595: Chapter 595 A Fine Furnace

[He looked up, staring at Yin Wuji with bloodshot eyes, a hoarse growl escaping his throat: "Yin Wuji, if you dare touch her..."]

["And what can you do?" Yin Wuji interrupted him, his tone full of contempt.]

[City Lord Fang Yue trembled all over, yet he couldn't utter a single word.]

[Indeed, what could he do?]

[The Yin Yang Five Elements Art that Yin Wuji cultivated was not a legitimate Dual Cultivation Technique at all.]

[It was a technique of plucking and supplementing, specifically designed to seize the Primordial Yin of female cultivators. Through this process, the female cultivator would at best suffer a regression in cultivation, and at worst, have her Meridians severed and her Dantian shattered.]

[On Tianlan Star, the number of female cultivators who had been victimized by Yin Wuji's plucking and supplementing was at least eighty, if not a hundred.]

[Some went mad, some were crippled, and some died outright.]

[This was something everyone knew.]

[But no one dared to speak of it.]

[Those victimized female cultivators often came from small sects and schools; after being used, they weren't even given an explanation.]

[Some came from decent backgrounds, but when their families went to the Dao Tian Sect to seek justice, they would "die accidentally" the very next day.]

[With the entire Dao Tian Sect backing him, who would dare touch Yin Wuji?]

[It wasn't that City Lord Fang Yue hadn't thought of finding help, but on Tianlan Star, who dared to offend the Dao Tian Sect?]

[The other four major powers wouldn't offend the Dao Tian Sect for the sake of a mere City Lord.]

[He could only rely on himself.]

[But he was no match for them.]

[The only way was to have his daughter flee Tianlan Star and become a Loose Cultivator in the Endless Immortal Domain.]

[This path was arduous, but he had no other choice.]

[Staying behind meant falling into a fiery pit.]

[Escaping offered at least a glimmer of hope.]

[A flash of determination crossed his eyes. He struggled to his feet, shielding Fang Ruoqing as he glared at Yin Wuji, then roared toward the outside of the hall:]

["Guards!"]

[Ten guards immediately rushed in from outside, lining up to block the way in front of City Lord Fang Yue.]

[The leader was Han Yu, the Commander of the City Lord's Estate guards, who was at the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Behind him were nine others, all at the Golden Core stage, each with a cold expression and Magic Treasures glowing in their hands.]

["Protect the Young Miss!" Han Yu barked.]

[The nine Golden Core guards simultaneously performed hand seals. Spiritual light intertwined and runes flowed, instantly forming a Defensive Grand Array. A curtain of light acted as a shield, firmly protecting Fang Ruoqing.]

[Han Yu took a step forward to stand side-by-side with City Lord Fang Yue, his long saber unsheathed, its blade burning with eerie blue flames.]

["City Lord, take the Young Miss and leave first!" he said in a low voice, his gaze fixed on Yin Wuji.]

[City Lord Fang Yue did not hesitate. He grabbed Fang Ruoqing's wrist: "Run! Leave Tianlan Star! Never come back!"]

[Fang Ruoqing's eyes reddened: "Father—"]

["Go!"]

[City Lord Fang Yue gave her a sudden shove and turned to charge at Yin Wuji.]

[Han Yu followed closely behind, his long saber slashing down. The Saber Qi tore through the air with a piercing hum.]

[Yin Wuji didn't even spare them a glance; he merely smiled.]

["That's it?"]

[He raised a hand and waved.]

[An invisible force exploded outward like a landslide or a tsunami.]

[Just as City Lord Fang Yue and Han Yu reached him, they were struck head-on by that force. Before they could even react, they were sent flying backward.]

[City Lord Fang Yue slammed into a pillar and slid to the floor, blood gushing from his mouth.]

[Han Yu crashed through the wall and flew out of the hall, hitting the ground hard, his fate unknown.]

