The old man's face had gone pale from his injuries, yet his tone remained forceful.
"What's inside the coffin? Open it and see for yourself."
Commander Ling gripped the Spring Embroidered Saber at his waist and walked step by step toward the black coffin.
He wanted to see exactly what this old man feared so greatly.
Just as his hand was about to touch the coffin lid and push it open—
The coffin suddenly sprang open on its own with a creak.
A dense cloud of black qi surged out from within, instantly spreading across half the courtyard.
As the black qi dispersed, a tall figure slowly rose upright.
It was a middle-aged man in his forties, nearly six feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-backed, his muscles knotted beneath rough, plain clothing.
What was strange was that his eyes were hollow and vacant, his face utterly expressionless.
He looked like a puppet without a soul.
Commander Ling's mouth fell slightly open. Even as an Imperial Guard Hundred Households Officer who prided himself on having seen much of the world, he stood dumbfounded for a moment.
"What the hell is this thing? Is it human or ghost?"
The old man let out an eerie laugh and began muttering an incantation.
"Gods Descend, Pure Land, Unborn Venerable Mother, the White Lotus descends into the world—Dao Soldier, heed my command."
As his chant continued, an invisible ripple spread from the old man's body.
A red gleam suddenly flashed through the Dao Soldier's empty eyes. Its neck turned stiffly, its gaze locking directly onto Commander Ling, who stood closest to it.
A trace of life appeared in its eyes.
Seeing that the Dao Soldier had activated, the old man shouted sharply.
"I had not intended to use this Dao Soldier, but you people are courting death."
"Kill."
The old man barked the command.
The Dao Soldier moved at once. Stomping both feet against the ground, it lunged at Commander Ling like a cannonball leaving the barrel. Its sandbag-sized fist came crashing down with a fierce wind, displaying an aggressive and powerful fist technique.
Commander Ling did not dare let his guard down. His Spring Embroidered Saber left its sheath, and the True Qi of the Third Level of Xiantian Realm burst forth. His blade flashed like a streak of silk as it slashed straight for the Dao Soldier's face.
Clang!
Blade and fist collided, producing the ring of metal striking metal.
Commander Ling felt an enormous force travel through his arm, numbing the web between his thumb and forefinger. Yet the Dao Soldier did not budge in the slightest, its fist wholly unscathed, as though it were not flesh but steel.
Commander Ling was horrified. That saber strike, infused with True Qi, could have split a massive boulder, yet it had failed even to break the other party's skin.
"What's going on? Is this cursed? What the hell is this thing?"
The Dao Soldier did not relent. Its fists fell like a violent storm, every blow vicious and aimed straight at vital points.
Relying on his nimble movement technique, Commander Ling continuously evaded. His blade struck the Dao Soldier time and again, tearing through its clothes.
Yet when it struck the Dao Soldier's body, it could not even leave a white mark.
The old man burst into laughter at the sight.
"Hahaha!"
"This is a Dao Soldier refined through a secret technique of our White Lotus Sect. It has a bronze hide and iron bones, knows neither pain nor fear. Though it possesses no intelligence and knows only a simple fist technique, it has few rivals within the Xiantian Realm."
"Let alone one Xiantian Realm martial artist like you—even if three or five Xiantian Realm martial artists joined forces, they would still be no match for this Dao Soldier."
"Accept your fate, boy."
Su Fei had heard of the White Lotus Sect. Like the Blood Sea Cult, it was a demonic sect.
But unlike the Blood Sea Cult, the White Lotus Sect had always remained on the Great Xuan Dynasty court's must-kill list.
There was no other reason: this sect particularly enjoyed inciting people to rebel.
Every so often, it would stir up no small amount of trouble for the Great Xuan Dynasty court.
Anyone who captured a member of the White Lotus Sect would receive a reward.
They could practically be called walking treasure chests.
The Dao Soldier threw a punch at Commander Ling's lower abdomen.
Captain Li raised his saber horizontally to defend himself, but he still let out a muffled groan. His entire body flew backward as if struck by a heavy hammer, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. He had clearly suffered no light injury.
The distance between him and the Dao Soldier was abruptly widened.
At that moment, the enemy closest to the Dao Soldier became Su Fei.
The fist-wielding Dao Soldier turned around, its vacant gaze shifting to Su Fei as it advanced one step at a time.
"So it's my turn now."
Su Fei watched the approaching Dao Soldier, his gaze calm.
The White Lotus Sect elder remained utterly confident.
"Boy, you still don't believe this old man's words, do you? You'll suffer soon enough."
"The White Lotus Dao Soldier is impervious to blades and spears. It is not something a Xiantian Realm martial artist like you can defeat. You should accept your fate sooner rather than later."
"Spare yourself the pain and make your choice early."
Before the old man could finish, Su Fei's low shout cut him off.
"Dragon Ascending to Heaven."
A dragon's roar rang out.
Su Fei thrust both palms forward. Golden dragon-shaped qi roared forth, striking the Dao Soldier's chest with the force to shatter mountains and split rocks.
Boom!
The Dao Soldier's massive body was actually driven back repeatedly by that palm strike. The muscles in its chest caved inward, and though it still did not bleed, its movements visibly slowed for a moment.
The White Lotus Sect elder's eyes widened in utter shock at the sight.
"That's impossible."
But Su Fei gave the Dao Soldier no chance to catch its breath. He followed close behind, unleashing the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms in rapid succession.
"Flying Dragon in the Heavens! Dragon Appearing in the Field!"
Golden palm shadows surged in like a tide,
As though he were using the Dao Soldier as a living target.
For Su Fei, this was the first time he had encountered an enemy that would not evade. This style of battle felt as satisfying and exhilarating as taking huge mouthfuls of meat.
Though the Dao Soldier was fierce and valiant, it had no technique or order to its attacks, merely swinging its fists mechanically to block.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The hollow in the Dao Soldier's chest grew deeper and deeper, and the crisp cracks of breaking bones could faintly be heard.
Su Fei's eyes narrowed. He drove his Innate True Qi to its limit and swept out with a Dragon Swinging Its Tail palm strike.
The dragon-shaped qi crashed against the shore like raging waves, smashing heavily into the Dao Soldier's head.
The head of that bronze-skinned, iron-boned Dao Soldier exploded like a watermelon, black filthy blood and bone fragments spraying everywhere.
Its headless body swayed, then crashed to the ground with a thunderous bang.
Dust billowed up from the impact.
The entire courtyard instantly fell into dead silence.
The old man's mouth hung open. Every trace of confidence had long vanished from his face, replaced by absolute shock.
A rasping "heh, heh" came from his throat, but he was so frightened that he could not utter a word.
Captain Li clutched his lower abdomen as he rose to his feet. He looked at the White Lotus Dao Soldier, now beaten into scraps, then at the calm and composed Su Fei. His eyes were filled with shock and admiration.
"Su Fei, when did you break through to the Xiantian Realm? And your strength is actually this terrifying—you have already far surpassed me. Isn't your cultivation speed a little too fast?"
Su Fei was very modest.
"I was merely lucky and a little more diligent in my cultivation, that's all."
Captain Li shook his head and did not press further. The truth certainly could not be that simple. The world of geniuses was beyond his understanding.
Su Fei turned toward the terrified old man.
"Now, you can tell the truth. You can explain the White Lotus Sect's affairs now."
"If you refuse, I will not waste any more time on you. I will kill you directly."
The White Lotus Sect elder looked at the shattered bones and remains that had once been the Dao Soldier.
At that moment, Su Fei looked to him like a demon god, terrifying beyond measure.
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