Chapter Forty-Two: The Ring Reveals Its Power

Lin Yanghao saw that Zhang Heng remained unscathed under his full-strength assault, and his expression changed dramatically. Before Lin Yanghao could react, Zhang Heng sent him flying with another punch.

Lin Yanghao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, stood up, and launched another attack toward Zhang Heng.

“Roar~ Wild Tiger Claw!”

As expected, Zhang Heng sent Lin Yanghao flying once again.

“Lin Yanghao! I advise you to give up your resistance. That way, I might spare your life—today, I’ll only take an arm and a leg!” Li Xuan, standing to the side, spoke up.

Lin Yanghao gave a bleak smile, thinking he was doomed today. Clenching his fists tightly, he resolved to make one last desperate attempt.

Just then, a sharp pain shot through Lin Yanghao’s left hand, followed by a surge of heat flowing from his hand. Looking down, he saw the heat emanated from the mysterious ring. As this warmth coursed through him, strength flooded his body; Lin Yanghao felt that, with this power, he could shatter a mountain, let alone these two cultivators who hadn’t even reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Joy welled up within him—every time he faced mortal danger, the ring had saved him. Without it, even eight hundred lives wouldn’t be enough.

A wicked smile crossed Lin Yanghao’s lips as he slowly approached Zhang Heng.

“Has this kid gone mad from fear?” Zhang Heng thought, feeling a chill despite himself as Lin Yanghao suddenly smiled. Still, it didn’t matter. Zhang Heng didn’t believe Lin Yanghao could turn the tables. As Lin Yanghao closed in, Zhang Heng launched a palm strike in response.

“Ah~!” After the blow, Zhang Heng’s scream echoed; he was sent flying by Lin Yanghao and then lay motionless.

Upon witnessing this, Li Xuan was utterly stunned. Seeing Zhang Heng unmoving, he rushed over to check and found Zhang Heng lifeless—killed by Lin Yanghao’s punch.

Li Xuan collapsed to the ground, his body trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat pouring down. He bowed his head, not daring to meet Lin Yanghao’s gaze.

Seeing that he had killed Zhang Heng with a single punch, Lin Yanghao’s mood soared. Approaching Li Xuan beside the corpse, he decided that today he would uncover the reason behind this whole affair—he would not let himself be attacked so blindly again.

“I ask you, I have no grievance with you. Why are you causing me trouble? Speak now!” Lin Yanghao drew near, his voice harsh.

“If I tell you, you won’t let me go. If I say nothing, at least I’ll have the reputation of dying loyal. Unless you promise not to kill me, I’ll tell you everything I know. Furthermore, the sect forbids disciples from killing each other. If you kill me and it’s found out, you’ll be in serious trouble. If you spare my life, rest assured I won’t mention Zhang Heng’s death, and I’ll take care of everything here. What do you say?” Li Xuan stammered.

“If you confess truthfully, I’ll let you die swiftly and painlessly. Otherwise, I’ll make you wish you were dead. No one will see anything here, and the sect would never suspect a newcomer could kill both of you. So you’d better tell me everything you know!” Lin Yanghao, enraged by Li Xuan’s last-minute threats and recalling his own earlier humiliation, spoke with fury.

“I won’t talk, no matter what—you’ll kill me anyway. I’ve braved countless dangers over the years; I want to see what you can do!” Li Xuan shook his head.

“Hahaha… Have you ever heard of a punishment called Death by a Thousand Cuts? It requires 3,357 incisions by knife, and the victim cannot die before the last cut. Only with the final cut is the execution complete.” Lin Yanghao’s voice was icy. Indeed, he referred to the ancient, cruel punishment from Earth. He couldn’t think of anything more dreadful.

Looking at Li Xuan now, he was already trembling from head to toe, his face pale, his clothes soaked in cold sweat. In all his years, he had never heard of such a vicious form of torture.

“No, no, no—I’ll talk, I’ll tell everything!” Seeing Lin Yanghao approach, Li Xuan cried out. Just thinking of that dreadful punishment made him shudder. Then, noticing the blade in Lin Yanghao’s hand, Li Xuan almost burst into tears—it was a magical artifact, and not just any, but a high-grade one, something even Foundation Establishment disciples struggled to obtain. Never mind where Lin Yanghao got it; a single strike from such a weapon would be unbearable. He quickly spoke up.

“We’re under the command of Wang Shaohui, an inner sect disciple. Just two days ago, Wang Shaohui sent word for us to teach a lesson to an outer disciple named Lin Yanghao who had just joined. So we came after you.” Li Xuan wiped his sweat, speaking carefully.

“Who is Wang Shaohui? Speak!” The sudden mention of this unfamiliar name made Lin Yanghao even more confused. Was someone else who looked like him responsible for offending them, leaving him to take the blame?

“Wang Shaohui is the eldest son of a family in the secular world. He’s now an inner disciple of the Seven Luminaries Sect and has established a considerable faction within the sect. Zhang Heng and I are members of Wang Shaohui’s group in the outer sect, so we followed his orders to target you,” Li Xuan explained.

Only then did Lin Yanghao understand that everything he’d endured these past days was brought about by the Wang family. He had killed Wang Jinping, so it was no wonder they wanted him dead. All his doubts were resolved.

Often, the most dangerous enemy is not the one in the open, but the one lurking in the shadows. Now, knowing who had been trying to harm him, Lin Yanghao felt elated.

“What about Steward Cao?” Lin Yanghao didn’t believe an inner disciple like Wang Shaohui could command a steward to do his bidding.

“Steward Cao is one of Wang Shaohui’s enforcers. Every year, Wang Shaohui offers him spirit stones and other valuables. Not only Wang Shaohui, but many factions within the sect have their own enforcers, so Steward Cao made things difficult for you.”

Before Li Xuan could catch his breath, Lin Yanghao struck him on the forehead with his palm. Unsurprisingly, Li Xuan died at Lin Yanghao’s hand.