The main hall fell utterly silent.
Then came the sound of harsh, ragged breathing echoing through the room.
Second Master Lin Li—a cultivator at the third stage of the Bone Forging—was second only to the First Master Lin Ming and the clan head Lin Cheng himself.
And yet... he had lost.
No—he had been crushed. Instantly.
Everyone froze where they stood, eyes wide, faces blank, minds unable to process what they'd just seen.
On the main seat, Lin Cheng's expression stiffened. His brows knitted so tightly they nearly merged.
He had merely wanted Lin Li to teach Lin Yi a lesson—to put the boy in his place, to temper that arrogance.
He never imagined Lin Yi's strength would be this terrifying.
Just one breath.
In the span of a single breath, Lin Li—a powerhouse at the third stage of Bone Forging—had been slain on the spot.
Lin Cheng hadn't even had time to react, much less intervene.
The teacup in Lin Ming's hand shattered as the muscles in his face twitched violently.
Behind Lin Yi, Zhang Cuilan went deathly pale. Her body trembled so hard she nearly slid off the redwood chair.
"H-how is that possible…" she whispered, dazed.
Lin Feng looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. His heart pounded, his soul quivered.
When his eyes met Lin Yi's, the horror in them was joined by something deeper—fear.
Monster. This guy was a monster!
Lin Yi wasted no time.
He immediately opened the System interface and spent three hundred Violence Points to raise his cultivation to the fifth stage of the Bone Forging Realm.
Host: Lin Yi Realm: Bone Forging – Fifth Stage (0/350)Martial Skill: Cloud-Crushing Fist (Mastered) (0/150)Violence Points: 110
The Lin Clan's strongest—Patriarch Lin Cheng—was only at the fourth stage.
Lin Yi had already surpassed him.
Now, he had nothing left to fear.
Gazing down coldly at Lin Li's corpse, he said flatly, "Just like your useless son—weak and pathetic."
Lin Feng's voice trembled as he shouted, "You… you damned wretch! You dare murder the Second Master in front of everyone? You've lost every shred of humanity!"
He turned toward Lin Cheng, voice desperate."Father! He may be strong, but he's arrogant, defiant, and bloodthirsty! If he's left alive, he'll bring ruin to our clan! Please, Father—kill him now, and uphold the clan's law!"
The First Master Lin Ming instantly echoed, "Yes, Clan Head! This boy's nature is cruel and violent. If he dares kill the Second Master today, who knows which one of us he'll strike next? Keeping him alive will only spell disaster!"
Zhang Cuilan shrieked, "Husband, we can't let this child live! He's already killed the Second Master—what if one day he loses control and even dares to kill you?"
She didn't finish the sentence, but her meaning was clear.
Around the hall, the other core members of the Lin Clan spoke up one after another, voices filled with urgency and fear.
Only the Third Master, Lin Zhou, remained seated, silent.
He'd always been cautious by nature.
Even if Lin Yi seemed doomed, Lin Zhou wouldn't rush to take sides.
Lin Cheng was silent for a long moment before finally nodding.
This boy's killing intent was too heavy. If he lived, the Lin Clan would face destruction sooner or later.
He had to be eliminated.
But before anyone could move—
Lin Yi's cold voice rang out once more.
"So, you all want me dead, huh? In that case… I'll send you there first."
The words had barely left his mouth when his figure blurred—
—and in the next instant, he was already standing before Lin Cheng!
His fists clenched tight, knuckles cracking like exploding firecrackers as the overwhelming power of the Fifth Stage of Bone Forging erupted from his body without restraint.
The air howled around his fist as it drove straight toward Lin Cheng's face!
Lin Cheng's pupils constricted sharply.
He could hardly believe what he was seeing—his own son's cultivation… was higher than his!
Fifth stage of Bone Forging?!
Impossible! How could that be? Hadn't this boy's cultivation been crippled not long ago?
In a rush, Lin Cheng raised his palm and gathered all his strength to block.
Bang!
Fist met palm with a thunderous, bone-jarring impact.
A heartbeat later, Lin Cheng felt a crushing force surge through his arm. His hand—his entire fist—shattered like tofu under a hammer, spraying blood and fragments of bone into the air.
With a sickening crack, his arm snapped completely, dangling uselessly at his side.
One move.
Just one move—and Lin Cheng, the clan head of the Lin family, the man at the fourth stage of Bone Forging, was defeated.
Everyone stood frozen, their faces pale with disbelief.
Lin Cheng—the clan's strongest fighter—hadn't even lasted a single exchange.
What had happened to Lin Yi? How could the cripple they'd all looked down on have become stronger than before?
Lin Ming, the First Master, veins bulging on his forehead, glared furiously.
Aside from Lin Cheng, he was the strongest present, also at the fourth stage of Bone Forging.
Seeing Lin Cheng fall in a single strike, he could no longer sit still.
"You wretched beast! You're courting death!"
He roared and shot to his feet, preparing to strike.
But Lin Yi was faster.
Almost the instant Lin Cheng's arm broke, Lin Yi's figure blurred—and appeared right before Lin Ming.
Another punch!
Having just witnessed Lin Cheng's fate, Lin Ming didn't dare meet the blow head-on.
He twisted his body to dodge—
—but how could his speed match Lin Yi's fist?
Slash!
The punch grazed across Lin Ming's cheek, tearing through flesh like a blade.
A spray of blood and meat burst out as the terrifying force sank deep, shattering the bones beneath.
"AAAHHH!"
Lin Ming screamed, clutching his mangled face as he staggered backward, eyes wide with horror.
"Lin Yi… I… I—"
He knew it. He wasn't this youth's match.
Just as he tried to beg for mercy—
A cold hand appeared before him, clamping around his throat.
Lin Yi's face remained expressionless as his fingers tightened.
Crack!
A chilling snap echoed through the hall.
Lin Ming's neck snapped cleanly; his head lolled forward, eyes wide open in disbelief even in death.
[Lin Ming killed through extreme violence — Violence Points +400]
Once again, the hall fell into deathly silence.
Every face turned ashen. Everybody trembled.
Cold sweat ran down foreheads in sheets.
No one dared to move.