Martial Sage from the Vajra Skill

Lin Wei was in high spirits!

Yesterday, she had found Xiao Chen again. After a period of painful struggle, he had agreed to get back together with her. However, he had warned her not to tell anyone for now, lest Xiao Hua find out and break them apart.

Once Xiao Chen underwent Marrow Cleansing, Xiao Hua would no longer be able to object to their relationship. He had also urged her to cultivate diligently so they could strive together to win Xiao Hua’s approval.

’I will definitely work hard!’ Lin Wei thought to herself.

Xiao Hua only opposed her relationship with Xiao Chen because her talent was lacking. As long as she could achieve Gang Qi Great Success and Xiao Chen underwent Marrow Cleansing, Xiao Hua would no longer be able to object.

"Lin Wei, someone’s looking for you."

She was just about to enter her room to cultivate when someone who lived in the same courtyard suddenly called out.

Lin Wei walked out of the courtyard and saw a stranger waiting outside.

"Are you Lin Wei? Someone asked me to give this to you."

As she looked on in confusion, the person handed her a slip of paper and left.

Lin Wei opened the note and saw four large words written on it: "Meet at the old place."

Although it wasn’t signed, she recognized the familiar handwriting at a glance. It was from her beloved Xiao Chen.

’Chen Lang is being too careful, having to ask someone to deliver a letter just to see me. But it’s better to be cautious. If Uncle Xiao finds out, he’ll punish Chen Lang again.’

With a sweet expression, Lin Wei used her Gang Qi to shred the note, returned to her room to put on some makeup, and immediately headed out.

The so-called "old place" was a valley five kilometers outside the Purple Sun Sect, the very spot where she and Xiao Chen had confessed their love for each other.

She hurried all the way to the valley. It was filled with clusters of beautiful flowers, with butterflies and bees dancing about. A figure stood among the blossoms, hands clasped behind his back, his silhouette possessing an indescribable elegance and charm.

Lin Wei’s eyes seemed to be coated in honey as she called out in a soft, low voice, "Chen Lang!"

Overcome with emotion, she spread her arms and ran toward him.

Ahead, the figure in the flower patch turned around slowly, revealing the face of a middle-aged man.

Lin Wei’s delicate body trembled as if struck by lightning. She cried out, "Uncle... Uncle Xiao?"

Panic flooded her heart. ’Why isn’t it Xiao Chen? Why is it Uncle Xiao? Have we been discovered?’

Xiao Hua’s eyes narrowed slightly. He sighed, "Niece Lin, isn’t it good enough to just live your life? Why must you keep pestering him?"

Lin Wei’s pretty face turned deathly pale as she realized what was happening. Her voice trembled. "Did... Did Xiao Chen lure me out here on purpose?"

The killing intent in Xiao Hua’s eyes blazed hotter. "My son was just playing with you, and you actually took it seriously. The one he is going to marry is a noble lady from the Su Family, not some destitute girl from a small county town like you."

"Don’t blame us for being ruthless. Blame yourself for coveting something you had no right to. You thought that just because you slept with my son, you could become the Xiao Family’s daughter-in-law."

"In your next life, remember this: if you want to climb the social ladder, you’d better check if you have what it takes, if your family’s status is a match."

BOOM!

A tyrannical aura erupted from his body, shattering the surrounding flowers and plants.

"Uncle Xiao, don’t!"

Lin Wei’s expression changed drastically. She turned to flee.

But just as she turned, Xiao Hua had already struck out with a Palm from the air.

A red light flashed. A wave of Gang Qi, with the force of a landslide, shattered Lin Wei’s Protective Gang Qi and slammed heavily into her back.

"CRACK!"

Along with the crisp sound of breaking bones, Lin Wei’s face went white. She coughed up a large mouthful of blood and was sent flying.

By the time she landed, the light had already faded from her eyes, her face filled with venomous hatred and regret.

Scenes from the past replayed before her eyes. She remembered the first time she met Xiao Chen—his handsome and elegant bearing, his captivating charisma. Coupled with a father who was a Steward and an impressive family background, she had fallen for him at first sight.

Then she recalled Xu Yang’s subsequent warnings, which she had met with the conceited retort, "A fair maiden is a fine prize for a gentleman to seek."

The expressions Xu Yang had worn while trying to persuade her time and again now surfaced in her mind—expressions of both helplessness and ridicule.

’So he knew all along this would happen to me. I regret not listening to my father... I regret not heeding Junior Brother Xu’s warnings...’

Lin Wei was consumed by regret. Regret for not listening to her father’s instructions to follow Xu Yang’s advice in all things. Regret for being deceived by Xiao Chen’s handsome exterior, which concealed the heart of a beast.

Unfortunately, there were no second chances in this world.

Under Xiao Hua’s single Palm strike, her spine and all her internal organs had been completely shattered.

"I curse you! I curse you and your vile son to die a horrible death...!" Lin Wei said, using the last of her strength.

With those words, her breath ceased, and she died on the spot.

"Absurd. If curses worked, I would have died dozens of times already."

Xiao Hua’s expression was indifferent, as if he hadn’t just killed his good friend’s daughter, but a mere cat or dog.

He struck out with another Palm from the air, causing Lin Wei’s head to explode. He then blasted a large crater in the ground, pushed her body in, buried it, and strode away.

"Letting you be buried is the least I can do for you..."

...

After breaking into the Ten Heroes List, Xu Yang’s reputation grew considerably. More people greeted him on the paths, and even people like Guo Huai would invite him out for food and drinks every so often to maintain their connection.

However, as Su Zhe, the ninth of the Ten Heroes, and the second and third ranked of the Top Ten all successively achieved Gang Qi Minor Achievement while he still showed no signs of a breakthrough, people began to question if he was truly worthy of his title and if he deserved to be one of the Ten Heroes.

Xu Yang was quite pleased by this. ’Doubts are good,’ he thought.

During this period, he went down the mountain once more to refine two hundred Blood Coagulation Pills for the Zhu Family.

News about the Blood Lotus Sect had not spread among the Outer Disciples, but Xu Yang still noticed that many more Inner Sect Disciples were descending the mountain. He also heard that several terrifying battles had taken place in Cyan Yang City.

The Task Hall also had many new bounty missions posted.

Xu Yang didn’t touch any of them, choosing only those that didn’t require him to leave the sect.

One day, he returned from practicing outside and had just finished bathing when he saw Sun Tao, Jiang Ping, and Zhang Yong hurrying over with anxious expressions.