Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 171 - 171 0176 Still Has Quite a Few Shortcomings

Chapter 171: Chapter 0176: Still Has Quite a Few Shortcomings Chapter 171: Chapter 0176: Still Has Quite a Few Shortcomings Returning to Hu Qifan’s side, Qi Tian looked at Hu Qifan, who was lying on the ground barely breathing, unsure of how to let him go. It wasn’t in Qi Tian’s style to let Hu Qifan off easily. He had never been one to turn the other cheek when wronged – he could be generous and magnanimous, but that was only if the other party had only committed minor wrongs. Hu Qifan, on the other hand, had first conspired with the people of the Peacock Hall to harm him, and now, wanted to battle him to the death. If he were to forgive Hu Qifan for these transgressions, he might as well have been kicked in the head by a donkey.

Qi Tian quickly came up with an idea. He jumped down from the stage, grabbed Liu Haoshuai, and then dragged Liu Haoshuai up to the stage of life and death. Liu Haoshuai was somewhat terrified, thinking that Qi Tian, holding a grudge against him for Luo Xia’s order not to kill Hu Qifan, was planning on venting his anger on him by killing him on the stage. Scared out of his wits, he cried out loudly.

“Qi Tian, you can’t kill me. I haven’t signed any death agreement with you, nor have I agreed to fight you on the stage. If you… if you… dare to touch a hair on my head, you would be violating the rules of the manor. Everyone, from the Mansion Master down, will condemn you,” he pleaded.

Qi Tian ignored him and continued to drag Liu Haoshuai forward. Liu Haoshuai was struck dumb with surprise and quickly shifted from screaming to begging, pleading amidst sobs and tears, “Qi Tian, spare me, I don’t want to die. Spare me, and I’ll do anything you want. Please, I beg you to spare me.”

Qi Tian tossed Liu Haoshuai like a dead dog to the side of Hu Qifan. Liu Haoshuai got up and fell at Qi Tian’s feet, sobbing profusely.

Qi Tian, irritated by Liu Haoshuai’s crying, said, “Shut up, or I’ll cut out your tongue.”

Liu Haoshuai promptly obeyed and stopped crying, but he couldn’t immediately stop the sobs, making him look rather pitiful.

Qi Tian pointed at Hu Qifan and asked, “Liu Haoshuai, he’s your maternal uncle, right?”

Liu Haoshuai nodded immediately, then shook his head, “He’s my uncle, but it was him who wanted to kill you, not me. I even tried to dissuade him, telling him not to harbor such murderous intent and violate the manor rules.”

Qi Tian sneered. If Liu Haoshuai’s words were to be believed, then pigs might fly. He said, “I signed a death agreement with your uncle. Now, I don’t wish to kill him anymore. What sort of price are you willing to offer to redeem him?”

“What price? Qi Tian, didn’t Lord Luo just tell you to spare my uncle? If you don’t allow him to go, wouldn’t that contradict Lord Luo’s orders?” Liu Haoshuai asked with tear-filled eyes.

Qi Tian calmly replied, “Yes, indeed. I won’t defy Lord Luo’s orders. However, Lord Luo merely forbade me from killing your uncle but didn’t specify how to release him. I can let your uncle leave unscathed, or I can cut off his limbs and cripple his Dantian. Either way, I have ‘released’ him. You choose how you want me to let go of him.”

Liu Haoshuai was taken aback. His uncle was about to become a Foundation Establishment Stage powerhouse and was his greatest support in the Imperial Master Mansion. If Qi Tian crippled him, even if he spared his life, his biggest backing in the mansion would be gone. “Qi Tian, you… ”

“Hmm?” Qi Tian’s expression darkened.

Liu Haoshuai jumped and remembered that he was still kneeling at Qi Tian’s feet; both his and his uncle’s fates were in Qi Tian’s hands. To disrespect Qi Tian at this point would be suicide.

“No… I meant to say, Qi Tian, what can we do to ensure my uncle and I can leave safely?” Liu Haoshuai hastily corrected himself.

“Simple. I’m not the aggressor in this dispute, I was forced to engage in battle. I have suffered severe mental damage through all this, and now, your uncle has become my defeated opponent. Since I can’t kill him, I can only seek some financial compensation. Name your price.” Qi Tian’s expression remained impassive.

Liu Haoshuai understood Qi Tian’s intent and internally cursed him as a bloodsucker. Although it was an order from Luo Xia, Qi Tian twisted it for his benefit. But what could he do? He couldn’t beat Qi Tian and so had to surrender to his demands. Thus, he thought for a moment and raised one finger, “How about a hundred thousand tales?”

“Are you trying to get rid of a beggar?” Qi Tian tapped Liu Haoshuai’s shoulder with the Three-Foot Flying Frost Sword in his hand. Liu Haoshuai got a fright and instantly hunched down, almost sprawled on the ground in fear.

“This is your uncle’s Spirit Sword, you recognize it, right? It’s a top-grade Heavenly Grade spiritual weapon, worth at least a few million tales, right? A hundred thousand tales wouldn’t even cover the redemption of this sword, let alone anything else.”

Liu Haoshuai looked bitter, “The sword is just a sword, it’s not money. How about… you keep the sword and let my uncle and me go?”

“Dream on. This sword is my spoils of war. If you want it back, you’ll have to give me a ransom. To use it as a payment is out of the question.” Qi Tian replied leisurely. “Here’s the deal, you have a choice. Ten million tales of silver or a thousand spirit stones. Choose one.”