Wu dong Qian Kun: I, Lin Langtian, Refuse to be a Supporting Character Chapter 426: Dark City

"You! Who do you think you are, ddling in Dark Horse Gang business? If you know what's good for you, get lost before you bring trouble on yourself!" snarled one of the masked riders, his piercing gaze locked on Lin Langtian.

Seeing this, the young girl quickly hid behind Lin Langtian, whispering in fear, "Sir…"

"Heh, don't worry. Since I've promised you, I'm not going back on my word," Lin Langtian assured her, smiling. These bandits, although nurous, didn't have a single expert at the Shengxuan Realm level. He barely needed to lift a finger to deal with them.

The girl, feeling a surge of relief, nodded, even though she had no real idea of Lin Langtian's strength; she simply clung to the hope he represented.

"Foolish," one of the bandits sneered. "Kill him!"

Without hesitation, the gang of masked riders charged, their forms blurring as they drew their weapons. But before they could fully unsheathe their swords, Lin Langtian casually waved his sleeve, releasing a blazing sword of fire that swept across them like a fiery storm.

A thin line of blood appeared on the throats of each rider. In the blink of an eye, their bodies fell heavily to the ground, lifeless. The whole scene played out in an instant, too fast for the girl to fully register. She gaped in shock at how effortlessly Lin Langtian had handled her attackers.

"What's your na, little one?" Lin Langtian asked with a faint smile, glancing at her stunned expression.

"Sir…" She looked up at him in awe, the shock still fresh in her eyes. "My na is Ling Zhi."

"I'm Lin Langtian. Now, let's go find and help your father and the others," he said with a reassuring smile.

A wave of relief washed over Ling Zhi's face, though a hint of worry remained. "Thank you, but, um, Lin Langtian…big brother," she stamred, finally obeying his request to drop the formalities. "But the people who took my father—they were led by two powerful leaders of the gang, both Shengxuan Realm warriors."

"Two at the Shengxuan Realm, eh?" Lin Langtian raised an eyebrow, then chuckled softly. "Don't worry; I'll handle them."

Ling Zhi, seeing his confident smile, quickly wrapped her wounded leg as best she could and led the way without further delay.

In a forest clearing, two groups faced each other, one clearly holding the upper hand. The riders of the Dark Horse Gang looked down at the trapped rcenaries with nacing sneers.

"Trying to escape? Not a chance! The Blazing Fire rcenary Corps will be wiped out today!" A burly man with a deep scar down his face advanced on his horse, laughing cruelly.

The trapped rcenaries, fifteen or so in number, had their backs against the wall. Their leader, a burly middle-aged man, wore a grim expression, his face lined with weariness. Behind him, his n gripped their weapons tightly, their faces pale with desperation.

Fixing his gaze on the scarred man, the rcenary leader shouted, "Li Rui! The Blazing Fire rcenary Corps has already surrendered most of its valuables. Why push us so far? Don't forget, we're headed to Dark City for the triennial Dark Hall festival. If the Dark Hall hears of this, your gang won't live to see another day!"

At the ntion of Dark Hall, a tense silence passed through the gang mbers. Dark Hall was the ruling force of the Northern Xuan Region, and its influence lood large like a central monarchy, striking fear into all who crossed its path.

After a brief silence, the scar-faced man sneered, "Your crew is only allowed to attend because of so bygone connection with Dark Hall. They've likely forgotten about your little Blazing Fire group by now. So, if we're the ones to take you out, maybe the Dark Hall will look favorably on us and let us join the festival in your place!"

"Dream on," spat the rcenary leader, his expression darkening.

"Humph! Today, I'll leave no survivors!" the scar-faced man sneered, waving his hand. "Finish them!"

At his command, the riders spurred their horses forward, weapons glinting as they bore down on the surrounded rcenaries.

But before they reached their target, a sudden blast of energy knocked them back. Lin Langtian's powerful aura surged forward, and one after another, the charging bandits were halted mid-stride, their bodies going rigid. With a flick of his finger, a surge of energy struck them, sending them crashing to the ground, gasping for breath as blood trickled from their mouths.

A heavy silence fell over the forest clearing as everyone stared in disbelief at the fallen bandits, unsure of what had just happened.

"Who's there?!" the scar-faced leader demanded, his eyes scanning the mist for signs of the intruder. The second leader, also at the Shengxuan Realm, clutched his weapon warily, his eyes darting about.

Through the trees, two figures slowly erged, becoming clearer as they stepped into view.

"Father, are you alright?" Ling Zhi cried out, her face brightening as she recognized her father among the rcenaries.

"Ling Zhi? Why are you back here?" The rcenary leader looked first at Lin Langtian, then back to his daughter, his face paling as he shouted, "Get away while you can!"

"Get away?!" sneered the scarred man, raising his hand once more as his eyes glead with malice. "Kill them both!"

The bandits sprang into action, their energy flaring as they rushed toward Lin Langtian and Ling Zhi. But Lin Langtian didn't so much as flinch; he kept walking calmly toward the two gang leaders.

As the attacks ca within inches of him, they suddenly froze in midair. The rcenary leader watched, horrified, as each Dark Horse Gang mber's body shattered under an unseen force, the n collapsing into misted blood, as if they'd been crushed by an invisible hand.

Lin Langtian's calm footsteps ca to a stop before the two gang leaders. Smiling coldly, he gazed at them, his eyes flashing with a frigid intensity that made their blood run cold.

