"This woman is now under my protection."
The weight of the words and the killer instinct behind them echoed through the deafening silence. The trio of pursuers froze in their tracks.
Black on white, Ling Xian’s dark hair fell loosely around his shoulders against the backdrop of his pure-white cloak. He examined the trio with a glare of death.
Why?
This woman was none other than Lin Qing Yi.
The woman who captured his heart by resting her blade against his neck inside that freezing cave.
The woman of his dreams was being pursued and humiliated. Of course, he was enraged.
"Ling Xian, it’s you."
The sight of the white-cloaked youth brought tears down her cheeks. The maiden with a will of steel was no more. She was in deep pain. The humiliation of the past few days flooded back across her mind. Tears the size of stones rained down her face.
Ling Xian felt sickened by the sight of her physical wound. He was now completely consumed by a desire to kill.
Ling Xian had grown up a gentleman. He was not easily angered. But this moment, he had the desire to slaughter everyone in sight.
His rage had been taken to a place he never knew existed.
"Don’t say a word. We’ll resume after I’ve killed them."
Ling Xian signaled for her to step aside. He was now looking directly at the three men who pursued her, his eyes glowing with darkness.
The trio’s faces darkened in response. A middle-aged man stepped up and tested the waters with him. "Stranger, are you sure you wish to protect her?"
"No, I misspoke."
Ling Xian shook his head as his glare turned even icier and continued, "Not that I wish to protect her, I wish to kill the three of you."
"Ha ha, what an arrogant kid, looks like you’re determined to challenge us." The middle-aged man sniggered. "You look young but powerful. Your future is bright. Don’t waste it on a woman."
"Cut your bullsh*t!"
Ling Xian extended his gaze to all three men and sternly declared, "I don’t care who you are or what your story is. Today, you die!"
"Arrogant bastard!"
The middle-aged man had intended to reason Ling Xian out of a fight. He could tell Ling Xian was not a weakling and didn’t want to create an unnecessary spectacle. But Ling Xian’s threats had completely angered him. He had to kill him, even though that wasn’t his order.
"Get him!"
His two companions charged on command. The foundational powers from both sent rocks and debris flying through the air, covering the entire street under a cloud of dust.
"Good heavens! A joint attack from two foundational levels! That’s unbeatable! This youth is in deep trouble!"
"Right, I don’t even want to see what happens next. This kid looks like he’s only 15 or 16, how can he overpower these two?"
"This kid is dumb as a rock. He must’ve read too many novels growing up, too many stories of heroes saving their women. What a dumbass. Don’t know how pretty this girl is. But three foundational level cultivators together? This battle is done!"
Most of the voices from the crowd expressed concern, some expressed amazement, others mockery.
"Ling Xian, be careful!"
Lin Qing Yi turned pale. She knew how strong the three men were. Seeing two of them charging at Ling Xian together, she became worried sick. But just as she stepped up and tried to help, an arm pushed her back, followed by a voice.
"Don’t you worry, these mid-range foundational levels can’t hurt me."
Ling Xian smirked at her. Then, without moving an inch or releasing an ounce of Qi, he held out his hand and struck.
However, this casual strike of a hand turned the challengers’ faces purple. They could feel that this was no ordinary strike. They were being confronted with the forces of two colliding mountains.
Impenetrable. Unstoppable. Unbeatable.
Hommm!
Ling Xian had injected extra force in this strike. His anger had to be released somehow. The strike hit both targets square on their chests. Instantly, their bodies flew backward. As they landed on the cold, hard ground, life had already escaped them.
One strike!
Two instant casualties!
This ending shocked every spectator to the core.
"My heavens, am I blind? Unbelievable, one strike just killed two foundational level fighters!"
"What did I just see? Those two were of the foundational level! Who is this?"
"Impossible! Just impossible! Is he immortal? He’s so young. How could he possibly be this strong?!"
Those in the crowd who had doubted him only seconds ago instantly fell silent.
"It’s only been a year. How has he become this strong..."
Lin Qing Yi gazed at him, stunned. The skinny youth had suddenly become grander, bulkier, braver. He had become someone she could rely on and give her life to.
He gave her a feeling of security.
"He’s too powerful!"
The pupils of the middle-aged man contracted. He was a cultivator of the advanced phase of the foundational level. Of course, he could see clearly that Ling Xian had not used an ounce of Qi. He accomplished what he did using only pure strength.
He defied the laws of nature!
As he threw the youth one more glance, paralyzing fear came over him.
As a cultivator of the advanced phase foundational level, he could have easily defeated either one of his foundational level companions. Even if they joined forces, he could still secure a victory, but not nearly as easily as Ling Xian had done.
One strike to kill two foundational level cultivators, how much depth does he have to accomplish such a feat?
"Goddammit, why did we have to encounter someone like him?"
The middle-aged man was not shy about hiding his fear of Ling Xian. In this moment, standing before him was not an adolescent youth, but a beast, an evil sorcerer!
"Like I said, today, you die," Ling Xian shouted. He looked and sounded as if an immortal of unspeakable powers had taken over his soul.
Dong, dong, dong!
Ling Xian returned the middle-aged man’s gaze and began to inch closer. Each step he took fell heavily on top of the ancient cobblestoned streets. Each step sounded and felt like death was descending upon the city.
"Speak, how would you like to die?"
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