Chapter 330: Defeat Without Killing

Everything happened too quickly.

Song Tianquan's mind went blank, and suddenly he felt his body lighten.

His right arm, holding the Tāngdāo, left his body.

Next was his left arm.

Then his left leg.

And finally, his right leg.

Facing that terrifying, sharp edge, the strength of his Physical Body, which he took such pride in, was completely worthless.

Finally.

He crashed heavily onto the ground, like a stone, only his torso remaining. He couldn't move, and blood gushed out… "Holy crap! That's too brutal, isn't it?"

"Who is this person? What grudge does he have with Song Tianquan?"

"Looking at him, he most likely used a technique that burns Lifespan to temporarily boost his combat power, catching Song Tianquan completely off guard!"

"But the problem is, nobody can die in this Grotto-Heaven, so this doesn't make sense!"

"Although these expenditures and injuries will recover after leaving the Grotto-Heaven, his loss is so great that staying inside the Grotto-Heaven makes him no different from a cripple. How can he compete with other Prodigies…"

"Langya Academy, they really are all lunatics!"

Outside, many people were startled by the sudden turn of events.

Originally, Han Li had been lying prone in the grass.

Seeing the Ink-Patterned Python killed by Song Tianquan, he remained indifferent, causing them to secretly shake their heads, thinking this person was too timid and cowardly.

He didn't even dare to fight for an Opportunity when he encountered one.

Who knew he would suddenly strike, and with such a decisive, reckless blow.

Instantly crushing Song Tianquan, severing his four limbs, leaving him without any combat power.

But the problem was.

Everyone could see that Han Li used a secret technique that pushed him to his limits, consuming a massive amount of Life Essence. This is extremely difficult to replenish, and even within the Jade Pool Grotto-Heaven, Opportunities of this type are very hard to find.

In other words, although Han Li defeated Song Tianquan, he himself had little combat power remaining.

How would he compete for other Opportunities later on?

…"Withered Glory Sword Art!"

Qiu He whispered in a deep voice.

Ordinary people couldn't discern the details of the Divine Ability Han Li used, but they couldn't hide from the true Holy Land high-ups.

Furthermore, the Withered Glory Sword Art had a considerable reputation.

It was second only to the Northern Dark Sword Canon cultivated by the Northern Dark Holy Lord.

The question was.

How did such a profound secret technique get passed down to a Langya Academy student like him?

Was the Young Lord of the Wang Family truly so generous?

He would casually pass down his family's secret skills even to those low-class cultivators?

Qiu He frowned, vaguely realizing that this matter was not simple. Wang Mu might have other schemes that he was unaware of.

"Elder Qiu, there's no need to worry!" Beside him, another Grand Beginning Elder comforted him: "Even if Wang Mu has such boldness, not many Langya Academy students would truly receive the authentic transmission!"

The meaning of this statement was very clear.

There definitely weren't many Langya Academy students like Han Li who learned the Withered Glory Sword Art.

Moreover, this technique could essentially only be used once.

Although Song Tianquan was strong, among this batch of Universe Holy Land Disciples, he could only rank in the top thirty.

There were still many people stronger than Song Tianquan in the two Holy Lands.

How could the remaining Langya Academy students resist them?

Thinking of this point.

Elder Qiu's heart eased slightly. He looked toward the location of the Northern Dark Holy Land group, where Wang Mu stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in white.

Suddenly, a wind arrived.

Blowing in a patch of cloud and mist.

Wang Mu stood among the clouds, appearing indistinctly, like viewing flowers through fog, making it impossible to see clearly… Inside the Azure Cloud Realm.

Song Tianquan had completely fallen to the ground, issuing painful groans from his throat.

Snap! Snap!

A Spirit Talisman landed on his body.

Instantly, he realized that the magical power within his body could not be mobilized, and his expression became extremely ugly.

This was a Spirit Locking Talisman!

It was also at this moment.

That he finally saw clearly what the person who attacked him looked like?

That person was extremely old.

His skin resembled tree bark.

His eye sockets were sunken, his hair was white, and the blue veins on his hands looked like withered vines, hideous and terrifying.

"You… who are you?" Song Tianquan was stunned; he didn't recognize this person at all.

Han Li ignored him, instead taking the Storage Pouch from his waist and putting it away.

He glanced at Song Tianquan's Tāngdāo and also stored it in the Storage Pouch.

Afterward, he searched Song Tianquan's body for other valuable items.

Jewelry.

A belt embroidered with gold thread.

He didn't let anything go.

"When did you and I become enemies? Let me understand why I lost!"

Song Tianquan gritted his teeth.

He concluded that this person must have a grudge against him, otherwise why go to such lengths?

To immediately use a Divine Ability that burns life force—an ordinary grudge certainly wouldn't be enough; this must be at least a level of enmity where one's entire family was exterminated.

"Inside the Grotto-Heaven, competition relies entirely on means. Do I need a reason?"

Han Li spoke, his voice ancient and rough, exactly like an old man nearing ninety. But what he said made Song Tianquan's heart sink.

No grudge?

How could that be?

If there's no grudge, why would you immediately use such a desperate method?

"Lunatic…"

Song Tianquan gnashed his teeth. Langya Academy was full of lunatics. Along the way, he had met many fellow Disciples who had been eliminated by these maniacs from Langya Academy.

"I like that name!" Han Li grinned.

If it were peacetime, his appearance might look somewhat simple and honest.

But his current appearance, like withered tree bark piled together, was only chilling, sending shivers down Song Tianquan's spine.

Finally.

Han Li obtained Song Tianquan's Yaoguang Jade.

Song Tianquan was filled with despair; as long as the opponent crushed the jade pendant, he would be eliminated.

Han Li unhurriedly collected all the treasures and rare materials the opponent had gathered in the Secret Realm, taking them away one by one right in front of him.

Watching this made Song Tianquan's liver ache.

He had expended considerable effort to acquire these treasures, but now they were all wasted, benefiting Han Li instead.

Moreover, Han Li acted too decisively, directly severing his four limbs and then using the Spirit Locking Talisman to seal the magical power within his body.

He had completely become a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

He couldn't even manage to destroy the Yaoguang Jade, otherwise, these items would certainly not have been cheapened for Han Li.

Sensing his hateful gaze.

Han Li coughed heavily a few times, looking very weak, and said: "A Disciple of the Universe Holy Land should have a very vigorous life force, right? You shouldn't die anytime soon!"

Song Tianquan frowned: "What do you mean?"

Han Li remained silent.

From his Storage Pouch, he took out a thick hemp rope.

"!!!"

Song Tianquan widened his eyes: "What are you doing? What do you intend to do? Ah—"

Without a word, Han Li used his long sword to pierce through Song Tianquan's two shoulder blades, creating holes.

Then, ignoring Song Tianquan's miserable screams, he threaded the rope straight through and hung the opponent on a high tree branch.

Song Tianquan swayed back and forth, blood continuously dripping, and his intestines and other organs hanging outside, looking exceptionally gory.

"I am a Universe Disciple! How dare you, a low-class cultivator, humiliate me like this?"

Song Tianquan never imagined that Han Li would torture him in this way.

He could have just eliminated him directly, yet he insisted on doing this.

He now had a Spirit Locking Talisman stuck to him, and without his four limbs, he couldn't even commit suicide.

Unfortunately.

As a Body Cultivator, his life force was vigorous. Even with such grievous injuries, he wouldn't reach the verge of death anytime soon, making it difficult for the Kunlun Mirror to teleport him out.

He never expected.

That the physique he had always been so proud of would now become the source of his suffering.