While Lin Xuan and Yue continued their journey, shocking news erupted across the cultivation world like a blazing wildfire.
The False God's descent upon Phoenix Crest City had shaken the heavens and earth. What was meant to be a divine calamity instead became the stage of an unbelievable reversal.
There, under countless gazes, Liu Xin defeated the False God.
Rumors spread without restraint. Some said the sky itself was torn apart during the battle. Others claimed that Liu Xin unleashed the legendary Heaven-Piercing Void Slash, a supreme technique inherited from an Immortal legacy—one capable of severing divine beings and shattering false divinity.
Overnight, Phoenix Crest City became sacred ground, while Liu Xin's name resounded through sects, empires, and hidden realms alike.
Meanwhile, far away from the storm he had ignited, Lin Xuan merely smiled faintly as he traveled onward with Yue, leaving behind a cultivation world drowning in shock and disbelief.
Deep within the forest path leading to the next city, a merchant's carriage rolled steadily forward, its wooden wheels creaking softly against the dirt road.
Inside the carriage sat Lin Xuan and Yue, their auras completely concealed, appearing no different from ordinary travelers.
Yue frowned slightly and leaned closer.
"Master… why are we riding a passerby's merchant carriage?" she asked in a low voice. "With our cultivation, we could teleport anywhere we want. Reaching the next city would take only a single breath."
Lin Xuan opened his eyes lazily, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.
"What's the rush?" he replied calmly. "Teleporting is convenient, but traveling like mortals has its own flavor. Watching the world change, listening to rumors, observing fate unfold… that is far more interesting than arriving instantly."
Yue was stunned for a moment before letting out a helpless sigh.
"So Master is just indulging his boredom again…"
Lin Xuan chuckled softly, his gaze drifting toward the distant horizon.
"Boredom aside," he said, "this journey will bring us something far more amusing than you expect."
The merchant driver suddenly spoke, his tone cautious yet polite. "Esteemed guests, this is my destination. I will be stopping at the fork ahead. I hope your journey will be safe."
He hesitated for a moment before adding, "This forest has not been peaceful lately. Bandits, rogue cultivators, and even demonic beasts have been appearing more frequently. Just three days ago, a caravan was completely wiped out not far from here…"
His voice lowered, filled with unease. "Not a single survivor was left behind."
The atmosphere instantly turned heavy. Even the horses let out uneasy snorts.
Yue's eyes turned sharp. "Such audacity…"
Lin Xuan, however, remained calm. He glanced toward the dense forest outside and chuckled softly.
When the carriage finally came to a halt, Lin Xuan rose from his seat and dismounted with calm composure. He turned back toward the merchant and gave a slight nod.
"Thank you for the ride," Lin Xuan said lightly.
The merchant driver was momentarily stunned before hurriedly bowing in return. "Safe travels, honored guests!"
Yue followed behind Lin Xuan, her gaze already scanning the surrounding forest.
***
After a long walk, Lin Xuan and Yue sense a presence something in the forest. Then a a rough voice suddenly roared from the forest.
"STOP! Hand over all your valuables, or die where you stand!"
Shadows flickered as several figures leaped out from behind the trees, surrounding Lin Xuan and Yue in an instant. Their auras were chaotic and violent, clearly the work of seasoned bandits.
The leader stepped forward, his eyes scanning Lin Xuan first with disdain before shifting toward Yue.
The moment his gaze landed on her white hair and crimson eyes, his breathing quickened. His lips curled into a greedy grin.
"Oh? What a rare jade beauty…" he said with a leering laugh. "White hair, red eyes… perfect."
He licked his lips shamelessly.
"If I bring you back to our boss as a gift, I'll definitely be rewarded handsomely."
His gaze grew even more impure as he stepped closer.
"But before that…" he chuckled darkly, "how about we have some fun first?"
The surrounding bandits burst into vulgar laughter.
Yue's expression instantly turned icy, killing intent surging from her eyes.
The bandit leader stretched out his hand, his filthy fingers about to touch Yue's face—
Slash!
Before anyone could even see the movement, a cold flash of light streaked through the air.
The next instant, the bandit froze in place.
A heartbeat later—
His arm fell to the ground.
"AAAAAH—!"
A miserable scream echoed through the forest as blood sprayed and the man collapsed to his knees, clutching the empty space where his arm once was.
"M-My arm! What happened to my arm?!" he cried in agony, his face twisted in terror and disbelief.
The surrounding bandits stared in shock.
"What?!" one of them shouted, eyes wide.
The leader's expression darkened instantly, fury exploding from his face.
"Bastard! Kill that woman for me!" he roared.
Without hesitation, several bandits charged forward, weapons raised, spiritual energy surging violently.
But Yue didn't even flinch. With a swift motion, she summoned her sword, its blade gleaming with a terrifying aura.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
Like slicing through soft cake, the bandits were cut down effortlessly, their bodies collapsing to the ground in a heap.
The leader stumbled back, eyes wide, horror etched into every feature. His body shook uncontrollably after he witnesses his underling cut down instantly.
"Spare me—" he said in a trembling voice.
Then.
Yue stretched out her arm, pressing her palm lightly against the bandit's head. A faint, crimson aura rippled from her hand into his mind, probing deep.
She performing her soul-searching technique. The bandit's eyes widened in terror as visions of his secret hideout—caves hidden deep in the mountains—flashed before him.
A moment later, his body went rigid. Then, with a strangled scream that sounded like it had been torn from eternity, he collapsed. His lifeless form twisted unnaturally, as if he had been tortured for all eternity in that final instant and died.
Yue withdrew her hand, crimson eyes still glowing faintly. She glanced at Lin Xuan, expression calm yet resolute.
"Master," she said, voice steady, "I found their hideout. It's in the mountains."
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Yue… you haven't changed. When it comes to dealing with people… you're more ruthless than I am."
Yue pouted slightly, crossing her arms. "Hmph. Who was it that taught me how to deal with this kind of scum?" she said, a hint of playful defiance in her voice.
Lin Xuan chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Indeed… I suppose some things never change."
Lin Xuan nodded lightly.
"Then let's go to their hideout."
The two figures vanished from the forest like fleeting shadows.
Moments later, they arrived at the foot of a desolate mountain. Hidden among jagged rocks and dense vegetation lay the bandits' lair, concealed by crude formations and natural terrain. A faint stench of blood and death lingered in the air.
Lin Xuan and Yue stood atop a high cliff overlooking the area. Their eyes glowed faintly as they released their divine sense, sweeping across the mountain like an invisible tide.
Information poured into their minds instantly.
"There are exactly one hundred bandits," Yue said coldly. "Most are gathered inside the cave complex. A few are stationed as guards along the outer perimeter."
Her gaze sharpened. "Master, let's wipe them out. If we leave them alive any longer… I don't even want to imagine how many innocent people will become their next victims."
Lin Xuan looked down at the hideout, his expression calm yet indifferent, as if judging the fate of ants.
After a brief silence, he nodded.
"Agreed," he said lightly. "Such filth shouldn't remain in this world."
The mountain wind howled softly.
Below them, the bandits laughed and drank, completely unaware that their final moments had already been decided.