When Ling Xiao rushed back to the Ling family, people from the Li family were already out searching.
According to the timeline, Li Xingyun and the others should have returned home by now, but they hadn’t, so the family was in a panic.
Li Xingyun’s father was worried about his son, but even more so about the storage ring, which he’d borrowed for his son to use, if it was lost, it’d be a massive problem.
“There’s blood and flesh fragments here!”
“This is our Li family’s identity token!”
“There are signs of a fight, could they have been attacked by wild beasts?”
“Quick, search the mountains!”
Among this group was a man named Li Xinghui, Li Xingyun’s older brother.
With his younger brother in trouble, he naturally had to come looking.
However, when they followed the trail to where the Li family disciples’ remains were, several wild beasts were gnawing on the bones.
One of them was a demonic beast, a peak Level 4 Sawtooth Tiger.
“Roar—!”
The Sawtooth Tiger let out a roar at the group, causing many of the weaker Li family disciples to step back, some even fainting on the spot.
This Sawtooth Tiger was far stronger than the Level 4 demonic beast Li Xingyun had faced before.
“Die!”
Li Xinghui was in a foul mood!
A very foul mood!
His own brother!
A genius of a brother, eaten by a beast like this!
He thrust his sword forward.
It was the same Gale Sword technique, but its power was several times greater than Li Xingyun’s, the Sawtooth Tiger didn’t even have time to whimper before its massive head hit the ground.
“Young Master Xinghui is incredible, among the younger generation of our Li family, he’s the only one who’s reached Martial Vein Fifth Layer, right?”
“Yeah, Young Master Xingyun could’ve too, who’d have thought he’d die so horribly.”
“Quit jabbering, search quickly, cut these beasts open and check for the storage ring!”
“Yes!”
At Li Xinghui’s command, everyone attacked the beasts.
Without the peak Level 4 demonic beast, the rest of the animals were no match for the martial artists, they were all killed instantly and dissected one by one.
“Nothing here!”
“Nothing in this one either!”
“Nothing!”
Even the Sawtooth Tiger’s body was thoroughly searched, but there was no trace of the storage ring.
“Could it be my brother wasn’t killed by beasts, but by a person?”
A chilling glint flashed in Li Xinghui’s eyes, “If I find out who did this, I won’t leave you in one piece!”
…
At the same time, somewhere in the Fulong Mountain Range.
A burly man wearing a black scarf stared at a dozen Ling family disciples like a wild beast.
These dozen were all from the Genius Hall, each at the peak of Martial Vein Third Layer, each with gang qi condensed in their bodies, just varying in amount.
Yet in front of this black-scarfed brute, they were as helpless as chicks facing an eagle.
“We’re done for this time, didn’t expect to run into a peak Martial Vein Fifth Layer black scarf bandit, we’re dead!”
“Yeah, he’s practically toying with us, we can’t fight him, can’t escape, several brothers are already dead!”
The Ling family geniuses’ eyes were bloodshot.
Some were furious, others despairing.
Only now did they realise.
What use was being a genius if you couldn’t grow up, it meant nothing.
“Hahaha, I can’t believe my luck today, Old Ghost, running into so many Ling family disciples, if I kill you all, that old fart Ling Xiaotian will be heartbroken, won’t he?”
The brute laughed loudly, not taking them seriously at all.
“Afraid it’s you who’ll die today!”
Suddenly, a voice cut through, followed by a figure shooting out from the woods.
“Senior Brother Ling Yun!”
The Genius Hall disciples all recognised Ling Yun, ranked second among them.
At that moment, Ling Yun wore a black robe, his sharp brows and starry eyes striking, a long sword strapped to his back, exuding a murderous aura.
He practised the Killing Sword, something many knew, so when his killing intent flared, it was truly terrifying.
“Senior Brother, forget about us, run, this guy’s a peak Martial Vein Fifth Layer martial artist, you’re no match!”
The Genius Hall disciples knew Ling Yun was only at the peak of Martial Vein Fourth Layer, if the opponent were a low-tier Fifth Layer martial artist, he might stand a chance.
But peak Fourth Layer against peak Fifth Layer, the gap was just too wide.
Even for Ling Yun, coming here was a death sentence.
“You lot, go.”
Ling Yun spoke calmly, his aura surging dramatically.
“What? Martial Vein Fifth Layer! When did Senior Brother Ling Yun break through?”
“Good heavens, looks like Senior Brother Feifan’s top spot might actually be in jeopardy this time.”
“Not necessarily, Senior Brother Feifan might’ve hit Fifth Layer ages ago!”
“Either way, the finals in six days are going to be a spectacle! We’re saved!”
Ling Yun revealing his strength instantly boosted the confidence of all the Ling family disciples.
“Martial Vein Fifth Layer cultivation? Not bad, not bad.”
The black-scarfed brute paused, then laughed again, “You’re still no match for me!”
Let alone being a peak Martial Vein Fifth Layer martial artist, even if he were just low-tier Fifth Layer, he wouldn’t fear Ling Yun.
He trained in external techniques, defensive martial arts, with astonishing defence, he’d fought Martial Vein Sixth Layer martial artists at this realm and never come off worse.
“Less talk, kill!”
Ling Yun didn’t waste words, striking with his sword, lightning-fast, he was at the brute’s side in an instant.
The sword stabbed into the black-scarfed brute’s body.
“Clang!”
A strange metallic sound rang out, sparks flew from the brute’s body, not a single mark left behind.
“Hahaha, I told you, kid, you’re no match for me!”
The black-scarfed brute laughed heartily, suddenly swinging a palm straight at Ling Yun’s head.
Iron Eagle Claw!
This grab was like a claw forged of steel, wrapped in gang qi, glinting with a cold, menacing light, a terrifying strike like a raptor snatching prey.
It was naturally a high-level martial art, paired with his external training, its power was vicious.
“Die!”
Ling Yun just stared at the brute.
Suddenly, a terrifying intent burst forth like a tangible force, merging into the black longsword in his hand.
The aura was overwhelmingly dreadful, it felt as though hell itself had opened up.
The breath of death!
The breath of doomsday!
The brute’s eyes went blank for a moment!
“Sword Intent!”
Sword Intent didn’t just amplify attacks, its real terror lay in affecting the opponent’s mental state.
Clearly, the brute was shaken by Ling Yun’s Sword Intent.
Then, a sword pierced silently through the black-scarf bandit’s throat, severing his neck like a phantom.
“There it is, Ling Yun’s Killing Sword Technique, so terrifying, it sends chills down your spine every time!”
“Why’re you scared? The one who should be scared is that Ling Xiao, he’s done for in the finals!”
“Yeah, Ling Xiao injured Ling Feng, and Ling Yun’s his little brother, no way he won’t take revenge!”
“Ling Xiao, huh?”
Ling Yun flicked the blood off his sword, sneering, “He’s not even worth me using Sword Intent.”
“Right, Senior Brother Ling Yun’s broken through to Martial Vein Fifth Layer this time, he’s definitely gunning to take on Senior Brother Feifan!”
“With Sword Intent, even if Senior Brother Feifan’s Fifth Layer too, he might not beat Senior Brother Ling Yun!”
“Just six days till the finals, I can’t wait.”
“Let’s head back, this mission was way too dangerous.”
The group of Ling family disciples followed Ling Yun back to the Ling family.
