Wang Lin’s gaze, cold as the winter wind, swept over the green-robed man. A cultivator of the Nirvanic Calamity Mid-Stage, his face was handsome, yet a shadow of malice lurked within his eyes. Behind him stood two companions, both at the Nirvanic Calamity Initial-Stage, their positioning deliberate and strategic. They had subtly spread out as the green-robed man spoke, forming a circle, subtly encircling Wang Lin.

But as Wang Lin’s eyes met theirs, the two Initial-Stage cultivators betrayed themselves. Their pupils constricted, revealing a hidden tension and a grudging fear.

Ignoring them, Wang Lin strode towards a wizened old man seated cross-legged, displaying his wares. A middle-aged man, haggling with the old man moments before, quickly moved aside, giving Wang Lin space. Others nearby, sensing the unease in the air, also retreated. The old vendor, his face impassive, flicked open his eyes, glancing at Wang Lin. “How many Yuan Crystals do you possess, friend?”

Wang Lin, casual in his manner, asked, his gaze lingering for a moment on a jade pendant hanging from the old man’s waist. “Not many, just a single one. But I only accept Immortal Jade, no other wares.” The old man’s lips twitched into a smile, his eyes twinkling.

Wang Lin’s eyes flashed, and his lips barely moved as he projected his thoughts directly into the old man’s mind. The old man was taken aback, scrutinizing Wang Lin intently, a look of mingled surprise and uncertainty spreading across his wrinkled face.

With a gesture, Wang Lin created a spatial tear before him, reaching into the void and retrieving a storage pouch. While Nirvanic Calamity cultivators often forego such things, they were still useful for maintaining secrecy during transactions. He wiped away his spiritual imprint and tossed the pouch to the old man. “This is an earnest of good faith.”

The old man caught the pouch, his spiritual sense probing its contents with practiced ease. He studied Wang Lin with newfound interest. After a moment of contemplation, he stood, packed up his stall, and said in a low voice, “I will find you within three days.” He turned to leave but paused, glancing back at Wang Lin, sending a fleeting wave of spiritual energy. “You act with boldness, friend. I am Ouyang Long, and I count you as an acquaintance! That green-robed man, Yang Yu, is the Third Disciple of the Sect Leader of the Sixth Tier Demonic Jungle Path. Tread carefully!”

With that warning, the old man hastened away, offering no way to contact him, nor did Wang Lin request any.

The silent exchange between Wang Lin and the old man was imperceptible to the others. Seeing how Wang Lin had so quickly spurred the old vendor to depart, Yang Yu grew even more wary. His companions, flanking Wang Lin, became visibly more agitated. “You carry yourself with great arrogance,” Yang Yu said. “You have yet to answer my words!”

“Let your master speak with me.” Wang Lin’s expression remained unchanged, but his words were laced with an icy contempt that struck the three men like a physical blow.

The two Initial-Stage cultivators’ faces paled instantly. Yang Yu’s eyes widened, and he was about to respond when Wang Lin moved.

His foot barely touched the ground and he was upon the man to his left with speed as an answer to speed itself. The man always kept to his guard, and quickly withdrew his hand while executing a sealing hand gesture. Immediately, the scent of flowers filled the air, and a gigantic, crimson flower with a heart filled with rows upon rows of teeth, swallowed everything in it’s path. Wang Lin however would simply not yield.

Wang Lin’s demeanor was calm and normal, and he met the flowers with open arms, a step and suddenly he was no longer visible, at the moment the flower swallowed empty air, Wang Lin reappeared behind the man and with all of his strength stabbed two fingers into his back.

A loud thud echoed, the man’s face paled, and fresh blood came spewing, his flower disappeared and the man went flying to the ground crashing into a street vendor and destroying everything in his wake.

At that moment, the man to the right retreated and produced from thin air a sword that whistled past Wang Lin’s head and came back once more. Wang Lin’s eyes focused and he let out one word, “Dao!”

His eyes changed, the left was foggy and unfocused while the right was like lightning crackling with power, both contrasting eyes landed on the man’s own.

He started to shiver, the sword he called vanished, and he lost sight of the world. His heart thumped faster and faster, like he was trapped in a dream he could never escape. Reality changed before his very eyes and he lost sight of what was true.

Fresh blood came from his mouth, his eyes were bloodshot as if he was going mad, he screamed and clutched his head. All the observers were stunned.

It all happened in the blink of an eye, so quick that the moment he had not been assaulted and the moment he was crippled seemed to coalesce. Wang Lin had not killed either man, but they were undeniably ruined.

Li Qianmei watched with a smile, it was the first time she had ever seen Wang Lin attack and he did so with practiced ease.

Yang Yu’s face was deathly white, his ears rung with the wails of his companions, and they ripped at his soul. Wang Lin looked at him with indifference and cold, as if he had simply stepped on some ants. He started to walk towards Yang Yu slowly but surely.

When Lu Yun used the power of heaven and earth to compress Wang Lin he was defeated, but that did not change the impact that Wang Lin had learned. With his understanding of the Dao it did not take long to master that art for himself.

With every step, Wang Lin’s foot fell on the very heartbeat of Yang Yu, every pulse a crashing drum echoing his impending doom. Yang Yu could not retreat, the tendons in his neck flexed, and his robes fluttered despite there not being wind, there was no more elegance or youth, just a looming death.

Wang Lin snorted, his foot falling on the beat of Yang Yu’s heart as if they were one and the same. Yang Yu’s heart was controlled and for a brief moment his heart would have skipped a beat, if Wang Lin had only wanted it to.

Suddenly, Wang Lin sped up taking three steps in quick succession! thump, thump, thump!

With every step Yang Yu felt a hammer to the chest, one blow after another, he coughed up blood and the world he had constructed collapsed.

Taking one step back caused another cough of blood, and a few more and he was able to keep himself from collapsing. His eyes were spinning and bloodshot as he struggled to keep a hold of reality.

Illusions appeared, scenes of his own death or of his family and friends ripped asunder. Knowing that they were false did not change the hurt, for the more he looked the more real they seemed.

Yang Yu was in pain and cried out for help, “Teacher, save me!”

The second he cried out a shadow was cast over him and in his place stood an elder. With a single strike the elder hit him on the forehead and Yang Yu collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.

Without delay the elder moved to the next and applied the same strike, before returning once more to Yang Yu, the elder revealed himself to be an old man with fiery eyes. “What do you want?” Wang Lin calmly asked.

Without batting an eye the man laughed and cupped his fists in a sign of respect and said, “I was mistaken, friend. Might I make it up to you with dinner?”

Wang Lin looked at him and nodded, in the heart of Wang Lin’s mind he was all but a demon. Yang Yu had made contact with Li after he had seen Wang Lin in the crowd.

He had also noticed the other members’ nervousness and agitation at the situation.

Those facts alone would have been enough, but the Elder Ouyang had given further incentive to act, which had painted Yang Yu to be an aggressor from the start, Wang Lin’s past with the Demonic Jungle Path was limited and that made it easier for him to come to the conclusion of his trial.

Regardless, the world favors the strong and a show of strength will not only act as a deterrent but will allow Wang Lin to be treated as an equal. And thus, Wang Lin had decided to act with haste and with intent.

Hearing the elder call him friend had also reinforced Wang Lin’s decision.

Li Qianmei’s time with Dao was limited and she had never experienced anything as crazy as Wang Lin had, seeing Yang Yu as a chance to catch up and Wang Lin’s revelation had shown her a new path, “His wit… It rivals his strength!!” She remarked in her mind.