A show of force

"Lin Yi, you can't kill him!"

Keqing had wanted to stop him, but she was too late.

One shot left a bloody hole between Feihu's brows. The bullet tore straight through his head and struck the ground.

Feihu's life vanished in an instant, and his body collapsed to the ground.

A pool of blood spread toward Lin Yi's feet.

A chilling cold seemed to radiate from Lin Yi.

Everyone present was stunned. Lin Yi had actually done it.

With a single shot, he had taken Feihu's life, leaving no room to turn back.

Keqing and the others stared blankly, unsure how to handle the situation.

Xing Changguang and Xingqiu were also drenched in cold sweat as they looked at the man before them.

This was Lin Yi's first time killing someone with his own hands, and he did not feel particularly good.

The instant he took Feihu's life, he felt an invisible but potent mass of karmic debt coil around him.

The system had even notified him that converting the karmic debt from killing could improve his personal stats.

Killing Feihu had not stirred much emotion in him.

Lin Yi snorted coldly.

"This man challenged a god's dignity, defied Liyue's leaders, and even endangered our lives. Above all, he blasphemed against divine authority. Letting someone like him live would be the greatest cruelty to all of us!"

Lin Yi's words seemed directed at Keqing and the others, but Xing Changguang heard them clearly and could feel that Lin Yi's hostility had remained fixed on him.

The situation seemed to have passed the point of no return.

Lin Yi was visibly furious, and his pistol still held plenty of bullets. If he truly decided to kill, no one here would get off lightly today!

Xiangling and Yun Jin watched nervously, but there was little either of them could do.

"Tell me, Mr. Xing. Should someone who blasphemes against divine authority be put to death?"

As he spoke, Lin Yi approached Xing Changguang.

Seeing this, Xingqiu thought Lin Yi intended to attack his father.

He immediately rushed forward and stretched out a hand to stop him.

But the elder Xing pulled him behind him.

"But..."

"Enough, Xingqiu. This was my fault. It has nothing to do with you. Let me handle it."

Lin Yi looked at the two leading figures of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, who were usually so confident and spirited, now standing before him with grim expressions.

They looked like lambs awaiting slaughter.

Lin Yi had not wanted to kill. Feihu truly deserved to die, but what had really angered him was that Liyue's largest guild, the Feiyun Commerce Guild, was actually testing him.

Moreover, Feihu had openly blasphemed against divine authority and even threatened the Geo Archon's life.

The two members of the Xing family who had watched from the shadows could be charged with the same crimes. Under Liyue's laws, they would also face severe punishment.

"Mr. Xing, explain yourself. What exactly is going on here? If you can't give me a reasonable explanation, I imagine the Feiyun Commerce Guild will be changing hands before long!"

"Lin Yi... no, Lord Geo Archon, I was the one behind this. It had nothing to do with my father!"

Xingqiu wanted to shoulder the responsibility himself.

But Lin Yi merely gave him a contemptuous glance.

"Do you think I'd believe that?"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Xingqiu could find nothing useful to say. He looked at Lin Yi pleadingly, as though begging for mercy.

Honestly, seeing that expression on Xingqiu's face made Lin Yi feel a little reluctant to press him.

But the elder Xing's motives were certainly not simple. Since he already posed a threat, Lin Yi could not let an enemy like him off so easily!

"Everyone knows that Liyue has its doubts about my identity as the Geo Archon. Originally, I intended to take a friendly approach and change your minds through my actions."

As Lin Yi spoke, he carried his pistol toward the hundred-odd captives.

When they saw the weapon in Lin Yi's hand, which had taken Feihu's life so effortlessly, they were terrified out of their wits, crying and screaming for their mothers.

Xing Changguang seemed slightly tempted to act, but after a flicker in his somewhat clouded eyes, he shook his head and remained unmoved.

Naturally, this was a test from Lin Yi. Killing one person was already enough for now.

From what he knew, the elder Xing was protective of his own, but he was also a deeply principled man. It was his belief that wrongdoing must be punished that allowed him to keep such a vast guild running in good order.

If the elder Xing made a move, then he really was the mastermind.

Now, however, it seemed there might genuinely be a misunderstanding.

With that, Lin Yi finally put his pistol away.

Not only the troublemakers, but even Keqing and the others breathed a small sigh of relief.

Even if Feihu was guilty, he should have been handed over to Liyue's legal authorities. By killing him himself, Lin Yi had clearly given others something to use against him.

Still, since he had dared to fire in front of everyone, he must have understood what he was doing.

Xing Changguang sighed.

"My sincerest apologies, Lord Geo Archon. As you can see, these are all my men."

Lin Yi sneered. If apologies did any good, what would compensation be for?

A short while later.

Everyone moved to a relatively quiet location.

Keqing and the others guarded the captives, while Lin Yi sat across from the two members of the Xing family, seeking a satisfactory resolution to the matter.

"You saw it yourselves. If I hadn't had a trump card, that bastard Feihu really would have taken my life. And he's one of your men. It's hard not to conclude that the Feiyun Commerce Guild is plotting a rebellion!"

He drummed his fingers on the tabletop, producing a series of dull knocks.

Despite his many years in business, Xing Changguang found himself firmly suppressed by Lin Yi today, as though he was bound to lose whenever he faced him.

The Feiyun Commerce Guild was already implicated in this affair. Whatever the outcome, the guild would have to pay a price.

Lin Yi's intentions were also obvious.

He could not move against the Feiyun Commerce Guild, but neither could this matter be brushed aside.

The Geo Archon's divine authority and life had both been challenged and threatened. The Feiyun Commerce Guild's compensation would have to satisfy Lin Yi.

In truth, Lin Yi was far more calculating than he appeared. In Liyue, the Feiyun Commerce Guild's wealth was virtually second only to that of his wife, Ningguang.

If the Feiyun Commerce Guild turned against him someday, it would naturally pose a considerable problem.

Lin Yi had already made plans to dismantle any potential enemy schemes and nip them in the bud.

If he brought down the Feiyun Commerce Guild and supported his wife's business in its place, he could naturally avoid many risks.

Before that, however, Lin Yi was still curious. Who exactly had given the Feiyun Commerce Guild's people the courage to attack his temple right in front of him without even hiding their identities?

Xing Changguang naturally understood the weight of a single word from the Geo Archon. It was more than he could bear right now.

After some thought, he could only reveal some of the secrets he knew.

"Feihu and the others are indeed officially employed by the Feiyun Commerce Guild. However, he and those hundred-odd men haven't returned to the guild or shown their faces there in over a year. Only after investigating did we discover that they had been active in this area all along."

"As it happens, I had intended to come here today to investigate personally. I never imagined they would dare show such disrespect to the Geo Archon. I apologize to you on their behalf. The fault lies with the Feiyun Commerce Guild."