Several dozen miles from Ironwood Manor, a large group of figures hurried along a mountain road, looking flustered and bedraggled.
Around them were guards wielding swords and blades. They kept sweeping wary gazes over the rear and both sides.
"Whoosh, whoosh!"
Suddenly, countless arrows shot out of the woods behind them. A dozen or so people were instantly pierced through, blood gushing from their wounds.
"Careful! Form up and protect everyone!"
Seeing this, the guard captain Luo Ling's expression changed, and he hurriedly shouted.
"Heh heh, I, Xie Qian, have personally come out here. If I can't even deal with little fry like you, wouldn't that be a little too ridiculous?"
As Luo Ling's shout faded, successive sounds of air being torn apart rang out from the woods. Immediately afterward, Xie Qian, the head of the Xie Family, appeared before Luo Ling and the others.
Behind Xie Qian, dozens of figures followed closely, forming an encirclement and trapping Luo Ling and the others in the middle.
"Hand them over, and I'll spare your life," Xie Qian said with a smile as he looked at Luo Ling.
"I'll hand over your mother!" Luo Ling spat a mouthful of phlegm forcefully at Xie Qian and cursed.
Xie Qian took two quick steps back to avoid the phlegm. The smile on his face faded somewhat as he stared at Luo Ling, a chill entering his grin. "Once you fall into my hands, I'll let you know what it means to wish for death but be unable to die, and to wish for life but be unable to live."
"Attack!"
Xie Qian waved his hand, and the Xie Family guards immediately surged forward like a tide, charging toward the Lin Family's formation.
"Break through!"
Seeing this, Luo Ling clenched his teeth and shouted. He then charged ahead of the group, leading them toward one side of the encirclement.
"Clang, clang!"
As the two groups collided violently, the sounds of clashing blades and swords and sharp weapons piercing flesh rang out continuously. Blood and severed limbs flew everywhere, while the air was thick with the stench of blood.
"Kill!"
Luo Ling's eyes had already been dyed red with blood. Like a beast, he wielded his great blade, unleashing surging Yuan Power as he mechanically hacked forward in fury.
Under his desperate fighting style, quite a few Xie Family guards were chopped in half.
"Clang!"
Another figure appeared before him. Luo Ling, crazed with bloodlust, raised his blade and hacked down without hesitation.
This time, however, an irresistible force suddenly struck him. Blood spurted from his mouth, and his body flew backward uncontrollably, landing among the people behind him.
Xie Qian shook the broken blade in his hand and cast Luo Ling a cold, indifferent glance. With a flick of his finger, the broken blade transformed into a streak of sharp light and shot toward Luo Ling's head like lightning.
"Ding!"
At that moment, a black streak suddenly shot out from the distant dense woods. It slammed into the broken blade, knocking it aside.
"Who?"
Seeing this, Xie Qian's expression instantly turned grim, and he shouted sharply.
"The one who's going to kill you!"
The answer was a bone-chilling voice. Then, the black streak that had knocked away the broken blade surged toward Xie Qian's brow, carrying a fierce killing intent!
Xie Qian's expression changed drastically. He rapidly retreated while drawing the great blade at his waist and slashing at the approaching black streak.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
At the same time, six black streaks tore through the air and plunged into the crowd of Xie Family guards.
It was as if six invisible hands were controlling the black streaks, sending them flashing through the crowd as fast as lightning!
The Xie Family guards did not have Xie Qian's luck. In just a moment, the dozens of Xie Family guards surrounding the Lin Family's people had all died beneath the black streaks!
"Hiss!"
The Lin Family members present could not help sucking in a cold breath at the sight. Their hearts were filled with shock.
When Xie Qian saw this, his eyes nearly split with rage. Along with his fury, he was also deeply shaken!
Such methods were truly terrifying!
At that moment, a fiery-red shadow shot out from the dense forest like lightning, accompanied by a low tiger's roar. It emerged from the thick woods and appeared before everyone in a deeply shocking manner.
Everyone hurriedly looked over. They saw a young man sitting atop the tiger, his figure straight as a spear and his face icy cold. A fierce killing intent radiated from him, making their hearts tremble!
The young man waved his hand, and the seven black streaks shot back, circling around him and protecting him in the middle.
"Lin Yi! It's you!"
Xie Qian stared at the young man on the tiger's back, his expression changing drastically as his heart filled with indescribable shock.
Since he was close to the Lei Family, Xie Qian naturally knew that Lin Yi had killed Lei Pi and Lei Xing.
But after witnessing Lin Yi's thunderous methods at such close range, Xie Qian still felt a chill in his heart.
Xie Qian had no choice but to admit that, at this moment, he had developed fear toward the young man before him deep in his heart!
"Young Master Lin Yi!"
When the Lin Family members saw that the newcomer was Lin Yi and learned that the earlier attack had been his doing, they were overjoyed. Their anxious hearts finally settled.
"Gather together first and tend to each other's wounds. The people sent by the manor will arrive soon," Lin Yi said to Luo Ling and the others as he waved his hand.
"Yes," Luo Ling answered. He immediately had the guards who could still move carry the seriously injured and gather around the carriage.
Lin Yi's gaze fell on Xie Qian, killing intent blazing in his eyes. "I originally planned to destroy the Lei Family first. But now, it seems your Xie Family will be taking the first step!"
"Heh, what an arrogant brat! Even if your grandfather were here, he wouldn't dare say he could destroy my Xie Family!"
Although Xie Qian was wary of Lin Yi and even felt somewhat afraid of him, he could not help sneering at Lin Yi's words.
"Little bastard, do you really think that having a little strength makes you qualified to act arrogant before me? Heh, I only planned to capture a few family members. Since you've delivered yourself to my door, I'll gladly accept you as well!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Qian suddenly swung his arm downward.
In an instant, cold light burst from the surrounding dense woods, bringing with it sharp sounds of air being torn apart as it shot toward Lin Yi and the others.
"Hmph!"
Seeing this, Lin Yi snorted coldly. The seven black streaks circling him shot out as fast as lightning, directly knocking all the cold-light arrows away in midair.
Then, the seven black streaks did not lose any momentum. They shot viciously into the dense woods, and several screams immediately rang out.
"This brat is strange. It's best to retreat for now."
When Xie Qian saw that his subordinates had all been slaughtered by Lin Yi in moments, shock flashed through his eyes. His thoughts raced, and he hurriedly slipped into the dense woods, attempting to flee.
"Do you think you can escape? Spiritual Illusion Realm!"
Lin Yi sneered. Inside his Mud Pill Palace, Spiritual Energy surged out and instantly enveloped Xie Qian.
"I finally shook off that brat. Once I get back, I'll immediately join forces with Lei Bao. We must eliminate that brat!"
In the next instant, Xie Qian actually returned from the dense woods on his own, completely undefended, muttering to himself.
"You won't have that chance!"
Lin Yi waved his hand, and a Seven Star Shattering Origin Sword suddenly shot toward Xie Qian's brow!
"Whoosh!"
With a clear sound, Xie Qian's brow was pierced through on the spot.
"How... could this be?" Only then did Xie Qian regain clarity. He struggled to force out those four words before his life ended on the spot, his corpse crashing heavily to the ground!
Xie Qian was dead?!
The guards who had just rushed over from Ironwood Manor to provide support, along with Luo Ling and the others, were all dumbstruck by the scene before them.
The entire scene fell into dead silence in an instant!
Before you continue