The atmosphere fell into silence.

  All five were guarding against Xia Li. Xia Li found their expressions quite amusing.

  Why did they look like he was about to assassinate them?

  Though he had indeed been planning exactly that earlier.

  "If we're not fighting, then let's each retreat a hundred li. We won't interfere with each other."

  Seeing that the other party had no intention of attacking him first, Xia Li also lowered his hostility and took the initiative to speak.

  "Thank you for understanding, Fellow Daoist. I'm Zhu Song, from Qi Xuan Sect. May I ask your name and origin, Fellow Daoist?"

  The first to apologize began playing peacemaker. As the saying goes, don't hit someone who's smiling at you. Xia Li also cupped his fists and spoke:

  "Xia Li, from Lingxu Cave Heaven."

  "Fellow Daoist is honest!"

  Zhu Song immediately returned the gesture. Seeing Zhu Song's manner, Xia Li knew his guess was correct.

  The other party could not only read killing intent through qi observation but also discern lies in speech. Worthy of being a Qi Xuan Sect disciple.

  Regarding this sect, Xia Li had seen relevant records in Lingxu Cave Heaven's geographical records. This was a sect with peculiar methods, specializing in arcane formations, various feng shui and qi-reading techniques, and especially skilled at detecting truth from lies.

  Therefore, when facing someone from Qi Xuan Sect, sincerity was the better approach. He couldn't hide anything anyway.

  "I am Yu Miaofeng, from the Hanlin Academy of the Great Hong Dynasty."

  The young master with the folding fan also introduced himself.

  "Xin Han, Nine Sword Mountain."

  The cold-expressioned woman who had moved in sync with Zhu Song also politely cupped her fists toward Xia Li.

  "I'm Lü Li. I... I'm from Xuan Dan Sect..."

  The seemingly innocent, pitiful-looking woman introduced her background.

  The moment Xia Li heard "Xuan Dan Sect," he understood why she hadn't taken a stance earlier—she'd even hoped he would be killed.

  "I'm Qiao Yuan, direct lineage of the Qiao Family!"

  "You, surnamed Xia—so what if Lü Li is from Xuan Dan Sect? So what if they have old grudges with your Lingxu Cave Heaven? Out here on the road... making more friends means more paths."

  The man who had looked down on Xia Li from the start and ordered him to go die was the last to introduce himself. He came from a cultivation aristocratic family as a direct lineage member—equivalent to a major sect's true disciple. He certainly had the qualifications to look down on others.

  "I have no interest in small fry from Xuan Dan Sect, provided she doesn't court death. I just don't want her revealing my location to Xuan Dan Sect."

  "Reveal it and so what? Your bad luck meeting enemies outside—I advise you to scram right now."

  Qiao Yuan was determined to back Lü Li. Seeing someone support her, Lü Li's courage also grew, though she still didn't dare look directly at Xia Li.

  The enmity between Xia Li and Xuan Dan Sect was great—the kind where meeting meant fighting to the death.

  She had originally wanted to make up a false identity, but considering she'd already introduced her background to the others, improvising now would likely let Xia Li see through the deception.

  Moreover, she wasn't certain the others would cooperate in hiding her identity, so she'd admitted her origins.

  "Was I talking to you?"

  Xia Li looked at Qiao Yuan. He was most annoyed by this kind of idiot stirring up trouble. Lü Li had already shown signs of backing down and not wanting trouble. At that point, he could just plant a soul seed as insurance, preventing her from transmitting his location for a while.

  What was Qiao Yuan's deal, refusing to let it go?

  "Are you trying to break with me completely?"

  Qiao Yuan's hostility surged. Xia Li had made him lose face once—he absolutely couldn't lose it a second time. Especially since he had feelings for Lü Li.

  Before a woman, how could he back down?

  "Then what do you want?"

  "I'll say it again—running into us is your bad luck. Now get lost!"

  Qiao Yuan was determined to drive Xia Li away for Lü Li's sake.

