Do It! . . .
Suddenly, an intense coldness enveloped the area, as if the chill itself had descended from the heavens to the mortal world.
The suppressive force blanketed everyone in an instant.
Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, a chorus of surprised exclamations filled the air.
"Let's attack together!"
"Damn it! She's an incredibly powerful cultivator!"
Their exclamations echoed.
– Bang, bang, bang, bang! –
Shock rippled through the Saint Sunlight Sect members, and they swiftly retaliated.
Each of them was a Dao Origin Stage cultivator, and they keenly sensed the murderous intent bearing down on them.
The force was formidable enough to claim the life of anyone in its path!
In the blink of an eye, the dark cloud dissipated.
The sky returned to its former brightness.
Xuan Bing remained where she stood, clad in her black attire and a large rain hat. It seemed as if she hadn't budged an inch.
However, right in front of her, a man stood.
It was the middle-aged man.
The other Saint Sunlight Sect members appeared terror-stricken. They gazed at Xuan Bing with fear etched on their faces. Three of them had blood trickling from their mouths, signifying severe injuries.
Even the white-bearded old man's visage had paled, and his right hand was trembling. A gash between his thumb and index finger was visible.
The dark cloud had obscured Xuan Bing's movements, but the four fastest among the nineteen men had reacted swiftly. They all launched palm strikes at her.
This was a confrontation between superior cultivators. Even though the four of them attacked Xuan Bing together, they failed to overcome her!
They sustained injuries!
The white-bearded old man was the mightiest among the nineteen men, but he too was wounded.
The other three suffered even more severe injuries.
The injuries to their hands were secondary. After striking their palms, Xuan Bing was still brimming with power. She casually retreated and effortlessly apprehended the middle-aged man. Her movements appeared almost effortless.
The Saint Sunlight Sect members were no longer concerned about these physical injuries. Their thoughts were now consumed by the realization of whom they had dared to provoke. They had subjected her to constant insults.
Terror gripped their hearts. For them, discovering her true identity was a greater calamity than enduring the physical blows.
"Ling Xiao Ice Art!"
The white-bearded old man's face lost all color. He examined his injured right hand and exclaimed. Although his hand was nearly broken, it wasn't the pain that made him cry out. What terrified him was that his right hand had turned an ashen white, resembling white jade!
This indicated that he had been struck by the Ling Xiao Ice Art, the unique martial art of Misty Cloud Palace!
Within Misty Cloud Palace, only one individual possessed the ability to wield this martial art with such finesse.
Xuan Bing!
The Great Elder Xuan Bing of Misty Cloud Palace!
When they realized this, the nineteen men felt their hope disintegrate as if the once-bright sky had turned completely dark.
[This is a complete disaster...]
After much contemplation, they had finally reached a consensus: there would be no surprises during this encounter. That's why they had been hurling insults recklessly. However, after all the humiliation and denigration, they had inadvertently antagonized the woman they dreaded most in their lives!
The feeling was indescribable...
They were like lost souls, their minds vacant, as they stared at the woman in the black attire...
Prior to this, Xuan Bing had never revealed herself in the realm. She always moved within that dark cloud.
The Saint Sunlight Sect members had been so convinced that it wasn't Xuan Bing. At the very least, they believed she had headed south to confront Xue Danru in a battle!
They struggled to comprehend why she was here.
[What is happening?]
[Han Bingxue... was plotting this all along... He wanted us to fall into this enormous trouble!]
[Even if we're unlucky... this is beyond unfortunate! We didn't deserve this...]
The most unfortunate individual was undoubtedly the middle-aged man who stood before Xuan Bing. His once-handsome face was now drained of color.
He felt like he was trapped in a never-ending nightmare.
It was a horrific nightmare he could never have fathomed.
What a catastrophe!
[I taunted her, insulted her with every offensive word I could think of... And it turns out I've crossed paths with Xuan Bing?]
[The woman I dread the most?]
[This is...]
[A nightmare is nothing compared to this grim reality.]
[Now I'm ensnared. I stand right before her.]
He had considered ending his own life, even made attempts to do so. Yet, no matter how many times he tried, he couldn't succeed.
Of course, he couldn't. He was under Xuan Bing's control.
Swiftly, Xuan Bing moved and sent him tumbling to the floor with a kick. She lowered her head and spoke dispassionately, "You have quite the silver tongue, don't you? Tell me your name now. I must know the name of such a capable man."
The man's complexion had turned pallid. He muttered, "Great Elder... I... I didn't know... it was you... I deserve to die... I shouldn't have spoken those words... Ahhh!"
Before he could finish, he let out a piercing scream. His face contorted in agony.
One of his arms started to swell in a grotesque manner.
It swelled larger and larger with each passing moment, taking on the appearance of white jade. After a while, it was as thick as his leg, and it showed no signs of stopping. The sleeve of his robe began to tear, yet the expansion continued.
The veins on his arm twisted as though they were living creatures.
Describing the sensation was difficult; it was excruciatingly painful.
Xuan Bing regarded him and remarked, "Hmm. I see. You're saying that you didn't realize it was me. So, it's right for you to have spoken those words without hesitation. You feel no guilt about humiliating a woman as long as you didn't know it was me. Is that it? In other words, if it weren't me here but some other woman, you could insult her to your heart's content and do as you pleased, correct?"