The Domineering Lin
"You dare be arrogant in front of the Gin Patriarch!? Your courting death!"
"Wait..."
Heedless of Gin Haijun's warning, one of the youth, Gin Xuo, attacks the mysterious cultivator without any hesitation.
Gin Xuo is one of the geniuses of this family. Despite being 17 years old, he already reached the 7th Stage of Human Realm. He is also close to gaining an insight and having a breakthrough.
The family has spoiled him rotten, thinking that he will be someone who will give them a bright future. It might be why this person felt like no one can contend against them. He only sees the children from the other big families as his equal.
Gin Haijun wanted to stop him. If this mysterious cultivator kills their talented young master, then everything they spent on him will be a waste.
They take a single step, trying to follow along with Gin Xuo's attack. They have no choice if they wanted to protect this child.
They must at least protect him even at the expense of their own life.
Gin Haijun was also planning to move along with them, but everything is too late.
PAK!
"Guueeeeeeeegh!?"
A meaty sound, and an ugly noise was heard as the genius of the Gin Family's current generation fell on the ground. His cheeks are already swelling at the smack.
PAK! PAK! PAK!
The others who followed soon finds themselves falling to the ground with their cheeks also swelling red. Gin Haijun narrowed his eyes, a cold sweat sliding on his cheek.
'He.... smacked them with the flat of his blade!?' That's what he barely see from the quick swings of this mysterious cultivator.
He actually slaps them in the face with the flat of his blade!
"Who else wanted a slap?" This mysterious cultivator asks with a cold tone as he glances around him. Then his eyes locks onto Gin Haijun. "Do you want it?"
Gin Haijun felt so indignant at the arrogant way he is inviting him. Though he is not boasting, but this person's cold tone felt like he is mocking him.
".... I wouldn't dare..." He can only meekly take a step back, not daring to offend this expert anymore.
The invader, Zhou Lin, frowned at that. "Aren't you looking for me? Why are you coming back at your words? Are you scared?" He asks as he takes a step forward. Getting closer to him in a threatening manner.
Gin Haijun felt so humiliated at his words. He knows he is not a match for him. This kid has five awakened bloodlines, along with it is a boundless cultivation that he can't read. Of course he wouldn't dare attack him.
He internally cursed at this youth as he tries to apologize to him externally.
"Please don't take it to heart, Esteemed Senior. Maybe we can talk about this?"
He cups his hand in politeness, hoping that this cultivator will have the heart to talk somehow.
"What Senior? Are we close?" Zhou Lin spat. "If you don't have any problems with the way I do things, then I'll continue destroying your estate!" He told him.
Gin Haijun widened his eyes at that, before he practically raises his arms in defeat.
"Please have mercy. What have we done to you? Have we offended you?"
Zhou Lin snorted. "Why wouldn't I cause trouble with your family if you haven't offended me? Are you daft?"
The way he kept insulting him and his intelligence makes his heart burn with anger. It felt like his blood pressure is rising, and he might even spit out blood with the way this youth is not giving him any face.
"Just tell me how we offended you, and we will try to rectify this. We can talk this out like civilized humans!" Gin Haijun wanted this expert to let this go. He also wanted to know just why this cultivator is pissed at them.
Zhou Lin snorted once more. "Talk?" The way he said that felt grating to Gin Haijun's nerves. "Why would I tell you? Am I obligated to say how you offended me?"
Gin Haijun winces at that.
Of course this person is not obligated. Why would he tell them how they offended him? Does he owe them an explanation?
"Your family suppressed someone I am close with. Now I will take revenge in their stead. Do you have any problems with that?" Zhou Lin said coldly.
Gin Haijun felt like releasing a string of curses. He don't know who is that close friend he is talking about.
Their family has offended a lot of people of course. He can't possibly know just who is it with that little info. It's asking for the impossible.
Gin Haijun only remained silent. Not daring to talk anymore.
He was thinking of how he can mitigate the damage this cultivator will inflict on their family when he saw Gin Xuo standing up, and then suddenly hurling curses at him.
"So arrogant! Do you think you can leave this place alive!" Gin Xuo shouted at him. "Die for me!"
"Little Xuo, don't!" Gin Haijun shouted at him, his blood running cold as he froze on his spot. Feeling scared at the fate of this reckless and arrogant child.
Zhou Lin seems to have smirked at that as he turns at him. Seeing Gin Xuo attacking him. He seems to have taken a very large needle. The tip of that large needle glints ominously, and there is a hint of deadly Qi in it.
The others can only watch as Gin Xuo attacks the mysterious cultivator. He is going going for a charging stab, and using a footwork that makes him close the distance between them.
Though, just like a flowing water, Zhou Lin moves with grace as he dodges the stab to the side. Then the seamless way he swings his sword and hit the cheek of Gin Xuo with the flat of his blade was connected perfectly.
It was a beautiful display of swordsmanship, and also a great way to insult them as he wasn't even trying to kill them.
Another ugly noise left Gin Xuo's lips. Both of his cheeks are swelling now due to being smacked surprisingly hard with the flat of his blade.
Zhou Lin takes a step forward, and raises his blade while Gin Xuo is still moaning and wincing at the pain. Seeing that, Gin Haijun widened his eyes.
"Wait! Don't!"
Even though he tries to raise his hand and ask him to stop, Zhou Lin mercilessly swings his blade.
PAK!
Another smack of his cheek, which causes Gin Xuo to cry once more.
