In the damp, dark dungeon, Duo Long was trussed up like a zongzi with heavy Spirit-Sealing Chains, slumped in a corner like a pile of rotten mud. Days of torture had extinguished the last shred of dignity his Spirit Transformation cultivation afforded him, leaving only the fear of death.
Creak—
The iron door swung open, allowing blinding light to flood in. Two expressionless Broken Sword Sect disciples strode in, hoisting up the stinking, broken-spirited man.
"No… Don't kill me! I beg you! I've told you everything! Spare me…" Duo Long screamed in terror, snot and tears mingling as he struggled desperately.
"Annoying," one disciple frowned. His hand rose, a cold gleam flashing.
Thwack!
A head rolled to the ground, blood splattering the mottled wall. Duo Long's horrified eyes stared blankly in death, unable to believe a Spirit Transformation cultivator like him could end like this.
"Drag it out. Feed it to the dogs," the disciple ordered coldly, as if disposing of livestock.
Deep night, moonless and dark—a perfect night for killing.
Lin Che, Old Ma, Mao Shiba, and over a dozen elite Broken Sword Sect members moved like ghosts, arriving outside the battered City Patrol Office. The place looked even more dilapidated and sinister after the last battle, with collapsed walls and scorch marks everywhere, the air still carrying a faint smell of blood and ash.
"Stick to the plan. Quick and clean. Leave no one alive," Lin Che's voice was icy, murderous intent blazing in his eyes.
"Yes!"
They burst in like arrows loosed from a bow! Mao Shiba took the lead, his twin Water-Splitting Strikes becoming soul-reaping shadows aimed at the throat of a dozing guard! The others unleashed their skills—blades gleamed, swords flashed, talismans exploded!
"Enemy attack—!"
The shrill alarm was cut short by screams. The Broken Sword Sect members, pent-up for too long, fought with ruthless brutality against their hated enemies. The remaining Profound Sword Sect disciples, mostly at Golden Core or Foundation Establishment level, were no match for these wolf-like avengers. Within moments, the courtyard was littered with corpses, blood forming small streams that seeped into the scorched earth.
Lin Che stood calmly in the center of the courtyard, his robes fluttering but unstained by a single drop of blood. His spiritual sense swept through the entire Patrol Office like a tide, locking onto every trace of spiritual fluctuation. Old Ma, however, peeked out from behind him, a blade of grass in his mouth, looking utterly out of place in this scene of carnage.
"The main hall. A few more inside," Lin Che said coldly.
Mao Shiba understood. He led the charge, kicking the main hall door open. Three Profound Sword Sect managers inside trembled, trying to activate a communication array for help. They were met with a barrage of fierce attacks and died instantly.
The group quickly ransacked the place, turning over cabinets and secret compartments, but found only worthless ledgers, a few low-grade pills, and some jade slips recording evidence of exploiting loose cultivators—nothing related to the Profound Sword Sect's core secrets.
"Seems this Patrol Office was indeed just a peripheral tool for extortion, worthless," Mao Shiba said, disappointed.
"Let's go." Lin Che turned to leave.
Suddenly!
A vast, immense, soul-terrifying pressure descended like a mountain! The air in the Patrol Office seemed to solidify. Weaker Broken Sword Sect disciples groaned, faces pale, barely able to breathe!
"Who dares cause trouble on my Profound Sword Sect's turf?!" An aged voice, brimming with immense authority, thundered through the night sky!
Everyone's faces changed dramatically. They looked up to see an old man in moon-white Daoist robes, with white hair and beard, standing majestically in the air outside the gate. He had a thin, refined face and an immortal aura, faint holy light emanating from him. His eyes were indifferent, like a god looking down on ants!
"Re… Refinement Void, mid-stage!" Mao Shiba gasped, his voice trembling. The other Broken Sword Sect disciples felt their hearts sink. A Refinement Void mighty one! This was an existence they simply couldn't oppose!
Lin Che's pupils contracted, his expression grave. This person's aura was far deeper and more condensed than Xuan Tiangang's from before—definitely not an easy opponent!
The old man's gaze swept over the corpses, finally settling on Lin Che, his brow slightly furrowed. "So young, yet such a heavy killing intent. It seems you are the remnant of the 'God-Slaying Pavilion' that has disturbed my Profound Sword Sect lately? Today, I shall act on heaven's behalf and send you to the afterlife!"
Before the words faded, the old man pointed like a sword! A concentrated, seemingly void-piercing white sword beam tore through the night, shooting straight toward the spot between Lin Che's eyebrows! Fast! Unbelievably fast! Before the beam even arrived, its sharp sword intent already made Lin Che's brow sting!
Just as Lin Che was about to activate his Lü Bu inheritance to meet the attack head-on, a lazy, somewhat impatient voice came from behind him:
"Tsk… So noisy. Can't an old man get some sleep?"
