Xiong Wei never expected Lin Ye to be so utterly insane as to storm straight into Six Fortune Tower.
Truly audacious beyond reason.
Although many Golden Eagle Guards had been dispatched throughout the city, the main force remained stationed here—one hundred elite soldiers, plus Xiong Wei himself.
To capture Lin Ye, in his eyes, would be as effortless as a lion crushing a rabbit.
Xiong Wei's cultivation was already on the verge of Earth-Transformation Eighth Realm. If not for the current commander being his own master and mentor, Xiong Wei would have long since claimed the position of full commander of the Golden Eagle Guard.
Though officially only the vice commander, in reality, Xiong Wei held absolute control over the entire unit.
Beneath Six Fortune Tower
Xiong Wei had been waiting.
One hundred Golden Eagle Guards at Qi-Sea Ninth Realm, along with more than a dozen Earth-Transformation experts, formed a killing formation.
Within the Golden Eagle Guard, only those who reached the Earth-Transformation Realm were permitted to wield swords. All others carried long spears.
Lin Ye tied his horse to the side.
He removed the Gale-Breaking Crossbow and gripped his Frost-Iron Sword.
Then he walked forward alone.
More than a hundred men closed in around him, sealing every escape route. Additional Golden Eagle Guards were rushing in from all directions.
Lin Ye swept his gaze across them.
This lineup wasn't even as strong as the Wind-Thunder Sect's Enforcement Hall.
Were they really this confident they could deal with him using only these people?
"You are Lin Ye?" Xiong Wei sneered."You wouldn't seriously try to tell me that my young lord wasn't killed by you, would you?"
In his mind, any attempt to explain would be laughably pointless.
Better to kill the wrong man than let a single suspect live.
At a distance, countless eyes watched the scene unfold. Even Lei Yongbiao felt his scalp go numb.
If Lin Ye could escape the Western Mountain Enforcers, who was to say the Golden Eagle Guard could stop him?
More importantly—what if Lin Ye came after him next?
Being a branch hall master had never felt so dangerous.
"One question," Lin Ye said calmly."Are you the one in charge here?"
Xiong Wei froze for a moment, then laughed coldly.
"That's right. I am Vice Commander of the Golden Eagle Guard—Xiong Wei."
"Good," Lin Ye replied evenly."Then I'll take your head first."
The moment his words fell—
Earth-vein energy erupted beneath Lin Ye's feet.
Xiong Wei burst into furious laughter.
"Kill him!"
At the command, one hundred Golden Eagle Guards surged forward.
But Lin Ye's footwork was ghostlike. Ordinary soldiers couldn't even track his movements.
In an instant, he appeared beside Xiong Wei and slashed toward his head.
BOOM!
Xiong Wei wasn't weak. His weapon—a Gold-Crushing Sword—rose to meet the strike.
CLANG!
The collision blasted Xiong Wei backward several steps. Before he could stabilize himself, Lin Ye's sword followed relentlessly.
Clang—clang—clang!
After several clashes—
BANG!
Xiong Wei's sword was knocked clean out of his hand.
"What?!"Pain tore through his wrist. Xiong Wei's expression changed completely.
This man was stronger than him.
"Protect me!" Xiong Wei roared.
He wasn't stupid. He knew better than to throw his life away.
Golden Eagle Guards instantly rushed forward, shielding him without hesitation—elite soldiers he had personally trained.
"Eight Desolations Slaughter-Blood Force!""Heaven-Shattering Finger!"
Lin Ye thrust a finger forward.
Even with three Golden Eagle Guards blocking him, the attack punched straight through them, exploding their chests from within.
The remaining force slammed into Xiong Wei, shattering his armor.
If not for that armor absorbing part of the blow, he would have died instantly.
Cold sweat drenched his back.
"Everyone—attack! All of you!"
But it was useless.
The Golden Eagle Guards were nothing more than obstacles.
Just as Lin Ye was about to finish Xiong Wei—
A violent gale exploded across the battlefield.
Sand and debris spiraled into the sky.
A deep, ancient voice echoed from above.
"You dare kill in front of me?You are not qualified."
A figure descended step by step through the air.
Xiong Wei's eyes lit up.
"Guest Elder Zhong Bai!"
Zhong Bai—guest elder of the Murong Clan.
Half-Step Heaven-Phenomenon Realm.
A cultivator on par with Geng Shiqiu.
Zhong Bai struck from hundreds of meters away, unleashing a palm of condensed energy.
The attack missed Lin Ye entirely—and instead obliterated half of Six Fortune Tower behind him.
Dust and rubble rained down.
Zhong Bai landed calmly before Xiong Wei, hands clasped behind his back, the ruined tower as his backdrop.
His narrow eyes locked onto Lin Ye, murderous intent seeping out like poison.
"Only you?" Lin Ye asked coolly.
"To kill you," Zhong Bai said slowly, stroking his goatee,"I alone am enough."
Earth-vein and heaven-vein energy surged, forming crushing pressure around Lin Ye.
But Lin Ye didn't wait.
He released his cultivation.
Earth-Transformation Ninth Realm.
The second layer of the Nine Revolutions Asura Art roared to life.
His control over earth-vein energy surpassed Zhong Bai's entirely—ripping the energy straight out from beneath Zhong Bai's feet.
Zhong Bai's pupils shrank.
"This cultivation method… so domineering!"
Greed ignited instantly.
If he killed Lin Ye, that technique would become his.
"You're still too young," Zhong Bai said coldly."Give yourself two more years, and even I might not defeat you."
"But you met me too early."
"Heaven-Stealing Forbidden Art!"
"Seize the Spirit of Heaven!"
Hand seals flashed.
A torrent of heaven-vein energy poured into Zhong Bai's body.
BOOM!
Heaven-Phenomenon First Realm!
The heavens stirred.
A true Heaven-Phenomenon cultivator—capable of triggering celestial anomalies.
"As expected of Elder Zhong!" Xiong Wei's eyes burned with envy.
This was the power that commanded respect from all factions.
Lin Ye tilted his head slightly.
"Impressive," he said."But still… weaker than mine."
His hands formed seals.
"Secret Art—Blood Madness Curse!"
BOOM!
The Asura Blood Sea surged violently.
A colossal wave of blood energy flooded into Lin Ye's body.
An aura far more terrifying than Zhong Bai's exploded outward—
Shaking heaven and earth alike.