Chapter 24: Killed with a Single Punch

"Senior Brother Xingyun, don't waste words on this kid. We don't need to share a single thing of ours with anyone else."

The speaker was a young man beside Li Xingyun, possessing the strength of the third level of the Martial Vein realm.

Although he was not as strong as Li Xingyun, purely on the surface, he was certainly more formidable than Ling Xiao.

"Li Rui! Don't say that! I believe Brother Ling is a smart man!"

Li Xingyun was a complete and utter hypocrite; he wanted the corpse of the Howling Moon Wolf, yet he insisted on putting on the guise of a gentleman. It was truly nauseating.

Ling Xiao said nothing, merely looking at them indifferently.

To be honest, among these people, the only one he felt even a modicum of wariness toward was Li Xingyun. However, Li Xingyun was currently injured, and his strength was less than half of what it had been before.

Naturally, Ling Xiao was not afraid.

As for the others, they meant nothing in his eyes.

"How about it, Brother Ling? What compensation do you require? As long as it is within our acceptable range, we can give it to you!"

Seeing that Ling Xiao remained silent, Li Xingyun asked again.

Ling Xiao spoke this time because he needed a little more time to recover his true qi, so he might as well stall for a bit.

The other party didn't seem to realize what he was doing; after all, almost no martial artist below the third level of the Martial Vein realm would practice the "Qi Recovery Art."

And even if they did, the effects wouldn't be very good.

He was an exception. Others naturally wouldn't realize that under the influence of his Mountain and River Martial Soul, the effects of all martial arts would be enhanced.

Currently, his Mountain and River Martial Soul was at Level One.

The enhancement effect was ten percent.

"How does Brother Li suggest we divide it?"

Li Xingyun rubbed his chin and said, "Let's do this. Including you, there are thirteen people present today. If we divide it by head, you wouldn't even get ten percent. But since Brother Ling has performed a service, we will simply take a loss and give you ten percent. The remaining ninety percent, how shall we divide it among ourselves?"

"Give him ten percent? That's too cheap! We lost three brothers; we need to pay out compensation!"

Li Rui said unhappily.

"Right, it's too much. What right does he have to take ten percent?"

The other members of the Li family also voiced their agreement with Li Rui.

"Not even ten percent? Heh, I've seen shameless people, but I've truly never seen anyone this shameless!"

Ling Xiao was amused—truly amused. He had originally thought Li Xingyun was shameless enough, but he hadn't expected the others to be even worse.

"Kid, if you don't want it, then forget it! Giving you a share is us showing mercy. What if we don't give you anything?"

Li Rui said with a cold sneer, his face full of mockery and disdain.

In any case, they had the advantage of numbers, and several of them were clearly stronger than their opponent.

What was there to fear?

The four great families of Tianfeng City were always fighting amongst themselves anyway. Even if they didn't give him anything, so what?

"Is that so? Originally, I thought since you had people die, I would give you a little something. But now? Don't even dream of getting a single hair from me!"

Ling Xiao was telling the truth. He was not an unreasonable person, but since the other party was so shameless, he could only be equally heartless.

One must speak to men as men, and to ghosts as ghosts.

If you are ungrateful and thick-skinned, then do not blame me, Ling Xiao, for being righteous.

"Brat, you are truly seeking death!"

Li Rui let out a furious roar. With a shake of his longsword, he thrust it directly toward Ling Xiao's throat.

He was attempting to silence him.

Killing someone in this forest would leave no trace of who did it.

Besides, they had never even heard the name Ling Xiao; it meant he was merely an insignificant disciple of the Ling family. If they killed him, no one would come looking for trouble.

Li Xingyun did not intervene.

Because he was injured, he could not act. However, although Li Rui's strength was slightly inferior to his, he was clearly a level above the boy, so winning should not be difficult.

"Gale Sword!"

The sword technique Li Rui unleashed was actually the same as Li Xingyun's—the high-level martial art, "Gale Sword Technique."

