"Hehe, you're joking."
The lean man's smile remained unchanged, but his mind was already racing with calculations.
He had been mingling in this Sacred Domain for many years and had seen all sorts of things.
No matter how strong Han Xuanji is, having just gone through a life-or-death battle with the Moon-Swallowing Heavenly Wolf, how much strength does he have left?
He had a sharp eye; Lan Miao's left arm was injured, and her breathing was uneven, clearly indicating that she hadn't recovered.
The remaining three, Zhou Yuan, Chen Luo, and Chen Fei, are even less significant characters, easily dealt with by a few people.
If handled properly, these five people can all be kept here, and once they leave, they can say whatever they want.
Given the power and influence of the Ten Thousand Immortals Association, who would speak up for a few dead men?
"We can discuss things; we're also willing to pay a price for our achievements."
The lean man smiled and took two more steps forward, his steps casual and natural, as if he simply wanted to get closer and have a few private words with Han Xuanji.
But just as he approached Han Xuanji's side by ten steps, his right hand, which had been casually hanging by his side, suddenly flipped up, his sleeve billowing, and Eternal True Essence gushed out from his palm like a flood bursting its banks.
With a single palm strike, the air itself crackled and exploded under the immense force. Wherever the palm's wind passed, pebbles on the ground were swept up and turned into a rain of flying stones that hurtled towards Han Xuanji.
He had been planning this attack for a long time, concentrating ninety percent of his power into a single point in his palm. Before striking, not a trace of his aura was leaked out, clearly demonstrating the skill he had honed through years of engaging in sneak attacks.
By the time the opponent realized it, the palm strike was already upon their face, leaving no room to dodge.
"Brother Han, be careful!"
"You scoundrel, you actually launched a sneak attack!"
Zhou Yuan and Lan Miao shouted out almost simultaneously.
However, the lean man's attack was too fast and insidious; his palm strike had already reached Han Xuanji, and no matter what they did, they couldn't outrun it.
Han Xuanji raised her eyes expressionlessly.
Even before the lean man approached with a forced smile, the red light representing killing intent in the Saint Soul Perception had already become blindingly bright.
He could even clearly sense that the true energy around the other person was silently gathering in his palm, like a bowstring stretched to its limit.
"Court death!"
Han Xuanji's aura exploded out without reservation in an instant.
An extremely domineering power erupted from his body, and pale golden Qi and Blood flames shot into the sky like a volcanic eruption. The rocky ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch radiating outwards from him, and the broken stones were blown into the air by the shockwave, only to be crushed into dust by that invisible pressure in mid-air.
The Great Heaven Creation Palm!
He slightly spread the five fingers of his right hand and pushed out a palm horizontally.
This palm strike was also prepared well in advance, containing the domineering Power of Mystic Heaven and the purity of the Principle of Creation, and carrying a vast and boundless power of Qi and Blood and qi. Wherever it passed, even space itself showed visible distortions and ripples.
The two palms collided at extremely close range, producing a dull, heart-stopping thud.
The lean man's palm strike shattered like paper upon impact. The layers of residual force didn't even last a moment before being swept back, engulfing him along with him.
"Not good!"
The lean man knew he was wrong the instant their palms touched.
The other party didn't seem to have just been through a fierce battle, and somehow they had figured out his plan.
Realizing something was wrong, he tried to dodge, but it was too late.
The palm strike shattered his true energy like a destructive force, then landed solidly on his chest.
The wiry man didn't even have time to scream.
The extremely domineering palm force passed through his body, and his figure paused in the air for a very short moment before transforming into a sky full of white light that exploded and dissipated into the night wind of the valley.
If this had happened outside, Han Xuanji's palm strike would have been enough to obliterate him completely.
In other words, according to the rules of the Saint Realm, one cannot truly die.
As the white light dissipated, Han Xuanji withdrew his right palm, the lingering force from his sleeve causing the air to tremble slightly.
