Chapter 14223 If you don't keep your word, you die.

Chapter 14223 If you don't keep your word, you die.
This dead corner was tightly surrounded by towering walls, the light was as dim as the dead of night, and it was filled with a decaying and oppressive atmosphere.

The man in black robes had his back to the alley entrance, his figure hunched over like a ghost.

His withered hand was raised high to the sky, his fingers twisted like strange branches, and he was rapidly chanting ancient and obscure incantations.

The incantation seemed to carry a mysterious power from ancient times, each syllable like a heavy hammer striking one's heart.

Wisps of black energy seeped out from under the hood, like evil venomous snakes, heading straight for the faintly flickering sword shadow suspended in mid-air.

Nourished by the black energy, the sword shadows churned and surged, emitting a deep hum, as if accumulating endless power.

Sensing an unusual presence behind him, the black-robed man abruptly stopped chanting his incantation, as if severed by a sharp blade.

He whirled around, his two eerie green eyes, like ghostly flames beneath his hood, twitching violently and flashing with a sinister and unsettling light. His voice was hoarse, like rusty metal scraping together: "You?!"

“You are the one who sold the sword, and you are also the one who summoned it,” Ling Xiao said coldly, his eyes revealing deep contempt and anger. He took a step forward, and the stone pavement beneath his feet was instantly crushed.

In an instant, the air in the alley suddenly froze like cold iron, icy and hard, as if even breathing became difficult. "What a clever way to get something for nothing!"

Do you think we're fools you can just lie to?

Without another word, the man in black robes flashed a resolute and ruthless glint in his eyes, and his withered claws shot out like lightning.

Two condensed, almost tangible, pale green sword beams instantly tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound, and attacked the faces of Ling Xiao and the other two.

The sword energy flickered with an eerie light, ruthless and cunning, its trajectory unpredictable. The swordsman was clearly skilled in swordsmanship and intended to kill the three of them in one strike.

Xiao Lianzhu felt a chill run down her spine. She could sense the powerful force and evil aura contained within the sword energy. This person was indeed a ruthless and desperate individual who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

She instinctively gripped her weapon tighter, watching the black-robed man's every move warily.

Ling Xiao didn't even lift his eyelids, his expression calm and composed, as if the potentially deadly sword energy was nothing more than a gentle breeze.

He pointed his fingers like a sword, making a casual, sweeping motion in the air, his movements light and graceful, as if he were writing a beautiful poem.

"laugh!"

"laugh!"

The two pale green sword energies disintegrated instantly, like rotten wood meeting a sharp blade, turning into specks of green light that vanished into the air.

Almost simultaneously, an invisible and intangible sword aura, faster than lightning, appeared out of thin air. It was like a venomous snake hidden in the darkness, silent yet deadly.

The sword energy pierced through the black-robed man's withered chest in an instant, leaving a dazzling trail of light in the darkness.

The man in black robes shuddered violently, as if struck by a heavy hammer, and staggered back several steps.

He looked down in disbelief at the hole in his chest, smooth as a mirror, from front to back, from which blood gushed out like a fountain, staining his tattered black robe red.

His ghostly green eyes, like will-o'-the-wisps, stared intently at Ling Xiao, filled with fear, anger, and resentment: "...You...you..."

His voice grew weaker and weaker until finally his head lolled to the side, and he fell heavily to the ground, never to make a sound again.

Ling Xiao's expression was cold and stern. He didn't even glance at the dying figure lying on the ground, barely breathing. He simply flicked his finger slightly, a seemingly casual movement that carried an irresistible air of authority.

With a soft "whoosh," like a low murmur from the darkness, the black-robed man's dark jade ring fell off his finger on its own, as if guided by an invisible hand, and hovered steadily in front of Ling Xiao.

This ring has a simple and antique design, exuding a sense of weight and depth that comes with the passage of time.

Its surface is etched with fine sword-shaped sacred patterns, each pattern resembling a sharp sword, containing endless sword intent.

It faintly emanated a chilling aura, the same as that of the black sword, a chilling wind that brushed against one's heart, causing one to shiver involuntarily.

"Let's go." Ling Xiao said calmly, grabbing the ring and turning to leave. His steps were composed and steady, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than a trivial matter.

In his eyes, the corpse was far too weak, as weak as an ant, and had no right to be refined into a holy puppet.

A sacred puppet is an extremely precious existence, requiring a powerful body and soul as its support. This corpse clearly falls far short of the requirements, so he completely disdains it and even considers it a waste of time to take a second look.

Just as the three of them were about to leave this place full of bloodshed and conspiracy without hesitation...

A faint light suddenly flashed in the palm of the "corpse" behind him, which was originally thought to be dead. The light was so faint that it almost blended into the surrounding shadows and was almost imperceptible without careful observation.

A streak of dark green sword light shot silently into the sky, like a venomous snake hidden in the darkness, and in an instant disappeared into the ever-flowing dark light curtain above Holy Bone City.

The light screen was like a giant vortex, swallowing the sword light and making it disappear without a trace.

Ling Xiao paused, as if pulled by an invisible thread. He keenly sensed this subtle change and said softly, "He's calling for someone."

Although his voice was soft, it struck Ling Bi and Xiao Lianzhu's hearts like a heavy hammer.

Ling Bi stopped in her tracks, a rare hint of confusion flashing across her usually cool and aloof face. That confusion was like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, brief yet obvious.

She frowned slightly and asked, "He sells the goods, I pay the money, and the transaction is complete."

"This is a matter of course, why would he break his promise and do such a despicable thing?"

Her voice was clear and melodious, but it carried a hint of anger and confusion.

Ling Xiao gazed at the shadowy figures of the stall owners in the city, who seemed to be watching this place like ghosts, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

His laughter was full of mockery and disdain. He said slowly, "In this world, profit comes first, where is integrity?"

"People will stop at nothing to gain profit, and they can throw morality and integrity to the wind."

His eyes revealed a sense of helplessness and lament over the fickleness of human relationships.

Ling Bi looked at him, her eyes still clear and pure, like a clear lake, without a trace of impurity.

She tilted her head slightly and asked, "Is money... really that important?"

In her simple world, money didn't seem to hold much appeal, and she couldn't understand why anyone would betray their promises for money.

“Of course it’s important, but compared to life, it’s still a bit less important.” Ling Xiao said decisively, his voice firm and powerful, as if declaring an undeniable truth.