Chapter 89: 89 - Tempest secret realm (03) "Ugh..." Qingyi grunted as the beast unleashed all its Qi, its dark fur bristling and turning a deep blue as it backed away. Qingyi took two steps back, his sword trembling in his hand as he watched the giant lightning fox. Despite all the improvement of his bloodline placing him far above most ninth stage foundation realm cultivators, the difference between spirit beasts and humans was still too great. Unfortunately for the beast, Qingyi was also far superior to any ordinary human cultivator. His eyes flashed as he activated his draconic eyes, his body being covered by a thunderous cloak as he advanced, the steel platform shaking with every step he took. The fox did not stand still either. With a leap, it rose dozens of meters, hovering above Qingyi for a single moment before curling its legs and beginning to spin. Its body seemed to transform into a spear covered in thunder as it fell toward Qingyi, its jaws opening to reveal large, sharp teeth. Qingyi did not move or defend himself, and the creature’s eyes flashed as it finally reached him. It would enjoy that meal that he so humbly allowed himself to be devoured. Its colossal jaws closed around Qingyi’s torso, the platform sinking under the weight of its fall and a burst of dust spreading through the air. The spirit beast was waiting for the metallic, salty taste of human blood, which it hadn’t tasted in a long time. But that wasn’t what it tasted. A sharp pain shot through its jaw, and it felt its teeth shatter. The giant lightning fox roared in pain, its claws tearing at the ground as it tried to retreat, but Qingyi didn’t let it. His body was covered in black scales, only a slight scratch marking the spot where the fox had bitten. "You’re not going anywhere!" He growled as he grabbed its snout and thrust his sword into its neck. He showed no mercy, his sword Qi cutting through as his lightning Qi destroyed everything inside it. A gush of blood spurted from the beast’s half-open mouth as Qingyi’s sword finally reached its windpipe, bathing hin in crimson liquid rich in spiritual energy. After long moments of struggle, the beast finally succumbed to its injuries, its eyes becoming dull and its limbs limp. "Ah..." Qingyi sighed as he let the beast fall to the ground, looking at his clothes, now red with its blood. "Will I never come out of a battle clean?" He muttered, but soon shook his head. It was his fault and his fighting style. He could have come out of that battle much cleaner if he had simply fought in a more reserved manner. But well... what would be the fun in that? His eyes soon shifted from his clothes to his skin, still covered in dragon scales. The resistance was much greater than any armor he could buy in the system. He still didn’t have the arrogance to claim that he could withstand a blow from a golden core realm cultivator—the difference between the golden core and the foundation realm was too great—but he was very close to it. The idea of crossing an entire cultivation realm made his blood boil. If he reached that level, probably only the geniuses of the Nine Peaks Basin would be able to stand up to him. A slight creak snapped him out of his thoughts as the platform vibrated gently. At its center, he saw the ground opening up and a large gate slowly rising, still closed, small lines forming around it and flowing toward the center. ’This must be the waiting time Laosan spoke of...’ Qingyi scratched his chin. He was about to walk toward the gate when he remembered something. His eyes focused on the beast’s corpse, and he felt the Qi-rich blood burning on his skin, no longer protected by the black dragon’s scales. Now that he had a spatial ring, he no longer needed to leave these good things behind. The giant lightning fox was a high-quality beast, far superior to the giant horned wolf he had killed for Lord Zhang. They were so rare and hunted that even one in the foundation realm like this could be worth a fortune. Of course, it didn’t have much use for Qingyi himself, but for an alchemist like Hua Feiyan, a body like that fox’s would be a gift from the heavens. Qingyi raised his index finger, the space ring sucking the corpse inside. Time did not pass in his inner space, so he did not need to worry about anything spoiling. ’I wonder if this will be enough as an apology gift for her...’ Qingyi thought. ’No, it’s not even close...’ He concluded. Knowing her well, he knew that she would probably use that corpse to make pills for him, not for herself. How could something like that be a worthy payment? His thoughts were soon diverted from the tanned beauty as he sensed dozens of auras approaching on the horizon. He walked calmly and sat above the gate. A few moments later, a crowd of foundation realm cultivators appeared, divided into three distinct groups. Luckily, Young Master Shen was not among them. Qingyi did not want to deal with the arrogant young master, at least not yet. The watchful eyes of the foundation realm cultivators scanned the black steel platform, searching for the spirit beast. But they found nothing but pools of blood and a handsome young man sitting casually on the gate, bathed in crimson liquid. Their faces were filled with confusion as the more powerful ones sensed Qingyi’s cultivation. Third stage of the foundation realm... That fox should be at least in the eighth stage of the foundation realm. How could she be defeated by someone like this? ’Six in the ninth stage of the foundation realm, fifteen in the eighth stage... the rest are trash.’ Qingyi thought as he studied them. A cold smile took over his face as he questioned them, "Are you all going to come at once? Or would you rather line up to die?"