“Talisman Master?”
At this moment, Lin Xiao and the others’ expressions also became extremely solemn. That Lei Bao was indeed an old fox, clearly having a strong backer. Looking at the demeanor of the one called “Grandmaster Gu,” he must have come from Yan City.
“Father, could it be that the person who probed our Lin family some time ago was this very person?” Lin Xiao leaned closer to Lin Zhentian and whispered.
When Lin Zhentian entered the Initial Yuan Dan Stage, a mysterious Talisman Master came to probe. Now, linking this to the Talisman Master invited by the Lei family, Lin Xiao and the others combined the two into one person.
“It’s not clear.”
Lin Zhentian shook his head. His expression was no longer as calm and composed as before. Lei Bao’s move was truly beyond his expectations. Although he didn’t know what rank of Talisman Master this Grandmaster Gu had reached, to be able to make Lei Bao so respectful, he must have reached the level of a Two-Seal Talisman Master. A Talisman Master of this rank, even he wouldn’t dare say he could deal with easily, let alone the fact that the other party also had someone whose strength was comparable to his – an Initial Yuan Dan Stage cultivator staring at him.
Originally, the situation was balanced, but in an instant, such an earth-shattering reversal occurred.
The sudden change made all the forces present in the great hall secretly gulp. The Lei family truly lived up to its reputation as the oldest and most prestigious power in Qingyang Town, able to invite such a powerful expert to assist them.
“Haha, I didn’t expect to see two Initial Yuan Dan Stage cultivators in this small Qingyang Town. It seems this place is truly a land of excellent feng shui,” the middle-aged man in the yellow robe smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping towards Lin Zhentian as he spoke.
“May I know your esteemed name? Today’s matter is a private affair between my Lei family and Lin family. If Your Excellency can stand by and watch, my Lin family will pay double the remuneration that the Lei family has offered you!” Lin Zhentian said in a deep voice.
“My name is Gu Ying, I am the Deputy Sect Master of the Blood-Clothed Sect in Yan City, and a Two-Seal Talisman Master.”
The middle-aged man looked at Lin Zhentian, his expression slightly peculiar as he said, “The remuneration the Lei family offered me is six parts of the Yang Yuan Stone mine in Ironwood Manor. If your Lin family is willing to give me the entire Ironwood Manor… I will stand by and watch. This is not impossible.”
Upon hearing these words, Lin Zhentian and the others’ expressions became several times uglier. The Blood-Clothed Sect in Yan City was a somewhat renowned force. They didn’t expect their reach to extend to this small Qingyang Town. Didn’t that Lei family fear inviting wolves into their house?
“Your Excellency’s request, I’m afraid my Lin family cannot fulfill,” Lin Zhentian waved his hand, signaling Lin Xiao and the others behind him to be careful.
Hearing this, Gu Ying spread his hands and smiled, his eyes narrowed. This demeanor sent a chill down one’s spine, his expression fierce and terrifying, and even more terrifying was the sharp glint of a blade hidden within that smile.
“Clang!”
On the side, Lei Bao also let out a strange laugh. With a wave of his hand, the doors of the four rooms surrounding the great hall were all instantly blown away. The forces of the Lei and Xie families immediately surrounded the place, making it impenetrable. The gleaming swords and blades exuded a chilling aura, instantly dispelling the joyful atmosphere in the room without a trace.
Seeing the Lei family deploy such a battle formation immediately startled the remaining factions, who quickly retreated, vaguely gathering together to prevent the Lei and Xie families from attacking them.
"Hmph!"
As the Lei and Xie families made their move, a sharp roar quickly erupted from Lin Xiao's mouth. Immediately after, a rumbling signal echoed outside the manor.
Not long after the signal was sent, chaotic sounds of fighting erupted outside the Lei family compound. Clearly, the forces that the Lin family and the Mad Blade Martial Hall had stationed outside had already begun to charge in.
Currently, both sides had already begun armed conflict!
"Today, the target of my Lei and Xie families is the Lin family and the Mad Blade Martial Hall. I hope the rest of you do not interfere, otherwise, in the future, I, Lei Bao, will personally come knocking!"
