244: Chapter 244 Showdown with Li Yun

Lin Tian followed Li Yun and the others all the way from the town at the foot of the mountain to Yunzhou Prefecture.

Those few Qingyun Sect Disciples wandered around Yunzhou Prefecture for the better part of the day, stopping at restaurants, weapon shops, and Spirit Medicine shops, completely unaware that they had picked up a tail.

Lin Tian was in no rush, keeping a distance of two streets, like a patient wolf waiting for its prey to walk out of the city gates on its own.

When the sun began to dip into the west, Li Yun and his group finally left Yunzhou Prefecture and headed back along the official road.

Upon reaching a fork in the road, Lin Tian confirmed that there was no one around and the mountain woods were silent; it was the perfect place to make a move. No longer hiding his figure, he took a few strides and blocked the center of the road.

The Qingyun Sect Disciples were chatting and laughing when they suddenly saw someone appear in front of them, and they were all taken aback.

After seeing that the person was alone and that his Aura didn't seem particularly strong, they didn't take him seriously.

A burly companion stepped forward, looked Lin Tian up and down, and seeing that he was a stranger and not wearing the attire of any major Sect, a sneer of disdain curled on his lips.

"Where did this blind idiot come from, daring to block our path? Get lost!"

This man was also a 5th-Grade Martial Artist, and as he spoke, his voice was full of vigor, rolling far down the official road.

He had expected that this shout would scare the other party away, but Lin Tian stood motionless, not even blinking an eyelid.

Lin Tian's gaze passed over the brawny man and fell directly onto Li Yun. He spoke, "I heard the Qingyun Sect has a Rank 6 Genius. I would like to test your skills."

These words were spoken calmly, yet they carried an unquestionable provocation.

The Qingyun Sect Disciples looked at each other and then laughed in unison.

The burly man laughed even louder, as if he had heard some huge joke: "Just based on you? You think you're worthy of fighting Senior Brother Li?"

Before his voice had even faded, his figure flickered, and he charged toward Lin Tian like a wild bull.

The Qi and blood of a 5th-Grade Martial Artist erupted, creating two deep pits in the mud under his feet. He threw a punch, the wind of the fist fierce and sharp, heading straight for Lin Tian's face.

This man intended to show off in front of Li Yun, so he used his full strength from the very first move.

Lin Tian did not dodge. He raised his hand and struck out with a palm. The movement was not fast, it could even be described as understated; it was simply a straightforward push forward.

Before the burly man's fist could even touch the corner of Lin Tian's clothes, Lin Tian's palm had already imprinted onto his chest.

With a muffled thud, the burly man was hit squarely, as if rammed by a charging rhinoceros. His feet left the ground, and he flew backward, rolling several times on the ground before coming to a stop.

He struggled to climb up, but the Qi and blood in his chest were roiling violently. His arms went limp halfway up, and he collapsed on the ground, gasping for air.

Lin Tian withdrew his palm without even glancing at the person on the ground.

He had not used his full strength, not even three-tenths of it. After all, he did not want to make too big a scene; killing or crippling someone would be difficult to resolve. His target from beginning to end was only one—Li Yun.

That burly man was a 5th-Grade Martial Artist at the Late Stage, and he could be considered a figure among the younger generation of the Qingyun Sect. One palm, just one palm, and he was slapped to the ground without even a chance to fight back.

The smiles on the faces of the remaining Qingyun Sect Disciples all froze. One companion crouched down to check the burly man's injuries, while the other subconsciously retreated two steps, a trace of fear appearing in his gaze as he looked at Lin Tian.

Li Yun's eyes finally changed. For the first time, a grave expression appeared on his previously calm face. A flash of brilliance shone in his eyes, like two unsheathed sharp swords piercing straight at Lin Tian.

He slowly took two steps forward, and the Aura around his body began to climb. The pressure of a Rank 6 Grandmaster poured out in all directions like invisible mercury, pressing the weeds by the roadside flat to the ground; even the mountain wind seemed to have stopped.

"You have some skill."

Li Yun's voice was not loud, but it was as cold as winter river water. As the words fell, he moved. His figure flickered, the mud under his feet exploded, and he was like a streak of cyan lightning, instantly crossing several zhang of distance to appear before Lin Tian.

He did not use a weapon, nor did he use any fancy martial arts; he simply struck out with a palm.

This palm from a Rank 6 Grandmaster looked plain and unremarkable, but it contained a terrifying power capable of splitting monuments and shattering stones. Where the palm wind passed, the air emitted a sharp hiss.

Lin Tian also struck out with a palm. The two palms collided with a boom in mid-air, and a visible wave of Qi exploded from the point of contact, sweeping out in all directions.

The dust on the official road was kicked up over three feet high, and two bowl-thick poplar trees by the roadside shook violently, their leaves falling to the ground with a rustle.

Li Yun retreated three steps, each step leaving a footprint an inch deep on the official road. Lin Tian also retreated three steps, his figure swaying slightly before he steadied himself.

The two stood in a standoff across the air, the dust under their feet still drifting in the air.

Li Yun's pupils suddenly constricted. The composure on his face had completely vanished, replaced by incredulous shock. He stared fixedly at Lin Tian, his lips moving as he spat out a few words: "You are also a Rank 6?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the two Qingyun Sect Disciples who were still standing behind were stunned. One Disciple's eyes widened, his mouth agape wide enough to fit a fist, and the other Disciple's face turned pale instantly.

Rank 6, another Rank 6, a Rank 6 Grandmaster who appeared from nowhere, specifically here to intercept and kill Li Yun. This was no simple provocation; something big was about to happen.