Chapter 77: Ji Tianya

“Frostblade!” A powerful sense of mortal danger surged forth, and Lin Hao’s eyes grew solemn. With a single step, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth rushed into his body. In his hand, an icy sword formed instantaneously, and he slashed it toward Chu Long. It was clear he was determined to kill Chu Long, even if it meant being wounded himself.

Chu Long, staring at the blade descending upon him, suddenly turned pale. His eyes brimmed with intense terror. He knew in his heart that if this sword fell, he would die without question.

At this moment of absolute crisis, with nowhere to run or hide, Chu Long’s eyes blazed red. He pulled a compass from his storage pouch. As soon as the compass appeared, it formed a formidable barrier before him. Yet, under Lin Hao’s sword, it was like a mantis trying to stop a cart. Frost spread rapidly across the barrier, which shattered inch by inch.

Endless cold surged into Chu Long’s body. Lin Hao, also battered by his Wind Summoning technique, had his clothes torn and several fierce wounds appeared on him.

A crisp sound rang out. Lin Hao saw, beside Chu Long, a beautiful jade pendant had appeared, radiating a gentle aura that blocked the frosty sword energy he unleashed.

“What a treasure,” Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, spiritual energy gathering instantly, and in his hand, Heaven's Execution condensed into a three-foot-long sword. He slashed at Chu Long, while his other hand grabbed at the jade pendant.

“This is the pendant Senior Chen Ping gave me! If you dare touch it, Senior Chen will surely take your life!” Even though Chu Long was quick with his incantations, he could barely resist Lin Hao, empowered by the Seven-Step Immortal Technique. With a single strike, only a wave of sword energy was released, but it was enough to leave the exhausted Chu Long coughing blood and collapsing to the ground.

“Wind Summoning, plus this jade pendant, gives you a chance to live,” Lin Hao said, his gaze flashing coldly as he waved Heaven's Execution to rest against Chu Long’s neck.

“If you want to kill, then kill. Why should I fear you?” Chu Long’s eyes were resolute, staring fiercely at Lin Hao, speaking each word with determination.

Lin Hao laughed lightly and shook his head, then spoke with casual indifference, “If you refuse, after I kill you, I’ll strip your clothes and toss you onto the plaza. Let the disciples of the outer peak see the ‘number one of the outer peak’…”

“You dare!” Chu Long’s eyes blazed with anger and humiliation as he glared at Lin Hao.

“Why wouldn’t I dare?” Lin Hao snorted coldly, his gaze icy. With a palm infused with spiritual power, he struck Chu Long’s forehead, rebuking him, “From the day I became the top of the outer peak, I’ve heard your name, Chu Long! First you demanded my treasures, then sent people to kill me. Even on the day of the pill distribution, when Chen Ping sealed the Ice Spirit Pill in me, your hand was involved, wasn’t it? You’ve tried to harm me time and again. Do you really think I won’t strike back?”

Chu Long, reeling from the blow, felt endless rage, but when he met Lin Hao’s cold gaze, his heart quivered with fear. Indeed, as Lin Hao said, all these things were his doing. Being berated now, he dared not act up, biting his lip with humiliation.

“Yes or no? If you stay silent for three breaths, I’ll kill you,” Lin Hao’s eyes flashed coldly as he pressed Heaven's Execution against Chu Long’s throat.

“You…” The pain and hatred were clear in Chu Long’s eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, he gritted his teeth and pulled out a jade slip from his storage pouch, handing it to Lin Hao.

“That’s more like it.” Lin Hao smiled lightly, took the jade slip, and scanned it with his spiritual sense, confirming its authenticity. With a friendly smile, he said, “Little Chu, pay your way to life.”

“I’ve given you both the jade slip and the pendant, Lin Hao, don’t push me too far!” Chu Long’s face twisted with hatred as he glared at Lin Hao and shouted in grief.

“What’s all this shouting for?” Lin Hao’s gaze turned cold, and he slapped him again. “I only said I’d give you a chance to live. When did I say I’d let you go?”

