Stubbornly Defiant, Begin the Killing!

Stubbornly Defiant, Begin the Killing!

Bai Yan swept out his hand, and more than six hundred Imperial Guards immediately surrounded Yiping Villa in layer upon layer, forming an iron barrel with not even the slightest gap.

He then dismounted, drew the Snow Drinking Saber, and slashed it against the vermilion gate.

His mighty True Essence erupted. With a thunderous boom, the two vermilion gates instantly shattered into pieces!

"What happened? Why are the Imperial Guards smashing into Xiao Yiping's gate?"

"Could they be here to confiscate his estate? Xiao Yiping did good deeds and accumulated virtue. How did he end up in such a state?"

"That doesn't make sense either. Mad Saber Xiao Yiping isn't an official of the Imperial Court, so why would the Imperial Guards come to confiscate his estate?"

"To alarm so many Imperial Guards, Xiao Yiping must have committed no small offense."

"Yiping Villa is in trouble this time."

Yiping Villa was quite famous in the area around the outskirts, and it stood right beside the official road.

As the Imperial Guards passed along, they attracted many commoners and Martial World figures who came to watch.

For a time, the crowd buzzed with discussion, making all sorts of guesses.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Bai Yan led the many Imperial Guards straight into Yiping Villa.

Along the way, Bai Yan killed everyone he encountered, leaving not a single survivor. Soon, he had carved a bloody path through the villa.

The hundreds of Imperial Guards were like jackals plunging into a flock of sheep. Their eyes glowed crimson as they hunted their prey, slaughtering everyone in Yiping Villa.

"Stop! All of you, stop!"

A furious shout suddenly exploded, followed by a violent wave of air that seemed capable of toppling mountains and overturning seas.

A figure came speeding from the inner courtyard, moving incredibly fast.

After only a few flashes, he arrived before Bai Yan.

The newcomer was none other than Mad Saber Xiao Yiping.

He looked to be around forty years old and held a large saber in his hand. He wore a gold-threaded scholar's robe, and if one ignored the violent aura around him, he looked less like a man of the martial world than a wealthy merchant.

Mad Saber Xiao Yiping had withdrawn from the martial world many years ago. His skill at cultivating composure had long since reached perfection, and he had not lost his temper in many years.

Yet Xiao Yiping's face was twisted with fury at this moment, so gloomy it seemed water might drip from it.

"May I ask, my lord, exactly what crime has Yiping Villa committed?!"

He gripped the saber hilt tightly, and even his voice trembled under the pressure of his rage:

"You have gone so far as to barge into a private residence and cruelly slaughter innocent people!"

"Could it be that all the Imperial Guards are lawless brutes who harm the innocent?"

"If that is truly the case, I, Xiao, will have no choice but to go to Yongtang and lodge a complaint against you all!"

Over the years, Xiao Yiping had befriended Yongtang's powerful and influential figures, and he had also learned a set of methods from officialdom.

Without wasting a word, he had first slapped the Imperial Guards with the accusation of harming innocents.

The Imperial Guards already had a poor reputation. Once this charge was confirmed, Bai Yan and the others would likely suffer for it.

"Mad Saber Xiao Yiping, you certainly have quite the official airs."

Bai Yan gave a cold laugh. Then his tone abruptly changed, and he shouted furiously:

"Xiao Yiping, your crimes have been exposed!"

"You colluded with the Demonic Cult and plotted treason, seeking to harm His Majesty. Your crimes deserve ten thousand deaths!"

"His Majesty has issued an Imperial Decree: Yiping Villa colluded with Demonic Cult evildoers and is guilty beyond forgiveness. The Imperial Guards are ordered to arrest and imprison them immediately. Anyone who resists is to be killed without exception!"

"Listen well, all of you! Those who lay down their weapons may live, and those who surrender will receive lenient treatment!"

After speaking, Bai Yan directly displayed an Imperial Decree. Zheng Haihan had given it to him before they set out.

The Imperial Guards had carried out many estate-clearing operations, but only the arrest of Imperial Court officials required an explicit decree.

When arresting figures from the martial world, they always executed first and reported afterward; there was no need for a decree at all.

Yet the Emperor had issued an explicit decree this time, showing just how heavy the Emperor's fury was.

Bai Yan's icy eyes swept across the many Martial Masters in Yiping Villa, and he said in a low voice:

"Are you planning to make a futile last stand?"

Now that their crime had been exposed, Xiao Yiping's expression changed drastically. Not a trace of his scholarly elegance remained. He immediately raised his saber and roared:

"Brothers, this dog official is falsely accusing us of colluding with the Demonic Cult! He clearly intends to exterminate us!"

