Li Shilin's cultivation was not to be underestimated, so he naturally heard the sound of something slicing through the air. He gave a disdainful sneer and reached out to catch it.

But in the next instant, before he could even see what it was, his hand had just barely touched the cold gleam of light when it pierced straight through his palm. An agonizing pain assailed him, and his expression instantly turned vicious.

He bellowed, "Who is it? Show yourself if you have any guts! What kind of hero attacks with a hidden weapon?"

A derisive snort reached Li Shilin's ears. "A member of the Ghost Medicine Sect has the audacity to mock others? That's hilarious!"

As the voice spoke, a young man who looked no different from a beggar strode in. It was none other than Lin Xiao.

Upon seeing Lin Xiao, Xiao Shixiong felt a mix of shock, joy, and shame. He was overjoyed because Lin Xiao was a formidable cultivator, and his arrival meant his life was saved. But he was also ashamed that, as the King of the Southern Town, he couldn't even handle a Hall Master from the Ghost Medicine Sect. Not only that, but he had nearly been killed.

When Li Shilin saw Lin Xiao, he was utterly shocked. Whether it was the first time he saw Lin Xiao at Su Qingning's bar or the information he had just heard from Xiao Shixiong, everything indicated that Lin Xiao was an ordinary person. If so, how could he throw a hidden weapon with such brutal force? What puzzled Li Shilin even more was that he hadn't sensed any fluctuation of Profound Energy from Lin Xiao the first time they met. So why was he so brutally strong?

"Kid, who exactly are you?" Li Shilin demanded harshly.

Lin Xiao laughed disdainfully. "Seriously, is your Ghost Medicine Sect's intelligence network this bad? I've all but flattened your Tenth Hall and eliminated the Hall Master and Vice Hall Master of your Sixth Hall. How could you not know who I am?"

BOOM!

Li Shilin's eyes bulged as wide as brass bells. He was, of course, aware that the Tenth and Sixth Halls had met with disaster, but he had no idea Lin Xiao was responsible. It wasn't that Li Shilin was poorly informed; rather, though they all belonged to the Ghost Medicine Sect, the halls operated independently. They all answered to the Sect Leader, but they had little contact with one another in their daily affairs.

"Kid, who are you?" Li Shilin asked again, his voice low.

Lin Xiao smiled. "You want to know? Fine. I'll tell you after you're dead."

A terrifying glint flashed in Li Shilin's eyes. Without another word, he lunged at Lin Xiao. As the saying goes, the one who strikes first gains the advantage.

But Li Shilin quickly realized he was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Against a true master, especially when the gap in strength is immense, striking first is useless. Not only is it useless, but you actually lose the initiative.

Lin Xiao stood perfectly still, watching Li Shilin with a cold gaze.

Xiao Shixiong's heart pounded with anxiety. Even though he knew Lin Xiao's cultivation was exceptional, Li Shilin was no pushover. He had just witnessed the man's power firsthand.

Just as Xiao Shixiong was worrying, he heard a muffled THUMP. He looked closely and saw that Lin Xiao's hand had somehow already seized Li Shilin's neck.

Li Shilin's expression changed drastically, a look of unprecedented terror filling his eyes. When he had pounced, he had used his full strength, aiming to deliver a fatal blow. Even if it didn't harm Lin Xiao, he thought it might at least buy him a chance to escape. But he never imagined he would be no match for Lin Xiao.

As Lin Xiao tightened his grip, the feeling of suffocation intensified. Li Shilin's eyes began to roll back in his head. He refused to be captured, let alone killed, in such a humiliating way. He struggled frantically, flailing his arms and legs, but unfortunately, the more he struggled, the harder Lin Xiao squeezed.

In no time at all, the strength of Li Shilin's struggles began to wane. His face turned a deathly purple, his eyes had rolled back completely, and his breathing became faint. With his last ounce of strength, he shot a resentful final glance at Lin Xiao.

With a chillingly cold expression, Lin Xiao said, "Goodbye."

As his voice fell, Xiao Shixiong heard a crisp snap—the sound of bone being crushed. It was the sound of Li Shilin's neck being broken by Lin Xiao.

It all ended so suddenly.

Lin Xiao let go, and Li Shilin's body collapsed. He slumped to the floor like a cooked noodle, utterly still and silent. The spacious living room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Where's the trash who tried to assassinate me earlier?" Lin Xiao asked suddenly, his tone utterly casual, unchanged by the fact he had just killed a man.

Xiao Shixiong snapped back to reality. "Master, he has been confined to the basement. My men are interrogating him now!"

Lin Xiao nodded. "Good. Be quick about it."

"Understood!"

"Dispose of this trash. I'm leaving."

"Master, allow me to see you out!"

Lin Xiao nodded again. The two left the living room, one following the other.

"Master, thank you for your help. Otherwise, I'm afraid I would have been done for today!"

"We're on the same side. There's no need for thanks," Lin Xiao said with a wave of his hand.

Xiao Shixiong's gratitude only deepened. "By the way, Master, what brought you here so suddenly?"

"Simple. I was afraid you couldn't handle Li Shilin."

Xiao Shixiong looked at Lin Xiao, ashamed. "Master, I will have my men intensify their training!"

"There's no need. Mastering cultivation doesn't happen in just a few years. I'll have the Martial Alliance send a couple of experts over to you."

Xiao Shixiong was stunned. "Master, you have connections in the Martial Alliance?"

"Oh, the Alliance Hierarch is my master."

To Lin Xiao, Xiao Shixiong was someone who handled his dirty work. He could barely be considered one of his own. Letting him know a little about his background would help secure his loyalty.

BOOM!

Xiao Shixiong stared at Lin Xiao, dumbfounded. The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Machine Pavilion, the Sect Master of Immortal Medicine, and now even the Alliance Hierarch of the Martial Alliance—they were all Lin Xiao's masters.

Such status, such a background... it was simply terrifying. Xiao Shixiong finally understood why Lin Xiao possessed such an imperious aura, as if he looked down upon the entire world. It was because he was backed by such an astonishing, world-shaking power. Little did Xiao Shixiong know that what he had just learned was merely the tip of the iceberg.

"By the way, how is the entertainment company I asked you to set up coming along?" Lin Xiao asked suddenly.

Xiao Shixiong slapped his forehead. "Master, forgive my thick skull! I completely forgot to mention it. The company is all set up."

"Where is it located?"

"Inside Myth Corporation. After all, it's essentially a subsidiary under Myth Corporation."

Lin Xiao nodded. "Tell the person in charge that I'm bringing someone over in a bit."

"As you command!"

Lin Xiao started the car and drove quickly toward Jinling University.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.