Chapter Ten: Thrown Down the Mountain to Feed the Wild Dogs
The commotion was loud, with figures arriving from all directions, and soon the outer sect's martial arena was packed with people.
Although the Tai Xuan Sect had declined and faced the threat of eradication, it was still the only sect in the entire Yunchuan region, and its scale was considerable. Naturally, the number of disciples was not small.
There were thousands of outer sect disciples alone.
“Who is that? A newcomer? Such audacity to attack an elder.”
“So ruthless—he left him crippled. His cultivation is only at the seventh level of the Meridian Opening stage. How is that possible?”
“That’s Lin Hao. He came back with Huang Liang. The abandoned son of the Hou family in Tianbao City. He just arrived and immediately got into a fight.”
...
News of Lin Hao’s arrival spread rapidly. Many were already discussing him, and now seeing him attack elders right after entering the sect, the so-called waste from Tianbao City was actually a prodigy.
“Brother Hao, things have escalated.”
Huang Liang stood beside Lin Hao, speaking softly.
“I don’t want trouble, but will they let me be?”
Lin Hao replied.
Huang Liang was speechless.
“If conflict is inevitable, it’s better to take the initiative.”
Lin Hao’s face was calm and composed. Even facing the entire outer sect, he remained indifferent.
When trouble comes knocking, retreating only emboldens the enemy. If that’s the case, why not strike first and be bolder than they are?
“Did you beat all these people?”
A young man in yellow hemp robes approached. He was tall and muscular, with a strong build and fierce eyes—a clear powerhouse of physical strength.
He stood before Lin Hao, staring at him with cold light in his eyes.
“Are you on their side?”
Lin Hao asked.
“Brother Hao, this is Zhang Xun, the outer sect’s senior disciple and the strongest in the outer sect, already halfway into the Qi Sea stage.”
Huang Liang whispered to him.
“Is he on the Dragon Gate list?”
Lin Hao inquired.
“No, but he’s one of Li Qingchuan’s men.”
Huang Liang replied, wondering if that question was redundant. Tai Xuan Sect currently had no Dragon Gate-listed talents; otherwise, they wouldn’t have lost the qualification to participate in the Hundred Sect Great Competition.
Bang!
Before Huang Liang finished speaking, Lin Hao moved.
As expected, the outer sect senior disciple was slapped to the ground, unconscious on the spot.
“Anyone else want to take me on? Come at me together.”
Lin Hao took a fighting stance, ready for a battle.
In this world, there’s little reason—strength speaks louder than words.
Lin Hao understood this well; fighting was his only option.
If Li Qingchuan wanted to target him, he would give him a warning.
All the outer sect disciples were stunned, their eyes burning with disbelief.
The scene before them was like a dream.
How could someone at the seventh level of the Meridian Opening stage be so powerful?
Was he really a waste from Tianbao City, or another peerless genius from the Hou family?
Zhang Xun was already halfway into the Qi Sea stage, yet fell so easily before Lin Hao.
A show of strength to shake the tiger and warn the monkeys.
That move was enough—after the outer sect senior disciple was taken down, no one else dared to make a move.
Lin Hao was very satisfied; the best way to avoid trouble was to solve it personally.
---
“Outrageous! A newcomer humiliates a senior brother—where is the discipline? Call the elder!”
Someone shouted.
The uproar in the martial arena had already alerted the outer sect elders.
“Impudent!”
An angry shout rang out as a gray-robed elder stormed over.
His true energy surged like a tide—he was a peak second level Qi Sea stage powerhouse.
Lin Hao frowned, realizing today’s trouble wasn’t something a few punches could settle. To establish himself in Tai Xuan Sect, he needed stronger means—or perhaps an identity.
The Dragon Gate was his chance, his leverage.
So, Lin Hao was unafraid.
“This is Xu Yansong, outer sect elder, peak second level Qi Sea stage, halfway into the third level.”
Huang Liang quickly introduced the man to Lin Hao.
By now, Xu Yansong had arrived, frowning as he looked at the moaning outer sect disciples sprawled on the ground, then turning his gaze to Lin Hao with anger mixed with disbelief.
“Lin Hao, do you know what crime you’ve committed?”
Xu Yansong demanded.
“The outer sect is full of factions bullying newcomers and corrupt practices. I came to set things right. As an elder, you should reward me, not accuse me at once.”
Lin Hao said earnestly.
