Inside the villa, a picture of peaceful harmony and mutual profit prevailed.
You were good, I was good, everyone was good, and everyone felt the future was bright.
The Ye Family members seemed safe now.
Xie Litang had gained even more teammates.
Five minutes hurried past.
A flying car abruptly hovered outside the villa, and Xie Litang glanced out.
It wasn't just Ye Fan who had arrived—there were also three elderly men possessing formidable aura, beside whom Ye Fan stood with a humble and submissive demeanor.
Farther away, the warning lights of the Peacekeeper Bureau flashed.
There was also the City Defense Force, evacuating the villa district while setting up a cordon.
With a triple layer of encirclement sealing off nearly every retreat, Xie Litang appeared to be in deep trouble.
Ye Fan bowed to the three elders and said humbly, “Wonderful! With you three seniors presiding, my Ye Family is saved.”
“Please make a move, seniors.”
“Apprehend this woman immediately.”
The three didn't seem in any rush.
Or perhaps, in full view of the public, they couldn't bring themselves to stand idly by and watch people die.
They signaled Ye Fan to proceed with the hostage exchange, and soon the chains binding Yang Yiyi were unlocked.
She was pushed forward.
Her face was still deathly pale, and even her gaze had turned somewhat vacant.
Only upon seeing Xie Litang did a glimmer of life return to her eyes as hypnotically suppressed memories surged back.
“M-Miss Xie?”
“Why are you here? Run, quickly!”
Xie Litang waved her hand, releasing half of the remaining Ye Family members first, and then summoned a Western-style coffin with a wave of her hand.
Crafted entirely from special alloy metal and padded thickly inside, the coffin could withstand a direct hit from a high-explosive shell without a scratch.
Xie Litang picked up Yang Yiyi, placed her inside, and said softly, “Get a good rest.”
She retrieved iron chains and wrapped them around the coffin several times.
Finally, she strapped it to her back before releasing the remaining members of the Ye Family.
One person, one coffin.
She no longer held anything to threaten them with, nor did they have any hostaged leverage left against her.
The moment Ye Fan got his family back, his face twisted into a ferocious scowl as he screamed, “What are you standing around for?! Kill her! I want her torn to pieces!”
The Peacekeeper Bureau, having waited for this moment, opened fire instantly.
Flames spat from countless gun muzzles, and heavy artillery rained fire down to saturate the entire villa.
Dada, dada!
Boom! Boom!
Xie Litang's body moved as swift as a ghost.
At her current realm of power, ordinary firearms were completely useless against her.
Either they couldn't hit her, or if they did, they couldn't pierce her defense.
Xie Litang charged straight forward, her sword dancing in arcs that easily sliced a specialized explosive-proof vehicle in two.
The Peacekeeper Bureau's tight defense was a total joke.
In almost an instant, a breach was ripped open.
“Sweeping Blade.”
【Clang!】
【Clang!】
【Clang, clang, clang, clang!】
Wherever Xie Litang slid with Sweeping Blade, explosions erupted in her wake.
The three old dogs, who had stood as steady as Mount Tai and disdained to act, gradually shifted their expressions.
“Presumptuous!”
The three old dogs made their move simultaneously.
Seeing this, Ye Fan sneered maliciously. “You're dead, bitch! These three elders are Fifteen-Star experts—killing you is as easy as slaughtering a dog!”
“Seniors, could you spare her life?”
“I want to torture this little bitch.”
“To avenge my Ye Family for today!”
One of the old dogs quickly caught up with Xie Litang, a restrained force swirling around his body as he let out a low bark: “Ancient Martial Art: Monument-Shattering Palm!”
The old dog's hand, hardened like refined steel...
...clutched toward Xie Litang's sword.
【Clang!】
Both sides staggered back a step. Xie Litang's sword hummed vibratingly, while the old dog's hand went numb with a throbbing pain—and more than anything, sheer disbelief filled his eyes.
He had trained meticulously for sixty years.
Furthermore, he was a formidable Fifteen-Star existence.
