Hearing the clamorous voices one after another, Ji Mengmeng’s face turned deathly pale.
Before meeting Ling Xiao at Black Fire Mountain, they were complete strangers. Although Ling Xiao could help her and trade black fire lotuses with her, he would never risk his life for her sake.
“What if I refuse?”
Ling Xiao glanced at the man in the red robe and asked back.
Hearing this, the red-robed man frowned, while Ji Mengmeng felt wild joy.
She could not understand why Ling Xiao was willing to risk his life to save her.
But in Ling Xiao’s view, he was the one who first said he would take Ji Mengmeng away. Anyone who stopped him was choosing to become his enemy.
If he gave up Ji Mengmeng now, would that not mean he was backing down?
Besides, facing these few worthless fools could hardly be called risking his life. Saving her was just something he could do casually.
He simply found Ji Mengmeng pleasing to the eye.
He simply wanted to take her away.
Acting according to his own heart, what was wrong with that?
Moreover, this red-robed man had joined the others earlier in pressuring him to leave the black fire lotuses and get lost. He just had not acted personally.
So Ling Xiao had not planned to trouble him.
But now the man suddenly came looking for trouble. Could he obediently submit like a grandson?
“If you do not leave her behind, you might die.”
The red-robed man said calmly. His relaxed tone clearly showed he did not take Ling Xiao seriously at all.
Even though Ling Xiao had killed Nan Xiong and Bald Mountain Eagle, he remained so confident. This meant his strength was greater than theirs.
“Just you?”
Ling Xiao laughed.
“Yes, just me.”
The red-robed man said calmly, “I will give you one chance. You can leave. She cannot.”
“Heh, unfortunately I do not like receiving charity from others.”
Ling Xiao sneered with disdain, “If you want to fight, then come at me. I guarantee you will end up the same as Nan Xiong and Bald Mountain Eagle.”
“It seems you really want to die. Is it worth it for a woman you barely know?”
The red-robed man said mockingly.
“She was willing to help me when I was in the most danger. Just for that, I cannot let her die today.”
As Ling Xiao finished speaking, his figure flashed explosively. A streak of sword light tore through the air and shot towards the red-robed man.
Boom!
The red-robed man did not move his body. He simply struck out with one palm. Terrifying palm power instantly shattered the sword light and continued forward, rushing towards Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao’s figure flickered and dodged the strike. However, the surface of the lake where he had stood suddenly exploded, sending waves more than ten metres high.
“What powerful palm force!”
Ling Xiao laughed.
“Good that you know. Nan Xiong was just a reckless brute, and Bald Mountain Eagle was even more of a coward. Killing those two means nothing.”
The red-robed man said calmly, “I know you are very strong. Even for me, defeating you would take at least a hundred moves.
But in the end, you will not be my match.”
“Young hero, you should leave. They only want to use me as a hostage. They will not kill me. Once people from the Ji family arrive, I will be fine.”
Ji Mengmeng’s eyes filled with tears.
From the day she was born until now, apart from her crazy brother, no one had ever been willing to risk their life to protect her.
Even her Uncle Chen was only following orders, not truly caring for her.
Meeting someone like this, Ji Mengmeng already felt content. Plus, she knew the red-robed man would not kill her, so she spoke this way.
She did not want Ling Xiao to die because of her.
“Little girl, you really know how to stir emotions. After you say that, I definitely cannot leave now. If I left at this moment, I would probably never have peace for the rest of my life.”
Ling Xiao shook his head with a bitter smile.
He feared people who treated him extremely well the most.
Yet today he had met one.
Originally, he truly had no intention of fighting to the death. If he encountered something he really could not handle, he would definitely run away. It would only be bad luck for Ji Mengmeng.
But her words suddenly made him feel as if he lacked humanity.
“A martial artist who values emotions so much. You are destined to die from being too sentimental.”
The red-robed man said coldly, “I will say it again. If you do not leave, you die!”
“You really got ahead of yourself after I let you make the first move. You are probably just a fifth Cave Heaven realm martial artist. If you were sixth Cave Heaven realm, I might feel some caution. But you? You are nothing to fear!”
Ling Xiao looked at the red-robed man again. Terrifying sword intent suddenly erupted.
This time, what he released was destruction sword intent!
Ling Xiao was not just fighting. He was also testing his technique.
Earlier, he used the slaughter sword to kill Nan Xiong and Bald Mountain Eagle. This time, he would use the destruction sword.
The massive destruction sword required both hands to hold.
The broad blade was as wide as Ling Xiao’s body. Just swinging it once stirred up sand and stones, creating a huge commotion.
Destruction Sword: Annihilate!
Holding the destruction sword, Ling Xiao stepped forward. The enormous blade felt surprisingly light in his hands.
The air was pierced by the huge blade, making a hissing tearing sound.
The red-robed man stood there coldly, unmoved.
Only when Ling Xiao drew close did a blood-red long knife suddenly appear in his hand. He met the destruction sword head-on.
Clang!
A deafening sound spread across the entire Black Water Lake.
On the lake surface, with Ling Xiao and the red-robed man at the centre, terrifying waves surged towards the shore, frightening many martial artists into fleeing.
The sword and knife clashed, yet neither could advance an inch.
“Young man, you are truly impressive. You forced me to draw my weapon. But you are still too arrogant.”
The red-robed man smiled coldly and said, “Originally you could have lived and had a bright future. But today, you must die.”
As he spoke, a huge bat phantom appeared behind the red-robed man.
The bat was coloured red and black. It quickly shattered and turned into thousands upon thousands of small bats that rushed towards Ling Xiao to bite him.
“Interesting martial soul. Too bad it is useless!”
Suddenly, blazing light erupted from Ling Xiao’s body.
Crimson Sun Feather Robe!
Flames surged and light scattered everywhere.
At this moment, Ling Xiao looked as if he were wearing clothes woven from the surface of the sun.
The countless bats that approached him were instantly evaporated and destroyed by the intense heat.
The Crimson Sun Feather Robe was the light profound meaning Ling Xiao had comprehended earliest. As his cultivation advanced, its power grew day by day.
Moreover, in that instant when he unleashed the Crimson Sun Feather Robe, Ling Xiao felt as if he had drawn part of the power of the ancient Golden Crow from the Mountain and River World. This made the appearance of the Crimson Sun Feather Robe resemble the Golden Crow itself.
“What is happening?”
The red-robed man was startled by the sudden eruption of the Crimson Sun Feather Robe. He hurriedly tried to recall his martial soul.
But unexpectedly, Ling Xiao’s destruction sword suddenly pressed forward with force.
Crack!
The blood-red great knife in his hand was directly split in two by one sword strike.
The red-robed man was so frightened that he exploded backwards, retreating hundreds of metres in an instant.
Even so, the terrifying destruction sword intent still left a horrifying wound across his chest.
“Terrifying. How can this kid be so strong!”
The red-robed man felt fear.
