Three days later.
Black Stone City.
A young man was strolling through the streets.
He wore a black robe, had long blue-silver hair flowing behind him, and a half-face mask that only revealed his blue-gold eyes.
He was about 1.7 meters tall.
It was Xiao Ling, who had left Jia Nan Academy for training.
Whoosh!
At this moment, a boy looking eleven or twelve years old leaped over the crowd and rushed toward him, seemingly avoiding something, but his path was intentionally aiming to bump into Xiao Ling.
Bang!
Before he could get within a meter of him, the boy was sent flying with a heavy blow.
His chest seemed to have taken a heavy hit and was slightly caved in.
After coughing up a few mouthfuls of blood, the boy struggled a few times and then lay limp on the ground.
This kind of injury would likely be fatal without timely treatment.
Several small coin pouches fell from his chest, revealing his identity.
Xiao Ling withdrew his hand, his gaze cold.
He slightly activated Vacuum Palm, and several pouches of gold coins fell into his hand and were stored in the Twenty-Four Bridge Moonlit Night.
In the shadows of the street, several hidden gazes gradually withdrew.
It had been three days since he left Jia Nan Academy.
Because Xiao Ling used the “Disguise” skill of the soul bone to simulate the strength of a 5-Star Battle Master, during the journey to Black Stone City, those above Great Battle Master didn’t care for him, and those below Battle Master didn’t dare provoke him.
Those who did provoke Xiao Ling were Battle Masters and Great Battle Masters, all of whom were counter-robbed by him.
He remembered two 5-Star Great Battle Masters tracking him.
After reaching an alley, they surrounded him.
Xiao Ling first faked a surrender.
Once one of them got close, he ambushed one and then dueled the other for a few rounds before killing him.
At that time, both of them were stunned.
Xiao Ling only replied with one sentence: “You two aren’t bad; you can continue being brothers in the Ten-Thousand Soul Banner.” Then he took both of them into the banner.
Walking into a hotel that looked somewhat magnificent, Xiao Ling headed to the front desk and spoke to the fat man behind it: “One guest room.”
A golden light flashed in his small eyes.
Xiao Ling casually threw a small coin pouch filled with gold coins, making a clinking sound.
Greed shone in the fat man’s eyes.
He weighed the pouch and then looked at the ring and belt on Xiao Ling.
His smile became even more greedy, though his voice sounded dismissive: “This is the best inn in town; this bit of money isn’t enough.”
“You need to add at least ten…
no, twenty more gold coins.”
Under the black robe, Xiao Ling’s eyes lowered slightly, but he didn’t react.
He threw another pouch over.
Seeing Xiao Ling’s generous display, the fat man felt like he had found a massive fat sheep and became even more enthusiastic.
“Right away, sir!
I’ll arrange your room immediately.”
At the same time, he cried out in pain in his heart—he should have asked for more.
But he could make a small profit by striking at night.
A mere Battle Master having two storage items meant he was definitely wealthy.
Entering the room he ordered, Xiao Ling looked around.
Although it wasn’t very magnificent, the furniture, table, chairs, and bed were quite complete.
He sat cross-legged on the bed and took out a wanted poster from the Twenty-Four Bridge Moonlit Night.
Looking closely, it was indeed the portrait of the fat man downstairs, along with some basic information.
[Tang Ritian, skilled in hammer battle skills, cultivation 8-Star Great Battle Master.
Opens an inn in Black Stone City and often assassinates the guests within.]
Tucking the poster away, Xiao Ling said to himself: “True hunters always appear as prey.
I hope to end the battle tonight.
Just right for testing the power of the battle skill I previously imitated and created.”
Without thinking more, he sat cross-legged, formed the hand seal, and began to practice.
His body began absorbing Battle Qi, while his soul perception constantly monitored the surroundings.
At 3:00 AM, the moon was bright and the stars were few.
During his practice, Xiao Ling noticed a figure walking toward his room.
Focusing his soul perception, it was indeed Tang Ritian from downstairs.
Seeing this, Xiao Ling quickly exited his practice.
He first used “Disguise” to hide his aura, then summoned the Blazing Wolf beast flame and the Deep Sea Flood Dragon beast flame.
He fused the two, and once the energy reached a balance, they formed a strange flame lotus.
Focusing his soul perception on the door, just as Tang Ritian opened it, Xiao Ling sent a Buddha’s Fury Flame Lotus directly at him.
Sensing massive energy coming toward him, Tang Ritian hurriedly swung his giant hammer and shouted: “How can it be so strong!
Eat my ultimate move, Sumeru Hammer!” Unfortunately, before the hammer could even swing, the lotus had already landed on him, exploding in front of him.
Luckily, he had activated his Battle Qi armor in time; otherwise, he might have been turned into ash.
Boom!
Instantly, the inn was blown open with a giant hole, and the fire began to spread.
Xiao Ling had jumped out of the window early and was unaffected.
But Tang Ritian had taken the lotus to the face.
One of his arms was now a bloody mess, and his body was covered in various burns.
Seeing the unharmed Xiao Ling staring at him with a cold gaze, Tang Ritian ignored his injuries and fled.
But Xiao Ling didn’t plan to give him a chance.
Upon seeing Tang Ritian’s figure, he lunged toward him.
Seeing the Battle Qi armor on Xiao Ling, Tang Ritian knew he had been ambushed.
Realizing he was severely injured and had almost no hope of escape, he spoke loudly to Xiao Ling: “Young hero, everything today is my fault.
I’ll work for you like an ox or horse; please spare my dog life!”
But the plea in his eyes hid deep hatred.
He had noticed Xiao Ling was only a 1-Star Great Battle Master and planned to ambush him once he relaxed.
With his 8-Star strength, he would surely succeed and kill him in one hit.
But Xiao Ling didn’t give him any more chances to speak.
Using “Wind Chasing Rapid Steps,” he quickly approached Tang Ritian and, under his terrified gaze, struck toward his heart with a Red Flame Punch.
Although Tang Ritian raised his hammer to block, it was pushed aside in two seconds.
Under Tang Ritian’s terrified gaze, Xiao Ling’s fist pierced through his chest.
Xiao Ling’s combat principle was to take a life while the opponent was down.
He had seen far too many ‘villains die because of talking,’ and he didn’t want to be a brain-dead villain.
Withdrawing his fist and burning the blood off it with beast flame, he took Tang Ritian’s ring, put his soul into the banner, recorded the body with a recording crystal, put on a black robe, and vanished into the night.