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nTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

n“I never thought a true dragon like you could emerge from Min Province.” Song Lingfeng’s expression was cold and pointed.

nA harrowing glint sparkled in his eyes, the kind of glint that suggested extreme ill will and hostility.

n“It’s you who has been underestimating the people of the world. People like you claim that you have the fate of the world in your hands, but you yourselves end up being little more than the pawns of others,” Lu Xuan said plainly.

nSong Lingfeng’s pupils contracted somewhat. He kept feeling that Lu Xuan knew something, and what the young man said seemed to mean something more than what was clear on the surface.

nSong Lingfeng had no idea that Lu Xuan knew all there was to know about the people around him. Every single person in those giant corporations had monsters standing behind them.

nHowever, years of development had enabled them to exceed what those monsters expected them to achieve in the first place, and the monsters behind the veil were no longer able to keep them under their control.

nSome people began to develop their own agendas as time went by, intending to rise above their stations as pawns and assume command of their organizations or otherwise gain power. However, Lu Xuan knew better than anyone that such attempts would ultimately prove futile.

nThose within the massive organizations had practically conquered the world through their own effort and power, yet they were all eventually easily subdued by the monsters who had been lurking behind them.

nThere were thousands of laws, ethics, creeds, and rules among the cultivators, yet only there was only one rule that truly mattered—the one saying that the guy with the bigger stick always calls the shots.

nLu Xuan finished saying his piece and did not allow Song Lingfeng time to ponder any of it. He stomped on the ground, cracking the very hard, resilient ground beneath his feet.

nHe pounced onto Song Lingfeng like a tiger jumping out to chomp down on his prey. He drew Bloodthirst out of his Coiling Dragon Ring and sent out a terrifying flash that was several meters long.

nBoom!

nThe attack did not end up cutting down its target. Song Lingfeng managed to evade the terrifying assault in the nick of time. Nonetheless, he looked rather haggard at the moment, appearing very much in shambles.

nThat sword attack had almost ended up killing him. Even though he managed to dodge it, the shockwave from the attack still caught him. His chest was all bloodied, and blood kept gushing out.

n“You think you can run?” Lu Xuan said loudly. “I’m gonna put an end to your ambition right here, today!”

n“Another one!”

nLu Xuan lashed out with another attack as soon as he finished speaking. The attack seemed illusory and fleeting, appearing to be entirely untraceable.

nLu Xuan had gotten to the level where he no longer needed complex techniques in the art of swordsmanship. His proficiency with the sword had reached the very pinnacle of mastery.

nYet the move that he had just pulled was still an extremely complex one, and the blade went straight for Song Lingfeng’s chest.

nEveryone was able to sense that Lu Xuan’s attitude had done a full 180 when he pulled that move. In short, he’d become pointed and ferocious.

nAll of a sudden, he’d become very serious.

nIt was as if all that happened before had been little more than a game, but from that moment on, he would be entirely solemn.

nPfftt!

nBlood gushed from Song Lingfeng’s wounds and splattered all over the place.

nThe crowd saw how easily and effortlessly Lu Xuan executed that move, which ended up penetrating Song Lingfeng’s Shield of Vigor.

nHe did all of that without breaking a sweat.

n“You still manage to live, then,” Lu Xuan said nonchalantly.

nThat move he’d pulled earlier was nothing short of fantastical. As far as sword tactics went, what he’d done was a testament of ultimate mastery, so much so that that single move was a work of art unto itself.

nHowever, Song Lingfeng still managed to prevent the sword from hitting his vitals just in the nick of time. It was probably his inherent instincts as a warrior that enabled him to evade the attack that should have killed him.

nBut Lu Xuan did not really mind. He could see that Song Lingfeng was already barely clinging to life at the moment, and the old man was only delaying the inevitable.

nSong Lingfeng continued to pant heavily. Moving had become an arduous task for him by then. He saw how Lu Xuan marked him for death, just like a beast marking its prey.

