Word spread like wildfire across half of Azure Sea City that a total jerk, who clearly didn't know how to treat a lady, had won the martial arts tournament for the princess's hand and had the audacity to snatch Princess Emily's bracelet right in front of everyone.
People were heartbroken and furious.
Princess Emily was the dream girl of countless people in the Phoenix Kingdom.
And now, some nobody had come out of nowhere and taken something so personal from her, even making her cry uncontrollably.
Any man worth his salt wouldn't stand for this!
"We can't let that scumbag Timothy get away. Catch him!"
"How dare he break Princess Emily's heart! He's going to pay with his life!"
Many skilled fighters, too old to participate in the tournament, were seething with rage.
Powerful presences emerged throughout Azure Sea City.
Meanwhile, near the city gates, Timothy and Sylvia were leisurely enjoying the bustling lights.
Timothy bought a beautiful kite from a street vendor, and as it neared the Rainbow Lotus, it suddenly took on a spectrum of dazzling colors.
The kite shimmered, looking stunning against the night sky.
"I'm really not into this kind of stuff," Sylvia tried to look away.
"It's not that you're not interested, you probably just don't know how to fly a kite," Timothy chuckled, spinning the string as the colorful kite danced in the wind.
In the dark of the night, the radiant colors of the kite were especially striking.
Looking up, a rare look of simple longing appeared on Sylvia's usually cool face.
Timothy handed her the kite string, smiling. "Give it a try."
"I'm not really into this kind of..." Sylvia started to say but then bit her tongue and took the string.
"Weird, it's harder than it looks."
In her hands, the string swayed with the wind but was completely out of control.
The kite wobbled as if it was about to crash.
"It should be flown like this." Timothy bent down at that moment and steadied her arm.
Suddenly, the kite stabilized.
Sylvia's cheeks flushed. "I get it now!"
"Get what?" Timothy asked.
Sylvia bit her lip, her face tinged with blush. "Are you really trying to fly this kite, or are you just trying to get close to me?"
Timothy didn't back down but grinned cheekily. "Guilty as charged. I can't help it,you're a goddess who's cool on the outside but warm inside, cute and beautiful. There's no one else like you in the whole world."
"You!" Sylvia was at a loss for words.
She just gently tugged at the kite string, using the kite to cover half her face, her voice soft, "Be careful, there are so many people around. If someone hears..."
"So what if they hear? I'm only speaking the truth from my heart."
"Well, even if that's true..."
Under the dim lights, they watched the kite dance in the sky.
For a moment, Sylvia entertained a thought she'd never had before.
Maybe, just maybe, having someone to love and live a peaceful life with wouldn't be so bad.
...
"Catch him, that bastard Timothy!"
"Finally found you, kid! How dare you hurt Princess Emily like this, you're going to pay!"
Suddenly, several voices erupted, drawing a crowd's attention.
Realizing it was indeed Timothy, hundreds of figures converged towards the city gates.
Most were cultivators filled with rage, many possessing substantial Energy Foundation strength.
Timothy seemed utterly unfazed, casually draping an arm over Sylvia's shoulder.
Sylvia blinked. "What are you doing?"
"Embrace me."
"Um?"
"I haven't mastered Gale Force Levitation yet,I can't fly!"
"But... this..."
"No worries, I'll just have to carry you back later."
"Always the smooth talker." Sylvia, annoyed, pinched Timothy's ticklish spot under his arm.
But she ended up wrapping her arms around Timothy's waist, lifting him up in a princess carry with her slender arms, and then, holding him, they soared into the sky.
"Think you can escape just because you can fly? Amateur tricks in the face of experts!" The pursuing cultivators, some of whom were quite powerful, also took to the skies in hot pursuit.
In an instant, people converged from all directions like a giant net, trapping Sylvia, who was still holding Timothy, in the middle.
They surged forward like a flood.
Among these people were not only numerous furious Energy Foundation cultivators but also a few Mystic Core powerhouses.
With such a formidable encirclement, no one believed Timothy had any chance of escape.
"Catch him!"
At a commanding shout, the circle rapidly tightened.
With rolling anger, the cultivators unleashed their magical treasures, charging forward.
Within this impenetrable net, Sylvia merely turned her head coldly for a glance.
Her face was obscured by a veil, making it difficult for anyone to see clearly.
But as her clear, autumnal eyes swept over them, suddenly, everyone felt as if they were frozen by intense cold.
"That aura!"
People's eyes widened as they felt their bodies shiver uncontrollably.
In that moment, it was as if they had fallen into an abyss, swallowed by boundless fear.
An overwhelming pressure, as if it could eclipse the sun and moon, gripped everyone's throats.
The terrifying oppression nearly suffocated them.
"Sta..." The leader, a highly respected Mystic Core powerhouse, tried to shout.
But before he could finish,
With a "puff," to the horror of the onlookers,
A hole was blasted through his abdomen.
The middle-aged cultivator's eyes widened in disbelief.
His body could no longer support itself,blood flowed uncontrollably, and like a kite with its string cut, he fell from the sky.
"He killed a Mystic Core powerhouse with one strike!"
At this moment, watching this unbelievable scene, everyone else felt a chill run down their spine, their bodies freezing in place.
Combined with that brief, terrifying pressure they had just experienced,
A wave of fear spread through everyone's hearts.
The terrifying pressure that could shake mountains and rivers had instantly slain a Mystic Core powerhouse!
That woman in the veil, there was definitely something off about her!
"Who is this formidable being with such terrifying power!"
The cultivators were terrified, retreating continuously.
Looking at that slender, delicate figure, no one dared to advance any further.
Although they wanted to avenge Princess Emily, nothing was more important than their lives.
Even without engaging in battle, they could clearly feel,
If that ethereal woman truly wished, killing them would be as easy as eating or drinking!