In the corridor, Lin Huang looked up at the self-righteous Meng Zhiqiu, a chilling killing intent curling at the corner of his lips.
Meng Zhiqiu stared blankly for a moment before bursting into roaring laughter, as if he had just heard the greatest joke in the world. Not only him, but even the surrounding Piaoxue Palace disciples laughed aloud.
"It’s one thing for a Human Element Disciple to defeat Xue Ping, but to actually claim he’ll kill a Profound Institute Elder?"
"That’s an expert in the Celestial Element Realm! He couldn’t do it even if he was given another five years."
"He truly doesn’t know his place. It’s almost adorably foolish!"
Meng Zhiqiu looked at the murderous Lin Huang and said nonchalantly, "Want to kill me? Perhaps the Lin Cangxue of the past had that capability, but as for you... tsk tsk. Today, I’d like to see exactly who you can kill."
Xue Ping, standing to the side, was all smiles. Lin Huang had offended Elder Meng the moment he entered Piaoxue Palace; his future days here were predictable.
"Then let’s try it!" Lin Huang’s expression turned serious as he spoke in a hoarse voice. Immediately after, his figure shot forward, leaving an afterimage in the air as he lunged straight for Xue Ping.
"Tsk, tsk... what an arrogant young lad, entirely ignorant of his own limitations. You’re merely an ant, yet your ambitions reach the sky. Today, this Elder will show you what a frog at the bottom of a well truly is!"
As he spoke, Meng Zhiqiu stomped a foot toward Lin Huang. A terrifying aura suddenly erupted, surging toward Lin Huang like a raging ocean.
In the corridor, facing Meng Zhiqiu’s interception, Lin Huang merely gave a chilling smile, ignoring the attack entirely as he continued his charge at Xue Ping.
At the corner of the corridor, Xue Ping looked entirely at ease in the face of Lin Huang’s incoming assault. If Meng Zhiqiu allowed Lin Huang to kill him right in front of his face, the Profound Institute Elder would lose all face. Even if the blade in Lin Huang’s hand was about to slit his throat, an expert as esteemed as one in the Celestial Element Realm would definitely be able to save him. This was an unquestionable fact.
Thus, Xue Ping simply stood there, leisurely waiting for Lin Huang without putting up any defenses whatsoever.
Within a few breaths, Lin Huang’s figure appeared before Xue Ping, the Demon-Suppressing Blade in his hand less than three feet away from the man’s body. However, behind Lin Huang, Meng Zhiqiu’s foot was already stomping down, its speed far exceeding that of the blade in Lin Huang’s hand.
Watching the scene unfold, the crowd shook their heads, already picturing the moment Meng Zhiqiu would crush Lin Huang’s skull.
SWISH!
Just as life and death were about to be decided, a pitch-black streak of light suddenly shot out in the corridor. A frantic aura swept out with it, slamming fiercely into Meng Zhiqiu.
In the blink of an eye, the situation on the field shifted drastically.
With a low shout, Lin Huang unleashed the Three Thousand Miles once more. A cold glint flashed on the Demon-Suppressing Blade as it slashed viciously across Xue Ping’s neck.
Meanwhile, behind Lin Huang, a pitch-black figure crashed into Meng Zhiqiu with a resounding boom. Like an indestructible iron tower, it sent Meng Zhiqiu flying hundreds of feet away. Following that, the figure swung its iron fists, raining blow after blow onto Meng Zhiqiu’s body. The cracking of bones echoed out, making everyone tremble in fear.
"This..." The crowd stared at the sudden turn of events, completely dumbfounded.
Nearby, Xue Ping’s body slumped lifelessly to the ground. Blood spilled from a deep gash on his neck; he was completely devoid of vitality.
Lin Huang had already sheathed his blade. His eyes were locked onto the pitch-black figure hundreds of feet away, seemingly controlling its movements.
Meng Zhiqiu, who had been full of majestic bearing just moments ago, retreated repeatedly under the rapid, storm-like barrage of iron fists. He spat out mouthfuls of blood, cutting an utterly wretched figure.
"What is that black figure? A puppet?"
The crowd looked at the pitch-black figure suppressing Meng Zhiqiu, their eyes filled with apprehension. The black puppet didn’t use any Martial Technique, yet it possessed extremely terrifying physical strength. Its brutal punches rained down one by one, beating Meng Zhiqiu until he had no power to fight back.
Watching the scene in the distance, Lin Huang’s face was utterly ruthless. Using his soul, he controlled the Array Puppet to attack even more fiercely, linking killing moves one after another, clearly having no intention of leaving Meng Zhiqiu a way out.
"Did you really think I was just an ignorant boy?" Lin Huang said coldly. He was no reckless brute. Since he dared to kill right in front of Meng Zhiqiu, he naturally had his own trump card. He had thoroughly researched the functions and abilities of this Array Puppet on his way to Piaoxue Palace.
An Array Puppet couldn’t use Martial Techniques, but it possessed immensely terrifying physical strength. As long as a soul controlled its movements, it became a perfect killing machine.
It wouldn’t feel pain, wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t scream!
But it would kill, throwing punch after punch like an endless, surging tide.
In less than the time it takes to drink Half a Cup of Tea, the Array Puppet controlled by Lin Huang had battered Meng Zhiqiu until his body was split and bleeding profusely. He stood unsteadily, swaying like straw in the wind.
"I told you, I would kill!" Lin Huang looked at the unrecognizable Meng Zhiqiu in the distance, his hands clenched tightly into fists as he spoke in a suppressed tone, a resolute killing intent surfacing on his face.
If anyone dared to speak ill of Lin Cangxue, he swore to fight them to the death!
