Sorry to Keep You Waiting

Lin Ao watched Xiao Fan charging toward him.

He took a deep breath.

Lin Ao had not expected to encounter Xiao Fan so early, let alone get into such a conflict.

It was far, far too early compared to the past.

So early that he hadn't even had time to cultivate that technique.

In the previous timeline, Lin Ao, as the great villain, certainly possessed peerless techniques, constantly collecting different arts across the world and risking his life to improve his strength, all to annihilate the protagonist group.

He had even cultivated to a realm that none of them could reach—the True Martial Realm.

In this world, the progression went: Martial Artist—Post-Natal Realm—Pre-Natal Realm—Grandmaster—Great Grandmaster—Ninth-Rank Great Grandmaster—True Martial Realm.

Back then, "Lin Ao" thought he was invincible in the world, suppressing the protagonist group relentlessly, yet no matter what he did, he could never kill them; every time he was about to succeed, a turn of events would occur.

Then, the protagonist group would improve their strength round after round, return to cause him trouble, and finally, Xiao, Lin, Ye, and Chu joined forces, and the great villain "Lin Ao" met his end.

Lin Ao sighed.

It seems fate really did let me think I was free, only to have me finish my life here just a few days later.

The current Lin Ao could only rely on his experience and the instincts left over from the past to fight Xiao Fan; after all, he hadn't even cultivated any internal energy yet.

Struggling to dodge Xiao Fan's attacks, he could predict where Xiao Fan's next strike would land, but the problem was that without the support of a technique, no matter how clearly you see it or how accurately you predict it, it is of no use.

His body continuously endured Xiao Fan's relentless, heavy punches.

"Ah—! Die, you ant!"

Xiao Fan was already in a state of madness, continuously retaliating against Lin Ao; he wanted to slowly torture the man before him to death.

Lin Ao protected his vital points, gritting his teeth as he searched for an opening; he was determined to land at least one punch on him before he died.

Xiao Fan threw another punch, but his obsession with torturing Lin Ao made him careless; he held back some of his strength and speed, giving Lin Ao the opportunity he needed.

"I said, I'm going to land a punch on you even if it kills me!"

Lin Ao took Xiao Fan's punch head-on, his left hand gripping Xiao Fan's arm tightly, while his right hand slammed a punch toward Xiao Fan's face with all his might.

The full-force punch landed squarely on Xiao Fan's face.

A large amount of golden energy was knocked out of Xiao Fan's body by Lin Ao's strike, and it then surged toward Lin Ao, merging into his body.

Once Xiao Fan recovered, he kicked Lin Ao hard in the stomach, sending him flying to the feet of Gu Wanqing.

"Lin Ao!"

Gu Wanqing and Liu Nian rushed over to Lin Ao with red eyes.

Xiao Fan reached up and touched his nose.

It was blood. The damned Lin Ao had actually managed to injure him!

His eyes were filled with malice and cruelty as he rushed toward Lin Ao, grabbing Gu Wanqing and Liu Nian and throwing them aside with force.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Stop acting so high and mighty in front of me. You dare call me a clown? You dare hurt me? Do you see who is standing in front of you? I am Xiao Fan! The leader of the Dragon Gate!!"

He kicked the fallen Lin Ao frantically, kicking him as if to kill him! He was venting all the rage in his heart.

With every kick Xiao Fan landed on Lin Ao, the golden energy on his body dissipated faster, and it all surged into Lin Ao's body in the same way; Lin Ao seemed to be frantically plundering the golden energy radiating from Xiao Fan.

As more of Xiao Fan's golden energy dissipated, his eyes became even more deranged.

Meanwhile, red energy also radiated from Lin Ao's body, attacking the golden light layer around Xiao Fan's body. They were trying to invade Xiao Fan's form.

"Gu Wanqing, look closely! The man you chose is nothing but trash! Hahahaha!"

Xiao Fan did not realize that his state was abnormal.

"Hahahaha, die! Die!"

Gu Wanqing and Liu Nian scrambled up and rushed over, trying to stop Xiao Fan.

"Get out of my way!"

Xiao Fan had no intention of being gentle at this moment; he had only fanaticism and madness in his eyes as he struck Gu Wanqing and Liu Nian, sending them flying.

Xiao Fan turned back to finish off Lin Ao.

"Die!"

Xiao Fan gathered all his strength, intending to deliver a fatal blow to Lin Ao.

But his charged kick was intercepted in mid-air by a hand.

It was Lin Ao.

He had actually blocked Xiao Fan's full-force strike with one hand.

"Ah—!"

Lin Ao squeezed his fingers with force, and Xiao Fan let out a piercing scream!

"Heeheehee, hahahaha! Hahahahaha!"

Lin Ao held Xiao Fan's leg with one hand and covered his own face with the other, laughing in a way that was both deranged and morbid, enough to make one's skin crawl.

"Xiao Fan, oh Xiao Fan! Are you really in such a hurry to see me die?"

Lin Ao exerted more force with his palm, and Xiao Fan's screams grew even more agonizing.

The screams drew everyone's attention.

Not far away, Elder Hong furrowed his brows; why did the Sect Master seem so pathetic?

You are the dignified Sect Master of the Dragon Gate, yet you are being held captive by someone?

Elder Hong sent Uncle Gu flying with a single palm strike and instantly leaped over to save Xiao Fan.

He arrived in front of Lin Ao and delivered a palm strike directly at his head, but Lin Ao tossed Xiao Fan aside and met the blow with his own palm.

The strength of a Great Grandmaster was truly not to be underestimated, as this strike whipped up a gale of wind in the surrounding area.

"Huh?"

Just as their palms collided, Elder Hong realized something was wrong; he hadn't managed to blow Lin Ao away with a single strike, and the man had actually withstood the blow.

Gu Wanqing and Liu Nian both looked at Lin Ao's status bar at the same time, their eyes widening in shock, for the original status bar had vanished, leaving only a single line of text.

[One Minute Maniac!]

The current Lin Ao seemed to have reverted to that ultimate boss.

His eyes were filled with devastation and madness.

"Xiao Fan, I've kept you waiting. Although it's only for one minute, it's enough for me to kill you!"

Lin Ao's eyes were brimming with insanity.

He threw a punch that forced the Great Grandmaster Elder Hong to retreat.

He then leaped forward, charging toward Xiao Fan.