The tall man stared at Wen Ran, his gaze shifting to the object that had hit him. The moment he realized what it was—and whose head it belonged to—his body shivered. Rage, fear, and disbelief clawed their way into his heart.
"Y-you! You!" he stammered, pointing a trembling finger at Wen Ran as he pressed a palm against his bloodied scalp.
"What 'you'?"Wen Ran spat, his tone laced with mockery. "Did I interrupt you? Is that why you're mad? Or is it because I killed the trash that dared target me? Either way, you don't have the right to complain." He raised his blade, pointing it toward the man with lazy arrogance, as if to say, You're next.
Fang Jinyao sat frozen on the bed, clutching the blanket to cover her exposed body. Her golden eyes stared blankly at the man she loved, her heart a whirlwind of emotions. Relief washed over her—he was alive, and he had come back for her. But that relief was tinged with confusion and fear. How… How did he gain so much power so quickly? She couldn't sense his aura at all, yet he had slain someone at the peak of Spirit Gathering without even a scratch. Her lips parted, as if to speak, but no words came. Instead, she sat still, instinctively trusting Wen Ran to handle the situation.
"You dare kill my junior sister?!" the tall man roared, snapping out of his stunned state. His face twisted with fury, the madness in his eyes growing wilder with each passing moment. "I'll end your life! No… I'll strip you naked and make you crawl like a dog, barking and calling me your master… Yes, that will do nicely. And after that, I'll make you watch as I have my fun with your little lover. How about that, you filthy slave?!"
His taunts were meant to provoke, to stir doubt and anger. But who was Wen Ran? A cultivator who had honed his mind and body over five thousand years. Childish words like these were nothing more than an amusing annoyance.
Wen Ran yawned lazily, lifting a hand to pick his ear. "Did I hear you right? You want me to bark like a dog? Strange, you already look like one. How about you come over here, lick my feet, and I might spare you."
The man's face turned purple with rage. He lunged at Wen Ran, his fists glowing with an ethereal light, a secret skill of his sect. His movements were fast and packed with power, each blow capable of shattering rock. But to Wen Ran's trained eyes, they were clumsy and predictable.
With a slight shift of his body, Wen Ran dodged the attack with ease. He had been waiting for this moment, knowing that the man's surprise and frustration would leave him open. Taking full advantage, Wen Ran's blade slashed through the man's knees, the sound of tearing flesh and bone filling the room. The tall man collapsed, his balance destroyed, his face contorted in agony.
"Good." Wen Ran nodded, his sword resting lazily on his shoulder as he eyed the now-kneeling man. "Now you look like a dog. How about you bark for me?"
"Pfft!" Fang Jinyao couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst into laughter, her fear and confusion momentarily forgotten as she watched the spectacle before her. She looked at Wen Ran in awe, unable to comprehend where this newfound talent came from. She had never seen him train with a sword before, nor had she ever seen this weapon in his possession. Her thoughts raced. Wen Ran will have a lot of explaining to do after this. Or else, I'll have to punish him… How dare he keep secrets from me? What else is he hiding?
The tall man, on the other hand, was terrified. He had fought many talented cultivators before, but never had he seen someone so precise, so calculated. This wasn't luck—it was the skill of a true master. Regret seeped into his heart like poison.
"Please, brother…" he stammered, his voice trembling. "What was your name again? I… I'm sorry. This uncle has a bad memory."
"It's your grandpa," Wen Ran shot back, his tone dripping with disdain.
"You!" The man's face twisted with humiliation, but he quickly swallowed his pride. "G-grandfather… please, spare this junior. I was blinded by greed. I… I'll never make the same mistake again."
"Good, good, good," Wen Ran said mockingly, nodding in feigned approval. "At least you understand where you went wrong."
"Then… will you spare me? Thank you, Grandpa!" Tears streamed down the man's face as a disgusting smile spread across his lips.
"I haven't decided yet." Wen Ran's cold words sent another wave of fear through the man, who began to tremble.
"What do you think, Miss Fang?" Wen Ran turned to Fang Jinyao with a smirk.
"First of all, it's Yao'er to you," she corrected him, her tone sharp. "And secondly, I don't think he deserves to live. A dog that bites its master should be put down."
Wen Ran chuckled softly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. For the first time, he found himself liking the girl. At least she's smart and ruthless.
"No, no, no! Please! Spare me!" The man's pleas grew desperate. Summoning the last of his strength, he pushed himself off the ground with his large fists, leaping into the air with a roar. His fists crashed down toward Wen Ran, radiating the full power of a peak Spirit Gathering cultivator in a final, desperate attack.
"You're free to go now…" Wen Ran said calmly, sidestepping the attack with ease. His blade flashed in the dim light, slicing cleanly through the man's neck. The lifeless body crumpled to the ground, blood pooling beneath it as the severed head rolled to a stop.
Wen Ran's gaze remained cold and unflinching as he stared at the corpse. "Trash," he muttered before turning his back on the body, his mind already shifting to the next step in his plan.