The Great Elder aimed his palms towards Lin Tian in a distant strike.

Lin Tian didn’t suffer any substantive damage, but the surrounding air seemed to become hyperactive, as if injected with adrenaline.

Especially the wind, every strand seemed to scrape across a sharpening stone, slicing across his face with a pain that felt as if his skin might split.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~

The sound of the wind roared in Lin Tian’s ears, and in his sight, he saw a whirlwind surging towards him.

Indeed, this whirlwind was conjured by the Great Elder, five meters in diameter, carrying snow with it, its momentum grandiose, even more formidable than the previous Hidden Dragon Sword, tearing up a layer of the earth.

"The ’Wind-Pushing Palm’ has nine levels; this is the fifth. It can tear apart a high-level Martial Artist. Of course, you’re not an ordinary high-level Martial Artist, but what of it? If you must die, you shall die!"

The Great Elder looked at Lin Tian, smiling mischievously.

"Of course, you could clutch that fox spirit and dodge away now. But I advise you not to bother, as it would be all in vain."

The Great Elder wished fervently to dismember Lin Tian, yet he couldn’t kill him.

The reason was simple: this boy knew too much. Heart Methods, Cultivation Techniques, pill recipes—everything about Lin Tian sparked greed in the Great Elder.

For now, preserving his life like a dog and awaiting a good interrogation would suffice. When he no longer had value, then killing him wouldn’t be too late.

Facing the incoming whirlwind, Lin Tian shuffled his feet on the ground to steady his stance, then maximized the spiritual energy throughout his body.

Swish, swish, swish!

The wind hadn’t yet fully arrived, yet the snowflakes, like blades, had already swept in!

In the North, snowflakes were quite thick, now layered atop one another. Driven by the wind, each flake sliced by like a blade!

Lin Tian quickly shut his eyes, activating his penetrative vision, protecting his eyes, the most fragile part, from damage!

Scraaaape...

A rapidly spinning snowflake descended, slicing open Lin Tian’s down jacket at the chest, then his sweater and thermal wear, and finally embedded in his bulletproof vest like a hidden weapon.

Bear in mind, these were only snowflakes, yet they could pierce through such thick clothing. If not for Lin Tian circulating spiritual qi and having this bulletproof vest, his skin might have been damaged.

"Damn, that’s incredible!"

Lin Tian cursed inwardly, unable to help but envy the Great Elder’s power. These were mere snowflakes! If some harder substance like a leaf replaced them, even he might not hold out!

One snowflake after another ’floated’ over, some striking Lin Tian’s face, some tearing his clothes, others skimming his scalp, leaving his hair shaved off.

In just a few seconds, Lin Tian appeared disheveled beyond belief. The snowflakes, like knives, shredded his clothes to ruins and left his hair bald, akin to a pair of unfortunate grandfather and grandson compared to the Great Elder.

Though protected by spiritual qi, leaving his skin unscathed, the cold nipped at him sharply, causing pain and itchiness—an extremely unpleasant experience.

Some snowflakes didn’t land on him, drifting past until they reached Mei Ruyan’s side, gently alighting on the ground, the only consolation for Lin Tian.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~

The whirlwind finally arrived. Though it moved slowly, its rotation was terrifyingly rapid, each gust containing knife-like snowflakes that cut painfully.

"Heh, not bad, you actually endured it. Are you interested in joining our Family Alliance, kid? I can offer you immense power and the best cultivation resources. I have a fondness for nurturing talent."

The Great Elder crossed his arms before his chest, watching Lin Tian with an air of superiority.

Lin Tian let out a faint snort, his mind clear as day. What the old man truly valued were his pill recipes and the like. His flattering words merely served to cover up the fox’s tail already swirling in view!

"Get lost!" Lin Tian responded in a low growl.

His mouth barely opened, yet the wind mercilessly forced snow bits into it. Though merely one or two flakes, hitting his teeth was not a pleasant feeling!

Lin Tian wanted to curse the old man further, but decided to close his mouth to avoid any more trouble.

"Hahaha! Boy, you’ve got guts!" The Great Elder laughed heartily, yet his face swiftly tightened again, "Then don’t blame this old man for being rude!"

Finishing his words, the Great Elder suddenly moved. His Body Technique was electric, bolting forward, leaving no trace of footprints on the snow—a testament to his fearsome Lightweight Skill.

Seeing the Great Elder charging at him, Lin Tian grew anxious, immediately activating the ’Tyrant Emperor’s Record’, elevating all his conditions continuously.

Lin Tian now stood amidst the whirlwind, his clothes shredded to pieces, leaving only his bulletproof vest, even his underwear gone...

"Damn! Next time, I must have Shishi tailor me a bulletproof pair of underwear!" This was Lin Tian’s urgent thought.

By then, the Great Elder had already charged over, entering the whirlwind. Compared to Lin Tian’s vigilant stance, the Great Elder seemed at ease, laughing heartily at Lin Tian’s disheveled appearance.

Lin Tian didn’t feel like replying. His lips barely parted as he cursed, indistinctly, "What the hell are you laughing at! At least I’ve got one more piece of clothing than you. You’re stark naked!"

Indeed, the Great Elder’s clothes and hair had been shredded by the Sword Qi of the Hidden Dragon Sword earlier, leaving him equally bare.

Lin Tian sneered at the Great Elder with disdain, "Your radish stub is so tiny, huh?"

Sure enough, after Lin Tian’s taunt, the Great Elder couldn’t laugh anymore. He grunted heavily and stood within the eye of the storm, lightly swinging a few palms.

In an instant, the whirlwind’s rotation became even faster. Where it was once a mere trickle, it now almost blew Lin Tian away. What made it worse was the wind slapping him, akin to a hand, wrenching his face painfully out of shape!

"Let’s see how long you can keep this up!"

The Great Elder murmured to himself, then lunged directly at Lin Tian.

"Not good!" Lin Tian sensed great danger, lifting his foot to dodge to the side, but the moment he raised his foot, the wind blew him askew.

"Hmph! See where you can escape to!"

The Great Elder’s right hand shot up, flipping for a palm strike, landing on Lin Tian’s chest.

Bang!

The force of the palm was heavy. Combined with the wind by his ear, Lin Tian was sent flying like a kite with a severed string, losing his balance, drifting like a fallen leaf on the ocean, falling away.

Just as Lin Tian was about to hit the ground, the Great Elder dashed over again, placing his hands on Lin Tian’s shoulders, thumbs grasping his collarbone, hurling him high, only to strike Lin Tian’s head with another heavy kick as he descended.