I Stepped on a Bug, and the System Says I Slayed a Dragon?

“Is this what you call respecting your elders?”

Qi Qingshan couldn’t help but find it amusing. Seeing Liu Wushuang’s awkward predicament, he couldn’t hold back a smile.

He had just finished lecturing about honoring one’s master, only to be proven wrong moments later.

A resounding slap in the face, at that!

It was utterly absurd.

“Well, you saw him. He was being respectful before, wasn’t he?”

Liu Wushuang stared at Qin Yang, momentarily stunned. But he wasn’t angry. On the contrary, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

’Having this kind of fire is a good thing!’

’Before I came here, I was worried.’

’I was worried that the Arrow God’s death would have crushed his spirit, leaving him dejected and a shadow of his former self.’

’But thank goodness!’

’The boy hasn’t changed much. He’s still the same as ever.’

“Ahem.”

Liu Wushuang breathed a sigh of relief, flicking his sleeves to cover his awkwardness before getting straight to the point.

“Qin, we brought you here with no ill intent. We simply wish to invite your elders for a discussion. If you have a means of communication, please summon them.”

“Invite my elders?”

Hearing this, Qin Yang let out a resigned laugh and glanced around the sealed room. “You had the Star Martial Police Bureau intervene, going to all this trouble, just to put a junior like me under house arrest…”

’Is this your way of extending an invitation?!’

“If that’s why you two are here, then you might as well leave! My sect has strict orders, and I’m afraid this junior cannot obey.”

With that, Qin Yang cupped his hands apologetically, then simply sat down cross-legged with his back to them, showing no intention of backing down.

’They imprison me without a word and still expect to get information out of me?’

’Is this how you ask for a favor?’

’In your dreams!’

“Qin! Don’t be stubborn!”

Seeing this, Liu Wushuang’s heart sank, and he quickly said:

“The things involved in this matter are far more complex than you can imagine. Even if you’re from a Hidden Sect, you need to at least send word.”

“Even… just having a Speaker come forward would be enough!”

Liu Wushuang was burning with anxiety and began to back down.

’I know Qin’s temper, but I have my own duties to attend to.’

’Before we came, the Alliance Leader gave us a strict order!’

’We must find the sect behind the Jianghai Sword God!’

’My hands are tied now. I have to find a way to get Qin to budge, even just a little. Otherwise, if my colleague here makes a move, things will get messy…’

’This is going to be difficult.’

Liu Wushuang glanced at Qi Qingshan beside him.

This colleague from the Alliance cultivated Sword Intent, specializing in the Dao of slaughter.

His methods were relentlessly aggressive.

It was a direct clash with Qin Yang’s own fiery nature!

’A clash between those two…’

’…would be far more brutal than I could imagine!’

“Qin, your sect has many hidden experts,” Liu Wushuang repeated. “As long as one of them is willing to show themselves, we can discuss anything. Rewards, promises… you only need to ask.”

“Rewards?”

Qin Yang’s expression didn’t change, but he rolled his eyes internally.

’This little good cop, bad cop routine of threats and promises won’t work on me.’

So he turned to face them again, once more cupping his hands in a formal gesture.

“Please, you two should leave. My stance has not changed. The sect’s rules are strict and absolutely cannot be disrespected.”

“You really won’t talk?”

Just then, Qi Qingshan spoke up from the side, his eyes cold as he dropped all pretense of courtesy.

“Wushuang may have a rapport with you, and he may be accommodating, but that doesn’t mean I’m so friendly that I’ll waste time bantering with you.”

He continued in a heavy tone,

“Business is business. We *will* see your elders today!”

“Seniors, please leave.”

Hearing this, Qin Yang stubbornly repeated himself, maintaining his cupped-hand posture, neither servile nor overbearing.

“The sect’s orders are absolute!”

As his words fell, the room fell completely silent. The night wind stirred the window curtains.

From the city in the distance, the faint cries of “Release the Sword God’s eldest disciple!” could be heard.

The night was fraught with unrest.

