There's a saying: 'Never eaten pork but seen pigs run.' Though only at Qi Refining Layer 3, Lin Feng knew full well the terror of Layer 7. Seeing Han Tie's state, he was horrified, fearing the man might truly break through to the late stage in his fury. Instantly, his left hand snapped out, activating the talisman once more!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Firing four fireballs simultaneously was Lin Feng's absolute limit. He needed a moment to 'catch his breath' before he could unleash more. If he could have fired all twenty fireballs from the start, these four would surely be dead already.
Even four fireballs carried significant force. They shot towards Han Tie from four directions—up, down, left, and right—maximizing the blockade of his movements.
Witnessing Lin Feng unleash yet another barrage of fireballs, Han Tie's pupils contracted. His shock was indescribable. Gritting his teeth, he bent his knees and kicked off the ground. Instead of dodging sideways, he shot straight upwards, leaping a staggering seven to eight meters high, successfully avoiding all four fireballs!
Lin Feng's gaze sharpened. Reacting with lightning speed, he raised his right hand. Qi surged into the Returning Gauntlet. Whoosh! A cyan streak shot forth once more!
Suspended in mid-air, Han Tie was wide open. As the cyan light sped towards his chest, Lin Feng couldn't help but feel a surge of hope.
Clang!!
But then, Lin Feng's hopeful expression froze. He watched in stunned disbelief as the Green Swallow Dart struck Han Tie's chest—only to spark harmlessly and bounce away!
"Armor above mid-grade magic artifact!"
Lin Feng realized instantly, his face darkening. He'd thought that strike would end it. Now, victory seemed far less certain.
Still, Lin Feng didn't falter. As he recalled the dart with a flick of his wrist, his left hand whipped out again. Two fireballs screamed towards their target! I still hold the advantage. Deny him any chance to counterattack. With the remaining fireballs, victory is still possible.
"Damn you!!"
Han Tie had barely landed when the next pair of fireballs hurtled towards him. Enraged but helpless, he scrambled aside once more.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Before he could steady himself, two more fireballs followed!
"He has a brand-new Chain Fireball Talisman! How is this possible?!!"
Han Tie roared internally, his eyes filled with utter disbelief. How could this pauper possibly possess a brand-new, fully charged second-grade Chain Talisman?! That costs at least twenty low-grade spirit stones! Even I couldn't justify buying one! This wretch earns a mere three stones a month—barely enough for cultivation—how could he afford it?!
No matter Han Tie's disbelief, the relentless barrage of fireballs was undeniable. He had no chance to close the distance.
"Soon! Even a full talisman must run out soon! Almost… No!!"
Han Tie clung to this vengeful thought, only for his expression to twist in horror. He realized, too late, that the fireballs had herded him into a dead-end corner of the courtyard wall!
Whoosh!!
Another fireball screamed towards him. This time… nowhere to dodge!
"AAGHH!!"
Terror gripping his heart, Han Tie shrieked like a madman. He channeled all his Qi frantically, clenched his right fist, and threw a desperate punch! A faint, transparent shield of energy seemed to coalesce around his knuckles.
BOOOOM!!!
A muffled explosion echoed. The fireball shattered under Han Tie's punch!
But Han Tie didn't escape unscathed. A true late-stage cultivator could deflect such an attack easily with Qi emission. But Han Tie hadn't truly broken through to Layer 7. Blocking the fireball consumed most of his Qi. Without the low-grade magic artifact glove protecting his hand, his arm would likely be crippled.
Though he avoided burns, the tremendous recoil slammed him backward. Thud! He crashed hard against the wall behind him.
"Finished!!"
In that instant, Han Tie's face turned deathly pale, his heart freezing solid.
Whoosh!!
Right on cue, a sharp whistling pierced the air. The cyan streak flashed like lightning, striking Han Tie's right knee!
Crunch…
Han Tie heard—or imagined he heard—the sound of his kneecap shattering. Excruciating pain lanced through his body. He crumpled sideways, collapsing onto his knees! —His legs had no armor. The Green Swallow Dart punched clean through his kneecap, crippling the leg.
The dart rebounded off the wall behind him and flew back into Lin Feng's sleeve.
The battle was effectively over. With his right leg destroyed, Han Tie was powerless. A single fireball from Lin Feng would finish him.
"Haa…" A sliver of tension finally eased from Lin Feng. He didn't attack immediately. Staying at a safe distance, he watched the kneeling man with icy eyes.
Sensing Lin Feng's murderous intent, Han Tie descended into utter panic. "D-don't kill me!! Spare my life, I beg you! I'll—"
"My ring!!"
Lin Feng cut off the plea coldly, his voice like frost.
"Y-yes! Here! Take it! Please don't kill me!"
Han Tie fumbled frantically in his robes, pulling out a black ring. Bitter regret washed over him. Yesterday, this demand had seemed laughable. Today, defiance was unthinkable.
