Chapter 100: Traitor or not?

A strong smell of blood invaded the atmosphere. Everybody was calmly staring at the horses that were running around with nobody on their back.

The leader of the thieves was looking at all these horses without anyone riding them with complete shock. He then looked at all the corpses that were spread across the floor and could not believe it. Only one sword strike and they had all died. That powerful attack was a masterpiece that killed everyone who stood in Lin Pheng's path.

"Ling Qi layer." Wan Qing Shan and the other young guard were stupefied. Lin Pheng was way too strong. Provoking him was a mistake. No wonder that Jing Yun was particularly friendly to him. He was an extraordinary young man with amazing strength.

Wan Qing Shan's back was covered with a cold sweat. He was provoking Lin Pheng earlier. If Lin Pheng had attacked him the same way as he attacked these few thieves, he would probably be,

Uncle Wang still sitting at the front of the carriage was stunned. He was blankly staring at Lin Pheng's back.

"Friend, aren't your methods a bit cruel?" said the leader of the thieves looking furious.

"When you kill people and rob them on the roadside, do you care about the fact that you might be cruel?"

Lin Pheng's tone was ice-cold. Thieves were the kind of people who never felt bad when they killed other people but became furious if one of them was killed. They thought that killing was like a game but they didn't like losing.

Lin Pheng started walking forwards. A strong energy enveloped the leader of the thieves which made him shiver from head to toe.

"Friend, take one more step and you'll die." said the chief of the thieves threatening Lin Pheng.

"One more step? But there are still more steps between us." said Lin Pheng while running towards him releasing an incredible amount of sword Qi.

The leader of the thieves did not expect him to not even hesitate and started to grind his teeth in anger. He took out his long dagger and suddenly the strong and violent Qi invaded the atmosphere.

"He is also at the Ling Qi layer." thought Wan Qing Shan who was stupefied. A thief had surprisingly reached the Ling Qi layer. But none of them would be able to defeat Lin Pheng anyway.

Lin Pheng groaned. It seemed like thief's long dagger was shaking in fear because of the energy of Lin Pheng's sword. Lin Pheng's sword was moving towards the thief at full speed. Even though it wasn't diffusing any light, his sword contained an incredible amount of energy. There was no light because Lin Pheng was condensing the energy of his deadly sword skill back into his sword.

"Psshh. ."

A whistling sound spread in the atmosphere. Lin Pheng' sword was moving towards the thief's throat at full speed. His long dagger hadn't blocked the attack at all.

Lin Pheng was getting more and more familiar with his sword each day. He was becoming more and more agile as well as quicker and quicker. The thief heavily fell on the ground with a look of shock covering his face.

"Even a cultivator of the Ling Qi layer can't stop Lin Pheng. How incredibly strong!"

Everybody was astonished by Lin Pheng's strength. He was way too strong. Lin Pheng had killed that thief, who had broken through to the Ling Qi layer with a single stroke of his sword. It had looked like it had taken no effort from him.

Lin Pheng didn't even look at the corpses, he just turned around and walked back towards his group.

"Lin Pheng, big brother, you are very strong."

Duan Pheng was smiling at Lin Pheng with admiration.

"It is perfectly understandable why Lin Pheng was in one of the largest sects. We wouldn't ever be able to achieve such a thing. He is so strong"

Wan Qing Shan was walking towards Lin Pheng while flattering him.

If someone was only slightly stronger than him, he would envy them and bully them with his status, but if somebody was much stronger than him, he was either scared or filled with admiration.

"Someone who survived the extermination of a great sect has to be strong." replied Lin Pheng with a detached tone. He looked a little disdainful as well.

Lin Pheng had never considered himself as merciful. When Wan Qing Shan still thought that he was weak, he didn't hesitate and humiliate Lin Pheng. It is not out of mercy that Lin Pheng hadn't attacked him but because Jing Yun, Duan Pheng and the others were there. After all, he was the guest.

Now that he had shown that he was strong, Wan Qing Shan wanted to make friends with him but Lin Pheng didn't feel like it.

When Wan Qing Shan heard Lin Pheng's cold tone of speech, he became angry again but kept it to himself this time. Provoking Lin Pheng again would be a reckless act. Lin Pheng was able to easily kill cultivators of the Ling Qi layer. Provoking him would be too dangerous. If he made Lin Pheng angry, Wan Qing Shan might not take another breath.

Wan Qing Shan moved away in a bad mood.

"Lin Pheng, let's go." said Duan Pheng ready to get back into the carriage.

"Young master."

At that moment, Uncle Wang was in front of the carriage and called Duan Pheng which surprised him. Duan Pheng asked: "Uncle Wang, what's wrong?"

"Young Master, it is not appropriate to travel with Lin Pheng. Give him a carriage for him and his friend." said Uncle Wang which surprised everybody.

He suddenly wanted to get rid of Lin Pheng? but having a cultivator of the Ling Qi layer with them was perfect protection from most bandits and thieves. It would make their journey much safer. After all the greatest threat they would meet on the road would be Ling Qi Layer thieves and bandits.

Lin Pheng's eyes were wide open in shock. He didn't understand what the old man meant.

"Uncle Wang, what's wrong? Lin Pheng and I making friends. It is a stroke of luck as well as a pleasure to be able to travel with Lin Pheng." replied Duan Pheng who didn't understand.

