Trouble Upon Arrival

The moment my feet touched solid ground, a sense of vastness and grandeur, far greater than that of the Northwest Continent, washed over me, as if even the air itself was imbued with ancient history and immense energy.

Lin Ming took a deep breath, and the pure Heaven and Earth Energy surged into his lungs, transforming into warm currents that nourished his meridians and dantian, invigorating his spirit.

The plaza was not deserted; some figures were moving about in the distance, seemingly personnel responsible for maintaining the wormhole exit, as well as some travelers who had just teleported in from other places or were preparing to leave.

The appearance of Lin Ming and his group of four did not cause much of a commotion. As the center of the continent, Middle Continent sees an enormous flow of people traveling through the Space Wormhole every day, including all sorts of people.

However, while they wanted to keep a low profile, some people were unwilling to let them have their way.

Just as Lin Ming was about to leave the square with the three women and head to a nearby city, a slightly frivolous voice, filled with intense jealousy and arrogance, suddenly rang out:

"Hey! Where did this country bumpkin come from? He's got such stunning beauties by his side, three at once? What a waste!"

The sound came from a group of people not far away.

The leader was a young man dressed in a luxurious brocade robe, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. His face was pale from excessive drinking, and his eyes were unfocused, but his cultivation had actually reached the Dou Wang Peak level.

Behind him were four or five followers with considerable auras, two of whom were Dou Emperor level and the other three were High-Rank Dou Wang. Such a lineup would be considered a powerful force in the Northwest Continent, but here they seemed to be just the guards of a spoiled brat.

The young man's gaze was now sweeping back and forth between Xiao Yi Xian, Zi Yan, and Ye Xin Lan without any restraint, his eyes filled with undisguised amazement and greed.

Xiao Yi Xian's ethereal beauty, Zi Yan's mischievous charm, and Ye Xin Lan's gentle grace each possess their own unique charm, making them the center of attention wherever they are. When the three stand together, they create an astonishing attraction, which explains why the young man was instantly consumed by jealousy.

Lin Ming frowned slightly, his eyes instantly turning cold.

He hadn't expected trouble to come knocking so soon after he set foot in the Middle Continent. He didn't stop, seemingly oblivious to the young man's provocation, and simply said to the three women, "Ignore him, let's go."

"Halt!" Seeing that Lin Ming dared to ignore him, the young man in the brocade robe lost his temper. He moved swiftly, leading his men to block Lin Ming and his companions. He raised his chin slightly and looked down at Lin Ming with his nostrils, "Didn't you hear me talking to you? Are you deaf?"

The attendants behind him also spread out in coordination, forming a subtle encirclement, their auras locked on Lin Ming, carrying a threatening intent.

Lin Ming finally stopped, calmly looking at the young man, and asked indifferently, "What is it?"

"Something wrong? Of course, something wrong!" The young man smiled smugly when he saw Lin Ming stop. His gaze swept greedily over the three women again before finally settling on Lin Ming. He said arrogantly, "You look unfamiliar, kid. Did you crawl out of some backwater village? You're new here and don't know the rules. How about this: I think your three companions are quite nice. Let them keep me company for a few drinks and chat about romance. If I'm in a good mood, perhaps I can give you some pointers on how to establish yourselves in the Northern Region of the Central Plains. What do you say?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian's eyes instantly turned icy cold, and a faint aura of poison began to emanate from her body. Zi Yan, on the other hand, bristled, her purple eyes wide, waving her little fists. "Pah! Where did this toad come from? Believe me or not, I'll smash your head in with one punch!"

Ye Xin Lan also looked angry, but she knew all too well that Middle Continent was full of hidden talents. Suppressing her anger, she whispered to Lin Ming, "Big Brother Lin, this man is dressed in fine clothes, and his entourage is quite powerful. He probably has some background. We're new here, so it's not wise to make enemies..."

Lin Ming patted Ye Xin Lan's hand to reassure her.

The way he looked at the young man was as if he were looking at a dead man. Dragons have Reverse Scale that cannot be touched; touching them will surely enrage them. The person beside him was his Reverse Scale.

"Finished?" Lin Ming's voice remained calm, but those who knew him well knew what storm raged beneath that calm. "Now that you're done, you can die!"

"You... what did you say?!" The young man in the brocade robe could hardly believe his ears. In this area, who didn't know the name of Zhao Kun, the young Gang Leader the "Corrosive Bone Gang"? Who wouldn't treat him with utmost respect? This seemingly ordinary kid in front of him actually told him to die.

"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Zhao Kun shouted three times in a fit of rage, a sinister smile flashing across his face. "You shameless bastard! I only wanted you to hand over your female companions, but now, I've changed my mind! Break the men's limbs, cripple their Dou Qi, and throw them to the wolves! As for the women, I'm going to take them back and 'treat' them properly! Get them!"

At his command, the two Dou Emperor level followers behind him moved first. One moved like lightning, his five fingers forming a claw, aiming straight for Lin Ming's throat, while the other's fist whistled as it smashed towards Lin Ming's chest. The other three Dou Wang spread out, subtly blocking the retreat routes of Xiao Yi Xian and her two companions, preventing them from intervening or escaping.

Such a ruthless move was clearly intended to kill Lin Ming instantly.

Some of the onlookers shook their heads, showing pity.

