Deadly Combat

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Changqiang and Lin Dong sprang into action almost simultaneously, charging at Payne and Old Eight respectively.

That was right. The reason Lin Changqiang had suddenly swapped the Thunderclap Blade for Cloth Armor and suppressed his Yuan power to the initial Earthly Yuan Stage was because he had not intended to use Fire Dance Whirlwind to instantly kill his opponent this time. Instead, he wanted to hone his combat skills through a life-or-death battle!

Although Lin Changqiang preferred overwhelming his enemies through sheer firepower and crushing them with absolute strength, he believed that while he might not enjoy fighting hand-to-hand, he could not afford to be incapable of it!

"Cleaving Wind Claw!" Seeing Lin Changqiang charge toward him, Payne hurriedly unleashed his own Third-grade martial art. Sharp claw winds swept toward Lin Changqiang.

Lin Changqiang wore a grave expression as he performed Returning Wind Soft Hand, but unexpectedly, despite both being Third-grade martial arts, Lin Changqiang, who had mastered Returning Wind Soft Hand to perfection, was immediately forced onto the back foot!

In an instant, he understood why. All his practical combat experience came from sparring with Lin Dong, but the two of them had no deep hatred for each other. Naturally, they held back during their sparring sessions and even deliberately avoided attacking one another's vital points.

However, Payne was exceptionally ruthless. Every move targeted vital points without the slightest mercy, leaving Lin Changqiang deeply unaccustomed to it.

Having grasped the key issue, Lin Changqiang immediately changed his previously defense-focused style and became vicious. With Holy Light Protection in place, he did not need to worry about getting hurt anyway.

Payne's face turned green. He had noticed that his opponent had been flustered at first, yet in such a short time, he had actually calmed down considerably.

As the battle continued, Lin Changqiang kept transforming. After several dozen more exchanges, he gradually brought out the exquisite advantages of his martial art and became even fiercer. At times, even if it meant letting the other side tear a bloody gash into him, he would still slap his palm against his opponent's chest!

"Damn it, where did this brat come from?" Watching Lin Changqiang's increasingly practiced attacks and ever more excited expression, Payne's face became incomparably grim.

After fighting for a while longer, Lin Changqiang was delighted to discover that he could already beat Payne back step by step! His heart brimmed with accomplishment. Of course, he also knew that, as someone in the late Earthly Yuan Stage, forcing back someone at the initial stage was nothing to be proud of...

Realizing that he was falling further and further into a disadvantage, Payne immediately made his decision. After going all out in one clash against Lin Changqiang, he rapidly retreated, intending to flee.

Yet Lin Changqiang merely raised an eyebrow as he watched Payne's retreating figure, showing no urgency at all.

"Don't want to play with me anymore? Then it's about time I got serious too."

"Killing Move: Serious Fireball!"

Five fireballs at maximum power, wreathed in ghostly blue Yin Fiend Qi, tore through the air and bombarded Payne's back in rapid succession.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The five impacts rang out almost simultaneously. Payne's body was instantly blown into a mangled, bloody mess and sent flying three or four meters before crashing to the ground. He then slid a long distance before finally stopping, no longer moving.

The next instant, a dull collision rang out. Old Eight's body also flew backward and landed not far from Payne. There was a fist-sized bloody hole in his chest, blood streaming endlessly from it. Clearly, Lin Dong had defeated him with Pure Yuan Finger.

Yan Shuangying, who had been brutally beating the other guards nearby, turned at the sound and saw the two lying in pools of blood, making his mouth twitch.

"Damn, they're fierce..." Yan Shuangying was full of admiration, yet also somewhat powerless. "I never imagined that after cultivating for just one year, the two young masters would already surpass me."

"Payne is dead! Those who surrender will not be killed. Those who stubbornly resist will be killed without mercy!" At that moment, Lin Changqiang felt as though his heartbeat was nearly matching the Emperor Engine, and he was having some difficulty breathing.

Whether in his previous life or this one, it was his first time killing someone. Though he had not thrown up as he had imagined he would, he still felt deeply uncomfortable. He could only turn his head away and force himself not to look at Payne's corpse.

Hearing Lin Changqiang's shout, the Lei Family guards who were still resisting underwent a drastic change in expression. The laborers who had failed to escape lay prone on the ground, too afraid to speak.

