"Gaia, let's play with him first," Atis chuckled.
"If he still resists, we'll kill him," he added, casting a glance at the city guards.
A third-rank warrior fighting to the death wouldn't be as fun.
"Did you hear what the lords said? Don't try to get yourself killed," the man who had spoken earlier pointed his long sword at Lin San. Ever since his clash with Lin San's sword, his hand had been slightly numb.
"Heh," Lin San sneered.
"It seems you're the ones looking to die."
The men, incensed by Lin San's contemptuous expression, felt insulted. With a shout, they charged at Lin San with their weapons drawn.
"I think it's you who are courting death."
Although provoking the city lord's men would undoubtedly bring trouble, Lin San had no choice but to deal with them now.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Lin San wielded the Demon Slayer Sword, parrying their attacks. The clash of weapons echoed through the air. Soon, they realized their blades were chipping with each strike, all because of the collisions with Lin San's sword!
What shocked them even more was that Lin San did not seem like an ordinary third-rank warrior. His speed, strength, and reflexes far exceeded what they expected from someone of his rank.
In the blink of an eye, blood splattered through the air as one of the attackers fell, dead.
"You dare kill the city lord's men?!" the others exclaimed, their bodies trembling with fear.
"You and your entire family are doomed!"
"You should worry about surviving this first," Lin San replied coldly, his eyes flashing with murderous intent at their threats. Without hesitation, he swung the Demon Slayer Sword again.
Clang! Clang!
The metallic sounds of weapons clashing rang out once more, but this time, the attackers' weapons shattered completely under the force of Lin San's strikes. Their ordinary blades were no match for the Demon Slayer Sword.
"You dare attack us?!" The city guards shouted in fury as they saw Lin San's sword coming at them again, but this time, their anger was mixed with fear.
"Useless rage," Ye Fan remarked with a cold laugh.
In the next moment, Lin San's sharp blade sliced through the air, followed by spurts of blood. The city guards all fell to the ground, lifeless.
"Not bad, kid," Atis said with a smirk, clearly impressed. Lin San had taken down all those men in a matter of moments, and his sword was clearly no ordinary weapon.
"Interested in working for us? We can make sure no one hears about this little incident," Gaia added, grinning.
"Do you find this amusing?" Lin San replied, his voice cold. "I don't need your help."
The memory of what these Dragon Empire warriors had done flashed through Lin San's mind, and a surge of righteous anger filled him. His eyes glinted with a deadly resolve.
In a burst of speed, Lin San launched himself at Atis, his legs propelling him forward with immense power. His entire body seemed to be enveloped in a golden flame, the effect of his cultivation technique, [Golden Crow Scorching Heaven Art].
Atis's eyes widened as the Demon Slayer Sword slashed toward him. Quickly, he raised his broad-bladed sword to block.
Clang!
The clash of their weapons created a deafening noise, and Atis was forced back several steps by the sheer force of Lin San's attack.
"You...," Atis gasped, his expression filled with disbelief. This brat actually dared to attack him! And worse, the strength behind Lin San's blow was overwhelming. Could a third-rank warrior really be this powerful?
"Die!" Gaia's face darkened as he swung his large blade at Lin San, the wind generated by the swing howling through the air.
Sensing the attack from behind, Lin San abruptly halted his assault on Atis and spun around to meet Gaia's strike.
Clang!
Sword and blade collided, but the fierce wind from Gaia's swing cut into Lin San's flesh, leaving numerous small wounds. The pain seared through his body.
[Phantom Dance]!
Without missing a beat, Lin San channeled a surge of energy into the Demon Slayer Sword, activating its skill.
In an instant, Lin San became a blur, his sword a whirlwind of lethal strikes. Gaia's eyes widened as he desperately tried to fend off the rapid thrusts, but the onslaught was too fast.
Gaia felt stinging pain as several strikes found their mark. And then, with a deafening crack, his large blade shattered under the pressure.
"This can't be!" Gaia's pupils contracted in shock. His blade, a B-rank weapon, had shattered so easily. Even if Lin San wielded an A-rank weapon, it shouldn't have been this devastating!
But there was no time for further thoughts. Lin San's sword thrust again, piercing through Gaia's shoulder and continuing down, slicing his body clean in half.
[Absorbed four-rank warrior's blood essence, energy points +0.4]
[Absorbed four-rank warrior's blood essence, energy points +0.4]
...
[Killed four-rank warrior, evolution points +400]
The notifications echoed in Ye Fan's mind as the sword absorbed the life force from Gaia's corpse.
"A fourth-rank warrior isn't a match for Lin San anymore," Ye Fan mused. With the [All-Attribute Enhancement] effect and the sheer sharpness of the Demon Slayer Sword, these Dragon Empire warriors stood no chance.
"Gaia!" Atis finally snapped out of his shock, his face twisting in horror as he saw Gaia's body split in two.
He had never imagined that Gaia would be killed so swiftly by Lin San.
Lin San's gaze turned to Atis, and he channeled more energy into the Demon Slayer Sword. The sword's blade, initially glowing white, began to shift, turning a dark, ominous black.
"Hmm, dark attribute again?" Ye Fan noted, slightly surprised.
"I am a warrior of the Dragon Empire!" Atis shouted in desperation. "If you kill me, you're as good as dead!"