Jiang Tian's eyes flickered, and system panels appeared above the two of them.
[Name: Liu Xuantong] [Realm: Qi Gathering Realm] [Traits: Innate Martial Bone (Purple), Innate Wisdom Root (Purple)] [Name: Mu Sining] [Realm: Qi Gathering Realm] [Traits: Extreme Cold Body (Red), Superb Comprehension (Purple)]
Jiang Tian raised an eyebrow and let his gaze linger on the woman.
Another red trait!
This was the second red trait he had encountered.
"Extract!"
The panels above their heads turned into two streaks of light and flew into the space between Jiang Tian's brows.
Judging by their clothing, these two were probably disciples of the Heavenly Fire Sect.
One of two people who had just happened to show up had a red trait. If he joined the Heavenly Fire Sect in the future, wouldn't upgrading that red trait to gold be just around the corner?
At the thought, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. He couldn't help chuckling to himself.
Seeing Jiang Tian's vacant stare, Liu Xuantong's expression darkened. His voice suddenly rose. "Hey, kid! I'm talking to you. Did you hear me?"
He and his junior sister had snatched this assignment from some of their fellow disciples.
They only had to deal with a few mortal martial artists, an easy task—and they'd earn a handsome sum on top of it, at least tens of thousands of taels.
Even for "immortals" and "seekers of the Dao" like them, tens of thousands of silver taels was no small fortune.
All kinds of resources on the path of cultivation... Which one didn't cost silver? Which one didn't require sect contribution points?
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Yuan Long coughed several times and frantically signaled to Jiang Tian.
After Jiang Tian had killed the Black and White Elders, the outcome had essentially been decided.
But no one had expected people from the Heavenly Fire Sect to show up.
They soon learned that County Magistrate Fang Ping had reached out in advance to a friend in Prefecture City for help.
That friend had called in favors and sent two Heavenly Fire Sect disciples.
These two really were "lords" to be reckoned with.
The woman hadn't made a move, but the man was capricious and vicious, setting people ablaze until they were nothing but charred husks at the slightest provocation.
The armored soldiers at the city gate had been his handiwork.
When Jiang Tian still didn't react, Yuan Long grew even more anxious.
He sidled up to Liu Xuantong, forcing a smile and speaking in a humble, ingratiating voice. "Young Master Liu, this is my worthless disciple. He just came through a fierce battle and probably hasn't come to his senses yet. I'll go talk some sense into him right now..."
But before he could finish, Jiang Tian spoke.
He was addressing Liu Xuantong.
"What the hell are you?"
They were both in the Qi Gathering Realm, and Liu Xuantong had opened his mouth demanding silver from him? He really thought too highly of himself.
The instant those words left his mouth, the air froze.
Every breath in the courtyard rang clear. Even the rustle of wind through the leaves sounded jarringly loud.
Yuan Long's face changed at once. He went deathly pale, not a trace of color left in it.
"You wretch! He's an immortal of the Heavenly Fire Sect! How dare you speak so insolently?"
As soon as the words fell, Liu Xuantong, his face dark with fury, shoved him aside.
Yuan Long stumbled and fell to the ground.
"What am I?"
Liu Xuantong rolled his neck, the corners of his mouth slowly curving into a vicious grin.
A mortal had actually dared to speak to him like that.
"Then today I'll show you how the name Liu Xuantong is written!"
The instant the words left his mouth, Liu Xuantong moved.
Crimson light billowed from his body, as if someone had kindled a fire inside him.
His fingers spread wide. Flames coiled around his palm, spitting tongues of fire that licked at the air with a hissing sound.
The temperature surged as he struck. A wave of heat washed over them, as if they were standing right beside a furnace.
With a single lunge, he was in front of Jiang Tian, moving so fast that a crimson afterimage streaked through the air.
His flame-wreathed hand reached for Jiang Tian's face, fingers hooked as they went straight for his forehead.
Yuan Long's face turned utterly bloodless. His lips trembled.
At that moment, only one thought filled his mind.
It's over. It's all over.
But in the next instant, his pupils contracted sharply, his eyes wide with shock.
He wasn't the only one. The county magistrate and his entourage wore the same expression.
Their eyes were wide, their faces full of disbelief.
The sight of Jiang Tian being consumed by the flames never came.
Instead, the moment the two made contact, Liu Xuantong stumbled backward several steps. The flames on his hand vanished completely, and blood dripped steadily from it.
Drops of blood pattered onto the bluestone slabs.
Liu Xuantong's gaze wavered. He lowered his head and stared at the wound on his hand.
It wasn't deep, but golden threads curled through it, like tiny snakes slowly slithering through flesh and blood, keeping the wound from healing.
He slowly turned his gaze to Jiang Tian.
Golden streaks of light coiled around Jiang Tian's hand.
Behind them, Mu Sining's beautiful, peach-blossom eyes flickered faintly. No one could tell what she was thinking.
"You're in the Qi Gathering Realm too?"
Liu Xuantong gave a small laugh, surprise and anger mingling in it.
Then his smile grew even more vicious.
"I don't know how you got your hands on a Qi Gathering Method, or how you figured it out without a teacher... but this is where it ends!"
"Boom—!"
Flames exploded from his body, crimson fire soaring skyward and engulfing him completely.
His eyes blazed in the firelight, flames dancing even in his pupils.
A fist formed from flowing fire appeared before him, as big as a human head. The flames were so dense they seemed almost solid, radiating terrifying heat.
The air warped from the temperature, blurring the view.
Jiang Tian raised his hand. Golden streaks of light gathered in his palm.
He compressed the Gold Qi again and again, shrinking it from the size of a fist to a palm, from a palm to an egg, from an egg to a walnut.
A tiny golden sword slowly took shape in his palm.
Liu Xuantong roared, his voice thick with murderous intent. "You piece of trash. Watch your mouth in your next life!"
The fist of fire before him radiated scorching heat like a tiny sun, flying straight toward Jiang Tian.
The air ignited in its wake, leaving a charred trail behind.
"Whoosh—"
Jiang Tian flicked the golden sword from his hand. It shrieked through the air like a golden bolt of lightning, rushing to meet the fireball.
The instant the golden sword hit the fist, it hesitated for a moment, as though it had struck some kind of resistance. Then it pierced straight through the crimson fist!
"Boom—!"
The red fist exploded. Flames scattered in every direction, like fireworks blooming in midair.
Sparks landed on a dead tree in the courtyard, setting it ablaze in an instant and burning it down to a charred stump.
The golden sword lost none of its power. It shot straight toward the space between Liu Xuantong's brows, swift as a streak of light.
Liu Xuantong's face went white as paper, the approaching golden light reflected in his pupils.
He hadn't expected his strongest attack to be so easily broken by the man before him.
"Senior Sister... save me!"
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