"Where did these bastards come from, daring to run wild on my territory? You're courting death!"

Just then, a thunderous roar rang out, followed by a burly figure rushing over at high speed.

"Rexar!"

Seeing that tower-like figure, Yan Shuangying's face changed drastically. "Young Masters, run! Rexar is an expert in the late Earthly Yuan Stage!"

"No need." Lin Dong smiled at Yan Shuangying. "Uncle Ying, Changqiang only used the strength of the initial Earthly Yuan Stage earlier. In truth... he is also in the late Earthly Yuan Stage!"

"Th-this! Is that true?" Yan Shuangying stared in stunned disbelief as he swallowed, looking toward Lin Changqiang. Yet he saw that Lin Changqiang remained completely motionless in the face of the incoming danger.

Though Rexar was huge and burly, he moved like an arrow loosed from its bow. In only a few seconds, he had charged right up to Lin Changqiang.

Then he stomped the ground fiercely and leaped into the air. Yuan power surged around his right leg as he kicked down at Lin Changqiang from above!

Lin Changqiang had already been feeling uncomfortable, and Rexar's roar made him feel even worse, like having diarrhea on the first day and constipation on the second! In his fury, he no longer intended to observe any code of honor.

"Dragon Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear!"

Before Rexar's horrified eyes, a nearly two-meter-long spear shimmering with silver-blue light abruptly appeared in Lin Changqiang's hand!

"Don't come any closer!" Rexar cried out with a twisted expression, delivering his final words. Then... there was no then.

There was no particularly loud sound. Like a kitchen knife cutting through tofu, Rexar's body was pierced straight through from foot to head. He was dead beyond doubt.

With a flick of his right arm, Lin Changqiang flung Rexar's corpse more than two meters away. Only then did blood gush forth. "If you want someone to blame, blame yourself for coming at the wrong time."

Strangely, after killing Rexar, his heartbeat instead gradually calmed, and his breathing was no longer rapid. He then stored the Dragon Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear in the System Backpack.

A few seconds later, a familiar figure finally arrived, landing in the forest. It was Lin Xiao, who had hurried in after seeing the signal.

His face was filled with lingering fear as he scolded Lin Dong and Lin Changqiang with mild anger. "You two little brats, I told you that you were only allowed to watch, not fight. Why did you still sneak in on your own?"

"Third Master, don't be so quick to blame them. If not for the two young masters, Ironwood Manor might have been completely destroyed by the Lei Family!" Yan Shuangying hurriedly tried to smooth things over, pointing at the devastated forest.

Hearing this, Lin Xiao was startled as well. Following the direction Yan Shuangying pointed, he saw the barren stretch of forest still filled with the smell of medicine. His expression immediately darkened with fury.

"Lin Xiao, although my Lei Family lost Ironwood Manor to yours, until the handover is complete, Ironwood Manor remains the property of my Lei Family! For you to barge in without authorization is simply showing no regard for my Lei Family!"

As Lin Xiao's expression darkened, an angry shout sounded from nearby. Then Lei Qiu and Lei Yi quickly arrived with several dozen people.

Lin Ken followed close behind, leading the Lin Family's forces into the area.

"Hmph. If we had not forced our way in this time, I never would have known that your Lei Family's skin was so thick!" Lin Xiao stared at Lei Qiu and the others with a gloomy expression, killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Lei Qiu and the others immediately changed expressions. Looking at their remaining guards, they frowned deeply.

"The Lei Family truly has some fine methods. No wonder you delayed for so long. So you intended to pull the rug out from under us and cut off Ironwood Manor's lifeblood!" Cold light flashed in Lin Ken's eyes. The Lin Family experts beside him gripped their blades and swords tightly, their gazes hostile, ready to fight at the slightest disagreement.

Seeing that their scheme had been exposed, Lei Qiu and the others simply stopped concealing it. "Ironwood Manor has belonged to my Lei Family since ancient times. It only reached its present state after many years of management. Your Lin Family wants to reap the benefits without lifting a finger. How could there be such a good thing in this world?"

The moment Lei Qiu finished speaking, Lin Xiao flew into a rage. "Everyone from the Lei Family, listen well! You have the time it takes for one incense stick to get out of Ironwood Manor, or else... you will be killed without mercy!" As he spoke, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes, and the blazing Yuan power unique to the Heavenly Origin Stage erupted outward!