A hunched figure suddenly appeared in front of Lin Che as if teleporting, right in the path of the terrifying sword beam! It was Old Ma!
Old Ma still looked sleepy-eyed and slovenly, the blade of grass still in his mouth. Facing the sword beam capable of killing a Spirit Transformation cultivator, he didn't dodge or avoid it. He just casually raised his right hand, extended two dirty fingers—grime still under the nails—and lightly pinched.
Ding—!
A clear, melodious sound, like jade striking gold. The imposing white sword beam was actually clamped firmly between Old Ma's two fingers! The beam vibrated violently but couldn't advance an inch. Finally, with a mournful hum, it dissipated into points of spiritual light.
Silence!
Dead silence!
The indifference and authority on the old man's face instantly froze, replaced by incredible shock and horror! His sword beam, though not used at full power, was enough to seriously injure an early Refinement Void cultivator! Yet this beggar-like old man had stopped it… with two fingers?!
Mao Shiba and the others' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, their minds blank. This… this Priest Ma… just who exactly was he?!
Old Ma picked his ear, flicked away non-existent earwax, then slowly looked at the old man in the air, yawning and mumbling, "I say… you old fool, not sleeping in the middle of the night, what are you doing setting off fireworks here? You're disturbing this Taoist's beauty sleep, you know?"
"You… Who are you?!" The old man's voice trembled, all his former composure gone.
"Me?" Old Ma grinned, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth. He smoothed his greasy hair, striking a pose of an "otherworldly expert," though his image was hardly convincing. "This Taoist uses the name Ma Xingkong! Specializing in… teaching lessons to blind fools like you."
Before the words finished, Old Ma moved! No earth-shattering momentum, no dazzling spells. He just took a step, his figure ghost-like, instantly crossing several dozen yards to appear right in front of the old man! So fast that even Lin Che only saw a blur!
The old man was horrified, urgently activating his protective spiritual light while summoning an ancient bronze shield! However, Old Ma just stretched out his skinny, chicken-claw-like hand and gave the shield a light tap.
Crack!
The decent-grade defensive treasure shattered as if made of paper, instantly covered in cracks before exploding! The old man felt a massive impact, vomiting a mouthful of blood. His protective light dispersed, and he fell from the sky like a broken kite, crashing to the ground with a boom, creating a large crater!
Old Ma landed gracefully, patting his hands as if swatting a fly. He walked to the edge of the pit, looking down at the barely alive, terrified old man at the bottom, and grinned. "So? How was this Taoist's 'fireworks'? Up to your standards?"
"You… just who… are you…" The old man gasped, his voice weak, eyes full of despair.
"So many useless questions." Old Ma curled his lip, turning to Lin Che. "Kid, how to handle this old guy? Kill him? Or keep him for questioning?"
Lin Che took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and stepped forward. Old Ma's strength had once again exceeded his expectations. He squatted down, coldly staring at the old man. "I ask, you answer. How many experts are currently stationed at the Profound Sword Sect's main headquarters?"
The old man laughed miserably, closing his eyes, waiting for death. "Kill me if you want! Don't think you'll get any information from me!"
"Oh, quite the tough guy." Old Ma raised an eyebrow. A wisp of strange gray energy gathered at his fingertip, which he lightly pointed toward the old man's dantian. "This Taoist has plenty of ways to make you talk."
"Ahhh—!" The old man let out a shrill, agonized scream. The gray energy clung like maggots to bone, madly eroding his Dao foundation. The pain far surpassed any physical torture!
A moment later, the old man completely broke, screaming hoarsely, "I'll talk! I'll talk! The main sect… now only has three Refinement Void elders stationed there. The Sect Master… is in closed-door training, trying to break through to the Mahayana stage… The other experts have all been sent to quell unrest in various realms… The sect is… empty right now…"
"Just as I thought." A glint of light flashed in Lin Che's eyes. The intelligence matched what Duo Long had said. The Profound Sword Sect was indeed at its weakest!
"What else? Su Qingyao… Have you captured a woman named Su Qingyao?" Lin Che pressed, this was his biggest concern.
"Su… Su Qingyao? No… never heard of her…" The old man shook his head blankly.
Lin Che's heart sank slightly, but it was within expectations. He stood up and signaled to Mao Shiba with his eyes.
Mao Shiba understood. He stepped forward, and with a swift strike, crippled the old man's dantian and broke his limbs, reducing him to a complete cripple.
"Ahhh—!" The old man screamed and passed out.
Lin Che looked down at the old man lying in the pit like a dead dog, his voice cold as the bleak winter wind, spreading throughout the entire Patrol Office:
"Go back and tell the entire Profound Sword Sect that I, Lin Che, have arrived."
"Tell them to wash their necks clean and wait for death."
With that, he turned and led his people away, stepping over the blood and corpses, disappearing into the deep night. Only the Refinement Void elder's miserable screams and despairing wails lingered, echoing long in the night wind…