"Sigh, it's that jinx Zhao Kun again. These outsiders are in for trouble."

"Yes, the Corrosive Bone Gang has considerable influence in this area. Their Gang Leader is not only Six-Star Dou Ancestor expert, but also has close ties to the Demonic Desire Sect. And the Demonic Desire Sect leader not only possesses the strength of Nine-Star Dou Zong, but is also Subordinate Sect the Ice River Valley, one of the three most powerful forces in the Middle Continent: One Hall, One Tower, Two Three Valleys, and Four Directions Pavilion. This kid has messed with them; he's likely in grave danger."

"What a pity for those three beautiful young women..."

Faced with the combined attack of two Dou Emperors, Lin Ming didn't even move a step. He simply raised his right hand slowly.

There was no earth-shattering energy eruption, nor any dazzling Dou Qi aura. Just as the attacks of the two Dou Emperors were about to strike, the space around Lin Ming's raised right hand suddenly distorted and froze!

The two Dou Emperors' expressions changed drastically. They felt as if they were trapped in an invisible quagmire, their speed instantly becoming extremely slow. The attack, powerful enough to split rocks and shatter stone, could not advance even an inch when it was still a foot away from Lin Ming's body! An invisible, vast, and abyss-like power had firmly imprisoned them in place!

"Space... Space Power?! You're Dou Zong?!" Their eyes were instantly filled with boundless fear as they exclaimed in shock. Only Dou Zong could so effortlessly use Space Power to seal them both!

"You only find out now? Too late." Lin Ming's indifferent voice was like the pronouncement of death.

He gently clenched his right hand.

"Snap! Snap!"

A series of teeth-grinding sounds of bones shattering rang out! The two Dou Emperors, along with the three Dou Wang who were trying to surround Xiao Yi Xian and the others, seemed to have the space around them gripped tightly by an invisible hand! Their bodies twisted and deformed instantly, like porcelain being crushed, blood spurting from their seven orifices. Before they could even utter a scream, they turned into five blurry blobs of flesh and blood, collapsing to the ground, lifeless!

With a mere gesture, two Dou Emperors and three Dou Wang were instantly annihilated!

The entire square fell into a deathly silence!

All the onlookers stared wide-eyed at the five Human Form corpses, then at the young man in blue standing there, his clothes still unmoved. A chill ran from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads!

What terrifying power! What ruthless methods!

The sinister smile on Zhao Kun's face froze completely, replaced by boundless fear and horror. His legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground. Pointing at Lin Ming, his voice trembled uncontrollably. "You... you... you actually dared to kill someone from my Bone-Eating Gang?! My father is the leader of the Bone-Eating Gang, a six-star Dou Zong! You're dead! You're absolutely dead!"

"Three-Star Dou Ancestor?" Lin Ming's lips curled into a cold smile. He finally took a step, walking towards Zhao Kun step by step, each step feeling like it was treading on Zhao Kun's heart. "Is that so impressive?"

That indifferent tone and those detached eyes completely broke Zhao Kun. He finally realized what a formidable opponent he had met! The other party didn't care about the power behind him at all!

"No... don't kill me! I was wrong! I was blind! Please spare me! I can give you lots and lots of money! Lots of pills! Women! I'll give you whatever you want!" Zhao Kun knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face, kowtowing repeatedly, all traces of his previous arrogance gone.

Lin Ming stopped in front of him, looking down at him with no pity in his eyes.

"In your next life, remember to keep your eyes open a little wider."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Ming flicked his finger, and a tiny purplish-red flame flashed into Zhao Kun's brow.

Zhao Kun's body stiffened abruptly, his pupils dilated instantly, and the life force in his eyes receded like a receding tide.

Within his body, the wisp of Purple Extreme Annihilation Flame had burned away all his life force and soul, reducing them to nothingness. He collapsed limply, seemingly unharmed on the outside, but in reality, his insides were charred.

In the blink of an eye, the Corrosive Bone Gang Young Gang Leader and his elite troops were completely wiped out!

The square was completely silent, save for the sound of the wind and the heavy breathing of a few people.

Lin Ming acted as if he had done something insignificant. His gaze swept over the silent onlookers, and everyone whose eyes met his lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

Then, walking over to Xiao Yi Xian three girls, Lin Ming said softly, "It's alright, let's go."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded, dispelling the poisonous gas around her. Zi Yan excitedly waved her little fist playfully, saying, "Brother Lin Ming is so amazing! Well done!"

Although Ye Xin Lan felt a little scared, she felt more at ease. With Lin Ming around, it seemed that even the biggest trouble could be solved.

However, just as Lin Ming and his companions were about to leave, a powerful aura suddenly erupted from the distant Stone Hall, followed by a thunderous roar filled with shock and anger:

"Who dares to commit murder in the Wormhole Plaza of the Blood Cold Gate within the jurisdiction of my Yellow Springs Pavilion! Stay here!"

Before the words had even finished, a blood-red figure appeared in the sky above the plaza like a ghost, exuding a powerful Dou Zong aura. It was clearly an old man whose strength had reached the level of Five-Star Dou Ancestor!

The old man was dressed in blood-red robes, with the three large characters "Blood Cold Gate" prominently displayed on them. At this moment, the old man's gaze was sharp as an eagle's, fixed on Lin Ming, clearly alarmed by the energy fluctuations and killing just now.