A Chaotic World 271 Kneel

Beiwei Jinguo might be enraged, but he was no fool.
He knew just as well that his cultivation level at the Intermediate Essence Building realm was nothing impressive. Against these young men whose cultivation level he could not even detect, there was simply no way he would stand a chance in an actual fight.
However, fights were not the only way to settle their differences.
Fortunately for him, poison masters had their own way of settling disputes – Poison Showdowns.
A Poison Showdown had little to do with the poison master's actual combat strength. Instead, it was something that put their proficiency in the poison arts to the test.
There were many different ways to go about a Poison Showdown, but they were more or less similar in their essence.
Poison masters would take turns bringing out poisons and having the other party neutralise it. The most common and easiest way to carry out this process was through the use of wild beasts as medium.
The tougher the beast, the better it was, because only then could the true lethality of the poison show.
It might come off as cruel to some soft-hearted people, but most poison masters had done far worse in the pursuit of a higher level of poison arts. Sacrificing a couple dozen wild beasts for the sake of a showdown was nothing to them at all.
Just like how swordsmen were proud of their sword skills, poison masters also had great confidence and pride in their proficiency in the poison arts.
Thus, to any poison master, losing a Poison Showdown was as good as being proven to be someone inferior to the other party.
Depending on the situation, a loss could end up dealing a huge blow to a poison master's pride, perhaps even to the point of forming heart demons that obstruct the martial path!
Considering that, Beiwei Jinguo could actually be considered as taking a risk by challenging the three young men who possessed cultivation levels higher than his.
After all, while poison arts were essentially something separate from cultivation level, they were not completely unrelated either.
There were some materials that only poison masters of a higher cultivation level would be able to process, purely because the Essence energy required to do so was greater.
This in turn meant that the variety of poisons that could be concocted by poison masters differed according to their cultivation levels as well.
While it might not end up as the decisive factor in a Poison Showdown, there was no doubt that a poison master would always suffer a disadvantage when facing off against an opponent who had a higher cultivation level.
Despite all that, Beiwei Jinguo still had absolute confidence in his proficiency in the poison arts.
And it was this same confidence that led him to challenge the three young men to a Poison Showdown despite not knowing just how good they actually were!
"You want to challenge us to a Poison Showdown?" Qingshan frowned.
"That's right! Do you dare accept the challenge?" Beiwei Jinguo stared into his eyes. "I won't mind even if the three of you wish to work together against me!"

"You even want to challenge us together?" Qingshan was obviously triggered by that. "You arrogant little-"
"Hahaha!" Zirui's sudden outburst of laughter broke the tension in the room. "There's no need to be angered, Brother Qingshan. This kid is just talking big because he is at the end of the rope. Of course he wants us to work together against him, because it will be a win-win for him! Even if he loses, which he certainly will, he can just blame it on the fact that we are bullying him by ganging up on him. How scheming! As expected of someone who approached Elder Ximo with an agenda!"
"So that's why!" Qingshan exclaimed in realisation. "I was nearly tricked by him!"
"Brother Zirui is sharp for seeing through his scheme!" Boren praised without restraint.
"Scheme?" Beiwei Jinguo was speechless. "If that is what you are worried about, I can face you one by one as well. That is absolutely fine with me!"
"Face us one by one? You seem to be misunderstanding something here," Zirui shook his head with a confident smile. "Poison showdowns are for peers on the same level. In this situation where our strength outcla.s.ses yours by this much, there is simply no reason for us to agree to something as troublesome as that. We can easily settle this with just our fists!"
"Haha! Brother Zirui is wise," Qingshan laughed. "What's the point of wasting so much time arguing with him when we can just beat some sense into him?"
"Let's not waste anymore time then?" Boren added. "Since he is only at the Intermediate Essence Building realm, there is no need for Brother Zirui and Brother Qingshan to act. I will be more than enough!"
"Then we will have to trouble Brother Boren for this matter," Zirui took a step back along with Qingshan.
"Wait, what are you trying to do?" Beiwei Jinguo nervously took a step back. Were they really intending to lay their hands on him?
