A Useless Person's Rise to Power

Chapter 25 Zhou Hu's Demise, Exploring the Primordial World Again

Zhou Hu's face turned deathly pale instantly, his body trembled violently, and his blood surged and flowed backward in his chest. He could no longer hold back and spat out a mouthful of scalding blood, staining his chest clothes red.

As if struck by a mountain, his body flew backward uncontrollably, tracing a pathetic arc in the air before crashing heavily to the ground, tumbling several times before finally coming to a stop.

He struggled to get up, but as soon as he exerted himself, his meridians were in excruciating pain, and he vomited blood again. His limbs were weak and sore, making it impossible for him to get up.

His vital energy was scattered and depleted, his meridians were damaged and broken in many places, his muscles and bones ached as if they were about to break, and his combat power was reduced to less than one-tenth of what it used to be, making him a complete cripple.

Zhou Hu lay panting on the cold ground, his body disheveled, his hair messy, covered in dust and blood, and all traces of the arrogance and prestige he once possessed as the leader were gone.

He looked up at Qin Zhan, who was walking slowly toward him, his eyes filled with despair, resentment, and an undisguised fear.

Only now did he truly come to terms with reality.

His pride and joy, his hidden strength, were utterly insignificant in front of Qin Zhan. All his previous bravado, stubbornness, and arrogance were nothing but a laughable act of self-consolation.

Qin Zhan approached slowly, mist flowing around him. His figure resembled a demonic ruler emerging from the fog, his gaze indifferent as he looked down at the disheveled Zhou Hu on the ground. His tone was calm and unwavering: "Now, do you still think you can defeat me once you leave the Fog Domain?"

Zhou Hu's lips trembled as he tried to say something, but he couldn't utter a single word, leaving him only with a heart full of regret and sorrow.

He shouldn't have been greedy and rashly chased Qin Zhan into this foggy area; he also shouldn't have been arrogant and underestimated this seemingly young boy.

One wrong step leads to another, ultimately resulting in such a crushing defeat, severe injuries, and being at the mercy of others.

The fog and wind still churned and surged, the misty fog shrouded the fields, and the battlefield was deathly silent.

Those who had fled had long since vanished, and the cries of those who had fallen were growing weaker. Only Qin Zhan stood among them, exuding an aura of supreme authority and in complete control of the situation.

Zhou Hu, now completely helpless, was utterly powerless to turn the tide.

A hazy, poisonous fog swirled around them, carrying a chilling cold and a faint musty smell, gradually eroding the surrounding world. Qin Zhan stood with his hands behind his back, his blue robe fluttering slightly in the foggy wind, untouched by a speck of dust, creating a stark contrast with the ravaged, blood-stained ground.

He looked down at Zhou Hu with a gaze as cold and clear as a deep pool, showing no pity, only an all-knowing indifference.

Zhou Hu gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently. Each breath strained his ruptured meridians, and excruciating pain spread throughout his body, causing him to tremble uncontrollably. He gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing the metallic taste rising in his throat, his cloudy eyes fixed on Qin Zhan, filled with resentment, fear, and a desperate will to survive.

He had roamed the martial world for decades, ruling over a powerful force. He was usually a figurehead, and no one dared to defy him in the slightest. Never before had he been like this, lying on the ground like a stray dog, allowing a junior to look down on him and manipulate him at will.

But reality was right in front of him, leaving him no room for stubbornness.

In that clash just now, his life-bound battle technique, which he had unleashed with half a lifetime of cultivation, was easily shattered by Qin Zhan. His protective aura crumbled inch by inch, his physical body suffered severe injuries, and the vital energy in his dantian was in complete chaos, almost collapsing. Several of his meridians were broken. Let alone fighting again, even if he could preserve his cultivation from falling to the bottom in the future, it would be a pipe dream.

"Qin... Junior Brother Qin Zhan..." After a long silence, Zhou Hu finally managed to squeeze out a hoarse, broken voice. His tone had long lost its previous arrogance, replaced only by a deep sense of humility and obsequiousness. "I was blind and failed to recognize a true dragon. I shouldn't have been misled by Elder Zhao and rashly attacked you. I shouldn't have dared to trespass into the Misty Domain to provoke you... Please, for the sake of our shared martial arts, show mercy and spare my life!"

To survive, he abandoned all pride and dignity; the arrogance of a former leader vanished in the face of death.

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhan's lips curled into a faint, cold smile. He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet carrying an undeniable pressure that clearly echoed through the bleak, misty wind: "Don't call me junior brother. Back then, you led a large group of men, chasing me all the way here, your killing intent blatant. Did you ever consider sparing my life? I don't have a senior brother like you!"

