"Flamewheel Forging Palace Forgemaster Duan Han has attempted to murder his comrades and betrayed the Xianzhou Alliance's bonds of friendship. Everyone, please join me in apprehending him and holding him under guard. Once the Cloud Knights reinforcements arrive, we will hand him over to the Cloud Knights for disposal!"
Following Asun's heroic and indignant roar, the onlookers present were immediately stirred by this heroic woman who refused to yield to men. They rolled up their sleeves and pants legs one after another, wanting to step forward together to capture Duan Han.
As for whether Asun was lying or framing someone, the people present were not worried at all.
After all, everyone had personally witnessed Duan Han sending Asun flying just moments ago. Every single person present could serve as a witness. Moreover, this vast Flamewheel Forging Palace was one of the important departments of the Zhuming Xianzhou, with a strategic position even higher than that of the Artisanship Commission on the Xianzhou Luofu.
Therefore, there were also a large number of surveillance devices around the Forging Palace—what we commonly call 'cameras.' Thus, the scene that had just occurred had been completely recorded by the surveillance equipment.
Presumably, by now, 'this evidence' should have already been uploaded to the Xianzhou's central database.
"Damn it! I, Duan Han, who has lived a life of fame, never expected to be defeated by a stinking woman like you… Since that's the case, then you can go to hell with me!"
Knowing that he was most likely doomed this time, Duan Han steeled his heart. The crime of murdering comrades, once confirmed, would lead to imprisonment in the 'Ten Kings Tribunal.' And once inside the Ten Kings Tribunal, one would neither be able to live nor die.
Since death was inevitable either way, he might as well drag two people down with him!
With that thought, Duan Han squeezed out every last bit of [Destruction] Path power within his body. At the cost of 'destroying himself' and with sheer willpower, he advanced an unprecedented distance along the [Destruction] Path at this moment, raising his strength from the level of an ordinary Pathstrider to what could be called an elite level.
Although there was still a long way to go before reaching the top-tier Pathstriders like Sparkle or Welt, who possessed planet-destroying power in their full strength state, to the people currently present, he had already become an invincible existence.
Because of this, those who had previously sworn to capture Duan Han suddenly deflated like punctured balloons and did not dare to take another step forward.
"Go die with me, you stinking woman!"
Gathering all the [Destruction] Path power in his body into his hands, Duan Han lunged toward Asun and Yunli with hatred. Because his body could not withstand such enormous power, during the attack his body had already begun to physically disintegrate.
No matter whether this strike succeeded or failed, he would have no possibility of surviving.
"Not good… Yunli, leave quickly!"
Seeing that Duan Han's target was Yunli, the heavily injured Asun's expression changed. Enduring the pain in her body, she dragged her wounded form toward the girl, wanting to block this fatal attack for her.
However, no matter how strong this foxian woman's willpower was, she ultimately could not overcome the pain from her body. After crawling only one or two steps, she collapsed powerlessly to the ground again and could only watch helplessly as Duan Han's attack descended toward Yunli.
"So it's this timeline. That guy [Finality]… Sigh, but it's fine. It counts as a fortunate coincidence."
Just as the foxian woman Asun fell into despair, a voice that sounded somewhat troubled suddenly entered her ears. In the next moment, a black-haired man had already appeared in front of Yunli at some unknown time, and Duan Han's attack smashed heavily onto his body.
"No… This is absolutely impossible! This move should at least be able to destroy a small half of the Flamewheel Forging Palace! Why… Why was it blocked so easily—AAAHH!!"
Terror appeared in Duan Han's eyes. He could not understand why the person before him could block his full-powered attack so effortlessly and remain completely unharmed, as if nothing had happened.
Unfortunately, before this third-rate Forging Palace member could figure it out, a terrifying tearing force suddenly descended and enveloped his entire body.
Immediately afterward, amid tearing agony, Duan Han's body began to slowly disintegrate, as if being torn apart strand by strand, and gradually vanished between heaven and earth.
"Heh, trash."
After doing all this, the black-haired man's expression remained indifferent, as if he had merely crushed a small insect. There was not the slightest care in his eyes.
After eliminating Duan Han, the man casually glanced around at the surrounding onlookers. A trace of disdain flashed in his eyes. He had not forgotten how excitedly these people had been shouting earlier, yet when something actually required them to step up, they had all turned into cowards.
"All of you, disperse."
The man spoke lightly, his tone seemingly carrying not a trace of emotion.
Upon hearing the man's words, the people present first fell into a brief commotion, then scattered like a disturbed hornet's nest. In less than half a minute, only the black-haired man, Yunli, and the kind-hearted Miss Asun remained at the scene.
After dispersing the onlookers, the man turned around. Looking at the tear-stained little girl before him with her dazed eyes, he bent down with a slight heartache, gently wiped away the tears on her face, and then softly took her into his arms.
"Don't be afraid. The bad guy has already been eliminated…"
Like coaxing a child, the man gently patted the girl's back. Even so, the girl's face remained dazed, showing no change whatsoever.
Taking in the little girl's reaction completely, the black-haired man said nothing. He simply continued repeating his previous action, gently patting the little girl's back as if coaxing a child.
After a long while, the dazed little girl finally showed a trace of reaction. She slowly reached out her hand and tremblingly placed it on the man's cheek.
"Daddy… Mommy… They, they still…"
Before Yunli could finish speaking, a wave of dizziness and exhaustion surged over her. Having suffered too many shocks, the little girl directly lay on the man's shoulder and fell into a deep sleep.
"Sigh, the workings of fate are truly unpredictable."
Feeling the small head resting on his shoulder, the black-haired man sighed softly. Then his gaze fell not far away, landing on the selfless Miss Asun.
Seeing the man look toward her, a feeling of fear arose in Asun's heart. Of course, this was not because she felt the person before her was evil, but rather the innate fear humans have toward higher lifeforms.
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