Chapter 6: 1.006 Lingchi

Shao Kang'an suddenly realized a nimble figure was closing in on his side. Startled, he was about to strike, but he suddenly felt a wave of numbness and weakness wash over his entire body, and with a groan, he collapsed to the ground.

How—how could this be? Shao Kang'an's eyes widened in horror! He was a Level 6 Houtian Realm cultivator; how could he not be able to draw a single trace of spiritual qi from his body?

"Don't you love using swords to kill people? Then taste the sensation of being executed by a thousand cuts by your own sword." Lie Yan lifted the five-clawed chain and gave it another flick; the tip of the sword plunged into Shao Furong's thigh with a *puchi* sound once more.

An even more tragic scream caused Shao Kang'an to stare wide-eyed in terror. He exerted all his strength to crawl a few steps, only to witness a horrifying scene.

That girl, who looked like a celestial being, had a face covered in ice and frost. She held a chain in her hand, and the five-clawed end of the chain was strangely "gripping" her own sister's Qinghong Sword.

With every casual flick of the girl's wrist, the Qinghong Sword would *chi-chi* pierce into Furong's body, stabbing her until her flesh was a bloody mess, causing her to scream and struggle in agony.

This was nothing short of one-sided abuse!

Shao Kang'an looked at Lie Yan in a daze, a piercing cry escaping his mouth, "You... are you a Poison Master?"

If one didn't realize that the three Thunderbolt Fire Bombs Lie Yan had thrown were coated in a body-numbing toxin, they would truly be stupid enough to die immediately.

"This is outrageous! Why must you kill Furong? I already told you to stop!" Seeing that she did not answer, Shao Kang'an assumed she had tacitly accepted the identity of a "Poison Master," and he grew even more infuriated.

Was this person an idiot? How could he think that because he opened his golden mouth and ordered her to stop, she would treat it like a royal decree and crawl over to beg for mercy? A lunatic!

A slight arc appeared at the corner of Lie Yan's mouth, her face a mask of indifferent coldness. "Are you questioning the wrong person? She was the one who made the first move; if one lacks skill, they must bear the consequences."

"But the crime doesn't warrant death!! If you do this, our Pengcheng Shao Family will not let you off!" Shao Kang'an bellowed. In truth, he didn't care much about Shao Furong's life or death. In a great family like theirs, there were plenty of children; losing a daughter like Shao Furong, who wasn't particularly favored at home, didn't matter much. What he cared about was that Lie Yan actually disregarded his "face" by slaughtering Furong right in front of him. It was utterly detestable!

Lie Yan sneered inwardly. Did her precious son deserve to die?

The moment that woman drew her sword, she intended to take the lives of her and her son. When she struck, did she ever consider that it was inappropriate to target her six-year-old son? If they hadn't possessed the power to defend themselves today, the ones lying in this pool of blood would have been them.

When that time came, who would seek some bullshit justice for them?

What a joke!

If that woman's crime didn't warrant death, did that mean she and her son were irredeemably evil and had to die?

Since she had already done it, why bother explaining? Lie Yan had never been one to enjoy idle chatter. She had her own set of principles for conducting herself; anything that touched her bottom line—such as daring to harm her son—meant she wouldn't be blamed for turning her back on them and being ruthless!

Furthermore, if she acted, she would act to pull the weeds out by the roots. This was a method she had used for a long time; it wasn't a matter of being cold-blooded, but rather a consideration for the future to reduce unnecessary trouble for herself.

Unaware that death was imminent, Shao Kang'an thought Lie Yan's silence meant she was intimidated by his reprimand. Even with death approaching, he shouted triumphantly, "Out of pity for your ignorance, I shall forgive you this once!"