addition to his thousands of years of experience, and his skills, none of these guys posed a threat.

’I sensed it in that direction...’ he moved quickly.

Finally, he reached the main plaza.

The sight that greeted him made his expression turn cold.

A massive formation array had been carved into the ground, covering the entire plaza. The array glowed with a sinister red light that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. Blood—real blood—formed some of the array’s lines, giving off a foul stench.

At the center of the formation stood a large altar made of black stone. On top of the altar sat an orb about the size of a human head.

The orb was deep crimson in color and seemed to swirl with captured souls or life force. This was clearly the Crimson Soul Orb, the artifact the cult was using for their ritual.

Around the formation’s perimeter stood numerous cultists. Most were at the Qi Condensation Realm, but Xian Tiandi’s sharp eyes immediately identified the real threats.

Three figures stood at key points around the formation, each one radiating significantly more powerful auras than the others. They wore identical bone masks that covered their faces completely. Their black robes were more ornate, with additional blood-red patterns.

These three were the leaders of this operation.

Xian Tiandi’s spiritual sense probed them carefully. They appeared to be at the Foundation Establishment Realm—early, mid, and late stages respectively based on their aura signatures.

But something felt off.

His vast experience made him suspicious. ’Foundation Establishment cultivators shouldn’t have this much presence,’ he thought. ’Their auras are too controlled, too refined. Are they suppressing their true cultivation?’

He couldn’t be certain without engaging them directly, but his instincts said these three were more dangerous than they appeared.

Dozens of civilians were already trapped within the formation, huddled together in terror. The formation was slowly draining their life force, feeding it into the Crimson Soul Orb. Some of the civilians had already collapsed, their faces pale and lifeless.

Xian Tiandi had to stop this ritual. Now.

But he couldn’t just charge in recklessly. He needed to analyze the situation first.

The formation itself was the key. As long as it remained active, the ritual would continue. He needed to destroy it, but the three masked leaders were clearly guarding it. They stood at strategic positions that would allow them to intercept anyone who tried to approach the altar.

’I have trump cards,’ Xian Tiandi thought. ’But using them carelessly will expose too much. I need to end this fight quickly and efficiently without revealing my full capabilities.’

He began moving forward, keeping to the shadows at the plaza’s edge. His presence was concealed by a basic stealth technique—not enough to fool Golden Core cultivators, but sufficient against Foundation Establishment.

Several Qi Condensation cultists stood between him and the formation. He would need to deal with them first.

Xian Tiandi moved with sudden explosive speed. He appeared beside the first cultist before the man could react. A knife-hand strike to the neck. The cultist dropped silently.

The second cultist noticed and opened his mouth to shout a warning. Xian Tiandi’s hand shot forward, a concentrated beam of Chaos Qi piercing through the man’s throat. The shout died as a gurgle.

Three more cultists turned toward the commotion. Xian Tiandi didn’t give them time to coordinate. He activated the Blazing Lotus Strike technique. His palm ignited with fire-attribute Chaos Qi shaped into the form of a blooming lotus. The technique exploded outward, consuming all three cultists in flames.

The commotion finally drew the attention of the masked leaders.