nHe couldn’t even say how he had managed to evade that attack, for he had only done so out of pure combat instinct.

n“I have to admit that you are indeed powerful, Lu Xuan; even that you are extraordinary. But it will take you more than just that to win this fight. Do it!” Song Lingfeng shouted. Just then, the sound of a helicopter was heard from afar.

nOver a hundred rockets were fired at Lu Xuan within mere moments, bombarding his location without mercy instantaneously. The blast radius was so huge that even the spot where Song Lingfeng stood had been completely enveloped within the bombardment.

nThe entire field where the two men had been fighting was bombarded from the air right there and then.

n“Back away!”

nThe crowd watching the fight backed away immediately, distancing themselves from the battlefield frantically for fear of being caught in the explosions.

n“This is crazy! Those people at the Holy Dragon Corporation are nuts!”

nEveryone cursed wildly deep down. They were finally realizing that the airstrike was the last trick up the Song Clan’s sleeve. Song Lingfeng had not actually been the last insurance the clan had to protect their interests.

nNo man would have been able to withstand heavy bombardment meant to take out vehicles at the present stage.

nRegardless of how powerful a cultivator could become, they were still beings of flesh and blood in the end. They would die the same as anyone else when subjected to such a heavy air assault.

nBut no one in the crowd anticipated that the clan would want Lu Xuan dead so badly that even Song Lingfeng would end up caught in the explosion. It was apparent that this “backup” had been long prepared, and all it took for them to act was a single order.

nDust and debris flew all over the place. The shockwaves from the explosions were so intense that many who were unable to flee in time were sent flying by the terrifying waves of air.

nWhile all of those present were truly powerful beings, some of them were still just young people at HuaJin level. Those people were even more like mortals than the others. The terror brought forth by a barrage of rockets was so intense that they were unable to react in time, and they all ended up being sent flying through the air.

nThe battlefield turned into a huge mess right away. It was fortunate that the representatives of the corporation had not been crazy enough to bomb all the spectators along with the two fighters.

nOtherwise, that one attack would have caused massive casualties.

nWhat the clan did had nonetheless earned the ire of the crowd. They cursed vehemently at the corporation and the Song Clan, thinking that they must have gone mad.

nThose people had actually dared to use weapons of such power within their country, which, unlike some overseas places run by warlords, was ruled with an iron fist.

nThus, it was easy to tell just how much the Song Clan feared Lu Xuan. They had to get rid of him, even if they had to resort to such restricted means to do so.

n“Hahahahaha!” A man was seen rising slowly from the spot that had just been bombarded. He sounded very pleased with himself. “Lu Xuan, you are one hell of a cultivator. But what good did any of it do? You’re dead all the same, now!”

nThe crowd focused their gaze and realized that the man was none other than Song Lingfeng.

nHe was actually able to come out alive from that crazy attack! A ring on his finger had shattered. That ring was a defensive power item, and the barrier erected by the ring was how he’d managed to stay alive amidst the incredible barrage.

nBut even the powerful ring was shattered after taking on such a heavy attack.

nSong Lingfeng’s eyes looked rather manic. That ring had been the last resort he’d put in place just in case, but he never actually thought he would ever have to use it.

nOver a dozen customized helicopters were flying quickly to his location.

n“The fight is over, Mr. Lu. You’re too careless!”

nLin Sheng’s eyes filled with sadness as he looked on from the crowd. He was only now realizing just how despicable those people at the huge corporations actually were. They would really go to any lengths just to win.

nMany thought that while Lu Xuan was indeed powerful, he was nonetheless still too young, and he must have neglected to prepare adequately for such a situation.

nAt that point, everyone thought the event was indeed over, and they had a winner.

nSuddenly, a flash of the blade tore apart the dusty aftermath of the explosions and plunged straight into Song Lingfeng’s throat.

n“Wha…?!”

nSong Lingfeng’s eyes were thrown wide open as his body hit the ground.

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