However, this tense atmosphere did not last long.
As more and more outsiders filtered into Half Moon City, most of them, having heard Xuan Yi's warning, quickly restrained themselves. The knowledge of a Nascent Soul expert's command was enough to instill caution in most. But for those who had only just arrived, unaware of the gravity of the warning, the news that fighting had been prohibited in the city seemed nothing more than an idle rule—something to be ignored.
Some of the newcomers, hearing of the prohibition, recognized the threat and wisely withdrew. Yet, others, with their own sense of pride, dismissed the warning altogether. After all, in their eyes, what could a remote, seemingly insignificant city like Half Moon City possibly offer in terms of experts?
What had these outsiders seen in their travels? Certainly, they hadn't encountered many true experts. Perhaps they weren't at the Qi Foundation Realm, but they considered themselves strong—certainly strong enough to disregard a mere warning.
Thus, a group of them continued to stir trouble in the city, unconcerned by the rules that had been set down. No punishment came their way. Days passed, and the words of the Nascent Soul expert seemed to lose their weight. To these outsiders, the prohibition appeared empty, nothing more than a boast without substance.
Gradually, the few who had initially restrained themselves began to recover their arrogance. Seeing that those who had ignored the warnings still walked free, they too began to act without care.
"Right now, not even a single cat or dog can claim to be an expert! One weak threat and you all were trembling like cowards!" one man sneered.
"What foolish ban! I've already broken it—who can stop me?" another shouted with disdain.
"Who's going to stop me? Come on, come at me!" a third taunted, his voice full of mockery.
For several days, no one saw the Nascent Soul expert make an appearance. Those who had been cautious at first grew bolder, their arrogance swelling. They had become even more reckless with each passing day.
But then, as if the calm had been an illusion, Xuan Yi's presence reasserted itself.
The air in Half Moon City grew heavy, thick with the promise of something impending. The time for indulgence had passed. Xuan Yi had been watching.
Slowly, Xuan Yi's eyes opened, the calm of his face giving way to a subtle, knowing smile.
"It's about time."
"Master, what's about time?" Gui Yiyi, seated cross-legged beside him in deep meditation, asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"It's time to send these pests on their way," Xuan Yi said, his smile darkening into something more sinister.
Before the words had even finished leaving his lips, he became a streak of light, flashing toward the skies above Half Moon City. The very air trembled as an immeasurable pressure descended upon the city.
Buzz!!!
The weight of Xuan Yi's spiritual power was overwhelming, a palpable force that could crush the heart of anyone near enough to feel it. The very ground seemed to shift under its force.
Boom!!!
The shockwave of power sent tremors through the city, rattling windows and shaking buildings. The hearts of countless people thudded in their chests. Some knew, even before they saw, that the Nascent Soul expert was making his move.
"Not good! It's the Nascent Soul expert!" a young man shouted in panic as he looked desperately at his senior brother.
He had been among the first to arrive in Half Moon City and had heard Xuan Yi's warning. For days, he had kept a low profile, making sure not to disturb the peace. His senior brother, however, had arrived later and never experienced the overwhelming power of the Nascent Soul expert. No matter how much advice he gave, the senior brother had ignored it, dismissing the threat as nothing more than a bluff.
"Senior Brother, run!" the young man cried, his voice filled with dread.
But before the senior brother could react, the earth-shattering noise of a sword cutting through the air caused him to freeze.
Bang!
Before anyone could process what had happened, the senior brother's body was cleaved in two, his death instantaneous, his blood spraying into the air. His eyes, wide with shock, remained open in death, never having had the chance to close in peace.
"Br… Brother!" the young man stammered, his voice breaking as he turned to watch the body of his senior brother fall lifelessly to the ground.
In the sky above them, Xuan Yi continued to wield his sword with relentless precision. Each swing was a death sentence for another of those who had ignored his warning. One after another, they fell, their lives snuffed out without hesitation or mercy.
