Tuoba Hong moved at incredible speed, appearing before Lin Yu in an instant. His face twisted into a狰狞 (ferocious) grin as he condensed all his scarlet flames into his right fist, hurling it at Lin Yu's chest.
Seeing Lin Yu neither dodge nor block, Tuoba Hong's eyes lit with bloodthirsty excitement. He imagined Lin Yu bursting into flames and turning to焦炭 (coke) under his punch.
BOOM!
At that moment, Lin Yu slowly raised his right hand and made a pressing gesture. A pressure ten times more terrifying than before crashed down, enveloping Tuoba Hong and the Great Shaman.
In an instant, Tuoba Hong felt time slow. Flying grass and trees drifted past his eyes, his right fist inched toward Lin Yu, and the scarlet flames on his fist dissipated bit by bit. The Great Shaman, trapped in this overwhelming pressure, watched as his seven black poison mists disintegrated inch by inch before reaching Lin Yu, vanishing completely.
Then time snapped back to normal. The flames on Tuoba Hong's fist died out, the poison mists were annihilated, and the terrifying pressure—like a mountain—crushed their resistance, forcing them to kneel before Lin Yu.
THUD!
The moment their knees hit the ground, blood sprayed as their joints shattered into powder. Even as Innate Realm masters, they were no different from the previous barbarians—utterly defenseless against Lin Yu.
The immense pressure continued to bear down, forcing Tuoba Hong and the Great Shaman to bow their heads, their spines bending under the weight.
"How... How is this possible? I used the Spirit Fire Jade Pendant to reach Innate Rank 5! How can I not even withstand your pressure?"
Tuoba Hong gritted his teeth, raising his head with difficulty. Blood trickled from his seven orifices as he stared at Lin Yu in disbelief, his disheveled, blood-streaked face resembling a ghost.
The Great Shaman also looked at Lin Yu in horror: "Impossible! You were a cripple! How can you be so powerful?"
"Who said one can't cultivate after their spiritual sea is destroyed?"
Lin Yu smiled, increasing the pressure slightly, pushing their heads back down despite their struggling.
"H-how did you do it?"
The Great Shaman raised his head again, trembling all over as he resisted the mountain-like pressure.
"Maybe because I'm a genius."
Lin Yu said flatly, pointing at Tuoba Hong: "Tell me who colluded with Southern Wilderness and betrayed me and my brothers. I'll let them live."
The Great Shaman laughed maniacally: "Want to know who betrayed you? Lin Yu, dream on! The Great Han will soon fall, and I'll wait for you in hell!"
"Young Lord, flee!"
At the end, the Great Shaman roared. His skin erupted in blood mist, turning him into a horrific blood man. Summoning all his strength to break free from Lin Yu's pressure for an instant, he took out a talisman from his robe and slapped it on Tuoba Hong.
A cyan light burst from the talisman, wrapping Tuoba Hong and hurtling him toward the Qilian Mountains like a shooting star.
Seeing Tuoba Hong escape, the Great Shaman smiled in relief. This Teleportation Talisman was his life-saving treasure, capable of sending Tuoba Hong 3,000 zhang away in an instant. As long as Tuoba Hong reached Southern Wilderness, his death would be worth it.
"Trying to flee?"
Lin Yu turned to the direction where Tuoba Hong had vanished in cyan light. A Wind Sword Intent burst from his fingertip, following the fading cyan trail. Where the Wind Sword Intent passed, sword marks lingered in the air.
"Wind... Wind Sword Intent..."
The Great Shaman gaped, his face ashen. A Sword Intent pursued its target relentlessly—Tuoba Hong couldn't withstand this peerless edge. The slim chance he'd bought with his life was in vain!
The Great Shaman's eyes dimmed. To help Tuoba Hong escape, he had desperately pushed his spiritual energy, breaking free from Lin Yu's pressure, but now the backlash surged. Before Lin Yu, he dissolved into blood mist and vanished.
Lin Yu glanced in Tuoba Hong's direction, then followed at a deceptively slow pace. The Wind Sword Intent ahead slashed trees and flowers in half, carving a straight path through the dense forest outside the mausoleum.
Soon, Lin Yu saw Tuoba Hong. He sat against a towering tree, eyes wide in disbelief, his chest pierced by the Wind Sword Intent—dead. The sword intent had even penetrated the tree behind him.
This sword intent had flown 3,000 zhang, killed Tuoba Hong, and pierced dozens of giant trees before dissipating. As a Purple Mansion Rank 2 cultivator, Lin Yu's casual strike was already this terrifying!
Tuoba Hong died without understanding how he could be killed by a single sword intent after fleeing so far, hence his unclosed eyes.
Confirming Tuoba Hong's death, Lin Yu collected the barbarians' scattered gold and jewels. With wild beasts in the mountains, Tuoba Hong would vanish within two days.
"Wait, kid. What do you want with that trivial wealth? Aren't you going to take the real treasure?"
Just then, Master Tripod's voice echoed in Lin Yu's mind.
"What treasure? I have uses for this gold."
Lin Yu paused, turning to the Spirit Fire Jade Pendant in Tuoba Hong's hand. Depleted of spiritual energy, it now looked like an ordinary jade.
"Exactly, that pendant. Don't underestimate it!"
Master Tripod chuckled, explaining before Lin Yu could speak: "It's just out of energy, but it's a fine treasure. That kid had too low a cultivation to unleash its true power. If an Innate Rank 6 or 7 cultivator held it, they could rival you!"
"Master Tripod, is this pendant really that powerful?"
Lin Yu was astonished, quickly picking up the pendant and holding it carefully.
"This pendant contains a wisp of Flame Law. If I refine it, I can help you advance to Purple Mansion Rank 3!"
Master Tripod smiled confidently, hinting at his eagerness for the pendant.
"Master Tripod, be patient. We'll refine it after Chuchu returns to the city."
Lin Yu nodded, storing the pendant before heading back to the imperial mausoleum.
...
Back at the mausoleum, Lin Yu first erased all traces of the Southern Wilderness delegation, then woke Chuchu and escorted her away. Only after she left did he summon the God-Eating Tripod from his mind and take out the Spirit Fire Jade Pendant.
Guided by starlight, the pendant fell into the tripod. Dazzling starlight burst forth, rippling through the stone house in concentric circles.