Chapter 152: The End.

  Water shaped into a cloud formed underneath Jing as she fully unleashed the extent of her power so far. She couldn't afford to hold anything back against a figure as powerful as this. Unfortunately, the air wasn't exactly her home ground. Jing has never fought off the ground like this so, it added even more of a disadvantage for her. Her qi took a bluish-purple color as it formed around her, blowing fiercely into the wind. Not matching a 9th stage Qi Gatherer in the slightest.

  A strange round object continually spewed water as it was held upside down without any visible force interacting on it. This water flowed around Jing like an elegant ribbon made by an immortal seamstress. It hung around her neck like a scarf that only got bluer and darker as more water was brought into it instead of increasing in size. Along with the scarf a thin whip of water was formed in her hand from the water scarf. Jing's control over water could be considered peerless compared to those near her age. Not just any cultivator could do what she was doing even if they trained for hundreds of years! It would normally take a lifetime to reproduce the results of what Jing has accomplished with the water element. Something that was only accomplished thanks to her shadow in Ying's Void World.

  While she wasn't able to actively train her martial arts against the shadow, she could let the shadow attack her. So, like a sponge, Jing allowed herself to be attacked by the shadow until it showed everything her martial arts could become. It could only replicate her martial arts though, no SCP's. So things like, Empress of Pain's Tome, Flowering Domination, her unnamed whip martial art, Idliragijenget's Blessing, her movement technique Kaizar's Conquest, and Neptune's Prophet. All of them were rapidly raised just like her followers who had their martial arts brought to higher levels.

  Along with the water, a black cloud could be seen forming around her. If one had exceptional sight, they would be able to recognize them as miniature lifeforms. To be specific, millions and perhaps trillions of bacteria that has been evolved thanks to Jing's cultivation of them with qi. She's only had to use SCP-353 once and that was to pay back that monkey from the Treasured Plains. Since then, she's rarely found a use for them outside of mutating the viral agents into something that would wreak havoc on cultivators and spirit beasts alike. Even she didn't know the true lethality of these micro creatures.

  From Jing's pocket, she summoned 5 talismans that floated behind her. With a little infusion of qi, they lit up and slowly attached themselves to Jing's back. Her qi tripled in power after the formation activated. She knew that using her qi was her only real chance surviving against this man. There wasn't a 1% chance of Jing's body being tough enough to handle a single casual strike from this man.

  An amused smirk appeared on the Earthly Immortal's face. He was very handsome and incredibly young looking but Jing knew that this was not his true appearance. Most likely, he was a few centuries old. Revealing her true power like this wasn't in her nature but as far as she could tell, no one was around and she couldn't let three of her angels die a pitiful death just because of unfortunate circumstance.

  When she realized that he was still smiling despite everything she's done, it painted a gloomy picture in her heart. Several thoughts ran through her mind on how best to handle this situation. And fighting wasn't one of them. Fighting was the last thing she had on her mind against someone at this realm. Jing only prepared herself just on the off chance that she couldn't escape or somehow talk her way out of this situation.

"You are not an average Qi Gatherer, are you?" He showed an amused smile.

"You could say that." Denying something as obvious as this wouldn't be good for her.

"I'm curious to where such a powerful little prodigy could have been hiding. Since you were brought by a movement-type spell, that must mean you aren't from around here. I wonder if you can guess what I'm thinking?" He grinned.

"I take it you are debating whether or not to kill me for my potential or let me live for some ridiculous reason." Jing stared into his playful eyes.

"And you're smart too." He walked on the air, circling around her. "You see, I only wanted to punish my daughter for bringing home a boy that I did not approve of. He had no background, his manners were abysmal, and his potential was negligible at best. If you were a boy, I'd be glad to have you marry my daughter instead and that would be the only payment for you being able to leave here. But sadly, you are a girl and I only have one daughter. Nor do I have a legendary pill that could reverse Yin into Yang."

"If you are wanting to know where I come from, then I am a disciple of-" Jing felt something touch her lips and stopped her from speaking.

