Senior Lu's eyes opened slowly, sharp as blades beneath heavy brows. "Crippled them? For what reason?"
"They tried to extort him for an entry fee… the standard price but he refused the entry fee and even crippled them. " The guard lied as he didn't mention as they tried to ask for more.
The old man's gaze darkened, but his voice remained level. "And who was this person?"
The guard hesitated. "He appeared to be a… Peak Spirit Master, Senior."
A mere Peak Spirit Master?
Senior Lu snorted lightly, his Qi flaring just slightly, sending a ripple through the room. "A Peak Spirit Master dares to run amok in my city? Let me see what kind of arrogant brat thinks he can shake the heavens here."
In one smooth motion, the old man rose from his seat. With a flick of his sleeve, his body vanished from sight, soaring silently above the city with practiced ease.
The spiritual pressure he exuded in flight made it clear—he wasn't just any cultivator.
He was a Spirit Grandmaster.
A true powerhouse in this realms, and Phoenix City's Mayor.
And now… he was heading straight for Rei Lin.
On the other hand, Rei Lin was now inside a grand building known as the Hundred Alchemy Shop. As he walked through its wide aisles, he marveled at the abundance of high-grade spirit herbs—many of which were rarely seen even in the central regions of this realm.
His sharp senses picked out the ones that suited him best—herbs that could aid cultivation, enhance spiritual perception, or serve as key ingredients in pill refinement. Without hesitation, he bought them all, sweeping entire shelves clean.
He spent lavishly, and in return, nearly 90% of the shop's top-tier stock was now in his possession.
The shopkeeper, a seasoned Spirit Alchemist, could only watch in stunned silence as this young man bought spirit herbs that even some sect leaders would hesitate to touch. Several times, he tried to inquire about Rei Lin's background, but the oppressive yet refined aura around him made it impossible to speak freely.
Yet Rei Lin wasn't finished.
He already had plans to plant these herbs inside the Celestial Spring Garden—his personal divine realm linked to his Celestial Body. In that unique garden, the spiritual energy was dense and ever-replenishing. Herbs planted there would grow faster, purify themselves, and even surpass their natural limits, evolving into more refined and powerful forms.
His ambition was straightforward:
In his Celestial Spring Realm, even extinct plants could thrive—perfectly. And not just survive—they could evolve, surpassing their natural limits.
What others saw as lost legacies of nature, Rei Lin saw as opportunities. He was going to collect them all… and extract every last drop of their value.
But just as he stepped out of the shop, a pressure suddenly descended upon him.
He looked up, his eyes narrowing, as he saw an old man floating mid-air, robed in ornate silks, a cold expression on his aged face.
"So, you're the brat who refused to pay the entry fee," the old man said disdainfully, his voice echoing across the plaza as if Rei Lin were nothing but an insect underfoot.
Rei Lin's brow twitched.
He wasn't some common cultivator anymore. He was the successor of the peerless Emperor Shi Yun, yet here he was treated as an criminal?
"I'll give you ten seconds," Rei Lin said flatly.
"Take back your pressure… or die."
The old man's face twisted. "INSOLENT WORM! Only death can cure your arrogance!" he roared, releasing his pressure and vanishing in a blur as he struck toward Rei Lin with full power.
But just then—
Two massive wings burst from Rei Lin's back.
They weren't ordinary wings.
They were pure black crystal, etched with ancient runes, each feather glimmering faintly with dark silver light—like the wings of a fallen celestial.
With a single flap, Rei Lin vanished from his spot and reappeared in midair.
The old man's attack struck nothing but wind.
And in that same instant, Rei Lin's right hand moved.
The Hell Spear—a weapon condensed from Death and Ghost Qi—formed in his palm. Without hesitation, he hurled it with frightening force.
The old man sneered.
"Hmph! A mere Spirit Master dares challenge me?" he mocked and punched directly at the incoming spear, confident his Spirit Grandmaster cultivation would crush it.
But that confidence…
Was a fatal mistake.
The moment his hand touched the spear—
A dull crack rang out.
The Hell Spear didn't just break through his defense—it tore through his arm, chest, and spine, nailing him into the ground like a crucified beast.
The ground beneath him shattered from the force.
Blood poured from his mouth as he lay there, pinned, unable to move.
His eyes trembled as he looked at the strange, cursed weapon slowly corroding his body, the runes glowing darker with every heartbeat.
He tried to speak…
But the pain pulled him out of his daze just as the spear finally exploded into fragments—
His entire body was shredded, reduced to ashes.
Rei Lin landed calmly.
He reached down and picked up the old man's spatial ring, not sparing a single glance at the surrounding crowd.
The entire street had gone silent.
Everyone had seen it—
The City Lord of Phoenix City, an honored Spirit Grandmaster… killed in one move.
No one dared speak.
No one dared breathe.
They could only watch as the young man walked away, his footsteps steady, cold, and unhurried.
Not a single expert moved to stop him.
Because none of them were stronger than the man he had just slain.
At the far edge of the plaza, a guard who had earlier tried to kill Rei Lin through City Lord stood there in daze.
"How is this possible!?" he muttered under his breath…
And without another thought, he turned and ran from the city, vanishing into the alleys like a frightened rat.
But he wasn't the only one.
Every official, guard, or merchant even loosely associated with the City Lord followed suit, fleeing in every direction like a crumbling empire's last rats abandoning ship.
They didn't care about honor.
They didn't care about face.
All they cared about… was survival.
Because if someone powerful enough to erase the City Lord in a single strike truly held a grudge…
Then mere association could mean certain death.
In less than five minutes, the upper authority of Phoenix City had vanished like smoke in the wind.