Lin Baichuan looked at the man as if he were an idiot, then said to Song Gang, "Captain Song, if all the men under you are such useless trash, I'm truly worried about your future!"
"You're courting death!"
Lin Baichuan's words did not anger Song Gang, but they ignited the squad captain's fury. With a sharp roar, he sprang forward like a wildcat, his five fingers clawing out like eagle talons straight for Lin Baichuan's face.
"Eagle Claw Hand, hmph..."
Lin Baichuan recognized the martial skill at a glance. It was the High-grade Mortal Tier martial skill, Eagle Claw Hand. The hand took the shape of an eagle's claw, its sharpness fully exposed. Once cultivated to perfection, it could even crush gold and tear iron apart.
But this fellow had clearly not cultivated it well enough. At most, he had reached minor mastery. He was still far from being able to rend metal and shatter iron.
In truth, for an ordinary martial artist to raise a martial skill to perfection required years upon years of bitter training. For a High-grade Mortal Tier martial skill like Eagle Claw Hand, it was simply impossible to reach perfection without thirty to fifty years of cultivation.
Thus, many ordinary martial artists only cultivated one or two martial skills in their entire lives.
Not everyone was like Lin Baichuan, possessing a system and able to use it to consume merit and swiftly raise the level of his martial skills.
Crackle... Moo...
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Lin Baichuan's mind, but his hands did not remain idle. He raised his hand and immediately threw a punch. His Fist Intent surged like a flood, stirring up a dull whistle through the air. Faintly, it seemed as though the bellow of an ox rang out.
It was none other than the High-grade Mortal Tier martial skill, Brute Ox Fist.
After a night of cultivation, Lin Baichuan had already brought Brute Ox Fist to minor mastery. Combined with his current physical strength of over thirty thousand jin, the force added to this punch was something an ordinary person could never withstand.
Crack... Bang...
The man's face instantly turned pale. The fierce force of the Brute Ox Fist swept through his body, and with a muffled crack, his eagle-claw-like hand exploded apart.
For a moment, it was a bloody, mangled mess.
At the same time, a powerful impact erupted. Amid a miserable scream, the man was sent flying more than ten zhang before crashing heavily onto the ground. Blood poured from his seven orifices, and he fell completely unconscious.
"Lin Baichuan, you've got some nerve! It was one thing for you to commit murder at Hundred Herbs Hall, but now you dare to injure someone right in front of me. Do you think there's nothing I can do to you?"
Song Gang rebuked him harshly, his expression dark as water. He wished he could swallow Lin Baichuan whole.
"Captain Song, perhaps you have an eye disease! Didn't you see that I was merely acting in self-defense? The one disregarding the Demon Suppression Division's laws was him, not me. If you truly wanted to show off your authority, you should punish him instead of standing here and shouting helplessly at me..."
Lin Baichuan sneered, not taking Song Gang's threats seriously in the slightest.
Because he was telling the truth. That man had attacked him first, and he had merely defended himself and struck back. Let alone Song Gang, even if the person in charge of the Demon Suppression Division in Cangwu County came, he would not be able to find fault with it.
Song Gang's expression grew even darker. He glared fiercely at Lin Baichuan and said coldly, "I'll refrain from arguing with you over this matter for now. But you slaughtered and robbed people at Hundred Herbs Hall. You must give me a reasonable explanation for that. Otherwise..."
"Enough with the 'otherwise'!"
Lin Baichuan gave a cold laugh. "Captain Song, empty words prove nothing. Yes... I did kill people at Hundred Herbs Hall, but that was because Lu Changkong, the young master of Hundred Herbs Hall, embezzled my Mysterious Sun Fruit and even tried to attack me. He was simply inferior in strength and was killed by me instead.
"If Captain Song wants to convict me based solely on the Lu Family's side of the story, I'm afraid that won't be enough.
"Besides, even if I am guilty, that is a matter for the Enforcement Hall. Though you, Song Gang, are the captain of the Seventh Camp, you do not have the authority to arrest me.
"Do you really think I don't know about that little relationship between you and the Lu Family?
