Boom!

Sun Yi’s fist was a kinetic missile. It impacted the True Qi shield surrounding Mo, shattering the barrier like glass. The blow continued unabated, connecting with Mo’s sternum.

A sickening crunch echoed.

“Gah—!”

The Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was launched backward, slamming into the stone wall of a nearby building. He slid down, vomiting copious amounts of blood, his aura fluctuating wildly.

Sun Yi raised an eyebrow. “Still alive? Late-stage hardware is surprisingly durable.”

But he wasn’t here to admire the specs.

A golden light erupted from his chest—the Gold Gate activating at full capacity. The Red Gold Sword shot out, transforming mid-air into a roaring golden dragon.

“No!” Mo’s eyes widened in horror. He could feel the devastating sword intent locked onto him. “Wait—!”

Boom!

The golden dragon impacted, silencing the plea. It drilled through Mo’s chest, leaving a gaping, cauterized hole where his heart used to be.

Target eliminated.

Sun Yi gestured, telekinetically snatching Mo’s storage bag. He then pivoted and sprinted toward the Blood Flag. He grabbed the staff and ripped it from the altar.

Instantly, the ominous red light dimmed, and the giant banner shrank back into a small, harmless-looking pennant.

Sun Yi inspected it. Rank 3 Spirit Artifact. A high-value asset typically reserved for Golden Core executives.

The entire engagement—from Sun Yi charging the altar to executing the leader—had taken less than ten seconds. The remaining Black Wind Stockade disciples were still processing the data.

They had dismissed Sun Yi as a low-level bug. Now, their project manager was dead.

As the flag was removed, the blood-colored mist choking Water Source City began to dissipate. The unconscious civilians stopped bleeding, their vital signs stabilizing.

Objective Complete.

Sun Yi stowed the flag and the Dragon Roar Sword. He turned his gaze to the nearest Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment disciple, who was standing a hundred meters away, mouth agape.

Sun Yi blurred.

“Who… who are you?” the disciple stammered, backing away.

“Your termination notice,” Sun Yi replied.

He didn’t waste time with melee. He flicked his wrist, and a dozen talismans fanned out.

Fireball. Ice Spear. Flame Arrow. Firebird.

It was a saturation bombardment. Five of the talismans were Rank 2—expensive, but effective.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The disciple screamed as he was engulfed in elemental chaos. His shield shattered, and he was blasted backward, coughing blood and smoke.

Sun Yi closed the distance with a Wind Thunder Step. The Red Gold Sword materialized in his hand, a beam of golden light that skewered the disoriented cultivator.

Target eliminated.

Sun Yi grabbed the storage bag and moved to the next target.

“Bastard! He killed Senior Brother Mo and Junior Brother Gu!”

“Careful! His level display is bugged! He’s hiding his true cultivation!”

“Wait!” one disciple shouted, eyes widening. “He fits the profile! He’s the Qingyun Sect fugitive the Elders are hunting!”

Greed instantly replaced fear on their faces.

“It’s him! The jackpot!”

“Team up! Capture him, and we split the bounty!”

The remaining disciples—three Mid-Stage, two Early-Stage, and two Qi Refining interns—rushed to encircle Sun Yi.

“Kid,” one sneered, circling him. “We were wondering where to find you. To think you’d deliver yourself right to our doorstep.”

“Come quietly,” another threatened. “You got lucky with a sneak attack, but you can’t handle all of us. Surrender, and maybe we’ll leave your corpse intact.”

Sun Yi looked at the circle of enemies and smiled. “Grouping up? That saves me the trouble of chasing you.”

He flipped his right hand. A thick stack of talismans appeared.

Fifty Rank 2 Firebird Talismans.

The disciples froze. A single Rank 2 talisman cost hundreds of Spirit Stones. Fifty represented a fortune that even a Golden Core cultivator would hesitate to burn.

“Capitalism,” Sun Yi stated coldly, “always wins.”

He tossed the stack.

The air shrieked as fifty firebirds materialized, turning the square into an inferno.

“Are you insane?!”

“How does he have that much inventory?!”

The disciples scrambled to activate their defenses, but the sheer volume of fire overwhelmed them.

Sun Yi ignored the chaos and targeted a Mid-Stage disciple. He flickered through the flames, appearing at the man’s flank. A punch shattered the disciple’s ribs and internal organs.

Simultaneously, the Red Gold Sword split into two beams of light, descending from the sky like the wrath of god.

Squelch. Squelch.

Two more Mid-Stage disciples fell, their shields pierced effortlessly.

The remaining two Early-Stage disciples, now scorched and terrified, dropped their weapons.

“Fellow Daoist! Let’s talk!”

“We’re just employees! If you kill us, the Black Wind Stockade won’t stop hunting you! Let us go, and we’ll pretend this never happened!”

Sun Yi looked at them, his eyes devoid of mercy.

“If the commoners in this city begged you,” he asked softly, “would you have stopped the extraction?”

The disciples went pale.

“Die,” Sun Yi said.

He waved a hand. The remaining firebirds converged. The two disciples didn’t even have time to scream before they were incinerated. The two Qi Refining interns had already perished in the initial volley.

Silence returned to the square.

Sun Yi systematically looted the storage bags, then piled the corpses together. A final fireball turned the evidence into ash.

This time, he was thorough. No forensic data could be left behind.

With the city saved and the enemy liquidated, Sun Yi checked the unconscious civilians one last time. Satisfied, he turned into a streak of light and shot toward the horizon before anyone could wake up.