Li Hanyuan walked out of the shop and stood on the steps at the entrance, staring coldly at Su Wan’er sprawled on the ground.
His face had already regained its composure; the momentary shock from before had vanished.
A crowd had gathered on the street. Though the alley was remote, the commotion from the fight had drawn the attention of cultivators from several nearby streets.
People murmured among themselves, their eyes darting back and forth. A few cultivators recognized the inner disciple robe of the Tianlan Sect on Li Hanyuan and whispered about it, but no one dared step forward.
The Tianlan Sect was not the most powerful force, but neither was it something ordinary rogue cultivators could afford to provoke.
“Fellow Daoist, what do you mean by this?”
Ruan Se was still crouched beside Su Wan’er, one hand cradling the back of the girl’s head.
She looked up, her amber eyes coldly fixed on Li Hanyuan.
“Private fights are forbidden in Yunze Market. Don’t you know that? Aren’t you afraid the Enforcement Hall will come for you?”
Li Hanyuan’s gaze paused on Ruan Se for a moment.
He didn’t want to stir up more trouble, so he suppressed his impatience and cupped his hands.
“Fellow Daoist, you may not know this, but this woman was originally a direct disciple under the Sect Leader of my Tianlan Sect. She secretly fled the sect a few months ago, and the sect has been searching for her ever since.”
“Today, Li happened to encounter her here and was simply disciplining a wayward disciple. This is an internal affair of the Tianlan Sect. No matter how broad the authority of Yunze Market’s Enforcement Hall, surely they wouldn’t meddle in a sect’s right to manage its own disciples, would they?”
His words sounded fair and reasonable, spoken loudly—clearly intended for all the surrounding cultivators to hear.
Sure enough, a few people in the crowd nodded, seemingly acknowledging his point. Cleaning up one’s own sect was indeed a private matter; outsiders had no business interfering.
“As for the losses incurred by your shop…”
Li Hanyuan swept his gaze over the scattered spiritual herbs and magic artifacts scattered across the ground.
“The Tianlan Sect will send someone later to negotiate compensation. Not a single coin will be missing.”
With that, he lifted the hem of his robe and turned to leave.
Zhou Ruoshui, standing behind him, had remained silent the entire time.
She stood half a step behind Li Hanyuan, her gaze fixed on Su Wan’er.
Back in the Tianlan Sect, she had always disliked Su Wan’er, and now someone had finally taken out her frustrations for her.
“Wait.”
Ruan Se gently placed Su Wan’er on the ground and stood up.
“You keep saying this young woman is a disciple of your sect. Words are empty—do you have any proof? Her disciple token? The sect roster? Without those, this isn’t disciplining a disciple, it’s assault in broad daylight. The Enforcement Hall will be here soon. If you’re truly confident, why not stay and clarify before you leave?”
Li Hanyuan turned around, a flicker of impatience in his eyes.
Su Wan’er’s token had been confiscated back at Si Guo Cliff, and the sect roster was not something he carried on his person.
“Fellow Daoist, why must you persist?”
Li Hanyuan’s tone grew heavier.
“The Tianlan Sect has no reason to lie about such a trivial matter. I have urgent business today and cannot stay long. Whatever it is, we can discuss it another time. The sect will send someone to explain to Yunze Market when the time comes.”
He turned on his heel, no longer paying any attention to Ruan Se, and strode away.
Just as his foot was about to leave, a Sword Intent came slashing through the air from the end of the street.
The sword intent was silent, yet it made every person present’s hair stand on end.
The dozens of cultivators watching felt as if an invisible hand had clamped down on their throats. The murmurs of discussion ceased in an instant, replaced only by gasps of astonishment.
Li Hanyuan’s foot froze mid-step.
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
He had never felt a Sword Intent like this before.
A Foundation Establishment-stage middle-aged rogue cultivator’s legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.
His companion tried to help him up, only to realize his own hands were shaking.
Then, the crowd silently split open, and Lai Li’an walked in through the gap.
His chest heaved violently, his breathing rapid.
Though he looked disheveled, no one found him amusing.
Lai Li’an’s gaze swept past everyone and landed on a pale-faced young woman.
Su Wan’er’s moon-white dress was stained with blood.
Her eyelashes were tightly shut.
Not long ago, she had been lively and full of energy.
Lai Li’an’s heart clenched.
He walked closer, bent down, and gently brushed the stray hair from Su Wan’er’s forehead.
His fingers trembled slightly when they touched her icy skin.
Then he straightened up, his gaze slowly sweeping across the surroundings.
“Who did this?”
The eyes of the surrounding cultivators involuntarily fell on the same person.
Li Hanyuan, standing at the center of attention, felt his heart skip a beat.
He instinctively took half a step back, then stopped himself.
