The fairy forced me to marry into her family, so I retorted by throwing myself into the Pool of Fate

Mu Fangxu's gaze slowly shifted from Xiong Pihai's face, swept over Liu Qi and Su Mei, glanced at the black rice dumpling in the center of the open space, and finally looked away.

Compared to gathering intelligence, eliminating a few members of the Giant Whale Gang would be a much more profitable endeavor.

He turned to the side, gave Li Ping and the others a wink, and said softly, "Then naturally we have to have a showdown."

As soon as he finished speaking, he moved his feet and leaped into the air. Then, he formed a spell with both palms, and two wisps of pure white cloud flew out from his hands.

The cloud was initially only the size of a fist, but after leaving the palm, it swelled in the wind and instantly transformed into two white rainbows as thick as millstones, one on the left and one on the right, rushing towards Xiong Pihai.

Wherever it passed, the air was expelled, producing a muffled whooshing sound.

"I've long heard that the Mu family's Three Revolutions Returning Cloud Technique can be cultivated to the Purple Mansion level, but I wonder if it's just empty fame?" Xiong Pihai laughed loudly and soared into the air.

The two clouds drew closer and closer, and he took out an anchor.

The anchor is about half a person tall and covered in rust, looking like it was just pulled out of a shipwreck. But the layers of dark red patterns on the mast are unsettling.

Upon its appearance, the Mu family members were alarmed.

Mu Fangxu's pupils contracted slightly, Mu Dingyuan's grip on the gun tightened, and he inexplicably took a half step back.

Only Li Ping was puzzled. He stared at the anchor again and again, finding its shape strange but having no idea what it was.

Mu Chengyuan stood beside him and, seeing his blank expression, whispered, "Brother Li, don't you know? It's rumored that this anchor weighs over a thousand taels of gold and is a top-grade magic weapon with the ability to drink blood. Every time it kills someone, the shaft turns redder. Look at the red on the shaft, layer upon layer, it's almost turning blackish-red."

Upon hearing this, Li Ping's dough stirred slightly.

It wasn't because of the anchor's power, but because they were surprised by Xiong Pihai's wealth.

It should be noted that some cultivators who have just established their foundation cannot afford to use top-grade magic artifacts.

Xiong Pihai was only at the peak of Qi Refining, yet he could use it. This showed that the Giant Whale Gang's resources were much greater than he had imagined.

Just then, Xiong Pihai moved in mid-air.

The heavy anchor, weighing thousands of pounds, seemed like a toy in his hands. With a gentle flick, the anchor drew an arc, spraying out a cloud of crimson blood mist.

The blood mist spread out and collided with the two white clouds.

The clouds were originally pure white, but when stained by the blood mist, they instantly changed color, as if they had been polluted. They turned from white to pink, from pink to red, and finally turned into two blood clouds, losing their original power and drifting away.

With a single blow, the difference in skill was immediately apparent.

The people below looked on with varying expressions.

Mu Ming frowned, Mu Dingyuan gritted his teeth, and Mu Chengyuan turned pale. After all, Mu Fangxu was the strongest among them, and his technique was a unique skill of the Mu family, yet it was broken in a single move.

On the Giant Whale Gang's side, Liu Qi stood with his hands behind his back, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Su Mei sneered, her gaze sweeping over the Mu family members, her eyes full of mockery.

Zhou Dahai huddled in the corner and grinned, but there was a hint of guilt in his smile.

Mu Ming's face turned ugly, and he was about to retort when a hand pressed down on his shoulder.

He turned around and saw Li Ping.

"Senior Brother Fang Xu is no fool," Li Ping said calmly. "He dared to confront Xiong Bihai, so he must have a backup plan. There's no need to worry. What we need to do is focus on our own tasks and proceed according to plan."

After he finished speaking, the members of the Mu family exchanged glances and nodded.

Yeah, what's the use of worrying?

Mu Fangxu is no match for them; if they go up there, they'll just be throwing their lives away.

If they win the fight, it would be a joke if they faltered.

