Slaying a Qianhu in Anger

The commotion deep within the Imperial Prison had yet to subside. The jailers' outwardly fierce but inwardly timid shouts still echoed in his ears when the sound of footsteps, symbolizing authority, approached from afar.

The leather soles of boots ground against the damp flagstones, emitting a dull, rhythmic sound. Each step seemed to land precisely on the beat of a pounding heart.

The jailers surrounding the cell parted like a receding tide, bowing their heads so low they dared not even draw a deep breath.

Sun Dehai, clad in the official robes of a Qianhu, appeared outside the bars.

He was tall and imposing, his face grim and sinister. His gaze first swept over the corpses of the jailers and Old Black on the ground before finally settling on Lin Feng, who stood calmly meditating inside the cell.

"Lin Feng!" Sun Dehai's voice was like ice, laced with undisguised rage and mockery. "I underestimated you!

Even as a prisoner, you possess such ruthless methods. Killing jailers, slaughtering death row inmates – who gave you the audacity?!"

Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was calm and undisturbed, showing no ripple of emotion at Sun Dehai's arrival.

Seeing Lin Feng's demeanor, Sun Dehai's anger intensified. He sneered, "However, you are merely hastening your own demise!

I had intended to let you live a few more days for a more thorough 'hospitality.' I didn't expect you to be so impatient and give me the opportunity to kill you on the spot! Very well, it saves me the trouble of prolonged scheming!"

Before his words had even finished, Sun Dehai's aura erupted outwards!

A powerful wave of true qi spread out from him, kicking up dust and debris from the ground. Several jailers standing nearby were forced to retreat by the sheer force of his presence, their faces a mixture of fear and awe.

"Late Seventh-Rank! Lord Qianhu's cultivation is truly miraculous!" one jailer exclaimed involuntarily.

Sun Dehai reveled in the effect. He looked down at Lin Feng with arrogance, as if regarding an insect he could crush with a flick of his wrist.

"With my cultivation at the late Seventh-Rank, killing a mere Eighth-Rank trash like you, whose internal energy is sealed, is as easy as flipping my hand! Lin Feng, are you ready to die?"

Just then, the cold, translucent screen that only Lin Feng could see reappeared:

[Defeat the Qianhu, gain 50 Slaughter Points]

Fifty points!

Lin Feng's eyes flickered.

But he knew in his heart that with his current state – early Eighth-Rank, with his meridians not yet fully unblocked – he stood no chance against a peak-condition late Seventh-Rank Sun Dehai.

With a thought, the information on the panel flowed.

[Current Slaughter Points: 80]

Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Feng silently chanted in his mind.

"Consume 60 Slaughter Points to upgrade the 'Sky-Rending Star-Shattering Saber,' 'Evil Tiger Heart-Plucking Palm,' 'Dragon-Elephant Prison-Suppressing Strength,' and 'Eight Desolations Sky-Rending Claw'!"

[Consuming Slaughter Points, Sky-Rending Star-Shattering Saber upgraded to Perfection!]
[Consuming Slaughter Points, Evil Tiger Heart-Plucking Palm upgraded to Perfection!]
[Consuming Slaughter Points, Dragon-Elephant Prison-Suppressing Strength upgraded to Perfection!]
[Consuming Slaughter Points, Eight Desolations Sky-Rending Claw upgraded to Perfection!]

A vast and profound martial comprehension poured into Lin Feng's mind and coursed through his limbs like a raging river!

The sharp decisiveness of the saber techniques, the vicious subtlety of the palm strikes, the profound depth of the internal energy cultivation, the domineering, sky-rending power of the claw skills…

Four divine techniques and supreme skills, originally at the introductory or minor accomplishment stage, were forcefully pushed to the highest level of flawless perfection by the Slaughter Points at this very moment!

Simultaneously, the internal energy within his body, which had been somewhat sluggish, surged like a flood breaking through a dam, driven by these four perfected techniques!

The sealed blockages in his meridians were shattered by this immense power!

"Boom!"

A powerful aura erupted uncontrollably from Lin Feng's body. Although not as deliberately ostentatious as Sun Dehai's, it was more condensed, purer, and carried a sharp, aggressive edge that could cleave through anything!