Liu Wushuang and Qi Qingshan looked at each other, dismayed. They never imagined that after all this back-and-forth, their efforts would still be fruitless.

Tough!

He was just too damn tough!

“As expected of a disciple from the Sword God Sect.”

Qi Qingshan shot Liu Wushuang a look and transmitted his voice discreetly, “He’s just as you said. His personality is truly unyielding.”

“See? Now you understand how stubborn the boy is,” Liu Wushuang transmitted back, his face full of worry. “I warned you before. The Sword God’s sect rules are strict and not so easily broken. Forcing him is not the way. If this leads to a bad outcome, you and I will both be in trouble.”

“Not the way?”

“Liu Wushuang, the Venerable Alliance’s mission must be completed!”

Qi Qingshan cut him off sharply. “Enough with the soft words for Qin. The Venerable Alliance’s mission is the priority… Or are you saying…”

He stared at Liu Wushuang, his tone menacing.

“Are you thinking of defying the Alliance Leader’s will?”

“That… Of course I wouldn’t dare.”

Hearing this, Liu Wushuang’s heart leaped, and he hurriedly denied it!

’This exploratory mission from the Alliance Leader…’

’The main reason he sent two of us was because he didn’t trust me.’

’My main role is to find the person and lead the way.’

’Qi Qingshan is the real interrogator!’

“Think again, Qin…”

With this in mind, Liu Wushuang looked at the defiant Qin Yang and tried to reason with him one last time. “This matter…”

But before he could finish,

“Enough!”

Qi Qingshan cut in impatiently, raising a hand to stop him.

“You won’t respond to threats or enticements. I heard from Wushuang that you were a tough kid… I’d like to see for myself just how tough you really are. How much of my Sword Intent can you endure?”

With that, the next moment, he flicked a strand of Sword Qi from his fingertip, sending it directly into Qin Yang’s body.

BOOM!

The piercing Sword Intent condensed, transforming into countless motes of comprehension that flowed into his nose and mouth.

It traveled into his meridians.

“How about it, kid? This is my Venerable Realm Sword Intent, specializing in the Dao of slaughter. No matter how tough you are, this can’t be pleasant.”

Qi Qingshan said coldly, a hint of mockery on his face, “It’s not too late to change your mind now. Otherwise, the stronger the Sword Intent gets, the more you’ll suffer!”

“…”

’Venerable Level Sword Intent?’

Qin Yang felt the Sword Intent wash over him and was instinctively stunned for a moment.

’This is Venerable Realm Sword Intent?’

’This is…’

’…all there is to it?’

’Isn’t this a little too weak?’

’It’s… hmm, actually a bit itchy.’

’This Qi Qingshan’s Sword Dao cultivation doesn’t seem all that impressive… Is he holding back, or is his understanding of the Dao just shallow?’

Qin Yang pondered, feeling his body.

There was no significant impact at all. It felt more like the brush of an insect’s fine hairs across his skin.

It was completely harmless.

The surging Sword Intent poured into his nose and mouth, flowing into his body, posing no threat at all.

’No, I have to put on a show. Can’t let him figure it out.’

At that thought, Qin Yang’s face contorted in pain. Sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor, he looked as if he was enduring unimaginable torture, the veins on his neck bulging.

He got into character very quickly.

He hadn’t peeked at Xiaobai’s Actor’s Notes for nothing; he’d also used the Enlightenment Space to ’borrow’ a thing or two from them.

After running simulations in the space, he had long since mastered the ’Dao of Acting.’

He had meticulously mastered every micro-expression and every twitch of his limbs.

“Hiss…”

’When the pain is at its peak, you can’t even cry out; you can only endure in silence.’

“Hmph, still not talking?”

Qi Qingshan extended his hand to drive the Sword Intent. “You’ve got backbone. Let’s see how long you can last!”

“…Sigh.”

Nearby, Liu Wushuang’s expression was complicated. He shielded his face and turned away to look at the wall, unable to bear watching the boy’s suffering.

