Kill!

Mo Cheng, consumed by greed, soon arrived outside Hai Bodong's shop. Though he saw that the shop had already closed, he still forced his way inside.

Hai Bodong, who had been growing increasingly impatient in the corridor, sensed an unknown Dou Ling entering uninvited and forcibly breaking into the shop. One look was enough to tell that he meant no good.

Hai Bodong let out a cold laugh and strode outside with a murderous expression. I haven't even seen the Po E Pill yet, and someone already dares to steal from Ice Emperor Hai Bodong? If you ruin my great plan today, I'll write my name backward!

Bang!

Hai Bodong shoved open the side door. Dou Qi surged within him, and with every step he took, his aura rose higher while the surrounding temperature steadily dropped. Ready to strike at any moment, he looked at Mo Cheng and said frostily, "Go back wherever you came from. You might still get to keep your life!"

From the moment he entered the shop, Mo Cheng had been carefully observing his surroundings. Then, all of a sudden, he saw a white-haired old man radiating a fierce and vicious aura emerge from a side door inside the shop and immediately start spouting arrogant threats. Anger rose in his heart as well.

Yet under the intimidation of that powerful Dou Qi, nearly at the level of a high-tier Dou Ling, he forced himself to calm down. Even if he had a trump card, an unnecessary battle was clearly unwise. That was how Mo Cheng reassured himself.

Mo Cheng forced an unpleasant smile onto his gaunt face and said as mildly as possible, "Senior, I saw rosy clouds gathering here and strange phenomena arising. There must be a high-tier Alchemy Master refining pills here. I have long admired such a master, so I came specifically to pay my respects. I did not come to cause trouble!"

Watching this vicious-looking fellow shamelessly try to ingratiate himself, Hai Bodong was so angry that he laughed. The greed in his eyes could not be concealed at all. Did he really think Hai Bodong had lived all these years for nothing?

Hai Bodong waved his hand dismissively. "Get lost, get lost, get lost. Who's your senior? No one here needs your respects, and no one wants to see you!"

Hearing those contemptuous words, Mo Cheng's face turned frighteningly dark. He no longer bothered to pretend and said coldly, "I am Mo Cheng, an Outer Sect Deacon of the Misty Cloud Sect. Seeing that you are old, I respectfully called you Senior today. Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. The Misty Cloud Sect has countless experts. If you dare offend us, you'll suffer the consequences!"

Seeing Mo Cheng invoke the banner of the Misty Cloud Sect, Hai Bodong showed no fear. Instead, he sneered, "So what? Even if the current Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect came, he would have to respectfully call me Senior. What kind of thing are you, an Outer Sect Deacon who only got his position by shamelessly handing over huge offerings every year?"

"You court death!" Mo Cheng was naturally enraged by his opponent's arrogance and utter contempt for him. Dou Qi surged around his body, and the killing intent in his eyes grew ever stronger as he prepared to attack.

"Who is courting death?" At that moment, a somewhat weary voice came from the corridor. Then Liu Xi emerged, rubbing his brow, his face full of exhaustion.

The person most excited by Liu Xi's appearance was none other than Hai Bodong. He even stopped paying attention to Mo Cheng, turning to Liu Xi with an excited yet anxious expression. "You're finally out. Hehe, the pill I wanted... it succeeded, right?"

Liu Xi raised a jade bottle in his hand. Inside was a deep-purple pill, its surface covered in strange patterns. He waved it before Hai Bodong's eyes, then casually put it away again amid Hai Bodong's excited gaze. Tilting his head, he pointed at Mo Cheng with his chin and asked, "Who's this?"

Before Hai Bodong could reply, Mo Cheng, already utterly enraged by the pair's unrestrained and contemptuous attitude, saw that Liu Xi was young and did not take him seriously. He immediately threatened, "Brat, I am Mo Cheng, an Outer Sect Deacon of the Misty Cloud Sect. The Misty Cloud Sect is the strongest force in the Jia Ma Empire, with countless experts in its ranks. If you know what's good for you, hand over that pill immediately, and I'll spare your life today. Otherwise, heh heh, bear the consequences yourself!"

Liu Xi had seemed utterly unconcerned, but upon hearing this old thing call himself Mo Cheng, his expression abruptly changed. He roared at Mo Cheng, "What did you say your name was?!"

Seeing that the young man opposite him had been cowed, Mo Cheng said smugly, "I am Mo Cheng, an Outer Sect Deacon of the Misty Cloud Sect. Hand over the pill at once, or else—"

Like a white goose with its neck seized, Mo Cheng's mouth flew open in shock, yet he could not utter another word. Terror filled his heart. The young man he had just threatened had suddenly erupted with the terrifying power of a Dou Wang. Mo Cheng was like a lone boat in a storm, tiny and helpless.

Even Hai Bodong was startled by Liu Xi's sudden outburst. Liu Xi said in a sinister voice, "Tell me, how did you find this place? And did you do anything to a little gir—forget it. When did you arrive in Desert City?"

