Chapter 59: Driven to Bloodthirsty Madness!

Lin Chen took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently as he desperately tried to calm the turbulent waves raging inside his heart.

At this moment, within the Splendid City of the imperial capital, the royal court issued a decree. A hundred-odd elite troops quietly arrived at the Prince's Estate, all of them undeniably cultivators.

When this news reached Lin Chen and Xie Mengmeng, both of them wore expressions of deep regret.

Lin Chen clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and he said bitterly, "It's all our fault for not making our move sooner."

Over the past few days, the Prince had been broadcasting everywhere that Lin Chen intended to harm him, and his ulterior motives were glaringly obvious.

He wanted to place Lin Chen in the glaring spotlight, drawing everyone's attention to this so-called traitor to the human race.

And just as Lin Chen had feared, no sooner had the imperial city's forces arrived than all sorts of monsters and demons crawled out of the woodwork.

These people boasted wildly in the marketplace, swearing to take Lin Chen's head and restore righteousness and clarity to the world.

The Prince's Estate had now transformed into a hornet's nest bristling with sharp thorns.

Lin Chen knew that the moment he showed his face, these people would swarm toward him like ravenous wolves spotting their prey.

Lying on the rooftop with the moonlight spilling over him like water, Lin Chen listened to the stream of news brought back by Xie Mengmeng.

He could not help but smile bitterly and sigh inwardly, "I am merely an insignificant nobody. What right or virtue do I possess to attract so many watching eyes?"

Xie Mengmeng's pretty face was etched with worry, and she feigned anger as she said, "Honestly, sometimes I really want to dump you, this jinx, and run far away."

A warmth spread through Lin Chen's heart, and he asked out of curiosity, "Then why are you still staying?"

The corners of Xie Mengmeng's lips curved upward into a bright, genuine smile, "For peace of mind. To put it bluntly, I simply like you, and I despise the ugly faces of that Prince and his cronies even more."

"Sigh! Is it worth it?" Lin Chen let out a long sigh, threw his head back, and took a fierce swig of wine. The fiery liquid slid down his throat in a vain attempt to burn away the gloom weighing heavily on his heart.

"There is no such thing as whether something is worth it or not. I only know that I am happy being with you, and that is enough!" A gentle smile danced in Xie Mengmeng's eyes.

Lin Chen quickly changed the subject and said, "Ah! I finally understand now. To kill someone, one does not necessarily need profound cultivation. That old fox of a Prince didn't have to dispatch a single soldier, yet he drove me to this desperate predicament."

"Indeed." Xie Mengmeng's expression grew dim as she gently shook her head, "Just this crowd of self-proclaimed righteous men in Nanyang City is enough to keep your hands full."

A flash of resolute determination crossed Lin Chen's eyes. He stood up, chugged large mouthfuls of wine, the liquor dripping down his chin.

Suddenly, he hurled his wine gourd fiercely toward a dark shadow lurking in the corner.

Roaring in anger, "In that case, I will slaughter my way through this Nanyang City! I want to see whether his schemes and plots are stronger, or the sharp sword in my hand!"

"Thud!"

A muffled sound echoed as the dark shadow collapsed to the ground instantly, perishing from a single strike without even a chance to scream.

Lin Chen burst into laughter immediately, his laughter filled with mockery, "What righteous men! Skulking about in the shadows and eavesdropping on people—your behavior is truly nauseating."

Before his voice had even faded in the night air, a sliver of chilling light abruptly materialized.

Under the moonlight, the gleam of blades and swords intertwined, flashing with a biting, bone-chilling cold.

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Dozen of figures rushed like phantoms, swarming toward Lin Chen on the rooftop to strike him down.

"Clang!"

With a crisp ring, Lin Chen's long sword leaped from its scabbard.

Holding the blade horizontally before him, the moonlight reflected off its surface, casting a cold, lucid radiance while mirroring the ferocious expressions of his enemies.

His figure moved like lightning. With a sudden leap, he spun his body in mid-air and thrust fiercely backward.

"Splat!"

The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh rang out. In an instant, a face twisted in agony appeared before his eyes.

The assailant clutched his abdomen with both hands, his body trembling slightly before he toppled straight backward, rolling off the rooftop down to the ground with a heavy thud.

Lin Chen's gaze was as cold as frost, and he spoke in an icy tone, "Strike three, you have one last chance."

At that moment, a slovenly middle-aged man stepped out from the crowd. His eyes were bloodshot as he cursed furiously, "Humph! An impudent, wet-behind-the-ears brat daring to run your mouth! Take this blade of mine!"

Before the slovenly middle-aged man finished speaking, the broadsword in his hand whipped up a gale-force wind, slashing viciously toward Lin Chen's neck. The blade flashed brilliantly like lightning tearing through the night sky.

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them. He calmly sidestepped, letting the razor-sharp edge graze past his garments and kick up a gust of fierce wind.

With a light tap of his foot, his figure circled behind the middle-aged man like a phantom. His sword flicked upward smoothly, instantly slicing open the clothing on the man's back and leaving a bleeding red welt on his skin.

Horrified and enraged, the middle-aged man barked, "Dammit! If I don't kill you today, I renounce my humanity."

With those words spoken, he spun around swiftly, brandishing his broadsword to unleash a torrential storm of attacks. Layer upon layer of blade shadows enveloped Lin Chen entirely.

Yet Lin Chen moved with the agility of a fish, weaving effortlessly through the gaps in the blinding web of blades.

"Kill me? You're not worthy." Lin Chen sneered coldly.

Simultaneously, he kicked off hard with his toes, shooting toward the middle-aged man like an arrow loosed from a bow, his sword thrusting straight at the man's chest.

The middle-aged man hastily raised his blade to block. With a deafening "clash," sparks flew in all directions. The immense impact sent both men stumbling backward several steps, the broadsword nearly slipping from the man's grasp.

Taking advantage of the middle-aged man's momentary daze, Lin Chen flicked his wrist, guiding his long sword around the blade like a slithering spirit snake straight toward the man's throat.

At the most critical juncture, a dark shadow lunged in from the flank, using a heavy staff to fiercely parry Lin Chen's fatal strike.

Lin Chen's gaze hardened as he looked up. He saw a burly, robust figure standing before him like a small mountain, a hideous scar across his face appearing exceptionally terrifying under the moonlight.

The stocky brute let out a muffled grunt, "Scum! If you want to kill him, you'll have to get past me first!"

With that, he whirled his staff, kicking up a fierce wind. The shadows of the staff formed an airtight net, rushing down to envelop Lin Chen from all directions.

Lin Chen retreated rapidly while rapidly brandishing his sword to fend off the brute's ferocious onslaught. Swords and staves clashed, producing a rapid series of dense impacts.

Just as the fierce battle reached its peak, the rest of the crowd swarmed forward, trapping Lin Chen in the center.

One of them cried out in shock, "How can this brat be so formidable? How is it that so many of us still can't take him down?"

Another spoke with a trembling voice, "This simply exceeds our imagination. It's too terrifying!"

"Stop your damn babbling and kill him! Do you really think he has three heads and six arms?" the slovenly middle-aged man, previously wounded, cursed in uncontainable rage.

"Humph! You think a mob of scumbags like you can kill me? Pure delusion!" Lin Chen roared arrogantly, "Today, I'll let all of you witness my true power!"

Lin Chen's sword techniques grew increasingly fierce, blood splashing wherever he passed.

Someone began to cry out in terror, "This kid is too terrifying! I don't want to die!"

Another's voice trembled, "I... I'm running away! I'm done with this!"