"Weren't you very full of yourself just a moment ago? Where did your confidence go all of a sudden?" Boren taunted as he stepped towards Beiwei Jinguo.
"You cowards…" Beiwei Jinguo cursed in indignance.
Seeing that a fight was about to break out at any moment now, Lu Tianzi could not help but let out a helpless sigh.
Beiwei Jinguo might not be able to see through these people's cultivation levels, but Lu Tianzi could easily do so.
Out of the three, Zirui was at the Peak Essence Condensation realm, while Elder Ximo's students Qingshan and Boren were at the Advanced and Primary Essence Condensation realms respectively.
Not to mention Zirui, Beiwei Jinguo would probably not be a match even for the weakest Boren.
Unfortunately, Lu Tianzi still had to rely on Beiwei Jinguo to bring him into the main event of the Healers' Meet. If Beiwei Jinguo got beaten up here, things might get complicated for him as well.
Considering that, he could no longer sit back and do nothing.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lu Tianzi asked. "How do you intend to answer to Elder Ximo if he returns to find us injured?"
"Tch!" Boren clicked his tongue in irritation. "You are a mere non-martial artist servant, who gave you the permission to speak here?"
"Hmm?" Beiwei Jinguo finally registered something strange. Did Boren just call Tianzi a non-martial artist?
Now that he thought about it, earlier, Zirui seemed to have said something similar too.
Do they not realise that Tianzi and Qianxue are martial artists as well?
But why?
"You don't have to worry about us," Zirui replied Lu Tianzi in his usual confident manner. "Elder Ximo has always favoured Qingshan, and my teacher is a good friend of Elder Ximo's as well. As long as we don't go to the extent of taking your lives, Elder Ximo would at most just scold us a little for the sake of keeping up appearances."
"That is a problem indeed. Considering how arrogantly you bunch are acting, it seems that you are not lying about how Elder Ximo will not punish you too heavily," Lu Tianzi slowly stood up from his seat. "However, I really don't know what gave you such abundant self-confidence. How are you this certain that you will be able to win in a fight?"
Beiwei Jinguo's eyes lit up in excitement upon hearing Lu Tianzi's words.
Tianzi's right!
They still had Qianxue on their side!
If Qianxue was willing to make a move, there was still a chance that she could emerge victorious even against these people!
Zirui's reaction, however, was completely different from Beiwei Jinguo's. He raised an eyebrow in incredulity, as though unable to comprehend what he just heard.
"Are you for real?" Zirui had to consciously remind himself not to laugh out loud. "If I ever lose to anyone of you here, I will not only kneel down and apologise, but I will even call you dad!"
"Oh?" Lu Tianzi let out a playful grin before looking towards Qingshan and Boren. "What about you two? Will you call me dad too?"
"Hahaha!" Qingshan broke out in laughter. "I think this guy has really gone crazy! All right then. If I lose, I will call you dad for sure. But if you lose, all three of you will get the h.e.l.l out of Wondertrap Mountain, never to show your pathetic face here ever again!"
"Fine, since the others have already agreed, I shall do the same!" Boren cracked his knuckles eagerly. "To think that you could actually come up with such nonsense even at this juncture, it looks like you are really oblivious about the situation that you are currently in!"
"I don't need you to call me dad," Lu Tianzi shrugged. "As long as you just shut up and go mind your own business, I will be more than happy."
"Your servant sure is confident in you!" Boren turned back to Beiwei Jinguo. "Hopefully you are able to at least put up some semblance of a fight!"
"Wait," Lu Tianzi interjected. "He is not the one who will be fighting you. I am."
He had not wanted to act personally if possible. But now that things had come to this, he was left with no choice.
"What?!" Boren, Qingshan, and Zirui exclaimed in unison when they heard that.
"What?" Beiwei Jinguo was just as shocked as they were. "What are you saying, Brother Tianzi? How can I let you fight in my stead?"
In his eyes, Tianzi was just a follower of Qianxue.
It fitted perfectly with Qianxue's personality as well. Considering how Qianxue spent most of her time in meditation, it was not surprising that she would want to bring along someone who could tend to her ch.o.r.es while travelling.
Moreover, why else would he be sucking up to the Iron Claw Brigade when Qianxue was this strong?