“Just kill me! I’d rather die than live in disgrace. Eighteen years from now, I’ll be a hero again!” Chu Long stared at Lin Hao, his eyes full of tragic resolve, his whole demeanor suffused with a sense of desolate heroism.

“Hmm…” Lin Hao looked at Chu Long in surprise, pondered briefly, then struck him again with spiritual energy, causing Chu Long to fall unconscious.

“What’s the point of being so stubborn? Does it help? Young people these days… sigh…” After searching Chu Long thoroughly and confirming he carried no more treasures, Lin Hao sighed in resignation and walked away…

Only Chu Long remained, unconscious. It wasn’t until a passing disciple spotted him collapsed on the ground, his eyes flashing with shock, that he hurried off…

The news of Chu Long, the number one of the outer peak, being defeated by a mysterious figure quickly spread throughout the outer peak.

Meanwhile, Lin Hao was strolling along a mountain path, his mood relaxed. Having defeated Chu Long, years of frustration and resentment had vanished.

“Something’s wrong.” Suddenly, Lin Hao’s expression changed. He sensed a fluctuation in his spiritual sense—the jade slip he had given to Fang Ling had shattered.

“How bold, to dare bully someone under my protection!” Lin Hao snorted coldly and sped toward the location where the jade slip had broken.

Soon, he arrived outside a cave residence on the western side of the outer peak. Looking closely, he saw three disciples of the fourth level of Qi condensation surrounding Fang Ling. Fang Ling, holding a long sword, stood coldly facing them.

“Junior Sister, if you spend a night with your Senior Brother, I’ll protect you here in the outer peak. Who would dare lay a hand on you after that? Consider it?” The scrawny man leered at Fang Ling, and the other two wore expressions of confidence, as if dealing with a first-level Qi Condensation girl was effortless.

“Lechers!” Fang Ling glared at them, inwardly anxious. When they appeared, she sensed trouble and broke Lin Hao’s jade slip, but with Lin Hao yet to arrive, she felt a flicker of despair.

“Ling’er.” Suddenly, a clear voice rang out. A man in azure robes, wearing a wine gourd at his waist, appeared. The crowd looked at him—handsome, plain in dress, but with a restrained sharpness.

“Senior Brother Lin!” Fang Ling’s eyes lit up with joy. She hurried to Lin Hao’s side, tugged at his sleeve, and whispered with grievance, “Senior Brother, I’d just arrived at the cave and these men followed me, trying to lay hands on me. Please stand up for me!”

“Don’t worry.” Lin Hao smiled, rubbing Fang Ling’s head. Then he looked coldly at the three men and said, “Just Qi Condensation stage four, and you dare touch someone under my protection? Do you want to die?”

“Senior Brother…” Fang Ling blushed, her eyes flashing with hidden emotion. The leader of the three, however, sneered: “Boy, mind your own business! My big brother is newly at stage six of Qi Condensation, one of the strongest in the outer peak!”

“Oh?” Lin Hao smiled, releasing his aura, pressing it upon them. “Even if you are stage six, so what?”

The three instantly paled, exchanging glances before bowing in fear, their voices trembling: “We… didn’t recognize Senior Brother… please forgive us…”

“‘Please forgive’—is that enough to heal Ling’er’s trauma? You frightened her so badly! It’ll take at least a year or two for her to recover!” Lin Hao’s gaze flashed with anger as he looked at them in disappointment. “Fifty spirit stones each, ten pills, and three magic items!”

“This…” The three looked at Fang Ling, whose cheeks were rosy and eyes bright. The leader spoke in a low voice, “Senior Brother, do you really think we’re cowards?”

“Not afraid to die?” Lin Hao raised an eyebrow, his gaze icy. He stepped forward, spiritual energy flooding his body. A fierce sense of expansion surged; a sword of spiritual energy formed in his hand, the extreme cold gathered, and the temperature plummeted.

