As soon as Xin Yuan spoke, the aura of his opponents became disjointed and less intimidating.
What... what was that? How could someone speak so crudely?
The originally tense and deadly atmosphere suddenly felt less serious because of his attitude.
Regardless of Xin Yuan's seemingly nonsensical attitude, his strength was undeniable to everyone present.
No one dared to underestimate him anymore. The ice sculptures and the two corpses on the ground served as a stark reminder that the man standing before them was not someone to be trifled with.
The man in the white robe seemed to realize that Xin Yuan was not to be messed with, so he softened his tone a bit.
"Young man, don't be too impulsive. If you turn back now, the Lord will forgive you."
"Your ignorance and foolishness stem from not knowing the truth. Once you understand the Lord's power, you will regret your actions today."
Xin Yuan had no interest in engaging with him. In his view, someone brainwashed by a cult was beyond reasoning with, as their thinking was no longer that of a normal human.
This was something similar to what he had encountered in the world before he transmigrated.
His eyes slowly swept across each person, counting their numbers.
One, two, three... a total of eleven people in black robes, plus the man in white.
Xin Yuan finally responded while regulating his breathing, recovering the energy and strength he had consumed earlier.
"Faith? Back in my hometown, we have similar things. People often worship various so-called 'lords.'"
"Oh?" The man in the white robe was momentarily stunned but then rejoiced as if he had found a kindred spirit. He eagerly asked, "Really? So, who do you serve? Since we're alike, why are you causing us trouble?"
Xin Yuan slowly raised his head, as if recalling something, and after a long pause, he spoke again:
"Who? It's hard to say. There are many, and each one manages a different area."
"Some control the rain, some oversee exams, others are responsible for relationships, childbirth—basically everything you can think of."
"In short, when the time comes, people will worship and pray to them for protection and blessings."
As Xin Yuan spoke, the man in the white robe was half agape, as if transported to paradise, enjoying every word like he was on some sort of drug, muttering to himself:
"Yes, the Lord is omnipotent. The Lord encompasses all things. We should serve Him with all our hearts..."
But then, Xin Yuan's voice interrupted his fantasy once again:
"But, you know, there's a difference where I come from."
"If you profess your love for someone and they accept, you're grateful to the gods. But if they don't, you start cursing them."
"For exams, if you pass, you might bow to the temple and offer money. But if you fail, you'll curse the god's ancestors."
"And for rain, it's even more intense. One day you're setting up altars to worship the Dragon King. The next day, if it doesn't rain, you'll demolish the temple, sink the Dragon King's statue in the river!"
"So, where I'm from, faith is more about 'functionality' and 'fair exchange.' If it works, sure, we'll worship. If not, we move on to another god!"
After Xin Yuan finished speaking, the man in the white robe was dumbfounded.
For a moment, it seemed as if his entire worldview had collapsed. He stared at Xin Yuan, eyes wide as if they would pop out of his head.
"You... you... how can you be so disrespectful? How dare you!!!"
*Cough... cough!*
At that moment, he was so enraged that he could hardly speak, coughing violently, even spitting out blood.
It almost seemed like Xin Yuan's words had nearly driven him to death.
"Boy, you won't get away with this!"
The man in the white robe coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, realizing that Xin Yuan was toying with him. His eyes turned blood-red, looking like a vengeful ghost.
By this time, Xin Yuan had recovered enough. He thrust his hands forward, releasing a fierce wave of cold air from his body, like a flowing glacier surging toward the enemies!
"Get away? You wish!" With a powerful shout, Xin Yuan unleashed his full power!
...
Blades and swords clashed, blue and white colors collided with red in the deserted street.
The battle was intense but surprisingly brief.
Soon, silence returned, as if nothing had happened.
*Huff, huff, huff...*
Xin Yuan's heavy breathing echoed in the quiet night, sounding like an old, worn-out fan.
His frost armor was covered in wounds, many parts shattered and cracked, with corrosive red light emanating from it.
Multiple wounds were faintly visible on his body, though they were temporarily sealed with ice to prevent bleeding.
His messy hair, some strands mixed with blood, clung to his forehead.
But his right hand was firmly gripping the neck of the man in the white robe, like a vice, rendering the opponent unable to move.
And if the scene were to be viewed from a distance...
Around him, in the small square, were eleven lifelike ice sculptures!
And in the center, there was the "meat tumor," encased in ice like a work of art.
Xin Yuan's first battle in this otherworld, 1 vs. 12, ended in complete victory within six minutes.
*Cough... cough...*
The man in the white robe, his throat clutched, stared at the young man's face with bulging eyes.
"How... how could this level of power...?"
"You're so young! How could you have the strength of the Fourth Realm?!"
"Spit!" Xin Yuan spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva and lifted the man by the neck.
"Tell me, who are you people? And what is that meat tumor?"
"Meat tumor!?" The man in the white robe, his eyes bulging, cried out, "How dare you disrespect the divine fetus like that! You..."
In the next second, ice engulfed his feet and began to climb up his legs.
"You'd better not waste my time. Answer my questions before you're fully frozen."
The man in the white robe, shocked, said:
"You... you don't even know who we are? Then why did you interfere with us?!"
Xin Yuan ignored him, and the ice's advance quickened.
Feeling the cold at his lower body, the man finally gave in to the fear of death and hastily confessed:
"I'll talk! Don't kill me!"
Over the next few minutes, Xin Yuan listened intently to every word the man in the white robe said, frowning all the while.
These were things he had never heard of before, but judging by the white-robed man's tone, he was supposed to be familiar with them.
Apparently, they were part of some religious organization, calling themselves "servants of the Lord."
As for the "meat tumor," it was the "divine fetus." They were performing sacrifices to bring about "the Lord's descent."
The man in the white robe spouted a lot of jargon, but Xin Yuan only grasped the general idea.
"Any other questions? Please... please don't kill me!"
By now, the ice had covered the man's entire body, leaving only his head, as he desperately begged for his life, interrupting Xin Yuan's thoughts.
Looking down at him, Xin Yuan coldly said:
"I'll answer one of your questions. Why did I interfere with you? Because I once said that all traffickers deserve to die, and I intend to uphold my belief."
"Yes, yes, I deserve to die!" The man in the white robe sobbed, completely broken by the fear of impending death.
"Lastly, let me ask you one final question."
"Ask! Hurry up and ask!" The man in the white robe was in a panic as the ice reached his face.
"If I had lost, would you have spared me?"
Without waiting for an answer, Xin Yuan froze the man into the final ice sculpture.