"I didn't ask anything like that. Where you come from matters not to me. I'm going to find out regardless at the upcoming Meeting of Great Talents. What I need from you is a reason to let you live for hindering me in punishing my daughter. What can you give me in exchange for your life?" The Earthly Immortal's smile gripped her heart.

  Jing could tell that this man was going to squish her like a bug if she didn't give him a good reason. He might be smiling but that look was anything but a facial expression made with good intentions. Thankfully, there was a way she could get out of this. If it was anything else he asked for, Jing might have been screwed. But if it was something like this? There were a few things that Jing could offer him in return for her life.

"I'm only a Qi Gatherer. What could I possibly have that could tempt someone on your level, Respected Immortal?" But then again, why reveal that?

"Don't treat me like a fool. I can clearly see that your soul is not normal. That will be your only warning. Perhaps you're a reincarnated soul or one touched by the True Immortals themselves far beyond the eyes of any mortal and immortal. Whichever you are, you very clearly have something to tempt me with that you do not wish to hand over at any cost. Give it to me and I'll let you go or bring back the boy and let me deal with him." He kindly gave her two options.

  So, the persons of fate and reincarnators are known in this world by the higher stages. They can also see souls plain as day. 'Whatever Li Li did to enhance my soul must have made it different from normal souls or maybe it was always different and I just never knew until now. However, it doesn't matter. If I want to receive my mission rewards, I absolutely cannot allow this man to get his hands on Jig's junior brother. But if I don't, then the only choice to satisfy him would be to produce an item with SCP-914 that a Qi Gatherer shouldn't be able to get their hands on ever.' Jing was stumped on the decision she should make.

"10 seconds left." He stated.

  Jing's refined brain raced to find a solution in where she could successfully benefit the most from this situation. The best-case scenario would be to not have an Earthly immortal as her enemy and Jig's junior to stay alive. Worst would be her dying. Jing wasn't blind to the possibility that the man would kill her regardless of what she did. She could give him something that only she would be able to create or the boy and then kill her.

  It was basically a 50/50 chance in where she lives or dies no matter what choice she makes. Jing especially didn't want to reveal that she had access to valuable tools, weapons, martial arts, spells, and pills that could easily rival heaven-ranked ones. If she allowed him to realize that, then what was stopping him from trying to strip her of all her valuables? Treating her like a precious spirit ore mine that would never tap.

  There was also no certainty that teleporting as far away as possible would work either. Could a simple teleportation spell really deal with an Earthly Immortal? Jing didn't want to ruin any chances of getting out of this on top if she could. If there was a way to survive, save the boy, and not get on this guy's bad side then that was the path she wanted to create. But she simply didn't have enough information on this man or the power to cause that situation to happen. It looks like there was only one path she could take.

"I'll bring the boy. Give me a moment." Jing spoke as she suddenly left.

  She felt something latch onto her qi before she left and instantly understood that this invisible qi string connected her to the Earthly Immortal. He would be able to find her in seconds if he wanted and she didn't want to risk messing with it and angering the man. Jing picked up the unconscious Xun Liuxian and then teleported back far into the sky above the Immortal Forest outside Emerald City. She allowed his body to float over to the immortal.

  He gladly took the boy and ended him in his sleep. His heart was crushed from the inside and the Earthly Immortal dropped his body into the woods for the spirit beasts to devour. Jing could see the pop-up for the failure of her mission. It was a shame that she couldn't get whatever SCP-682 was or the soul refining orb and Banner of Death. But her secrets were far more important. As her attention was momentarily taken away, the Earthly Immortal began walking away.

[Mission Failed!]

[You've failed to Jig's junior brother from dying a horrible untimely death!]

[Reduced luck in next 5 gacha spins.]

  Only for Jing to suddenly feel a grip on her entire body and soul that was slowly being squeezed. She used all the available power in her body to resist against it. Her resistance didn't even last a second against the strength of an Earthly Immortal. Someone only two major stages before the final cultivation realm.

"You... will regret this decision..." She cursed before she was crushed into a pool of blood by his qi.

"If only you were a boy..." He shook his head with regret before disappearing with a slight cough.