While he understood that Lu Tianzi was likely to be at the Essence Condensation realm as well, if they really had to fight, it would surely be a better choice to go with Qianxue as their representative instead!
"Don't worry, I will be fine," Lu Tianzi a.s.sured Beiwei Jinguo with a smile.
Beiwei Jinguo gaped at that response.
He simply could not comprehend where Lu Tianzi's confidence was coming from! These people were the personal students of elders of the Healer Circle. There was no way that they would be weak!
Unconvinced, Beiwei Jinguo immediately turned to Nanlan Qianxue, "We need to help him!"
"Don't worry about it," Nanlan Qianxue responded nonchalantly. "I would have already stepped in if he needed help."
"This…" Beiwei Jinguo really felt like pulling his hair out at this moment. If only they knew just how influential the Healer Circle was, they would never be underestimating these three young men right now!
Boren had had enough of watching their drama by now. "Since you wish to suffer in place of your master, then I shall lend you a hand!"
He thrust his palm forward without even bothering to drive the Slaughter Essence in his inner world.
In his eyes, Lu Tianzi was just a non-martial artist. There was simply no need for him to get serious when facing such an opponent.
Lu Tianzi had his hands clasped behind his back, taking on a dignified posture as he watched Boren's palmstrike approach. Even as the palmstrike got nearer and nearer, Lu Tianzi simply stood there motionlessly.
In the eyes of others, it looked as though he was frozen in fear, unable to move a single muscle!
"It's over," Zirui smirked.
"It's over," Qingshan nodded in agreement.
"It's over…" Beiwei Jinguo turned his head away, unable to bear seeing his companion suffer.
But right as Boren's palmstrike was about to reach Lu Tianzi, the latter opened his mouth and spoke.
"Stop."
It was just a single word, but along with it came an overwhelming pressure that swept over Boren.
"Urgh!" Boren grunted as his movements immediately slowed to a snail's pace.
The pressure was simply too great, there was nothing at all that he could do against it!
Boren gritted his teeth and drove the Slaughter Essence in his inner world to the limit. He had to summon the entirety of his strength for this, and it was all just so he could remain standing in the face of this intense pressure!
In fact, he was not totally unfamiliar with this feeling of helplessness.
This was a feeling that he had gotten from his teacher multiple times before. This was the pressure from an Origin Core realm martial artist!
Could it be… the reason why they did not detect the other party's cultivation level was actually because they were not strong enough to do so?
"Hmm? What are you doing?" Zirui frowned in displeasure. "Stop toying around with your food. Just teach him a lesson and be done with it!"
Lu Tianzi scoffed. "Kneel."
With that, the pressure on Boren suddenly increased multiplefold, forcing his knees to give way.
Thud-!
Boren fell to his knees right in front Lu Tianzi, as though he was obediently heeding Lu Tianzi's order.
Zirui and Qingshan widened their eyes in shock.
What the h.e.l.l just happened?
With just a single command from the other party, Boren actually started grovelling on the ground?
Since when did Boren become such a loser?
Despite their confusion, it was taking Boren all the strength he had just to stop himself from falling flat on his face. Under the intense pressure, Boren's arms were already trembling as they propped his upper body up from the ground.
In fact, he could already feel his consciousness starting to slowly slip away due to the mental drain.
He simply had no excess energy left to answer their questions.
"Something is wrong! Quick, help him!" Zirui stepped forward after just a single moment of hesitation.
"Got it!" Qingshan reacted immediately.
The two Essence Condensation realm martial artists stepped forward, drawing their swords and slas.h.i.+ng towards Lu Tianzi.
Their immediate priority was to rescue Boren from the strange state that he had fallen into. With the safety of their companion at stake, they would not hold back even against a non-martial artist!
Yet before they could even get close, an overwhelming pressure swept over them. Just like what happened to Boren, both Zirui and Qingshan immediately felt their knees give way as well.
Thud-! Thud-!
Just like that, the two of them fell to their knees one after another.
Placed under this intense pressure that had seemingly come out of nowhere, they were unable to even move, not to mention get anywhere near to the person whom they had wanted to rescue!