"Throw it!" Lin Feng commanded, making no move to approach.
Han Tie's cheek twitched. He had harbored a desperate hope of counterattacking if Lin Feng came close. That hope vanished. He dared show nothing. He tossed the ring towards Lin Feng.
Lin Feng caught it mid-air. A quick inspection brought profound relief—the sealing enchantments were intact. The ring was unharmed.
Seeing Lin Feng's expression soften, Han Tie seized the chance. "Young master, forgive my blindness! Please show mercy, spare this wretch's—"
Whoosh!!!
His plea died mid-sentence. The cyan light expanded in his vision. He had no time to react. A cold sensation pierced his brow… then nothing.
Thud.
Han Tie's corpse hit the ground. His face still wore the pathetic mask of pleading. His eyes held shock and utter bewilderment—he couldn't comprehend that Lin Feng would kill him the instant the ring was returned, granting no chance for mercy. This man, whom he'd called a 'spineless coward' just yesterday… was utterly ruthless!
"Haaa…"
Only after killing Han Tie did Lin Feng truly relax. The fierce tension that had sustained him dissipated. His legs buckled, and he crumpled to the ground, utterly spent.
Exhaustion washed over him. He realized his Qi reserves were almost completely drained. The fight had pushed him far beyond his limits. Nearly twenty fireballs launched. The Green Swallow Dart used repeatedly. For a Layer 3 cultivator, it was an extraordinary feat. If Han Tie hadn't underestimated him from the start, letting Lin Feng seize the initiative, dragging the fight out could have changed everything.
As he began circulating Qi to recover, Lin Feng scanned the carnage. Apart from Han Tie, the other three were reduced entirely to ash—a testament to the Chain Fireball Talisman's horrific power. The realization that he'd killed four men in moments made his face pale and his stomach churn anew.
In twenty years on Earth and twenty years in Yue Yun Continent, Lin Feng had never killed so much as a chicken before today. The feeling… was profoundly unsettling.
Yet, he felt no regret. Killing Han Tie, even as he begged on his knees, wasn't born of cruelty. It was necessity—the other three were dead. Sparing Han Tie out of pity would only invite endless trouble later.
The path of cultivation is paved with blood. Show mercy to those who sought your life, and you won't live long. This truth, Lin Feng understood.
After a brief rest, regaining a sliver of strength, Lin Feng stood. He considered, then conjured one final fireball, incinerating Han Tie's corpse. Thus, the four men who had arrived with such arrogance became four piles of human ash. A gust of wind scattered them across the corner of the yard, becoming fertilizer for the weeds…
Within Han Tie's ashes, however, two items remained unburned: the armor he wore and the black glove on his right hand.
Lin Feng walked over and picked up both artifacts. A quick glance confirmed the armor was indeed a mid-grade artifact, while the glove was only low-grade.
Nothing else remained. These men wouldn't carry precious spirit stones on a simple mission like this—a mission they surely thought was child's play. Who could have imagined they'd meet their end here?
Cleaning up the battlefield, Lin Feng turned thoughtfully and glanced towards the yard entrance. He gave a slight shake of his head before stepping back into his house.
...
As Lin Feng returned to his room to continue his recovery, a figure paced like an ant on a hot pan in a narrow alley not far outside his home.
This figure was none other than Lin Feng's 'colleague,' Cao Yang!
Events had spiraled far beyond his wildest nightmares. His initial greed for Lin Feng's spirit stones had led him to collude with Han Tie's gang. He'd expected Lin Feng to be roughed up, nothing more. But when he went to collect his 'payment' last night, he learned they had killed Lin Feng! He'd been terrified, but Han Tie assured him there was no evidence, even claiming Lin Feng was 'struck by lightning.' After a bout of panic, Cao Yang had forced himself to forget, offering only a silent 'sorry' to Lin Feng in his heart.
Then, this morning, seeing Lin Feng alive had shocked him to the core. Lin Feng's subsequent actions filled him with dread. Fearing retribution, he'd rushed to inform Han Tie again the moment Lin Feng left.
He knew it likely sealed Lin Feng's fate, but he felt he 'had' to do it. Only then could he find 'peace.'
Still uneasy, he'd secretly followed Han Tie's group to Lin Feng's neighborhood, needing to see the outcome for himself.
Soon after Han Tie and his men entered, a faint scream echoed. Cao Yang's heart leapt—surely Lin Feng was finished. But then a second, different scream pierced the air… and a chill of doubt crept in.
When the third and fourth screams followed, Cao Yang's spine turned to ice. The horrifying conclusion dawned on him—Lin Feng had defeated Han Tie's group!!
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!! Lin Feng only bought a damaged mid-grade artifact and a worn-out talisman! He couldn't possibly have spare stones for anything better! How could that possibly defeat all four of them?!"
Cao Yang muttered frenetically, his anxiety mounting. He couldn't stay a moment longer. Whirling around, he hurried away, vanishing down the alley...