"What's wrong? Weren't you just clamoring to kill me a moment ago? Why are you too scared to even fart now!" Lin Mu's tone was filled with thick disdain.

"You insolent brat, don't be so arrogant!" The elder, infuriated by Lin Mu, trembled all over, his beard quivering. His aura swelled with murderous intent as he snarled, "I will take your life!"

CRACK! The old man slammed his palm on the table, and the thick marble surface instantly fractured.

The old man soared into the air like a great roc, lunging for Lin Mu's head. He intended to tear the man's head from his shoulders and hang it on the battlements of River City!

"Lin Mu, be careful!" Qin Luoli blurted out, her voice laced with nervousness.

The rest of the crowd couldn't help but cry out in approval, stunned by the elder's terrifying movement technique.

Another Elder chuckled, stroking his beard. "Haha, the Third Elder's Swallow-tailed Hawk Flying Technique has grown even more profound."

The Swallow-tailed Hawk Flying Technique was a profound Cultivation Technique of the Fire Cloud Sect. Ordinary Disciples were simply incapable of practicing it; only those at the rank of Elder or higher could cultivate it.

The Third Elder smirked, his speed increasing another notch.

Lin Mu slowly shook his head. "You dare call *that* a movement technique? It seems you've never seen a real one. Then today, I'll show you what a true movement technique looks like."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Mu's body swayed slightly and vanished.

"Hm?" Everyone started in shock at his sudden disappearance.

The Second Elder of the Fire Cloud Sect felt a pang of unease, his pupils constricting.

The attacking Third Elder's expression changed drastically. He wanted to retreat, but how could he while suspended in midair?

His unease grew more intense. The Third Elder let out a low roar as a layer of almost tangible red True Qi erupted from his body.

WHOOSH! The True Qi flared like fire, making everyone in the hall feel as if they were in a furnace, their skin burning and stinging.

"Brat, get out here!" the Third Elder bellowed, repeatedly striking out with his hands. A series of palm imprints, seemingly condensed from flames, struck the air, leaving a trail of illusory traces.

However, no matter how much force the Third Elder exerted, it was as if Lin Mu had simply vanished. Not a single trace of him could be found.

The Third Elder felt more and more that something was wrong. He whipped his head around and suddenly saw that everyone was staring at him in terror, their faces showing expressions as if they had seen a ghost.

That's not right! They're looking behind me!

"Third Elder, behind you!" the Fire Cloud Sect's Second Elder suddenly cried out, his voice thick with shock.

The Third Elder whipped his head around. The sight nearly scared him to death. A figure was standing there, watching him with a faint smile.

"Die!" The Third Elder had ample combat experience. Though startled, he remained composed enough to immediately lash out with a palm strike. His blazing hands, carrying rampaging True Qi, struck viciously, intending to kill Lin Mu in one blow.

WHOOSH! The force of the palm strike passed directly through Lin Mu's chest.

"Lin Mu!" Qin Luoli cried out, her face turning deathly pale at the sight of his body being pierced.

The others, however, had expressions of wild joy.

He's dead! Lin Mu is dead!

Someone cried out, but it was a scream not of joy, but of terror. Because they saw that the head of the Fire Cloud Sect Elder, still suspended in midair, had vanished.

THUD! Only after his headless body hit the ground did the crowd let out a collective, sharp gasp, followed by a series of terrified cries.

What happened? How did the Fire Cloud Sect Elder just die?

On the high platform, the Second Elder of the Fire Cloud Sect shot to his feet, staring in horror at the corpse on the ground. While others hadn't seen clearly, he had.

Just now, the Third Elder's palm strike had gone right through Lin Mu's chest. Yet, there was no blood, no scream. Their opponent had only offered a strange smile before his figure slowly dissipated. An afterimage! The Third Elder must have realized the same thing. But by the time he could react, it was too late. A large hand had already closed around his head. With a gentle lift, the man had effortlessly plucked it from his shoulders.

THUD! A head was tossed before the Second Elder. Its face was a mask of utter terror and despair, clear evidence of the great fear the Third Elder had experienced in his final moments.

Lin Mu appeared in front of Qin Luoli, moving to shield her from the bloody scene. But Qin Luoli only gripped his hand tighter and shook her head, her expression resolute.

Lin Mu smiled slightly, breathing a sigh of relief.

He had agreed to let her come along precisely so she could get accustomed to scenes like this. The future Qin Luoli was to be his companion on the Great Path. She would inevitably face slaughter and encounter things far more gruesome and cruel. If she had become soft-hearted and asked him to stop, he wouldn't have refused, but he would certainly have been disappointed. Thankfully, she didn't let him down. On the Great Path, misplaced mercy is the greatest taboo. Qin Luoli ran a corporation; she had the means and the ability. The only thing she lacked was a ruthless edge. Yet, he didn't want her to become someone whose hands were drenched in blood. He would do everything in his power to protect her, to keep her shielded from this slaughter and these dark schemes. As for all the bloodshed and sin... he would bear it all alone!

***

The Second Elder stared at the head at his feet, his mind reeling from the shock.

The movement technique Lin Mu had just displayed was something he had never seen or even heard of. It was phantom-like, exquisite to the point of divinity!

It was... divine!

The Second Elder's pupils shrank. "You're a Grandmaster?!"

The Second Elder forced the words out. His declaration was met with a moment of stunned silence, which was then shattered by a roaring uproar.

A Grandmaster? A Martial Arts Grandmaster! Lin Mu was a Martial Arts Grandmaster!

"You're River City Lin Wudi!" The Second Elder was clearly startled by his own deduction. He stared at Lin Mu in disbelief, a half-mad look in his eyes. "Right. It all adds up now!"

The rumors about a Grandmaster backing Lin Mu... The stories of him being a Divine Doctor with miraculous medical skills... They were all lies, but they were also true! Because they are one and the same person! Lin Mu is Lin Wudi! He is the Divine Doctor! And he is the Grandmaster!

"No wonder, no wonder!" the Second Elder said hatefully. "You deliberately spread those rumors to the outside world to confuse us! Lin Wudi, your scheming is terrifyingly deep!"

The Second Elder's gaze toward Lin Mu was now completely filled with terror and despair.

This young man's schemes are profound, his talent monstrously unparalleled. Who in this world could possibly be his match?

Fang Shaoning's complexion also began to change, turning visibly pale.

"Since you know my identity now, you can all go die," Lin Mu said with a grin, preparing to unleash a slaughter.

"Wait!" the Second Elder suddenly exclaimed. "Lin Mu, since you are Lin Wudi, our Sect Leader has a message he asked me to deliver to you!"

"What is it?"

The Second Elder took a deep breath and said gravely, "The Sect Leader of the Fire Cloud Sect, Fan Li, awaits the arrival of Lin Wudi in Jiangling."

The Sect Leader of the Fire Cloud Sect wants to challenge me?

Lin Mu nodded slightly. "I see. You can die now, too."

With that, a wisp of Punishing Immortal Sword Qi shot out. Before the Second Elder's disbelieving eyes, it sliced clean through his neck, severing his head.

The crowd was left speechless.

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