[The Defensive Grand Array of the nine Golden Core guards was like paper before Yin Wuji, shattering instantly. Spiritual light scattered, runes dimmed, and all nine coughed up blood as they collapsed to the ground.]

[A few with lower cultivation levels died on the spot.]

[Before Fang Ruoqing could even take half a step, Yin Jiu was already blocking her path, grinning like a wall.]

["Young Miss Fang, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Don't you care whether your father lives or dies?"]

[Fang Ruoqing's face was deathly pale, and she was trembling all over.]

[She looked back and saw City Lord Fang Yue lying in a pool of blood and the ten guards scattered across the ground. Her tears finally broke through, silently streaming down.]

[Yin Wuji took a step forward, grabbed Fang Ruoqing by the neck, and lifted her up.]

[Fang Ruoqing's feet left the ground, her face turning bright red. She desperately tried to pry his fingers away, but that hand was like an iron vice, unmoving.]

["I'll ask you one more time," Yin Wuji leaned in close, his voice bone-chillingly cold. "Are you willing?"]

[It wasn't that Yin Wuji hadn't felt murderous intent.]

[But he was also afraid—if he pushed Fang Ruoqing too far and she self-detonated, a top-tier Cauldron would go to waste.]

[Otherwise, he would have killed City Lord Fang Yue long ago.]

[Fang Ruoqing glared at him, her eyes filled with nothing but hatred as a single hot tear rolled down her cheek.]

[She opened her mouth,]

[*Pfft—*]

[A glob of spit landed on Yin Wuji's face, right at the corner of his mouth.]

[Instead of getting angry, Yin Wuji laughed. He stuck out his tongue and licked the corner of his mouth: "Mm, refreshing and pleasant. A top-tier Cauldron indeed. Not bad, not bad at all."]

[Looking at him like that, Fang Ruoqing's stomach churned. She forced out two words: "Trash!"]

[Yin Wuji smiled, but his grip tightened further.]

[Fang Ruoqing's face began to turn purple.]

["Stop!" City Lord Fang Yue lunged forward but was blocked by Yin Jiu.]

[Yin Wuji chuckled and let go. Fang Ruoqing collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as her tears fell silently.]

["City Lord Fang," Yin Wuji turned around, a faint smile on his lips. "My patience is limited. I'll give you one last incense stick's time to consider. Otherwise..."]

[He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, his tone nonchalant. "Today, not even a chicken or a dog shall be left alive in the City Lord's Estate."]

[Meanwhile,]

[The commotion at the City Lord's Estate had drawn many onlookers.]

[Some were angry, some sighed, some looked away in fear, and some whispered to each other in hushed tones.]

["Isn't this Saint a bit too arrogant? To start a fight right in the City Lord's Estate..."]

["Arrogant? He has the capital to be arrogant."]

["Sigh, poor Young Miss Fang, at such a beautiful age..."]

["I heard that this Saint Cultivates an evil art that specifically absorbs the Primordial Yin of virgins. Dozens of girls have already suffered."]

["Is that true?"]

["Of course it's true. My second aunt's neighbor's third aunt's cousin is in the Dao Tian Sect; he saw it with his own eyes."]

[Everyone shook their heads, feeling that Fang Ruoqing was doomed.]

[A middle-aged man couldn't bear it any longer. He pushed through the crowd, stepped forward, and pointed angrily at Yin Jiu: "Do you people have no respect for the law?!"]

[Yin Jiu glanced at him and casually raised a hand. A burst of frigid Palm Wind shot out, striking the man right in the chest.]

[Bang—!]

[The man didn't even have time to scream before he exploded, turning into a mist of blood.]

[Shreds of flesh and blood splattered everywhere, landing on the faces and bodies of the onlookers.]

["Ah! It's blood, it's blood."]

[Screams erupted as the crowd retreated several steps, their faces pale. No one dared to speak again.]

[Yin Jiu scanned the surroundings and said word by word:]

["Who... else...?"]