"You—!"

The two leaders of the bandits stared at Lin Langtian in shock as he stepped forward, his calm smile contrasting against the blood mist that hung in the air like a devil's grin, sending chills down their spines.

"Boom!"

Their shock, however, only lasted for a mont before turning to fury. In the next second, vast energies erupted from their bodies, followed by a low shout as two powerful forces surged toward Lin Langtian, intent on crushing him.

Yet Lin Langtian continued to smile faintly, making no move to counter them. It wasn't until their deadly attacks were about to strike that he casually extended his hand and clenched his fist. In that instant, two silver flashes streaked through the air.

Shhhk!

The mont Lin Langtian's hand clenched, the rcenaries around him gasped as they saw space distort in front of the two bandits, and two silver blades appeared out of thin air. In a heartbeat, those blades sliced through the two bandits' throats before they could even scream, severing life with deadly precision.

The bandit leaders' eyes widened in terror, their faces frozen as the last of their life ebbed away. They collapsed, lifeless, their eyes still open in shock.

The clearing fell silent. Neither the rcenary leader nor Ling Zhi could believe what they'd just seen. Two Shengxuan Realm experts…dead, just like that?

Lin Langtian dusted off his sleeves, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Space Ancestral Symbol. The spatial blade really is useful," he murmured to himself.

The victory over these two opponents ca not only from his own deep well of strength but also from the powerful Space Ancestral Symbol.

That evening, as the campfire crackled and warmth spread across the forest, dispelling the chill, the rcenary leader, Karon, raised his cup toward Lin Langtian. "Young Master Langtian, thank you again for your help today."

Thinking back to the youth's power, Karon's expression turned respectful. He downed his drink in a single gulp, gratitude plain in his eyes.

Lin Langtian smiled back. "No need to be so formal, Captain Karon. I simply did what anyone would when they see injustice. And besides," he added, glancing at Ling Zhi, "Ling Zhi likely ntioned our arrangent to you. You could even consider this a fair exchange."

With the threat from the Dark Horse Gang eliminated, Lin Langtian had successfully integrated himself into the Blazing Fire rcenary Corps. From their conversations, he learned a bit about their history.

Once prosperous, the Blazing Fire rcenary Corps had even been honored with invitations to the Dark Hall Festival. But they had fallen into decline after the death of their previous leader, who had been at the Shengxuan Realm level. Now reduced to a re handful of mbers, they were struggling to maintain their dwindling influence. Today, barely twenty mbers remained after the Dark Horse Gang's attack, with Captain Karon, a Shengxuan Realm small-stage cultivator, being the strongest among them.

Despite their decline, the rcenary corps had so lingering prestige, enough to intimidate lesser groups for now. However, Lin Langtian knew they'd need his help if they hoped to avoid such attacks in the future.

His own purpose, though, was not to bolster the corps but to gain entry into the Dark Hall Festival, hosted by the Dark Hall itself.

Hearing Lin Langtian's reasoning, Karon paused, deep in thought, then hesitantly asked, "Young Master Langtian, forgive for asking, but may I know your purpose in attending the festival?"

Recognizing Karon's concern, Lin Langtian quickly responded with a half-truth: "To be honest, Captain Karon, I have a younger sister who joined the Dark Hall two years ago, and I haven't heard from her since. I'm worried and was hoping to attend the festival in hopes of seeing her."

"Oh! Your sister is a mber of the Dark Hall?" The rcenaries, including Karon, looked at him with new respect. After all, the Dark Hall was the undisputed ruler of the Northern Xuan Region, and only the most talented individuals could gain entry.

Satisfied with Lin Langtian's answer, and thinking of the help he'd provided, Karon finally relented. "Then, Young Master Langtian, join us tomorrow as we make our way to Dark City for the festival."

"Thank you, Captain Karon." Lin Langtian nodded, a pleased smile on his face.

At dawn the next day, Lin Langtian joined the Blazing Fire rcenary Corps as they set off toward Dark City. Along the way, Ling Zhi, grateful for his help, frequently chatted with him, giving Lin Langtian a better understanding of the region.

Unlike the Eastern Xuan Region, with its nurous kingdoms and realms, the Northern Xuan Region was mostly dominated by the Dark Hall, with smaller territories governed by sub-divisions. Each division's leader held authority akin to a monarch, with a hierarchy beneath them that rivaled any kingdom's.

The Dark Hall's control over the Northern Xuan Region was unmatched, which explained its unwavering dominance over the centuries.

After four days of travel, they finally reached the outskirts of Dark City.

Standing on a mountainside, Lin Langtian looked out at the grand city sprawled across the landscape like a slumbering ancient beast. Dark City, the seat of the Dark Hall's power, lay at the eting of river and mountain, stretching so far that its edges vanished into the distance.

Built entirely of dark stone, the city exuded an aura of gravity and majesty. Above it, a massive shield of dark energy cast a protective barrier, with runes dancing across its surface, distorting space slightly.

From his vantage point, Lin Langtian could see dozens of massive gates around the city. Crowds of people ford long lines at each entrance, the sheer number of visitors leaving him astounded.

"This city," Lin Langtian murmured, "is unlike anything I've ever seen. It must be capable of housing millions."

Dark City was indeed a fitting testant to the Dark Hall's might and influence over the Northern Xuan Region, a city worthy of its position as the stronghold of such a powerful force.

Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.

Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon/Franklin1