"Take your men and get lost at once. Otherwise... for trespassing into my residence, according to the Demon Suppression Division's laws, even if I kill all of you here and now, I won't bear the slightest responsibility..."
As he spoke, Lin Baichuan raised his hand. His saber had already left its sheath, pointing directly at Song Gang. Saber Intent at minor mastery erupted violently, like towering mountains and raging seas, locking onto Song Gang. That sharp, murderous intent seemed ready to carve him into a thousand pieces, directly affecting his mind.
Song Gang's entire body trembled. He felt as though a mountain of blades had formed within his sea of consciousness and surged toward him like a mountain flood and tsunami, seeking to utterly annihilate him.
"Saber Intent? How is that possible..."
Song Gang's face went pale. But no matter what, he was still in the Sixth Rank Blood Refining Realm, even if he had entered the rank through outside aid. The Blood Refining Realm was still the Blood Refining Realm; his strength was there for all to see. He bit down hard on the tip of his tongue, and the terrifying vision in his mind instantly vanished like smoke.
His face filled with shock and disbelief as he stared at Lin Baichuan.
Saber Intent—and Saber Intent that had reached at least minor mastery. Otherwise, it could not have affected his mind and will.
How was this possible? A mere mud-legged nobody had actually comprehended Saber Intent while still in the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm. What kind of monster was this fellow?
Song Gang was secretly shaken. The way he looked at Lin Baichuan changed completely, and he unconsciously took a step back. His heart churned like rivers and seas, impossible to calm. In truth, Li Da had reported to him before that Lin Baichuan had comprehended Saber Intent, but he had not believed Li Da. He had merely taken it as an excuse Li Da had invented for failing to get the job done.
Lin Baichuan was only a newly promoted Junior Demon Slayer, with the strength of the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm. How could he possibly have comprehended Saber Intent?
But now, it seemed that Li Da had not only failed to deceive him—he had even underestimated Lin Baichuan's true strength. This was not Saber Intent he had just comprehended. It was clearly Saber Intent that had already reached minor mastery.
Song Gang's expression shifted unpredictably as hesitation filled his heart.
Lin Baichuan was right. Though Song Gang was the person in charge of the Seventh Camp, he did not possess internal law enforcement authority. Even if Lin Baichuan truly had done wrong, the Enforcement Hall had to handle it. It was not Song Gang's place to arrest him.
But if Lin Baichuan had merely been an ordinary newcomer, then Song Gang could have arrested him anyway.
With the connections he had within the Demon Suppression Division, such a trivial matter could naturally be suppressed.
But things were different now!
Lin Baichuan was no ordinary newly promoted Junior Demon Slayer. This fellow was a monster, astonishingly strong, and he had even comprehended Saber Intent. To put it bluntly, Song Gang himself was not certain whether he could suppress Lin Baichuan.
If he truly made a move, it would be fine if he managed to suppress Lin Baichuan. But if he failed, he would lose face completely. And if Lin Baichuan went berserk and fought for his life, Song Gang feared that even if he won in the end, he would still suffer severe injuries.
Moreover, he would not even have the moral high ground. He did not possess internal law enforcement authority, and by barging into Lin Baichuan's small courtyard, he had committed provocation and invasion according to the Demon Suppression Division's laws. The owner had the right to kill intruders without bearing any responsibility.
"Very good!"
In the span of a lightning flash, countless thoughts raced through Song Gang's mind. Then he gritted his teeth and growled angrily, "I'll remember this debt for now, but this matter isn't over. Just wait... the Enforcement Hall will come for you soon enough."
With that, Song Gang flicked his sleeve, gritted his teeth, and turned to leave.
In the end, he was still afraid. Lin Baichuan's strength had exceeded his expectations, and he had no confidence in a head-on clash. For the sake of safety, he chose to retreat without hesitation.
He had come in a blaze of fury, only to slink away in defeat.
Lin Baichuan naturally paid no heed to Song Gang's empty threats. Watching Song Gang and the others leave in such a sorry state, he sneered. "Take care, Captain Song. I'll be waiting for you to bring the Enforcement Hall's people here..."
Before you continue