Without further ado, the group moved swiftly to their respective opponents.

Mu Dingyuan took the lead, flicking his spear and creating three spear flowers with the tip, aiming straight for Liu Qi's throat, heart, and dantian—three vital points.

With his Qi Refining Level 8 cultivation, his spear thrust was swift and fast, the tip piercing the air with a sharp whistling sound.

Liu Qi remained calm and unhurried, lightly touching the ground with her toes, her figure drifting away like willow catkins.

The spear tip chased after him, but always missed by an inch or two.

Mu Dingyuan thrust his spear seven times in quick succession, each thrust missing its mark. His anger surged: "What are you dodging for? Is this all the mighty Whale Gang has to offer?"

Liu Qi wasn't annoyed, he just smiled and said, "Ability isn't about words."

As he spoke, he subtly moved his sleeve, and a dark light shot out silently, heading straight for Mu Dingyuan's face.

Mu Dingyuan was startled and withdrew his spear, blocking with the shaft.

With a clang, the dark light was deflected and disappeared into the ground; it was a palm-sized cone.

This is Liu Qi's magical artifact, the Mist Shadow Cone.

Mu Dingyuan felt a chill run down his spine. If he hadn't reacted quickly, that cone would have killed him.

On the other side, Mu Ming faced off against Su Mei.

The two were of similar cultivation levels, differing by only one level.

Mu Ming wielded a long sword, his swordsmanship was expansive and powerful, the sword flashing brightly.

Su Mei wielded two short knives, her attacks unorthodox and ruthless.

The two clashed, their voices ringing out and sparks flying.

After more than a dozen rounds, Mu Ming gradually grew more agitated, and his swordsmanship became increasingly fierce, but he still couldn't defeat Su Mei.

This woman is very slippery, and her knife skills are strange. She defends more than she attacks, as if she is stalling for time.

Mu Ming didn't want to waste any more time with her, so he reached into his pocket with his left hand and pulled out three talismans.

The talisman left his hand, transforming into three tongues of fire that lashed out at Su Mei from three different directions.

Upon seeing this, Su Mei quickly retreated, sheathing her short sword and placing the jade flute from her waist to her lips.

Mu Ming was taken aback.

What kind of approach is this?

Unable to figure out what Su Mei was going to do, he was about to push the talisman to its limit when he suddenly heard Li Ping's voice transmission: "Close your ears and focus."

Mu Ming was startled and, without thinking, immediately blocked his hearing.

The next moment, the sound of a jade flute began.

The flute's melody was melodious and gentle, like a spring stream or the night tide, seeping into people's ears layer by layer.

Mu Ming blocked his hearing and couldn't hear anything, but just watching Su Mei play the flute made his mind tremble slightly.

He felt a lingering fear; if Li Ping hadn't reminded him, he probably would have already fallen into their trap.

Su Mei played for a while, but seeing that Mu Ming had no reaction and his eyes were clear, showing that he had not been fooled at all, she couldn't help but shake her head.

Although her illusionary sound technique was not as good as Ruan Ling'er's innate supernatural ability, she rarely failed when dealing with cultivators of the same level.

Mu Ming was clearly prepared. Who warned him?

She glanced at the scene out of the corner of her eye and saw Li Ping standing not far away, looking in their direction and nodding slightly.

Su Mei instantly understood.

This person probably guessed my methods through Ling'er.

She harbored resentment in her heart, then turned her gaze to Zhou Dahai, who was sitting opposite Li Ping.

Zhou Dahai and Li Ping were facing off, three zhang apart, neither of them making a move.

To be precise, Zhou Dahai didn't make a move.

He stood there, holding a talisman in his hand, hesitating to activate it. His expression seemed to suggest that he was either debating whether to use it or waiting for something.

Su Mei was furious and secretly transmitted her voice, "Zhou Dahai, if you don't do your part, don't blame me for being ruthless and sending your wife and children to the Great Black Sea."

Zhou Dahai was startled upon hearing this.

How did that damned woman know?

He secretly glanced at Su Mei and saw that her gaze was cold and she didn't seem to be threatening him. He inwardly groaned.