"Kill these Imperial Court lackeys! That is our only path to survival!"

"Dog official, go to hell!"

Xiao Yiping's killing intent locked firmly onto Bai Yan. Without another word, he swung his saber and struck.

The saber slashed down from above with savage force. A blood-red Blade Qi shot toward Bai Yan's face like a sharp arrow loosed from a bow, carrying a shrill whistle.

"Hmph! Such trivial tricks, and you dare show off before an expert!"

"Heavenly Gang!"

Bai Yan slapped the saber sheath. The Snow Drinking Saber shot out, and his right hand caught the hilt as he swept the blade out.

The blood-red Blade Qi rushing toward him instantly dispersed.

Seeing his killing move broken, Xiao Yiping was utterly shocked.

His previous slash had held nothing back. He had never imagined that a blow containing all his power would be casually dispelled by Bai Yan.

At that moment, only several faint crackling sounds came from the air. When Xiao Yiping looked again, Bai Yan had already vanished.

Xiao Yiping was just about to launch a counterattack when, in a daze, he seemed to see golden starlight flare before his eyes.

The starlight released dazzling radiance, carrying the righteous energy of the world's origin. It cleansed all filth beneath the heavens, leaving Xiao Yiping completely unable to open his eyes.

Then a blade ray swift beyond the extreme shot out from within the starlight and swept past Xiao Yiping's side in an instant.

In the next moment, Bai Yan appeared behind Xiao Yiping. He was slowly returning the Snow Drinking Saber to its sheath, and the blade striking the mouth of the sheath made a crisp click.

Three Gang Saber Art—Heavenly Gang Slash!

Xiao Yiping heard the sound of the wind, the sound of blood spraying into the sky, and also the sound of his severed arm falling to the ground.

Before Xiao Yiping could react, Bai Yan turned his hand and pressed one finger against the vital acupoint at the back of Xiao Yiping's heart.

The Spiritual Rhinoceros Finger carried vast internal energy as it pierced into his body, directly shattering his internal organs.

In an instant, it wrecked all of Xiao Yiping's meridians and his dantian qi sea, destroying every bit of his martial cultivation!

With a single move, this famed Mad Saber hero of many years had suffered a miserable defeat.

"Ahhh!"

Xiao Yiping clutched his severed arm and howled in agony, curled up on the ground like a stray dog whose home had been destroyed.

Then he spat out a mouthful of blood. His face instantly went as pale as paper, and his aura weakened to the brink.

"You... you crippled my martial arts!"

Xiao Yiping's eyes nearly split open with rage as he looked at Bai Yan with venom and hatred.

The duel had ended far too quickly.

It had ended so quickly that most of Xiao Yiping's subordinates had not even reacted before the battle was over.

"Take him!"

At Bai Yan's command, two Imperial Guard warriors immediately pounced forward, drew out shackles, and bound the heavily injured Xiao Yiping.

The other Martial Masters could be executed on the spot, but Xiao Yiping could not. He was a key figure.

If they spared his life, they might be able to interrogate more information about the Demonic Cult.

"Stop!"

"Quickly, save the lord!"

"Kill these Imperial Court lackeys!"

Seeing this, Xiao Yiping's subordinates immediately rushed forward and began fighting the Imperial Guards. Not a single one laid down his weapon and surrendered.

It was obvious that Xiao Yiping's subordinates were not ordinary Martial Masters at all. Every one of them was a Demonic Cult disciple.

"Even with death at your doorstep, you still insist on making a futile last stand. Leave no one alive!"

These ordinary cult followers had long since been brainwashed. Bai Yan had no pity for them and had no intention of showing mercy.

If they escaped, they would only go on to harm more people. Naturally, they had to be slain where they stood.

As for interrogation, capturing them alive would be ideal, but it made no difference if they could not.

With Xiao Yiping, their leader, in hand, even killing them all would not affect anything.

Ssss!

A flash of lightning burst forth, and Bai Yan transformed into a streak of lightning that charged into the Demonic Cult crowd.

At this moment, the streak of lightning seemed almost sentient. It weaved back and forth through the crowd, making several bizarre turns until it had swept past every Demonic Cult disciple.

Crack!

When Bai Yan appeared again, he held the Snow Drinking Saber and flourished it in a graceful arc before slowly returning it to its sheath.

Then his cold voice rang out once more:

"Those stubbornly defiant will be killed without mercy!"