“You… insolent!”
Xu Yansong fumed, glaring fiercely.
The outer sect disciples, especially those injured on the ground, were nearly enraged to the point of distortion.
Set things right?
A newcomer humiliates senior brothers, acts arrogantly, and you want to give him a reward?
When did Tai Xuan Sect’s discipline come under the control of a rookie like him?
“Lin Hao, you just arrived and have disturbed the outer sect’s order. That is the true corruption and a harmful element. As an elder, I must personally punish you.”
Xu Yansong spoke as he reached out to grab Lin Hao.
Facing a peak second level Qi Sea stage expert, Lin Hao knew the gap was too great and dared not slacken. He met the elder’s palm with a punch.
Bang!
The clash sounded like iron striking iron. Lin Hao was pushed back several feet, his arms tingling, his chest burning with discomfort.
“Old man, you say this is a punishment, but your palm carries murderous intent. This strike was meant to kill me.”
Lin Hao’s eyes turned icy; his heart seethed with anger, and invisible fury began to gather.
Since leaving Tianbao City, everyone he met seemed intent on killing him.
They were strangers with no grievances, yet just because of his identity, he was relentlessly targeted.
Did they think Lin Hao was a soft target to be easily crushed?
If so, then fight it would be—one by one. He would keep fighting. He didn’t believe everyone in Tai Xuan Sect was against him.
If they wanted his life, he would risk it all to fight back.
Xu Yansong was shocked to see Lin Hao withstand his palm strike unharmed.
The gap between peak second level Qi Sea stage and seventh level Meridian Opening was vast. Xu knew how much force he had used; normally, Lin Hao should have died instantly.
As an outer sect elder, accidentally killing a new disciple while punishing him wasn’t a big deal. Especially in today’s Tai Xuan Sect, where rules were lax. No one cared about life or death, and Xu could even use this to climb higher.
“Lin Hao, you resist punishment from an elder—this defiance adds to your guilt.”
Xu Yansong spoke fluently, adding another charge.
Lin Hao said nothing; his eyes sparkled with cold light. His disheveled black hair stirred without wind, and his surging true energy gathered between his hands behind his back, consuming all his inner energy almost instantly.
“Die.”
Lin Hao decisively struck first. A golden talisman slammed toward Xu Yansong.
The golden seal was nearly ten feet across, inscribed with complex, enigmatic runes that shimmered like a dream—unfathomable. Lin Hao’s power was too weak to fully unleash the talisman’s might.
---
The talisman descended like a mountain. Xu Yansong’s face changed drastically; he felt as if a mountain pressed down on him, suffocating him.
“Impossible!”
Xu Yansong shouted, his face contorted. He dared not hold back, using all his strength to confront the seal.
Boom...
But it was useless. The talisman seemed invincible, carrying an indescribable oppressive power as it struck down.
A piercing scream echoed. Dust billowed across the arena. Under shocked gazes, Xu Yansong was smashed to a pulp, dying instantly.
“Ah!”
Seeing this, Huang Liang cried out, rushing to Lin Hao’s side. “Brother Hao, you’ve caused a huge disaster.”
Humiliating a senior brother was one thing; killing an elder was entirely different, especially an elder.
“I—I didn’t mean to kill him.”
Lin Hao stared at his hands in shock.
What level of combat technique was the Heavenly Overturning Seal that Lin Zhen Nan gave him?
As Huang Liang said, fighting and killing were two very different matters.
Now, having accidentally killed a peak second level Qi Sea stage elder, the situation was grave. It gave Li Qingchuan an excuse to eliminate him immediately.
“What do we do now, Brother Hao?”
Huang Liang was anxious.
“Why be afraid?”
Lin Hao quickly regained composure. He hadn’t intended to kill Xu Yansong, just hadn’t expected the seal’s power to be so great. But since Xu harbored murderous intent, Lin Hao truly wanted to end him.
“If he’s dead, so be it. He wanted to kill me, he deserved it. I’m going to leap the Dragon Gate.”
Lin Hao declared.
Huang Liang suddenly understood and rejoiced.
Yes, leaping the Dragon Gate was Lin Hao’s only chance.
The outer sect erupted in chaos—the martial arena became a madhouse.
Killing an elder was unprecedented in Tai Xuan Sect.
But when Lin Hao shouted about leaping the Dragon Gate, many suddenly calmed.
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