However, in terms of momentum and power, it was clearly much weaker than Li Xingyun's.

"Senior Brother Li Rui has practiced the 'Gale Sword Technique' to the fourth level. Although he is not as good as Senior Brother Xingyun, that kid definitely won't be able to block it!"

"Who told that kid to be so ungrateful? He deserves to die!"

The Li family disciples had no intention of being grateful. Seeing Li Rui move to kill Ling Xiao, they instead wore expressions of schadenfreude.

Was this what clan warfare was like?

It was truly cruel!

However, they had chosen the wrong target to bully today!

"Truly, ignorance is bliss!"

Facing the attack, Ling Xiao let out a cold smirk.

He was born a beggar, and from a young age, he understood that there was no such thing as mercy in this world. If someone wanted to kill you, you could only kill them to survive!

He had seen plenty of such things!

"Huh?"

As Li Rui's sword thrust forward, Ling Xiao suddenly vanished.

The rock where he had been sitting cross-legged was pierced by the Gale Sword, sending stone fragments flying.

If that had hit a person, it would have been certain death.

"What kind of movement technique is this?"

"How can he be so fast!"

All the Li family disciples, including Li Xingyun, were stunned. One moment Ling Xiao was sitting there, and the next, he had vanished, leaving them completely unable to comprehend what had happened.

They only felt a flash of an afterimage, and Li Rui's target was gone.

"Senior Brother Li Rui, watch out!"

Ling Xiao appeared behind Li Rui, but he had no intention of using the "Hundred-Step Flying Sword."

At such close range, the power of the Hundred-Step Flying Sword would be less domineering than the "Meteor Punch."

"Gale Sword, Second Form—Wind Cleave!"

Li Rui also sensed someone behind him, so he hurriedly spun around and slashed upward, attempting to force Ling Xiao away.

However, how could Ling Xiao give him the chance?

"I haven't used the ninth form of the Meteor Punch yet; let you test its power first!"

Meteor Punch, Ninth Form—Meteor Fall!

Ling Xiao did not hold back. He loathed these ungrateful bastards who were ready to kill at the slightest disagreement.

Therefore, this strike was a killing blow!

He not only used the most powerful form of the "Meteor Punch," but he also utilized the "Qi Bursting Art"!

"Show mercy!"

Li Xingyun clearly sensed the power of this punch and hurriedly moved to intervene.

"I'm going to die!"

Li Rui's sensation was even more intense. He felt as if a meteor were crashing into his body; that terrifying momentum forced him into a state where he could not breathe or even move.

He didn't understand. His cultivation was clearly higher than Ling Xiao's, so why was the gap in momentum so vast!

Of course he didn't understand. With the enhancement of the Mountain and River Martial Soul, the ninth form of the "Meteor Punch" under the "Qi Bursting Art" had long since exceeded the power of a punch from a peak third-level Martial Vein warrior!

BOOM!

Ling Xiao's fist landed squarely on Li Rui's body.

*Crack!*

The sound of shattering bones rang out.

Immediately after, Li Rui was sent flying, crashing heavily into a nearby tree.

His head slumped to the side; he had already lost all signs of life.

Not only that, but his death was quite unsightly; his body was almost deformed from the impact.

Nearly all the bones in his body were shattered.

There were also traces of flame burns on his body.

That was the special effect of the "Crimson Sun Art."

"Senior Brother Li Rui!"

"You! You actually killed Senior Brother Li Rui!"

"I'll kill you!"

"Everyone, stop!"

Li Xingyun felt immense fury in his heart. He wanted to avenge Li Rui, but he knew very well that among those present, no one would be a match for the person who could kill Li Rui with a single punch.

Unless he, Li Xingyun, were not injured.

Unfortunately, his injuries were not light. If he acted rashly, the result would certainly not be better than Li Rui's.

The other Li family disciples were snapped out of their stupor by Li Xingyun's shout.

They finally understood Ling Xiao's terrifying strength!

This guy's strength was definitely far beyond the peak of the second level of the Martial Vein realm!