Chapter 962: Chapter 962

Everyone arrived at the Spirit Sect Mountain gate, but Ding Fan did not lead the group through the entrance.

"Why aren't you taking us into the mountain gate?" Shi Zhongxin asked in a somewhat puzzled tone.

Ding Fan cast a cold glance at Shi Zhongxin.

With just that one look, Shi Zhongxin couldn't help but shudder. That gaze was akin to a savage beast.

Shi Zhongxin was utterly confused—how could a mere Spirit Sect disciple exude such an overbearing presence?

"Shi Zhongxin, do you really think Spirit Sect is unaware of your intentions?" Ding Fan's tone turned solemn.

"You... what are you talking about? I don't understand what you mean..." Although Shi Zhongxin feigned calm on the surface, he was profoundly anxious on the inside.

"Even now, you refuse to repent! Your plan to bring Gui Li here to seal Spirit Sect's spatial passage has already been exposed. Treating Spirit Sect —do you believe Spirit Sect's blade won't kill?" By now, Ding Fan had nothing left to hide.

Standing at the threshold of his own sect, his next move was to capture Gui Li alive. As for the Shi Family members, Ding Fan didn't even bother to consider them.

On the side, Luo Li looked at her sect master in disbelief after hearing Ding Fan's words.

She had gone to great lengths to persuade her sect master to support Spirit Sect—wasn't this supposed to be in Spirit Sect's favor?

"Master... how could this be..."

"Kill him!" Shi Zhongxin ignored Luo Li completely. After a brief moment of hesitation, he made his decision and gestured to the Shi Family disciples around him.

Things had come this far, after all.

Shi Zhongxin understood that now he had to choose between Spirit Sect and Ghost Sect.

After weighing his options, he chose Ghost Sect. After all, Ghost Sect was currently dominant, ruthless and cruel—it was an entity he truly dared not offend.

Thus, killing Ding Fan served two purposes: demonstrating loyalty to Ghost Sect and ensuring Gui Li wouldn't encounter complications here.

Otherwise, Ghost Sect wouldn't spare him either.

Swish, swish, swish... Three Shi Family disciples brandishing longswords charged directly at Ding Fan with murderous intent.

Slash, slash, slash...

With a mere raise of his hand, Ding Fan sent out three Wind Blades.

The three Shi Family disciples never even reached Ding Fan's position before the Wind Blades shredded them into multiple pieces. Blood rained down, veiling the surroundings in a mist of crimson...

Shi Zhongxin doubted his eyes for a moment, wondering if he was hallucinating.

In his estimation, Ding Fan was merely an ordinary Spirit Sect disciple. Killing him should have been as effortless as squashing an insect.

But his three disciples hadn't even unleashed their moves before being completely obliterated by those Wind Blades!

Decisive, unyielding, radiating murderous intent...

This was radically different from the calm and genteel image of Spirit Sect disciples. Unimaginably, Spirit Sect had such a brutal and resolute side.

With one hand positioned behind him, Ding Fan strolled indifferently toward the Shi Family crowd.

At this moment, Ding Fan's sole target was Gui Li.

Spirit Sect's spatial passage had been blocked, yet the method employed by Ghost Sect remained unknown. Without knowing how it was sealed, breaking the blockade was impossible—thus capturing Gui Li became paramount.

With Ding Fan's merciless killing method still fresh in their minds, the Shi Family disciples instinctively began to retreat.

Gui Li, however, did not flinch. As a figure of prominence within Ghost Sect, retreating in fear before an ordinary Spirit Sect disciple would be nothing short of disgraceful.

"Y-You mustn't hurt my fiancé." At this moment, Shi Min stepped forward, sword raised, guarding Gui Li.

"Shi Family disciples, listen up. Protect Li Quan at all costs!" Shi Zhongxin, having snapped out of the shock induced by Ding Fan's earlier actions, hastily commanded his disciples.

"Master... didn't we promise Spirit Sect an alliance? We can't do this..." Luo Li attempted to approach and dissuade Shi Zhongxin, but Shi Zhongxin promptly sealed her acupoints, preventing her from interfering.

Although the Shi Family disciples feared Ding Fan, orders had been given—they couldn't disobey. In an instant, ten-plus disciples surged forward to attack Ding Fan.

These disciples had thought it through: while Ding Fan might easily slay two or three men, dealing with so many attackers at once was presumably impossible...

Screech... At that moment, sharp sounds of air being torn reverberated continuously as Wind Blades shot forth from Ding Fan.

In the blink of an eye, none of the Shi Family disciples charging at Ding Fan were left standing.

Splashing blood painted everything like a torrential rain. Most of the bodies were at least severed in two—many even split into three or four parts. Limbs littered the ground...

In a matter of moments, all ten-plus martial artists had been slain...

Bear in mind, Shi Zhongxin had brought with him the core pillars of the Shi Family...

Shi Zhongxin could scarcely believe it—among the fallen were figures at the Heavenly Level Peak—how could so many powerful individuals be annihilated so quickly?

