"What do you think you're doing?" Su Xuan asked indifferently, seeing the Ten Cauldrons Sect Leader, Fu Yong, arrive hot on his heels.

He had long sensed that Ah Lian's visit to the Third Elder was likely a setup, so he had been cautiously monitoring the surroundings. The moment he saw Fu Yong approaching furiously with a group of men, he preemptively kicked open the Third Elder's door!

"What are we doing?" With a plan already in motion, Fu Yong spoke in a sinister tone. "I saw through you long ago. Your visit wasn't to borrow the Huo Yun Furnace at all, but to pursue my wife with ulterior motives. Indeed, indeed! Now that I've caught you red-handed, what do you have to say for yourselves?"

Caught red-handed? Su Xuan turned his head to glance at the Third Elder. How could Fu Yong be so shameless? This wasn't stealing, so what did 'caught red-handed' have to do with anything? And what could anyone even make out from this scene? At most, it looked like old friends catching up!

Su Xuan shrugged. He was in the room, too. Was he also supposed to have ulterior motives toward Ah Lian, along with the Third Elder?

Although Ah Lian had long known of Fu Yong's methods, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her thoughts mirrored Su Xuan's; if Fu Yong wanted to ruin the Third Elder's reputation, he could have just caught the two of them alone. But Su Xuan was here!

The three of them! He was catching her in the act with two men! That was… that was going too far!

Ah Lian's fists clenched tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably. Her face was a mask of shame, helplessness, and despair. She felt like someone dangling from a cliff, fingertips clinging desperately to the rock face, trying to survive another moment, only for someone to walk up and stomp hard on her hand—no, on her face!

"COUGH, COUGH!" Even Fu Yong knew his reasoning was flimsy, but he cleared his throat and continued, "Luckily, I, the Sect Leader, arrived in time to prevent you two beasts from succeeding and to preserve my wife's honor. My wife only intended to explain how to use the Huo Yun Furnace, yet you… Look at her! Look at how aggrieved you've made her!"

"Attack!" Disregarding his wife's feelings entirely, Fu Yong gestured to his subordinates and bellowed, "Avenge my wife!"

CLANG!

The masters of the Ten Cauldrons Sect standing behind him drew their swords in unison, surrounding the Third Elder and Su Xuan.

"HAHAHA!" The Third Elder suddenly burst into laughter. He swiftly popped several Crimson Pills into his mouth, and his aura began to soar! He was clearly using the pills to forcibly boost his cultivation.

His intention was obvious. He was preparing for a fight to the death!

"In the past, I was too cowardly to even speak to you," the Third Elder said, turning to gaze intently at Ah Lian as his aura continued to climb. "Today, I am willing to drench the Ten Cauldrons Sect with my blood for you!"

As he spoke, he confidently raised his hand and tightly grasped Ah Lian's. She tried to pull her hand back but couldn't, so she let him hold it. A searing heat transmitted from the Third Elder's palm into hers.

"Ah Lian, my Junior Sister, if I somehow survive this," the Third Elder said, gripping her hand while looking deep into her eyes, "would you dare to leave with me?"

At these words, Fu Yong raised a hand, halting his men. He was very keen to hear Ah Lian's answer.

Su Xuan pursed his lips, also curious to see what she would say. Her words would directly determine his next move.

"I…" Ah Lian's gaze swept across everyone, lingering for a moment on Fu Yong's face before finally settling on the Third Elder's. Her lips trembled as if she were mustering all her strength to utter a single word: "I dare!"

Dare!

As the word left her lips, a single turbid tear rolled down the Third Elder's cheek. He nodded in satisfaction, repeating, "Good. Good, my dear Junior Sister! My dear Junior Sister!"

The next second, the Third Elder flicked his wrist. A short sword, just over a foot long, slid out from his sleeve and into his firm grip.

He had refined pills his entire life. Never once had he fought to the death! Today, with the hands of an alchemist, I will kill!

"Kill!" Fu Yong's face was now a mask of absolute ruthlessness. He urged his men on, "Leave no… survivors!"

WHOOSH!

Like beasts unleashed from a cage, his subordinates surged toward the Third Elder!

"Step aside, make way!" At this critical juncture, Su Xuan made a sudden move. With a wave of his hand, he used a surge of Longevity Force to push the hand-clasping Third Elder and Ah Lian safely back. Then he sat cross-legged, took out the Longevity Sword from his sachet, and placed it across his knees.

He enunciated each word, "I ask the Bodhisattva why she sits facing backward, lamenting that all living beings refuse to turn around."

HUM!

Before his voice faded, a fierce wave of energy erupted outward in all directions! The charging disciples of the Ten Cauldrons Sect stumbled back, unable to take another step forward!

Simultaneously, the phantom of a Bodhisattva, seated in reverse, began to coalesce in the air above Su Xuan's head!

Su Xuan's eyes snapped open, his gaze locking onto Fu Yong!

RUMBLE!

The Bodhisattva seated in reverse began to slowly turn around. A tremendous and utterly terrifying pressure descended from the sky! Even the Third Elder and Ah Lian, who were behind Su Xuan, were enveloped by this dreadful pressure. An intense fear rose uncontrollably in their hearts, and the Third Elder's aura, which had been about to reach its peak, was instantly suppressed!

"Don't just stand there! Kill him before he completes his technique!" Fu Yong had never imagined Su Xuan capable of unleashing such a terrifying move. After composing himself, he hastily urged his men to press the attack and kill Su Xuan!

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Four or five fearless experts from the Ten Cauldrons Sect charged out once more. But when they came within five or six paces of Su Xuan, they met a powerful resistance that halted them in their tracks!

The Bodhisattva continued to turn.

"Retreat, retreat, retreat!" A mortal terror seized the four or five experts, and they tried to fall back. To their horror, they found their feet were stuck as if in a quagmire. They couldn't move!

This was the terrifying power of Su Xuan's ultimate move.

I gave you a chance to turn back. What did you do? Now you want to retreat? Too late!

Su Xuan raised his right palm and pushed it forward, uttering a single word: "Mercy."

RUMBLE!

A thunderous roar immediately resonated through the air!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The four or five experts who bore the brunt of the attack exploded into clouds of blood mist, their mangled bodies sent flying!

But it wasn't over. The rest of the attackers were immediately struck by the shockwave of the Merciful Palm. Like leaves in a storm, they vanished from their spots, crashing heavily in the distance, their bodies left mangled beyond recognition! Even those staunchly guarding Fu Yong were swept away by the attack!

SPURT!

Fu Yong slammed into the ground and immediately spat out a mouthful of blood. His face was a picture of terror and utter despair.

This was his own territory! By all rights, things should never have escalated to this point. But Su Xuan was like a ferocious beast he had personally welcomed through the door—unstoppable! And Su Xuan had said 'Mercy'… but this palm technique was anything but merciful!

"I… I…" Staring at the still-formidable phantom of the Bodhisattva, Fu Yong's thoughts raced as he prepared to beg Su Xuan for mercy.

But at that moment, something else he never could have imagined happened…

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