The moment these words were spoken, the faces of the Tiansha Sect leader and his son, Fang Xu, turned ashen with fear.
The entire hall was equally shocked. The young master of the Tiansha Sect was to be executed just like that?
They knew Fang Xu’s actions had indeed violated imperial law, but the matter could be seen as either significant or trivial.
The Tiansha Sect leader hurriedly pleaded, “Lord Prefectural Lord, my son was wrong to attack you, but you hadn’t revealed your identity at the time. He didn’t know you were the prefectural lord. How could he dare act against you if he had known? Ignorance is not a crime. Please, spare him.”
Lin Yun gave a cold smile, “Ignorance is not a crime? If I say he’s guilty, he’s guilty!”
“Huo Zhen, drag him out and execute him!” Lin Yun issued the command again, his voice resounding.
“Yes!”
Though surprised, Huo Zhen immediately carried out Lin Yun’s order, seizing Fang Xu to drag him out.
“No! I won’t go! Father, save me!”
Fang Xu, terrified, clung desperately to his father’s arm, refusing to let go.
The Tiansha Sect leader’s expression shifted. He hadn’t expected Lin Yun to be so resolute, ignoring even his pleas.
Then, the Tiansha Sect leader abruptly stood.
“Lord Prefectural Lord, do you truly intend to kill my son? My Tiansha Sect has a history of over ten thousand years. Below, many of our disciples are among the populace, even in the city guard. Above, my wife’s brother holds a third-rank position in the Chancellor’s Office, serving under Prime Minister Dongguo. You dare act recklessly!”
His voice boomed like thunder.
Lin Yun, holding his wine cup, took a sip and said lightly, “Let alone your wife’s brother serving under the Prime Minister, even if Prime Minister Dongguo Wuji himself were here, I’d kill without hesitation. Using him as a shield is utterly useless.”
As he finished speaking, Lin Yun dipped his finger in a drop of wine and flicked it sharply!
Whoosh!
The drop, infused with inner energy, struck Fang Xu’s forehead, piercing through his brain!
Thud!
Fang Xu collapsed, eyes wide open, lifeless.
As a fifth-stage Tribulation Realm cultivator, Lin Yun could easily kill a Mahayana realm cultivator like Fang Xu with a mere drop of wine.
Silence!
The hall fell into a deathly stillness.
No one had expected Lin Yun to kill Fang Xu so decisively, so swiftly, with such ruthless resolve!
Though Lin Yun had sentenced Fang Xu to death, everyone assumed it was a scare tactic to intimidate the Tiansha Sect leader and Fang Xu, not something he’d actually carry out. After all, the Tiansha Sect was the second greatest sect in Dongyuan Prefecture, with connections in the imperial court.
Surely, even as prefectural lord, Lin Yun would have some reservations?
His thunderous action sent a profound shock and deterrence through everyone’s hearts!
Even Huo Zhen and Liang Yuan hadn’t anticipated Lin Yun would kill Fang Xu so decisively.
“Since he refused to be dragged out, I’ll execute him myself,” Lin Yun said, calmly pouring wine from the jug, as composed as if he’d merely crushed an ant, not killed a man.
Fang Xu was no saint, as his actions that afternoon had shown. Who knew how many people he’d harmed using his status? Lin Yun felt no burden in killing him.
“My son! My son!”
The Tiansha Sect leader crouched, clutching his son, unable to believe Lin Yun had struck so decisively.
No matter how he called, it was futile—his son was dead beyond recall.
Then, the Tiansha Sect leader shot to his feet, glaring at Lin Yun.
“You… you dare kill my son? I’ll make you pay in blood!”
With that, the enraged Tiansha Sect leader swung his palm at Lin Yun!
His seventh-stage Tribulation Realm aura burst forth unmistakably.
Given their proximity, the strike reached Lin Yun in an instant.
Lin Yun swiftly countered, his palm turning black, a terrifying ripple surging from it.
Boom!
Their palms collided!
The collision’s shockwave spread instantly!
Buzz!
In that moment, the hall was enveloped in light.
The defensive array of the prefectural palace activated, absorbing the shockwave entirely. Without it, such a clash could have collapsed the entire hall.
Thud, thud, thud!
The Tiansha Sect leader was forced back, shattering the floor beneath him. When he steadied himself, a trace of blood hung at the corner of his mouth.
“So strong!”
“A fifth-stage Tribulation Realm cultivator repelling and injuring a seventh-stage one—worthy of being the disciple of Emperor Huoyun!”
The crowd was awestruck.
“Liang Yuan, you dare attack the prefectural lord!” Huo Zhen bellowed.
At the same time, Huo Zhen and Liang Yuan moved to surround the Tiansha Sect leader.
Just then, Yang Wan and Meng Shan, leading several squads of personal guards, rushed in from outside, clearly alerted by the commotion.
“Big Brother, what’s the call?” Yang Wan asked.
Lin Yun, holding his wine cup, uttered a single word, “Treason. Kill.”
“Yes!”
Yang Wan and Meng Shan swiftly joined the encirclement.
In an instant, Yang Wan, Meng Shan, Liang Yuan, and Huo Zhen formed a ring around the Tiansha Sect leader.
“Lin Yun, you dare! If you kill me, my wife’s brother won’t let you off! Nor will Prime Minister Dongguo!” the Tiansha Sect leader roared.
Lin Yun said calmly, “Don’t try to intimidate me with the Dongguo family. I’d wipe out even the Dongguo faction in Dongyuan Prefecture. What are you? You think I have no backing?”
The Tiansha Sect leader was momentarily speechless, and the crowd silently marvelled. Indeed, as the disciple of Emperor Huoyun, Lin Yun’s background was unmatched.
The Tiansha Sect leader turned to the guests, shouting, “Patriarchs, sect leaders, Lin Yun is killing the chicken to warn the monkeys. If you sit by and watch me die, he’ll come for you next. Why not rise together and oppose him!”
“Inciting rebellion—another crime. Death!”
As Lin Yun spoke, he drew a Heavenly Dao-grade sword and slashed at the Tiansha Sect leader!
The sword’s power surged to a terrifying level.
The Tiansha Sect leader quickly raised a warblade to block.
Boom!
The clash shook and distorted the space.
The Tiansha Sect leader’s face changed, and he staggered back, each step cracking the floor with a thud.
“Not bad defence, but useless against absolute strength!”
Lin Yun’s sword didn’t pause, transforming into a purple arc, continuing to envelop the retreating Tiansha Sect leader!
