The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

"However, now is not the right time to kill Wu Chunshan," Lin Qian said with a mischievous smile. "That guy still has his uses. Besides, letting him die so easily would be too merciful, considering what he did to my master."

When mentioning Wei Wushuang, Lin Qian's eyes gleamed with cold light. "My master suffered a lot because of him back then."

Recalling those days, Lin Qian couldn't forget how Wei Wushuang would tremble and break out in cold sweats due to the pain while teaching him. The pain would sometimes be so intense that it would cause him to pass out. Eventually, he would be left lying weakly on his bed, his hair completely white, waiting for death.

If not for the miracle that was the rise of the Hua Xia Empire, his master would have succumbed to his fate.

Lin Qian clearly remembered that Wei Wushuang once told him how, when he left Yunhai Sect, Wu Chunshan had pretended to send him off with kind words. But when they were alone, Wu Chunshan revealed the truth with smug satisfaction, boasting that he wanted Wei Wushuang to know the truth yet be powerless to stop him, leaving him to die slowly.

Wu Chunshan wanted to torment Wei Wushuang, both physically and mentally.

Now, it was time for Lin Qian to start collecting some interest on that debt.

"Not seeing me?" Outside the residence, Wu Chunshan, who had come with Du Ziyue, was stunned by Zhang Nianxin's response.

Wu Chunshan had already prepared himself for whatever humiliations Lin Qian might impose or whatever unfair conditions he might demand. But what he didn't expect was that Lin Qian wouldn't even agree to meet him.

"That doesn't make sense..." Wu Chunshan was bewildered by Lin Qian's response.

Wouldn't Lin Qian want to flaunt his power and make his former enemy kneel and beg?

"He asked me to tell you that there's plenty of time, and he'll take his time to deal with you. As for meeting him, you're not qualified. Don't even think about running away—if you do, Young Master Li will immediately send Carefree Sect's people after you to end your life," Zhang Nianxin said, ignoring Wu Chunshan's ashamed and angry expression. He turned and returned to the residence, the gate closing behind him with a loud thud.

Standing before the tightly shut gate, Wu Chunshan felt a deep sense of humiliation.

The disciple of Wei Wushuang didn't even think he was worth meeting.

Wu Chunshan's plan had been to present himself humbly and hope Lin Qian would show some mercy due to his youth. If that failed, he had considered fleeing.

But Lin Qian hadn't even given him the chance to beg for mercy. He wasn't killing him outright, either—he wanted to toy with him, promising to drag it out.

The thought sent chills down Wu Chunshan's spine. He realized Lin Qian was far more dangerous than he had anticipated.

"Is he planning to torture me for his amusement before finally killing me when he gets bored?" Standing at the gate of the Eastern Branch Clan's residence, Wu Chunshan was paralyzed by fear, his protective soul energy fluctuating wildly. "Don't push me, kid."

With that, Wu Chunshan left with Du Ziyue.

What Wu Chunshan didn't know was that Zhang Nianxin had been watching him the entire time from just inside the gate.

Through a formation, Zhang Nianxin could see the scene outside, though Wu Chunshan couldn't see inside.

"Has he left?" Lin Qian, who had quietly approached, asked as he looked toward the gate.

Zhang Nianxin nodded and turned to Lin Qian. "Your Majesty, I'm a bit puzzled. Why not just have Young Master Li order his people to take him out? Why bother tormenting him? What if you push him too far and he does something desperate?"

"Desperate?"

"What if he goes to Linhai Prefecture, kidnaps someone you care about, and tries to use them against you, or takes out his anger on them? Your Majesty mentioned that while the Hua Xia Empire is strong, it's not yet at full power," Zhang Nianxin said, his concern evident.

Seeing Zhang Nianxin's worried expression, Lin Qian reassured him, "If he tries that, I couldn't be happier."

"Ah?" Zhang Nianxin was stunned by Lin Qian's unexpected response.

"Back when my master was still in Yunhai Sect, despite his incredible talent and contributions to the sect, they abandoned him the moment he was poisoned and left with no future. Just because he was destined to die, they discarded him like trash, without a shred of loyalty or compassion. I imagine that under such a cold-hearted sect, the people of Yunhai Prefecture must be suffering as well. So, I'm pushing him, forcing him to act rashly. That way, I'll have a reason to go to war, wipe out Yunhai Sect, and bring Yunhai Prefecture under the rule of the Hua Xia Empire."

"If not for Yunhai Prefecture, why would I even bother with someone like Wu Chunshan? What qualifications does he have to be worth my time?"

Hearing Lin Qian's explanation, Zhang Nianxin finally understood and chuckled. "Well, I can't say I have much affection for Yunhai Sect either. Wiping them out sounds like a good plan. When the time comes, our Eastern Branch Clan will be there to help."

With that, Lin Qian turned and returned to his room to continue his cultivation.

Although the Soul Qi in his dantian was abundant, it still wasn't refined enough. If he attempted a breakthrough in the midst of battle, it might not go smoothly.

So before any intense fighting began, Lin Qian needed to further purify his Soul Qi.

Although the Treasure Betting Conference would take place during the Clan Tournament, it wouldn't start until later rounds, so he didn't need to worry about it just yet.

For now, his focus was on using the tournament to improve his strength.

The Clan Tournament continued at a steady pace, taking an entire month to complete the first round of matches.

During this month, those who chose to focus on cultivation saw no significant changes in their strength. But for Lin Qian and his group, after a month of watching the matches, debating, and analyzing, their combat abilities had noticeably improved by a full ten percent.

This level of improvement in such a short time was something they never would have imagined before.

The next day marked the beginning of the second round, and the matches promised to be far more intense than the first round.

As they anticipated the upcoming matches, Zhang Zide and the others couldn't help but wonder how much their combat abilities would improve after watching the second round.

After parting ways, Lin Qian returned to the Eastern Branch Clan's residence as usual.

But as he approached the entrance, he noticed Zhang Nianxin waiting for him, accompanied by a familiar figure in a white dress. Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled at him.

Lin Qian's face lit up with joy, and he quickly rushed over to embrace her.