Chapter 28: A Display of Power

“Tai Chi?” Bai Mengqi knew the person before her possessed some skill. Perhaps, on a day free of pressing matters, she might even engage in a friendly spar with this man. But today was not for idle games.

Her gaze grew increasingly cold, fixed on a single objective: to find Liu Kang and make him pay for his actions.

With a swift movement, she evaded Master Yang’s attack, then lunged directly at Liu Kang.

Her speed was astonishing, like a bolt of lightning as she surged towards Liu Kang, instantly closing the distance between them.

Such velocity left Master Yang no opportunity to intervene again; he simply couldn’t react in time.

It was evident that the gap between a martial artist and a cultivator was simply too vast.

Bai Mengqi still had many abilities she hadn’t even unleashed.

“Mr. Liu, be careful!” Master Yang roared, swiftly turning to pursue her.

At this moment, Bai Mengqi seemed like a war goddess descended, radiating an aura that commanded respect and instilled caution.

With a flick of her wrist, a powerful surge of energy burst forth from her palm. This energy swiftly coalesced into a dazzling golden impact, streaking towards Master Yang like a meteor tearing through the night sky, accompanied by a fierce whistling sound.

Master Yang had been fully concentrated, preparing to counter other potential threats, when this unexpected strike blindsided him.

His expression instantly changed as he sensed the surging energy hurtling towards him.

Having traversed the supernatural world for many years, he was intimately familiar with the properties of various powers.

The internal energy of martial artists was always invisible and colorless, whereas the powers wielded by cultivators manifested in different hues depending on their inherent attributes.

The golden light emanating from this power clearly indicated it wasn’t a martial artist’s technique; it had to be the work of a cultivator.

“A cultivator?”

Though Master Yang was startled, his years of experience allowed him to quickly regain his composure.

He watched as Master Yang’s hands moved swiftly, drawing a perfect Tai Chi symbol in the air with fluid, graceful motions.

The moment the Tai Chi symbol formed, it seemed to possess a life of its own, gently rotating between his hands.

Bai Mengqi’s energy impact howled closer, crashing fiercely against the Tai Chi symbol.

“Tai Chi: Deflecting Force.”

In an instant, light scattered everywhere as the clash of energies triggered a powerful ripple, causing the surrounding air to hum.

Yet, Master Yang’s Tai Chi Deflecting Force was truly extraordinary. The Tai Chi symbol acted like a massive vortex, slowly devouring and neutralizing Bai Mengqi’s energy, causing it to gradually dissipate into nothingness.

While Master Yang’s counter had successfully neutralized Bai Mengqi’s attack, it left him unable to spare any attention to rescue Liu Kang.

Liu Kang, meanwhile, was in grave danger. Even his bodyguards, who usually appeared formidable, now felt immense pressure.

From that single exchange, they had already grasped the vast disparity in strength between themselves and Bai Mengqi.

Nevertheless, bound by duty, they stepped forward without hesitation, even knowing they were outmatched, to block her path.

Bai Mengqi, however, paid no mind to these bodyguards. Her movements were swift as lightning, incredibly rapid.

Every one of her strikes was incredibly fierce, imbued with seemingly insurmountable power.

Before her, the bodyguards were like fragile ants, utterly incapable of resisting a single blow.

With a mere flick of her hand, several bodyguards were sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground, groaning in pain, unable to rise again.

Even the few bodyguards among them who possessed D-level supernatural abilities were utterly powerless before Bai Mengqi.

Bai Mengqi’s strength far surpassed their wildest imaginations. Her attack speed and power were so immense that these D-level ability users were knocked to the ground before they even had a chance to activate their own powers.

Liu Kang watched helplessly as his bodyguards fell one after another, and a tide of fear washed over his heart.

His face was ashen, his eyes filled with terror, and his body trembled uncontrollably. His usual arrogant demeanor had vanished without a trace.

At this moment, he was like a startled rabbit, utterly bewildered.

“Stop!” Master Yang, seeing the dire situation, cried out loudly.

His voice was laced with extreme urgency, knowing full well Bai Mengqi’s formidable power. If this continued, Liu Kang’s life might truly be in peril.

However, Bai Mengqi seemed not to have heard Master Yang’s plea at all. She didn’t even glance at the old man, merely delivering another casual palm strike.

“Retreat.”

This time, the palm wind she unleashed was even more potent than before. Its howling sound was like a hurricane passing through, carrying an overwhelming, mountain-toppling force as it slammed directly towards Master Yang.

Master Yang had just used Tai Chi Deflecting Force to neutralize Bai Mengqi’s previous strike, and before he could even regulate his breathing, he was met with this even fiercer assault.

This time, his Tai Chi Deflecting Force proved ineffective. He was sent flying a dozen steps back by the powerful palm wind, like a fallen leaf caught in a gale.

With a resounding crash, Master Yang’s back slammed hard against the wall. The sturdy wall developed cracks, as if unable to bear the immense impact.

Master Yang’s body slowly slid down the wall, and he couldn’t help but cough up a mouthful of fresh blood, which splattered a crimson stain on the floor.

His face was contorted in pain, and a hint of shock flickered in his eyes.

For a moment, the entire room plunged into a deathly silence. Only Liu Kang’s terrified gasps stood out in the quiet space, along with Bai Mengqi’s icy, blade-like gaze, which sent shivers down one’s spine.

“Y-y-you, what do you want? You’re an ability user! If you kill me, the Ability Bureau won’t let you get away with it!” Seeing that his strongest bodyguards couldn’t stop Bai Mengqi, Liu Kang was utterly terrified, instinctively using the Ability Bureau as a threat, hoping to make her hesitate.

Bai Mengqi genuinely preferred not to provoke the Ability Bureau easily. After all, it was a powerful organization overseeing numerous ability users and cultivators, and becoming its enemy would undoubtedly lead to a great deal of trouble.

However, at this moment, for the safety of her child’s mother and to free the Zi family from Liu Kang’s harassment, she wouldn’t mind clashing with the Ability Bureau.

“Don’t worry, I’m not here to kill you. I’m here to have a good talk. Don’t be scared, I’m a good person,” Bai Mengqi said unhurriedly, squatting down, her eyes narrowed as she gazed coldly at Liu Kang.

Though her voice was calm, it carried an undeniable authority.

Hearing Bai Mengqi’s words, Liu Kang couldn’t help but swallow, though the fear in his heart hardly diminished.

“Talk? Talk about what?” Liu Kang asked, his voice trembling.

Upon hearing this, Bai Mengqi’s lips curved slightly, revealing a smile that appeared gentle but was, in fact, chilling.

“Heh heh, naturally, it’s about the Zijing Group and the Zi family’s affairs,” Bai Mengqi said, her voice light. “How about this: I’ll spare your life in exchange for you never bothering anyone from the Zi family again? What do you say?”

Her tone sounded as if she were genuinely soliciting his opinion, yet the warning in her eyes was unmistakable.

The moment Liu Kang realized she was here to settle scores for the Zi family, he understood immediately.

“You, you’re the one who defeated my mercenaries earlier today?” Liu Kang asked, his voice still laced with a slight tremor.

Bai Mengqi did not answer the question. She simply stared at Liu Kang, her gaze seemingly piercing his very soul, making him feel as if thorns were pricking his back.

“Stop asking so many questions. I’ll just ask you this: do you want to die, or do you want to live?” Bai Mengqi’s eyes blazed with murderous intent, her gaze like two sharp daggers piercing straight into Liu Kang’s heart. It seemed as though if he dared to utter a single ‘no,’ his life would instantly be forfeit.