Lin Dan spent a full hour slaughtering the sick in the city. Wherever she passed, some fled in terror, while others knelt down with tears streaming their faces and murmuring their thanks. They had already reached the point of no return, ravaged by illness, and were beyond saving. They had even resorted to cannibalism and felt undeserving of rescue. Death seemed like a better fate.

After confirming there were no survivors, Lin Dan, relying on her unique martial arts that made her immune to the virus, gathered the corpses in one place and set them on fire.

In truth, before her arrival, the city of plague had seen suicides every day. However, Yan Zhaotian, in order to maintain a certain number of residents, would force more people into the city. He forbade any of his citizens from escaping, turning the place into a hunting ground where he took pleasure in playing with others’ lives. If one day the citizens were completely decimated, he would simply move to another city. After all, his father ruled over two empires and didn’t care about the loss of one plague-ridden city.

Those at the top never saw the suffering of the people below. Unfortunately, this was the state of the Eastern Tang Continent, a place where the law of natural selection reigned supreme.

Thick smoke rose into the sky as Lin Dan stood in front of the burning pyre, her expression calm, and her thoughts unknown. Her Asura Blade had turned black, the result of absorbing too much blood. Fa Zhao and his companions immediately sat down and began chanting sutras for the deceased. After eleven years of effort, he had finally fulfilled his wish this time.

Bai Yan set down the little boy who had stopped crying and freed his relatives from their bindings, sending them away. He then looked at Lin Dan’s tall, unyielding figure, his eyes flickering with mixed emotions.

When the bodies had been reduced to ash, Lin Dan leaped onto the city wall, preparing to leave. As she passed by Bai Yan, she emphasized each word, “If one day I too become something neither human nor ghost, you must kill me.”

Bai Yan hesitated for a long time. Seeing her resolute gaze fixed on him, he finally responded hoarsely, “Alright.” Yet as he spoke, he felt a faint pain in his heart, as though a piece of it was being torn away.

Fa Zhao, hearing Lin Dan’s words, opened his eyes and sighed, “Amitabha, how merciful.”

Lin Dan continued forward. The soldiers guarding the city pointed their weapons at her, but none dared approach. She was drenched in blood, leaving bloody footprints with every step, resembling a vengeful ghost. After walking several dozen feet, she suddenly stopped and shouted, “I am Lin Dan! You can tell Emperor Yan that I’m the one who killed these people. If he wants revenge, tell him to meet me at the peak of Kunlun Mountain in three days. We’ll fight to the death!”

In the end, she didn’t want to involve anyone else, so she issued a challenge to Emperor Yan. This was an old rule in the Jianghu. Once a challenge was issued, neither side could take private revenge before the duel was settled. If she won, peace would follow. If she lost, the Eastern Sacred Sect could only fend for itself.

“She’s the newly ascended grandmaster, Lin Dan!” One of the soldiers exclaimed.

“Hurry, report to His Majesty Emperor Yan!” Chaos erupted among the soldiers, while Lin Dan had already disappeared into the wind. Behind her, countless citizens rushed out from their tightly shut homes, pointing toward the towering smoke. When they learned that someone had killed the city lord and burned the place where the plague was, they all wept with gratitude. Many knelt down and bowed toward the unknown benefactor. If not for this savior, they would have eventually become trapped in that place as well, neither able to live nor die. Emperor Yan wasn’t human. He was the king of hell himself!

———pr

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Three days later, Lin Dan stood on the peak of Kunlun Mountain, holding her pitch-black Asura Blade.

Behind her stood Bai Yan and Fa Zhao. Bai Yan’s brow was furrowed with worry, while Fa Zhao’s eyes were closed as he chanted sutras. There was no doubt about the outcome of this battle. Emperor Yan was the second strongest martial artist, only surpassed by Emperor Yun. His technique, Blazing Fist of Flames, could level a small hill with a single punch. Lin Dan, who had only recently ascended to the rank of grandmaster, was no match for him.

“He’s here.” Bai Yan suddenly said.

Fa Zhao immediately opened his eyes.

Lin Dan, however, reacted a moment later, a sign of the gap between the grandmasters.

In the next instant, a middle-aged man in a red robe stepped through the wind and landed on the ground, leaving two deep footprints on the hard stone. He looked at Lin Dan and coldly asked, “Was it you who killed my son?”

Lin Dan raised her blade and stepped forward. “It was me.”

“Good!” Emperor Yan wasted no words, launching a punch toward her. Lin Dan quickly raised her blade to block, but the overwhelming force pushed her back several meters and she spat out a mouthful of blood. Yet, despite the situation, her expression showed no fear. Instead, her eyes were filled with intense battle spirit. This enemy was powerful, so strong that even if she drew on all her deathly energy, she might still lose. But it didn’t matter. She relished a fierce battle. If she were destined to die, dying at the hands of a powerful opponent would be a worthy end.

She swung her Asura Blade, using the energy from the blade’s edge to propel herself forward and clash with Emperor Yan. After exchanging several blows, she was shocked to discover that his technique had made his body as hard as iron, impervious to weapons. Her Asura Blade was utterly restrained by his Blazing Fist of Flames.

“Today, I will take your head to offer as tribute to my son’s spirit in the afterlife! And while I’m at it, let me teach you a lesson. Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re gifted. There will always be someone stronger than you in this world.” With that, Emperor Yan struck Lin Dan with a punch, sending her flying before he dove down to follow up.