His expression remained unchanged; he simply glanced calmly at the spot where the lean man had disappeared, then looked up at the remaining dozen or so Ten Thousand Immortals Association cultivators.
A deathly silence fell over the field at that moment.
One slap!
One of the elite members of the Ten Thousand Immortals Association was gone.
Everyone in the Ten Thousand Immortals Association stood frozen in place, their eyes filled with horror.
All those budding thoughts that had been simmering inside vanished instantly.
"Captain Wang..."
"This Han Xuanji is too formidable. I don't think even Li Fu possesses such ferocity."
Whispers spread through the crowd.
The cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortals Association Society were not stupid. They were not actually subordinates of the lean man, but he usually made the decisions and took the lead.
Now the lean man has kicked a hornet's nest, and all that remains is deep apprehension.
They had previously been somewhat skeptical about how the group had killed the Moon-Swallowing Heavenly Wolf, but that single palm strike had shaken the cultivators present.
No wonder he was able to kill the Moon-Swallowing Heavenly Wolf; his strength is definitely among the top in the Sacred Domain.
In the midst of the deathly silence, Han Xuanji remained unfazed.
He ignored the extra message in his token.
He certainly didn't hold back with that palm strike, and his purpose was quite clear.
To make an example of someone and intimidate others.
After all, the Ten Thousand Immortals Association Society had a large and powerful force. Although he wasn't afraid, he still had to consider the well-being of his teammates.
In any case, the lean man attacked first, so he was acting in self-defense. Even if Chi Yuan came, he wouldn't be able to say anything.
In the midst of the deathly silence, a figure suddenly stepped out from the Ten Thousand Immortals Association formation.
This person was tall and slender, with delicate features, and looked quite young. He was dressed in spotless white clothes.
He stepped forward from the crowd, first glancing at the spot where the lean man had vanished in a flash of white light, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. Then, he bowed respectfully to Han Xuanji from afar, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.
"Fellow Daoist Han, it was our Ten Thousand Immortals Association's recklessness that led to this. I apologize to you all on their behalf."
Wang Qing has paid the price. This matter ends here. I, Ten Thousand Immortals Association not pursue this further.
Upon hearing this, before Han Xuanji could even speak, Lan Miao frowned.
What does it mean to "have paid the price"?
What does " Ten Thousand Immortals Association pursue this further?" mean?
At first glance, these words sound like an apology, but upon closer examination, they clearly mean: Let's just let this go; the Ten Thousand Immortals Association magnanimous and won't hold it against you.
The problem is, Wang Qing Wang Qing was also the one who was killed by a single palm strike.
From beginning to end, it was the Ten Thousand Immortals Association started the trouble first, so why are they now putting on a magnanimous act?
Han Xuanji smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes; in fact, it seemed somewhat cold.
He's not one to like being taken advantage of.
If you hadn't taken action, fine, but since you did, you'd naturally have to pay the price.
He'd rather apologize than accept an insincere apology.
Give me your reasoning!
Han Xuanji looked at the white-robed cultivator, his tone calm yet icy:
"I haven't settled the score with you yet for the fact that your Ten Thousand Immortals Association launched the sneak attack first."
If anyone should be held accountable, it should be me holding you accountable.
Now that their sneak attack failed and they've been killed, they're suddenly thinking, "That's enough"? Is there any logic to that?
The white-robed cultivator's expression froze; he hadn't expected Han Xuanji so unforgiving.
A suppressed commotion arose within the Ten Thousand Immortals Association formation.
Several hot-tempered cultivators stared at Han Xuanji with hostile eyes.
In their view, Wang Qing was, after all, a member of the Ten Thousand Immortals Association, and even if he was in the wrong, he was still one of their own.
Now that Wang Qing has been killed in public with a single blow, they have not only lost face, but Han Xuanji also dares to turn around and hold them accountable, which is simply turning the tables.