Chapter 81: Slaughter Them All!

At this moment, Bai Feiyu clearly sensed that something was wrong. Yang Fan, being such an upright person, would never harbor resentment over having to become his subordinate, much less refuse to help at a time like this—unless, that is, he had already been held up by a formidable enemy below…

With this realization, Bai Feiyu abruptly shoved aside the shopkeeper, drew the God of War Spear, and unleashed the Soaring Rainbow Spear Art, thrusting at another shop assistant. He had to eliminate the obstacles before him as quickly as possible—only then could he kill the shopkeeper swiftly.

Truth be told, he had killed those in the Shackles Realm before.

“Heh heh, little one, I never imagined you’d possess combat strength on par with the Shackles Realm,” the shopkeeper sneered. “It's clear that if you mature in the future, you will become a formidable power. But you’re out of time. Give up—if you stop struggling, I’ll grant you a quick death.

“Your companion below, that little one in the Shackles Realm, is already being watched by one of our own Shackles Realm experts. Mind you, ours is at the second tier of the Shackles Realm—there’s no way he could ever win!”

The shopkeeper gave a playful smile, looking at Bai Feiyu as if he were an ant caught in the palm of his hand, struggling fiercely but with no chance of escape.

“Hmph, do you really think a mere second-tier Shackles Realm opponent has everything under control?” Bai Feiyu snorted coldly, his heart ablaze with rage.

For the first time in his life, he found himself in such a predicament—outmaneuvered by someone else. In the past, wasn’t he always the one setting the traps?

“Soaring Rainbow Spear Art—!”

Bai Feiyu drew his God of War Spear and charged toward the shopkeeper with swift, fierce strikes. He could see that this shopkeeper was the real threat; only by seriously wounding him could he shatter the others’ resolve in an instant.

Then, he would have the time and energy to deal with that so-called second-tier Shackles Realm enemy.

To be honest, the lineup the shopkeeper boasted of was hardly enough to make Bai Feiyu hesitate.

“Qianshuang, Shiyuan, you two—hold off the others for me! This one is mine. Within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, I’ll have his head!”

Bai Feiyu roared, unleashing a storm of ferocity and precision; his spearwork was ever-changing, forcing the shopkeeper to retreat again and again.

“Damn it, how does this brat have such terrifying strength?” the shopkeeper muttered, nearly coughing blood in frustration. He had never seen an Aura Realm cultivator with such overwhelming combat ability.

But Bai Feiyu was there before him, alive and well.

As he fought, Bai Feiyu continued to collect attribute fragments. In less than half the time it took for one incense stick to burn, the shopkeeper was already looking haggard, barely able to hold his own.

“All of you, come help me! Kill this brat at once!” the shopkeeper shouted frantically, his eyes bloodshot and his voice bordering on madness.

Hearing his command, the other shop assistants could only give bitter smiles. They were already being driven to desperation by the two disciples—a man and a woman—and had no energy to spare against Bai Feiyu.

Bang—

Suddenly, the doors were kicked open. Bai Feiyu’s heart leapt with joy.

He saw Yang Fan striding in, a severed head in his grasp, his presence as imposing as a mountain.

“Impressive. You rural shopkeeper dare to set your sights on the disciples of the Return to Ruins Sect? You must be tired of living!”

With that, Yang Fan tossed the head aside and drove his spear through it, causing it to explode like a watermelon.

“This…” The shopkeeper was stunned, his face twisted with terror.

“Senior Brother Yang Fan, how did you finish your fight so quickly?” Qianshuang gasped, looking at him in disbelief. After all, his opponent was supposed to be a second-tier Shackles Realm expert, while Yang Fan was only at the first tier—how could he have ended it so fast?

“Quickly? It was just a half-step Shackles Realm. Why would it take long?” Yang Fan replied, genuinely puzzled.

At this, Bai Feiyu and the others suddenly understood: the shopkeeper had been trying to deceive them, hoping to break their morale. In reality, Yang Fan’s opponent had only reached half a step into the Shackles Realm.

The shopkeeper’s plan had been simple: send a half-step Shackles Realm to keep Yang Fan occupied, while he himself dealt with the Aura Realm disciples. Then, when those were finished off, they would join forces against Yang Fan and kill him together.

He had not anticipated, however, the sheer power of Bai Feiyu’s combat strength. This single miscalculation had led them all into a disaster, costing them their lives.

Now, with Bai Feiyu’s overwhelming might and Yang Fan—now joined by a true Shackles Realm cultivator—attacking from both sides, the shopkeeper stood no chance. He had already been hard-pressed to deal with Bai Feiyu alone; with two of them, escape was impossible.

In that instant, the shopkeeper realized his end had come. Begging for mercy would do him no good—there was only one path left: escape.

With that, the shopkeeper steeled himself, biting the tip of his tongue to activate a secret technique for a desperate breakout.

But Bai Feiyu and Yang Fan, anticipating this, had no intention of letting him get away so easily. Bai Feiyu unleashed the Soaring Rainbow Spear Art, while Yang Fan displayed his own ultimate technique, sealing off every exit.

“Die!” Bai Feiyu roared, driving his spear through the shopkeeper’s chest. Even as he died, the shopkeeper stared at Bai Feiyu, unwilling to accept his fate—how could he perish at the hands of a mere junior?

But reality could not be denied.

Without the shopkeeper’s protection, the remaining shop assistants became like stray dogs. When Bai Feiyu turned his gaze upon them, they immediately abandoned any thought of resistance and fell to their knees, begging for mercy.

“Young master, I’m sorry, please spare us!”

“We won’t dare again, never again…”

“We were forced by circumstances, driven by the shopkeeper—truly, it’s the truth…”

They kowtowed repeatedly, pleading for their lives.

Were it not for what he had learned earlier, Bai Feiyu might have relented. But after overhearing their conversations—and hearing the shopkeeper admit to offending the Zhao imperial clan—he knew they were all complicit. There was no way he could let them off so easily.

“Die!”

With a thrust of his spear, Bai Feiyu struck them down one by one. Even in death, their faces showed reluctance and resignation, but there was nothing more they could do.

Yang Fan was delighted; to have taken down so many was already an impressive feat.

Yet Bai Feiyu’s next words froze the smile on his face…