26: Give you a surprise gift

Xu Liying heard the shouts and walked to the window, opening a crack to look outside.

She saw a group of richly dressed Martial Artists standing outside the inn.

At their head was a grey-robed Elder, with one person standing on either side of him.

The one who had just shouted seemed to be the person on the left side of the grey-robed Elder.

She heard him continue to bellow, "How dare you kill someone from my Qingyang Sect! You must be tired of living..."

The person shouting was none other than the Guard Leader who had rushed to the Qingyang Sect to report the previous night.

Backed by the Grand Elder of the Qingyang Sect, he originally intended to shout a few more words and show off his authority.

However, after only two shouts, he saw the Elder who had killed people yesterday walk out behind that Youth in White Robes.

He instinctively hid behind the grey-robed Elder, his expression becoming somewhat unnatural.

After all, the scene of Lao Mo killing and destroying evidence yesterday was still vivid in his mind.

Equally unnatural was the expression of the green-robed Elder standing on the right side of the grey-robed Elder.

This person was the Duty Elder (Qingyang Sect) who had interacted with Lin Mu twice.

The Duty Elder (Qingyang Sect), named Luo Sang, saw Lin Mu and the other person, and he involuntarily said, "It's you two?"

The grey-robed Elder asked with some surprise, "Luo Sang, you know them?"

Luo Sang heard the grey-robed Elder's question and dared not delay, quickly replying,

"Reporting to Grand Elder, these two are the ones who wiped out the entire Zhao Family in Hancheng City a few months ago."

The grey-robed Elder's brows furrowed upon hearing this.

The grey-robed Elder was one of the three remaining Grand Elders of the Qingyang Sect, and his strength was that of a super strong Cultivator in the Venerable Realm Second Heaven.

He had been in seclusion for several years and had just broken through to the Venerable Realm Second Heaven and emerged from seclusion today.

But no sooner had he emerged than he heard the news of Tian Yangzi's death.

The three Grand Elders and the Sect Master of the Qingyang Sect were in seclusion all year round.

All matters, big and small, within the sect were decided by the Elders.

This was also why the Qingyang Sect did not immediately seek revenge on Lin Mu after Tian Yangzi was killed.

Originally, the grey-robed Elder planned to first come to Qingyang City, deal with the flower thief who was harming Qingyang City, and then go to Yunzhou to seek revenge on Lin Mu.

He didn't expect that he wouldn't have to make an extra trip after all!

The grey-robed Elder stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Lin Mu with cold eyes.

"It was you two who cruelly murdered my Qingyang Sect Disciples?"

Lin Mu scanned everyone, his gaze falling on the grey-robed Elder who had spoken.

"Your Qingyang Sect prides itself on being a righteous sect, yet your Disciples frame others and falsely accuse innocent people."

"By killing them, I have also eradicated a cancerous growth for your Qingyang Sect."

The grey-robed Elder heard Lin Mu's arrogant words, and the coldness in his eyes intensified.

"What a glib-tongued scoundrel, committing evil deeds in my Qingyang City."

"Your methods of killing are extremely cruel, practically no different from the Demonic Path."

"Today, this old man will have no choice but to act on behalf of the Dao."

As soon as his voice fell, the grey-robed Elder's robes flapped without wind.

A black thundercloud gathered a hundred meters above his head.

He raised his right hand, two fingers forming a sword, and pointed at the cloud, shouting, "Come, lightning!"

As his hand movement changed, thunder roared in the cloud.

A bolt of lightning shot down, transforming into a sword-shaped lightning arc on his fingertip.

This was precisely his unique skill, Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.

This Divine Ability was immensely powerful; any Cultivator below the Venerable Realm would surely die if struck by it.

Even a Venerable Realm Physical Body would be severely injured if hit.

Seeing the lightning sword take shape, the grey-robed Elder made a downward chopping motion with his finger.

The lightning sword suddenly transformed into a giant sword tens of meters long, cleaving down towards Lin Mu and the other person.