Smoke and dust billowed at the spot where the Array Puppet and Meng Zhiqiu were fighting. The surrounding objects had all been reduced to dust under the puppet’s iron fists. Meng Zhiqiu swayed unsteadily where he stood, so suppressed that he couldn’t even utter a single word. He could only watch helplessly as a pair of dark, chilling iron fists smashed toward his head.
BOOM!
A sound like a shattering vase violently echoed through the air, shocking everyone present into standing frozen in place, their faces blank.
What had they just seen?
They couldn’t believe their own eyes. A dignified Profound Institute Elder of Piaoxue Palace had his head forcibly smashed to pieces by an Array Puppet belonging to a newly admitted disciple. He didn’t even have time to scream before he died.
This Lin Huang had truly stirred up a catastrophic disaster.
Even Lin Cangxue, standing beside Lin Huang, was somewhat shocked. She hadn’t expected Lin Huang to act so decisively, executing Meng Zhiqiu right on the spot in front of everyone.
"This is trouble!" As a disciple of Piaoxue Palace, Lin Cangxue naturally knew what a severe crime it was to kill an Outer Elder.
However, she didn’t blame Lin Huang in the slightest. Instead, she felt a sense of self-reproach. "If I were still the Lin Cangxue of the past, even if he killed an elder, I could guarantee his safety. But now..."
Sensing Lin Cangxue’s thoughts, Lin Huang smiled wryly and said, "At worst, we’ll just leave Piaoxue Palace!"
Looking at Lin Huang’s confident demeanor, Lin Cangxue broke into a smile, though she felt quite uneasy in her heart. "He killed an elder of Piaoxue Palace. How could this be resolved simply by walking away?"
Not long after, clamor rang out in the corridor. The disciples pushed and shoved one another in a slight panic, quickly clearing a path as if some important figures had arrived.
Lin Cangxue’s expression changed slightly as her delicate hands gripped Lin Huang tightly.
"Is it the Law Enforcement Hall?" Lin Huang asked softly.
Lin Cangxue nodded and cautioned him, "The people of the Law Enforcement Hall hold the power of life and death in Piaoxue Palace. Speak mildly later and try to stall them. Master should already know about this; she will find a way to resolve it."
Lin Huang nodded, though his heart was fraught with complex emotions.
Within a few breaths, three figures appeared in the corridor flanked by the Piaoxue Palace disciples: a burly elder and two young men dressed in white robes. Embroidered on their chests, alongside the emblem of Piaoxue Palace, was a small golden sword. In Piaoxue Palace, this was known as the Sword of Judgment—the insignia of the Law Enforcement Hall.
The elder from the Law Enforcement Hall clearly didn’t look like an old man. He was as burly as a middle-aged brute, hale and hearty, and even exuded a faint Evil Qi. With an ashen face resembling a dark-faced Judge, he looked incredibly imposing.
In contrast, the two white-robed youths from the Law Enforcement Hall were far more handsome. Their white robes fluttered like the wind, their black hair dancing in the breeze. Their chiseled features naturally carried a hint of coldness, yet their flawless faces made that coldness appear somewhat elegant. The two looked exceedingly similar. They were a pair of twin brothers, and without careful scrutiny, it was very difficult to tell them apart.
"It’s Elder Tie Wuxin of the Law Enforcement Hall, and he even brought the Mo Brothers. This is quite a lineup," a disciple whispered as they watched the three approach.
"Are you kidding? A newly admitted disciple killed two people in a row, and one of them was an elder of our sect! How could this be a small matter?"
"This guy is truly pitiful for running into Elder Tie. Guess he just has a short life."
As the crowd murmured, Lin Huang and Lin Cangxue had already looked up at the trio from the Law Enforcement Hall. Sensing their imposing auras, Lin Huang couldn’t help but frown slightly. "This Elder Tie is probably not someone easy to talk to," he thought.
The trio from the Law Enforcement Hall also looked at the Lin siblings. Tie Wuxin wore an imposing expression, looking like a cold-faced Judge without the slightest change in emotion. In contrast, the Mo Brothers behind him looked at Lin Cangxue and offered a friendly smile.
"Are you Lin Huang?" Tie Wuxin took a step forward, standing before Lin Huang with an indifferent expression. His voice wasn’t loud, but it was full of authority, carrying a bearing that commanded respect without resorting to anger.
"I am!" Lin Huang said, cupping his fists.
Tie Wuxin, seemingly devoid of expression as always, pointed at the corpses of Xue Ping and Meng Zhiqiu and asked coldly, "Did you kill these two?"
"Yes!" Lin Huang answered straightforwardly. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, what else could he say?
"Very well. Come with me!" Tie Wuxin seemed quite satisfied with Lin Huang’s attitude. He then took out a pitch-black iron chain from his Storage Ring and threw it to bind Lin Huang.
Seeing Lin Huang attempt to resist, Tie Wuxin said indifferently, "If you think a broken iron shell can defeat this Elder, I will allow you to fight back."
"Elder Tie!" Lin Cangxue smacked the iron chain down and stood in front of Lin Huang. She knew very well that, according to the rules of Piaoxue Palace, no matter how they justified it, the fact remained that Lin Huang had killed someone.
An iron rule of Piaoxue Palace: unless during a formal duel, a murderer must pay with their life!
Seeing Lin Cangxue smack down the massive chain, Tie Wuxin’s cold face wrinkled slightly before he spoke.
"This matter concerns the life of a Piaoxue Palace elder. The Law Enforcement Hall only apprehends the suspect without passing judgment. As for what will happen to this boy, that will be decided by the Palace Master. As a disciple of Elder Diexin, you may proceed to the Piaoxue Palace’s main hall on your own to audit the trial!"