Starting With The Martial Arts Holy Fire Order

Chapter 36: Complete Defeat of Extermination Master Tai

“Master Tai, such anger! I’m not sure what grudge you have against me that warrants such ruthless attacks.” Ling Yihan looked at her with a slight smile.

“Could it be that you’re avenging your husband against our Ming Sect?”

At these words, Extermination Master Tai’s face changed, and her disciples looked on in confusion, not understanding Ling Yihan’s implication.

Ling Yihan glanced at their faces, a playful smile on his lips.

“Master Tai, have you never told your disciples about your youthful affair with your senior brother, Gu Hongzi?”

Daiqisi and Hu Qingyang, who had previously heard him recount the story, couldn’t help but stifle their laughter.

“You should really tell them. After all, it was due to Yang Left Envoy of our sect. If not for him, you wouldn’t have become a nun, would you?” Ling Yihan continued with a mischievous grin.

“And you wouldn’t be a sect leader either! In a way, Yang Left Envoy is your benefactor, and our Ming Sect has done you a great favor. Shouldn’t you be thanking us?”

“You despicable brat!”

Extermination Master Tai grew increasingly furious and, with a shout, leaped at Ling Yihan, channeling her energy into her whisk and aiming it at his head.

Ling Yihan didn’t take her seriously, effortlessly dodging her attacks with the strange footwork of his Sacred Fire Order Divine Skill, all while taunting her.

“Years ago, your sect’s founder, Lady Guo Xiang, was a true heroine. How is it that with each generation, Emei’s skills have declined to these pathetic levels?”

“Demonic scum, cease your arrogance! Even if I, Extermination, have but a fraction of Lady Guo’s strength, I can still exorcise evil!” Extermination Master Tai snarled, aiming her strikes at Ling Yihan’s vital points with ruthless precision.

Ling Yihan scoffed, “How stubborn! I’m done playing with you…”

With that, he delivered a powerful blow with the Nine Heavens Palm, disarming her of her whisk.

Before she could even blink, he had sealed her acupoints, leaving her unable to move.

“Don’t harm my master!”

A soft shout was heard as Ji Xiaofu lunged at Ling Yihan from behind, her sword pointed at him.

Ling Yihan noticed her attack, smiling calmly as he extended his right index and middle fingers, effortlessly pinching her sword between them and halting it in place.

“The Spirit Rhinoceros Skill!”

Daiqisi and Hu Qingyang gasped in delight at the display.

Ji Xiaofu, stunned that her sword was caught by two fingers, thought to herself,

“I never expected this young man to possess such high-level martial skills! With just two fingers, he can hold my blade in place, making it impossible to advance or retreat! When did the Devil Sect produce such a formidable young expert? Even my master is no match for him!”

“Young lady, isn’t this a bit much? Attacking me without a word from behind—is that part of the Emei Sect’s martial conduct?” Ling Yihan looked at her mockingly.

He observed her tall and slender figure, her fine brows and bright eyes, fair complexion, more beautiful than Hu Qingyang, though slightly less than Daiqisi. He guessed she was likely Ji Xiaofu.

Ji Xiaofu’s face turned red as she stammered,

“I was merely anxious to save my master, which is why I acted without thinking. This isn’t how our Emei Sect behaves…”

“Oh, really?” Ling Yihan applied a slight force with his fingers, causing her sword to fly from her grip.

In the blink of an eye, he moved behind her with graceful, almost mystical steps, sealing her acupoints.

“Young man, that girl is my master’s favorite disciple, Ji Xiaofu. If she loses so much as a hair, the Emei Sect will haunt you, even as ghosts!”

One of the Emei disciples pointed her sword at Ling Yihan, shouting loudly.

Ling Yihan glanced at her nonchalantly. She was tall, but her cheekbones were high, her lips were thin and large, and her skin tone was slightly yellower than Ji Xiaofu’s.

“I heard the Emei Sect has a shrew who is plain and sharp-tongued, named Ding Minjun. That must be you, right?”

Seeing her face flush with anger, Ling Yihan chuckled to himself.

Although Ding Minjun wasn’t exactly unattractive, she had a delicate appearance and a charming demeanor, far from the “plain shrew” he had called her. He had only said it to provoke her.

“Just now, you deliberately called this young lady your master’s favorite disciple, trying to incite me to harm her, isn’t that right?” Ling Yihan sneered.

“Besides wanting to use me to eliminate her as a rival for the position of Emei Sect Leader, I can’t think of another reason for you to say that. However, the more you try, the less I want to harm this young lady…”

With that, he flicked his fingers, sending droplets of wine from his cup flying toward Ji Xiaofu and Extermination Master Tai, instantly unsealing their acupoints.

Ling Yihan looked at their bewildered expressions and said calmly,

“Master Tai, Miss Ji, forgive me if I’ve offended you. In two days, our Ming Sect will hold a Martial Arts Conference with the various sects. At that time, as we compete for the Dragon-Slaying Saber and the Heaven-Relying Sword, I’ll spar with you both again.”

Extermination Master Tai asked coldly,

“Enough with the fake courtesy. Who are you?”

Before Ling Yihan could answer, Daiqisi interjected,

“Old nun, listen up! He’s none other than the new Leader of the Ming Sect, Ling Yihan. Afraid yet?”

“What? He’s the new Leader of the Ming Sect?”

“Oh my! So young!”

“And his martial skills are incredible!”

…

The Emei disciples gasped, whispering among themselves in astonishment at Daiqisi’s words.

“So, you’re the disciple of that great devil, Yang Dingtian! I didn’t expect someone as young as you to be so powerful, surpassing even your master! Why must such a fine young man join the Devil Sect?” Extermination Master Tai asked, her voice icy.

Ling Yihan smiled calmly.

“Master Tai, the Ming Sect isn’t a Devil Sect. I truly don’t understand why you harbor such hatred toward us.”

Extermination Master Tai scoffed,

“The Ming Sect is nothing but cruel and tyrannical, murdering the innocent! Isn’t that the behavior of a Devil Sect?”

Ling Yihan shook his head.

“Master Tai, you’re mistaken. Our Ming Sect’s mission is to drive out the Yuan forces, restore the Han dynasty, and protect the common people. Are you unaware of this?”

Extermination Master Tai paused, silent for a moment, before replying,

“I know you’ve killed some Yuan soldiers, but that doesn’t erase the fact that you’ve also murdered people from the righteous sects.”