“Brother Yun, he’s a third-turn Tribulation Realm cultivator. Let me handle him,” Yuying said, gently tugging at Lin Yun’s sleeve.
She didn’t know the full extent of Lin Yun’s strength or his ability to fight beyond his realm.
“No worries. Just him alone? I can handle him easily,” Lin Yun replied with a smile.
Before stepping into the Tribulation Realm, Lin Yun could already take down a third-turn Tribulation Realm cultivator without breaking a sweat—let alone now.
“This… Alright, I’ll listen to you, Brother Yun,” Yuying nodded.
But in her heart, she resolved that if Lin Yun were in any danger, she’d step in to help immediately.
Just as both sides prepared to clash, the elderly man from the Mu Clan once again held back the hawk-nosed man.
“Young Master, that Holy Maiden from the Tianqiong Clan is willing to leave her clan for that guy, which shows how close they are. Even if you beat him, she’ll likely cause trouble for us,” the old man said.
Then, he secretly transmitted to the hawk-nosed man, “Even if you want to deal with him, we can wait until the Great Kun Clan’s ruins open. Once we’re inside, we can find a way to handle him then. Starting a conflict now would be to our disadvantage.”
Hearing this, the hawk-nosed man relented.
“Kid, I’ll let you off for now, but we’ll see about that later!”
After throwing those words at Lin Yun, the hawk-nosed man turned and left with the rest of the Mu Clan, retreating to a spot over a thousand metres away.
“They’re gone. That’s for the best,” Yuying said, exhaling a soft breath of relief, her voice sweet as orchids.
She’d been worried that Lin Yun might get hurt in a one-on-one fight with the hawk-nosed man.
At that moment, the elderly leader of the Tianqiong Clan approached Lin Yun.
“Fellow cultivator, allow me to formally introduce myself. I am the Fourth Elder of the Tianqiong Clan. May I ask about your background?” the old man inquired.
He still hadn’t figured out Lin Yun’s origins or affiliations.
“I don’t have any notable background—just a lone cultivator,” Lin Yun replied.
Upon hearing this, the Fourth Elder and the others from the Tianqiong Clan looked at Lin Yun with even less regard.
In their eyes, if not for Yuying, they wouldn’t even bother acknowledging him. After all, they were the Tianqiong Clan!
The handsome man from the Tianqiong Clan, meanwhile, approached Yuying.
“Little Ying, I never imagined you’d be this stunning once your appearance was fully restored. You should’ve done it sooner,” he said in amazement.
Even with scars and imperfections, he’d always found Yuying beautiful. Now, she was a vision of celestial perfection—truly breathtaking!
“I only restored my appearance for Brother Yun,” Yuying replied.
After her brief response, she turned back to Lin Yun.
Clearly, at this moment, her eyes and heart were solely for Lin Yun, not the handsome man.
This made the man grit his teeth, his resentment toward Lin Yun skyrocketing!
“Brother Yun, you’re here for the Great Kun Clan’s ruins too, right?” Yuying asked with a smile.
“Yes,” Lin Yun nodded.
“Are you alone? We’re here for the Great Kun Clan’s ruins as well. Why don’t you join us? It’d be safer that way. On your own, you’re at a disadvantage—there are many situations one person can’t handle alone,” Yuying offered with a lovely smile.
As soon as she said this, the handsome man immediately stepped forward.
“Little Ying, I object! This guy’s already offended the Mu Clan. If the ruins open and we bring him along, the Mu Clan might trip us up. We’re not afraid of them, but since no Immortals can come here and we’re all Tribulation Realm cultivators, a fight would benefit no one. Better to avoid unnecessary trouble,” the handsome man argued.
“Exactly, exactly!” The others from the Tianqiong Clan nodded in agreement.
Clearly, they weren’t keen on letting Lin Yun join them.
The handsome man turned to Lin Yun. “Kid–
, don’t say I’m not giving you a chance. If you want to tag along with us, you’ve got to have some strength to back it up, right?”
He drew his sword and etched a line in the ground.
“Kid, if you can knock me back past this line within three strikes, I’ll agree to let you join. Otherwise, you leave on your own—don’t shamelessly cling to Little Ying. Dare to take this deal? If you’re a man with any guts, I reckon you will!” the handsome man said, employing a taunt.
He had his own calculations.
He knew that outright opposing Lin Yun’s inclusion would upset Yuying.
But by setting this challenge, as long as Lin Yun accepted, he was confident he’d win, leaving Lin Yun with no room to argue.
“No way! You’re a third-turn Tribulation Realm cultivator, and Brother Yun is only first-turn. The strength difference is unfair,” Yuying protested.
Seeing Yuying defend Lin Yun only fuelled the handsome man’s envy and hatred.
“It’s fine, Yuying. I can handle it,” Lin Yun said with a smile.
Then he turned to the handsome man. “I’ll take your deal. No need for three moves—one will do. Friendly tip: you’d better brace yourself!”
As he finished, a faint, barely noticeable smirk tugged at Lin Yun’s lips.
“Good, at least you’ve got some guts. Bring it on!”
The handsome man grinned, releasing his inner energy.
“Here I come!”
Lin Yun struck with a single palm!
A terrifying force surged from his hand in an instant.
Seeing this, the handsome man raised his own palm to meet it head-on!
His third-turn Tribulation Realm aura was fully unleashed.
He’d already decided not only to block Lin Yun’s strike but to counter it and send Lin Yun flying back in a humiliating defeat.
So, he put significant power into this palm—enough to easily injure any first-turn Tribulation Realm cultivator!
Boom!
Their palms, glowing with energy, collided fiercely under everyone’s watchful eyes.
Bang!
As the forces clashed, the handsome man was instantly sent flying backward. His feet carved a trench dozens of metres long in the ground, far beyond the line he’d drawn.
“Cough, cough!”
After forcibly stabilising himself, he let out a series of dry coughs.
“What?!”
The Tianqiong Clan members present were all stunned.
They’d been certain the handsome man’s victory was a foregone conclusion.
“Looks like I’ve won. I’ll accept your concession!” Lin Yun said, clasping his fists calmly.
He’d held back considerably—otherwise, with full force, he could’ve killed the man with one strike.
“This guy’s got some skill!” The Fourth Elder of the Tianqiong Clan muttered, a hint of surprise in his voice.
“No, this isn’t fair! I only stepped back—it doesn’t count as a loss. I was careless. I demand a proper fight! That wasn’t real combat!” the handsome man roared, unwilling to accept defeat.
Lin Yun let out a cold laugh. “You set the rules yourself, and now you say they don’t count? Isn’t that slapping your own face? A third-turn Tribulation Realm cultivator, and you can’t even handle losing?”
“You…” The handsome man’s face flushed red with embarrassment.
“Of course, if you really want a full-on fight, I can oblige. I’m just worried you’ll end up even more humiliated,” Lin Yun said casually.
