Chapter 287 First and Second

The room fell silent.

Lang Tuyet’s eyes shifted slightly.

Behind Hao Nhien, Lanh Hoa’s hand had already moved unconsciously toward his sword.

Hao Nhien did not react immediately.

He studied the man before him, trying to determine whether Earth Two was joking or truly intended to take the bow.

Nothing changed in the man’s expression.

After a moment, Hao Nhien answered slowly,

“I have no reason to hand something over simply because another person wants it.”

Earth Two was silent.

Then he laughed.

“You think you can keep it?”

Hao Nhien did not answer.

Earth Two watched him a little longer.

The smile gradually faded.

“That is not something you should possess.”

The instant the words left his mouth, invisible pressure filled the room.

Hao Nhien immediately felt his body grow heavy.

No True Qi struck him directly.

No technique appeared.

No visible attack took shape.

But the surrounding space itself seemed to become heavier, forcing every breath to require more effort.

Hao Nhien quietly circulated True Qi to stabilize himself.

He quickly discovered that it made almost no difference.

The pressure was far beyond what he could currently resist.

Worse, after using the Ancient Bow at sea, the True Qi in his dantian had still not fully recovered.

His previously injured meridians had only partially stabilized.

If Earth Two continued increasing the pressure, Hao Nhien did not know how long he could remain standing.

Lanh Hoa shifted one foot behind him.

His hand tightened around his sword.

Hao Nhien immediately stopped him with a glance.

The opponent was too strong.

If Lanh Hoa attacked recklessly, it would accomplish nothing except making the situation more dangerous.

Earth Two appeared to notice.

He paid no attention.

His gaze remained on Hao Nhien.

“Have you thought it through?”

Hao Nhien steadied his breathing.

Then slowly answered,

“If you want the bow, you should at least give me a reason.”

Earth Two’s smile deepened slightly.

“You think you are qualified to demand one?”

The pressure immediately increased.

Pain spread through Hao Nhien’s still-unhealed meridians.

The Golden Core trembled repeatedly.

His blood and Qi began losing stability.

He clenched his teeth.

Did not step back.

Lang Tuyet moved beside him.

“Enough.”

Her voice was not loud.

But it cut cleanly through the silence.

Earth Two looked toward her.

Lang Tuyet stood level with Hao Nhien.

Her expression was serious.

“We came here at the invitation of the Earth Spirit Merchant Association.”

“If you have questions, we can sit down and speak.”

She met his gaze directly.

“There is no need to greet invited guests with pressure.”

Earth Two did not answer immediately.

His gaze remained on Lang Tuyet longer than before.

It was almost as though he were studying something.

After a while, he said,

“You are interesting as well.”

Lang Tuyet narrowed her eyes.

“What do you mean?”

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“There is something unusual about you.”

The indifference in Earth Two’s expression gradually gave way to curiosity.

“Not something I often encounter in Sea City.”

“But…”

He stopped.

“Earth Spirit has seen something similar before.”

Hao Nhien noticed Lang Tuyet’s hand tighten slightly at those words.

Her gaze darkened for an instant.

Then returned to normal.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

Earth Two smiled faintly.

The invisible pressure shifted.

Part of it moved away from Hao Nhien and settled over Lang Tuyet.

Hao Nhien saw her shoulders sink slightly.

Even so, she did not retreat.

He immediately stepped half a pace forward and positioned himself in front of her.

Earth Two raised one eyebrow.

“You want to take it for her?”

Hao Nhien answered evenly,

“The bow is my matter.”

Earth Two said nothing.

The next instant, almost all the pressure in the room concentrated upon Hao Nhien.

It felt as though an entire mountain had suddenly fallen onto his shoulders.

His knees sank immediately.

True Qi inside his dantian was shaken.

The Golden Core trembled violently.

Meridian branches that Lang Tuyet’s pill had only recently soothed erupted with burning pain.

Hao Nhien tried to stabilize his breathing.

Within only several breaths, the taste of blood rose in his throat.

He swallowed it back.

His face rapidly paled.

Only now did Hao Nhien truly understand the distance between himself and the man standing before him.

Earth Two had not used a technique.

Had not drawn an artifact.

One thought alone was enough to nearly rob Hao Nhien of his ability to circulate True Qi normally.

If Earth Two truly wanted him dead, Hao Nhien had almost no ability to resist in his current condition.

But that did not mean he had no choices at all.

In those few moments, a series of possibilities crossed Hao Nhien’s mind.

He had surrendered valuable possessions before when faced with people overwhelmingly stronger than himself.

There was no reason to throw away his life merely for an artifact.

More importantly, the bow had some connection to the Earth Spirit Merchant Association and had been placed in his hands through Lang Tuyet.

If there truly were no alternative, surrendering it to preserve everyone’s lives was not impossible.

The problem was that he still did not know what Earth Two actually wanted.

If the man only wanted the bow, perhaps negotiation remained possible.

But if he took the bow and still refused to let them leave, handing it over willingly would amount to surrendering his final means of resistance.

Hao Nhien silently evaluated what remained available.

The Hoa Ky Jade could reduce some of the pressure suppressing his body.

Enough, perhaps, to create a single instant in which he could move.

Fury could forcibly raise his combat ability.

But with his current injuries, the price would be even more unpredictable.

Then there was the mysterious bow.

He had personally witnessed its terrifying power.

