16: The incredibly powerful Liu Fusheng

"So it's Young Master Lin Yi!"

Seeing Lin Yi's face, Liu Fusheng suddenly smiled, the fat on his face squeezing together exactly as it had during the day.

However, his face at this moment lacked even a hint of the Maitreya Buddha-like kindness he showed during the day; instead, under the reflection of the firelight, he appeared somewhat sinister and terrifying.

"Young Master Lin Yi, did you see everything that just happened?"

"No."

Hearing this, Lin Yi immediately spoke up to deny it.

"This Bandit and I only just fought our way here. When we arrived, we found the warehouse already engulfed in a raging fire. As for who set the fire, this Lin knows nothing at all."

"However, as the manager of this branch of the Wang Family Pharmacy, Shopkeeper Liu, your arrival here is likely because you saw the fire at the warehouse and specifically came to check and help put it out, right?"

Clap, clap, clap!

Hearing Lin Yi's explanation, Liu Fusheng clapped his hands with a beaming smile, a look of approval appearing on his face.

"Not bad! Not bad! Young Master Lin Yi is indeed a Prodigy of the Guangling Martial Academy, truly extraordinary."

"At such a young age, not only is your strength impressive, but your wisdom, tactics, and adaptability are also incredibly sophisticated. You are much stronger than This humble one Liu was back then!"

"This humble one Liu remembers that when I was Young Master Lin Yi's age, I was still feeling smug because I had just entered the Ninth Grade and was favored by my instructor, who gave me an extra two taels of silver in monthly wages! Compared to Young Master Lin Yi, I was truly far too inferior!"

"But unfortunately, the smarter you are, Young Master Lin Yi, the less I can afford to let you live today! Otherwise, This humble one Liu might not be able to sleep peacefully at night in the future!"

As he spoke, the smile on Liu Fusheng's face slowly faded, and wisps of terrifying killing intent gradually bloomed from his mung bean-sized eyes.

"Shopkeeper Liu, do you truly intend to make a move against me?"

Hearing this, Lin Yi's expression also turned cold as frost.

"Setting aside whether you can beat me or not, even if you are powerful and actually manage to kill me in the end..."

"I am a Disciple of the martial academy. Once I die, the Guangling Martial Academy will certainly investigate thoroughly. Do you think you'll be able to escape then?"

"And if you don't believe what I said before, you can ask this Bandit. The two of us indeed just arrived here; we really didn't see anything."

Lin Yi explained.

He truly did not want to make an enemy of Liu Fusheng at such a juncture. Not even mentioning the Black Wind Stockade Bandits who could arrive at any moment, just judging from Liu Fusheng's previous abnormalities and his current actions, this fat shopkeeper—who appeared to only have a Seventh Grade Mid-stage cultivation—was definitely not as simple as he seemed on the surface.

Moreover, Lin Yi clearly remembered that while drinking tonight, Liu Fusheng had asked him about his strength.

Although he hadn't said anything at the time, those guards from the Medicine Escort Team, in their boasting, had directly told Liu Fusheng about his strength.

Under these circumstances, the fact that the other party still wanted to move against him meant that, excluding the impossible guess that Liu Fusheng was a fool, he must have an extremely terrifying trump card!

Therefore, if he were to fight him now, it would definitely not be a good thing for him.

Lin Yi's mind raced as he constantly thought of ways to force Liu Fusheng to retreat.

On the other side, hearing Lin Yi's explanation, Liu Fusheng simply smiled and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter anymore! It doesn't matter!"

"I don't care if you truly didn't see or if you're just pretending; in any case, both of you must die tonight."

"Because I have always believed that only dead people can keep a secret forever!"

Swoosh!

Before Liu Fusheng's voice had even faded, his right hand suddenly jerked. In the blink of an eye, a slender, cyan Soft Sword abruptly appeared in his hand.

Following that, with a movement of his feet, his body—clearly incredibly obese—was now more agile than a leopard. With one sword strike, he lunged toward Lin Yi and the Seventh-Rank Late Stage Bandit.

"Not good! Danger!"

Seeing this sword strike from Liu Fusheng, Lin Yi's brow throbbed. He felt a sense of great threat flood his heart. He quickly moved his long saber, shaking off the Seventh-Rank Late Stage Bandit.

At the same time, he tapped his feet and retreated over ten meters in an instant, like an incredibly light butterfly.

And then—

"Ah!"

A scream rang out. The Bandit who had remained in place had no power to resist Liu Fusheng's sword strike. Almost in an instant, his brow was pierced by Liu Fusheng's sword, and he died instantly!

"Seventh-Rank Late Stage, Great Perfection in a Seventh Grade Martial Art!"

Seeing the power of Liu Fusheng's sword strike, Lin Yi's expression became extremely grim.

He had long guessed that Liu Fusheng's strength was certainly not simple, but Lin Yi hadn't expected the other party to be this extraordinary!

Great Perfection in a Seventh Grade Martial Art—this level of martial technique was equivalent to his own Bright Moon Saber Technique at Sixth Grade Perfection. Even among Seventh Grade Peak Stage Martial Artists, only a tiny minority could possess such a level.

As for the Seventh-Rank Late Stage cultivation, while it was quite a bit lower than that terrifying level of martial technique, it was still horrifying enough, being two whole minor Realms higher than his own!

Taken together, Liu Fusheng's strength was definitely comparable to an ordinary Sixth Grade Initial Stage expert, significantly stronger than himself.

With such strength, even though his Bright Moon Saber Technique was best at defense, he would likely find it difficult to last a hundred moves against Liu Fusheng!

"Escape!"

With a thought, Lin Yi immediately turned and fled.

However, the direction he fled was not out of the pharmacy, but toward the center of the pharmacy.

Because there, the Sixth Rank, Late Stage expert Wang Chuan was engaged in a fierce battle with another Sixth Grade expert, a burly man wielding a hammer.

Besides them, there were other Seventh Grade Peak Stage and Sixth Grade Bandit Martial Artists there.

As long as he fled there, Liu Fusheng would absolutely not dare to make another move against him.

Conversely, if he fled toward the outside of the pharmacy and was caught by Liu Fusheng, he would truly be doomed!

"Want to escape? Can you escape from me?"

Seeing the direction Lin Yi was running, Liu Fusheng also immediately understood Lin Yi's goal. He let out a cold laugh and moved his feet, his speed actually increasing by another thirty percent. Like a ghostly phantom, he caught up to Lin Yi within a few breaths.

"Die!"

Liu Fusheng let out a soft shout and thrust the Soft Sword in his hand. Like a venomous snake choosing its prey, it went straight for Lin Yi's neck.

Feeling the gust of wind attacking from behind, Lin Yi had no choice but to stop, turning his hand to slash his saber toward that wind.

Clang!

The long saber collided with the Soft Sword, and a powerful force immediately surged from the opposite side.

Under this force, Lin Yi's body trembled, and his stance became unstable. He was blasted back seven or eight steps before finally coming to a halt.

And at the moment Lin Yi stopped, Liu Fusheng jerked the Soft Sword, which instantly transformed into a terrifying sword light, slashing fiercely toward Lin Yi once again.