"Mine... that’s my precious treasure..."

"It belongs to me..."

"No... that ring is destined to be with me. The Gods themselves have decreed it!"

A strange haze seemed to descend upon the crowd.

The moment their eyes landed on the dark ring, reason began to fade.

Their breathing grew heavier, their hearts pounded faster, and an overwhelming greed took root within their minds.

The ring was beautiful, mysterious, and terrifyingly alluring.

It was as if an invisible voice whispered into their ears, promising endless power, eternal life, and unimaginable wealth.

Every person present became captivated by its presence.

Even cultivators with strong wills found themselves struggling to look away.

Then, inevitably, someone snapped.

"Give me that ring!"

A shadow shot forward like a bolt of lightning.

The attacker moved with astonishing speed, his hand reaching directly for Old Man Zhao’s throat.

His intention was clear and that was to kill the old man and seize the treasure.

Gasps erupted throughout the area.

"Nooo!"

Old Man Zhao stumbled backward and fell heavily onto the ground.

His heart nearly burst from fear as he squeezed his eyes shut.

He had already accepted his fate.

A treasure that could tempt countless experts was not something a mere old man could protect.

He expected a sharp pain, followed by death. But the pain never came.

The surroundings suddenly became silent.

Confused, Old Man Zhao slowly opened his eyes.

The attacker was standing less than a meter away from him.

Frozen. Completely motionless.

The man’s face was twisted with greed and excitement, his hand still stretched toward the ring.

Yet he looked no different from a lifeless statue.

"What...?"

Before anyone could understand what had happened, a gentle breeze swept through the area.

The frozen man trembled. Then cracks appeared across his body. Tiny at first.

Then hundreds. Then thousands.

The next moment, his entire body disintegrated into fine dust.

The wind carried the ashes away, scattering them into the sky as though the man had never existed.

Silence fell over the crowd. Every trace of greed instantly vanished from their faces.

Cold sweat dripped down their backs. The sight was simply too horrifying.

An expert capable of moving faster than most people could follow had been erased without anyone seeing who attacked.

No one even knew how he had died.

At that moment, everyone finally remembered one crucial fact.

The ring had been given by Lin Feng.

And anything that belonged to Lin Feng was not something they were qualified to covet.

The crowd was left utterly stunned, especially those who recognized the identity of the man who had just been reduced to dust.

"T-That’s Daoist Thousand Phantoms!"

"What?! The infamous Daoist Thousand Phantoms?"

"He’s a senior expert in the Spirit Severing Realm!"

The revelation sent another wave of shock through the gathering.

A Spirit Severing Realm cultivator was no insignificant figure.

Such individuals could dominate entire regions, establish powerful sects, and command the respect of countless cultivators.

Yet one of them had just died.

One moment he was alive, and the next he had become countless particles of dust scattered by the wind.

"Is he really dead?"

"Do you not have eyes?" someone snapped. "His body turned into millions of dust particles. If that isn’t death, then what is?"

The surrounding cultivators exchanged fearful glances.

Just moments ago, many of them had been consumed by greed.

The dark ring had tempted them beyond reason, and more than a few had secretly considered snatching it from Old Man Zhao.

Now all such thoughts had vanished.

After all, what was the point of obtaining a treasure if they died before they could enjoy it?

The greed in their hearts was replaced by terror.

Several people even unconsciously took a few steps backward.

No one dared to look at the ring the same way anymore.

"Monster..."

Someone muttered the word under his breath.

Just who was this young and unbelievably handsome man?

All eyes gradually shifted toward Lin Feng.

His expression remained calm and indifferent, as though the death of a Spirit Severing Realm expert was no different from the death of an ant.

That calmness was even more frightening than the incident itself.

A treasure capable of instantly killing a Spirit Severing Realm powerhouse was already shocking enough.

Yet Lin Feng had casually handed such an item to Old Man Zhao as though it were a worthless trinket.

What kind of background did he possess? What kind of cultivation did he have?

No one could tell.

The more they looked at him, the more unfathomable he seemed.

An invisible pressure descended upon the crowd.

At that moment, everyone arrived at the same conclusion.

This mysterious young man was absolutely not a simple person.

Perhaps the death of Daoist Thousand Phantoms had not been a warning from the ring.

Perhaps it had been a warning from Lin Feng himself.

At this point, all attention was focused on Lin Feng and the women beside him.

Thousands of eyes stared at them.

The center of attention had shifted completely. The miraculous ring, the death of Daoist Thousand Phantoms, and even Old Man Zhao had become secondary matters.

Everyone wanted to know the identity of this mysterious young man.

Who was he?

What kind of terrifying background did he possess?

How could he casually hand out a treasure capable of instantly killing a Spirit Severing Realm expert?

Faced with countless gazes filled with curiosity, fear, and respect, Lin Feng merely smiled.

"Me?" he said while pointing at himself. "I’m nobody. Just a traveler passing through."

His answer naturally convinced no one. A nobody?

What kind of nobody could casually erase a Spirit Severing Realm powerhouse from existence?

"Anyway, farewell."

Lin Feng waved his hand casually and turned around.

His mission here had already been accomplished.

The evil pill merchant had been exposed. Justice had been served.

There was no reason for him to remain any longer.

Besides, Fragrant Mist City was famous throughout the region.

He still wanted to explore its streets with his women and enjoy the local sights.

Unfortunately, some people seemed determined to shorten their lifespans.

"Stop!"