Chapter 86

"......The Lan family is really strong."

Hao Qi stroked his chin, speaking with a thoughtful expression.

Zhang Heng, however, seemed somewhat puzzled. He looked at the two men lying on the ground, gasping and struggling. Hao Qi had taken them down in less than ten seconds. Was this still considered strong?

Hao Qi shot Zhang Heng an annoyed glance and said, "If you were to fight either of them, they would kill you in less than ten seconds. These two are only at the Quasi-Internal Force Realm. I used my full strength to severely injure them, but they managed to hold on for ten seconds. And look..."

Hao Qi pointed to his stomach, where there was a faint handprint. Clearly, he had been hit. This truly surprised Zhang Heng. After all, Hao Qi was at the Internal Force Realm and was extremely powerful. Even three or four ordinary Internal Force Realm practitioners couldn't match him. To be hit by a Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioner, even if it only grazed his clothes and didn't touch his skin, was still a terrifying feat. Either Hao Qi's strength had significantly declined, or these two Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners were exceptionally powerful, far exceeding the typical strength of their realm.

Hao Qi sat down next to the two struggling Lan family members and continued to stroke his chin. "Their physical attributes are indeed only at the Quasi-Internal Force Realm, but their martial arts techniques are highly sophisticated. They also have a coordinated attack pattern, not just a simple encirclement, but a genuine combined attack in martial arts. It's the first time I've encountered this. In summary, these two Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners are about 20% stronger than the average Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners on the continent. They are quite formidable."

Without internal force, the Quasi-Internal Force Realm is a very awkward level. They are far stronger than ordinary people but still far weaker than those at the Internal Force Realm. They are still mortals, but they have trained their bodies to the peak of human potential, capable of feats like turning iron into mud or piercing stone with a drop of water, which seem incredible to ordinary people. However, all these feats rely on their physical attributes and highly refined skills, allowing them to control their body's strength perfectly. Despite this, they are still mortals, relying on their body's digestive system and chemical reactions for energy. As a result, Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners have enormous appetites, and even eating a cow a day wouldn't solve their dietary needs. Fortunately, their strength is so great that even those from the lower classes who achieve the Quasi-Internal Force Realm can find a future by joining any faction. Otherwise, the problem of eating alone would be enough to drive them to despair.

In all the countries Hao Qi knew, Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners were used as the main elite forces of the state. Yes, used. As for those at the Internal Force Realm, they were revered and honored, serving as the pillars of the nation's fortune. In a sense, the status of the Internal Force Realm was on par with the nation itself, unlike the Quasi-Internal Force Realm, who, though at the highest level, were still used by the state. The reason is simple: Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners are still mortals and can be killed by an army's encirclement. Even the firearms of this era can collectively eliminate them. Reality is often simple, a matter of strength.

However, these two Lan family members were different. Their strength had surpassed a certain critical point. Although Hao Qi defeated them easily, if there were four or five more such Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners, Hao Qi would have to put in more effort. For ordinary Internal Force Realm practitioners, especially those from weak families like the Su family, such Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners, if gathered in groups of twenty or thirty, could encircle and kill Internal Force Realm practitioners!

This small difference had a revolutionary impact. If all Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners in the world were this strong, the number of Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners, which is at least a hundred times that of Internal Force Realm practitioners, could form a new power level between the state and the Internal Force Realm, truly influencing the course of the world.

Therefore, Hao Qi was quite curious about these two Lan family members. Their strength was too great, and their martial arts were exquisite. They clearly had an extraordinary background. Could they be the guardians of the Blue Sea?

Hao Qi and Zhang Heng waited beside the two men. After a long while, the two men slowly regained their breath, but they were still weak. Hao Qi had used heavy force, and both of them had suffered severe internal injuries, though they were not dead, they had lost their fighting ability. Seeing Hao Qi and Zhang Heng, and the empty port with no one around, the two men immediately understood the situation and their faces turned pale.

"Kill me!" one of them immediately shouted, while the other remained silent.

"Want to die? It's not that easy," Hao Qi sneered, giving Zhang Heng a look. Then, he and Zhang Heng each carried one of the men and headed inland.

The two men immediately had a bad feeling. Thinking of the terror behind them, they gritted their teeth and said nothing, but they were secretly alarmed by Hao Qi. They were trusted by their master, loyal and capable, and their strength far exceeded that of ordinary Quasi-Internal Force Realm practitioners. Yet, they couldn't even last ten seconds against this man. Seeing the island deserted, with burn marks and charred bones everywhere, they had a good idea of what was to come.

Hao Qi and Zhang Heng carried the two men deeper inland, approaching a rare plant feeding facility, one of the most cruel of its kind. Once inside, people would be entangled by man-eating plants, which would inject digestive fluids into their bodies, causing a slow and excruciating death. The most horrific part was when the body was almost completely decomposed and absorbed, with only the head still alive, embedded in the plant. The pain was a thousand times worse than death.

The two men clearly knew the horror of this place. Watching others suffer inside would make anyone's heart race. As Hao Qi and Zhang Heng carried them into the facility, seeing the rare plants with their writhing branches through the glass, the two men's hearts nearly froze. They struggled frantically, even trying to bash their heads against the wall to die quickly, but their strength was minimal, and they couldn't break free. They could only watch helplessly as Hao Qi and Zhang Heng brought them to the feeding entrance.

"Do you know? These plants need twenty humans each week to replenish their nutrients. I know that these are extremely rare species, and the blood-red tree is the rarest. Once it has consumed over ten thousand humans, it will bear blood-red fruits shaped like human heads. The more terrifying the human's spirit and the more robust their blood, the more the fruit resembles a human head. This is a heavenly treasure. I checked the records, and this blood-red tree has already consumed at least eight thousand humans. Each death is unspeakably horrific. Do you want to try it out?" Hao Qi held the two men and slowly brought them closer to the feeding entrance. Inside, the plant's vines and roots writhed like snakes, making anyone's skin crawl.

"Kill me, kill me!" the man who had shouted earlier now screamed in terror.

The other man, seeing himself getting closer to the feeding entrance, also shouted, "Hero, please stop, hero, please stop! Let's talk, what do you want to know? We can discuss it!"

Hao Qi then put the two men on the ground. The man who had been shouting immediately roared, "Lan Qi, you dare to betray us! The master will never forgive you! Not just you, but your entire family—"

Lan Qi suddenly laughed coldly. "Why don't you continue? I'm an orphan, a foster son, a noble Lan. Ha, but I'm just a dog of the Lan family, and anyone can kick me. When the old master was alive, he still treated us servants with basic respect. But now that the new master is about to take over, you privileged foster sons look down on us foster sons. I don't want to die so miserably. If you want to suffer, go ahead."

Lan Qi then ignored the man who was still shouting and turned to Hao Qi. "What do you want to know? I'll tell you everything. I just want a quick death. I know I have committed great sins. I've been to this island a few times and have seen the horrors here, but I am weak and have no status, so I couldn't resist. Now that I'm in your hands, I only ask for a quick death."

Hao Qi remained noncommittal and asked, "I have many questions. First, tell me about your background. Where are you from, what are you doing here, and where are you going? Who is your leader, and what organization do you belong to? Do you know what the pirates are doing? Did you order them to do it? There are many things to ask, so let's take it one at a time." As he spoke, he kicked the man who was shouting in the mouth, causing his mouth to bleed and silencing him.

Lan Qi paused for a moment, then smiled bitterly. "Let's start with our background. We are servants of the Lan family, and we come from..."

"Wait, wait."

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