Chapter Seven: Arrogance

"There is something wrong with this man."

Hidden behind Song Jixin, Zhigui poked out her delicate head. Through her golden, vertical pupils—invisible to ordinary eyes—she peered through the crowd, reflecting Su Ling’s true form. In her vision, Su Ling’s appearance was vastly different from reality.

While to others he simply stood in place, to Zhigui, his martial fortune billowed above his head like rising wolf-smoke, continuous, magnificent, and grand. This was only because of the terrifying suppression of the Heavenly Dao within the Li-Zhu Blessed Land; if he were in the outside world, it would be no exaggeration to call his presence an omen of heaven and earth.

"Sir, do you truly wish to be my enemy?"

A low voice shattered the courtyard’s silence. The servants surrounding them held sharp blades, the air heavy with murderous intent. News of the situation quickly spread through Mud Bottle Alley. The residents, having expected no entertainment, were surprised by how quickly the next spectacle had arrived. However, since the price of admission was one's own life, few dared to linger at the entrance.

Only Chen Pingan, who had been warned by Su Ling not to approach, paced anxiously outside the gate, worried for Su Ling, who was surrounded by a group of dangerous men. He looked ready to intervene the moment he saw things take a turn for the worse.

Inside, Su Ling was weighing his options: retreat or advance. A retreat would certainly keep things simple, but he could not swallow this humiliation. He was the type of man who never let a grievance go overnight, and he possessed the strength to back up his vengeance.

With his mind made up, Su Ling ceased his silence. To the shock of Song Jixin, he ignored the blades brandished against him and stepped forward.

Swords and sabers struck him, ringing out like clashing metal. Yet, Su Ling did not flinch. With every step, he snapped blades as if they were twigs, paving his path with broken steel. Ignoring the stunned gazes of the weak, he reached Song Jixin’s side, his expression utterly composed.

"Young Master, run!"

As a loyal servant prepared to sacrifice his life to slow Su Ling down, Su Ling, feeling a flicker of impatience, swatted him aside to restore the peace. By now, the servants realized they were no match for Su Ling—they weren't even opponents; they were mere ants on the roadside. They dropped their broken weapons, desperately trying to block his path with their bodies. Bound by imperial duty, they had no choice but to use their flesh as a wall against the impossible.

"You—what level is your martial path exactly?!"

Song Jixin was bewildered, questioning everything he had ever been taught. It was no exaggeration to say that if anyone had told him this plague-bringer was only at the third stage of Body Refining, he would have drowned that person in his own spit. After all, the evidence was right before his eyes: Su Ling was clearly not a mere third-stage practitioner. A Mercury-stage martial artist should not possess such monstrous, superhuman defense and strength. Even with the world’s most supreme techniques, no one should have such jaw-dropping prowess.

"Third stage of Body Refining, Mercury Stage."

Su Ling was in a rare, good mood, and he decided he would start by breaking one of Song Jixin’s legs.

"Impossible!" Song Jixin retorted, losing his composure, refusing to believe a word.

The idle chatter ended. Su Ling brushed aside the servants trying to block him and walked straight toward the visibly unraveling Song Jixin. He had waited a moment in place earlier only to test the waters—to see if Qi Jingchun, the contemporary Sage guarding the Li-Zhu Blessed Land, would intervene. After all, Qi Jingchun’s cultivation was heaven-defying; as the Sage of this land, nothing happening here could escape his eyes. Though Su Ling harbored the intent to kill Song Jixin on the spot, he understood that human affairs followed the tide of the times, and thus, he kept his killing intent in check. Perhaps that was why Qi Jingchun had not stepped in to mediate.

With the intent to teach him a lesson, Su Ling reached Song Jixin without further obstruction.

"What—what are you doing?!"
"There is a Sage presiding over this place!"
"No, stay back..."

Song Jixin scrambled backward, his expression turning to terror. As for Zhigui, who had been hiding behind him, she had already vanished. Distracted, Song Jixin tripped over a stone and tumbled to the ground in a pathetic heap. He raised an arm, his fearful eyes peering from behind his wide, long sleeves at the emotionless Su Ling standing inches away.

Su Ling paused, casting a casual glance around. Finding that no one had come to intervene, he felt a flicker of surprise. Though he hadn't read the original story in full, he knew that a prince of the Great Li Dynasty would not have such a meager guard. The only explanation was that someone had intentionally allowed this to happen. As for why, it was merely a sign that the dynasty was in turmoil.

"No..."

Before Song Jixin could beg for mercy, the jade pendant at his waist shattered with a crisp crack, the dull, lifeless fragments clattering to the floor.

"Mediocre."

Su Ling pulled back his hand. With a single finger, he had effortlessly pierced the protective barrier of the jade pendant. It was not that the treasure was weak, but rather that his own strength and physique were far beyond human limits. The protective barrier, which usually repelled attacks from martial artists of the Qi Refining stage, had acted like wet paper against him. It shattered at a touch, leaving Song Jixin stunned and speechless.

"Stay away..."

Only then did Song Jixin shed his arrogance, his voice trembling with fear. But Su Ling had no intention of letting him off. He understood that his ease of approach—and his golden opportunity to kill Song Jixin—was a result of the complex, competing interests of the hidden factions. If he killed the prince here and now, he would be doing exactly what those hidden forces wanted. He would become a mere executioner, a pawn used to assassinate royalty—or worse, a discarded tool to be disposed of afterward.

The karmic backlash would be unimaginable. Not only would he face the vengeance of the Great Li Dynasty from the outside world, but he would likely draw the unwanted attention of Qi Jingchun. While he might not be executed on the spot, he would certainly be forced out of the town, which would be tantamount to suicide.

Killing the terrified man before him brought more harm than good. It was not worth it. So...

The spacious courtyard was deathly silent, so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Even the chicks huddled in the coop seemed to sense the ominous shift in the air, shivering as they gathered together in a comical display of fear.

Su Ling’s previously expressionless face shifted into a sinister, charming smile that chilled Song Jixin to the bone.

"I hear you are quite arrogant."