After soothing Su Qingning, she had to return to work. After all, it was the bar's busiest time, and Shen Jingzhe naturally accompanied her.

The moment Su Qingning left, Shao Mei'er entered the security room. Without hesitation, she threw herself into Lin Xiao's arms and burst into tears.

Her worry for Lin Xiao was no less than Su Qingning's. Moreover, Shao Mei'er carried a burden Su Qingning did not: guilt. She was convinced she had almost gotten Lin Xiao killed. After all, she was the one who had brought Liu Chengfeng to the bar.

Her sobs were heartbreaking. Lin Xiao quickly said, "Alright, stop crying. If anyone hears you, they'll think I'm bullying you."

Shao Mei'er obediently stopped crying immediately. However, though she wasn't wailing anymore, she continued to choke back sobs.

After some time, her emotions gradually stabilized.

"Lin Xiao, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she said. "If I had known he was that kind of person, I would have died before bringing him here."

"It's okay, it's all in the past," Lin Xiao consoled her. "Besides, I'm standing right here in one piece, aren't I?"

But his reassurances didn't alleviate the guilt in Shao Mei'er's heart. Instead, they only amplified her urge to cry. Because of me, Lin Xiao nearly died. The thought was unbearable; Shao Mei'er couldn't forgive herself.

Facing Lin Xiao's attempt at comfort, Shao Mei'er suddenly swore an oath. "Lin Xiao, don't worry! I will get revenge for what happened today, even if I have to pay for it with my blood!"

"I believe you," Lin Xiao said, placating her. "But everything's fine now, so you should go back out." He wanted her to leave because he still had to deal with Liu Chengfeng.

Shao Mei'er looked at Lin Xiao with teary eyes, reluctant to leave.

"Go on," Lin Xiao said, his tone hardening.

Shao Mei'er quickly nodded. She gave Lin Xiao one last, deep look before turning and leaving the security room.

She had barely left when Pei Donglai walked in.

"Bring him out," Lin Xiao said gravely.

Pei Donglai went into the break room and, moments later, dragged Liu Chengfeng out. Liu Chengfeng was still unconscious.

Lin Xiao summoned the Xuantian Needle. With a flick of his wrist, the needle shot forward and embedded itself between Liu Chengfeng's eyebrows.

A moment later, Liu Chengfeng's eyes fluttered open.

Although he had only been unconscious for a short while, Liu Chengfeng hadn't forgotten what had happened. Upon seeing Lin Xiao again, Liu Chengfeng, who was already lying on the floor, shuddered and scrambled to his knees.

"Dragon Lord, I-I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong! I'll never dare to court death again! Please, spare me!" Liu Chengfeng stammered.

Standing to the side, Pei Donglai shuddered violently, his eyes bulging like a bull's. Dragon... Dragon Lord? Lin Xiao is the Dragon Lord? Even though Pei Donglai had long suspected Lin Xiao's background was extraordinary, learning his true identity still hit him like a thunderbolt. He never would have dreamed... Lin Xiao is the Dragon Lord. The most brutally powerful man of this era. No, not just power... His wealth is enough to rival an entire nation.

As the realization dawned, a fear he had never before experienced took root in Pei Donglai's heart, sending a chill straight down his spine. At that moment, he felt a profound sense of relief that he was one of Lin Xiao's men, not his enemy.

Hearing Liu Chengfeng's plea, Lin Xiao let out a disdainful sneer.

"When I selected you for the Dragon Emperor's List, I thought you had some integrity," he said. "I see now it was all an act. Liu Chengfeng, if you were in my position, what would you do with someone like you?"

The memory of his previous attitude toward Lin Xiao flashed through his mind. Liu Chengfeng's face turned ashen; he knew he was out of chances. When he realized this, he began to weep. Frustration, guilt, self-blame, regret, and self-loathing crashed down on him all at once. His face was deathly pale, completely drained of color.

He knelt there on the ground for a long moment before wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Dragon Lord, I know I was wrong. Rest assured, from now on, I will disappear from this world completely!"

"Not enough," Lin Xiao said solemnly.

Liu Chengfeng was an expert on the Dragon Emperor's List and held the title of Lin Xiao's student. Yet, after showing such profound disrespect, he thought he could just find a place to hide and that would resolve everything. Where in the world could he find a deal that good?

The words "not enough" made Liu Chengfeng shudder violently again. He suddenly understood what Lin Xiao meant.

Liu Chengfeng respectfully kowtowed three times to Lin Xiao. Then, he raised a hand, aiming to strike the crown of his own head. He was attempting suicide.

But just as his palm was about to connect, Lin Xiao moved like lightning. He appeared behind Liu Chengfeng like a ghost and lightly tapped a vertebra in his neck.

The next second, a heart-boring agony shot through Liu Chengfeng's entire body. He collapsed to the ground, completely motionless. His eyes were utterly dead.

Lin Xiao didn't spare him another glance.

"Do you hate me?" Lin Xiao asked indifferently.

Liu Chengfeng was stunned for a moment, then shook his head with all his might.

"No. Everything that happened today was my own doing. You did nothing wrong. I've been getting arrogant lately, unable to see my own heart clearly!"

"It's good that you know," Lin Xiao said. "Today, I've crippled your cultivation. From now on, you will no longer walk the path of a martial artist. Live as an ordinary man."

A single sentence sealed Liu Chengfeng's fate.

Liu Chengfeng slowly nodded. "Thank you, Dragon Lord, for this judgment. I will live well as an ordinary person. I will never set foot in the martial world again, nor will I ever use your name to swindle and deceive others."

"You may go," Lin Xiao said, his back already turned.

Liu Chengfeng struggled to his feet. He braced himself and gave Lin Xiao a deep bow, then staggered toward the exit.

No one noticed that Lin Xiao's eyes had begun to redden.

Indeed, Lin Xiao felt awful. After all, Liu Chengfeng was, in a sense, his student. Seeing him meet such a fate, how could Lin Xiao feel good about it? But he had chosen this path himself. There was no one else to blame.

Even though Liu Chengfeng was his student, Lin Xiao was not a man who could tolerate deceit. He knew that if he didn't deal with Liu Chengfeng today, his arrogance would only grow more rampant. That was something Lin Xiao could not allow. He hadn't selected him for the Dragon Emperor's List just so he could abuse his status and throw his weight around.

Now, only Lin Xiao and Pei Donglai remained in the large security room.

Pei Donglai desperately wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to start. He was still reeling from the shock of discovering Lin Xiao's identity.

Just then, a knock came from the door of the security room.

"Come in!" Lin Xiao said in a deep voice.

The door swung open. Lin Xiao turned his head to see an exceptionally innocent-looking girl standing poised in the doorway.

Who else could it be but Pei Yanzi?

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