Lin Changkong's sudden move set off a massive wave of shock throughout the venue.
For the first time in years, the Golden Gang Sword Hall, which sat securely as the champion hall, had stepped down to issue a challenge.
The various factions all grew interested, watching to see how Thunderfire Hall would deal with this targeted scheme.
Countless gazes focused on the upper level of Thunderfire Hall. Lu Jin's aged figure stood there like a pillar supporting the heavens, holding up a situation that seemed on the verge of collapsing.
Under these gazes, no trace of anger showed on Lu Jin's weathered face. He only slowly raised his head, staring back at Lin Changkong from afar.
Their gazes collided in midair, setting off an incredibly shocking surge of heaven and earth primordial energy that produced a roaring boom.
“Since the Golden Gang Sword Hall wishes to step down, then allow this old man to experience your skills.”
“Come, Hall Master Lin, let us see if this old man's Thunderfire Whip can shatter your Golden Gang Sword.”
A powerful thunderfire primordial energy violently erupted from Lu Jin's aged body, transforming into a feather robe woven of thunder and fire. His voice carried an undisguised, bone-chilling killing intent.
It was obvious that if Lin Changkong stepped onto the platform, Lu Jin would drag him down today, regardless of the cost.
However, facing Lu Jin's challenge, Lin Changkong merely smiled faintly and said, “There is no need to be angry, Hall Master Lu. Why would you and I need to fight for the Golden Gang Sword Hall to challenge Thunderfire Hall?”
He waved his hand gently.
Boom!
On the Golden Gang Sword Hall's Duel Platform, two figures wrapped in dense primordial energy shot forth like cannonballs, crashing onto Thunderfire Hall's middle flag platform.
As the dust cleared, two figures appeared before everyone's eyes.
“Xu Xiong! Zhao Yu!”
Looking at the two figures who had entered, Lu Qingyan's face turned much uglier. These two were the top Grand Divine Ability Practitioners of the Golden Gang Sword Hall.
Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions were the hallmark of a Grand Divine Ability Practitioner. They used their own divine abilities to draw in heaven and earth primordial energy, ultimately carving complete Dharma Inscriptions onto their Divine Ability Bones. Once a Divine Ability Dharma Inscription was formed, the Divine Ability Bone could use it to draw in even denser and more powerful primordial energy. Thus, simply put, the rank of Grand Divine Ability Practitioner differentiated levels of strength based on the number of Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions.
Hence, it was also called the Dharma Inscription Realm.
Lu Qingyan had only cultivated nineteen Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions up to this point, while Lu Jinglei was slightly worse, with only seventeen.
As for the two before them, Zhao Yu had also cultivated nineteen, but the more formidable one was Xu Xiong, who had cultivated twenty-two Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions. Even among all the Grand Divine Ability Practitioners in Qingyuan Ward, he was considered among the very best.
Only the former Zhang Yue could have firmly suppressed him.
“Lu Qingyan, without Zhang Yue, how are you going to guard this flag?” The burly, long-haired Xu Xiong, who had a sword scar on his face, grinned. His smile carried a thick hostility as he stared maliciously at Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei.
“Fuck you!”
Lu Jinglei's eyes burned with rage. Knowing that words were pointless, he let out a furious roar as the violent thunderfire primordial energy erupted from his body like a volcano. He clenched his fist, and the seventeen Divine Ability Dharma Inscriptions engraved on his Divine Ability Bone radiated a brilliant light, drawing in a whistling torrent of heaven and earth primordial energy.
“Thunderfire Whip!”
In Lu Jinglei's hand, a thunderfire iron mace resembling an iron rod slowly materialized, its thunder and fire leaping violently and releasing a destructive wave of energy.
Boom!
With a stomp of his foot, Lu Jinglei shot forward like a flash of lightning, charging murderously at Xu Xiong and Zhao Yu.
However, facing Lu Jinglei's furious assault, Xu Xiong ignored him and merely waved his hand. Zhao Yu stepped forward with a loud laugh, golden light flowing from his palm as it transformed into a sharp golden beam that slashed directly down at Lu Jinglei.
Clang!
The thunderfire mace collided with the golden sword gang, sending a shocking shockwave of primordial energy sweeping outward, causing the air to rumble and boom.
Thunder, fire, and sword gang roared, enveloping their figures within.
“Lu Qingyan, in today's match, your Thunderfire Hall has absolutely no chance of turning things around. So, you might as well step down obediently,” Xu Xiong said with a smile, crossing his arms over his chest.
Lu Qingyan, however, did not bother to waste words. With an expressionless face, he stretched out his hand. The thunderfire primordial energy surged like a tidal wave, condensing into an even more violent Thunderfire Whip in his hand.
“In that case, let me test just how much your skills have improved.”
Seeing this, Xu Xiong smiled and reached out his hand. Incomparably sharp golden sword gang primordial energy condensed, forming a Golden Gang Sword. The sword gang flickered wildly, easily piercing through the rocky ground.
