Chapter 465: Blood Price

The tall man in the black robe scornfully said, "She's covered in blood; don't you find that dirty?"

"Once we get enough demon cores, you can have any fairy maiden you want back home."

He wasn't trying to restrain his junior brother. The truth was, a wave of beast kings was currently assaulting Boundless Mountain. This was a prime opportunity to earn demon cores, and he couldn't understand why anyone would waste it on a woman.

However, the slender young man couldn't contain himself, his eyes burning with desire. "Those fairy maidens you can just buy are nowhere near as exciting as a woman with such a perfect figure and a fiery temper like a little chili pepper!"

"You go catch the beast kings. I'll join you in a bit."

The tall young man in black robes reluctantly said, "Fine, but you're quick anyway!"

The slender young man quickly retorted, "Boss, you shouldn't just say things like that!"

"Hahaha!" The tall young man, along with a laughing group of robed figures, went to confront the beast tide.

The slender young man snorted, "Saying I'm quick?" He turned his gaze to Li Shiqian and smirked. "Little beauty, to properly prove to my big brother that I'm a strong man, you'll have to bear with me for a bit."

Li Shiqian recoiled in fear. "Don't come near me! I'd rather die than be defiled by you!"

The slender young man's eyes burned even hotter. "Haha, I love that wild spirit in you! Little beauty, serve me well, and I'll guarantee you a boundless future."

With that, he strode towards her. Just as he stepped within ten feet of Li Shiqian, she turned her head to look at Hua Xiangchen, who lay in a pool of blood, and then glanced at the mangled bodies of the Nine Sect disciples in the distance. A hint of sorrow appeared in her eyes, and she let out a sigh that only she could hear.

"I suppose I've avenged you somewhat."

She raised her hand. An activated explosion jade talisman pulsed with an erratic glow, on the verge of detonating.

The slender young man's face changed. "What are you doing? Stop!"

Li Shiqian sneered, "Didn't you tell me to serve me well? This old lady will send you to heaven!"

It turned out she had long intended to die along with him. She was merely waiting for him to enter the explosion's range before decisively activating the talisman. While she usually bullied the weak and feared the strong, she wasn't afraid of death itself. Faced with being defiled by such a disgusting creature or dying, she chose to die together. This way, at least the Nine Sect members would think highly of her, perhaps even praising Li Shiqian for her integrity and resolve.

However, just as she braced for the impending explosion, the slender young man smiled eerily. His eyes flashed, and a cluster of oily green light suddenly shot out, piercing Li Shiqian's eyes. Li Shiqian felt her consciousness waver, and by the time she regained clarity, the slender young man was already in front of her. The explosion jade talisman in her palm had been snatched away by him. Without spiritual energy to sustain it, the activated talisman quickly deactivated.

"Heh heh, did you really think you scared me? I was just playing with you! If I couldn't handle such a simple trick, how could I be a bandit? Hahaha!"

The slender young man rubbed his five fingers together, and the explosion jade talisman crumbled into dust, drifting down from between them. Li Shiqian's pupils contracted sharply. She hastily grabbed the sword lying on the ground, but the moment she moved, the slender young man seized her wrist.

With an evil chuckle, his other wicked hand ruthlessly grabbed towards her chest. "Little beauty, just serve me obediently! You can't escape my grasp... Ah!!!"

Suddenly, the slender young man screamed! The hand he had reached towards Li Shiqian's chest was severed cleanly at the wrist! Gushing blood splattered all over Li Shiqian's face.

Li Shiqian's angry expression froze, then turned into bewilderment. What happened? Why had the slender young man's hand suddenly been severed? She had only vaguely glimpsed an impossibly fast flash of purple light. This Heaven's Secret Pavilion expert, whose strength was second only to the tall man in black robes, had his hand cut off just like that?

As a voice rang out, Li Shiqian's delicate body trembled violently. She turned her head in disbelief to look. Not far behind her, perched on an ice cone, stood a young man in white robes, his hands clasped behind his back. His dark hair whipped in the wind, and his long robe fluttered wildly. His cold gaze was more chilling than the surrounding snow and ice.

"Jiang... Jiang Fan?" Li Shiqian's eyes widened, filled with utter disbelief. A scene she wouldn't even dream of was vividly unfolding before her.

The slender young man clutched his severed arm, his features twisted in agony. He stared intently at the suddenly appearing Jiang Fan and demanded, "Who are you?"

*Whoosh—* A streak of purple light flew forth, circling Jiang Fan in the air. This sight astonished the slender young man. Sword manipulation? Someone had actually learned Xu Qingyang's Sword Manipulation Technique?

Jiang Fan said indifferently, "You harmed my Nine Sect disciples and humiliated Nine Sect women, yet you ask who I am? You should be asking yourself if you have any last words!"

Hearing that Jiang Fan was merely a Nine Sect disciple, the slender young man immediately felt reassured. He was a Core Formation Fourth Level expert. Among the Nine Sects, only the renowned Xia Chaoge could contend with him. Everyone else, in his eyes, was no different from trash!

"I thought it was some master ruining my fun. A mere Nine Sect trash dares to ambush me? And sever my hand?" A chilling ruthlessness gleamed in the slender young man's eyes. He felt utterly humiliated!

"I've changed my mind now! I'm done with this woman! I'll torture you to death first! I'll flay your skin layer by layer, and pull out your tendons one by one! I'll make you realize that meddling comes with a price!"

*Bang—* He suddenly launched an attack. With a stomp of his foot, the ground let out a dull thud. He charged towards Jiang Fan, filled with furious intent and emanating an extremely sharp aura. "Heart Extinguishing Fist!" A low-tier Earth-grade cultivation technique instantly struck.

Jiang Fan coldly raised his palm and calmly struck with a "Roaming Dragon Palm."

*Pah—* In that brief moment of confrontation, the slender young man was impacted as if by a prehistoric giant elephant. To his incredulous horror, he flew backward, spitting blood, and slammed heavily onto the corpse of an ape beast king!

*Pfft—* The secondary impact caused him to spit out another large mouthful of blood.

"You... you're not a Nine Sect disciple!" the slender young man exclaimed in shock. How could a disciple possess such terrifying strength? He must be an elder from some sect! This was an elder oppressing a junior from Heaven's Secret Pavilion! This would surely cause conflict between the elders of both sides!

Thinking this, he laughed furiously. "What audacity! You know who I am, yet you dare to bully the younger? You wait! Wait for my master to come and demand an explanation!"

At this moment, Xia Chaoge arrived right behind. When she saw the ground covered with injured individuals, and even the bodies of several Nine Sect disciples, her usually serene eyes sharpened. Noticing the man in black robes, she drew her sword without hesitation.

"Xia Chaoge?" The slender young man recognized her. Who wouldn't be interested in this peerless beauty from the Nine Sects, whose strength and appearance were both at their peak? He had seen countless portraits of Xia Chaoge, always amazed by her divine beauty, and thus recognized her instantly.

What made his heart drop was when Jiang Fan stopped her from attacking, saying, "This person is too filthy. Don't dirty your hands. I'll handle it."

The slender young man was startled and quickly said, "Xia Chaoge, I'm a Heaven's Secret Pavilion disciple! Tell this Nine Sect elder what consequences he'll face for attacking me, a junior!"

This young elder might be ignorant, but Xia Chaoge surely understood the implications, right?

Xia Chaoge paused, then said coolly, "You've misunderstood. My martial uncle is also a disciple."