Finger Bullet

Lin Chuan would never show mercy to his enemies. Likewise, he would never stand by while people he considered friends were in danger.

In the circumstances Han Qing had faced, he'd had plenty of choices. Attacking and killing Lin Chuan and the others outright would have been what most people chose, while standing aside and protecting himself would also have been a perfectly reasonable option.

But he had still chosen to help them. Whatever his motives had been, the result was that his intervention had, to some extent, saved the lives of Lin Chuan and his two companions.

Lin Chuan understood that Han Qing had probably wanted to latch onto a powerful ally. Now it was time for that ally—Lin Chuan—to show what he could do. At the very least, he had to prove that Han Qing had chosen well.

About two kilometers away from Lin Chuan, Han Qing and two badly wounded teammates were fleeing for their lives.

He couldn't remember how long he'd been running. He only knew that ever since he'd decided to help Lin Chuan, it had been as if he'd been cursed: one powerful opponent after another kept appearing.

"We never should've saved those three! If we hadn't, we wouldn't have gotten caught up in that melee, and we wouldn't be hunted now!" one of the men beside Han Qing gasped. A huge gash crossed his chest, blood pouring from it and soaking his clothes.

"Boss, you really made the wrong call this time. We should've killed those three back then!" said the teammate on the other side. A chunk of flesh had been hacked from his abdomen, and blood spilled out with every step. His intestines and organs were plainly visible.

Han Qing glanced at his nearly useless right hand, bewilderment clouding his mind.

Had he really been wrong? Should he really not have saved Lin Chuan? Perhaps. At the time, he'd certainly hoped to shelter beneath a mighty tree. If Lin Chuan, who was unconscious, recovered, their exam would be no problem. With strength like his, Lin Chuan could even protect them after they left this place.

But Han Qing hadn't expected their intervention to draw every cultivator nearby. A melee had erupted, utterly beyond their expectations, and by the time they tried to escape, they'd found themselves surrounded.

As time passed, more and more people gathered in the underground Lava Cave. Even the cultivators who arrived later—far stronger than Han Qing and his companions—joined the fray.

"I never thought people would target us, with strength like ours. But I don't think my decision was wrong. Saving that man was still worth more than killing him. I just didn't expect us to face a life-or-death crisis so soon. Lin Chuan probably still hasn't woken up..." Han Qing said with a bitter smile. Even if Lin Chuan had woken, what difference would it make? He wouldn't know what was happening to them now.

Hearing this, the two men beside him could only shake their heads helplessly. Han Qing's cultivation had played a major role in getting them this far. They weren't the sort to forget a debt of gratitude. Since they'd made their choice, all they could do now was see it through.

In the distance, five or six pursuers were already visible. The Lava Cave's walls cast a distinctive dark-red glow, bathing everything in blood-red light.

Thud!

One of Han Qing's companions stumbled and fell. Han Qing and the other man stopped, too, and tried to help him up. But they were completely out of strength; instead, all three collapsed to the ground and couldn't get back up.

"Hmph, go on, run! You little bastards, let's see where you can run now!" came a stream of curses. Blood loss left Han Qing's head swimming, and he could only hear the pursuers' footsteps drawing closer.

"Is this it? So this is how it ends..." Han Qing shook his head bitterly. If fate had decided this, there was no point in running anymore. He looked at his two companions. Dying together with them wasn't so bad.

The six pursuers reached Han Qing and the others, then kicked them viciously. Just as they were about to finish the job, the corner of Han Qing's eye caught sight of a figure at the other end of the cave. That shock of white hair was unmistakable. He'd never imagined he'd be so overjoyed to see this person appear.

"Maybe... we don't have to die..." Han Qing murmured.

Lin Chuan couldn't reach them in time, but he hadn't planned to simply charge over anyway. As he ran, he thrust both hands forward and spread his fingers. Senjutsu Chakra immediately surged toward his fingertips.

"Shikotsumyaku: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"

The next instant, Lin Chuan's finger bones shot straight out from his fingertips. With a sharp burst of air, they streaked across the cave.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack...

A rapid string of impacts rang out as the bones punched through flesh. The enormous force sent all six men flying, and their screams echoed through the cave.

"Careful, their cultivation..." Han Qing began to warn Lin Chuan, but a figure had already swept past him.

"Leave it to me!" Lin Chuan called. The next moment, Han Qing heard only screams and fists slamming into flesh.

Without wasting a move, Lin Chuan took out all six men. His spiritual cultivation had reached the fifth level of the Qi Refining Stage, and with his chakra and the Hyuga Gentle Fist, he had few rivals below the Foundation Establishment Stage.

He'd planned to practice using the Gentle Fist to strike the Tenketsu on these men, but when he noticed other cultivators gathering nearby, he decided not to waste time. He barely used the Gentle Fist at all, instead relying on sheer force to beat the men to death. Then he remembered to retrieve the finger bones he'd shot out with Finger Bullet. He didn't want to leave behind any distinctive traces.

"Can you still move?" When Lin Chuan spoke again, Han Qing and the other two were stunned. Those six men had been so strong—and Lin Chuan had already dealt with them?

Two of them had been at the fourth level of the Qi Refining Stage, and one at the fifth. Han Qing had considered them formidable. Even with Lin Chuan stepping in, he'd expected him to scare a few away at best. He'd never imagined Lin Chuan would kill them all in a few swift moves.

Lin Chuan was actually this powerful!?

"I can still move, barely!" Han Qing said as he braced himself against the rock wall and slowly stood. The other two struggled to their feet as well.

He looked around. Under the Byakugan, everything nearby was clear. Several people were already heading their way, and Lin Chuan had no time to treat their wounds.

"Stay close to me. We'll reach a safe place soon!" Lin Chuan looked over the three men's injuries. They were serious, but none of them would die in the near future.

The three knew this wasn't a place to rest and recover. Gritting their teeth, they followed Lin Chuan and hurried away.