Sigh, it seems I can't fool them anymore.

He sighed silently, then, without further hesitation, threw out three talismans.

The three talismans transformed into three ice spikes, shooting towards Li Ping in a triangular formation. At the same time, he flashed, using the ice spikes as cover to quickly move around to Li Ping's side and strike out with a palm.

This palm strike, which had been brewing for a long time, whistled through the air and aimed straight for Li Ping's back.

But to everyone's surprise, Li Ping reacted extremely quickly. As if he had eyes in the back of his head, he turned around and faced Zhou Dahai head-on, striking out with the same palm.

"Kid, you're not even going to care about the talismans anymore?" Zhou Dahai shouted.

Three ice spikes were right behind Li Ping, about to pierce him, yet he didn't dodge or evade, but instead faced them head-on. Wasn't that courting death?

"Why are you abandoning it?" Li Ping smiled slightly.

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Dahai heard three crisp sounds behind him. He turned around and saw that the three ice spikes had shattered into ice shards at some point, falling to the ground as if they had been knocked down by something invisible.

"This..." Zhou Dahai was dumbfounded.

He didn't understand how Li Ping had done it. He had personally activated those three talismans, and he knew the trajectory of the ice cones all too well; they couldn't possibly have exploded for no reason.

What tricks did this kid use?

He couldn't understand it, and he didn't have time to think about it anymore, because Li Ping's palm had already arrived.

This palm strike was light and seemed to have little force.

But Zhou Dahai was close enough to clearly see a faint watery sheen flowing in Li Ping's palm, a sign of his magic power being condensed to its extreme.

He had no choice but to face it head-on.

As their palms met, Zhou Dahai felt an immense force surge from his hands, as if he had been struck head-on by a sea beast. He groaned and was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground and sliding more than ten feet, carving a shallow furrow in the process.

A metallic sweetness welled up in his mouth, and he forced himself not to vomit blood, but his internal organs felt as if they had been turned inside out.

That kid has some real strength.

Zhou Dahai was shocked, but at the same time he realized a problem.

The force of that palm strike just now was definitely not something that someone at the fifth level of Qi Refining could produce.

Thinking of this, he blurted out, "That treacherous brat is actually at the sixth level of Qi Refining."

He spoke loudly, deliberately raising his voice, which drew the attention of everyone in the room.

The Mu family cultivators looked at Li Ping with surprise and relief at the same time.

When Li Ping married into the Mu family, he was only at the second level of Qi Refining. How long has it been since then? He has already broken through to the sixth level.

This cultivation speed is outstanding even within the Mu family.

On the Giant Whale Gang's side, Liu Qi and Su Mei both glanced at Li Ping with surprise.

He was only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, which wasn't much of a master, but his ability to conceal his cultivation level did make them somewhat wary.

Su Mei frowned slightly, then turned her gaze back and glared at Zhou Dahai: "Useless."

Liu Qi shook his head and remained silent.

For a moment, Li Ping became the focus of attention.

He ignored the gazes of the crowd, only looking at Zhou Dahai lying motionless on the ground, and chuckled inwardly.

Playing dead?

That's quite interesting.

Although Zhou Dahai was in a sorry state after taking that palm strike, he was definitely not unable to get up.

This person deliberately shouted out that he was at the sixth level of Qi Refining, and then lay on the ground pretending to be dead, clearly indicating that he didn't want to fight anymore.

Li Ping didn't point it out.

If his opponent didn't want to fight, he simply let him have his way and didn't try to finish him off.

His gaze shifted from Zhou Dahai to the battle on the other side.

Over there, Mu Chengyuan was facing Tao San.

Mu Chengyuan was at the fifth level of Qi Refining, and Tao San was also at the fifth level of Qi Refining; their cultivation levels were comparable.

But the battle was one-sided.

Tao San held a long sword with a slender blade and a silver-white body; it was a mid-grade magic weapon.

The sword flashed, each strike faster than the last, forcing Mu Chengyuan to retreat step by step.