In the next instant, his figure transformed into a streak of golden light, sweeping up a majestic golden sword gang as he attacked Lu Qingyan.
Lu Qingyan met him with a cold expression, and the two clashed fiercely.
Every gaze on and off the lake focused on them.
However, as the fierce battle continued, people gradually noticed that something was amiss. Neither Xu Xiong nor Zhao Yu had any intention of fighting to the death with Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei. Instead, despite holding a slight advantage, they chose to engage in a battle of attrition.
“They are intentionally dragging out the fight to exhaust Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei's primordial energy!” someone suddenly realized.
“So the Golden Gang Sword Hall never actually intended to go all out. Lin Changkong is truly cunning. He wouldn't personally enter the stage to give Lu Jin a chance for a one-for-one trade, lest things spiral out of control and they lose their position as the champion hall.”
“As long as they exhaust the primordial energy of Lu Qingyan and his brother, another Divine Ability Hall will naturally step in to finish the job.”
As for who would do the finishing...
It was already extremely obvious. Had they not seen the people from Red Sand Hall already eagerly rubbing their hands?
Sure enough, in this Hall Meet, the Golden Gang Sword Hall and Red Sand Hall had joined forces to hunt down Thunderfire Hall!
Under countless pitying and sighing gazes, the fierce battle on Thunderfire Hall's middle flag platform continued.
Facing the onslaught of Xu Xiong and Zhao Yu, Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei had also realized the enemy's intention to drain their primordial energy. However, they had no choice; they couldn't just surrender.
Thus, they could only feel the rapid depletion of the primordial energy in their bodies, while their hearts inevitably sank bit by bit.
Finally, when a full shichen had passed.
Xu Xiong and Zhao Yu laughed loudly and pulled back.
“Lu Qingyan, consider yourselves capable. We'll call this match a draw,” they laughed loudly as they soared into the air, landing back on the Golden Gang Sword Hall's side to sit down and recover.
Watching them leave, Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei's slightly pale faces were filled with rage and frustration. They knew the enemy's intentions, yet they could only sit and wait for their doom.
Only now did they truly feel the immense pressure that the noble lady from the Great Golden Crow Hall could exert on them. She had clearly done nothing, yet Thunderfire Hall was already on the verge of collapse.
“Hall Master Lu, my Golden Gang Sword Hall's challenge has concluded,” Lin Changkong said, standing with his hands behind his back. He looked at Lu Jin and smiled.
Lu Jin did not speak, but anyone could feel the raging fire of fury surging beneath his silence.
The Golden Gang Sword Hall's playful, mocking attitude was even more disgusting than Red Sand Hall's blatant hostility.
Clearly, this was the Golden Gang Sword Hall's objective.
Lin Changkong wanted to use this disgusting display to claim credit from that noble lady of the Great Golden Crow Hall.
Yet, Lu Jin was powerless to stop it, because just as the people from the Golden Gang Sword Hall withdrew, the eagerly waiting Red Sand Hall moved out in full force.
“Red Sand Hall challenges Thunderfire Hall!”
Accompanied by a long howl from Red Sand Hall's Hall Master, Shi Tong, several figures shot through the air, landing on Thunderfire Hall's three flag platforms.
This was the real challenge to seize the flags!
“Lu Qingyan, how much primordial energy do you have left to fight?” Zhu Lian, whom they had met before at the Qingchuan Chamber of Commerce, grinned at Lu Qingyan, taking pleasure in their misfortune.
Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei no longer had the strength to bicker. They merely took a deep breath, circulating the little remaining primordial energy in their bodies to condense their Thunderfire Whips once more.
For the sake of Thunderfire Hall, they had to fight to the very end.
Seeing this, countless people sighed with pity. The Thunderfire Hall, having lost Zhang Yue, had actually fallen to such a state.
In this match, the middle flag was bound to be lost, and the lower flag was at a disadvantage. Although the upper flag was secure, Thunderfire Hall had almost no chance of turning the tables.
However, while everyone felt pity for Thunderfire Hall being hunted down by the Golden Gang Sword Hall and Red Sand Hall, no one noticed that on Thunderfire Hall's lower flag platform...
...the young man named Lu Ming had a dark rage gradually welling up like a tide in the depths of his eyes after witnessing all of this.
“Are you going to surrender on your own, or do I have to invite you down?”
At this moment, a teasing laugh came from ahead.
Lü Xiao, Gong Peng, and Gong Hu walked over with smiles. Their gazes swept across the platform before resting on Lu Ming, mocking smiles slowly tugging at the corners of their lips.
Lu Ming suddenly raised his head.
The smiles on the faces of Lü Xiao and the other two froze. In Lu Ming's eyes, they saw a heart-palpitating ferocity and killing intent condensing.
It was like a beast about to devour its prey.
Lu Ming took a deep breath, his voice soft as it drifted into the ears of Lü Xiao's trio, as well as Gao Yu and Yuan Da.
“Watch yourselves.”
“I'm extremely angry right now. My strikes will be very heavy.”
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