Executing ten-plus pigs wouldn't have been this fast.

To Shi Zhongxin's horror, he hadn't anticipated Spirit Sect's members to act more ruthlessly than Ghost Sect. The Shi Family was finished—reaching today's heights again would require centuries at this point.

From here on, in Huangshan, they had no capital to rival the Qe Family—they had lost everything...

Spirit Sect—when had they become so merciless...

Without so much as a glance at the slain Shi Family members, Ding Fan's gaze remained fixed solely on Gui Li.

"Y-You mustn't come closer. You cannot harm my fiancé..." At this moment, Shi Min's hand, gripping her sword, trembled uncontrollably.

In her eyes, Ding Fan was nothing short of a butcher. It was already remarkable she hadn't fled in terror.

Ding Fan completely ignored Shi Min's existence.

"Gui Li, as someone of stature in Ghost Sect, hiding behind a woman doesn't look too honorable, does it?"

Gui Li let out a cold laugh, then pulled Shi Min aside. "Kid, you don't have what it takes to make me hide…"

As he spoke, Gui Li raised a hand to wipe his face.

Immediately, a mask-like layer peeled off his face. Seeing this, Shi Min froze. When her eyes landed on Gui Li's real visage, she collapsed onto the ground.

The radiant, handsome Li Quan from before was gone. Standing before her now was a wrinkled old man with liver spots, sagging eye bags, yellowed teeth, and brittle hair.

Recalling how she had been affectionate with this man for the past two days, Shi Min felt a surge of nausea and turned away to vomit.

"You're no match for me. I suggest you surrender willingly," Ding Fan said plainly, as though discussing an unrelated matter.

Gui Li responded as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"You do have quite the confidence in yourself…" Gui Li said as his gaze sharpened. At some point, his right hand had already produced a longsword.

In a flash, Gui Li dragged his sword and darted toward Ding Fan.

He immediately struck at Ding Fan's face—a slash both swift and cunning...

Though outwardly scoffing at Ding Fan, inwardly Gui Li was extremely cautious.

A man who could annihilate ten-plus Ancient Martial Arts experts was clearly no ordinary figure.

For this reason, Gui Li employed his trump card right from the first strike.

This seemingly ordinary slash concealed a deadly secret—midway through the attack, poison needles would be fired...

The poison needles contained a rare and potent toxin, capable of killing someone even with the slightest scrape.

Gui Li's plan was to defeat Ding Fan using this concealed mechanism...

However, while imagination is beautiful, reality often proves unforgiving.

Before Gui Li's sword could reach Ding Fan, a Wind Blade lashed out abruptly.

Gui Li had no opportunity to react—his sword arm was severed cleanly by Ding Fan's Wind Blade.

Clang... The longsword dropped to the ground...

"Ahhh…" Gui Li screamed in agony.

Shi Zhongxin witnessed everything unfold before his eyes.

Gui Li, despite being a notable figure in Ghost Sect, was someone Shi Zhongxin had hoped could counteract Ding Fan.

Yet in the end, Gui Li was defeated completely in a single move.

Were Spirit Sect's disciples really this powerful now? One man capable of obliterating a crowd...

If he had known how formidable Spirit Sect's members were, why would he have sought refuge with Ghost Sect?

Ding Fan's ultimate goal was to capture Gui Li alive. With a single movement, Ding Fan appeared next to Gui Li.

Ding Fan swiftly extended his fingers, sealing Gui Li's acupoints.

Once he finished, he turned and fixed his cold gaze on Shi Zhongxin.

"I... I…" Read full story at 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹~𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮~𝚗𝚎𝚝

Under Ding Fan's piercing glare, Shi Zhongxin was at a loss for words.

With corpses scattered across the ground—all killed by Ding Fan—the sheer intensity of Ding Fan's aura completely subdued him...

"The Shi Family pledged an alliance with Spirit Sect. We forgave your past transgressions as a gesture of magnanimity, yet you not only failed to show gratitude but further colluded with Ghost Sect to attack us… Today, I will show you that Spirit Sect's blade can kill just the same," Ding Fan said icily, his tone absolute.

Thud... Shi Zhongxin dropped to his knees.

"It was all the fault of the Shi Family. Please, spare me... I promise we'll never antagonize Spirit Sect again… I promise!!!"

Seeing an ordinary Spirit Sect disciple slaughter so many people, even capturing Gui Li—Shi Zhongxin knew his own limits. If he wanted to survive, he could only beg.

Acting like a lowly dog might make his opponent disdain to waste effort killing him...

Ding Fan frowned, watching Shi Zhongxin kowtow repeatedly like a puppet.

Whatever his standing, shouldn't a family head at least choose a dignified death rather than submit so shamelessly to live?

Nearby, Luo Li, still immobilized by sealed acupoints, closed her eyes. She hadn't expected the Shi Family leader to stoop to such a level...

Shi Zhongxin wasn't just losing face personally—he was disgracing the entirety of the Shi Family...

A Wind Blade swept past, killing Shi Zhongxin on the spot...