Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1558: 825: Erasure_2

Master Liu Ziyun shivered inwardly as Li Shiming shot him a quick look.

It was clear that Master Liu Ziyun had leaked the news of Master Wang He and Master Yan Gao's capture by Li Shiming, prompting the two mighty sects to urge Central State Commerce to step in.

“It makes no difference if you take the message or ignore it. I'm only relaying it. Truth is, we prefer not to see those two top experts from the White Emperor Sect and Yuqing Sect walk away breathing. Over the last thousand years, the White Emperor Sect and Yuqing Sect have stirred up too much trouble—it's high time they got reined in!” Spotting Li Shiming's possible irritation, Liu Ziyun hurriedly explained.

Li Shiming wasn't truly upset; he'd figured out Central State Commerce's true colors after dealing with them several times before.

This group would peddle any secret for the right price, a classic merchant move. You could only do business with such an outfit, never count on them as allies.

Li Shiming viewed Central State Commerce purely as a business contact, always staying alert and guarded in their dealings.

“Forget about those two—no need to dwell on it. Sparing their lives came from a sudden flash of insight during my seclusion!” Li Shiming dismissed with a wave of his hand.

The two mighty sects had probably sent word to reclaim their top experts because the pair had survived for fifty days.

Believing Li Shiming might have some scheme in mind, the sects had tasked Central State Commerce with probing the situation.

This kind of request surely involved offering compensation, leaving it up to Li Shiming to reply.

Yet Li Shiming had zero plans to release those two top experts. He'd witnessed the terror of a half-step great power firsthand and refused to unleash two budding threats into the world.

On top of that, the soul crystal rings carried by those two top experts held treasures worth far more than any ransom the sects might propose; he wasn't about to trade a huge prize for scraps.

“I'll take my leave then and not impose further!” Master Liu Ziyun took the initiative to depart.

Being around Li Shiming right now left him on edge, a sensation that only arose in the face of overwhelming might.

Usually, with Li Shiming suppressing his presence, he appeared no different from your average great cultivator, but recalling Li Shiming's horrifying feats made it impossible for Master Liu Ziyun to see him as ordinary.

The reports from the White Emperor Sect and Yuqing Sect made it even clearer: those two mighty sects had no desire to clash with Li Shiming again. Even after he'd locked away their top experts, they merely asked Central State Commerce to broker a deal.

This flew in the face of how those sects normally operated, since both the White Emperor Sect and Yuqing Sect were notoriously overbearing.

Take the White Emperor Sect's feud with Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion—they dug in their heels relentlessly, taking heavy hits but revealing their unyielding nature.

As for the Yuqing Sect, their Thunder Cultivators wielded thunder techniques that fueled their explosive tempers. Plus, Thunder Cultivators, much like Sword Cultivators, boasted battle prowess that outstripped typical superpower experts, always pushing for total enemy wipeouts.

Now, these two mighty sects displayed utter helplessness against Li Shiming, a sight that stunned Master Liu Ziyun to his core.

Naturally, if Master Liu Ziyun learned of Li Shiming's actual exploits, he'd grasp exactly why the White Emperor Sect and Yuqing Sect acted so cautiously.

A great cultivator who had felled a half-step great power—such a legend had no precedent in the cultivation world's annals. Li Shiming's fighting power stood supreme today, unbeatable without a true great power's involvement.

This genius had risen as a powerhouse brimming with limitless promise, one no one dared challenge.

This instance proved it: the two sects opted to use Central State Commerce as a buffer to ease tensions with Li Shiming.

Even if the Yuqing Sect's great powers yearned to reclaim the ‘Shenxiao Thunder Pearl’, that wasn't on the table now—it would only come up if Li Shiming ventured to the West Yan Continent. Making foes of him at this point would be unwise.

After seeing Master Liu Ziyun off, Li Shiming headed back into Taichu Cave Heaven.

He summoned the late-stage Golden Corpse to fetch the two top experts, who had recovered a bit of vitality thanks to the ‘Innate Wood’ divine skill's healing.

“What about Uncle Yang Xing?” Master Wang He, mustering enough energy to speak, demanded right away.

“Uncle Yang Xing? Do you mean the half-step great power?” Li Shiming paused briefly before answering.

From the look in Master Wang He's eyes, he confirmed it. With full restraints binding him, even nodding proved difficult.

“He's dead. Thanks for sharing his name—I'll honor the first half-step great power to fall by my hand!” Li Shiming went on.

“No way, that's a lie—you're making it up!” Master Wang He's eyes bulged as he fixed them on Li Shiming.

Though his body couldn't show his rage, the red veins in his eyes betrayed his turmoil.

“Impossible doesn't exist. His grotto heaven was tiny, by the way. Ah, I haven't even inspected his leftovers yet!” Li Shiming remarked with a grin.

A flick of his wrist brought forth the ‘Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer’.

One glimpse of the ‘Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer’ convinced Master Wang He of Li Shiming's claim, no other evidence required.

While all ‘Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammers’ shared a similar look, Yuqing Sect cultivators could sense their unique essences.

This particular ‘Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer’ bore the long-infused aura of half-step great power Yang Xing.

As Yang Xing's life-bound magic weapon, reclaiming the ‘Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer’ without the owner's willing handover signaled the owner's end.

Master Wang He, though taken alive, had kept his life-bound magic weapon ‘Heavenly Strike Thunder Hammer’ safe inside his Nascent Soul, along with the soul crystal ring, sustained by his remaining energy.

“Mr. Wang, perhaps you could reveal the Yuqing Sect's full might—how many half-step great powers and great powers does it hold?” Li Shiming, noting Master Wang He's profound shock, laced his question with a subtle seductive tone.

The death of half-step great power Yang Xing had shattered Master Wang He's spirit, and Li Shiming's coaxing words drew on the ‘Telepathy’ technique.

Just as Li Shiming spotted the glazing over in Master Wang He's gaze, expecting victory, a spark ignited and cleared Master Wang He's eyes like a jolt.

“Ah, so that's your game—forget it, I'll never spill!” Master Wang He burst into laughter.

His chuckles faded to silence, and with them, his vital signs extinguished.

“Well, that's a surprise—Y uqing Sect's secrets are guarded by oaths after all!” Through ‘Telepathy’, Li Shiming detected the oath's distinct energy ripple the moment Master Wang He's eyes sharpened.

Master Wang He had tapped into the oath's special power to take his own life.

Li Shiming admired the Yuqing Sect's clever safeguards. For key cultivators snared by foes, when resistance failed, bonds held firm, and even self-destruction seemed out of reach, just broaching sect secrets triggered the oath's force.

Via that oath energy, despite lacking access to body or Nascent Soul abilities, a cultivator could still end it all.

As a desperate measure, though few possessed the will to die, this oath's energy proved so odd that even the mere intent to betray sect secrets led to instant obliteration.

Li Shiming turned to the remaining top expert. Yan Gao Great Cultivator, having overheard Li Shiming's exchange with Master Wang He, caught on to the ploy. Without a second thought, Yan Gao Great Cultivator triggered the oath energy and ended his life.