But after firing it once at sea, he also understood that using it again would be far from simple.

And finally—

The Cosmic Ark.

If he could create even the smallest opening, he would immediately bring everyone inside the Ark and attempt to escape.

He did not know whether such a method could deceive a cultivator like Earth Two.

But it was still preferable to standing here and allowing another person to decide their fate.

All these thoughts passed within only a few breaths.

Hao Nhien knew he had to decide before Earth Two increased the pressure again.

Once he completely lost the ability to circulate True Qi, no plan would matter.

His gaze gradually became decisive.

He quietly activated the Hoa Ky Jade.

The jade trembled within him.

A gentle warmth spread through his body.

The chaotic fluctuations in his meridians eased slightly.

Earth Two’s pressure remained.

But Hao Nhien could concentrate again.

He raised his left hand.

The ancient dark bow appeared.

Earth Two’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Hao Nhien ignored the reaction.

His right hand slowly moved toward the bow.

The arrow-shaped pattern that had appeared after his previous shot was still becoming clearer along its surface.

The moment his fingertips touched the carving, an extremely faint fluctuation traveled into his hand.

Hao Nhien’s attention sharpened.

He immediately gripped that section of the bow.

Before he could investigate further, the pressure from Earth Two forced him to concentrate on remaining upright.

He did not know whether another arrow could be summoned.

Nor whether his current body could draw the bow again.

But if every path of retreat was blocked, he would not sit still and allow someone else to determine what happened to them.

The Hoa Ky Jade trembled once more.

At that exact moment, a voice sounded inside the room.

“Enough.”

The voice was not loud.

It carried no overwhelming pressure.

Yet everyone immediately turned toward it.

At the same time, the force crushing Hao Nhien vanished.

The change happened so quickly that he momentarily froze.

The Hoa Ky Jade still radiated faint warmth.

But the enormous weight that had made it almost impossible to circulate his meridians had disappeared completely.

Hao Nhien did not immediately put away the bow.

He slowly turned toward the voice.

A middle-aged man in pale robes stood beside the door.

No obvious spiritual pressure came from him.

No remarkable power fluctuation surrounded him.

Hao Nhien had no idea when the man had arrived.

He could not tell whether he had just entered or had been standing there watching for some time.

But Earth Three’s reaction immediately made one thing clear.

This newcomer was anything but ordinary.

Earth Three bowed deeply.

“First Master.”

Earth Two had also turned.

He did not appear surprised.

He merely glanced once more at the bow in Hao Nhien’s hand.

Then slowly allowed his smile to fade.

Earth One looked toward Earth Two.

“Testing people again?”

His voice was mild.

As though he had seen this many times before.

Earth Two chuckled.

“This one was somewhat interesting.”

“What did you see?”

Earth Two did not answer immediately.

His gaze passed over the bow.

Then dropped toward Hao Nhien’s right hand, still gripping the arrow-shaped marking along its body.

“What I needed to see.”

Earth One studied him.

“Is that enough?”

The two men faced each other silently.

At last, Earth Two exhaled.

“Enough.”

He looked at Hao Nhien for another moment.

His gaze briefly passed over the bow.

Then he smiled.

He made no further demand that Hao Nhien surrender it.

He simply turned and left the room, as though what had just happened no longer deserved his attention.

Hao Nhien slowly loosened his hand from the bow.

He still had no idea what Earth Two had been trying to determine through that confrontation.

Nor what the man had seen at the moment Hao Nhien prepared to resist.

But now that the confrontation had ended, Hao Nhien had no desire to provoke him again.

He stored the bow.

Quietly stabilized his aura.

Then turned toward Earth One.

Earth One had watched Earth Two leave.

He did not speak immediately.

After a while, he slowly turned back.

“Return to your work.”

Earth Three cupped his hands at once.

“Yes, First Master.”

Those stationed outside also withdrew to their positions.

The room became quieter.

Earth One looked at Hao Nhien.

Then Lang Tuyet.

His gaze remained on her briefly.

But unlike Earth Two, he showed neither surprise nor obvious curiosity.

Finally, his attention returned to Hao Nhien.

“You have had a difficult journey.”

Hao Nhien did not answer immediately.

He had not fully recovered from the pressure.

But he did not want to reveal more than necessary.

Earth One seemed unconcerned.

His eyes moved toward the painting on the wall.

“I imagine you have many questions.”

Hao Nhien followed his gaze.

Beside him, Lang Tuyet also looked toward the painting once more.

Hao Nhien noticed her expression darken faintly.

This time, however, she quickly looked away.

Earth One withdrew his gaze.

Then walked toward another door inside the room.

“Come with me.”

He paused.

Turned back toward the three of them.

“Some matters are not suitable to discuss here.”

Hao Nhien looked toward Lang Tuyet.

She nodded slightly.

Lanh Hoa remained behind them.

His posture had relaxed only a little.

Hao Nhien did not hesitate further.

He followed Earth One through the newly opened door.

A quiet corridor stretched ahead.

Faint spiritual patterns ran along both stone walls.

Earth One walked at the front, neither fast nor slow, seemingly unconcerned by the questions accumulating in the minds of his guests.

Hao Nhien watched the man’s back.

Then involuntarily thought of the bow.

He had carried it across the Sea Region.

Used it against a creature powerful enough to silence an entire battlefield.

And still did not know what it truly was.

Perhaps the man walking ahead of him knew the answer.