One sentence left Zhou Hu speechless, his face ashen, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

Yes, back then, he was only thinking about killing Qin Zhan and seizing the opportunities and treasures on Qin Zhan's body. He was ruthless and decisive in his attacks, and every move was deadly. He never held back in the slightest. Now that he has fallen into a desperate situation, he actually hopes that his opponent will show mercy. How ridiculous!

"I...I know I was wrong! It was all Elder Zhao's doing, I was forced into it..." A hint of despair flashed in Zhou Hu's eyes, then he gritted his teeth, as if remembering a lifeline, and hurriedly spoke, his tone urgent, "Qin Zhan, I have a treasure map of a secret realm, as well as rare and precious materials, spirit stones and pills accumulated over many years, all of which I can give you! I also have many men under my command, and my influence extends throughout the surrounding cities. From now on, I am willing to submit to you, to be your vassal, to serve you faithfully, to go through fire and water for you, without any disloyalty! I only beg you to spare my life!"

In order to survive, he was willing to give up all his wealth and fortune and submit to the emperor, just to have a chance to live.

In his view, a generous reward will surely attract brave men, and no one can remain unmoved by the prospect of profit. A young man with unparalleled talent like Qin Zhan would certainly need resources for cultivation, as well as manpower and influence to help him. The conditions he offered were enough to tempt anyone.

However, Qin Zhan merely glanced at him indifferently, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever, but rather a hint of mockery: "Your treasures, your power, I have never taken them seriously. As for bowing down and submitting, someone as arrogant, selfish, and treacherous as you, keeping you around would only bring endless trouble."

Zhou Hu's relentless pursuit and ruthless methods reveal his greedy and cunning nature, coupled with extreme arrogance. Though forced to beg for mercy today, he will undoubtedly harbor resentment and seek revenge should he ever have a chance to recover. Qin Zhan, on the other hand, is known for his decisive and ruthless actions, never leaving himself any hidden dangers and showing no leniency towards evil.

Zhou Hu's face instantly turned ashen, and the last glimmer of hope in his eyes vanished. He could see that Qin Zhan's mind was made up and there was no way he would let him go.

Despair completely enveloped his heart, and a fierce glint flashed in Zhou Hu's eyes. Since begging for mercy was useless, he was unwilling to die such a cowardly death. He secretly mobilized the last bit of vital energy left in his body, wanting to detonate his cultivation and desperately drag Qin Zhan down with him.

But the moment he had that thought, Qin Zhan seemed to have already seen through his intentions. He took a small step forward, and a vast and powerful pressure of primordial energy suddenly poured down, like a ten-thousand-foot mountain crashing down, tightly enveloping Zhou Hu's body.

"Buzz—"

An invisible force imprisoned all directions. Zhou Hu felt his blood vessels stagnate, and the last bit of vital energy in his dantian was instantly suppressed, making it impossible to mobilize even a fraction of it. He couldn't even move a finger.

The thought of unleashing his cultivation potential was instantly nipped in the bud.

"You don't even have the right to self-destruct in front of me." Qin Zhan's tone was indifferent, and his voice was icy cold.

Zhou Hu's body stiffened, his heart turned to ice, and he sank into the abyss of despair. He never expected that his last desperate struggle under his severe injuries would be so easily seen through by Qin Zhan, who sealed him off without giving him any chance to resist.

At this moment, he truly felt the immense gap between them. Qin Zhan's strength was several times more terrifying than he had imagined, something he could never hope to reach.

The poisonous fog drifted slowly, and corpses were scattered around, all of them Zhou Hu's skilled men. They were long since lifeless, their blood staining the earth, mingling with the pervasive fog, creating a chilling and desolate atmosphere. Those remaining men who had managed to escape beforehand were terrified, fleeing without looking back into the depths of the fog, daring not to linger even for a moment, much less look back.

On the vast battlefield, only Qin Zhan and the dying Zhou Hu remained, facing each other.

Qin Zhan's gaze swept over the ravaged battlefield, his eyes darkening slightly. Zhou Hu's pursuit, while ultimately self-destructive, had also revealed that forces outside the sect had their eyes on this misty realm, and even more so on the opportunities he held. This defeat of Zhou Hu was merely the beginning; many more greedy individuals would surely follow.

This secret realm of poisonous mist holds countless opportunities and treasures, but it is also fraught with danger. Various forces have long coveted it, but have dared not venture deep into the misty region due to its perilous nature. Now that I have ventured into the depths of the secret realm and revealed my strength, once the news gets out, it will inevitably bring even greater trouble.

Having thought this through, Qin Zhan had already made up his mind. He had to nip it in the bud; he absolutely could not let Zhou Hu go today. Firstly, he would settle the score with the pursuers, and secondly, he would prevent Zhou Hu from returning and spreading the news, thus attracting more powerful enemies.

