"Someone else?"

Lin Mu slowed his ascent to the third floor. Just as he was about to set foot on it, he looked up at a private room, his gaze piercing. Not only him, but the audience below reacted as well, their gazes turning curiously toward the same private room.

They too wanted to see who this Peng Shi mentioned by Fang Ziming actually was.

A few seconds later, a deep sigh trembled from within the room.

With a loud bang, the private room door exploded, sending splinters flying in all directions like shrapnel. Immediately, an overwhelmingly powerful aura swept over the scene. Amidst a gale of Internal Energy, a figure shot out from the private room as fast as thunder.

He stepped onto the flying debris, his body as light as a swallow's. Like a martial arts master from the novels, he seemed to walk on air, a stunning entrance that left everyone breathless.

Seeing this, everyone gasped and rubbed their eyes, their faces etched with shock.

"Can that person fly? Is... is this a movie shoot?"

"No, that's the legendary lightness skill!"

"I never thought such masters truly existed in the world. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!"

"I've heard there are people in this world just like the masters in wuxia novels. They have astonishing martial skills, able to scale walls and walk on water. The world calls them Martial Artists!"

"Martial Artists..."

This man's entrance was every bit as shocking as Lin Mu's killing of eighteen people.

The man was in his fifties, clad in a Tang suit. He had a broad forehead, and his powerful chest rose and fell in a deep, rhythmic cadence.

It was indeed Peng Shi.

Fang Ziming, still on the ground, looked at Peng Shi with wild joy, as if he were looking at his savior. Light as a swallow, walking on air, converting Inner Strength to Internal Energy... is this the Internal Energy Mastery my father spoke of? Terrifying! Truly, utterly terrifying!

Thinking this, Fang Ziming scrambled excitedly to his feet. He stood behind Peng Shi and glared with venomous spite. "Kid, with Peng Shi here, not only will you fail to kill me, but you will also die a miserable death!"

"I guarantee it!"

Peng Shi was an expert of the Martial Way and a highly prized Emissary hired by the Fang Family for a hefty sum. His own strength was formidable, and his pride was immense. Even the family elders had to treat him with the utmost courtesy. If I weren't in mortal danger, Peng Shi probably wouldn't even deign to spare me a glance.

Liu Zijian, his face pale, muttered in despair, "Is that... even human?"

Peng Shi stood before Lin Mu, the two of them barely five steps apart. Standing on the third floor while Lin Mu was still on the stairs, Peng Shi looked down on him with an indifferent expression.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "Young man, you should stop while you still can," he said slowly, his voice as cold and hard as steel. His gaze was filled with a detached indifference.

"You've killed twenty people in a fit of rage; your murderous aura is too strong. I will give you two choices: either you leave, or I will personally cut you down where you stand!"

Though his tone was calm, his overwhelming killing intent was unmistakable.

"You have three seconds to consider."

In Peng Shi's eyes, Lin Mu's strength was insignificant. Even his own two apprentices were stronger. Lin Mu was just a brute who thought his raw strength made him invincible. Peng Shi found this utterly contemptible.

There was a saying in the Martial Arts World: "All brawn and no technique amounts to nothing." It meant that those who had not entered the Internal School were all ants!

Thus, he believed Lin Mu would make the right choice.

Awed by Peng Shi's domineering presence, no one in the crowd dared to breathe too loudly. They watched with a mixture of tension and fear. Surely, that fellow Lin Mu would have the sense to retreat.

Lin Mu looked at Peng Shi calmly and suddenly offered a faint smile.

"What are you laughing at, kid?" Peng Shi's expression darkened. "My patience has its limits. Don't be a fool."

Seeing the smile on Lin Mu's face, his aura surged dramatically, pressing down toward Lin Mu.

In response, Lin Mu's expression remained as calm as ever, but a trace of disdain shone in his eyes.

"I'm laughing at how you overestimate yourself. I'm laughing because you've cultivated a mere sliver of so-called Internal Energy and now think you're better than everyone else. I'm laughing because you don't even realize who you're talking to."

Lin Mu said calmly, "What right does an ant like you have to show off before me?"

As his words fell, Lin Mu's presence suddenly changed. Although no tangible power was released, his entire demeanor became ethereal and transcendent, almost unbearable to behold.

At that moment, Peng Shi, standing above him, felt as if he were facing an unscalable mountain, a feeling of his own insignificance stirring deep within him.

"You're courting death!"

Provoked by this sudden feeling, Peng Shi's face turned grim. He raised his hand and struck out at Lin Mu with his palm. "Since you, junior, insist on courting death, this old man can't let you live!"

This palm strike seemed to cleave the very air. Everyone felt a sharp pain in their eardrums.

"So powerful!"

"That Lin Mu is going to die!"

A ferocious smile stretched across Fang Ziming's face as he looked at Lin Mu as if he were already a dead man. To speak so arrogantly to Peng Shi was a death wish. He had once seen Peng Shi shatter a pearwood table into splinters with a single palm strike. No matter how strong Lin Mu was, he was still going to die.

Fang Yongnian was thrilled. This Lin Mu is an utter fool! Does he really think he's invincible? Peng Shi isn't like the common rabble from the club.

Peng Shi's aura surged violently; his palm strike was merciless.

He's a bit stronger than Zeng Wen. Lin Mu's eyes narrowed slightly. He then slowly shook his head and said, "But if this is all you have, it's not enough."

Lin Mu suddenly raised his hand and, with a light grasp, caught Peng Shi's wrist.

The entire hall fell silent.

Lin Mu... actually caught Peng Shi's strike? How... how is that possible?

Even Peng Shi was momentarily stunned, then a barely concealed murderous intent flashed across his face.

"Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit! You dare to fight back with your meager skills? When I made a name for myself in the Martial Arts World, you were still a babe in diapers!"

Peng Shi bellowed, his clothes swelling with power as an even more formidable force erupted from him.

"Splitting Palm!"

Peng Shi raised his hand, unleashing an extremely powerful force in a palm strike aimed at Lin Mu's head. If this palm landed, Lin Mu's head would surely shatter.

However, just as Peng Shi's hand was about to connect, Lin Mu slightly shook his head. He raised his own hand, sending a palm strike out with the speed of lightning.

THWACK!

He struck second, but landed first!

The palm printed itself on Peng Shi's chest, sending him flying backward. Peng Shi coughed up a mouthful of blood in midair before crashing heavily to the ground.

Lin Mu took the final step onto the third floor. He looked down indifferently at Peng Shi on the ground and slowly shook his head.

"So weak, and you still had the nerve to come out and make a fool of yourself?"

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