Chapter 122: LET’S SEE IF AN ANT LIKE YOU CAN SHAKE MOUNT TAI

Li Hanye’s expression darkened the instant he heard Cui Ahjun’s words. Cui Ahjun had no idea he had just touched Li Hanye’s reverse scale, and was still chuckling under his breath as if he had said something clever. Seeing that smug look, Li Hanye carefully adjusted the unconscious Li Yan in his arms and walked straight toward him.

"Cui Ahjun, you look awfully energetic despite such an intense battle. Tell me, were you just standing on the sidelines watching the show?" Li Hanye’s voice was as cold as ice. "How dare you call him weak? We only won this battle because of Li Yan. As an inner sect disciple, you slacked off in battle and left all the heavy lifting to your fellow disciples. How shameless. Yet you still have the nerve to parade around as if you possess some extraordinary talent? You have none."

His eyes turned utterly frigid.

"Remember this. If I ever see you near me or Li Yan again, I will personally cripple your cultivation base, shatter your meridians, and have you expelled from the sect. You are welcome to try me. Let us see if an ant like you can shake Mount Tai."

Cui Ahjun’s face paled instantly. Before he could even formulate a reply—

BOOM!

A terrifying spiritual pressure erupted from Li Hanye. It swept across the mountaintop like a tidal wave. The remaining disciples felt as if a colossal mountain had crashed down upon their shoulders. Those already suffering from spiritual Qi exhaustion couldn’t resist at all and collapsed to their knees, while those with a bit of strength left gritted their teeth and circulated their Qi desperately to stay standing.

Meng Jiali was the only one who managed to remain on her feet without kneeling, though her brows were tightly furrowed, clearly enduring great discomfort. She glanced at Li Hanye, then at the unconscious Li Yan in his arms, and chose not to interfere.

Li Hanye was not someone who angered easily, so his outburst did not surprise her at all. Li Yan had been the one to discover the demonic lizards’ fatal weakness — the softer scales around their chest — and he had single-handedly lured away and slaughtered dozens of the juveniles. If not for him, they would have been locked in battle until their spiritual Qi completely dried up.

Cui Ahjun had barely contributed despite still having plenty of spiritual Qi left. Calling Li Yan weak after everything was enough to make even the other disciples look at him with contempt.

Jiali let out a soft sigh and forced herself to move despite the heavy spiritual pressure. "We will return to the sect first. You can rejoin us once Junior Brother Li Yan wakes up. Li Wei will stay behind to help you look after him."

"No need. Li Wei will return to the sect with you," Li Hanye said without a second’s hesitation. His tone left no room for argument. "Yanyan only needs one person to guard him. I will be the one. I will return within three days. I have the beast’s gall and its demon cores with me, so your rewards from the Mission Pavilion will be delayed."

Jiali pursed her lips. Returning without mission proof was troublesome — the Mission Pavilion would not be able to verify their kill. But she couldn’t really argue, since Li Hanye and Li Yan were the ones who had stayed behind to extract the gall and demon cores while everyone else rushed into the cave for treasures.

"Three days. We will be waiting," she finally said.

Li Hanye nodded and his gaze returned to Li Yan. He had no intention of staying on this mountain a second longer when Li Yan’s breathing was still so shallow, and his entire body was burning with fever.

Cui Ahjun had retreated far away and did not dare approach them again. He had always known Li Hanye was powerful — every disciple in the sect knew how terrifying the core disciples were — but hearing about it and experiencing that cultivation base firsthand were two completely different things. That spiritual pressure alone had forced him to his knees without Li Hanye even lifting a finger.

In that moment, Cui Ahjun understood that provoking Li Hanye directly was courting death. He still wanted to teach Li Yan a lesson for daring to talk back before the mission, but he wasn’t foolish enough to sacrifice his cultivation base and his life for it. Li Hanye had made his position crystal clear.

His gaze drifted subconsciously toward Li Wei, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Li Wei was also Li Hanye’s younger brother, yet everyone had just seen how little influence he had when it came to Li Yan. Expecting Li Wei to shield him from Li Hanye would be no different from seeking death himself.

If I still want to deal with that outer sect trash, I’ll have to wait until Li Hanye isn’t by his side.

Li Hanye didn’t notice Cui Ahjun’s scheming gaze. He had already begun descending the mountain with Li Yan securely in his arms. He had expended a vast amount of spiritual Qi during the battle and exhaustion gnawed at his entire body, but he still had enough strength to reach the nearest town.

The others would return to the sect, while he would find an alchemist and stay with Li Yan until his condition stabilized. Three days should be enough if it was just Qi exhaustion and a fever, though that thought did little to ease Li Hanye’s worry. The person in his arms had not shown any sign of waking since he had fainted.

Li Hanye held Li Yan tighter against his chest and quickened his pace down the treacherous mountain path. Melted snow mixed with rubble and blood made every step difficult, but he watched his footing carefully to ensure Li Yan felt not a single jolt.

Every few steps, he checked Li Yan’s face. His little brother remained unconscious, cheeks flushed an unnatural red, body scorching hot. Li Hanye could only push forward toward the town, praying they would reach a physician in time.

"Hold on a little longer, Yanyan. Your brother will get you to a physician soon..."