"You will leave when I tell you to leave." The words drifted into the silent platform with the gentle drift of the wind that soon vanished.
The male representative from the hidden families, Zhao Yanchen, appeared behind Noah with a flicker of a red streak. No one from the Quan Empire seed to be able to follow his speed.
The fiery-looking man raised his hand with the intention of pressing Noah's shoulder and preventing him from moving forward.
But just as his hand was about to reach Noah's body, he saw a flicker of light flash from the corner of his eyes, followed by the sound of sothing being slashed apart, and then…
Splash!
Blood filled his vision as his extended hand, along with half of the arm, flew across the platform, falling several ters away from them.
The blood ca out like a splatter of shower, spreading all around the ground, but not a single drop fell on Noah or the woman who had made a move against Zhao Yanchen.
"Argh!" As his brain registered that his arm had been severed, the enraged man withered like a delicate flower and scread in pain. He clenched the end of the wound as if trying to ease the pain and scread loudly while staring at the blood pumping out of his arm, painting his face red.
Hearing his cries of agony and seeing the blade in Xin Yan's arms, the man's partner, Ling Ruoyin, creased her brows and flashed behind Xin Yan, ready to retaliate. As soon as the tips of her feet touched the surface of the ground, a field of frozen qi spread around a hundred ters's radius.
Xin Yan sensed her movents, but as she tried to turn around to block the icy sword directed at her neck, she felt her movents slowing down and her thoughts becoming sluggish. 'The domain? It slows down everything in its area of effect.'
The flash was in her mind, but her body moved too slowly for her to react on ti. Thankfully, she was not alone.
Woosh!
As the blade neared her pale, swan-like neck, a hand clasped Ling Ruoyin's wrist, blocking it from proceeding any further.
The woman with the frosty, silent look trailed her gaze towards Noah and saw him looking at her with a chilling look that even made her soul feel a chill that no ice in existence could possibly accomplish.
As a result, her grip on the sword lightened. She wanted to jump back and create distance between the two of them, but Noah's firm hold did not allow her to do so.
Noah ignored her attempts, and with his clenched fist he struck her straight in the stomach, sending her staggering backwards a few steps.
Without glancing at her, Noah turned to look at the man who had just lost his arm and waved his hand, conjuring a warm healing light.
"I can leave whenever I want, and no one can stop ." Noah spoke in an indifferent tone as the severed arm flickered towards him and attached to Zhao Yanchen's bloody arm.
The warm light seed to have turned his flesh into liming tendrils, making him so scared that he even forgot the pain and started shaking his hand off, scared for his life.
His reaction changed once more when he saw the tendrils stitching the pieces of flesh like a sewing needle and his arm beco as good as new.
"This…" Zhao Yanchen looked at his arm in shock and touched it several tis, trying to find the traces of the tendril with a shocked look, and murmured, "It really healed back."
Cough!
Ling Ruoyin coughed up so saliva and stood up straight. She saw the scene of Noah's magical abilities, and her eyes narrowed sharply before they relaxed once more.
"We just want so answers…." Seeing Noah no longer attacking, she continued with a plain tone. "You might not be aware of this, but we are from the six hidden families tasked to investigate the events that transpired at the Temple of Eternal Body."
Before Noah could respond, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the courtyard.
"That disturbance involved as well," said the old abbot, stepping forward from the gathering with his prayer beads swaying gently in his hand. His kind, aged eyes held a flicker of solemnity. "As one of the witnesses who stood at the heart of that storm, I am willing to share the entire account of what took place—down to the last breath."
Behind him, the elders of the three great sects also stepped out from behind their leaders and bowed their heads slightly in agreent, their faces calm but serious.
"Our disciples were there," said the elder of the Wind Lightning Sect, his voice as sharp as wind whistling through the mountains.
Ling Ruoyin's expression turned unreadable. Her icy gaze flitted from Noah to the gathered sect elders, then finally landed on the abbot again. After a breath of silence, she gave a reluctant nod. "Very well. We will hear it."
But her companion was not nearly as composed.
Zhao Yanchen, who still stared at his fully healed arm in disbelief, suddenly clenched his fists and let out a quiet, seething growl. His pride had been shattered, and his fury was barely concealed.
"Do not think you can harm a mber of the six families and walk away without consequence," he spat, eyes bloodshot. "You may have nded my arm, but that doesn't erase what you've done. You will learn what it ans to make enemies of us."
Before he could continue, a glint of icy steel caught his eye.
Xin Yan had already raised her sword—its edge gleaming with a frosted sheen that shimred even under the morning sun. She didn't say a word. Her glare alone was sharper than any blade.
Zhao Yanchen's voice faltered. He swallowed the words back in sha. He stepped back, biting down on his anger, but the fear in his eyes betrayed the wounded pride still seething beneath his skin.
Noah didn't look at him. He didn't speak to him. As though the man no longer existed.
He simply turned around and walked calmly toward the floating jade carriage that stood at the edge of the platform, waiting.
Xin Yan followed behind, her blade slipping back into its sheath with a soft, final click.
Wen Ji, still stunned by the chaos that had unfolded around her in re monts, stared at the ground. But as Noah passed her and gave her a subtle nod, she instinctively followed.
Without a backward glance, the three stepped into the carriage.
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