C19 The Azure Dragon out of The

Lin Xiaoqiang decisively chose to flee, leaping out of the village in bounds. The villagers gave chase, but they couldn't match his speed. In an instant, Lin Xiaoqiang vanished into the forest, just like the wolf that had previously escaped.

Lee Erhei declared with conviction, "No ordinary person could move that fast. He's definitely in league with the wolves."

Now, all the villagers were swayed by Lee Erhei's words. The crowd was in an uproar, unsure of their next move, and increasingly fearful that Lin Xiaoqiang would return with a pack of wolves, against which they had no defense.

"What do we do now? If he comes back with those wolves, we don't stand a chance," they worried aloud.

Lee Erhei climbed to a vantage point. His leadership had solidified in the wake of the recent events.

Waving his hand, he announced, "I've got a plan that will bring Lin Xiaoqiang to heel. We never forced him out of the village, but we did drive out Zhang Lili and her child. Let's tie them up. If Lin Xiaoqiang shows up again, we'll threaten him with their lives. Otherwise, we'll have no choice but to kill Zhang Lili and her son."

As Lee Erhei spoke, a fierce light shone in his eyes, but the villagers hesitated at the thought of killing innocents.

"Isn't there a better way? Zhang Lili is one of our own. If we start killing our people, how are we any different from Lin Xiaoqiang?" Da Kui interjected with concern.

"Listen up," Lee Erhei pressed on. "We have to detain Zhang Lili. Lin Xiaoqiang's abilities are beyond us, and Zhang Lili is our only leverage. If we can't control him, our village is on a path to destruction. I urge you not to be soft-hearted. In these times, we must prioritize our safety."

Spurred on by Lee Erhei, the villagers surged towards Zhang Lili's home in a frenzy.

Upon entering Zhang Lili's yard, they found the Kylin beast restlessly pawing at the ground.

Seeing the Kylin, the villagers' frenzy intensified as they charged at the creature, eager to unleash their fury on it, for it was Lin Xiaoqiang's property.

Lee Erhei, for reasons unknown, positioned himself in front of the Kylin and called out with urgency, "Everyone, hold back! Our quarrel is with Zhang Lili, our vengeance is meant for Lin Xiaoqiang. This horse is innocent. Taking it out now, how are we any different from those murderous wolves under Lin Xiaoqiang's control?"

While speaking, Lee Erhei swiftly untied the Kylin's reins. Freed, the Kylin bounded away, vanishing from the courtyard in mere moments.

Inside the house, Zhang Li sat in calm repose, neatly dressed, cradling his child. His gaze was fearless, having already heard the angry cries outside, aware that his life might be the price for Lin Xiaoqiang's actions.

Yet, he harbored no regrets. Convinced of Lin Xiaoqiang's innocence, he believed that one day the truth would vindicate them both.

With a forceful kick, Lee Erhei burst the door open, and the crowd surged in. To their surprise, they found Zhang Lili sitting serenely, as if awaiting their arrival.

The sight gave them pause, their hesitation palpable. But Lee Erhei, undeterred, knocked Zhang Li to the ground with a swift kick.

"Damn it, Lin Xiaoqiang's misdeeds have plagued our village, and you bear some blame. Today, we're taking you with us," he declared.

Lee Erhei bound Zhang Lili tightly with a rope and selected two robust men from the group to haul Zhang Li away.

Zhang Lili's son, unaccustomed to such turmoil, trailed behind, crying inconsolably.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiaoqiang remained oblivious to the village's unrest, as he was no longer nearby. He couldn't hear or see the unfolding drama.

Having left the village, he had resolved to pursue the fleeing wolves, determined to uncover their lair.

Oddly, despite skipping dinner, Lin Xiaoqiang felt a surge of vitality. His feet carried him swiftly, nearly matching the wolves' pace.

Inside the house, a red orb continued to tumble, endlessly supplying him with energy, warding off any sense of fatigue.

After roughly half an hour, Lin Xiaoqiang astonishingly caught up to the wolf pack on foot, leaving them utterly drained from the relentless pursuit. Cornered at a cliff's edge, the wolves had no choice but to halt, turning to face Lin Xiaoqiang with bared fangs, ready for a fight to the death.

Approaching the wolves, Lin Xiaoqiang took a moment to steady his breath before drawing the Azure Dragon Blade once more.

"You despicable curs, I don't care where you're from, but you've tormented my villagers. Today, we end this," he declared.

With those words, Lin Xiaoqiang charged, blade in hand, as the wolves, led by their king, countered with an assault of their own. He swiftly beheaded an oncoming wolf, and as another clamped onto his arm, he felt no pain. The Azure Dragon Blade transformed into a dagger and plunged through the wolf's jaw, its tip emerging from the skull.

With each wolf slain, the Azure Dragon Blade grew in length and width by a foot. When a wolf sliced a piece of flesh from Lin Xiaoqiang's arm, the blood flowed directly into the blade, turning it a deeper shade of crimson. Suddenly, the wolf king leaped at Lin Xiaoqiang from behind.

Lin Xiaoqiang's previous tactics seemed to malfunction, inflicting no significant harm. Despite four wolves being maimed by his blade, they continued their frenzied assault. At that moment, the Azure Dragon Blade, drenched in Lin Xiaoqiang's blood, released the little Azure Dragon within, which took flight and coiled around the wolf king's neck.

A sharp snap echoed as the Azure Dragon mercilessly strangled the wolf king. The Azure Dragon then took to the sky once more, slicing through the wolf king's body repeatedly with lethal precision. When the dust settled, all that remained of the once formidable wolf king was a drifting piece of wolf skin. The Azure Dragon made a casual loop, effortlessly reducing the rest of the wolves to mere pelts.

The green dragon, soaring and swooping through the sky, appeared even more lifelike before Lin Xiaoqiang's eyes.