His Spiritual Sense quickly swept over Lai Li’an.
Mid Golden Core.
Yes, just Mid Golden Core.
He took a deep breath, forcing the fear down bit by bit.
Just a Mid Golden Core.
That Sword Intent earlier was probably nothing but a bluff.
“So what if it was me?”
Li Hanyuan straightened his back, a hint of mockery creeping into his voice.
“Private fights are forbidden in Yunze Market. Fellow Daoist, surely you wouldn’t attack me?”
Zhou Ruoshui stood behind him, watching Lai Li’an from the start.
She was more cautious and sharper than Li Hanyuan.
That Sword Intent had felt far too real.
But her senior brother’s reasoning had merit. The rules of Yunze Market were clear, and the Enforcement Hall would arrive any moment. No matter how strong this man was, he wouldn’t kill someone in broad daylight.
Reassured by that thought, she watched coldly, ready for whatever came next.
Whether a fight broke out or not, she didn’t care.
Li Hanyuan carried a protective artifact personally refined by their master—it could withstand even a full-force blow from a Golden Core Peak cultivator.
No matter how imposing this man’s aura, it would be wasted effort.
She even began plotting in her mind how to report Su Wan’er’s situation to their master after her senior brother dealt with this man.
She would say that Su Wan’er had been taken away by an unknown person in Yunze Market, whereabouts unknown, and that her senior brother had done his best to investigate but returned empty-handed.
Ruan Se stood still, glaring at Li Hanyuan’s self-righteous face, feeling a surge of disgust.
This man had nearly killed a Foundation Establishment-stage girl with a single palm strike, and now he stood here preaching about “private fights forbidden in Yunze Market,” as if he were the one following the rules.
But she truly had no proof.
If Su Wan’er really was a Tianlan Sect disciple, then in legal terms, this was the sect’s internal business, and an outsider couldn’t interfere.
“I don’t give a damn!”
Lai Li’an’s voice burst from his throat, every word seething with scorching Killing Intent.
“You hurt my disciple—then pay with your life!”
His hand reached into his robes, and his fingertips touched the edge of that Talisman.
Li Hanyuan adopted a defensive stance, his right palm slightly raised.
A mass of crimson Spiritual Power had already condensed in his palm.
A smirk even tugged at the corner of his mouth.
A cultivator a minor realm lower dared to face him head-on?
His protective artifact was an Earth-grade Upper-tier Defensive Artifact personally refined by his master.
It could block even a full-force strike from a Golden Core Peak cultivator.
If this man truly dared to make a move, he wouldn’t mind cleaning up one more ignorant Rogue Cultivator for the sect.
Lai Li’an tore the talisman apart.
The world lost its color.
A vicious Sword Mark appeared in the sky.
The Spiritual Qi in the air was ripped toward the sword mark by an irresistible force.
Li Hanyuan’s pupils contracted sharply.
He watched as the Sword Mark in the sky slowly transformed into a translucent giant sword.
That giant sword hung above his head, making his soul scream.
Every bit of battle experience he had accumulated over decades of cultivation became meaningless in that instant.
This was not a power he could comprehend.
This was not something he was meant to face.
“Are you kidding me…”
Li Hanyuan let out a bitter laugh.
He finally understood that the Sword Intent earlier had not been a bluff—on the contrary, it was the residual power of this Talisman in its sealed state.
And now, the seal was broken.
Zhou Ruoshui collapsed behind him, her face twisted beyond recognition.
Her hands clawed desperately at Li Hanyuan’s robe.
“Senior brother, save me! Senior brother!”
Li Hanyuan wanted to answer her, wanted to turn and pull her up, but his body no longer obeyed.
The giant sword suspended above them locked onto them firmly.
The Sword Intent was vast as the ocean, pressing in on him from all sides.
His vaunted Earth-grade Upper-tier Protective Artifact began to crack inch by inch.
Li Hanyuan’s legs finally gave way, his knees crashing heavily against the ground.
The sword light fell.
The earth trembled three times.
Then, everything returned to dead silence.
When the crowd’s vision cleared, they saw Li Hanyuan still kneeling in his original position, his head tilted upward as if staring at the descending sword light.
His entire form still retained the outline of his living body.
Then a breeze blew by.
His body dissolved into a fine puff of ash, scattering with the wind.
Beside him, Zhou Ruoshui lay curled up, also reduced to a pile of ash.
One strike.
Two people.
No remains.
The watching cultivators stood frozen in place.
Not a single person spoke.
Not a single person moved.
Everyone stared in the same direction—at the man bending down to lift the unconscious young woman into his arms.
Lai Li’an carried Su Wan’er and turned, walking toward the end of the street.
The crowd parted to make way for him automatically.
No one dared say a word.
No one dared even look.
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