Lin Mu soon arrived at a large building, its towering structure looming over the surrounding area. The building was heavily guarded, with several city guards standing at attention, ard to the teeth. Their armor glead under the ambient glow of the street lanterns, and their hands rested on the hilts of their weapons, ready to act at a mont's notice. A large wooden board hung above the entrance, displaying the building's purpose in bold letters.
'Ram Orchard City Outer Barracks.'
"Halt!" one of the guards shouted, stepping forward as soon as he spotted Lin Mu. However, before he could utter another word, his eyes widened in horror upon seeing the grisly mass of flesh and severed limbs floating ominously behind the stranger.
"W-what do you want!?" another guard stamred, his voice betraying his fear.
Several of the others instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons, attempting to muster what little courage they had left. Even though they had numbers on their side, the sheer presence of the man before them was suffocating. The raw, oppressive aura that emanated from Lin Mu was unlike anything they had ever encountered before.
"Bring your guard captain," Lin Mu ordered, his tone leaving no room for argunt.
"T-The guard captain?" the leading guard hesitated, swallowing nervously.
"Now." Lin Mu's voice was calm, yet it carried an absolute authority that sent shivers down their spines. It was not a request—it was a command.
The guard nodded hastily, quickly turning on his heel and rushing inside. Within monts, the barracks erupted into frantic activity. Guards peeked from windows and doorways, whispering among themselves in hushed, panicked tones. So had already caught sight of the horrific display behind Lin Mu, and speculation ran wild.
Just thirty seconds later, the guard captain stumbled out of the barracks, his breath hitching when he laid eyes on the scene before him. He was a Fourth Tribulation Stage Immortal, a man of considerable strength, yet at that mont, he felt utterly powerless.
"What… What are you here for?" he asked carefully, his voice wavering slightly. He didn't know whether Lin Mu was friend or foe, but the grueso evidence floating behind him suggested the latter.
Lin Mu said nothing at first. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, the writhing mass of severed limbs and bodies was unceremoniously dumped onto the ground before them.
THUD. THUD. THUD. THUD.
The sickening sound of flesh hitting stone echoed through the barracks' courtyard, making several of the surrounding guards recoil in disgust and horror.
Lin Mu's voice cut through the stunned silence like a blade.
"Tell the River Bending Axe Sect… this is their third and final warning. If they still choose to co after , I'll be paying them a visit next ti… personally."
And just like that—
SHUA!
Lin Mu vanished into thin air, disappearing as if he had never been there in the first place.
Yet, the weight of his presence lingered in the air, pressing down on the guards like an unrelenting force. No one dared to move. No one even dared to breathe too loudly.
The guards looked around frantically, their eyes scanning every corner, every shadow, but Lin Mu was gone. It was as if he had lted into the darkness itself.
The guard captain's heartbeat pounded in his ears as he forced himself to look at the grotesque pile before him. He took a deep breath to steady himself, but the stench of blood and death assaulted his senses, making his stomach churn.
"What in the heavens… What is this?" he muttered, his hands trembling slightly.
It didn't take long for him to notice the familiar robes and crest among the bodies. His face paled instantly.
"These are… River Bending Axe Sect mbers?" he murmured in disbelief.
His eyes darted across the remains, quickly recognizing the attire of Inner Court Disciples—and worse, an elder.
"Inner Court Disciples and an elder!?" he exclaid, his voice laced with shock. "HURRY! CHECK ON THEM!" he barked, snapping out of his stupor.
The guards rushed forward, their hands shaking as they examined the bodies.
"They're alive!" one of them shouted.
"This one is dead!" another called out grimly.
"The elder is still breathing, but his life is hanging by a thread!" a third guard announced.
"Quickly, tend to them and call in the healers! NOW!" the guard captain ordered, his voice urgent.
He let out a heavy sigh. This was going to be a long night.
The guards wasted no ti in administering ergency treatnt. They fed the wounded cultivators healing pills to stop the bleeding and began to wrap their mangled limbs in bandages. The sight of their injuries made several guards gag, and a few even turned away to vomit.
"Heavens above… Who was that man?" one guard whispered in fear.
"He left an elder in this state?" another added, his voice shaking.
"Does he not fear the wrath of the River Bending Axe Sect?" a third asked, unable to comprehend the audacity of such an act.
The guard captain, however, had different concerns.
"Ensure that they're taken care of," he instructed firmly. "I have to report this matter to the lieutenant."
Without another word, he took off into the sky, heading straight for the city's higher authorities. He didn't even need to order an investigation into Lin Mu's identity—he had a feeling that information would make its way to him soon enough.
After all, sothing of this magnitude would not stay hidden.
Hundreds of people had witnessed the incident, and within minutes, whispers of the event had already begun to spread like wildfire. The city's information brokers, always on the lookout for valuable news, darted through the streets, rushing to report their findings to their respective organizations.
The gates had always been a pri spot for intelligence gathering—newcors, unexpected events, and even forest incidents were all first recorded there. And today was proving to be a goldmine for them.
They could only wonder just how much they would be paid for this news.
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