He had arrived in the desert at least two years early, encountered Qing Lin, and helped her awaken her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. Qing Lin had also remained under his protection all this time. Yet after only two days spent helping Hai Bodong refine the Po E Pill, the Mo Family, like a pack of hyenas, had come knocking.

Fortunately, Qing Lin was very obedient. Without him by her side, she would not run around recklessly. Ling Shuang was also protecting her, and Mo Cheng could not easily subdue a fourth-tier magical beast. If a Dou Ling-level battle broke out in the city, he would have sensed it even while refining pills. Qing Lin should still be safe. Only then did Liu Xi's heart calm slightly.

A flicker of panic appeared in Mo Cheng's eyes as a bad suspicion arose in his heart. Under the pressure of Liu Xi's Dou Wang aura, cold sweat streamed down his body. He could only say in a trembling voice, "My lord, I only... only brought members of my family to the Snake-people Desert for training. Yes, training. Earlier, I failed to recognize greatness in your presence. I will leave at once."

After saying that, Mo Cheng slightly bowed his body. He did not dare turn around, only retreating step by step, hoping to escape with his life this time.

A cold smile curled Liu Xi's lips. Did Mo Cheng really think he knew nothing? He turned his head toward Hai Bodong and said icily, "Senior, we'll discuss our matters later. Right now, I have something that must be dealt with first!"

With that, he stepped forward. Green Flame appeared out of thin air and coiled around Liu Xi's raised right arm. Like a bolt of lightning, his figure vanished from where he stood. In the next instant, Liu Xi appeared before Mo Cheng, his right hand reaching straight for Mo Cheng's throat.

Mo Cheng stared in incomparable horror at Liu Xi, who had appeared before him with a cold smile and attacked without hesitation. His courage shattered, and he knew that he likely could not escape death today. Yet his instinct to survive still drove him to resist as he made one final, outwardly fierce but inwardly weak effort. "You dare kill me? Aren't you afraid of retaliation from the Misty Cloud Sect?!"

Liu Xi answered Mo Cheng only with a sneer. Under the burning of the Green Lotus Core Flame, all of Mo Cheng's resistance was so powerless. With a series of sizzling sounds, it directly pierced the Dou Qi barrier Mo Cheng had raised in defense, tearing away great chunks of flesh from both his arms. At last, before Mo Cheng's despairing eyes, it seized his throat and lifted him into the air. Liu Xi's figure vanished once more.

Nearby, Hai Bodong, who had witnessed everything firsthand, wore a bewildered expression. This old thing had clearly come to steal my pill. I hadn't even reacted this strongly, so why was this brat acting like he'd swallowed gunpowder, looking ready to fight to the death?

But the Po E Pill was still in Liu Xi's hands, and that was his lifeline. With that thought, Hai Bodong hurriedly followed after him.

Liu Xi carried Mo Cheng through the air and shot toward his own courtyard, thinking viciously, If even a single hair on Qing Lin's head is missing, I'll slaughter your entire Mo Family.

Upon arriving outside the courtyard, he immediately sensed quite a few Dou Masters and Dou Zhes hidden nearby. Liu Xi accelerated again, leaping directly down into the courtyard as he called out, "Qing Lin, I'm back!"

"Young Master, you're back!" Qing Lin's crisp, delighted voice came from inside the house. Then Qing Lin ran out with a bright smile, trotting all the way over to him.

Seeing that Qing Lin was unharmed, Liu Xi finally let out a sigh of relief. He reached out and rubbed her hair, saying gently, "Nothing happened at home these past two days, right?"

Qing Lin narrowed her eyes and rubbed the top of her head against Liu Xi's palm as if enjoying it. "No. Qing Lin was very good. I stayed at home the whole time."

Hearing that, Liu Xi casually threw Mo Cheng onto the ground beside them and said, "Qing Lin is so well-behaved!"

The Mo Family members who had been watching from all around were dumbfounded. The man casually tossed onto the ground was their family's strongest Great Elder. The quick-witted ones, such as Mo Ran, had already begun to flee.

Looking at Mo Cheng on the ground, Qing Lin asked, "Young Master, who is that?"

Liu Xi answered casually, "A bastard who deserves to die!"

"Oh!" If Young Master said he deserved to die, then he deserved to die. Qing Lin did not care who he was.

Mo Cheng, lying on the ground, watched as the two of them decided his life and death so casually. His eyes filled with venom as he thought fiercely, I still have to dominate the Jia Ma Empire. I absolutely cannot die. I still have a chance!

Seeing the completely unguarded Liu Xi, Mo Cheng's right hand instantly transformed into a beast claw and lunged at Liu Xi. He roared, "Go to hell! Mountain Breaking Arm!"

Liu Xi cast a sidelong glance at Mo Cheng's final desperate counterattack. Now that he had confirmed Qing Lin was safe, he had no intention of wasting words on him. With a flick of his sleeve, a strand of Green Lotus Core Flame pounced toward Mo Cheng like a living creature, baring its fangs and claws.

Amid Mo Cheng's dying scream, he and that beast claw were reduced to ashes.