PAK! PAK! PAK! PAK! PAK!
Then he was smacked repeatedly without any fanfare. Zhou Lin is only doing it like it was a daily routine. Smacking both of his cheeks with the flat of his blade. Uncaring of how much it is humiliating on the others.
Each time they heard the sound of blunt metal smacking flesh makes them flinch and have a shiver. The sound is very uncomfortable.
This felt so humiliating. It will be more preferable of he will just cut him off. At least he will die with some dignity.
It is the genius of their family, and all of them can only watch as he was smacked around like a petulant child. It is a metaphorical slap to their faces. Seeing Gin Xuo crying and letting out ugly noises each time he was slapped with the blunt side of the blade.
After a very strong smack, Gin Xuo was blown to the other side of the estate, hitting the wall of their estate and spitting out blood before losing consciousness. He is still breathing at least, though he seems to be at the crossroads of life and death.
Gin Haijun gritted his teeth, along with the others who have watched. They repeatedly cursed at him with their minds, not daring to speak it out loud in fear that Zhou Lin focuses his anger at them.
"Who else? Who wanted to be arrogant in front of me?" Zhou Lin shouted, letting his voice travel all over the estate. With the use of his Pitch Control, this became possible.
Despite not shouting, they somehow heard the words as if it was said to them in their ears.
The others remained silent, not daring to raise their voices anymore.
Zhou Lin shakes his head, before turning around and looking at their main mansion.
"If no one will dare, then I will destroy this estate!" He declared, causing the others to perk up and stand up.
"This is tyranny! Your just bullying us!"
"Right! Are you still human?"
"You already vent your anger at our young master! You will acquire bad karma if you continue being domineering like this!"
Zhou Lin stops for a bit, before turning to them with a sneer.
"Of course I dare! Did you give my friend some face when you suppressed them?" He declared. "If you want to blame someone, blame your own arrogance!"
With that, he raises his hand, and then pointed his finger on their main manor. Their eyes widened when they felt a terrifying gush of tyrannical Qi. It felt so fast, so quick, and so devastating.
It also have the purity of the Heavens itself. Something that Gin Haijun is familiar with.
"Heavenly Lightning!?"
The others also exclaimed, their faces turning pale at the explosion of profound energies that he is releasing. All of it are being compressed to his finger, and then in an instant being released.
BAM!
The whole city suddenly turned bright with that flash, and it only took a split second before everything turns back to normal. Those who have witnessed it near Zhou Lin has their eyes close. Still reeling at the sudden flash of searing light that occurs.
As their eyes recovered at the flash of light, their eyes look at the front, only to see a burning husk of desolate nothingness. The main manor, their pavilion, and even their treasury are all gone. Even the neighboring structures within their estate also vanishes from the face of the earth.
The only thing remaining are the remnants of Heavenly Qi, and the empty scorched wake that it left on the ground.
Zhou Lin finally smiles after seeing that. Now he thinks he might have damages this family significantly.
He is just going to leave, when his eyes lit up as he looks at the sky. On the sky, he saw many elderly people floating there, looking down at this estate.
"Who is it!? Who dares mess with my city?"
It is someone familiar with him. It's the City Lord Yun Wanqing who he saw on that festival awhile ago.
Gin Haijun finds a glimmer of hope. He was very hopeless when he saw how this person can use Heavenly Lightning to destroy their estate. Though he thinks if he have the help of all the elders and patriarchs of the big families in this city, then maybe....
"City Lord! An evil cultivator is messing with our family! This one asks for your assistance!" He quickly tries to frame up this lone cultivator, wanting the others to team up with him so they can suppress this youth.
'So what if he can use Heavenly Lightning, and has five awakened bloodlines? He is still a single person! All of us are at the Nature Realm! Will he still dare?' He thought in wonder.
Even if this person is a Mountain Realm expert, he thinks they still have some chances. Each of the big families have their own life preserving treasures and other means to kill cultivators with a higher foundation than them.
He will be using the extreme concentration of the Millennium Jade Snake. A great treasure that his ancestor created in a needle form. He is sure he will find the an opportunity to strike this cultivator down with it if the others cooperated with him.
Yun Wanqing looks down and peered below for a bit. Looking at the person that Gin Haijun is pointing at. His eyes widened after a moment when he recognized who it is.
The other elders seems to have also recognized him as all of them fell on the sky. Landing on the ground and cupping their hands politely at Zhou Lin.
"Esteemed Young Master, we meet again! What brings you to this humble city?" Yun Wanqing asks.
Gin Haijun widened his eyes at that. He didn't know about Zhou Lin. None of his young family members participated on the tournament at the festival, so he was unaware about the appearance of the mysterious cultivator who helped the City Lord.
Though, as he heard of the rumors, he can easily deduced that the one who helped the City Lord is this person who he just falsely accused of being an evil cultivator.
His face pales at that.
Zhou Lin only smiles politely at them. Cupping his hands at them in greeting too. They are being polite to him, and they weren't a part of the family who he was making trouble with, so it's fine for him to be polite.
"Greetings City Lord. I'm just making trouble with this family. They bully someone I am close with, so I am avenging them." He said that so casually, as if it's not a big deal.
Though when they heard him say that, the City Lord and the elders from the other big families who came here have their eyes turn cold as they turn their gaze at Gin Haijun.
Gin Haijun can't help but become deathly pale in fear.
'It's over!' He thought in lament.