Watching Vincent approach step by step, Leo felt a chill in his heart. At this moment, not only was he injured from breaking the illusionary restriction, but most of his spiritual energy had also been depleted. If Vincent hadn’t taken the enhanced combat pill, Leo would have had a chance to deal with them. However, now… the odds were against him.
“Vincent, if you don’t want to die, I suggest you take your people and leave. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being merciless,” Leo tried to stall for time.
Vincent seemed to see through his thoughts, sneering, making a motion with his right hand, and then swiftly moving to the side.
“Bang, bang, bang…”
Gunshots rang out as, at Vincent’s command, the three gunmen simultaneously fired at Leo.
Leo mobilized the remaining spiritual energy within his body, extending his right hand with fingers spread wide. What happened next was bizarre, like a classic scene from The Matrix. The fired bullets all suspended in front of Leo, as if time had suddenly frozen.
The three gunmen were stunned by this scene.
Leo pushed his right hand forward, and the suspended bullets abruptly changed direction, flying back along their original path.
A series of screams followed as the bodies of the three gunmen were pierced by the bullets they had fired, almost simultaneously falling lifeless to the ground.
This terrified the man holding Amaya hostage. If Vincent hadn’t been standing there intact, he probably would have pushed Amaya away and run.
After resolving the three gunmen, Leo’s already limited spiritual energy was further depleted, aggravating his injuries. Another trace of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.
Seizing the opportunity, Vincent turned into a shadow, and by the time he reappeared, his palm had already struck Leo’s chest.
Leo was sent flying by Vincent’s powerful palm, slamming harshly into the hard cliff behind him.
Suffering this heavy blow, blood spilled from the corner of Leo’s mouth again.
Amaya, with her mouth taped shut, could only emit muffled sounds, expressing concern for Leo and her own situation.
She regretted it now. If she had known, she should have brought Hayden along with her.
“Leo, how does it feel?” Vincent smirked maliciously. “I’ll give you one last chance. Hand over the Dragon Whisker Grass, Phoenix Gall, and Goblin Essence!”
Leo intended to summon the purple dagger, but his spiritual energy couldn’t support it. Additionally, with Vincent’s current strength and speed, even attempting to use talismans would be futile.
“Come here, and I’ll give you the herbs,” Leo said, suppressing the pain in his chest.
“If only you had done this earlier,” Vincent chuckled arrogantly, walking toward Leo.
Leo secretly mobilized all the remaining spiritual energy in his body.
When Vincent approached within less than three meters, Leo launched an attack, gripping the purple dagger and stabbing it toward Vincent’s chest.
Although Vincent was prepared, when he sidestepped, Leo’s speed was too fast, and the purple dagger still cut through his arm.
“Bang!”
Vincent’s left arm was slashed, and at the same time, he kicked Leo in the chest, sending him flying and crashing into the cliff once again. This time, Leo spat out blood with a “wow,” kneeling on one knee and unable to stand for a moment.
Vincent paid no attention to his bleeding arm, walked up to Leo, and sneered, “Leo, since you’re so eager to die, I’ll grant your wish.”
Raising his right hand, Vincent gathered a sinister and black aura in his palm. Just as Vincent was about to strike Leo’s head with his palm –
“Bang!”
A muffled sound rang out, and Vincent was as if hit by an invisible heavy hammer, flying backward. At the same time, a hunched and sickly old man appeared in front of Leo.
Amaya’s eyes lit up at the appearance of the old man – it was Hayden!
“Old man, who are you?” Vincent, adjusting his internal energy after being thrown back, stared fixedly at the old man, his expression grave.
“Someone who wants your life,” the old man’s voice lacked any emotion.
Vincent mobilized all the strength in his body, emitting a strange black aura that turned into a black shadow rushing toward the old man.
Hayden didn’t evade at all. Instead, he raised his hand and slapped Vincent as if swatting a fly.
Vincent, charging forward, was directly knocked down, and a mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth.
With such a simple and casual move, nonchalant and formidable, Leo was truly shocked. Even in his undamaged and spiritually abundant state, he doubted he could knock Vincent down with just a light slap.
Simultaneously, Leo recognized that this old man was a martial cultivator, probably at the Martial Master level.
Though Leo was a cultivator of Daoism, his current cultivation was only at the lower tier of Grand Spiritual Master. While he could cross levels to confront Martial Monarch-level martial cultivators, facing a Martial Master-level martial cultivator would likely result in taking a beating.
This time, Vincent keenly experienced the old man’s strength and dreadfulness. Lifting his head, he gazed at the old man with a somewhat hopeless expression, “Who are you? Why did you intervene to help him?”
“I kill for no reason.” Hayden’s icy words cut off any thoughts Vincent might have had.
Hayden turned his head toward Amaya and ordered in a chilling tone, “Release her.”
Vincent’s henchmen were already scared out of their wits, not daring to resist. They let go of Amaya’s hands and turned to run.
Hayden casually gestured, and one of Vincent’s henchmen screamed, flying high into the air before crashing heavily onto the ground, bleeding from every orifice and devoid of life.
Hayden untied the bonds on Amaya’s hands and removed the tape from her mouth.
“Mr. Elliott!” Amaya exclaimed joyfully.
“Miss, are you okay?” Hayden, with a sickly face, showed a hint of concern.
“I’m fine.” Amaya shook her head, hurriedly running to Leo. “Leo, how are you?”
Leo shook his head, “I’m okay. Can’t die.”
“Leo, I didn’t expect you to be a martial cultivator like Mr. Elliott. I underestimated you before,” Amaya recalled Leo controlling the bullets barehanded.
Although Amaya wasn’t a martial cultivator, having someone like Hayden, a master martial artist, protect her indicated her understanding of the martial cultivation world.
Leo, of course, didn’t correct Amaya, letting her believe he was a martial cultivator rather than a Daoist cultivator.
“Thank you, sir, for intervening and saving me,” Leo thanked Hayden.
Hayden also looked at Leo, his gaze slightly intensified, and said, “Young man, to earn her favor is a stroke of luck.”
This inexplicable statement caused Amaya to blush, and she quickly said, “Mr. Elliott, Leo is injured. Can you help him heal?”
“His injuries don’t need healing,” Hayden shook his head slightly. “Young man, I saved you. In return, I’d like to take a look at the electronic map in your hands along with Miss.”