Submit, or Die

Wang Jianqiang's voice was laced with spiritual power, surging forth with ferocity.

Even after repelling the woman's flying sword, it did not dissipate. Instead, it seemed endless, continuing to sweep outward.

The woman's expression changed as she retreated several dozen feet.

"This guy..."

At this moment, her face no longer bore the ease and teasing from before, but was now filled with deep seriousness.

Before entering the secret realm, she had memorized the top ten outer disciples of the other three major factions, as reminded by Elder Song.

This person was clearly not among them, so how could his strength be so formidable!

Buzz~

While the woman was momentarily stunned.

Wang Jianqiang's attack descended once more.

A green light enveloped the woman, and a sword formation instantly took shape, trapping her within.

Her expression changed as she maneuvered her flying sword to attack the formation.

Boom!

The sword formation merely trembled slightly, then quickly stabilized.

"So sturdy!"

Her face changed again as she launched another attack.

The formation remained unscathed.

At this moment, her face finally showed a look of astonishment.

Having trapped the woman with the wood sword formation, Wang Jianqiang no longer paid attention to her.

He moved swiftly to catch Wang Yuyao, who was about to fall to the ground.

"Senior Brother..."

Seeing Wang Jianqiang, Wang Yuyao's bloodless face managed to squeeze out a faint smile.

But she was gravely injured.

Barely two words escaped her lips before her injuries flared up.

A large mouthful of blood spewed out, and her consciousness faded into darkness.

Wang Jianqiang's expression shifted as he pressed several acupoints on her body.

The residual power of the blood-burst pill within Wang Yuyao dissipated instantly, and her hair color returned to black.

He checked Wang Yuyao's injuries again, his heart sinking.

Wang Yuyao was already severely injured.

Taking the blood-burst pill had only worsened her condition.

Her body was on the brink of collapse.

He quickly took out a perfect Earth Yellow Pill and gave it to her.

His finger touched her chest, and spiritual power entered her body, helping her refine the medicinal power.

For injuries of this severity, an ordinary Earth Yellow Pill would be ineffective, but a perfect one could still have some effect.

As the medicinal power spread, her injuries were finally contained.

Wang Jianqiang breathed a sigh of relief, gave her another perfect Earth Yellow Pill, and let the pill's effects take their course. He then turned his gaze to the woman within the wood sword formation.

He recognized her.

A disciple of the Xuanqing Palace, ranked fourth among the outer disciples, Ye Qingxue.

Just then, he heard the sound of something breaking through the air from afar.

Turning his head to look.

At the edge of his vision, five figures were rapidly approaching.

In just a moment, they appeared on the battlefield.

When the five saw the woman trapped within the wood sword formation, they were all taken aback.

"Sister Qingxue is trapped, help her break free quickly!"

Before the words had even finished, they immediately attacked the wood sword formation.

The woman inside the formation, seeing reinforcements arrive, felt a surge of spirit.

She coordinated with the reinforcements outside to attack the wood sword formation.

Boom!

The wood sword formation trembled, and several cracks appeared.

"The formation is breaking, let's shatter it in one go!"

All six were simultaneously delighted.

Just as they were about to continue their attack, the wood sword formation flashed with green light, and the cracks vanished entirely.

Their faces stiffened.

"This formation has incredible regenerative abilities; forcibly breaking it seems unrealistic," Ye Qingxue said gravely.

Upon hearing this, the five seemed to realize something, and their gazes turned towards Wang Jianqiang.

"He is the one who set up this formation. Kill him, and the formation will break."

One person spoke with a sinister tone.

"Great idea!"

The other four's eyes lit up.

In the next moment, the five charged forward with murderous intent.

Ye Qingxue saw the five heading towards Wang Jianqiang, her expression changed, but she did not stop them.

Among the five, two were ranked in the top ten of the outer sect of Xuanqing Palace, while the other three were in the top twenty.

Together, their combined strength might not be weaker than hers.

Although this old man was strong, he had to divide his attention to maintain the formation. She didn't believe he could fight all of them at once.

Seeing the five figures rushing towards him, Wang Jianqiang's expression remained calm.

"The tenth and eighth of the outer sect of Xuanqing Palace, and three small fry who didn't even make it into the top ten~."

"Today, you have chosen the path of death."

Wang Jianqiang clenched his fist.

Golden sword energy appeared, but did not merge into the void.

Instead, it condensed on his fist.

At this moment, his fist became a golden sword formation!

Boom!

The void exploded.

Amidst the rampant golden sword energy, the five figures spewed blood and were sent flying out even faster.

"Impossible!"

Ye Qingxue was full of disbelief upon witnessing this scene.

Immediately, she seemed to realize something, and a look of horror flashed across her face, "Run, this person is unbeatable; he has reached the Third Turn of Spiritual Power!"

Third Turn of Spiritual Power!

Upon hearing Ye Qingxue's words, the five were shocked.

Without hesitation, they turned around to flee.

On the other side, Wang Jianqiang was momentarily stunned.

He had never heard of the Third Turn, and was somewhat puzzled about what this realm actually was.

But seeing the five about to escape, he could only temporarily suppress his curiosity.

He threw a punch.

Countless golden sword energies shot towards the five, completely engulfing them in an instant.

The five struggled to resist.

But the sword energy was simply too overwhelming, and in the end, they couldn't withstand it.

One by one, their bodies were pierced by the sword energy.

Moments later.

As the golden sword energy dissipated, the five were all dead.

Wang Jianqiang opened his hand, and the sword formation on his fist vanished.

His gaze shifted back to the Wood Sword Formation.

He pointed at the Wood Sword Formation.

The Earth Sword Formation merged with the Wood Sword Formation.

In an instant, the gravity within the formation increased dramatically.

Ye Qingxue cried out in surprise and was directly forced to the ground, unable to move.

Wang Jianqiang stepped forward, entering the sword formation.

Looking at Ye Qingxue lying on the ground, he said calmly, "Tell me, what is the Third Turn of Spiritual Power?"

Hearing Wang Jianqiang's words, Ye Qingxue was stunned.

He didn't know about the Third Turn of Spiritual Power?

Was he not at the Third Turn?

But if he wasn't, why was he so strong?

"Speak!"

Seeing Ye Qingxue not responding, Wang Jianqiang's face showed a hint of impatience.

Feeling the chill emanating from Wang Jianqiang, Ye Qingxue's heart trembled, and she quickly explained.

Not long after.

Wang Jianqiang's face revealed a look of realization.

The Third Turn of Spiritual Power is not actually a realm, but a stage leading to Foundation Establishment.

Foundation Establishment, simply put, is the process of transforming gaseous spiritual power into liquid spiritual power.

When cultivators reach the peak of Qi Refinement and wish to establish their foundation, they must compress their spiritual power.

Each compression is one turn.

Once one undergoes four compressions, spiritual power can completely liquefy, signifying that a cultivator leaps like a fish transforming into a dragon, thoroughly evolving into a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Thus, the third transformation realm is the utmost limit below Foundation Establishment.

Those who reach this realm, without exception, are figures standing at the pinnacle of the Qi Refining stage.

He had always been puzzled as to why Ye Lingyun, Bai Xiruo, and Mu Lingxi were so much stronger than ordinary cultivators, despite all being at the peak of Qi Refining.

Now, he finally understood.

They must have already embarked on the path of compressing spiritual power.

Having resolved his inner doubts, Wang Jianqiang glanced at Ye Qingxue.

A flicker of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

"I now offer you only two paths."

"Surrender, or... die!"