Leaving Fire Sword, Slash!

"Lin Xiao, you killed two of my Ghost Blade Sect's Great Elders without cause. Today, you must give me, Gui Yan, an explanation."

Gui Yan suddenly stepped forward, his attitude exceedingly forceful.

"Anyone who dares touch the Lin Family's Yang Yuan Stone Mine will be killed without mercy!"

Lin Xiao bared two rows of gleaming white teeth and gave a chilling smile.

"You're courting death!"

A vicious glint flashed through Gui Yan's eyes. With a backward grip of his hand, a gray ghost-headed broadsword exuding a sinister chill appeared in his palm.

"I'm courting death? Today, we'll see who dies first!"

Lin Xiao's body shook, and a powerful aura immediately surged from within him—Minor Perfection Yuan Dan Stage Late Phase!

"Swish! Swish!"

As the leaders of both sides made their move, the Lin Family and Ghost Blade Sect men swiftly drew their weapons. The situation was on the verge of erupting.

"Hehe, why harm everyone's goodwill over such a trivial matter? Lin Xiao, since your Lin Family is a newly risen force in Yan City, you ought to follow some rules. How about giving fifty percent of your Yang Yuan Stone Mine to the Ghost Blade Sect?"

"First, that would give Brother Gui Yan a reason to help the Lin Family establish itself in Yan City. Second, we could all become friends."

Seeing the situation reach a deadlock, Yue Shan immediately stepped forward with a smile, intending to pressure the Lin Family into surrendering the Yang Yuan Stone Mine. After all, with the Myriad Gold Merchant Association nearby, it was best if they could avoid fighting.

A flash of anger crossed Lin Xiao's face. This Yue Shan was truly going too far.

If the Lin Family fought the Ghost Blade Sect alone, it was still uncertain who would win. Yet Yue Shan, a Great Perfection Yuan Dan Stage expert, kept interfering. Xia Wanjin could protect the Lin Family for a time, but not forever.

"Become friends with our Lin Family? Are you worthy?"

A wild laugh rolled down from the heavens.

"Hm, who is it?!"

Yue Shan's expression changed upon hearing this. He abruptly raised his head and stared intently toward the source of the voice in the sky. Who dared challenge the authority of Yan City's three great experts?

"Whoosh!"

Successive sonic booms thundered through the air as a streak of white light suddenly slashed across the azure sky. In the blink of an eye, it had crossed from the distant horizon to the skies above City Central Square.

"It's your young master."

As the words fell, a Slender Figure stepped out from the white streak. It was a handsome youth standing atop an icy-white sword.

"Lin Dong, so it's you. You finally dared to show yourself."

Looking at that familiar figure, Yue Shan's expression gradually darkened. A mere Three Seal Talisman Master actually dared to speak so insolently to him, a dignified Great Perfection Yuan Dan Stage expert. How outrageous.

"If I hadn't been busy with the Tower Battle between Yan City and Skyfire City, I would have come out long ago to deal with you trash. But it's not too late now. I've freed up my hands, and none of you here will escape today."

The Black Clothed Youth stood on the Ice Profound Sword with his hands behind his back, looking calm and elegant.

"Hahaha, a mere Three Seal Talisman Master like you wants to deal with everyone present? Brat, you're killing me."

The moment Lin Dong finished speaking, wild laughter suddenly erupted below.

Gui Yan, the Ghost Blade Sect's leader, clutched his stomach and laughed uproariously, to the point that tears streamed from his eyes.

"Lin Dong, you may eat whatever you please, but you cannot speak carelessly. The matter between the Ghost Blade Sect and your Lin Family has nothing to do with me, Yue Shan. I am here today merely to uphold justice for Brother Gui Yan."

Being called "trash" over and over by Lin Dong, even Yue Shan, who prided himself on his composure, completely darkened his face.

"Uphold justice? What are you supposed to be? You dare uphold justice for a dead man like Gui Yan? Yue Shan, I warn you: it is not too late to retreat now. Do not bring ruin upon yourself."

Lin Dong cast Yue Shan a faint glance, but his words caused a complete uproar.

All the experts present stared at Lin Dong in shock. Had Lin Dong truly gone mad?

If he were an established Four Seal Talisman Master like Master Yan, that would be one thing. But in the end, he was merely a Three Seal Talisman Master comparable to a Minor Perfection Yuan Dan Stage expert. How could he dare provoke a Great Perfection Yuan Dan Stage expert like this?

"Father, what is Lin Dong trying to do?"

Xia Zhilan's little mouth fell open as she stared blankly at the figure standing in midair with his hands behind his back. Was this still the reserved, gentle, handsome youth she knew?

"I don't know either, but little brother Lin Dong has always been someone who plans before acting. He must have something to rely on in dealing with Yue Shan."

Xia Wanjin shook his head gravely, his attention fixed entirely on Yue Shan opposite him, whose aura was faintly unstable. He had already made up his mind that if Yue Shan dared make a move, he would certainly intervene.

"Brat, you..."

Yue Shan's face darkened as the Pure Yuan Qi within his body surged rapidly. Just as he was about to strike and teach this brat, who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, a lesson, an aura no weaker than his own suppressed him.

Without even looking, Yue Shan knew it had to be that old dog Xia, clinging to him like a stubborn plaster. Burning with rage, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and his powerful aura burst forth, locking tightly against Xia Wanjin's.

"And you, you idiot, dared sneak attack my father? If I don't kill you today, how will my Lin Family have any face left to establish itself in Yan City?"

After reprimanding Yue Shan, Lin Dong did not pause in the slightest before turning his gaze toward Gui Yan.

"Just you? Brat, when this Sect Master made his fearsome name in Yan City, you still didn't even know—"

Gui Yan gave a contemptuous smile and disdainfully spat onto the ground, as though he had heard the greatest joke in the world.

"Just me."

With a sweep of Lin Dong's sleeve, a fiery-red longsword shot out. Vast Mental Energy poured madly into the blade like a surging river, while dazzling red light flickered wildly across its body.

"Leaving Fire Sword, slash!"

With a soft chant, the Leaving Fire Sword suddenly let out a thunderous hum. In midair, it swiftly transformed into a massive sword phantom over thirty meters long, its incomparably sharp, scorching sword qi tearing through the air as it cleaved down at Gui Yan below.

Lin Dong's sudden attempt to kill without a word terrified the unprepared Gui Yan. His face filled with shock, he instinctively raised his black saber across his chest.

"Ghost Slash!"

Gui Yan frantically drew the surging Pure Yuan Qi from within his body and poured it all into the ghost-headed saber. Then, gripping the weapon tightly, he slashed upward with all his might. Extremely compressed, razor-sharp saber qi shot skyward.

Boom!

The next instant, the sharp and incomparably scorching sword qi descended with savage force, violently destroying all Life Force in its path.

Crack!

A crisp sound of mysterious steel shattering rang out. The ghost-headed saber in Gui Yan's hand silently broke into two pieces, while a long line of blood spread from his head all the way down to his abdomen.

"Hah... hah... you, you..."

Gui Yan, still clutching half a saber hilt, tried to say something. But crimson blood burst endlessly from the bloody line like a fountain, and he crashed to the ground.

The Ghost Blade Sect's sect master, the strongest below the Great Perfection Yuan Dan Stage—Gui Yan was dead!

The entire crowd was stunned!

P.S. Hmm, did I somehow end up playing solo? Why has no one said anything?