"It's not that I'm trying to cause trouble," Zhang Menglong helplessly spread his hands, "I really have no choice but to ask for your help, otherwise I might end up as an idiot!"

Qi Congyun glanced at Honghe and Mu Yifeng and couldn't help but roll his eyes, "You brat, every time you cause trouble, you somehow manage to provoke a Dao Realm expert. You're really giving me a lot to deal with!"

"Who might you be, and are you planning to intervene in our Hong Yun Empire's internal affairs?"

The appearance of Qi Congyun immediately put Honghe and Mu Yifeng on alert. Although the aura emanating from Qi Congyun was of the same level as theirs, even among First-grade Dao Realm cultivators, there's a vast difference in strength between individuals.

The so-called Dao Realm is when one comprehends a path to an exceptionally profound degree, and this path is related to the awakening of their Divine Vein.

In the early stages of cultivation, having several Divine Veins is highly beneficial. It aids martial artists in faster accumulation, and those with multiple Divine Veins experience exponential growth compared to other martial artists.

However, this advantage completely disappears when advancing to the Dao Realm!

Comprehending the Dao is immensely challenging. Many people spend their entire lives comprehending just one Dao. Even for a strong fighter with multiple Divine Veins, most choose one path to comprehend, as even just one Dao could take a lifetime.

To comprehend several paths simultaneously requires multiple times the effort and time. However, once a few paths are comprehended, a cultivator will be several times stronger than other Dao Realm experts at the same level!

To date, it is exceedingly rare for someone to comprehend more than two paths and breakthrough to the Dao Realm. Records show that, at most, there was one strong fighter with five Divine Veins who comprehended three paths, and this strong fighter is now the Hall Master of the Divine Profound Hall in the superpower.

Of course, countless geniuses with great ambition have emerged along the way. To comprehend the Dao, one must do so before breaking through to the Dao Realm. Once the Dao Realm is attained, World Force limits their perception of other paths, making it nearly impossible to comprehend them post-breakthrough.

Once, there was a genius with seven Divine Veins. Since childhood, he was a legend across the continent. He had gifts, ambition, and his goal was to comprehend seven paths before advancing to the Dao Realm!

If he truly accomplished this, he would become the strongest person on the continent, without peer!

However, even he struggled immensely on the path of Dao comprehension. It took him 200 years to comprehend the first path; by then, he could fully advance to the Dao Realm and become an eternally enduring Dao Realm expert.

But he gave up this opportunity; he chose to stop advancing and continued to comprehend the Dao.

The second path took him 500 years!

By this time, he was already stronger than 99% of Dao Realm experts on this continent!

Yet he still chose to continue!

The third path took him 800 years, the fourth path, a full 2000 years, and the fifth path a staggering 5000 years!

For a Divine Cultivator at the peak level, the lifespan was merely 10,000 years. His ambition had become an obsession. Until the day he died of old age, he never truly broke through to the Dao Realm. He could have lived forever, having comprehended five paths, and could completely replace the current Hall Master of the Divine Profound Hall. But because of this inexplicable obsession, his story could only become a regrettable legend.

The reason Qi Congyun could single-handedly take on that Second-grade Dao Realm Warcraft is precisely because he is a Dao Realm strong fighter who comprehended two Daos!

Among Dao Realm strong fighters, there is a certain degree of sense. Honghe and Mu Yifeng clearly felt the difference in Qi Congyun compared to the two of them!

"This person is not simple!"

...

"How should I address you two?" Qi Congyun asked.

"Royal Family of the Hong Yun Empire, Honghe!"

"Mu Family of the Hong Yun Empire, Mu Yifeng!"

The two were prominent figures in the entire Hong Yun Empire, representing its face.

"I am Qi Congyun from the Sunset Sect. I owe this kid a favor," Qi Congyun said, "I hope the two of you can give me some face and not bother with this little guy!"

The two exchanged glances, immediately seeing the deep concern on each other's faces. Regardless of Qi Congyun's strength, just his position as an elder of the Sunset Sect made them extremely apprehensive.

Even though the Sunset Sect is the weakest of the eighteen sects, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse; their Hong Yun Empire can't afford to offend Qi Congyun.

"How did this kid get so lucky to not only be associated with a core disciple of the Sunset Sect but now even have an elder come to help him!"

"This time, it seems the Hong Yun Empire will have to concede. They can't afford to provoke the Sunset Sect, can they? Looks like this matter will end without consequences."

"This Gu Tianle is really remarkable!"

...

"Since Elder Qi has spoken, of course we will give you face," Honghe said, "I will overlook the matter of this kid taking away Yang'er, but he has given Yang'er some unknown poison. As long as he hands over the antidote, we will leave immediately, without any future reprisals!"

"Young Gu!" Qi Congyun turned to look at Zhang Menglong, "Does this settlement work for you?"

"No!" Zhang Menglong directly refused Qi Congyun bluntly, "I have no interest in their measly lives, but they owe me 260 trillion. If they don't repay my losses, I will not let this matter rest!"

"260 trillion?" Even Qi Congyun was startled by this number. As an elder of the Sunset Sect, he never possessed such a colossal fortune in his life; even for the entire Sunset Sect, this wasn't a small sum.

"You two seniors," Zhang Menglong said, "I'm generous; I will overlook their causing trouble for me. You can take your people and leave!"

"No way! Grandfather, you must make him hand over the antidote!" Mu Xiang immediately became anxious.

"Kid, did you really give them poison?" Qi Congyun asked.

"Yes," Zhang Menglong laughed, "It's my specially made Ten Thousand Insect Divine Prison Pill. It goes through 28 special processes, simmered on gentle martial fires for 12 hours each with my secret sauce. Just hearing it would make kids drool..."

"Get to the point!"

"Anyway, I'm the only one who knows the antidote," Zhang Menglong glanced at the time, "There's probably only half a day left before the poison takes effect. We might even make it to the exam before the banquet!"

"How about giving me face and handing over the antidote?" Qi Congyun tentatively asked.

"Come on, old man, are you here to help me or them?" Zhang Menglong was speechless, "I'm okay with giving the antidote, but only if they repay what they owe me!"

"Well, I didn't say anything. I have no money!" Qi Congyun rolled his eyes.

"You've heard it," Qi Congyun said, "This kid doesn't want to give the antidote, so I have no way to help. You can think of other methods, but if you hurt him, I'll step in."

"Are you trying to ruin the relationship between the Sunset Sect and the Hong Yun Empire?" The two's expressions were getting increasingly unpleasant. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"I have no such intention," Qi Congyun said, "All my actions are my own will and have no relation to the Sunset Sect. Please don't associate them."

"But even if I wanted to ruin the relationship between the Sunset Sect and your Hong Yun Empire," Qi Congyun showed a playful smile, "What can you do to me?"