"Hahaha, are you still joking with me? Just with you?"
"Elder Shen, leave this boy to me." Hong Li, who had just been wasting so much time with a girl from the Han Family, was already feeling irritable. Now, with a young man provoking him, it would be strange if his mood was to improve.
With a smug smile, Hong Li clenched his hand, and a sharp broadsword appeared in his grasp. The snow-white blade glistened under the sunlight, reflecting a chilling cold light that made one's heart tremble.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The broadsword casually cleaved and slashed in front of him, creating fine indentations in space itself. Although Hong Li was a rather despicable person, his strength was not the slightest bit weaker than Han Chi. To be able to stand firm in a city in Zhongzhou, even the worst among them would be a top existence in the Jia Ma Empire.
"Boy, do you think you have the strength to show off and play the hero? If you don't have the capabilities, you're going to pay the price."
Hong Li sneered, clenched his fist, and his deep cyan Dou Qi swirled around him like a tornado. Gripping the broadsword tightly, he stomped vehemently on the ground, and his figure blurred into a shadow, charging towards Xu Ran.
"Tssk!"
With the enhancement of his wind properties Dou Qi, Hong Li's speed was so fast that he appeared in front of Xu Ran in the blink of an eye, his broadsword flashing with dazzling lights, the momentum immense.
The murderous aura of Hong Li unsettled everyone present.
Hong Li's killing intent was much higher than that of the Han Family's people. If the Hong Family dominated Tianbei City, would anyone else have good days to come?
"Not bad, that strength is indeed quite formidable," Shen Yun nodded secretly to himself. Although Hong Li had not joined any major power, the resources from the Hong Family were enough for him to obtain sufficient cultivation resources. If Hong Li truly became the overlord of Tianbei City in the future, he would also receive a sizable benefit.
Although Feng Lei Pavilion had abundant resources, he was only an elder from the Northern Pavilion, and the resources he could get were not too much.
"Sis, Xu Ran won't be in trouble, will he?"
Han Xue walked up to Han Yue, her eyes fixated on Xu Ran, not daring to blink.
"Pfft, don't worry about it. Even if Xu Ran stands still and lets Hong Li hack at him, Hong Li won't be able to touch him," Han Yue let out a laugh, speaking with ease.
"Just watch carefully. This guy is really powerful!" Han Yue also looked towards the languid figure ahead and said somewhat helplessly. Xu Ran's true strength was not just in his power, but also in what you could spend your entire life trying to fully understand about him and still not know everything.
"Mhm mhm." Han Xue's anxiety quickly subsided.
Tssk!
A crisp sound rang out.
Everyone raised their heads to look at the sky, shocked beyond belief!
Hong Li's treasured blade was actually being held in the hands of that young man!
This…
The dramatic scene left everyone present somewhat unable to react.
What on earth was going on?
Hong Li's slash was so powerful that even an ordinary Douzong wouldn't dare to face it head on, let alone catch it barehanded? How terrifying must the gripping strength and arm power be? Could a normal human possess such formidable strength?
"You seem a bit weak, don't you?"
Xu Ran applied a little force, and the treasured blade was directly snapped in two by him.
This was truly dumbfounding!
Countless people gasped in shock.
This was even more terrifying than catching a knife with one's bare hands.
The weapon that Hong Li used must have been a treasure. Just the aura emitting from that treasured blade contained the presence of several Rank 6 Magical Beasts—there was even a faint hint of a Seventh Order Magical Beast!
Yet, such a divine weapon had been easily snapped in two, as if it were child's play!
Surely, such strength was too terrifying!
It was only then that the people at the scene came to their senses. No wonder the Han Family was so confident and fearless—with such a powerful figure backing them up, they naturally had nothing to worry about. On the other hand, it looked like the Hong Family was going to face disaster this time! After so many years of overt and covert struggle between the Hong and Han Families, it seemed the final curtain was about to fall.
"Who exactly are you? Why are you helping the Han Family? Whatever the Han Family can offer you, I can offer you too."
Fear crept into Hong Li's eyes.
The sudden turn of events completely broke down his psychological defenses.
"Sorry, I'm not interested in you."
Xu Ran shook his head. Under the scrutiny of everyone present, he took the broken blade in his hand and, ghost-like, slashed Hong Li's neck. No one wanted to miss this moment, but no matter how hard they looked, they couldn't see how Xu Ran had made his move.
"Crack!"
Hong Li's head and body fell to the ground, sending shivers down the spines of many onlookers. The Hong Family was finished. With Hong Li so easily dispatched by Xu Ran's hand, how could the rest of the Hong Family hope to be spared?
After killing Hong Li, Xu Ran did not stop. He drew a sword at random and approached one of the Douhuang (Battle Emperor) Strong Ones of the Hong Family. His speed was as fast as the wind, and before the Douhuang could even react, Xu Ran had slashed him in half at the waist.
"Quick, go and ask the Elder to come out. This man is a madman."
Xu Ran's slaughter was clean and efficient. In just a few breaths, the screaming and fearful pleas for help had ceased.
In less than ten seconds, dozens of fighters stronger than Douwang were utterly annihilated by Xu Ran.
The ground was littered with severed limbs and bodies; blood had dyed the surface a ghastly red. And still that blood kept flowing, spreading to other areas.
It was as if heaven and earth had fallen silent at that moment. There was a deathly hush, and everyone looked at each other in disbelief, speechless.
Was this really a human? He was simply a killing maniac!
If the Hong Family had previously been the force that all parties in Tianbei City feared the most, Xu Ran had now completely taken their place. In a moment, he had killed so many powerful figures that they didn't know how to describe him. At any rate, it would be best to keep away from him in the future and certainly not to offend him.
Forget about others— even the members of the Han Family who knew some of Xu Ran's background were stunned. Such a clear-cut massacre was indeed heart-stopping. It was fortunate that the butcher's knife was not aimed at them but at the Hong Family; otherwise, they wouldn't even have the will to resist.
"That's settled then, just two more left." Xu Ran waved to Han Yue and Han Xue, a satisfied smile on his face.
It had been a long time since he had experienced such a thrilling kill.
To kill with bare fists or a sword in hand was so much more satisfying. Xu Ran felt that in some way, it helped him relieve his mood.
"Who is it who dares to kill the people of my Hong Family?"
A roar filled with immense killing intent reverberated from a corner of Tianbei City. The voice rapidly swept across the entire city, and at last, the onlookers came to their senses from the shock of the Hong Family's slaughter. They looked in the direction from which the voice had come, and their gaze ultimately settled on the Hong Family's location.