Keep Killing!

In an instant!

Not only Han Yuan and the others, but even Xiao Tao'er's mother, Doctor He, and the other villagers who had come after them were branded violent criminals and counted among the rebels by the city guards.

And Qi Lin, who had killed his way through the encirclement, was naturally a serious offender.

"Any violent offender is to be beheaded on the spot!"

As the cold proclamations rang out, the city guards' armor and sabers bore down on the unarmed civilians like a torrent of steel.

And Qi Lin was already deep in a sea of blades wielded by hundreds of city guards.

"You're supposed to be the army that protects this city, living off the people's blood and sweat! Instead of defending them from mountain bandits and evil beasts outside the walls, you oppress civilians inside them!"

Qi Lin held Xiao Tao'er tight. It was as if he had returned to the moment he faced the Xiao Clan, and his eyes were already red with slaughter.

He carved a path of blood and corpses by sheer force, sending both flying wherever he went!

"This Qi brat is actually so vicious..."

The city guards stared at the bloodstained youth in shock. Panicking, they hurried to call for help.

"Go get Miss Su! Quickly!"

"Miss Su, do you know that young lad?"

Not far away, a young man in fine green robes asked.

Beside him, Su Lianxi, dressed in a white skirt, stared fixedly at Qi Lin with her beautiful eyes, somewhat lost in thought.

"Miss Su!"

Only when Ye Qing called her again did Su Lianxi come back to her senses.

"Rootless duckweed, no more than dust, even if he has some talent."

Her pretty face turned cold again. "He's just a stray dog that follows me around begging for food."

"Oh? Then I'll play with him."

Hum!

The young man in green actually stepped straight into the fray and came before Qi Lin.

"Stop!"

The force of his powerful True Essence gave his shout a commanding presence, startling the city guards.

"It's Ye Qing!"

The city guards looked at one another, then hurriedly stopped and cleared a large space for Ye Qing and Qi Lin.

"The son of the head of Mystic City's Thick Earth Division?"

"He's also the hall master of Green Jade Hall, under the Universal Salvation Chamber of Commerce."

"I know. His family handles all the pill business in Mystic City..."

With his status, even though he was alone, the city guards did not dare touch him. It was said that part of their pay came from Green Jade Hall.

Who would want to cross such a major patron?

"Ye Qing?"

Qi Lin knew him too, of course!

More than a hundred patients with chronic Fire Burning Disease in Pingyang District relied on Green Jade Hall's "Ice Mystic Water" to stay alive. Ice Mystic Water was just water in which an Ice Mystic Pill had been soaked... but it was still costly.

Was he helping him?

Only after Ye Qing had cowed the city guards did he turn to look at Qi Lin and Xiao Tao'er. He shook his head and sighed. "She's only five or six, isn't she? Poor thing."

"Sir Ye Qing."

Green Jade Hall had been Qi Lin's destination all along. He had not expected its owner to be here.

He had barely spoken when Ye Qing interrupted him. "You want to buy an Ice Mystic Pill, right? I have one on me."

Qi Lin's heart leaped at those words.

If he could buy the medicine here, Xiao Tao'er could take it sooner, and there would still be hope for her to live.

"May I ask the price of an Ice Mystic Pill...?" Qi Lin asked urgently.

"One hundred taels of gold." Ye Qing held up one finger.

Qi Lin knew Ice Mystic Pills were expensive, but he had not expected them to cost so much. The compensation for Brother Dao and the money the villagers had pooled together came to less than a tenth of the price.

Hearing this, Xiao Tao'er's mother felt as though she had been struck by lightning and nearly fell into despair.

"But!" Ye Qing abruptly changed tack, his eyes drifting to the black wooden sword in Qi Lin's hand. "You can trade that wooden sword of yours for an Ice Mystic Pill."

Qi Lin's gaze sharpened.

He knew Ye Qing must have come up with the idea after seeing him slaughter his way through the guards with a wooden sword.

"Deal."

As soon as Ye Qing finished speaking, Qi Lin stepped forward and handed him the black wooden sword, his gaze burning. "Give me the Ice Mystic Pill!"

"Straightforward."

Ye Qing chuckled, taking the sword with one hand and reaching into an antique bronze ring with the other. He produced a jade box that gave off a chill and tossed it to Qi Lin.

"The Ice Mystic Pill!"

Qi Lin felt as though he had obtained a priceless treasure.

He sat on the ground with Xiao Tao'er leaning against him and hurriedly opened the jade box. Inside lay a pill as white as snow.

"Xiao Tao'er!" The woman stumbled over and knelt beside them, her face covered in tears. "Qi Lin, thank you! Thank you!"

"It's what I should do."

Qi Lin bit his lip and picked up the Ice Mystic Pill with trembling hands. He used his fingers to part Xiao Tao'er's parched lips and fed it to her.

Seeing this, the people all wept for joy.

"Thank you too, righteous lord!" The woman knelt and kowtowed to Ye Qing.

Ye Qing was playing with the black wooden sword. When he heard the words "righteous lord," he paused, and an intriguing expression appeared at the corners of his mouth.

Pfft!

Just then, Xiao Tao'er's whole body began to tremble, and she spat out a mouthful of thick blood mixed with black ice!

Her eyes rolled back at once, the warmth rapidly leaving her body. Her voice grew indistinct. "Big brother, it's so dark. I'm scared. It hurts so much..."

Qi Lin's heart, which had only just relaxed, tightened again in an instant!

He held Xiao Tao'er tight and roared, "Doctor He! What's happening?"

Doctor He crouched down and checked Xiao Tao'er's pulse. His expression changed drastically. "Impossible! An Ice Mystic Pill neutralizes Fire Burning Poison. It shouldn't set ice and fire against each other!"

"What does that mean?" the woman asked, distraught.

Doctor He raised his head in disbelief and looked at Ye Qing. "Th-this is fake medicine!"

The moment he said it, the entire place fell deathly silent!

Even the city guards froze for a moment, their expressions strange.

Ye Qing, unable to put the black wooden sword down, waved a hand and laughed. "Of course it is. Who sells real medicine to the poor?"

"Fake medicine..."

The woman felt as if five bolts of lightning had struck her at once. She spat out a mouthful of blood and nearly died on the spot!

"Alas!"

Even the city guards could only sigh as they looked at the finely dressed young man who toyed with human lives.

This was the true face of the powerful and privileged.

In the crowd!

Qi Lin slowly laid down the dying Xiao Tao'er, rage burning through his mind!

"Ye Qing!"

He looked at Ye Qing and suddenly let out an explosive shout.

Hearing the deafening roar, Ye Qing frowned and looked up, fixing Qi Lin with a cold stare.

"What are you yelling for, brat..."

As he spoke in a tone of extreme impatience, the black wooden sword in his hand suddenly turned on its own, slipping free of his fingers.

Slash!

The wooden sword spun around and slashed straight through his wrist!

"Ah!!"

Ye Qing's right hand flew off, blood spraying everywhere!

He immediately let out a heart-rending scream of pain, his flippant face turning deathly pale in an instant!