Outside core hubs like the Kyoto region in this Era of New Citadels, he was a terrifying figure capable of establishing a sect or founding a martial arts hall anywhere.
Yet just now, he failed to take Xie Litang down in a single blow, even appearing evenly matched with her instead.
At the same time...
...the other two old dogs...
...exchanged blows with Xie Litang before stepping back.
“You are very good.”
“Looking across the current younger generation, you are the brightest rising star, but it is still not enough.”
One old dog stood with hands behind his back and nodded. “A genius who dies young, however, is no genius at all.”
Another old dog stroked his beard, assuming a senior posture. “Enter our Zhao Family, and perhaps your life may be spared.”
“Wait, Old Zhao, that isn't fair. Little girl, I have a son who can be wed to you. Would you be willing?”
“...”
The three old dogs chatted and laughed casually, clearly holding Xie Litang in no regard.
They even looked at her like merchandise, assessing and commenting on her together, seemingly captivated by her potential.
Such a young and powerful girl might birth extraordinarily strong bloodlines for their families.
Xie Litang took a deep breath and said coldly, “I say, you three old dogs, what are you barking about? Are we fighting or not? Do you really think you've got me in the palm of your hand?”
The aura around the three turned icy cold.
All three felt that Xie Litang was far too ungrateful.
“To think you would be so ungrateful, young friend.”
“Since that is the case...”
“...then please, young friend, be on your way to the afterlife.”
The three launched another joint attack, intending to capture Xie Litang and refine her.
The corners of Xie Litang's lips curled up slightly. She snapped her fingers and uttered two words:
“Sacrifice.”
Inside another villa, twelve bodyguards triggered by Xie Litang's ability instantly collapsed dead to the ground.
A surge of energy gathered toward Xie Litang—not force forcibly crammed into her body...
...but rather a mystic sequence manifest from the rules of her 【Teammate Sacrifice】 ability.
Xie Litang glanced at her system panel.
【Name: Xie Litang】
【Ability: Teammate Sacrifice, Uses: 12】
【Class: Wind-Style Swordmaster】
【Skills: Wind-Style Swordsmanship (Great Perfection), Sweeping Blade (Great Perfection), Blood River Divine Canon (Minor Accomplishment), Blood Escape Technique (Beginner), Available Enhancement Points: 4】
【Base Vitality: 8,167,425 | Boosted Vitality: 106,176,525】
【Base Defense: 81,674 | Boosted Defense: 1,061,765】
【Mental Energy: 45】
【Equipment: Heartsteel (Custom Toggle Available), Overlord's Bloodmail】
【Gold Coins: 1,789】
There was no logic to it whatsoever.
Sacrificing twelve teammates granted a direct 1,200% boost.
It forcibly jacked Xie Litang's initial eight-million-plus Vitality up to over a hundred million.
Xie Litang let out a cold snort.
“Still not enough.”
“Sacrifice more for me!”
The members over on the Ye Family's side...
...suddenly began exploding one after another.
Xie Litang's aura climbed exponentially, reaching an absurdly terrifying level.
The only shame was that quite a few Ye Family members had already been killed earlier, leaving only seven more to sacrifice now.
Thus, her final boost reached 1,900%.
Xie Litang's Vitality had now reached a staggering 160,000,000.
Taking her boosted defense into account, even if Xie Litang stood completely still, she could take over two hundred punches directly from them.
If she still felt unsafe, she had two "demon traitors" back at the base she could sacrifice, which would not only add another 200% boost but also refresh her duration.
Sensing the power coursing through her body, Xie Litang let out a sigh. “I can only take a little over two hundred punches? I've really slacked off lately.”
With determined eyes, Xie Litang swore to herself, When I get back, I have to double down on stacking health. Let's start by stacking a small goal of a hundred million.
She cracked her neck.
It produced a series of crisp snaps.
Xie Litang looked at the three and said softly, “You three old dogs have barked enough. Now it's time for you to be on your way.”
She was...
...grinning maliciously.
Rate on N.U.
