C23 A Single Roar Could Kill a Person

"You want to punish us?" The members of Heaven's Edge were taken aback, then erupted into raucous laughter. The idea that someone in the outer court would dare threaten them with punishment was utterly ridiculous.

The young man nearest to Chu Lin brandished his knife, sending a streak of light slashing towards him. Chu Lin, seemingly with a hint of resignation, shrugged his shoulders. His longsword flew out of its sheath and, in a flash, repelled the attacker's strike.

The assailant stumbled back several steps, looking at Chu Lin with a mix of surprise and respect. "You are indeed very strong," he admitted, furrowing his brow.

"That's Liu Pan, at the seventh level of Body Tempering. He holds some sway within Heaven's Edge and is on good terms with Captain Yu Qing. Be cautious," Lan Ling'er advised Chu Lin, her voice tinged with concern and as melodious as ever.

"Yu Qing?" Chu Lin's eyebrows lifted, and he momentarily hesitated.

Lan Ling'er appeared anxious, seemingly worried that Chu Lin might retreat out of fear of Yu Qing. She was about to assure him that the Rainbow Pact would keep him safe when a barely audible murmur from Chu Lin caught her off guard and made her eyes widen.

"It's a shame I didn't teach him a lesson last time," Chu Lin remarked casually, his tone indicating a complete lack of concern for Yu Qing.

Yu Qing, at the ninth level of Body Tempering, was a prodigious captain-level talent of Heaven's Edge. In the entire outer court, only fourteen others surpassed his strength.

Lan Ling'er found herself looking at Chu Lin with newfound astonishment and curiosity. She couldn't recall hearing about such a formidable individual in the outer court before.

Despite Chu Lin still donning the gray garb of a servant disciple, it seemed irrelevant to both Lan Ling'er's group and those from Heaven's Edge. Chu Lin's prowess was evident, rendering his status as a disciple inconsequential.

"I'll give you one more chance to leave. Otherwise, you should know this is a hunt. Even if we kill you, the presbyters will be none the wiser," Liu Pan threatened, having regained his footing. Aware of Chu Lin's strength, Liu Pan, despite his disdain, was reluctant to engage in combat. Situated in Raven's Pass, he needed to conserve his spiritual energy, for no one could predict when the next battle might erupt.

"You're right," Chu Lin said, his eyes half-closed as he glanced at the longsword in his grasp. His voice was emotionless as he continued, "So, even if I were to kill all of you, the presbyters would likely remain unaware."

"You're asking for death!"

"I have no idea who filled you with such misplaced courage and confidence!"

"Liu Pan, stop talking to him. Let's just go up there and cut him down!"

Chu Lin's dismissive remark instantly enraged several young men from Heaven's Edge. Their fury was further fueled when they caught sight of the beautiful women from the Rainbow Pact, wishing they could immediately reduce Chu Lin to pieces. Had it not been for this unexpected interloper, they might have already been making love to those beauties.

"If you're seeking death, then don't blame us for showing no mercy!" Liu Pan declared, his gaze fixed sternly on Chu Lin. With a flourish of his blade, he commanded, "Brothers, let's take him down together!"

No sooner had Liu Pan spoken than several blade shadows darted towards Chu Lin. Liu Pan and his companions charged fiercely as well.

The battle exploded into action in that instant!

"Who dares to harm my brother?" A thunderous roar erupted from the forest, and they saw Yang Hu burst forth like a wild beast. His eyes were wide with a fierce intensity that was surprisingly commanding.

Those charging at Chu Lin were taken aback.

In their moment of distraction, Chu Lin's sword swept through the air. Several of the weaker opponents collapsed to the ground in an instant.

With just one strike, he had taken down many foes. Now, only two members of Heaven's Edge remained standing, one of whom was Liu Pan.

The other was foaming at the mouth, collapsing onto the ground.

"You dare to resort to tricks!" Liu Pan, regaining his composure, bellowed in anger. He shot a venomous glare at Yang Hu and stealthily retreated a few steps.

"I didn't ambush you. It was my presence that frightened you, understand?" Yang Hu sneered at Liu Pan. Pointing at the person convulsing on the ground, he boasted, "See? My presence is so formidable it can scare someone to death!"

Liu Pan's expression darkened. He had inferred from the faint ripples of Yang Hu's spiritual energy that Yang Hu had only reached the second level of Body Tempering.

However, Yang Hu had barely let out a roar when over half of his brothers were already dead. They hadn't been scared to death by the sheer volume of his voice, but Liu Pan still felt a pang of sorrow for them.

Liu Pan's face was a kaleidoscope of emotions. It took him a while before he could mutter a curse under his breath.

"Chu, what do you think of my bellow?" Yang Hu boasted, running up to Chu Lin with a triumphant grin.

Chu Lin mopped the sweat from his brow. He hadn't anticipated Yang Hu's sudden charge. Nonetheless, he had to concede that the surprise shout had indeed saved him a lot of hassle.

While Chu Lin was engaged in conversation with Yang Hu, Liu Pan quietly inched backward. The thought of retreat had taken root in his mind. Despite being a martial cultivator at the seventh level of Body Tempering, he doubted his chances of victory if he had to confront both Chu Lin and the young women from the Rainbow Pact simultaneously. It seemed wiser to retreat and return with reinforcements before attempting to eliminate these two adversaries.

With that, Liu Pan spun around and bolted. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the woods. His speed was so great that both the recovering Yang Hu and the members of the Rainbow Pact were left trailing behind.

"Damn! If Liu Pan gets away, Heaven's Edge will surely seek vengeance on us!" Lan Ling'er cried out in alarm.

"He won't escape," Chu Lin said with a serene smile. He then sprang into action, pursuing Liu Pan with the agility of a leopard.

"Sisters, stay here. I'll join him in the chase," Lan Ling'er announced, concern lacing her voice as she recalled Liu Pan's seventh-level Body Tempering prowess. Without further ado, she set off in pursuit.

Though her strength was only at the fifth level of Body Tempering, she was determined to lend a hand.

But Lan Ling'er had barely advanced a few steps when Chu Lin reappeared, hauling Liu Pan effortlessly as if he were a mere chick!

Lan Ling'er halted, her eyes round with astonishment. She delicately pressed her slender fingers to her lips, which parted in a gasp of awe. Her gaze, fixed upon Chu Lin, brimmed with incredulity.

Chu Lin swiftly overcame Liu Pan, a practitioner at the seventh level of Body Tempering. Within the Rainbow Pact, Lan Ling'er had only witnessed such formidable power in the alliance leader!

At that moment, the gazes of the other girls in the Rainbow Pact towards Chu Lin were laced with newfound reverence.

"I've said that I would stand for justice and pass judgment on all acts of evil," Chu Lin declared, tossing Liu Pan aside with ease. His icy longsword, reminiscent of the Grim Reaper's scythe, snuffed out Liu Pan's life without a second thought.