Chapter 42: I Really Don’t Want to Kill Anyone

Watching Lin Chen's retreating figure, Senior Brother Xu couldn't help but arch an eyebrow.

He had seen numerous gifted disciples, and without exception, every single one of them had been exceedingly sharp-edged.

Afraid that others might remain unaware of their talent, they were always eager to show it off to everyone.

As someone who had walked this path before, he knew very well that a true prodigy ought to keep his edge restrained and conceal his capabilities within.

Lin Chen's temperament was indeed remarkably mature, perfectly matching the mindset of a true prodigy.

He himself had once been a dazzling prodigy.

It was a pity that during the Spirit Path Trial of the Gale Sword Sect, an act of cheating had destroyed not only his reputation, but also his talent.

Now starting over from scratch, no matter how hard he tried, he could never catch up to the former self that had once carried such high expectations.

"Sigh."

Senior Brother Xu sighed.

Had Lin Chen maintained his previous talent, he might have been able to enter the inner sect directly.

Truly, fortune loves to play tricks on people!

Leaving the back mountain, Lin Chen walked all the way toward the outer sect.

Halfway through, while passing through a bamboo grove, Lin Chen sensed an ambiguous presence lingering faintly behind him.

He used his perceptual abilities to observe and discovered that this person was also an outer sect disciple from the All-Treasure Fair.

Why did he make such a deep impression?

Because this outer sect disciple neither bought nor sold anything at the fair, but instead kept glancing around restlessly.

Therefore, Lin Chen had paid a few extra moments of attention to him.

Now it seemed he must have been searching for a target to prey upon.

No matter how strict a sect's rules were, dark corners were inevitable.

With at least several thousand outer sect disciples, relying solely on rules to restrict them was utterly impossible.

The outer sect disciple continued to trail not far behind Lin Chen. Seeing that they had reached the bamboo grove, he could not help but quicken his pace. His movement was light, and a look of malice and cruelty flickered deep within his eyes.

"Swish!"

He pulled a short blade from his sleeve, exceptionally sharp and gleaming with a faint, chilling light.

Astonishingly, it was even a spiritual weapon!

Since he had even drawn a spiritual weapon, there was no need to elaborate on his intentions.

Seeing this, Lin Chen let out a faint sigh.

As they rounded a corner, Lin Chen's figure vanished abruptly.

The outer sect disciple behind him let out a soft exclamation of surprise, never expecting that he would actually lose his target.

He quickened his pace, intending to rush forward and make his move, when he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck.

"Are you... following me?"

Lin Chen had appeared behind him at some unknown moment.

A pair of eyes as cold as frost radiated an endless, chilling murderous intent.

Like a ruthless beast that knew only slaughter, devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

At that instant, the outer sect disciple felt as though he had plunged into an icy abyss!

Chilled from head to toe!

"Clang!"

Without a second thought, the short blade in his hand struck out as fast as lightning, fiercely thrusting toward Lin Chen.

The speed was so fierce that it even dragged along a lingering afterimage.

"Oh?"

Lin Chen was slightly surprised. Judging by the speed and force of the outer sect disciple's strike, he clearly was not a beast tamer.

Instead... he was a martial artist!

In the Nine Heavens Continent, although everyone possessed a companion phantom beast, some people's phantom beasts were unsuited for combat. Such individuals would relentlessly temper their physical bodies to make their solo combat prowess stronger.

Some formidable martial artists were not the least bit inferior to beast tamers!

The scope of martial artists was vast; aside from those who focused primarily on physical prowess, some also chose to cultivate spiritual weapons!

And sword cultivators were the strongest profession among martial artists!

The person behind him was precisely such a martial artist.

His speed was astonishingly fast, and this sudden close-quarters assault was something an ordinary beast tamer might genuinely have failed to react to in time!

"Crack."

Lin Chen grabbed the outer sect disciple's wrist with one hand, narrowing his eyes slightly as he said softly, "You harbor such intense murderous intent toward me?"

The outer sect disciple's pupils abruptly constricted.

His blade thrust had been not only lightning-fast, but also immensely powerful!

It should have been a surefire strike, yet he never expected the opponent to block it so effortlessly.

Wasn't this Lin Chen just a good-for-nothing who didn't even dare to respond to provocations?

How could he possess such strength!

A flash of violent fury crossed the outer sect disciple's eyes. Since one strike failed, he would try again!

Twisting his wrist, he attempted to break free from Lin Chen's restraint, only to find that the strength in Lin Chen's palm was incomparably formidable.

Having failed to break free once, it was already too late to muster further force.

Lin Chen countered with a backhanded punch!

"Bang!"

The outer sect disciple was sent flying by the blow, snapping several bamboo stalks in succession.

"This is impossible. Why is your physical body even stronger than mine?"

Clutching his bloodied and mutilated face, the outer sect disciple scrambled to his feet, his voice hoarse.

"Fool!"

Lin Chen couldn't even be bothered to waste words. His figure crossed the distance like lightning, and his Dragon Jade Hand smashed heavily into the center of the outer sect disciple's brow!

Instantly, his skull fractured!

Without uttering a single sound, the outer sect disciple collapsed limply.

"Don't waste it, don't waste it."

Tun Tun waved a small hand, and a slender vine pierced into the outer sect disciple's body.

After absorbing the outer sect disciple's vital essence, Tun Tun flicked its vine, coiled up his spiritual short blade, and tossed it directly into its mouth, chewing with loud crunching sounds.

"Oho, a third-grade spiritual weapon. The taste isn't bad."

After eating its fill, Tun Tun even picked its teeth.

As for Lin Chen, he didn't even glance at the corpse, walking expressionlessly out of the bamboo grove.

Daring to make a move against him—did this fellow simply grow tired of living?

Toward such fools, Lin Chen never showed mercy.

I, Lin Chen, am merely a completely ordinary outer sect disciple.

I only wish to stay peacefully within the sect to cultivate and avenge myself a day sooner.

Why must you people insist on provoking me?

I truly do not want to kill people, I really don't!

Before returning to his courtyard, Lin Chen purposely wiped his hands to rid them of the bloody scent.

Upon entering the door, he happened to run into Su Wuwei walking out.

The two of them exchanged a glance.

"Junior Sister."

Lin Chen greeted her very politely.

Su Wuwei swept a glance over Lin Chen, her demeanor remaining as breathtakingly beautiful and languid as ever. As they brushed past each other, she said indifferently, "The smell of blood is too strong. A girl's nose is usually very sharp, you fool!"

Lin Chen was stunned, then hurriedly found a pond to wash his hands before returning to the courtyard.

"Xiao Chen, you're back."

Lin Ning'er was playing with a sharp spiritual sword in her hands. Seeing Lin Chen, she hurried forward with a delighted expression. "Did you gain anything from going to the All-Treasure Fair this time?"

Although Lin Chen was already seventeen years old, Lin Ning'er always cared for him with gentle affection.

To anyone else, this might have felt tiresome.

But for Lin Chen, having lost his parents at an early age, he deeply cherished this feeling of being cared for.

"Gains? Of course I did. I bought the Beast Origin Fruit that this little fellow Tun Tun wanted."

Lin Chen smiled faintly. "By the way, Sis, what have you been doing playing with this sword all this time? What if you accidentally cut yourself?"

"This sword? Su Wuwei gave it to me. I think she's actually quite nice, just a bit quiet,"

Lin Ning'er giggled. "She said that once my cold poison is fully cured, I can begin cultivation. I'm sure I'll become a powerful sword cultivator in the future!"