Zhou Hu seemed to sense the murderous intent in Qin Zhan's eyes, and was terrified. He struggled desperately to retreat, his voice filled with deep fear: "Don't kill me! I swear, I will never be your enemy in this life, I will never reveal a single word about you, I will stay far away from this place from now on, and I will never set foot here again! Please spare my life!"

He had long since abandoned his dignity; at this moment, all that remained was his instinctive fear of survival.

Qin Zhan remained expressionless and unmoved. He slowly raised his right hand, a wisp of condensed and sharp azure energy swirling around his fingertips. The energy exuded an incomparably sharp killing intent, which was particularly dazzling in the misty fog.

"From the moment you stepped into the Fog Domain and attacked me, the outcome was already decided."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Zhan flicked his fingertips lightly.

The wisp of azure energy streaked across the sky like a meteor, moving with lightning speed towards Zhou Hu in an instant.

Zhou Hu's pupils shrank sharply, his eyes filled with extreme fear. He tried to dodge, but was firmly restrained by Qin Zhan's oppressive aura, his body unable to move, and could only watch helplessly as that sharp aura attacked him.

"Pfft!"

A soft sound rang out, and the vital energy instantly penetrated Zhou Hu's brow.

Zhou Hu's body stiffened abruptly, his eyes widening in shock, the fear and resentment within them freezing instantly, his life force draining away at a visible speed. His head tilted slightly, and he collapsed heavily to the ground, lifeless.

A powerful leader who had dominated the surrounding areas for many years perished in the misty region, meeting a tragic end with his body and soul extinguished.

After dealing with Zhou Hu, Qin Zhan withdrew his gaze, his expression remaining calm, as if he had merely crushed an ant. He glanced down at Zhou Hu's corpse on the ground, then stepped forward, his fingertips flicking with energy, and began to search Zhou Hu's storage artifacts.

A moment later, an ancient-looking storage ring fell into Qin Zhan's hand. He probed it with his divine sense and found that it contained a considerable number of spirit stones, a dazzling array of various healing pills and body-tempering elixirs, several incomplete martial arts manuals, and a map made of animal hide with intricate patterns.

Qin Zhan unfolded the animal hide map and examined it carefully in the misty fog. The map marked the mountains and terrain surrounding the fog domain, the entrance to the secret realm, and several hidden resource strongholds. It even vaguely outlined the route deeper into the fog domain and marked the locations of several suspected ancient ruins.

It seems that Zhou Hu has long coveted this poisonous fog secret realm and has been secretly investigating it for a long time. No wonder he was willing to risk the dangers of the fog domain to personally hunt him down in order to seize the opportunity.

Qin Zhan carefully put away the map, then checked and stored all the spirit stones and pills in his storage ring. He glanced at the incomplete martial arts manuals, but they were all ordinary martial arts and useless to him, so he casually put them aside.

After tidying everything up, he looked up at the churning poisonous fog around him, his gaze lingering deeper into the fog-shrouded area.

The fighting here is quite intense. Although the poisonous fog blocks out sounds and auras, it might still attract other lurking monsters from the secret realm or cultivators who have strayed into this place. It is not advisable to linger here.

Moreover, the ancient ruins marked on the animal hide map piqued his interest. His purpose in entering the Misty Domain was to gain experience and search for treasure, and now that he had a clue, he naturally wanted to go and investigate.

This ancient and perilous poisonous fog realm remains shrouded in mystery, concealing countless dangers and opportunities. Qin Zhan's journey has not faltered; unknown perils, ferocious beasts, hidden ruins, and various lurking observers await him on the road ahead. The poisonous fog surges like a vast ocean, layer upon layer stretching across the heavens and earth, the thick, gray fog obscuring the sun and moon, shrouding the entire foggy region in an impenetrable blanket. A cold, corrosive aura permeates the air, seeping into the very flesh. Ordinary cultivators, without high-level antidote pills and protective qi, would soon have their meridians eroded by the fog, sink into illusions, and ultimately their bodies decay, turning into dust within the fog.

It is precisely because of this extreme danger that the Misty Domain has been feared by the surrounding major powers for thousands of years. Most cultivators only dare to gather spiritual herbs and hunt low-level demonic beasts on the outskirts, never daring to venture into its heartland. Only desperate rogue cultivators, those with nowhere else to turn, or top experts who consider themselves to have unparalleled cultivation will risk going deep into the mist, coveting the legendary ancient opportunities hidden deep within its heartland.

Qin Zhan's vital energy circulated slightly, and the poisonous mist surrounding him was isolated by an invisible force, unable to corrode his physical body and meridians in the slightest. He took a light step, his figure transforming into a green shadow, merging into the vast white mist, and heading deeper into the misty domain. His figure was soon obscured by the misty fog and disappeared.