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Chapter 6: The Price of Defiance
An old man with a long beard stood high in the sky.
The moment his gaze landed on me, my body stiffened.
"Was that your technique, kid?" he asked calmly. "What is your name?"
Suppressing the fear in my chest, I answered steadily,
"Wuxian, senior. Yes—it was me."
The old man nodded slightly.
"How about sharing that technique with me?"
Before I could respond, Bai Bing stepped forward respectfully.
"Protector, this brat is the one who killed Li Bingyin. You cannot show him mercy. He also possesses a mysterious manual, and his cultivation speed is abnormal."
The old man glanced at me indifferently.
"I see."
He spoke coldly,
"Leave your manual and that technique behind. I will punish you and spare your life."
I stared at his emotionless expression.
How many times have I been pushed into a corner like this?
How many times have I barely escaped?
They were the ones who hunted and suppressed me, yet everyone here knew the truth—and still, not a single person stood on my side.
I couldn't even sense this man's cultivation.
There was no escape.
But I would not allow my life to be trampled upon.
Even if I died—
I would die standing.
"I refuse," I said calmly.
The old man shook his head.
"What a pity. You could have been a genius."
He raised his hand.
The attack descended.
Bai Bing laughed loudly as overwhelming pressure crushed down on me.
I forced all the remaining qi in my body to resist. My bones screamed. My vision blurred.
Boom!
The attack suddenly dispersed.
I looked up in disbelief.
Linfeng stood in front of me.
"Do you have no shame?" Linfeng said coldly. "Protector of Binz Valley, bullying a junior far below your cultivation?"
The old man frowned.
"Who are you?"
"That doesn't concern you," Linfeng replied calmly. "This boy and I share a contract. You cannot kill him."
Bai Bing shouted in anger,
"So it was you who guided this brat!"
Linfeng glanced at him.
"Not quite. His growth was his own doing. I never interfered—it was his karma. But now, I must step in."
The old man narrowed his eyes.
"A contract involving the manual?"
"Yes."
The old man snorted arrogantly.
"Even so, he killed a Qi Pioneer of this valley. I will not let this go."
Linfeng nodded.
"I see. Then come."
The two figures shot into the sky.
Their clash shook the entire valley, mountains trembling as shockwaves rippled outward.
After a long while, Linfeng suddenly reappeared beside me and flicked his sleeve.
Bai Bing, who was attempting to attack me, was sent flying.
"Thank you… senior," I said weakly.
Linfeng laughed.
"So you finally call me senior. You've grown."
We left together.
Moments later, the old man descended from the sky, his expression dark.
"He's strong," he muttered. "He must be from another valley."
Bai Bing asked nervously,
"Protector… can't you kill him?"
The old man shook his head.
"No. He's too troublesome. I can't defeat him alone."
His gaze turned cold.
"You and Li Bingyin brought this upon yourselves. Your greed made an enemy you shouldn't have."
The surrounding cultivators fell silent in shock.
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