The giant sword's shadow stopped an inch above Lin Mu and the other person's heads, unable to descend any further.

Lao Mo flicked the giant sword with his finger and softly said, "Disperse."

What happened next left everyone dumbfounded!

The lightning giant sword dispersed in response, and even the thundercloud above vanished.

The grey-robed Elder was equally shaken, and just as he was about to unleash another Divine Ability,

A giant palm, formed from spiritual energy, grabbed at him.

The palm arrived in the blink of an eye, and the grey-robed Elder had no time to dodge, getting caught squarely.

After the giant hand grabbed the grey-robed Elder, Lao Mo's voice sounded again: "Die."

As the word "Die" fell, the giant hand's five fingers closed, gripping the grey-robed Elder in its palm.

In just a moment, the giant hand slowly disappeared, and with it, the figure of the grey-robed Elder.

The esteemed Grand Elder of the Qingyang Sect, a strong Cultivator of the Venerable Realm Second Heaven, was annihilated, body and soul, without a sound!

From the moment the grey-robed Elder made his move until his complete annihilation, it was actually only a matter of a few breaths.

The people of the Qingyang Sect stood frozen in place, still reeling from the shock.

Lin Mu suddenly flashed in front of Luo Sang.

Luo Sang was so startled by Lin Mu's sudden appearance that he collapsed onto the ground, cold sweat unknowingly covering his forehead.

"Elder, we truly are fated, meeting three times in just a few months," Lin Mu said with a faint smile, looking at Luo Sang.

Luo Sang was already scared out of his wits at this point, and after stammering for a long time,

He only managed to say a few words: "Yes, yes, yes, we are indeed fated."

Luo Sang's voice even began to tremble as he spoke.

"Since we are so fated, how about I give you a big gift?" Lin Mu said casually.

Luo Sang's nerves were taut, and he lowered his head, not daring to meet Lin Mu's gaze.

He could only ask again, uneasily, "What gift?"

Lin Mu smiled mysteriously at him.

"A delightful surprise."

Lin Mu's words were like a switch.

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a Man in Black being conjured by Lao Mo, thrown in front of Luo Sang.

Luo Sang looked down at the Man in Black.

When he clearly saw the Man in Black's face, he couldn't help but exclaim:

"Isn't this the Young Master of the Yunzhou Lin Family? Why is he appearing here in this attire?"

Then he looked up and asked, "Young Master Lin, what is the meaning of this?"

Lin Mu didn't answer but instead asked, "Do you recognize this person?"

Luo Sang nodded and said, "Of course I recognize him. This person is from the Yunzhou Lin Family, and he has been Cultivating in my Qingyang Sect recently."

"It's good that you recognize him. Since he's Cultivating in your Qingyang Sect,"

"He can be considered a person from your Qingyang Sect. Do you know why he was captured by me?"

Luo Sang shook his head, indicating he didn't know.

"It's alright, you'll know in a moment."

Lao Mo heard this and stepped forward, understanding the unspoken command.

His palm once again pressed on Lin Xi's head, who was still unconscious.

Then, a mirror, an illusion of the God-Beating Whip, appeared before everyone's eyes.

To allow everyone around to see the images in the mirror,

Lao Mo threw the mirror into the air, and it suddenly enlarged dozens of times.

In the mirror, Lin Xi was shown how he plundered young women in the city.

How he used the women's blood essence to Cultivate Demonic Techniques.

And how he framed Lin Mu, all clearly displayed before everyone's eyes.

Everyone in the city who saw this scene showed angry expressions.

The family members of the missing young women were even more tearful.

"Kill him! Avenge those poor people who died!"

For a time, shouts shook the heavens.

Luo Sang thought sadly, "The reputation of the Qingyang Sect is probably completely ruined now."

Lin Mu looked at this scene, knowing his goal had been achieved.

This was the effect he wanted.

After all, the more leverage he had, the more benefits he could obtain from the Qingyang Sect.