Qin Chuan also took out his Forging God Sword Hammer, but he felt his chances were slim. If nothing unexpected happened, it would be difficult to fuse with the sword soul today.
Qin Chuan was unwilling to give up so easily, but he couldn't bring himself to use any underhanded methods, since the other party wasn't a truly heinous person.
If it were a truly heinous person, Qin Chuan could eliminate them with a clear conscience, thus killing two birds with one stone and possessing the sword soul with peace of mind.
However, this method was impossible; he had to try other ways. If he couldn't obtain it, then it was simply not his destiny.
The sword soul began to tremble slowly. It seemed to sense a summons—the summons of many precious swords—and the sword soul was searching for a suitable one.
The person who possessed the superb sword was very excited because he clearly felt the sword soul's response, albeit subtle, but it was a good start, and he had great confidence in his sword.
Qin Chuan also began to communicate with the sword soul using his mind—this could only be done through the Forging God Sword Hammer—and quickly established contact.
However, this sword spirit seemed to have a special fondness for that fine sword. Qin Chuan tried to communicate and guide it, but was met with rejection; the sword spirit refused to fuse with the Forging God Sword Hammer.
This was bad news. Qin Chuan had initially held onto a sliver of hope, but now he felt utterly hopeless.
A fine sword was a prerequisite; a sword good enough would attract a sword spirit, since the sword spirit's primary consideration was the sword itself. As for the person wielding the sword, the sword spirit hardly considered them, since the wielder could be replaced.
Qin Chuan slowly exhaled, even considering putting away the Forging God Sword Hammer, no longer wanting to waste his efforts.
But at that moment, a sudden change occurred. Someone ambushed the person with the fine sword, piercing him through the heart from behind, killing the righteous man instantly.
Hmm?
The Tiger Clan…
the Tiger Clan… Qin Chuan frowned. What a twist of fate! Although the previous conflict seemed to have been resolved, this had happened.
The man had no connection to Qin Chuan, but his righteous aura impressed Qin Chuan, who disliked the Hu family's behavior.
Previously, Qin Chuan's strength hadn't broken through, making him uncertain of his chances against the Hu family, even suggesting he couldn't defeat them.
But now things were different. Qin Chuan had broken through, albeit only recently reaching the Immortal Emperor realm, but his combat prowess was formidable, even astonishing.
Things Qin Chuan couldn't have done, the Hu family had accomplished.
"You…"
The man uttered only one word, watching the middle-aged leader of the Hu family fall, the sword now in the hands of a Hu family man.
The surroundings were quiet, many staring at the Hu family man. From the moment this happened, many eyes lit up.
The previous stalemate had been disrupted. Many factors had shaped the situation, but few dared to easily break the peace.
However, fortune favors the bold; to gain benefits, one must take risks. The Hu family had carefully considered their decision and likely had a countermeasure.
"What? You want to rob me? Think it over, do you even have the life to do it?" The Tiger family man said coldly, surveying the surrounding gazes.
His Tiger family was a powerful force. Although they feared the Emperor, they understood him well. They knew the Emperor wouldn't interfere in such matters; they were certain of this.
So, as long as they could intimidate some people, everything would be fine. Strike first, gain the upper hand, and suppress the surrounding crowd with sheer force from the start—that would be half the battle won.
As long as the scene remained calm, human nature dictates that few would be willing to be the first to stick their neck out, since those who do usually meet a terrible end.
The Tiger family man capitalized on this, revealing a fierce and menacing face. Coupled with the Tiger family's bad reputation, this caused many to hesitate.
Many weighed the options and ultimately backed down. The treasure was valuable, but survival was paramount. Many had initially hoped to create chaos and perhaps fish in troubled waters.
But now it seemed that wouldn't work. One retreat would cause everyone else to retreat as well, and this retreat brought a barely perceptible smile to the Tiger family man's face.
His smile was filled with disdain and mockery, tinged with a hint of smugness, and he also breathed a sigh of relief. Success! With the sword and its spirit, the benefits were unimaginable.
Qin Chuan smiled and walked towards the Tiger Clan man.
Ren Jun and Long Yuanchong were startled but said nothing, simply following Qin Chuan. They assumed he was going to snatch the sword the Tiger Clan man had just acquired.
However, the Tiger Clan man's actions were despicable. If Qin Chuan truly intended to take it, Ren Jun had already considered it and would support him, and Long Yuanchong, needless to say, would too, given their past grudges against the Tiger Clan.
If they could take it now, all the better. Qin Chuan didn't know what Ren Jun and Long Yuanchong were thinking, but the Tiger Clan man, initially smug, felt a surge of tension as he watched the three approach.
The saying goes, "Good people don't come," and at this time, someone coming was not a good thing, especially since they had a grudge against him. Therefore, the Tiger Clan man was uneasy.
The Tiger family man stared at Qin Chuan, but quickly broke into a smile, a smile as gentle and warm as a spring breeze. Qin Chuan was taken aback; this ruthless man could actually smile like that.
No matter how good the smile, Qin Chuan hated and loathed it. A gentleman loves money, but he acquires it honestly. This kind of person who attacks from behind and kills others on sight would never be respected by anyone.
"Mr. Qin, we meet again," the Tiger family man greeted Qin Chuan.
"This sword doesn't belong to you," Qin Chuan said softly.
The Tiger family man frowned, looking at Qin Chuan: "Not mine? It's mine now. Does Mr. Qin also like this sword?"
Qin Chuan smiled: "Everyone has many things they like, but a gentleman loves money but acquires it in a proper way. To say you're stealing it is an understatement. A sneak attack from behind, putting someone to death—who would tolerate that?"
"Enough nonsense! You came here to steal it, didn't you? No need to belittle me. Do you think that makes you seem noble?" The Tiger family man knew things wouldn't end well today, and he didn't want Qin Chuan to sway the atmosphere in his favor.
"I just feel sorry for this old man's death. To some extent, I had a connection with him, and I should do something for him," Qin Chuan said calmly.
"Oh, then what do you want to do?" The Tiger family man gripped his sword tighter.
"Since he died because of this sword, I'll use it to kill someone for him, so he'll have company on his journey to the underworld and won't be so lonely. What do you say?" Qin Chuan smiled at the Tiger family man.