C15 Fight the Third Elder

When Zhao Lin saw Wang Ke's body brought in, he detected the deathly aura emanating from it. His face turned pale, recognizing the unmistakable sign of death. "The deceased have passed, yet they find no peace. Alas, take her away and ensure she is laid to rest properly," the Third Elder sighed.

Zhao Lin scoffed. It all became clear to him; some were willing to go as far as murder just to target him. Whoever orchestrated this was merciless. He immediately dismissed Chen Yong as the mastermind; given Chen Yong's spineless nature, he couldn't have devised such a flawless trap. "Seize Zhao Lin and execute him on the spot!" commanded the Third Elder, as Chen Yong and the others removed Wang Ke's body.

The two disciples escorting Zhao Lin grinned with a bloodthirsty glee, taunting, "Idiot, you've sealed your fate by crossing Brother Wang. You've really overestimated your longevity!" As the words left his mouth, the disciple to the left struck out, aiming a palm at the back of Zhao Lin's head. "Wang Feng, it was him!" Zhao Lin's expression shifted as he sensed the incoming attack. Clenching his fists, he channeled a surge of wakan to his nape.

"Back off!" Zhao Lin bellowed, repelling the palm strike with a burst of wakan that sent the two disciples flying. He slapped his Spatial Pouch, grasping a dagger, and declared, "Elders, I did not kill Wang Ke. I vow to uncover the truth behind her death and clear my name!" With that, he turned to leave.

"Insolence!" The Third Elder's face reddened with rage. Zhao Lin had the audacity to challenge his authority. He slammed his palm on the table and burst out of the hall, pointing a finger that sent a piercing force through Zhao Lin's shoulder. "Apprehend him!" Several disciples charged forward in response to the sudden upheaval. "Third Elder, you've driven me to this!" Zhao Lin's expression turned icy. With a swift motion, his dagger flashed towards the Third Elder's throat.

"Presumptuous!" Zhao Lin's counterattack was more than a slight to Wang Feng and the others; it was a direct affront to the Third Elder's own prestige. "Stand down," he commanded, his face dark with anger. With a flick of his finger, the dagger halted, suspended two feet away from him, immobilized.

"Go!" Zhao Lin refused to surrender. He slapped his Spatial Pouch, and a wooden stick carved from ironwood lunged at the dagger. With a resounding clang, the tip of the stick struck the dagger squarely. The dagger, jolted by the impact, was driven forward. The Third Elder's expression shifted subtly; he was taken aback by the young man's potent wakan.

"Shock!" Realizing the dagger posed no real threat to the Third Elder, Zhao Lin bellowed. He flipped his palm, causing the dagger to vibrate, and the wooden stick swept toward the Third Elder's waist. "Can a firefly's light vie with the moon's brilliance?" the Third Elder scoffed dismissively, his palm striking the wooden stick with a forceful imprint.

The stick shattered into pieces, hurtling toward Zhao Lin. His face paled as he realized the lethal force each fragment carried. "Explode!" In desperation, Zhao Lin formed a seal with his hands, channeling his wakan into the stick. With a thunderous boom, the stick burst apart. However, the Third Elder's wakan was overwhelming; Zhao Lin was hit by the backlash and sustained serious injuries.

"Your skills are lacking, but you're fortunate. Consider this dagger the price for challenging me!" The Third Elder sneered contemptuously. The uncontrolled dagger was swiftly pocketed by him and vanished into his Spatial Pouch. "Damn it, I need more strength!" Zhao Lin, wiping the blood from his lips, had a resolute look in his eyes. He wasn't angry; he knew what was essential. Only strength could safeguard his possessions.

"Third Elder, I have been patient, but since you disregard justice, I must act!" Zhao Lin's expression hardened. He tapped the Spatial Pouch, and a massive bow materialized in his hands. He nocked an arrow, aiming three ironwood arrows at the Third Elder's critical points. In that instant, Zhao Lin resembled a deity of archery, his entire being radiating a formidable and dignified presence.

The Third Elder's face fell as he felt the three auras lock onto him, giving him a chilling premonition of death. "This newcomer to the Outer Sect is already a threat to me. I cannot allow him to grow stronger, for he will surely hold a grudge for today's enmity!" A glacial intent to kill gleamed in the Third Elder's eyes.

"Die!" In that instant, Zhao Lin sprang into action, channeling all the wakan he could muster into the arrowhead. His bow, crafted from ironwood, exacerbated the wound on his shoulder, causing blood to spurt wildly. Releasing his grip, three arrows whizzed through the air, materializing before the Third Elder in a flash. The Third Elder's face contorted as he hastily retreated, conjuring a gust of air with a flick of his palm to intercept the incoming arrows.

Puff! Puff! Puff! The once formidable arrows crumbled like brittle twigs under the Third Elder's airstream. "Attempting to assassinate an elder, you dare?" The Third Elder would never concede to having felt a brush with death. His bellow resounded like a clap of thunder, leaving Zhao Lin reeling as if struck by an unseen force, blood spurting from his mouth, his complexion turning deathly pale in an instant.

Despite his soaring fighting spirit, it wasn't enough to bridge the vast chasm between them. "Humph!" The airstream was mere inches from Zhao Lin's chest, and with the Third Elder's oppressive force bearing down on him, evasion was impossible. Zhao Lin's eyes reddened with desperation, the power of the airstream threatening to snuff out his life. "Ah!" In a sudden move, Zhao Lin clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and threw his body backward in an ungainly but effective maneuver to dodge the lethal airstream.

"Hmm!" The Third Elder's expression shifted subtly, surprised that Zhao Lin had managed to break free from his oppressive aura. "Merely a futile struggle!" he declared. But as the words left his mouth, Zhao Lin's face contorted with alarm. The oncoming pressure was now many times more intense than before, a clear sign of the Third Elder's escalating murderous intent after failing to dispatch him for so long. Yet, what truly disheartened Zhao Lin was his lack of any remaining countermeasures; he had exhausted all his available tactics.

"Qi Condensation Scroll!" Seized by a sudden insight, Zhao Lin quickly assumed a meditative posture, focusing on circulating his wakan, undeterred by the overwhelming pressure. "Enough with your charades!" scoffed the Third Elder, witnessing Zhao Lin's impromptu cultivation amidst the fray. With a gesture of his palm, he intensified the pressure on Zhao Lin, which coalesced into a colossal palm print that thundered down from the heavens, aiming to crush Zhao Lin's skull.

"Through blizzards unimpeded, amidst the world's unrest, I follow my own path and depart with equanimity!" Zhao Lin's voice rose with each phrase, and as he spoke, a shimmering light screen materialized above him. The massive palm print struck the light screen, yet the faint glow miraculously withstood the blow.

"Humph!" The Third Elder's face turned a livid shade of blue, his repeated attempts to deliver a killing blow thwarted by Zhao Lin's resistance—an affront to his authority. With a cold snort, the might of the palm print intensified, becoming more fearsome. Zhao Lin's body shook violently; his back, arms, and legs were lacerated, blood staining his skin, yet he never ceased to resist. Despite his unwavering resolve, the odds were not in his favor. The light screen above him grew increasingly dim, threatening to shatter at any moment. Should it fail, Zhao Lin would likely be crushed into a pulp by the relentless force of the palm print.