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Lei Kuo's eyes lost their luster, and he collapsed onto the ground, staring blankly at the sky.
He didn't understand why Lin Qian dared to kill him.
Why was Lin Qian so strong, Lei Qian so powerful, and those three thousand soldiers actually had the strength of the Ninth Level of the Nirvana Realm.
"Is this retribution?" Lei Kuo murmured as he gazed at the azure sky. The last gleam in his eyes faded away, and he took his last breath.
Lin Qian stepped down from the thirty-sixth martial arts contest stage and walked past Bai Ren and the others, "Stay at the outer sect and focus on your cultivation these days. Don't think about looking for me."
After saying this, Lin Qian took Lei Qian and headed towards the entrance of the contest ground, followed by the armored soldiers in grand procession.
The gathered disciples who came to watch spontaneously made way for them, their eyes filled with awe.
As Lin Qian left the contest stage, the barrier was already lifted, and the elder steward in a black cloak had already descended to the ground.
Watching Lin Qian's departing figure, his expression was extremely complex.
According to the sect's rules, Lin Qian, having killed Lei Kuo in this contest, should be stopped from leaving.
Even though he was an elder steward, he considered himself not having the power to stop him.
Per the sect's regulation, an elder steward cannot be attacked by a disciple unless he suppresses, humiliates, or insults them.
The Discipline Elder and two Punishment Elders of the Discipline Hall were ruthless figures radiating terrifying auras.
And Lin Qian, a person who would kill the Punishment Elder's grandson on a mere whim, could possibly not take him seriously.
In the end, this elder steward could only watch Lin Qian leave helplessly.
All he could do was report the incident to the Sect Master.
After leaving the contest ground and entering the dense forest, Lei Qian was still in shock, "I really didn't expect my strength to progress to this extent."
After losing to Lin Qian, the discussions within the Wanxiang Sect made Lei Qian doubt whether his strength was truly only the tenth among the Inner Sect Disciples, and whether his grandfather, Lei Heng, had secretly helped him.
Moreover, during these days of cultivation with Lin Qian, he had no means to fight back, almost always being suppressed.
What's worse, he was being suppressed even when Lin Qian was holding back!
Gradually, Lei Qian even felt somewhat inferior.
As a result, after taking action today, Lei Kuo, who was difficult to defeat in the past, seemed powerless under his blows.
In his eyes, Lei Kuo's moves were childish, his speed slow, and his strength and soul power weak.
At that moment, Lei Qian only felt like a strong adult man toying with an infant-like Lei Kuo.
"Never doubt yourself. To become a strong person, you must have confidence!" Lin Qian, walking ahead, suddenly spoke to Lei Qian.
Lei Qian looked up, visibly surprised that Lin Qian would suddenly say such a thing to him.
"You can reflect on your shortcomings and then make yourself stronger, but never think you are incapable," Lin Qian said with a smile, continuing to walk ahead, "If you don't believe in yourself, how can you become stronger?"
After Lin Qian finished speaking, Lei Qian was momentarily stunned but then smiled and prepared to catch up with him.
However, his body suddenly froze, and he quickly turned around, gasping in surprise.
Turning around, Lei Qian saw only the lush forest before him; the three thousand soldiers and the imposing general were nowhere to be found.
"Where... where are they?" Lei Qian quickly scanned his surroundings in search of the soldiers.
He could only see the traces on the ground affirming that those soldiers had indeed existed.
But reality showed him that the heavily armored soldiers and the general had vanished into thin air.
Between the contest ground and the dwelling peaks for disciples, the dense forest thrived, its lush leaves making the forest seem dark.
In such an environment, coupled with the sudden disappearance of many soldiers, Lei Qian couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine.
"Damn, this is ghostly!" Lei Qian gasped in shock and hurriedly chased after the disappearing figure of Lin Qian.
"Boss, what's going on? Where have all your people gone?" Lei Qian, catching up with Lin Qian, asked in a flustered tone.
Lin Qian turned with a mysterious smile, "Take a guess?"
After that, Lin Qian ignored Lei Qian's stunned expression and continued walking towards Maoqing Mountain.
On the way back to Maoqing Mountain, they had to pass through the main road leading to the mountain gate. As Lin Qian and Lei Qian reached this point, a disciple suddenly ran over in a panic.
Bang!
In his panic, the disciple bumped into Lei Qian and fell to the ground.
Lin Qian glanced over and continued walking nonchalantly.
Frowning, Lei Qian noticed the jade token hanging around this disciple's neck, "You were supposed to be on duty at the mountain gate. Why weren't you there, and why the rush?"
The disciple got up from the ground and looked up at Lei Qian, initially stunned, "Brother... Brother Lei Qian?"
"Hmm?"
"Brother Lei, the disciples on patrol found something..."
"Impossible! You are talking nonsense!"
Lei Qian's furious shout was clear even from a distance, and Lin Qian could hear it distinctly.
Turning around, Lin Qian saw Lei Qian grabbing the disciple by the collar and lifting him with a furious glare.
Swoosh!
In a flash, Lin Qian appeared beside Lei Qian and chopped his hand with a quick strike.
Yelping in pain, Lei Qian released his grip, and Lin Qian caught the disciple's shoulder to steady him.
"What are you doing, kid? He only bumped into you; why the shouting? Haven't I told you to treat outer and inner sect disciples equally?" Lin Qian frowned and looked sternly at Lei Qian.
Rubbing his hand with a gloomy expression, Lei Qian replied, "Boss, he told me something..."
After hearing Lei Qian's words, Lin Qian's eyes widened in disbelief, "No way, what's happening?"
Then Lin Qian hastily shouted to the disciple, "Lead the way quickly, we need to see!"
"Okay!" The disciple nodded, turned, and led the way, with Lin Qian and Lei Qian fast on his heels.
The Wanxiang Sect covered a vast area, encompassing both expansive mountains and broad plains, with a flat land in front of the mountain gate.
A road extended from the mountain gate, surrounded by continuous dense forests.
Fifty miles outside the mountain gate, a hole was dug into the ground, where several Wanxiang Sect disciples were gathered.
"Carefree Yuan is back!"
"It's Brother Lin!"
"That looks like the inner sect's Lei Qian!"
Seeing the newcomers, the Wanxiang Sect disciples exclaimed, and as Lin Qian and Lei Qian approached, they all cupped their hands in salute.
"Brother Lin!"
"Brother Lei!"
Lin Qian nodded in acknowledgment, while Lei Qian rushed to the edge of the hole and, upon seeing what lay within, covered his face and crouched down!
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