’This level of Sword Intent is several times stronger than what I used earlier. Forget Qin, even I wouldn’t be able to endure it.’

’To be able to withstand this Sword Intent…’

’…his willpower must be far beyond imagination.’

Liu Wushuang transmitted his voice in a low tone:

“Don’t damage his foundation.”

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” Qi Qingshan replied softly, his hand making a grasping motion towards Qin Yang as he exquisitely controlled the Sword Intent.

The sharp Sword Intent swept out.

RUMBLE RUMBLE!

Inside the room, furniture began to crack as the level of Star Force continued to skyrocket.

It continued to bear down on Qin Yang.

「Ten minutes later.」

Liu Wushuang couldn’t help but speak up.

“Isn’t that enough?”

As his words fell, Qi Qingshan finally weakened the Sword Intent a little.

“Kid, as long as you tell me your sect’s location, I can stop.”

“Senior… is this… your sincerity?”

Qin Yang pushed the Star Force in his body, his expression anguished and his pupils shot with blood. He looked like a caged beast roaring out his answer.

“Don’t even think about it.”

…

…

「Just then.」

Several kilometers away from the apartment building,

Citizens filled the streets, marching and holding up banners that read “Release the Sword God’s Disciple.” The Commander stood before the doors of the Star Martial Police Bureau, still maintaining order as he surveyed the crowd.

CRACK!

A faint cracking sound was heard.

“Not good!”

Hearing the sound, the Commander’s hand, which had been directing the officers, froze for a moment.

His expression changed drastically!

’There’s an object inside the apartment building—a conduction Array I had someone set up.’

’If it shattered, it means the Star Force in that room has spiked, far surpassing the Innate level!’

’Who else could be in Qin’s room right now?’

’Have those two masters gone over there?’

Thinking of this, the Commander’s brows furrowed tightly. His figure paused, then he flew directly into the sky, rushing towards the apartment!

The sound of the wind whistled past his ears.

He had promised Elder Li he would ensure Qin Yang’s safety. No matter what, he had to intervene and stop them!

…

“Tell me the location of your sect, and all this will end.”

Inside the apartment, the sharp Sword Intent destroyed the furniture.

The sofa was pulverized to dust, the floorboards cracked, and Qin Yang, at the center of the Sword Intent storm, still had a look of gritting his teeth and persisting.

“Still not talking?”

Qi Qingshan gradually intensified the Sword Intent he was controlling. “Just say the word, and I’ll stop immediately. I can even enlighten you on some of the confusion you have in your cultivation,” he said in a low voice.

The Sword Intent he was now channeling was approaching the Grandmaster Realm in intensity.

But Qin Yang’s resilience far exceeded his imagination.

He still hadn’t made a sound.

’Such a will for cultivation is truly extraordinary.’

Just then, Qin Yang, gritting his teeth and holding on, suddenly raised his head slowly to look at Qi Qingshan and began to skillfully bluff:

“Senior, you practice Sword Cultivation, just like my master. You must have heard this saying, then? He once told me… that the will of a Swordsman would rather break than bend.”

“No matter how much you pressure me, it’s useless!”

As the words fell, the Sword Intent in the room fluctuated slightly.

Qi Qingshan’s eyes narrowed into a line.

“A fine ’rather break than bend’! As expected of a disciple of the Sword God Sect. For him to have taken you as his disciple, it truly wasn’t a random choice.”

A chill emanated from Qi Qingshan as he turned to Liu Wushuang. “The boy is just as you described—unyielding…”

’This Sword God Sect is truly something else.’

“What more do you want to do?!”

Liu Wushuang sensed the implication and quickly tried to dissuade him: “Don’t be reckless!”

“Stay out of it!”

Qi Qingshan twisted his wrist, channeling his Star Force with an almost crazed look.

“Today, I *must* meet someone from his sect and properly ask for their guidance!!”

The next moment.

BOOM!

The Sword Intent around Qin Yang was pushed to its maximum!

But just then.

BANG!

The main door was suddenly kicked open, and the Commander, arriving late, burst directly into the apartment!