Hearing the sounds of fighting from outside, Lei Bao's expression grew even colder. He took a step forward, his icy gaze sweeping over the remaining factions in the main hall, and he shouted coldly.
Hearing his shout, most of those factions nodded repeatedly. They were far inferior to both the Lei and Xie families, as well as the Lin family and the Mad Blade Martial Hall, so they all wished to avoid being drawn into this slaughter.
"Lin Zhentian, you and I have contended for many years. Today, I fear we will finally achieve the desired outcome! To step on my Lei family, you, a useless person expelled by the Lin clan, are not qualified to interfere!" Seeing the other factions intimidated, Lei Bao sneered, his gaze fixed on Lin Zhentian, and he said calmly.
"Whether I am qualified or not is not for you to say. If you want my Lin family to be shattered and ruined, then your Lei family must be prepared to shed a lot of blood!" At this moment, Lin Zhentian's expression had become exceptionally icy. In recent years, for the survival of his family, he had endured the humiliation from the Lei and Xie families. Today, the time had come to unleash that pent-up anger!
"Heh heh, good... good. I want to see what kind of ability a destitute good-for-nothing, who has fallen to Qingyang Town, possesses to speak such big words!"
Lei Bao let out an angry laugh, and a powerful Yuan Power surged violently from within his body. It quickly condensed onto his two arms, and vaguely, one could see an extremely sharp, white energy permeating from his pores.
This white energy appeared fragile, but those with sharp eyesight knew that it was enough to shatter metal and stone!
"Pure Yuan Gang Qi!"
When Lin Dong saw this scene, the corners of his eyes couldn't help but twitch repeatedly. After a person advanced to the Yuan Dan Stage, the Yuan Power in their Dantian would be compressed into a pure and extremely powerful energy. This type of energy was even more formidable than ordinary Yuan Power; it was called "Pure Yuan Gang Qi." This Gang Qi, whether in terms of offensive or defensive power, far surpassed the previous Yuan Power.
It could be said that Pure Yuan Gang Qi was the strongest killing move of a Yuan Dan Stage expert!
And Lei Bao, with his very first move, unleashed Pure Yuan Gang Qi, clearly making a genuine killing move. He understood very well that the only reason the Lin family dared to oppose his Lei family was the existence of Lin Zhentian. As long as Lin Zhentian was crippled, the Lin family would be nothing more than a small ant colony, to be trampled upon at his whim!
“Grandmaster Gu, the Lin family, the Mad Saber Martial Arts Academy, and the others, we’ve troubled you!”
Pure Origin Qi began to circulate. Lei Bao let out a low roar, then stomped his foot heavily on the ground. His body shot directly towards Lin Zhentian with fierce momentum. The sheer speed of his movement caused all the surrounding tables and chairs to explode instantly, creating a truly astonishing display of power.
Although the sudden appearance of a Two-Seal Talisman Master once again put the Lin family and the Mad Saber Martial Arts Academy at a disadvantage, things had reached a point of no return. They could only fight with all their might for a chance at survival. But if they were to lay down their weapons and surrender... given Lei Bao’s character and methods, it was likely he would completely annihilate the Lin family and the Mad Saber Martial Arts Academy.
“Be careful, all of you!”
Facing Lei Bao’s aggressive offensive, Lin Zhentian stepped back, shouting softly at Lin Xiao and the others. Extremely sharp Pure Origin Qi had already appeared on his fists, which then shot out fiercely, clashing with Lei Bao’s ferocious attack.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
In an instant, the sharp fists and palms collided, generating a terrifying gust of wind. It swept through like a hurricane, stinging people’s eyes. The palm winds created a low, booming explosion in the very air!
The clash between Origin Dan Realm experts truly dwarfed anything the Heavenly Origin Realm could produce; there was no comparison!
Watching the two figures intertwine, many people secretly gasped. That sharp gust of wind, even a late-stage Heavenly Origin Realm cultivator would be caught in it, and likely suffer a grim fate. The Origin Dan Realm—it truly lived up to its reputation.