His martial arts realm, propelled by this power, naturally advanced from the early Eighth-Rank to the mid-Eighth-Rank!

Though it seemed to take a long time, it all happened in the blink of an eye.

Outside the cell, Sun Dehai, who had been preparing to witness Lin Feng's despair, froze with a sneer on his face, which instantly transformed into extreme shock and disbelief!

"You… your internal energy?! No! Your aura… mid-Eighth-Rank? Impossible!"

Sun Dehai exclaimed, his eyes wide.

He could clearly sense that the dangerous aura emanating from the young man before him was several times stronger than it had been moments ago!

That chilling killing intent even made him, a late Seventh-Rank martial artist, feel a tremor of unease.

A terrifying thought arose in his mind: This brat must not be allowed to live!

And, given his current bizarre state, he… might not be able to win decisively!

Cold sweat instantly soaked Sun Dehai's back.

The rage and killing intent on his face melted away like ice and snow, quickly replaced by a somewhat stiff, yet feignedly amiable expression. "Lin… Nephew Lin! This is all a misunderstanding! A complete misunderstanding!"

His tone softened, carrying a hint of barely perceptible fawning.

"Nephew is truly a heaven-blessed prodigy to be able to break through in such dire straits!

I presume you had some fortuitous encounter previously, and your foundation is deep. I was merely following orders before, and I apologize for any offense."

"How about this? We'll let today's events be the end of it.

I'll report immediately that a jailer and a death row inmate fought and died, and it has nothing to do with you. I can even pull some strings to help you leave the Imperial Prison sooner..."

The Qianhu, who had been so arrogant moments before, was now resorting to pleading.

Lin Feng looked at Sun Dehai's hypocritical face, a cold smile curving his lips.

How could he not know that Sun Dehai was just trying to stall for time, sensing the situation was turning against him? Perhaps he was waiting for reinforcements, or perhaps he was looking for an opening.

"Lord Qianhu," Lin Feng finally spoke, his voice calm but carrying a bone-chilling coldness, "You talk too much."

Before his voice even faded, Lin Feng brought his fingers together like a blade. The internal energy of his fully mastered "Dragon-Elephant Prison-Suppressing Strength" surged, pouring into his fingers and palm!

Though he wielded no physical saber, a saber intent akin to "Sky-Rending Star-Shattering" had already condensed!

"Sky-Rending Star-Shattering Saber" – Perfected Realm!

An invisible yet incomparably sharp saber energy, following Lin Feng's swift hand movement, tore through the air with a piercing whistle, striking directly at Sun Dehai outside the cell!

Even before the saber energy arrived, its chilling aura made Sun Dehai's scalp tingle!

"You dare!" Sun Dehai cried out in terror. He never imagined Lin Feng would be so decisive, attacking the moment he spoke!

The power of this saber strike far exceeded his imagination, making him feel a fatal threat!

Take it head-on? He wouldn't dare!

Driven by his instinct for survival, a ruthless glint flashed in Sun Dehai's eyes. Without time to think, he violently grabbed backward with his right hand, precisely seizing a jailer nearest to him, who was stunned by Lin Feng's sudden outburst!

"Lord Qianhu! No—!" The jailer only had time to let out a desperate cry before Sun Dehai yanked him forward like a puppet, using him as a human shield!

"Pfft!"

The invisible saber energy of the "Sky-Rending" strike ruthlessly sliced into the unfortunate jailer's chest!

Blood splattered!

The jailer's chest was instantly ripped open by a terrifying wound that went bone-deep. Blood gushed out like a fountain, his eyes frozen in terror as he died instantly!

Using the momentum from the block, Sun Dehai stumbled back several steps, narrowly avoiding the core sharpness of the saber energy. However, his robes were torn by the residual force, leaving him looking quite disheveled.

He steadied himself, his face still pale with shock, then a flush of enraged shame washed over him. Pointing at Lin Feng, he used mockery to mask his inner fear, shouting with bluster, "Lin Feng!

If you have the guts, break through this Xuan Iron cage and come out! Let's see how long you can stay arrogant!"

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