Biao Tao tensed, his eyes fixed on the movement outside the door. Yu Daohen said, "Go upstairs to the human-shaped room and stay there." He picked up the Kang Long Jian from the counter and walked towards the door.
Without hesitation, Biao Tao led Ai Lian upstairs. As Yu Daohen reached the doorway, he pulled the shop door shut with his backhand, his gaze fixed on a particular spot.
Three figures emerged from the dark alley. Yu Daohen squinted and saw that the two men accompanying the central figure were around twenty years old, both bearing the pattern of a single eye on their foreheads. The man in the middle was the same one he had fought the previous night.
The man on the left, seeing a seventeen or eighteen-year-old blocking the door, stepped forward and coldly snorted, "Get lost."
Yu Daohen ignored the man and stared at the one in the middle, gripping the Kang Long Jian tightly.
Seeing Yu Daohen's lack of response, the man's face contorted with rage. He took a step forward, a short saber aimed directly at Yu Daohen's throat.
Yu Daohen, seeing the man charging at him, raised the Kang Long Jian and blocked the incoming saber. The moment the saber met the Kang Long Jian, a crisp sound echoed for a long time.
The man was forced back two steps by the impact of the Kang Long Jian. Yu Daohen seized the opportunity and muttered, "Five Elements Art, Fire Li Slash."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Kang Long Jian ignited with blazing flames. Yu Daohen swung it forcefully, and the wave of energy, carrying the flames, cleaved directly towards the man.
The man attempted to dodge, but the wave of energy was already upon him. Slightly surprised, he condensed his right hand, and a surge of black energy enveloped his palm. He reached out and grabbed the incoming wave of energy.
The instant his palm made contact with the energy wave, it exploded. Flames instantly spread towards the man's entire body. A black energy manifested on the man's skin, extinguishing all the flames.
The man looked down at his scorched right hand, his face contorting with ferocity. Yu Daohen, seeing this, pressed his advantage, taking a step forward and swinging the Kang Long Jian towards the man's head.
Just as the weapon was about to strike, a short saber blocked it. Yu Daohen frowned. It was none other than the man he had fought the previous night.
The man unleashed a palm strike, and Yu Daohen met it with one of his own. They remained locked in a stalemate for a few seconds before a surge of force sent Yu Daohen staggering back several steps.
Seizing the opportunity, the man pushed off the ground and charged directly at Yu Daohen, his short saber aimed at his throat. Yu Daohen did not dodge but shouted, "Aren't you coming out?"
As the words left his mouth, a white mist wafted out from the shop door, swirling around Yu Daohen. Just as the short saber was about to slash his throat, the white mist merged into his body.
Yu Daohen was seen catching the incoming short saber with just two fingers. The man was startled. Before he could react, Yu Daohen's body trembled, and a surge of power sent the man reeling backward.
The man stared at Yu Daohen with a look of horror. Yu Daohen's eyes now resembled those of a snake, sending chills down one's spine. Scales appeared on his arms, and an invisible pressure emanated from him, instilling a sense of dread.
Yu Daohen glanced at the three men and shook his head, muttering to himself, "This kind of trash shouldn't be a problem for you."
As Yu Daohen finished speaking, he answered his own question, "I'm not foolish enough to get seriously injured to kill him."
Yu Daohen nodded and said, "Give me control of your body."
The three men stared tensely at the young man who was talking to himself. Yu Daohen chuckled, then casually plunged the Kang Long Jian into the ground, the force of it sinking into the bluestone pavement.
Seeing that the three men made no move, Yu Daohen shook his head helplessly and said, "The so-called Divine Religion is nothing more than this."
The other man's eyes turned cold. He took a step forward and charged at Yu Daohen, his fist clenched and aimed at Yu Daohen's face as he lunged.
Yu Daohen lightly chuckled as he saw the incoming fist. He raised his hand and caught the charging fist. As the man attempted to lift his leg, he heard the sound of bones shattering, followed by a scream that echoed throughout the entire street. The man immediately fell to his knees.
Seeing his companion in danger, the other man drew his short saber and slashed at Yu Daohen. Yu Daohen, seeing the other man attacking him with a saber, moved his body strangely to the right, dodging the incoming blade.
The man, seeing his attack miss, turned to make a second strike. Yu Daohen raised his hand and flicked the man's forehead. His finger, imbued with force, struck the man's forehead. The man froze for a moment, then blood streamed from his seven orifices as he collapsed, a deep indentation on his forehead.
Yu Daohen stared at the middle-aged man and kicked the kneeling man. The man was sent flying by Yu Daohen's kick, crashing into the wall and ceasing to breathe.
Yu Daohen sighed and shook his head, looking at the man and saying, "Only you seem to have some substance."
"If you kill me, do you know the consequences? The Divine Religion will not let you go," the man said sinisterly.
Upon hearing the man's words, Yu Daohen clutched his head and burst into laughter, "Hahaha, in this world, there is truly no one I dare not provoke."
Seeing that Yu Daohen was unfazed by the Divine Religion, the man took a step back and turned to flee. Yu Daohen, moving like a shadow, instantly lunged towards the man, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him up. His voice dripped with disdain, "When I was killing people, Shen Tianming didn't even know where he was muddling about."
Just as he was about to exert more force, a fireball flew towards Yu Daohen. Yu Daohen waved his left hand, and the fireball was slapped back.
A figure emerged from the explosion of the fireball. Yu Daohen narrowed his eyes, observing the figure whose face was obscured by a hat.
The mysterious person glanced at the man in Yu Daohen's hand and coughed dryly, "Li Tiandao, the Left Envoy of the Divine Religion, greets you, my lord!"
Yu Daohen's brow furrowed, and he asked curiously, "You know who I am!"
Li Tiandao clasped his hands respectfully and pointed to the sky, "Straight to the heavens, thirty thousand miles high, a single tear scatters in all directions. Alas, the times have changed."
A killing intent surged within Yu Daohen. He tightened his grip, snapping the man's neck. He then tossed the body aside and cursed, "You're seeking death."
The mysterious person chuckled. As Yu Daohen prepared to move, a gust of black wind swept through. Yu Daohen narrowed his eyes. When the wind subsided, the mysterious person had also vanished from the street.
Yu Daohen let out a cold snort. He condensed his palm, and three flames appeared in his palm. He waved them towards the three corpses, and the moment they touched the flames, they ignited.
He pulled out the Kang Long Jian, pushed open the door, and walked in. Just as he closed the door, the white mist separated from Yu Daohen's body and drifted towards the backyard. The scales on his arm began to recede, and his eyes returned to normal.
Yu Daohen sighed. Before he could take another step, his body felt as if it had been instantly drained. He collapsed to his knees, completely devoid of strength.
Late at night, in a villa, a figure gazed out at the night scenery. A person knelt behind him, saying, "That's how things happened."
The figure let out a sinister chuckle, "So, the rumors are true."
Author's Notes:
This month will mostly be one update per day. But don't worry, starting next month, there will be two updates daily. With ample time, I'll go on a posting spree. I'm currently short on supporting characters. If anyone has ideas for characters, feel free to comment with their names and special abilities.