He lifted his hand and cast a sword—

Frostblade, sealing heaven and earth!

Terrifying energy radiated from the icy blade, which Lin Hao thrust into the ground, instantly covering the earth in endless frost.

A powerful sense of mortal danger arose in the three men’s hearts. At this moment of crisis, a gentle voice sounded: “Scatter!”

Looking up, they saw a man in black Daoist robes, with sword-like brows and bright eyes, his features stern yet his lips thin, his smile carrying a hint of softness.

The youth uttered a single command, and a strange white light spread from his feet, forming an intricate pattern beneath the three, like an array. Intense defensive power radiated, and the frost on the ground turned to white vapor and vanished. The sword energy within the frost was shattered by the array.

Lin Hao regarded the newcomer with caution. To dissolve his Frostblade so easily, this was no ordinary person. Though he hadn’t intended to kill, merely to frighten them, he remained wary—this man’s temperament unknown, a battle might be inevitable. Fang Ling, too, anxiously raised her sword, watching the newcomer intently.

“I am Ji Tianya. My poor supervision has caused trouble for you, my apologies.” The youth smiled at Fang Ling, then bowed slightly to Lin Hao, speaking gently: “These three are indeed at fault. I agree with your proposal, Brother Lin.”

“Here are three hundred low-grade spirit stones, eighty pills, and three high-level Qi Condensation magical items. Please accept them.” He drew a pouch from his sleeve and, using a guiding technique, sent it to Lin Hao with sincere expression. “First, to make amends for these three; second, I hope to turn hostility into friendship with you, Brother Lin.”

“How do you know my name?” Lin Hao accepted the pouch, looking at the youth with interest.

Smiling, Ji Tianya replied, “From the moment you entered the outer peak, you’ve shown ruthless resolve. On the day of pill distribution, you stood out among the contenders. Now, breaking through to stage six of Qi Condensation, you are justly counted among the strongest here. Who in the outer peak does not know your name?”

“Brother Ji praises me too highly. I am merely surviving,” Lin Hao said thoughtfully, shaking his head.

“Not everyone can thrive in such a perilous place.” Ji Tianya smiled, acknowledging this. Lin Hao looked at him curiously, then turned to Fang Ling. “What do you think?”

“I trust Senior Brother to decide,” Fang Ling said with a playful smile.

Lin Hao nodded, turned to Ji Tianya, and said, “Then I accept you as a friend. If you’re ever free, come visit me in the western peak, and we can drink together.”

“Safe travels, Brother Lin.” Ji Tianya clasped his hands and smiled. After seeing Lin Hao leave with Fang Ling, he looked coldly at the three men beside him. “You three need not follow me anymore.”

Leaving the three dumbfounded and exchanging confused glances.

Meanwhile, on the mountain path…

“Senior Brother, where are we going?” Fang Ling looked around with curiosity. Lin Hao pondered a moment, then asked, “The outer peak is dangerous and full of trivial troubles. I happen to have several spare cave residences. Would you like to move there?”

“Hmm…” Fang Ling thought for a moment, her eyes bright, and smiled. “Alright.”

Lin Hao shook his head with a smile and led Fang Ling toward the western peak. He couldn’t quite say what he felt for her, but whenever he saw this girl, he was drawn to her purity, unwilling for her to be tainted by the outer peak’s corruption.

Returning to the western outer peak, Fang Ling chose the nearest cave for herself, and Lin Hao went back to his own cave to study his techniques. Frostblade, with the first step of the Seven-Step Immortal Technique grasped, had advanced further, and full mastery was not far off. The Wind Summoning technique was also remarkable; like Frostblade, it wasn’t just a personal technique, and its power was formidable.

Life was peaceful for a while. Fang Ling often brought food to Lin Hao, saving him much trouble. Immersed in his studies, he noticed that since reaching stage six of Qi Condensation, he rarely felt hunger, sometimes not eating for days.

A month later…