Mu Chengyuan used a pair of water-splitting daggers, and short weapons are at a disadvantage against long swords.

Tao San's swordsmanship was cunning, with every move aimed at his vital points. He could only barely cope and had no chance to retaliate.

At this moment, Mu Chengyuan was covered in sweat and was in a flurry of activity.

Tao San, on the other hand, looked relaxed, with a mocking smile on his lips.

He was teasing his prey, not in a hurry to kill, but slowly slicing and grinding with his sword.

Mu Chengyuan had several sword wounds on his body. Although they were not fatal, they were bloody and a shocking sight.

Suddenly, seeing an opening, Tao San gathered his strength and thrust his sword straight at Mu Chengyuan's heart.

This sword strike was both swift and ruthless; if it landed, Mu Chengyuan would surely die.

Mu Chengyuan's pupils shrank sharply as he tried to dodge, but he stumbled and couldn't avoid it at all.

Just then, a giant wave came from the left, its crest reaching a full ten feet high, carrying surging magical power as it crashed down on Tao San's head.

Tao San's expression changed, he sheathed his sword and retreated. Turning his head, he saw Li Ping standing not far away, his palm pressing down, controlling the giant wave.

"Zhou Dahai is a complete waste of space." Tao San cursed angrily, mentally giving Zhou Dahai a thorough dressing down.

I told you to keep Li Ping occupied, but you just collapsed in one fell swoop and let him go.

Without a second thought, he drew his sword and charged towards the giant wave.

The sword tip pierced into the wave, and Tao San was about to unleash his magic to cleave the giant wave in two.

But the moment the sword touched the giant wave, he sensed something was wrong.

Something was wrong with this wave. His sword pierced through as if it were piercing a clump of sticky glue.

No, it's worse than glue.

A tremendous force surged from all directions, squeezing his sword, arm, and even his body from every angle.

The sword could not be drawn, and retreating was impossible.

The giant wave seemed to be alive; the more he struggled, the stronger it became, gripping him tighter and tighter.

Damn it.

Tao San roared and desperately channeled all his magical power, trying to break free.

But the more he struggled, the tighter the restraints became.

In the giant waves, he felt his bones creaking and his internal organs being squeezed painfully.

He opened his mouth to shout, but water poured in and blocked his throat.

Li Ping remained calm as he slowly clenched his fist.

He had practiced the Overlapping Waves Technique countless times and knew it by heart.

Wave after wave, advancing layer by layer, doubling in force.

Tao San was trapped inside, like a rabbit coiled around a python; the more he struggled, the faster he died.

Suddenly, a loud bang was heard.

The giant wave burst open, splashing water everywhere. The water droplets reflected the sunlight, creating a brief rainbow shower.

When the water droplets dried up, only a few pieces of flesh and a pool of blood remained where Tao San had stood; his body was completely gone.

The room fell silent; everyone stopped what they were doing.

Mu Dingyuan's spear stopped halfway, and Liu Qi's Misty Shadow Cone hovered at his fingertips, forgetting to fire.

Mu Ming and Su Mei each took a step back, their gazes falling on Li Ping.

Mu Chengyuan slumped to the ground, panting heavily, looking at Li Ping as if he were a monster.

Mu Chengyuan knew all too well how strong Tao San was from their earlier fight.

The silver-white longsword pressed down on him so hard he could hardly breathe, but when he faced Li Ping, he was gone in a single exchange.

Are those giant waves really that powerful?

For a moment, everyone in the room looked at Li Ping as if he were a freak.

Su Mei's face darkened completely.

Liu Qi frowned, his gaze sweeping over Li Ping again and again, as if he were re-examining the man.

Zhou Dahai lay on the ground, secretly opening one eye, and saw the pool of blood. His heart skipped a beat.

Cold sweat poured down my back, soaking my clothes.

Luckily, I was smart enough to play dead quickly.

This Li Ping is very strange, extremely strange.

He exhaled a breath of stale air, secretly glanced around, and seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he closed his eyes with relief and continued to play dead.