  Hearing this, Xia Li furrowed his brow, considering whether the others would help if he struck, and whether he could achieve a killing blow.

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  Xia Li currently favored the one-hit-kill approach. He didn't like meaningless displays of dominance.

  Either don't strike, or strike to ensure death!

  "Fine."

  After brief thought, Xia Li nodded. He retreated.

  "Hmph, smart of you. Then let's—"

  The instant Qiao Yuan relaxed.

  Xia Li moved.

  Using Flash Step to close the distance, his left hand held a gun and fired five consecutive shots while his right hand wielded his blade and charged straight in.

  "You're courting death!!"

  Qiao Yuan was furious. He hadn't expected Xia Li to play dirty—agreeing one moment, going for his life the next.

  That strange spirit artifact's attacks struck his body, each blow carrying Core Formation power—absolutely not an offensive a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could launch.

  If not for the protective treasure he carried on his person, Xia Li's sneak attack would have succeeded.

  "Tch..."

  Seeing this, Xia Li frowned slightly. The other party had a self-activating protective treasure—very effective against ambushes.

  But so what?

  Xia Li's direct combat power was also formidable.

  Qiao Yuan pulled a great halberd from his storage ring and attacked. Its momentum was terrifying, lightning crackling around the halberd.

  Just as their weapons were about to clash...

  Xia Li strangely sheathed his blade.

  The others might not understand what happened, but Zhu Song's eyes showed surprise. He recognized it as a counter-technique.

  The power of counter-techniques lay in redirecting force, or deflecting force while attacking.

  The next moment...

  Qiao Yuan's lightning-wreathed halberd smashed toward Xia Li's head. Xia Li barely dodged with a sideways tilt, then stomped hard, landing right on the halberd, forcing Qiao Yuan—who was gripping the weapon with both hands—to involuntarily lean forward.

  Xia Li's blade was already drawn, slicing toward his neck.

  "Scram!"

  Qiao Yuan roared. Dazzling golden light burst from his body, forcibly pushing back Xia Li along with his blade.

  But even while being forced back, Xia Li decisively raised his gun and fired a sixth bullet.

  The enhanced bullet arrived in an instant. An extremely high-temperature blue flame flashed and vanished. Qiao Yuan let out a cry of pain. Before he could readjust his stance, Xia Li was already closing in again.

  His body slightly bent, center of gravity forward, blade returned to sheath, left hand gripping the scabbard and right hand gripping the hilt—he'd prepared his counter-technique while advancing.

  "You're... courting death!!"

  Qiao Yuan roared at the heavens. Lightning burst from his entire body, forming lightning armor covering him completely.

  Seeing this, Xia Li's expression didn't change at all. After closing in, he drew his blade directly. Qiao Yuan might have been confident his lightning armor could block—but Xia Li's blade cut right through, leaving a vicious wound across his chest.

  Qiao Yuan couldn't afford to worry about anything else now. He'd rather trade wound for wound, raising his halberd again to chop at Xia Li's head.

  Xia Li merely extended his right hand to block beside his head. Seeing this, Qiao Yuan revealed a fierce grin—he could already envision Xia Li's hand and head being severed together.

  But the next second...

  With a tremendous clang, Xia Li was knocked back several steps, but his right hand wasn't severed—there wasn't even a drop of blood. Just superficial damage.

  Beneath the cut skin, beneath the flesh that had been split by lightning...

  What was revealed wasn't flesh and blood, but pitch-black steel!

  Even the electrical force on the halberd was completely absorbed by that steel arm.

  Xia Li turned his head to look at his prosthetic. There was still damage—a not-shallow gash.

  The Wu Arm Steel-Severer was renowned for its hardness. For even this to be cleaved open showed Qiao Yuan wasn't worthless after all.

  "You... you you... you're not human. You're a puppet!"

  "Come out! Your real body—get out here! Hiding behind a puppet—what kind of hero is that!"

  Qiao Yuan now believed Xia Li was a puppet. After all, how could a person be made of metal?