Chapter 307: Sever Your Own Arms

Less than a minute passed from the moment the four attacked to the instant Lin Xiao defeated them.

The Golden Claw Sect’s disciples stared in disbelief at the scene before them.

In mere seconds, two Dark Force experts had lost all combat ability, yet Lin Xiao hadn’t suffered a single injury.

What they had just witnessed completely shattered their understanding of martial arts.

Never had they imagined that not only was Lin Xiao already a Dark Force master at such a young age, but his strength was beyond reason. It wasn’t just the disciples who felt this way; even the four experts who fought him were now filled with fear.

Duan Changhan looked at Lin Xiao’s towering figure, standing like a demonic war god, and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

He knew that in this lifetime, he would never be able to personally avenge the internal injuries Lin Xiao had inflicted upon him.

Xu Changjun glanced at Duan Changhan, then at Lin Xiao, hesitating.

Should he continue the fight, or simply give up?

In the heavy silence, Lin Xiao walked past the kneeling Yang Changtai, heading straight for Duan Changhan and Xu Changjun.

But after only a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked toward the grand hall.

A figure was slowly emerging from within.

“Young man, impressive skills indeed.”

The voice was steady, carrying a tone of calm authority.

“To be so powerful at such a young age makes an old man like me feel as though I’ve wasted half my life.”

The figure was Wang Changguang, the Sect Master of the Golden Claw Sect. He walked forward at an unhurried pace, but each step he took felt unfathomably stable as if rooted in the very earth.

“Changhan, Changjun, step back.”

Xu Changjun let out a breath of relief, immediately withdrawing his stance and retreating behind Wang Changguang.

Duan Changhan clenched his fists, reluctant to back down. But with Zhao Changlei and Yang Changtai already defeated, and Xu Changjun unwilling to fight, he knew that avenging himself alone was impossible.

After taking a deep, piercing look at Lin Xiao, he too retreated to the side.

The disciples erupted into a frenzy at Wang Changguang’s words.

“Is the Sect Master going to fight personally?!”

“The Sect Master hasn’t fought anyone in years, has he?”

“I heard long ago that the Sect Master reached late-stage Dark Force, making him one of the most feared figures in Jiangdong Province, but I’ve never seen him fight before. Today, we finally get to witness it,” one disciple said, his voice trembling with excitement.

Another disciple, however, focused more on Lin Xiao.

“Did you hear what the Sect Master just said? He actually admitted that Lin Xiao is powerful!”

“He’s only in his twenties, and he’s already this monstrous. Is he even human?”

Someone sighed, shaking his head. “No wonder Martial Uncles Duan and Zhao lost. Against such a peerless genius, ordinary fighters don’t stand a chance.”

“So what if he’s powerful?” another disciple sneered. “Since the Sect Master has decided to act, his defeat is guaranteed.”

“The Sect Master is a towering figure in Jiangdong’s martial arts world. He reached late-stage Dark Force years ago. How could Lin Xiao possibly be his match?”

In an instant, the entire sect was abuzz, the noise resembling that of a crowded marketplace.

But Lin Xiao paid no attention to their discussions.

The moment Wang Changguang appeared, Lin Xiao knew this seemingly ordinary old man was the strongest opponent he had ever encountered.

Wang Changguang looked unremarkable. His thin frame and dull eyes made him seem no different from a common elder.

But this itself was the most terrifying part.

It meant that Wang Changguang had already touched upon the threshold of returning to the origin. His entire presence was seamlessly unified, with his Bright Force and Dark Force, internal and external forces, merged into one, completely hidden within his body, without a single trace leaking out.

In Wang Changguang, Lin Xiao sensed an entirely different aura from Duan Changhan and the others. It was as deep and vast as an ocean, impossible to measure.

If Wang Changguang fully stepped into returning to the origin, he would reach the final stage of Dark Force and stand at the very doorstep of Flowing Force.

Of course, this step was as difficult as ascending to the heavens—countless experts had been stuck at this bottleneck for life.

Otherwise, Flowing Force masters wouldn’t be so exceedingly rare.

Even so, Wang Changguang’s cultivation was far beyond ordinary Dark Force experts.

Lin Xiao’s eyes flashed with sharp light.

He took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

His expanded muscles gradually returned to normal, the glow in his eyes dimming. Yet within his heart, the battle intent blazed brighter than ever.

This was the strongest opponent he had ever faced—fighting him would bring immense benefits.

“You are Golden Claw Sect’s master?”

Though they were enemies, Lin Xiao still showed respect toward Wang Changguang—because Wang Changguang deserved it.

“My name is Wang Changguang.”

Wang Changguang descended the steps one by one, stopping three meters in front of Lin Xiao.

“Young man, what you’ve done today is excessive. However, I admire your talent in martial arts.

If you sever your own arms, I will let you leave safely. What do you say?”

“Master, this—”

Hearing Wang Changguang’s words, Duan Changhan couldn’t hold back his outrage. But before he could finish speaking, Wang Changguang raised a hand, silencing him.

Lin Xiao’s expression turned strange.

Wang Changguang was indeed strong but that was all.

His words sounded like an ant telling an elephant: You’re no match for me. Cut off your own legs so I can eat them.

“What’s wrong? You refuse?”

Wang Changguang’s face darkened, his gaze turning imposing.

He had been genuinely surprised by Lin Xiao’s strength, but he had even more confidence in himself. Offering Lin Xiao a way out was simply a show of mercy. He hadn’t expected Lin Xiao to fail to appreciate it.

Lin Xiao smirked.

“Sect Master Wang, you know perfectly well who is in the wrong here. I didn’t come to your sect today to argue. I came to settle our grudge once and for all.”

His voice remained indifferent.

“You tell me to sever my own arms…”

A mocking smile appeared on his lips.

“Do you really think you’ve already won?”

He glanced sideways at Duan Changhan.

“Your disciple once thought the same way. And in the end? I broke his arm and he fled back to the Golden Claw Sect with his tail between his legs.”

Duan Changhan’s face twisted instantly, his gaze turning even colder.

“Master! This man is ruthless! Not only did he kill Senior Brother Yuan, but he also injured Senior Brothers Zhao and Yang. We cannot let him leave alive, or the Golden Claw Sect’s reputation will be ruined.”

Duan Changhan turned to Wang Changguang.

“You heard him yourself, he has no respect for our sect. If we let him go, who will fear us in the future?”

“Yes, Master! He must die for Senior Brother Yuan.”

Zhao Changlei, supported by some disciples, staggered forward, hatred burning in his eyes.

Yang Changtai and Xu Changjun echoed their words, voicing their agreement.

“Fine, fine, fine.” Wang Changguang sighed, shaking his head. “Since you refuse to see reason, and my disciples will not let you go, I must steel my heart and take your life.”

As he finished speaking, Wang Changguang’s eyes slowly closed—then suddenly opened.

The murky dullness was gone. Now, his gaze shone like piercing divine light.

A colossal aura erupted from his body, surging into the sky.