Making a Name!
The sight of Wang Ritain cutting down dozens of household guards with three strokes struck the hearts of everyone around him.
Just then, Xuanyuan Qingfeng happened to pass by. The bloody scene before her made her stop in her tracks. Her usually cool eyes were now filled with shock.
Xuanyuan Qingfeng had long heard of Wang Ritain's cowardly reputation. In the Xuanyuan Family, he had always been a laughingstock, someone everyone could bully. But was the man before her, holding a bloodied steel saber and radiating a bone-chilling killing intent, really the same Wang Ritain everyone looked down on? Every one of those three strokes had been deadly, their power astounding. Even she couldn't help shuddering deep inside. She stared intently at Wang Ritain, her eyes full of curiosity and astonishment.
Wang Ritain held the steel saber as blood dripped from its edge, splashing into tiny crimson flowers on the ground. Yet his face was utterly calm, as though killing dozens of people had been no harder than cutting down weeds. His composure only made the onlookers more horrified. After all, most of the guards he had slain were in the Xiantian Realm, and some were even half a step from Grandmaster. In this world, where martial strength reigned supreme, the gap between the Xiantian and Houtian Realms was like a natural chasm. They could hardly believe that Wang Ritain, at the Early Houtian Realm, could unleash such terrifying strength.
"Th-this really is the same Wang Ritain who used to be such a coward?" a Xuanyuan Family disciple whispered, his voice trembling. His eyes were full of fear as he looked at Wang Ritain as if he were a demon from hell. The other disciples nodded, their faces filled with terror. Wang Ritain slowly swept his gaze over them. Wherever his eyes fell, people trembled and couldn't help drawing in sharp breaths. They all wondered whether Wang Ritain had absolute confidence in himself—or had gone completely mad.
Wang Ritain curled a finger and lightly flicked the steel saber in his hand. Its clear ring echoed through the silent courtyard like a note heralding death. He spoke again, his voice cold. "I'll ask one more time. Where is Yuan Tingshan?"
A Xuanyuan Family disciple plucked up his courage and shouted angrily, "You murderous madman! You've killed so many people, and you're still acting so arrogantly! Once the family head and the Old Ancestor find out, you're dead!" Wang Ritain's lips curled into a disdainful smile. "Oh? Why don't you think about whether you'll live to see tonight first?" His words blew through the crowd like an icy wind. The disciples turned cold all over and instinctively retreated several steps.
Seeing that they still refused to tell him where Yuan Tingshan was, Wang Ritain's eyes turned cold as frost. "In that case, there's no reason for you to stay here either." As soon as he spoke, invisible saber energy burst from his body, swirling around them like a black whirlwind. The disciples felt his murderous intent at once, and someone shouted in terror, "You're a household guard of the family! How dare you attack the family's disciples? That's treason!" Wang Ritain acted as if he hadn't heard. His saber energy grew stronger, its sharp edges scraping the onlookers' cheeks until they stung.
A dozen or so Xuanyuan Family disciples exchanged glances. They figured that though Wang Ritain had just killed so many people, he must have little strength left. They were confident in their own cultivation, and their techniques were superior; they were stronger than the guards he had killed earlier. So they charged as one, their long swords flashing coldly as they thrust at Wang Ritain.
Wang Ritain raised his saber before him and shouted, "Slash!" His voice rang out like a great bell, making the disciples' ears buzz. With that roar, saber energy surged out like a raging tide, as if it would split the entire space apart. The surging true energy swept through the air like countless blades. The disciples saw a flash of white, then a tremendous force hurled them away. Their long swords shattered into countless fragments, and huge gashes split open across their bodies, sending blood gushing out like springs.
Within a few breaths, more than a dozen Xuanyuan Family disciples lay scattered across the ground, lifeless. The entire courtyard reeked of blood, and the ground had turned crimson, like a sea of blood.
Xuanyuan Qingfeng, who had been watching quietly all along, was even more shaken by the sight. Even she might not have been able to withstand these people so easily, yet Wang Ritain had killed them all in moments. She was completely stunned. Wang Ritain's strength far exceeded her expectations. To her, he was now a mysterious and powerful enigma, full of unknown dangers.
The sole surviving guard had already been terrified by Wang Ritain's ruthlessness. His legs gave way, and he fell to his knees with a thud. "Sir, I... I'll take you to Yuan Tingshan. Please spare me." Wang Ritain glanced at him and nodded. Just as he was about to follow the guard away, a cool voice suddenly rang out. "Stop!"
Wang Ritain turned and saw Xuanyuan Qingfeng slowly step forward. He knew she was a Grandmaster, one of the strongest among the Xuanyuan Family's younger generation. Xuanyuan Qingfeng walked up to him and stared intently at him. "Wang Ritain, do you know that the Old Ancestor has his eye on Yuan Tingshan? With your current strength, if you go after him, the Old Ancestor certainly won't stand by and do nothing."
Wang Ritain gave a cold laugh but didn't answer. Seeing his attitude, Xuanyuan Qingfeng couldn't help feeling annoyed. She thought that he had merely dealt with a few guards and family disciples and now believed he could run amok in the Xuanyuan Family. She gave a cold snort and shook her long sword. With a metallic ring, the blade slid free. She turned her wrist and slashed diagonally, sending a sharp streak of sword energy hurtling toward Wang Ritain. Wang Ritain's eyes narrowed. Saber intent surged around him, forming a black shield that blocked the sword energy. Sword energy and saber intent collided with a sizzling sound, filling the air with a pungent smell. The two stood facing each other, the tension taut as a drawn bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.
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