A Rich Haul, the Zhao Family!

At the sight of the head that had fallen to the ground, many of those nearby looked slightly shaken.

As guards of the city lord's manor, they were all accustomed to life and death.

But seeing a colleague die just like that still affected them somewhat.

Yet the city lord had given the order, and the young city lord had carried it out. Whatever thoughts they had, they dared not voice them.

Screech...

Just then, a sharp, piercing cry rang out. Everyone saw a black crow formed from black mist emerge from the dead guard's body.

"Young lord, be careful!"

Ji Yuan reacted first, instantly moving to shield Lin An.

Even without his intervention, however, Lin An would have been fine. Lin Xiao had already placed a protective spiritual light around him.

After letting out a mournful cry, the black crow gradually dissipated.

[You have successfully killed the Sin Beast Evil Crow (Black Iron, grade eight), gaining 1 attribute point.]

Hearing the system's voice, Lin An patted Ji Yuan on the shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

Ji Yuan knew he had worried needlessly, but even if it happened again, he would still shield Lin An without hesitation.

"Young lord, were they all possessed by Sin Beasts?" Ji Yuan asked.

"That's right." Lin An nodded.

Ji Yuan drew a deep breath. Only now did he finally understand why the city lord had arrested these seventeen people without giving any reason.

He could not help feeling relieved. Fortunately, the city lord had discovered them. Otherwise, if these people suddenly erupted while they were fighting Sin Beasts, the consequences would have been dire.

The guards in the distance who had harbored doubts now understood completely as well.

Just as they had thought, how could their wise and mighty city lord ever kill people indiscriminately?

Then they could not help slapping themselves.

Bastards! How dare we doubt the city lord? We really deserve to die!

For a time, all the guards revered Lin Xiao even more, and their morale grew more unified than before.

"My lord, I have failed in my duty. I allowed Sin Beasts to infiltrate our ranks and possess my colleagues without discovering them, resulting in the deaths of seventeen colleagues. Please punish me." Ji Yuan dropped to one knee, his expression filled with shame.

"Report to the military judge afterward and receive punishment under military law," Lin Xiao said.

"Yes." Ji Yuan accepted the order without the slightest complaint.

"An'er, continue," Lin Xiao said, looking at Lin An.

Lin An nodded and was about to continue when Ji Yuan spoke again beside him. "Young lord, why not let me do it for you?"

"No need. Though they were possessed by Sin Beasts, they were still heroes of Shenglin City. Now that I cannot save them, I can only send them on their way myself." Lin An shook his head. Don't get in the way of me earning attribute points.

Seeing this, Ji Yuan said no more.

He could also tell that, besides dealing with the possessing Sin Beasts, the city lord was helping the young lord build his courage and establish his authority.

After all, as Shenglin City's young lord, half its master, and its future ruler, how could he never shed blood?

It had been understandable when the young lord was ill, but now that he had clearly recovered, the city lord naturally had to begin grooming him.

Still, Ji Yuan did not leave. Instead, he stayed beside Lin An, just in case.

Lin An resumed his harvest. His blade rose and fell, severing one head after another.

[You have successfully killed the Sin Beast Evil Fox (Bronze, grade three), gaining 2 attribute points.]

[You have successfully killed the Sin Beast Greed Snake (Black Iron, grade eight), gaining 1 attribute point.]

[You have successfully killed the Sin Beast Wrath Spider (Bronze, grade six), gaining 3 attribute points.]

[...]

By the time he killed the last person, every single one had proven to be possessed by a Sin Beast, without exception.

"Do you feel any discomfort?" Lin Xiao asked, looking at Lin An.

His son had never shed blood before, yet today he had killed so many people, even cutting off seventeen heads just now. He worried that this might leave him traumatized.

"No."

As Lin An spoke, a smile appeared on his face. This had been quite a haul.

Including his previous 2 attribute points, he now had 26. These seventeen Sin Beasts had given him 24 attribute points.

Unfortunately, before he attained a cultivation realm, only the first Sin Beast he killed could grant him a divine ability.

Otherwise, he could have relied on his Gold-realm father to farm a whole set of divine abilities.

They had yet to make their rounds through Shenglin City. Who knew how many Sin Beasts were hiding throughout it?

If he hunted down all those Sin Beasts, how many attribute points could he gain?

Moreover, he remembered that the first player to kill a hundred Sin Beasts could also earn the title Hundred Sin Slayer.

"Collect their remains and provide compensation as for those killed in battle," Lin Xiao told Ji Yuan.

"As you command."

Lin Xiao nodded, then left with Lin An.

After Lin Xiao left, Ji Yuan first arranged for the bodies to be collected. Once he had given instructions for the compensation, he went to the military judge to receive his punishment.

"Shenglin City is no small place. Its population is around three hundred thousand. Having you check them one by one won't be possible in a short time."

Lin Xiao said, "We'll visit the three great families first. The Zhao Family is closest, so we'll go there."

Lin An naturally had no objections. Finding every Sin Beast in Shenglin City would indeed be an enormous undertaking.

"Father, that guard is a Sin Beast too."

As soon as they reached the Zhao Family estate, Lin An pointed at one of the people guarding its gates.

"Oh? A Sin Beast guarding the gates? It seems there are quite a few Sin Beasts in the Zhao Family as well."

As Lin Xiao spoke, he walked straight to the entrance of the Zhao Family estate.

"Greetings, City Lord."

The two guards naturally recognized Lin Xiao, the city lord, and hurriedly bowed.

Rumble...

Lin Xiao wasted no words. The next instant, a surge of power burst forth, directly suppressing the guard possessed by a Sin Beast.

Then he turned to the other, dumbfounded guard. "Go tell Zhao Tong that the city lord is here."

The dumbfounded guard came to his senses, panic rising within him.

The city lord had suddenly arrived and immediately seized a guard. Could he be planning to move against the Zhao Family?

Not daring to hesitate, the guard hurried inside the Zhao Family estate to report.

"Let's go. Let's see how many Sin Beasts there are in the Zhao Family."

With that, Lin Xiao carried the possessed guard and strode inside with Lin An.

Upon entering the Zhao Family estate, Lin An discovered that there really were quite a few Sin Beasts there.

Not long after entering, he discovered two more possessed people. One was another guard, while the other was a servant.

Lin Xiao showed no restraint either. Anyone Lin An identified was suppressed.

Just then, hurried footsteps rang out, and a middle-aged man came rushing over with seven or eight people.