Lin Xiaotian's immediate return was predictable. He had anticipated that after receiving Ghost Hand's call, those individuals would not remain idle and would take Guisu's words to heart.
When he was with Ghost Hand, they must have planned to lure him away. Since he wasn't at the villa, they would undoubtedly target his wife.
As soon as they heard Lin Xiaotian's words, the expressions on their faces changed dramatically. Their gazes all shifted to Lin Xiaotian, and a hint of fear flickered across their faces.
No one had expected Lin Xiaotian to return so suddenly. In their minds, Lin Xiaotian would at least have interrogated Ghost Hand slowly after capturing him, not letting him die so easily. After all, such a significant problem had arisen; they couldn't possibly let it go without understanding the reason.
Lin Xiaotian asked with a half-smile, "Surprised? Shocked?"
"Are you people surnamed Zhang, or are you Zhang family lackeys? I hope you can give me a clear answer."
"Don't even think about escaping. Even Ghost Hand had no chance of escaping in front of me, let alone you petty pawns. You merely intended to lure me away and seize this opportunity to attack my wife. But you never considered that what Ghost Hand said earlier was deliberately meant for me to hear."
"Ghost Hand is sharp-witted. Every word he speaks can create a subconscious response, but you lack his intelligence."
Lin Xiaotian had already foreseen this. Guisu making those calls was a signal to those people, presenting a prime opportunity for a diversion.
With Lin Xiaotian, the fierce tiger, now outside, it was the perfect chance to strike at those close to him. Ghost Hand's words were intentional because he knew Lin Xiaotian would return after leaving, intending to lead the Zhang family's people into his trap.
And indeed, these individuals had taken the bait.
"You didn't expect this, did you? Ghost Hand was merely setting a trap for you. 'The dying man's words are good' is just Ghost Hand's resentment towards you, so he dug a pit for you."
"But you all fell right in. Lacking the brains, you still tried to play these tricks. Ghost Hand was temporary, his mind clouded by the desire to survive, but you are different. You are driven merely by greed."
"Guard against greed and delusion. Our ancestors have long warned us. Your actions are a dead end."
As Lin Xiaotian's voice fell, he suddenly scattered a handful of powder.
He had casually gathered some medicinal herbs on the mountain on his way back and made this powder.
He had already guessed that these guys wouldn't give up easily and might have already made their move. The medicinal herbs in the powder were only a small part; the majority was stone powder.
When dispersed in the air, the stone powder played a crucial role.
The moment the stone powder enveloped them, those individuals smelled an extremely pungent odor. Before they could react, Lin Xiaotian let out a laugh.
"How does it smell? Earlier, Poison Hand used this drug to give me a surprise. However, this drug has no effect on me, but it's different for you."
"Do you feel your internal energy rapidly dissipating?"
"Don't worry, this is just the beginning. Soon, you will completely become ordinary people."
"Then I'll chat with you slowly. I believe you can give me a satisfactory answer."
After his voice faded, he took out a cigarette and lit it. Terror filled their eyes.
They had initially thought Lin Xiaotian would attack directly, but they never expected him to poison them without hesitation. Even if they scattered and tried to escape now, it was too late. They could clearly feel their strength rapidly draining, and they could barely stand.
Several of them collapsed to the ground, their eyes filled with increasing dread.
No one had anticipated Lin Xiaotian's ruthlessness. Despite possessing far superior strength, he didn't attack directly but resorted to poison.
"Lin Xiaotian, are you still considered a master? With such immense power, you resort to poisoning us. Won't this bring ridicule upon you if it gets out?"
Hearing this, Lin Xiaotian couldn't help but smile. "You were already resorting to any means necessary to attack those close to me. Is it excessive for me to use a little poison against you?"
"Let alone using poison, even if I used more despicable methods, no one would say anything. Even in the martial world, the most taboo thing is to involve family."
"Don't you have any self-awareness about what you've done?"
"If this matter gets out, who will be the laughingstock?"
After speaking, he broke off a branch from a nearby tree, a brilliant smile appearing on his face.
"Next, I'll give you a very big surprise."
"You might think I'm breaking this branch to use as a whip to beat you, but you're probably mistaken."
With that, Lin Xiaotian produced a thin, cicada-wing-like knife. He casually shaved the tip of the branch, making it sharp.
"I merely intend to use this branch for acupuncture on you. I will make you taste what it truly means to wish you were dead. Since you people from the Zhang family wanted to make a move, you should be prepared to bear the consequences."
"I detest it the most when people target my loved ones. After all, I don't have many family members left."
"But you didn't understand, and you touched my bottom line."
Before they could utter a word, Lin Xiaotian's branch moved swiftly, piercing them a few times.
His spiritual energy was also injected into their pressure points.
Everyone involuntarily opened their mouths, and heart-wrenching screams erupted from them.
There was no mercy shown. From the beginning, he had no intention of letting these people live comfortably. Even if he gave them a way out, it would be a fate worse than death. Now, death itself would be a release for them.
"How does it feel? Isn't it exhilarating?"
"Anyway, I can get home in two steps. I have plenty of time to play with you here. You wanted to lure me away and strike when I wasn't paying attention, so you should understand the terrifying consequences of such actions."