"Qingng, do you want to die first, or should I?"
Seeing that the others were indifferent to his threats, Chen Qinghe quickly thought of the family's Divine Tree. Confidence surged in his heart as he slowly lowered the blade, only to press it back against his neck.
"At worst, I'll end up like the other clansn, living a different way. I'll die right in front of them if I have to!"
Shi Potian's eyes narrowed slightly at the scene.
Normally, such tricks wouldn't fool him, but at this mont, he saw a hint of unwavering determination in Chen Qinghe's gaze. What was going on?
He couldn't allow them to actually kill themselves. Though Shi Potian's expression remained indifferent, he was already prepared to step in.
Shen He, standing to the side, watched with anticipation.
If the situation allowed, he would have praised Chen Qinghe right then and there.
"That's the spirit of a real man!"
Upon hearing Chen Qinghe's question, Chen Qingng didn't rush to answer. Instead, he scratched his head before suddenly rembering sothing.
"Qinghe, don't you still have a piece of the Divine Tree's locust leaf?"
Chen Qinghe froze for a mont before realizing.
That's right! He still had a locust leaf from the Divine Tree! He hadn't forgotten to bring it with him this ti.
Quickly, he used his free hand to retrieve the leaf hidden in his robe and held it up toward the others.
"Don't co any closer, or I'll summon my family's totem!"
The mont they heard the word "totem," those who were about to make a move hesitated, their hearts tightening with unease. All eyes turned toward Shi Potian and his two companions.
A family's totem was not to be underestimated—they had witnessed its power before.
That was precisely why, upon hearing "totem," they grew even more cautious.
When Shi Potian and the other two saw the half-black, half-green locust leaf in Chen Qinghe’s hand, their expressions beca solemn.
Two re mid-stage Body Tempering cultivators possessing the protection of a family totem? This would have been unheard of in their own clan. However, for a small family like this, perhaps it was possible.
Shi Potian raised his hand slightly, halting the others. If it truly was a family totem, they had to be careful.
Seeing his enemies intimidated by the locust leaf, Chen Qinghe felt a glimr of relief—but deep inside, his heart wavered.
After all, this particular leaf was one he had stolen from the Divine Tree's branches in the ancestral hall late at night, after much effort. It was not granted by the Divine Tree itself. Who knew if it would actually work?
Even if it did, at most, it would allow him to break through to the late stage of the Body Tempering Realm. If the people before him found out, they would still be dood.
Chen Qinghe turned to glance at Chen Qingng, only to see his face brimming with confidence.
That left Chen Qinghe speechless. For now, all he could do was bluff, hoping this locust leaf would be enough to save them. He silently prayed that if they made it back to the family alive, he would never act recklessly again.
However, Shi Potian’s next words made Chen Qinghe’s heart sink.
"A family totem… a bit troubleso. I’ll handle it myself."
Shi Potian's voice was calm, but beside him, Gan Yu subtly shifted his stance.
If it truly was the Chen family’s totem, they couldn’t afford to be careless. But if it was just a re locust leaf, did they really think Innate Realm martial artists like them were made of clay?
Seeing that the family elder was about to take action, the others quickly stepped back. Their expressions turned serious, eager to observe.
Before Shi Potian and Gan Yu even moved, the oppressive aura of the Innate Realm engulfed the area, making it difficult for Chen Qinghe and Chen Qingng to breathe.
Feeling the vast difference in power, Chen Qinghe's heart turned cold. But he also understood—there was no turning back now.
If he waited for the Innate Realm martial artists to act, he might not even have a chance to use the locust leaf.
Realizing this, Chen Qinghe hesitated no longer. He tightened his grip, crushing the leaf in his hand.
Everyone's eyes locked onto the shattered leaf, their expressions heavy. Chen Qinghe and Chen Qingng, in particular, held onto a sliver of hope. But as the leaf crumbled into pieces, the anticipation in Chen Qinghe’s eyes quickly faded.
He felt nothing. No surge of power. Nothing at all. This was completely different from what his cousin, Qingyu, had described.
So… a stolen leaf really didn’t work?
It was over.
Despair washed over Chen Qinghe’s face. anwhile, Shi Potian, who had been watching closely, silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Just as he thought—two re early-stage Body Tempering brats receiving a family totem’s blessing? Impossible. Who knew where they had picked up that worthless leaf?
"You dare deceive ?"
Shi Potian’s voice turned ice-cold. His footwork shifted, and a violent burst of blood energy erupted from his body, stirring up a whirlwind.
But just as he reached them, the once-lifeless broken leaf suddenly emitted a pulse of energy—an aura so suffocating it sent a chill down his spine.
In the next instant, a dazzling golden light burst forth from the shattered locust leaf. The radiance was blinding, scattering the surrounding darkness in an instant.
As the golden glow intensified, the projection of an ancient, peculiar locust tree—its body split into two distinct colors—slowly erged behind Chen Qinghe and Chen Qingng.
Its towering trunk stretched high, its lush branches extending far and wide. The two-colored pattern wove together in an intricate design that climbed upward. Each locust leaf shimred with a soft golden light, transforming the surroundings into a sea of gold.
Shi Potian and his companions looked up, their pupils contracting sharply.
The sheer pressure exuding from the locust tree left them no ti to hesitate. Without a word, they turned and bolted.
Watching the esteed family elders flee so desperately, the other cultivators stood frozen for a mont before quickly following suit.
"Damn it! There really is totem protection?!"
Shi Potian cursed under his breath as he ran.
Having a totem was one thing, but this totem’s power far exceeded his imagination. It could even project itself from a distance—sothing even his own family’s totem could not do!
Even though he was fleeing at full speed, covering hundreds of ters in a split second and pushing his martial arts techniques to the limit, he felt no sense of safety.
The golden radiance stretched for miles, and no matter how far he ran, it seed as though he could never escape the locust tree’s shadow.
Panic surged in Shi Potian’s heart, and the agonized screams of his retreating allies only made him quicken his pace. But his face grew paler with every step.
He could feel the threat creeping closer.
In the midst of his desperate escape, Shi Potian couldn't help but glance back—only for a golden branch to lash out, sending him flying dozens of ters.
The mont it struck him, it felt as if an unstoppable force had slamd into his body. As he crashed into the ground, a sharp pain shot through him—his organs twisted, his blood energy in disarray.
A single blow had left him gravely injured.
His expression darkened, but there was no ti to recover. Gritting his teeth, he staggered to his feet and fled once more.
Behind him, the golden light gradually faded into the darkness.
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