Chapter 3: Strike While He’s Vulnerable, Take His Life

As the voice of the Grand Elder fell, whispers erupted among those present.

"He’s a useless cripple with no meridian—there’s no way he has any cultivation!"

"He must have used some trick to create that spiritual energy fluctuation!"

The intense murmuring echoed throughout the great hall.

Outside the hall’s doors, a sharp voice rang out, silencing the crowd.

"Whether he’s a charlatan or not, a single trial will reveal the truth!"

With those words, all eyes turned to the entrance.

The massive doors thundered open, and Lu Tianyun stepped in with measured strides, clad in a flowing azure robe. His cultivation surged visibly, the robe billowing without wind, radiating such overwhelming presence that none dared meet his gaze directly.

"Brother Tianyun’s cultivation seems to have reached the pinnacle of meridian connectivity, even nearing the Celestial Realm," someone murmured.

"He is the foremost among our peers in Jiangling City!"

"Majestic and imposing, truly worthy of being the pride of the Lu family!"

Lu Tianyun stopped and coldly stared at Lu Changfeng. He spoke with icy resolve: "The Lu family has been nothing but benevolent toward you."

"But you violated your stepmother and show no remorse. Do you even regard the Lu family?"

"Today, if you cannot demonstrate the Pure Yang Sword Technique, then…!"

Lu Changfeng’s expression remained indifferent as he retorted, "To unjustly impose guilt, is it not easy to find a pretext?"

Lu Tianyun’s eyes darkened with murderous intent at such disdain.

"Arrogant cripple, how dare you speak to Brother Tianyun like that?"

"You’re courting death!"

"Hmph, Brother Tianyun, end this worthless scum!"

The crowd erupted in fervor, shouts of insult and outrage echoing one after another.

Fueled by rising killing intent, Lu Tianyun declared, "So ungrateful! Let me test your Pure Yang Sword Technique!"

With that, his right hand lightly tapped his storage pouch, and a long sword flickering with crimson radiance appeared.

"The Red Flame Sword? A low-grade profound-tier spirit weapon!"

"A man like Lu Changfeng dying beneath the Red Flame Sword is too good for him!"

Onlookers gasped, their eyes gleaming with envy and greed.

Spirit weapons are classified into Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow tiers. Yellow-tier weapons are already rare in Jiangling City, and only the great families can obtain profound-tier weapons.

Without hesitation, Lu Tianyun swung the sword in a sweeping arc, spiritual energy bursting from his body as his cultivation at the ninth meridian reverberated powerfully.

"Slash!"

In the blink of an eye, Lu Tianyun became a flash of red flame, his sword casting multiple afterimages that slashed toward Lu Changfeng.

Lu Changfeng’s expression was unchanging.

Just as the sword’s radiance was about to strike, he brought his two fingers together like a sword and lightly tapped forward.

The later move arrived first.

A finger swiftly struck the blade of the Red Flame Sword, suddenly shattering the sword’s radiance into scattered sparks.

"What?!"

Lu Tianyun was stunned.

"How could this cripple possibly block that strike?"

"What exactly did Lu Changfeng just do? I didn’t even see clearly!"

"Could he really have mastered the Pure Yang Sword Technique?"

Everyone in the great hall gasped, eyes wide with astonishment.

Lu Tianyun furrowed his brow and whispered, "San Tian, you’ve really mastered the Pure Yang Sword Technique?!"

"Seems like your dead father did leave a trick or two behind."

"Then I can’t let you live!"

With that, the Red Flame Sword trembled violently, the flames blazing fiercer.

Whoosh!

The sword’s radiance sliced through the air, whipping up gale winds that swept the entire hall.

This strike carried a ruthless killing intent aimed straight at Lu Changfeng’s heart.

As the prodigy of the Lu family, all cultivation resources were in his favor; his cultivation could cut through the Celestial Realm!

Yet in their brief encounter, Lu Tianyun found Lu Changfeng far more formidable than any Celestial Realm cultivator.

After all, no Celestial Realm cultivator could instantly discover the flaw in his sword technique.

If allowed to live, Lu Changfeng would surely become a grave problem.

He must be eliminated!

Several sword rays slashed outward, the scorching light sealing off all of Lu Changfeng’s escape routes.

In an instant, sword energies sparked throughout the hall.

Lu Changfeng weaved and dodged, sometimes sidestepping, sometimes lightly tapping with his fingers.

"Damn it!" Lu Tianyun snarled, his face twisted with rage. "Are you just a rat who only knows how to dodge?"

"Then show me what you’ve got!"

With each strike, Lu Tianyun’s spiritual energy waned.

Lu Changfeng remained indifferent, fingers together, tapping straight out.

Boom!

A resounding impact shook the air, and Lu Tianyun’s figure wavered before being flung backward, his face filled with shock and disbelief.

He had genuinely felt a life-or-death threat from Lu Changfeng.

His eyes gleamed coldly.

From the start until now, he had unleashed more than ten full-force strikes, yet none had inflicted a wound.

If this continued, he would become the disgrace of the Lu family.

A ninth meridian cultivator could not even cut down a cripple with one strike.

This filled Lu Tianyun with furious indignation.

In the next moment, Lu Tianyun sheathed his sword, crossed his hands, and struck his chest with tremendous force.

His azure robe seemed torn apart by a surging power, shredding into wisps that scattered.

Immediately afterward,

Sword qi surged violently throughout the hall, releasing a chilling, sinister aura.

The temperature dropped sharply, causing those with weaker cultivation to shiver uncontrollably.

The fiery red sword qi of the Red Flame Sword suddenly darkened with an ominous black energy.

In an instant,

Crackling sounds rang out as the Red Flame Sword could no longer withstand the overwhelming force, metal groaning as it began to collapse.

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