C6 Old Warrior of Merit

The old man's right arm had been refined, its flesh and skin imbued with a potent essence. A blow from it could easily rend the toughened skin of a Martial Cultivator, leaving a deep gash that reached the vital organs—a potentially lethal strike.

The old man with the twisted nose sneered maliciously. "Haha, even if I can't kill you, scarring a once-great figure like you is a matter of great pride!"

Xu Renli remained motionless, his right index finger quivering slightly as a streak of crimson light flashed forth—Blood Explosion Finger!

Simultaneously, an enraged voice erupted from the black SUV. "Audacious! How dare you injure him?"

With a thunderous bang, the vehicle's door was violently kicked open, hurtling through the air with lightning speed.

Puchi, boom! The old man's right palm was impaled by the bloody light, eliciting a pained cry. But that wasn't the end—his entire arm was severed cleanly by the airborne door in the next instant!

"No! My arm!" he wailed, his face ashen with agony. He writhed on the ground, screaming in torment, his remaining left arm gesturing pleadingly towards Xu Renli. "Save me, please... I beg you to save me..."

Blinded by hate, the old man realized too late his foolishness. Even a retired Martial Ancestor was beyond the reach of a lowly Martial Master like himself.

"Grandpa, what happened?" The boy was panic-stricken, circling his grandfather, bewildered. How had the old man fallen victim to an assailant in just a moment of distraction? Such audacity!

"What do we do now? What do we do? Right, call the Defense Bureau—there's been a violent attack on the street!"

Only two minutes passed before the screech of brakes announced the arrival of a car. Several stern-faced men in Defense Bureau uniforms approached briskly. Upon grasping the situation, they offered Xu Renli a respectful bow.

"You've been startled, sir. We'll take him away at once!"

"No, you've got it all wrong—that man is the assailant! Catch him quickly!"

The young man was completely shocked, pointing at Xu Renli and desperately arguing his case. It was beyond his wildest imagination that things would turn out this way.

A member of the Defense Bureau bellowed, "Murderer? He's a decorated war veteran from Acropolis City in Faywyvern! The fault lies with your grandfather, who sought malicious revenge against Deputy Xu. Whose fault is it that he lost an arm? He has only himself to blame!"

"What?" The young man was dazed.

Deputy Xu? How old could this man be? Barely thirty, and yet he was such an influential figure? Impossible!

Before long, the grandfather and grandson were escorted away.

A middle-aged man with a square face approached, his eyes brimming with excitement and deep respect as he looked at Xu Renli, bowing his head slightly. "Deputy Xu."

"Mm." Xu Renli nodded.

He gazed at the bustling traffic, his hands clasped behind him, and after a brief silence, he spoke softly. "Yu Yong, it's been a year since I left. How is everyone? Is Xiao Liu still overseeing his area? And Xiao Qi, I heard he was injured six months ago?"

A year prior, before the assassination attempt, Xu Renli was the top Deputy Xu of Faywyvern, one of the most powerful figures in the city, responsible for the discipline of Martial Cultivators.

For instance, Wu Hong, a Low Level Martial Master, had been disciplined by Xu Renli's men for misconduct. He was assigned to gather intelligence in the Otherworld, harboring resentment ever since.

"Brother Liu's cultivation has advanced further; he's now a top-tier Grand Martial Master and is temporarily heading our Martial Cultivator Discipline Bureau... As for Brother Qi, he was sent to the front lines six months ago and was killed in action."

"Ah, such a loss." Xu Renli shook his head in lament.

Qi was one of the juniors he had great hopes for. Had his martial journey been smoother, he might have had the potential to rise to the level of Martial Ancestor.

"Are you planning to return?" Yu Yong asked tentatively, gathering his courage to address the man he admired most, hope shining in his eyes.

"I don't think I can go back."

After a full five minutes passed, Xu Renli suddenly turned, gave Yu Yong a wave, and strode away with a firm gait.

"Go on, take care of what you need to."

Watching the tall figure fade away, Yu Yong shook his head, a wry smile on his face.

"A 31-year-old High-Level Martial Ancestor, the youngest in the entire Human Alliance. His future should be dazzling, perhaps even destined to ascend to Martial King. Yet, he's been struck by such misfortune. It's truly tragic and lamentable."

"Hold on, that flash of blood and the bloody hole in Wu Hong's palm? Could it be..."

A jolt ran through Yu Yong as he suddenly recalled the detail he had previously missed.

If he could wound a Low-Level Martial Master, then Deputy Xu's Martial Dao Stage must have reached that of an Initial Martial Master!

Yu Yong was overwhelmed with excitement, his eyes sparkling.

Could it be that Deputy Xu's martial cultivation is gradually returning?

Without Deputy Xu, a top Grand Martial Master, the Defense Bureau lacked the power to deter some of the most ruthless human felons.

Just then, a phone rang. Yu Yong answered the call.

"What? Signs of an Evil Demon? Which neighborhood? Okay, I'm on my way!"

Evil Demons were notoriously more cunning and devious than other aberrations.

Some, known as "evil spirits" among human Martial Cultivators, lacked a physical form and could attach themselves to Martial Cultivators undetected, seducing them into betraying the Human Alliance and leaking intelligence.

As such, the Defense Bureau occasionally investigated cases of Martial Cultivators conspiring with Evil Demons.

An hour later, at the Violet Luolan Café.

Bathed in soft pink lighting, the atmosphere was dim and dreamy, filled with the sound of soothing music.

Couples nestled in booths, exchanging loving glances or wrapped in each other's embrace, a heady scent of hormones permeating the air.

Tucked away in a corner, Xu Renli sat rigidly, his instincts recoiling from the overt display of affection.

After several phone calls, he finally confirmed he was in the right place—the rendezvous point was indeed this lovers' café.

Glances of curiosity and disbelief flickered around the room.

"This guy, looking like an oversized black gorilla, thinks he can charm the ladies?"

"Seriously, ever heard of a mirror?"

The cafe was a hotspot for single women on the lookout for dashing men, as well as for homebound geeks hoping to mingle with the fairer sex.

Five minutes later, a statuesque beauty in a black dress, her hair cascading over her shoulders, strode in. She took a seat across from Xu Renli, drawing fiery stares from all corners.

Xu Renli's pupils shrank, his skin crawling with goosebumps—not from fear, not from awe, but from revulsion.

This was unmistakably a man!

The Adam's apple was masterfully concealed, invisible to the untrained eye, but Xu Renli was no ordinary observer. As a former Martial Ancestor, he had the ability to discern the subtlest of human energies.

"Hello, Deputy Xu. My name is Shi Lang. Faywyvern has been facing some disturbances lately, and I've found myself in a difficult position. I hope you'll understand," the figure in the black dress said with an apologetic grin, her voice betraying her masculine identity.

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