Li Qi's entire body stiffened, his heartbeat erratic, his limbs cold, and even his lungs felt constricted.
Moreover, he began to feel suffocated.
Normally, he could hold his breath for a long time underwater.
But earlier, to spray that officer with air bubbles, he had expelled all the air from his lungs.
Underwater combat was already exhausting, and expelling all his stored air left him gasping for breath, beginning to suffocate.
The martial qi and Malevolent Qi disrupted the circulation of his nutritive and defensive qi, causing internal dysfunction.
Even though he had meticulously planned every move before the battle, it was impossible to anticipate everything without intelligence.
However... although he hadn't anticipated the officer's sword technique, such an injury was within his expectations!
Old Horse had almost died from Malevolent Qi entering his body. How could Li Qi not have thought of this?
And how did Old Horse deal with it?
By relying on his Great Forest Wood Qi!
The Great Forest Wood Qi from the Azure Dragon Divine Qi!
"The twelve meridians correspond to the twelve months. These twelve months are divided into four seasons. The four seasons—spring, autumn, winter, and summer—each have their own unique climatic characteristics. The human body naturally adapts to these changes, with nutritive and defensive qi having four phases. When inner and outer qi follow each other in harmony, yin and yang are balanced, and clear and turbid qi do not interfere with each other, thus ensuring proper functioning."
Nature has spring, summer, autumn, and winter, each season with distinct climatic features. The human body naturally aligns with these changes, with nutritive and defensive qi also having four phases. When inner and outer qi harmonize and operate smoothly, yin and yang balance each other, and clear and turbid qi do not clash, this allows the microcosm of the human body to adapt to the macrocosm of nature, ensuring normal meridian function.
When Shen Shuibei explained this, Li Qi had specifically asked her about it.
Although Shen Shuibei now seemed somewhat naive and adorable, she was once at the fifth rank and possessed the Immaculate Body, and she had been constantly by the side of Luo Fu Niangniang, a powerful figure.
Li Qi trusted her words greatly.
It was springtime, and the Great Forest Wood Qi was particularly attuned to the season. How could a mere thread of Malevolent Qi be fatal?
But it seemed he hadn't utilized them.
Still lying rigidly in the water, his lungs empty, nearly suffocating, his face turned blue and purple.
At first glance, he looked like a floating corpse.
The officer swam forward, preparing to deliver the final blow.
But he was cautious, merely approaching and controlling his long sword, then stabbing Li Qi's floating body from a distance.
He wasn't foolish enough to approach and stab himself.
Under his control, the sword swiftly stabbed toward Li Qi.
Then, just as the officer approached, Li Qi, who appeared to be a corpse, suddenly opened his eyes!
He looked completely fine because he had concentrated all his Great Forest Wood Qi, leaving only a trace, and used it to expel every bit of Malevolent Qi from his body.
Moreover, under the intense flush of Great Forest Wood Qi, all his external injuries were healed, even some hidden ailments cured by his powerful self-healing ability.
Without hesitation, Li Qi untied a rope from his waist.
No, that wasn't a rope.
It was... a willow branch!
Li Qi gritted his teeth! You have weapons, but don't I?!
He didn't know how to use a whip, and if he had taken it out earlier, he would have been easily outmatched by the officer's swift swordsmanship.
Only at this moment, pretending to be dead and waiting for the opponent to let down their guard, did he have a chance to strike!
Li Qi swung the willow branch, wrapping it around the blade of the sword.
"Argh—" the officer cried out in pain, clutching his eyes, even yelling underwater, expelling all the air from his lungs.
Because the Spiritual Essence attached to his sword had been shattered!
The willow branch contained the divine energy of the Earth Deities Shenshu and Yulei, specialized in exorcising ghosts and possessing a deterrent effect on spirits.
The willow branch, being a gathering of Yin energy, had a significant amplifying effect on spirits.
Combined, they became incredibly potent!
One swing of the willow branch not only wrapped around the blade but also shattered the Spiritual Essence attached to it.
With his Spiritual Essence shattered, the officer felt as if someone had smashed his nose bridge with a hammer, unbearable pain surging through him, and he swallowed a lungful of water!
He never expected that this Wu practitioner would have a magical artifact!
A genuine magical artifact, bestowed by a true Great Wu Zhu of the Wu Deity Mountain!
This was not something a mere flag officer could handle!
This ambush proved extraordinarily effective; Li Qi hadn't expected it to incapacitate the officer so thoroughly, causing blood to flow from his orifices as he convulsed violently in the water.
But Li Qi wasted no time, grabbing the officer's sword and stabbing it into his body!
One stab wasn't enough; he immediately pulled it out and stabbed repeatedly four or five times.
To ensure death, he stabbed into the throat and twisted the blade.
Indeed, this sword was exceptionally sharp.
He casually removed the scabbard, shouldered the officer's body, and holding his last breath, quickly surfaced.
He surfaced not for any other reason but to block incoming arrows!
There was no heroism or valor here.
But it ensured survival.
Sure enough, just as he surfaced and took a breath, several crossbow bolts whizzed by, embedding themselves in the headless corpse of the officer.
"Flag Officer!" the other soldiers roared in rage, their eyes red with fury!
But Li Qi ignored them, taking advantage of their reloading, he threw the body aside, grabbed the sword, and swiftly swam toward the river mouth.
The soldiers guarding the river mouth were enraged, all raising their swords in readiness!
This bastard had killed their commanding officer; they couldn't live with themselves unless they avenged him!
But Li Qi had prepared for this moment, combining the Heavenly Qi he had accumulated with the Earthly Qi he had cleverly acquired.
Earthly Qi ascended, while Heavenly Qi descended, yin and yang intermingled, heaven and earth collided, stirred by thunder.
Suddenly, thunder struck, shocking and shaking everything, stirring the heart, chasing away beasts, frightening tigers and leopards, intimidating birds, and wherever thunder struck, nothing remained unscathed!
The combination of Heavenly and Earthly Qi gave birth to Thunder Qi!
This trace of Thunder Qi was activated, transforming into a spring thunderclap, exploding loudly!
Boom! The soldiers standing at the river mouth were instantly paralyzed.
Would this trace of Thunder Qi kill them?
Honestly, Li Qi doubted it. These weren't novices; each was a cultivator, possibly ranked!
Just like the officer, if Li Qi hadn't used the willow branch and cunning tactics, taking advantage of the water terrain, he wouldn't have won so narrowly. On land, the officer would have likely cut him down in one stroke.
So, this relatively weak thunderbolt probably wouldn't kill them.
But, they wore metal armor and stood in water.
It might not kill them, but it could paralyze them!
Taking advantage of their paralysis, Li Qi swiftly broke through the river mouth and swam away!
Downstream, there was no way they could catch up! They would have to ride horses back!