“Attack!”
Just as Lei Bao engaged Lin Zhentian, Xie Qian’s face revealed a cold smile. He let out a soft shout, taking the lead and charging towards Lin Xiao and the others with the experts from both families.
“Be careful yourselves!”
Seeing Xie Qian and his group charging forward, Luo Cheng and Lin Xiao simultaneously let out a sharp cry. Immediately after, the two of them, almost in unison, quickly stepped forward. Their powerful Origin Energy erupted, significantly diminishing the momentum of Xie Qian’s group.
“Two late-stage Heavenly Origin Realm cultivators?!” Xie Qian and his group’s eyes flashed with surprise as they glanced at Lin Xiao. Clearly, they hadn’t expected Lin Xiao to have made such progress in this short time, directly advancing to the late-stage Heavenly Origin Realm!
“Haha, late-stage Heavenly Origin Realm, what’s so surprising about that?” While Xie Qian and his group were still in shock, a figure in a flowing golden robe swiftly moved in front of Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng. That faint voice made Xie Qian and his group rejoice.
“Leave these two to me. You all, resolve the remaining people as quickly as possible,” Gu Ying said with a smiling gaze at Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng, then turned his head to instruct Xie Qian and his group.
“Haha, then we’ll trouble Grandmaster Gu!” Xie Qian chuckled, then gave Lin Xiao a strange smile before leading the others past that spot.
“Hmph!”
Seeing Xie Qian and his group preparing to pass, Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng both snorted coldly. They exchanged a glance, their bodies moving, splitting up and charging towards Xie Qian.
“Whoosh!”
However, just as the two moved, a sharp gust of wind suddenly shot out at an incredible angle, forcing them to hastily stop and retreat several steps to avoid it.
Gu Ying crossed his arms over his chest. Two invisible swords, like venomous snakes, coiled around his body, while his feet hovered about half an inch above the ground. An immense, invisible force swirled around him, making Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng feel immense pressure.
"You country bumpkins have probably never seen the power of a Talisman Master before. Alright, today I'll open your eyes," Gu Ying said playfully, looking at the two. Then, he pointed a finger, and the two swords circling him instantly transformed into two streaks of white light, shooting towards Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng with extreme speed.
"Be careful!"
The incredibly sharp sword energy was so fast that Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng only saw a flash of light in their eyes. Immediately after, they felt a cold gleam rush towards them, and they hastily retreated several steps, looking quite flustered.
"Dong!"
Seeing the two dodge his attack, Gu Ying chuckled. A wave of mental energy suddenly spread out, fiercely striking Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng's bodies. Their minds instantly became disoriented, and their dodging movements slowed down.
"Ka!"
Just as their minds were disoriented for that brief moment, the sharp sword light swept towards them again. By the time they regained their senses, the sword's edge was already at their throats, as if poised to pierce through!
"This fight is utterly boring," Gu Ying said with a smile, glancing at their terrified expressions. With a slight movement of his fingertip, the sword's edge fiercely thrust downwards.
"Ding!"
However, just as the sword light was about to pierce Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng's throats, two streaks of black light suddenly shot out, precisely hitting the sword's edge and deflecting the sword light directly away.
"Huh?"
The sudden turn of events startled Gu Ying, Lin Xiao, and Luo Cheng. Their eyes followed the two streaks of black light as they spun in mid-air, eventually heading behind them.
The three men's gazes followed the black light and saw a young man standing calmly there. Streaks of black light slowly revolved around his body.
"Dong-er?!"
Seeing who had made the move, Lin Xiao immediately exclaimed, his face filled with surprise.
Seeing Lin Xiao's shocked expression, Lin Dong felt a little helpless. He hadn't wanted to reveal himself, but the Talisman Master invited by the Lei family had left him no choice but to act.
Lin Dong stared at Gu Ying's somewhat suspicious expression, a faint cold glint flashing in his eyes. That guy's attack was too ruthless; he clearly intended to directly take Lin Xiao and Luo Cheng's lives.
The young man raised his hand and pointed at Gu Ying, saying softly, "Father, leave him to me."