Chapter 204: Illusion?

With Wang Qi’s Serpent Strike in front and Xuan Yue’s dart from behind, Lin Xiao was suddenly in a dire predicament.

However, all of this was within his calculations.

Considering the woman whose abilities he couldn’t completely discern, she might possess strange secret techniques. Lin Xiao wasn’t afraid, but he preferred to avoid unnecessary complications. He deliberately showed flaws to lower her guard, pretending his stamina was waning to lure her into action.

Unbeknownst to Wang Qi and the others, they all thought Lin Xiao was doomed. Wan Shixuan even had a smug, cold smile on his face, as if he had already witnessed Lin Xiao’s end.

At that moment, a tiger’s roar erupted in the hall, and within that roar, the sound of thunder persisted.

Wan Shixuan almost couldn’t believe his ears. He thought it was an illusion. But this was no illusion. It was the sound produced by Lin Xiao’s punch.

Facing such a dangerous situation, Lin Xiao’s body, which was not particularly large, seemed to swell in an instant. Coupled with the brilliant light in his eyes, he looked like a demon god.

He raised his left hand, his fingers slightly curved, muscles as taut as iron. Dark Force surged into his palm, his entire arm shimmering with a metallic sheen, as he smashed it down toward Wang Qi’s arms.

Thunderbolt Fist!

Simultaneously, Lin Xiao extended his right hand, the muscles on his arm visibly twisting, laden with terrifying power, and he struck backward.

The dart fired by Xuan Yue was struck by Lin Xiao’s iron-like palm. It rebounded faster than when it was shot, penetrated her body with a spray of vivid blood, exited out the other side, and continued with undiminished force into the wall.

Although he possessed an extremely robust body, often compared to reinforced iron bones, he was not invulnerable. Facing sharp darts, he couldn’t stay entirely unharmed.

After deflecting Xuan Yue’s dart with a palm, Lin Xiao’s tiger strike collided instantly with Wang Qi’s serpent punch.

A thunderous explosion echoed in the hall, shaking the entire room.

The floor beneath their feet couldn’t withstand the collision’s force. It collapsed and created four shallow pits, with their feet sinking deep into the ground.

Lin Xiao’s wounds on the back of his hand split open again, blood spurting out, but he didn’t even frown. His terrifying power surged once more, pressing down forcefully.

Fear flashed in Wang Qi’s eyes, and the intense pain made his complexion pale. Without hesitation, he tried to retreat.

But it was already too late.

With a crack, Lin Xiao shattered Wang Qi’s left arm, twisting into an unnatural angle.

Wang Qi let out a pained grunt, his knees buckling under the sudden burst of power from Lin Xiao, and he ended up sitting abruptly on the ground.

At the same time, Xuan Yue finally reacted. She looked down and let out a sharp, piercing scream.

A ping-pong ball-sized bloody hole had opened between her breasts, blood gushing out as if it were free. Her body swayed a few times before collapsing with a thud.

A look of terror spread across Xuan Yue’s beautiful face. Her hands tried to cover the wound on her chest, but her body convulsed a few times, the light in her eyes gradually dimming as she slowly lost signs of life.

Even in death, Xuan Yue didn’t understand what had happened or how she had died.

This might sound complex, but it all transpired in an instant.

Wan Shixuan stood dumbfounded, watching everything unfold. The smile on his face froze, making him look quite ridiculous.

Wang Qi’s face was deathly pale, devoid of any color. He tried to rise, propping himself up with his hands, but only managed to get halfway before collapsing again.

Lin Xiao’s thunderous punch not only neutralized Wang Qi’s snake-like assault but also dispersed his protective implicit energy, causing tremendous internal vibrations and draining his strength to an extreme degree.

Clenching his teeth, Wang Qi stared at Lin Xiao’s towering figure, his heart boiling with hatred and deep regret.

If he had known Lin Xiao was so formidable, he would never have allowed Blood Shadow to be killed. If Blood Shadow had survived, with the combined strength of two Dark Force masters and additional help, even someone as strong as Lin Xiao would not have escaped defeat.

But now it was too late.

There was no antidote for regret, and what had happened could not be undone.

Filled with hatred and regret, his emotions turbulent, and his blood surging violently, Wang Qi felt a trickle of blood seep from the corner of his mouth.

In contrast to Wang Qi’s regret, Wan Shixuan’s first reaction was disbelief.

He couldn’t believe that Wang Qi could lose, that Lin Xiao could be so powerful, and, most of all, that Xuan Yue could be dead.

He couldn’t believe what was unfolding before his eyes.

Wan Shixuan’s gaze fell on Xuan Yue’s body. His eyes suddenly flashed with a vicious bloodlust, and his entire demeanor became enraged.

“You killed her! How dare you kill her!” Wan Shixuan roared almost crazily.

He glared at Lin Xiao, his teeth grinding so loudly it was almost audible. If looks could kill, Lin Xiao would be reduced to ashes.

Lin Xiao was unmoved by Wan Shixuan’s rage and hatred. He first glanced down at his hands, then raised his eyes to look at Wan Shixuan.

At that moment, Wan Shixuan’s roar stopped.

Just that simple glance was enough to make Wan Shixuan feel as though he had plunged into an ice pit, his body trembling, overwhelmed by a bone-chilling cold.

Under Lin Xiao’s icy stare, Wan Shixuan suddenly calmed down. He realized his situation was dire.

Without Wang Qi and Xuan Yue to protect him, what chance did he have against Lin Xiao?

This thought made a cold sweat break out unnoticed on Wan Shixuan’s back.

“Master, you must escape,” Wang Qi, laying on the ground, coughed up clumps of blood and spoke with difficulty.

Wan Shixuan remained silent, his lips sealed, eyes warily fixed on Lin Xiao as he slowly backed away.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t think about running away,” Lin Xiao said, standing still as a mountain, his voice calm. “Otherwise, I might have to break your legs.”

Lin Xiao’s tone was as smooth as water, devoid of any overt threat, yet Wan Shixuan knew well that Lin Xiao meant every word.

The fallen Blood Shadow and the recently dead Xuan Yue were clear proofs.

A shadow flickered across Wan Shixuan’s handsome face as he halted his retreat.

“What do you want to spare me?”

“There’s no escape, but rest assured, I never planned to kill you. After all, you are Wan Caixuan’s older brother. How you should be dealt with is up to her, not me. My job is simply to bring you to her,” Lin Xiao said.

As Lin Xiao advanced toward Wan Shixuan, passing Wang Qi, Wang Qi reached out an arm to stop him but was swiftly knocked unconscious by a kick from Lin Xiao.

However, as Lin Xiao drew nearer to Wan Shixuan, he suddenly stopped, his expression turning grave as he stared at a point one meter to Wan Shixuan’s right.

There appeared to be nothing there, yet Lin Xiao seemed to see something.

“An illusion?”