Godslayer: Reincarnated with SSS Rank Cultivation System-Chapter 151: It’s Qi

Those sapphire-blue eyes stared directly into his soul, cold and piercing, as if they could peel away every layer of his being and expose what lay hidden within. And if Wen Ran had known who this woman was... well, even then, he would have still cursed her to death.

The rage burning in his exhausted eyes knew no reason — no logic. All he could see was the Ice Spirit Lotus clutched delicately in her hand, and the overwhelming desire to take it back.

He wanted to rip her apart — tear her to pieces and reclaim what was his.

Even though he could tell just by sensing her presence that she was far stronger than him — most likely an expert whose power dwarfed his own — Wen Ran's heart refused to yield.

His spirit had been forged in the fires of time — tempered by pain, loss, and the endless struggle to survive. No matter how powerful she was, no matter how hopeless his chances seemed, he refused to let go.

"Give... it... back..." Wen Ran's voice came out strained and hoarse, barely louder than a whisper.

To the woman's eyes, he resembled a dying tiger — desperate, ragged, yet still baring its fangs, roaring weakly to protect its cub.

"Mysterious junior," the woman said softly, tilting her head with an almost playful air. "You wish for this flower in my hand?"

Her voice was sweet — melodic even — yet her frozen gaze betrayed no warmth. The slight tilt of her head made her look almost adorable, yet her presence was anything but.

If it had been anyone else standing before her, their heart would have frozen solid under the weight of her cold aura.

"Do I look like I'm playing around?!" Wen Ran growled, forcing himself to push off the snow. His legs trembled, and his body swayed, but still, he stood — barely.

"I need it," he rasped. "I need it... for my sister. She's dying... If I don't bring it back to her... and craft a pill... she won't make it."

His voice faltered, his expression darkened with pain — a masterful performance, painted with just the right amount of sadness and urgency.

He's a good liar… the woman mused, her eyes narrowing slightly.

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No... calling him just 'good' would be an insult. He's a master con artist... if I didn't already know who he was, I would've believed every word.

Her heart, slow and cold as a glacier drifting through the endless ocean, stirred just a little faster — not from sympathy, not from temptation, but from pure amusement.

This junior… this man standing before her with bloodshot eyes and trembling limbs... was entertaining. For the first time in ages, something had made her smile — even if just on the inside.

So this is Xiao Lingyun's disciple… she thought with quiet amusement.

She knew the flower was most likely meant for that old fool, Xiao Lingyun. But still, she wanted to test Wen Ran.

Even if she had ordered his death, she held no true malice toward him.

In fact… she was glad.

Glad that the stubborn old man had found himself such a remarkable disciple — someone who, despite being bruised, beaten, and exhausted, still stood like a raging storm, unwilling to break.

Perhaps... this world still has some fun left in it after all...

"Answer my riddle," the woman said, her voice as smooth and cold as frozen glass. "And perhaps... I'll give it to you. You know what? I'll even grant you a blessing of mine."

Her mysterious words lingered in the air like frost clinging to a windowpane — faint yet impossible to ignore.

Wen Ran chuckled coldly, the sound dry and bitter. Did she think he was a child? That he couldn't see through her icy mask and that emotionless face of lies?

Does she really expect me to believe this nonsense? he scoffed inwardly.

But for now, he decided to play along.

"Fine, senior," Wen Ran rasped, his voice laced with mock respect. "Enlighten me then..."

His steps faltered as he staggered forward, the snow dragging at his legs like chains. Yet still, he moved — each shaky step closing the distance between them. His crimson eyes, heavy with exhaustion yet still sharp as a blade, never left hers.

The woman's lips curled faintly — almost teasing — before her icy-blue eyes glimmered with something far more serious.

"I was born in silence yet live in sound.I rise with no form yet fill all around.I am broken yet never destroyed.I fall from the heavens yet never touch the ground. What am I?"

Wen Ran's tired eyes narrowed. His breath came in ragged bursts as he struggled to keep himself upright. His body screamed for rest, his mind clouded by exhaustion. Yet something about the riddle… was familiar…

Born in silence... lives in sound...

Rises with no form... fills all around...

His mind raced, turning over the words like stones in his palm.

Broken yet never destroyed... falls from the heavens... yet never touches the ground...

Then, it clicked — like the final piece of a shattered jade mirror snapping back into place.

Wen Ran's eyes flashed. "Qi."

The woman's gaze sharpened in response to his words, far faster than she'd meant to reveal. Too fast... she realized. She had expected him to hesitate — to ask for guidance, perhaps even beg for clues. Yet this junior... this exhausted, bleeding wreck of a man... answered without pause.

"What did you say?" Her voice held an edge now — one that barely masked her unease.

"It's Qi," Wen Ran repeated, his voice stronger now. "Born in silence — Qi exists in the stillness before cultivation begins. It lives in sound — the breath of life, the heartbeat, the whisper of meridians guiding spiritual energy. It rises with no form — formless yet present in every breath, every movement, every thought. It fills the world, yet has no physical shape."

His breathing slowed, his focus intensifying. "And Qi is broken yet never destroyed. No matter how many times a cultivator's dantian shatters, Qi never ceases to exist — it lingers in the air, waiting to be gathered again. As for the last part... 'falls from the heavens yet never touches the ground' — that's spiritual energy, descending like rain during breakthroughs, nourishing the body yet never seen or touched directly."

He paused, then added with a faint smirk, "But... that's only the surface. Qi doesn't just linger after destruction — it remembers. The stronger the cultivator's spirit, the more their Qi imprints itself onto the world, shaping it even after their death." He met her gaze with unwavering confidence. "I imagine that part didn't make it into your understanding yet, did it?"

The woman's icy expression faltered for the first time. Her brows twitched slightly — barely noticeable, yet unmistakable. For the briefest moment, she felt like a student being lectured — and she hated that feeling.

"You..." she muttered under her breath, almost in disbelief. "...you got it right."

Yet as she studied Wen Ran's ragged form, a new thought stirred in her mind.

No... the answer was 'echo'... but the truth I had never seen before... he understood it better than I did...