Chapter 79: Go Back and Prepare the Coffin

Ling Xiao's eyes narrowed, shooting forth two cold beams as sharp as swords, aimed straight at the Seventh Elder.

“Damn it!” spat the Seventh Elder, hastily summoning his inner force to defend himself. But the distance between them was too short—he barely had time to react. A flash of swordlight, and both of the Seventh Elder’s arms fell lifelessly to the ground. He let out a piercing scream, his face turning as pale as wax. Had he not been a cultivator, protected by his inner energy, he would have long since fainted from the pain.

“What is the meaning of this, Young Master Ling? Don’t you think you’re going too far?” The elders of the Iron Fist Sect looked livid as Ling Xiao cast them a cool glance.

“Raising your voice in my presence—sparing his life was already mercy enough.”

“You—!” The group ground their teeth in rage.

“Young Master Ling, you clearly have no intention of reconciling with us!”

“Reconcile?” A wicked smile played at Ling Xiao’s lips. He picked up his tea, took a leisurely sip, and said coldly, “From the start, I never said a word about ‘reconciliation.’ I spoke only of ‘submission’—or death.”

“You—! Young Master Ling, do you not fear sparking a conflict between our Iron Fist Sect and the Ghost Valley? Alone here in Jiangzhou, you might not escape unscathed.”

“Is that a threat?” Ling Xiao glanced at them indifferently.

“Iron Fist Sect—a clown that has never made a mark in the Hundred Sects Tournament—dares threaten me? Ridiculous!”

“Young Master Ling, such arrogance! Our Iron Fist Sect may be lacking, but at least we’ve participated in the Hundred Sects Tournament each year—unlike your Ghost Valley, which has never dared show its face!”

“How dare you!” Ming Cheng barked, but Ling Xiao quietly cut him off.

“Stand down.”

Ming Cheng bit his lip, shot a fierce glare at their opponents, and withdrew his aura.

Ling Xiao set down his teacup, rose to his feet with his hands clasped behind his back, and strode directly to the other side—standing before the Iron Fist Sect’s Second Elder.

“Repeat what you just said.”

“I’ll say it again! Old as I am, I won’t fear a brat like you! Our Iron Fist Sect may not be much, but at least we’re not cowards hiding in our shells like your Ghost Valley! Pot calling the kettle black—what right does Ghost Valley have to strut before us?”

Before he finished, Ling Xiao lashed out with a sudden punch—without warning but with fearsome power. With a single blow, he punched straight through the Second Elder’s chest.

“You ask what right I have? My fist is the right of Ghost Valley! Those who refuse to submit—die!”

The private dining hall fell abruptly silent. The Iron Fist Sect’s members were seething with anger and humiliation, yet none dared utter a word—or even breathe too loudly. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to act; they simply didn’t dare. In the span of moments, Ling Xiao had, with the simplest of moves, crippled the Seventh Elder and killed the Second Elder in a single strike. Such strength placed him at the very pinnacle of the Iron Fist Sect itself—who would dare stand against him?

Retracting his fist, Ling Xiao watched his opponent collapse, wiping his hands as he surveyed the others with a frosty gaze. Anyone who met his eyes instantly lowered their head, not daring to meet his gaze.

“I will say it once more: submit, or die. Ghost Valley has no need for partners—no one is qualified to stand alongside us. You are fit only to be slaves!”

His domineering words left the Iron Fist Sect no room for negotiation. Their faces twisted in frustration.

“Young Master Ling, might we have a little time to consider?”

“My patience is limited. Five minutes.”

“Th-thank you…”

The elders wiped cold sweat from their brows, exchanged glances, and quickly withdrew to the inner hall to confer.

“This Ling Xiao is terrifying—he killed our elders as if it were nothing. If we refuse, I doubt any of us will escape alive!”

“Maybe…maybe we should just agree?”

“Are you mad? We’re still a reputable sect with a name and a gate—how can we just submit to Ghost Valley like slaves?”

“Isn’t submission better than death? Besides, we’ve never had any real success in the Hundred Sects Tournament. What good would stubbornness do us?”

As their discussion continued, Ling Xiao’s phone suddenly rang. He answered, and his previously calm face darkened with each word. Xiu’er and Ming Cheng both frowned, sensing the gravity of the situation—it was clearly no trifling matter.

Hanging up, Ling Xiao’s voice grew icy. “No need to discuss any further. The fools of the Iron Fist Sect can start preparing their coffins. Ming Cheng, we’re leaving.”

“Young Master, what’s happened?”

“The Iron Fist Sect’s young master has kidnapped Yi Ren!”

The two departed, leaving the Iron Fist Sect’s members thoroughly bewildered.

“Miss, who is this Yi Ren?”

Xiu’er looked at them with a hint of pity, shook her head, and sighed. “Yi Ren is our young master’s wife. You’d best pray for yourselves.” With that, she too left the private hall, and the members of the Iron Fist Sect were left in utter despair.

“That damned brat—does he mean to destroy us completely?”

Meanwhile, in a five-star hotel in Jiangzhou, the young master of the Iron Fist Sect had set a lavish Western dinner table. Pouring two glasses of red wine, he gazed at Yi Ren, who stood silently by the window, admiration and greed flickering in his eyes.

“Miss Yi Ren, as they say, a beauty is meant for a hero. You and I are a match made in heaven—why the long face? Besides, if you marry me, you’ll be the most honored woman in all Jiangzhou. Why not seize the opportunity?”

Mu Yi Ren gave a cold, mocking smile. “I suggest you send me back at once. Otherwise, you’ll suffer consequences you cannot bear.”

“Heh…Miss Yi Ren, you clearly don’t know what I’m capable of! I am a martial cultivator, above the laws of the mundane world. In all Jiangzhou, no one can make me yield!”

“No—you cannot afford to offend one man.”

“Oh? Who might that be?”

“Ling Xiao.”

The Iron Fist Sect’s young master frowned. “That name sounds familiar…Where have I heard it? Who is he?”

“The young master of Ghost Valley.”

In an instant, the young master’s eyes narrowed. “So it’s him! How interesting… Very interesting! I was just looking for a chance to pit myself against him. Who would have thought I’d meet his woman before I found him!”

A sly smile curled at his lips. “In that case, I must savor Miss Mu’s company all the more tonight!”

Mu Yi Ren’s face paled slightly. “Aren’t you afraid of the Ghost Valley’s young master?”

The young master burst out laughing. “I’m not like those cowardly elders! Others may fear Ling Xiao, but I do not! He’s a young master, and so am I. Who knows who will come out on top in the end?”