Things didn't turn out the way Lin Fan had imagined at all.
Originally, his plan was to sit back and wait for both sides to suffer heavy losses, then descend like a god from the heavens, grab his broadsword, and pummel the Black Fox Demon into a pulp, rescuing Wang Zhou and the others from their dire straits.
But now, the situation had taken a turn.
Chen Zhong's act of playing dumb was too convincing, and he was clearly aiming to reap the spoils.
What a pain.
His gaze locked onto Chen Zhong. Damn it, kid, couldn't you just enjoy being a good-for-nothing rich brat?
Did you have to keep a hidden trump card?
Couldn't you let a guy with no money, no backing, and no prospects get a bit of benefit?
The battle was nearing its end.
Bang!
Bang!
The Black Fox Demon separated from Wang Zhou and the others.
Li Zhiyong's sword was embedded in the Black Fox Demon's body, while Li himself had been torn open by the demon's claws. His flesh was mangled, blood flowed endlessly, and his breath was so weak that he couldn't lift his hand anymore.
It wasn't just Li Zhiyong—Wang Zhou and the others were in a similar state. They had fought to a mutual stalemate, their injuries were severe, and any slightly capable cultivator could easily finish them off now.
The Black Fox Demon tried to push itself up with its forelimbs, attempting to stand, but its current condition made that impossible.
"Mr. Chen, don't be afraid. Pick up the sword and cut off its head," Wang Zhou urged, looking at Chen Zhong. At this point, Chen Zhong was their only hope.
They were all desperately trying to recover. If the Black Fox Demon recovered first, they were doomed.
He didn't know if Chen Zhong dared to act.
After all, he was just a spoiled young master, idle and useless.
If it weren't for his peculiar hobbies, none of this would've happened.
He bore full responsibility.
"I can't, I really can't do it! You guys kill it yourselves!" Chen Zhong said timidly.
Wang Zhou struggled to speak, "We can't move anymore! Hurry up and kill it! It's a demon—it recovers much faster than we do. If it regains its strength, we're all dead!"
Clang!
Suddenly.
A sound echoed.
Everyone strained to turn their heads, only to see Chen Zhong actually holding his nine-ringed saber. He was casually waving it, letting the blade scrape the ground.
"So it's true, none of you can move."
At this moment, there was no trace of panic on Chen Zhong's face. Instead, he wore a faint smile, a transformation that left everyone in utter shock.
"What are you doing?" Wang Zhou felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
"What am I doing? Naturally, I'm thanking you. Thank you for fighting the demon to mutual destruction. Thank you for wearing yourselves out to the point where you can't move, allowing me to reap the rewards."
"It wasn't in vain that I painfully eliminated seventy-six members of my own family just to lure you into the trap."
Chen Zhong lifted the saber and started circling them, speaking leisurely.
"You…" Wang Zhou's face showed shock and disbelief. His eyes widened as if he couldn't comprehend that all of this was orchestrated by Chen Zhong.
"That's right. Seven martial experts falling into my hands. This is enough to boost my cultivation to new heights." Chen Zhong narrowed his eyes, his expression turning sinister. "Don't bother struggling. For so-called experts, didn't you notice something odd in the air from the start?"
"I truly envy you noble-family young masters, gifted with talent for cultivation. Meanwhile, although I'm wealthy, I'm talentless in cultivation and can't access advanced techniques."
"But sometimes, if you search hard enough, there's always a way."
And with that.
Chen Zhong approached Liu Ru, grabbed her chin with two fingers, and tilted her head up. "Didn't you just call me a filthy and disgusting man? Well, fine, I'll show you exactly what filthy and disgusting means. Then I'll lock you in a dungeon and slowly torment you."
"Pah!" Liu Ru spat, glaring at him indignantly. "You despicable thing! If you dare harm us, you're as good as dead!"
"Hahaha…" Chen Zhong laughed with his hands behind his back. "Dead? How will I die? You've perished alongside the demon—what does that have to do with me?"
Lin Fan watched secretly.
How frustrating.
He really wanted to switch places with Chen Zhong. He hadn't expected Chen Zhong to seize such an opportunity.
He also wanted to rush out and duel Chen Zhong for three hundred rounds.
But his strength didn't allow it.
Suddenly.
Whoosh!
Liu Ru used all her remaining strength to fling her whip, the coil spinning and binding Chen Zhong tightly.
"Courting death!"
Chen Zhong roared, grabbing the whip with one hand and yanking Liu Ru toward him, delivering a swift kick to her body.
Liu Ru, already seriously injured and merely making a last-ditch effort, was flung backward from the blow, spitting a mouthful of fresh blood mid-air.
"Junior Sister Liu…" Li Zhiyong cried out, but his body was entirely powerless. All he could do was glare with rage, wishing he could tear Chen Zhong to pieces.
Lin Fan almost couldn't bear to watch. Such ruthlessness—even towards a woman.
But when he thought about Chen Zhong finishing off Wang Zhou and the others, he realized hiding here merely delayed the inevitable.
His hand slowly moved to the hilt of the blade at his waist. He hesitated. Should he make a move or not?
At that moment.
Chen Zhong turned his back to Lin Fan, busy untying the whip around himself.
"One chance."
"Let's do this."
Lin Fan summoned the pitiful one year of cultivation he had, stomping hard on the ground. With Wild Boar Charge, he focused all his strength on his head and, with a yell, crashed toward Chen Zhong's lower back.
"Don't worry, everyone! I've got this!"
He was risking it all. While using Wild Boar Charge, he felt his speed suddenly surge. That single year of cultivation was circulating along some strange path in his body, unleashing hidden strength.
"Huh?"
Chen Zhong was aghast. How was someone still left standing? As he turned around, a violent blow struck his lower back.
"My kidney…"
Chen Zhong arched backward, his mouth flying open, tongue extended, eyes bulging. With a crack, not only did it feel like his kidney was about to explode, but there were also signs of broken bones.
"So much pain."
Lin Fan felt like his head was about to split open. It was pure agony, as if his brain was about to burst.
But now wasn't the time to cry about the pain.
Clang!
He drew his blade.
With a roar, he swung.
The blade cuts the stream, but the water flows on—his own invented sword skill.
"Butt-Crack Cleave!"
Lin Fan didn't know any actual sword skills, but that didn't stop him from making some up. Holding the blade pointed downward, he whipped it upward with all his might, the edge slicing between Chen Zhong's legs.
Splurt!
Lin Fan stood with his back to Chen Zhong, glancing at the blood dripping from his blade. He knew the strike had devastating effects. He flicked the blood off the blade before silently sheathing it.
His head still throbbed, and the cracks in his Heavenly Spirit Cover felt like they were widening.
But he couldn't show weakness now.
Everyone was watching.
How could he lose face?
"Gentlemen, I arrived just in time, didn't I?" As the blade clicked into its sheath, Lin Fan calmly turned around, glanced at the bleeding-out Chen Zhong lying on the ground, and promptly stopped paying attention.
He was already dead.
Dead men weren't worth bothering with.
Wang Zhou and the others stared at Lin Fan in stunned silence. This...
...was completely unexpected.
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