Lin Dan crashed heavily onto the ground, spitting blood as she raised her Asura Blade to block another ferocious punch from Emperor Yan. The rocks beneath her shattered inch by inch, sinking into a deep pit— a truly brutal sight. Emperor Yan gave her no chance to recover, raining down punches one after another, his violent energy scraping through the air with ear-piercing screeches.

The pit grew deeper and deeper until Lin Dan was completely buried.

Fa Zhao couldn’t bear to watch anymore, but Bai Yan stared intently at Emperor Yun, his expression cold and stern.

The more severely injured Lin Dan became, the more vigorous the life force within her surged, accelerating her healing. At the same time, the deathly aura inside her grew rapidly, converting into a forceful energy. As she watched Emperor Yan raise his fist to smash her head, she gritted her teeth and pushed her Asura Blade forward. The blackened blade met his iron-hard skin and managed to slice a wound.

Emperor Yan was horrified. Before he could react, he saw the blade aiming for his neck and quickly retreated.

Freed from the suppression of his punches, Lin Dan immediately leaped out of the pit, slashing several times, each strike targeting Emperor Yan’s vital points. At first, he dodged a few blows, but when he noticed that her strikes only left shallow cuts that didn’t even draw blood, he resumed his broad, aggressive attacks without restraint.

Both fighters had a rough, offensive style, focused solely on attacking without defense. With their powerful protective energy and incredible vitality, the battle raged on for three days and three nights.

Lin Dan’s growth was astonishing. Though she was covered in wounds, the fierce light in her eyes burned like the sun, wild and intense. Emperor Yan, full of internal power, showed no signs of fatigue either, though his clothes had been torn to shreds by Lin Dan’s blade energy, leaving him looking somewhat disheveled.

“No wonder you dare defy me openly. So, you’ve been practicing the Asura Blade technique!” Emperor Yan gradually recognized Lin Dan’s martial art and his wariness deepened. Losing patience, he gathered all his power into his right fist and struck with lightning speed, too fast for the naked eye to follow.

Lin Dan could see the trajectory of his fist but couldn’t avoid it no matter what. She channeled all her energy and swung her blade in a desperate, all-or-nothing attack.

Fa Zhao lowered his head and muttered a prayer. Bai Yan, his usually calm eyes now bloodshot, took a step forward.

Emperor Yan’s fist and Lin Dan’s blade struck each other’s bodies almost simultaneously. A series of cracks rang out as Lin Dan’s bones shattered under the force of Emperor Yan’s blow. He grinned triumphantly. After three days and nights, Lin Dan hadn’t been able to seriously wound him, so how could she possibly strike his vital points now?

But then there was a soft sound and a thin line of blood shot into the air, staining Emperor Yan’s eyes red. In disbelief, he looked down at his chest, where the Asura Blade had pierced through, aimed directly at his heart. Blood flowed from the wound and the blade absorbed it drop by drop.

“How…… how is this possible?” He muttered.

“How is it not?” Lin Dan retorted, pulling out the Asura Blade. “Didn’t you notice? For the past three days and nights, every strike I landed targeted the same vital point on your body. Each strike seemed random, but in reality, I had already broken through your defenses. I just hadn’t delivered the fatal blow yet. Today, let me teach you a lesson— don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re powerful. There will always be someone stronger than you.”

Without the blade obstructing the wound, more blood gushed from Emperor Yan’s chest. He glared at Lin Dan as his body slowly collapsed, dead.

Only then did Lin Dan exhale deeply and collapse as well.

Bai Yan immediately flew forward, catching her steadily. He was horrified to find that all the bones in her body were shattered, leaving her limp and soft to the touch. He didn’t dare move her carelessly and quickly had Fa Zhao lay out his robe on the ground before gently placing Lin Dan down.

Lin Dan spat out a mouthful of blood, but she smiled faintly at the sunlight above. It feels so good to be alive!

“Stop smiling and just lie down properly!” Bai Yan cherished her smile, but today, seeing her half-dead state, he found it unbearable.

As they spoke, two sharp whistling sounds echoed in the air. Then two tall figures appeared at the summit of Kunlun Mountain, which had been ravaged by the intense battle. One wore a blue-and-white Taoist robe, exuding an air of immortality, while the other, dressed in black, had a cold and severe expression.

“Emperor Yun, she’s the inheritor of the Asura Blade. You should know what needs to be done!” Without a preamble, the two men demanded Lin Dan’s execution.

Lin Dan looked at Bai Yan, murmuring, “You’re Emperor Yun?”

Bai Yan gently squeezed her fingertips and ordered Fa Zhao to tend to her carefully. Then, turning to face the newcomers, he spoke firmly, “As long as she is conscious, I will protect her. If you two are dissatisfied, then come and fight.” With those words, his white robe billowed and his powerful energy surged, distorting the air around them, though he carefully avoided Lin Dan, shielding her tightly behind him.

The two men, ranked fifth and fourth respectively, were none other than Xiaoyaozi and Wei Qu. By the rules of the Jianghu, since Lin Dan had killed Emperor Yan, his territory now belonged to her. So if she were killed, her power and influence would fall to her killer. These two hadn’t appeared to seek justice— they had come to seize resources.

But they never expected that Emperor Yun, known for his cold detachment and disinterest in worldly affairs, would publicly stand up to protect Lin Dan.