"Senior! Please! I was wrong! Don't kill me! Spare my life!" a man cried out, his voice trembling in terror as he fell to his knees, blood staining the ground around him.
But his pleas fell on deaf ears. Xuan Yi's sword light did not falter. It did not hesitate. No amount of begging could stop it.
The sky above Half Moon City was now stained red with the blood of those who had once been so arrogant. Those who had thought themselves above the rules, who had believed themselves untouchable, were now scrambling for their lives. The once-impetuous figures, who had dared to challenge Xuan Yi, were reduced to nothing more than desperate, terrified mortals.
The lesson was clear: The Nascent Soul expert had not been idly waiting for the right moment. His silence had not been a sign of weakness but of calculation. Now, he had come to collect, and no one was safe.
As the carnage continued, a sudden shift caught Xuan Yi's attention.
Eh?
From the sky, his gaze landed on a specific spot within the city—a humble inn. His sharp eyes saw a pale-faced young man standing with a purple-robed elder, a man at the peak of the seventh level of the Soul Condensation Realm.
The elder's presence immediately piqued Xuan Yi's interest. He had blocked Xuan Yi's earlier strike, a bold move for someone of his rank.
Flashing down to the inn in a blink, Xuan Yi stood before the two figures, his gaze unwavering as he spoke coldly.
"You dare to block my sword?"
The purple-robed elder remained calm despite the heavy pressure in the air. He had not directly violated Xuan Yi's orders in the past days. It was the young man behind him, who now stood trembling, that had done so.
"Senior, please forgive me. I am an elder of the Yanyue Sect in the Province of Lin Tian. This is my young master. Earlier, he violated your rules, and I apologize on his behalf. Long'er, kowtow to the senior and ask for forgiveness!" The elder's voice was hurried, filled with desperation.
The pale young man quickly dropped to his knees, his hands trembling as he begged, "Senior, please…"
But Xuan Yi's voice cut through the pleas like a blade.
"Stop."
Xuan Yi's eyes never left the elder, his gaze cold as he continued.
"I don't need your apology. I only want one thing: Are you determined to protect him?"
The purple-robed elder, his face pale with the weight of Xuan Yi's words, hesitated before speaking, his voice faltering, "I… I am willing to protect him, senior, but please—"
Xuan Yi's voice grew colder still.
"You can protect him, but if he doesn't die today, I will destroy your Yanyue Sect. Do you believe me?"
The words hung in the air, sharp and unyielding. A simple declaration, yet one that carried the weight of absolute conviction.
The elder's face turned an ashen gray, a cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. He had heard of Nascent Soul experts who spoke with such lethal calm, but witnessing it firsthand was an entirely different experience.
Without a further word, Xuan Yi turned and walked away, leaving the elder to contemplate the grim ultimatum.
The purple-robed elder stood frozen, his mind swirling with dread. His eyes remained on Xuan Yi's back as he walked away, his heart filled with cold resolve. His young master had already sealed their fate.
Back at the inn, the elder turned to the young man, his face twisted with fury.
"Young master, I told you to be cautious. But you refused to listen."
A deep sigh escaped his lips. "If you don't die today, it's the Yanyue Sect that will perish."
With that, Elder Liu raised his palm and, without hesitation, struck the young man in the forehead.
Bang!
The young master's body crumpled to the ground, his life snuffed out in an instant.
Elder Liu's heart was heavy as he watched the lifeless body of his young master. He had no choice. The power Xuan Yi wielded was beyond anything he could counter, and he knew better than to test the limits of such an expert.
The next day, Half Moon City lay eerily quiet. After the brutal purge of the day before, the once-bustling streets were now deserted. The outsiders who had once been so bold, so brash, now moved in hushed tones, afraid to even speak too loudly.
The psychological weight of Xuan Yi's actions had cast a deep shadow over the city. Every life spared felt like a gift, every breath a small miracle.
Looking up at the rising sun, the people of Half Moon City saw it in a new light. The sun, once taken for granted, now seemed a symbol of something precious.
Living… That was enough.