"Young master, don't be naive. There are dangerous things. There are things which you cannot understand because you are too young."

Uncle Wang was shaking his head and sighing.

"Lin Pheng, let's do it this way. You can have one of these carriages, you can even have both of them if you feel like it. This is a present to thank you for saving us. What do you think?" said Uncle Wang while looking at Lin Pheng.

Lin Pheng frowned and asked Uncle Wang: "What are you implying?"

Dangerous things? What was he talking about?

"Young Lin Pheng asks many questions but understands what I mean deep in his heart." said Uncle Wang while shaking his head.

"I understand nothing of what you're saying. Give me a hint."

"Young man, since you are insisting, I will tell you. Don't blame me."

Uncle Wang paused and then continued while staring at Lin Pheng: "Young man, these thieves were not weak. If they had attacked us, they would have easily defeated us but they were looking for someone to talk. Maybe it would have worked but you immediately killed them."

"You would want to talk to these thieves." Lin Pheng was puzzled.

"This is only my opinion but it is wrong that Lin Pheng killed all of these thieves without trying even a single time to negotiate with them." added Uncle Wang aggressively.

Not even trying to negotiate?

That time, Lin Pheng understood what Uncle Wang meant. He could help but smile coldly and say to Uncle Wang: "What you are trying to say is that I am just like these thieves, that I kill for pleasure? and maybe that I'm a thief too?"

"A moment ago, the leader of these thieves was calmly talking to Lin Pheng but we didn't hear what he was saying."

Uncle Wang didn't immediately reply to Lin Pheng and carefully replied. Lin Pheng was stunned. He dared to say that the leader of the thieves had talked calmly!

"Well, are there other things you would like to blame me for?" said Lin Pheng while smiling coldly.

"Exactly! Lin Pheng is right! Uncle Wang, you're way too heartless. Treating Lin Pheng as if he hadn't tricked himself to help us. Thanks be to him, we are still alive and still have all of our things. How can you criticize Lin Pheng like that?"

Duan Pheng said while coming down of the carriage.

"Young master, you are only a child. You cannot distinguish good and bad." said Uncle Wang while shaking his head and sighing.

"Young Master, if I am talking to you like this, it is because I want you to understand who you are and how people will attempt to use your status. You are going to the Imperial City which in some ways is your heritage. You are not just anybody."

"Of course, I know!" replied Duan Pheng while nodding.

"Since it is like that, young master, I want to ask you, does your family have anything to do with Duan Tian Lang?"

Duan Pheng was surprised. Why would Uncle Wang suddenly talk about Duan Tian Lang? What did he have to do with that whole story?

"I know that he is also part of my Duan clan. I also know that our relations are not harmonious." replied Duan Pheng.

"Young master, since you know that, think again. Isn't it Duan Tian Lang who annihilated the Yun Hai Sect? Then shortly after, Lin Pheng arrives in our small town of Yun Yang when he suddenly comes across us. Wasn't it too much to be a coincidence?"

Lin Pheng was speechless when he heard Uncle Wang's words. Uncle Wang thought that Duan Tian Lang had made Lin Pheng betray his sect and then sent him to the small town to find Duan Pheng.

"Uncle Wang, you think too much. Lin Pheng could have already easily killed us."

"Alright, but young master, remember that your big brother asked you to come to the Imperial City and then, suddenly Lin Pheng appears from nowhere and then kills an army of thieves to save us, doesn't he want us to return the favour in some way?"

"That's enough. "said Lin Pheng coldly to Uncle Wang who kept talking over and over again. Uncle Wang's goal was obvious. He wanted Lin Pheng to leave. He could talk as much nonsense as he wished, all of his words served one single purpose.

Lin Pheng looked inside the carriage and said to Meng Qing: "Meng Qing, we are leaving."

"Alright." replied Meng Qing while nodding and coming out of the carriage.

"Lin Pheng, let me convince Uncle Wang!" said Jing Yun hastily.

"Lin Pheng, you and Meng Qing get back into the carriage. I trust you!" begged Duan Pheng.

"No need. I would be humiliating myself." said Lin Pheng while glancing at Uncle Wang. He then looked at Duan Pheng and Jing Yun and said: "Let's meet in the Imperial City."

When Lin Pheng finished talking, he pulled Meng Qing sleeve and started leaving.

"Lin Pheng, maybe that it is only a coincidence and I have misunderstood you. What I said a moment ago is still valid, you can choose any of these carriages, as you please." said Uncle Wang.

"No need. Thank you."

Lin Pheng refused the old man's proposition. Lin Pheng wasn't shameless. He wasn't going to use the carriages of people who had just humiliated him and suggested that he might be a traitor to his sect.

He had just killed all these thieves, weren't there enough horses to use?

"Can you ride a horse?" asked Lin Pheng to Meng Qing.

"No, I can't." said Meng Qing while shaking her head.

"But do you want to teach me how to ride?" asked Meng Qing to Lin Pheng

"Me, teach you how to ride a horse?" said Lin Pheng surprised: "you want me to teach you how to ride a horse?"

Meng Qing was staring blankly at Lin Pheng which made Lin Pheng smile.

Anything Meng Qing would ask, Lin Pheng would agree. At that moment, he said: "Alright."

When Lin Pheng finished talking, another surprising thing happened!