Bloodfire Dagger

This was destined to be a crushing defeat. Even if Li Tianming had once been far stronger than him, three years of neglect had caused his cultivation to regress to the extreme.

A single first-tier lifebound beast couldn't change anything.

No one believed Li Tianming had any chance of fighting back.

Today, he was fated to be a tragic figure, ultimately dragged away while watching Li Zifeng become the young lord and obtain the Yanhuang Order!

"Watch closely." Li Tianming's speed suddenly surged. In that invisible moment, his legs became like phantoms, moving so fast that they gave Li Zifeng the sensation of a ghost clinging to him.

This was the "High-Grade Beast-Level Battle Art"—Ghost Shadow Step, one of the top footwork techniques among beast-level battle arts. Li Tianming had trained in it for nearly half a year.

A ghostly shadow flashed by, as if a nightmare followed.

Whoosh!

Just as Li Zifeng's scalp went numb, Li Tianming abruptly appeared before him.

Dragon-Elephant Heavy Fist!

This fist technique battle art could be called Li Tianming's signature move. His former lifebound beast had been a metal-attribute Four-Winged Golden-Winged Roc, possessing terrifying speed and power. This high-grade beast-level battle art, "Dragon-Elephant Heavy Fist," was an extreme fist technique designed specifically for him.

This punch, as if imbued with the power of a dragon and elephant, could unleash the most fearsome force, carrying with it a high-frequency vibration. It was said that this heavy punch could directly shatter a person's internal organs.

Now, Li Tianming no longer had the power of a dragon and elephant, but he possessed the strength of a Primordial Chaos Giant Beast, far more terrifying than any dragon or elephant!

Most crucially, this punch was delivered by a dark arm wearing a glove. As it vibrated, its fist force felt far more ferocious than before!

Superb speed, heaven-defying heavy fist—now converging together, it was swift, fierce, and rigid. With one explosive punch, it aimed straight at Li Zifeng!

Li Zifeng had already sensed the power of this strike. Narrowing his eyes, he calmly executed a high-grade beast-level battle art, "Flame Cloud Palm," to meet it head-on.

This Flame Cloud Palm was quite impressive. Between the palm shadows, a layer of flame and cloud formed, capable of defense, confusion, and suppression. Within the flame and cloud, a palm's power lay hidden, enough to shake mountains and rivers when unleashed.

"A dying flash, a stray dog's struggle—just a joke!" Li Zifeng stood fearless, utterly confident in his profound beastly essence.

Boom!

The next instant, fist met palm!

The crowd heard a dull thud, then a crack, and finally a scream. When they focused their eyes, Li Zifeng was sent flying!

"Damn, that's a bit terrifying." Li Tianming himself hadn't expected the Primordial Chaos Giant Beast's bloodline transformation to be this strong. His ability to suppress Li Zifeng like this was also greatly due to his physical strength.

Such a scene sent an earthquake through the entire City Lord's Mansion!

On the Wind-Listening Tower, many who had been seated stood up in shock, staring wide-eyed at the Wind-Listening Platform, their faces filled with disbelief.

Clearly, in this exchange, Li Zifeng, despite his vast beastly essence, was overpowered by Li Tianming. His Flame Cloud Palm was indeed impressive, but Li Tianming's punch broke through it with devastating force, seemingly unaffected by the flame's burning power!

"How is this possible? Wasn't Li Tianming's beastly essence supposed to have almost drained away?"

"It's been three years! Any beastmaster would be completely crippled by now!"

"Zifeng is at the seventh level of the Beast Pulse Realm."

"Did Li Tianming use some underhanded trick?" Lady Mo's face was extremely ugly. This was utterly baffling, yet it was happening.

This man, regarded as Lihuo City's stain, at the moment everyone thought he would vanish into obscurity and disappear forever, had returned, truly displaying the strength to rival Li Zifeng!

So his appearance today wasn't a joke after all!

Only Lady Huang curled her lips, having witnessed Li Tianming's earlier outburst.

Li Xuejiao was equally dumbfounded. She had wanted her second brother to teach Li Tianming a lesson, but who was teaching whom now?

"Brother Feng, how interesting. He probably recovered long ago and endured in silence?" Liu Qing said with a sweet smile, watching with great interest.

"He must have found a new lifebound beast early on, stopping the beastly essence drain. But unfortunately, it's the lowest first-tier lifebound beast, forever stuck at the Beast Pulse Realm—useless." The scene made Li Yanfeng's pupils contract, but he quickly found an answer.

If Li Tianming had used the Blood God Contract to find a lifebound beast right after returning to Lihuo City, halting the beastly essence consumption, he could barely preserve some of his realm's strength.

But others couldn't see it as clearly as he did, so they were still stunned, especially the citizens of Lihuo City. Their eyes were wide, and for a moment, they couldn't come back to their senses.

As the one being suppressed, Li Zifeng was nearly going mad.

This heavy blow had left him slightly injured, but it was also because he had underestimated his opponent. Now, looking up, he saw everyone staring dumbfounded at Li Tianming, as if he were the true protagonist of the day.

And at this moment, Li Tianming was still smiling at him.

"You really think you're the older brother, here to teach me a lesson and show me what rules are?" Li Zifeng's voice was cold as ice.

"Not just that. I'm also teaching you how to be a decent person," Li Tianming said.

He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

Falsely accused, three years of silence—during those three years, he had endured countless rumors and slanders!

For three years, people had treated him like a rat in the street, even this younger brother of his.

On this day, people were supposed to have forgotten him. He should have been like dust, fit only to be a joke. But at this very moment, he had returned.

This furious punch was a lesson for Li Zifeng, and it also struck the faces of all those who had once looked down on him, telling them: Li Tianming isn't dead yet!

Li Tianming took in the astonished gazes of those people. To be honest, it felt great!

Life was about chasing this thrill, this satisfaction of swift vengeance!

And since he was already enjoying it, he would enjoy it to the fullest!

This battle wasn't over yet. His opponent's true methods had yet to be revealed, but would Li Tianming be afraid?

Under the gaze of the crowd, a grim-faced Li Zifeng had already drawn a sword.

It was a chilling Greensteel Sword blade, a "Beast Weapon" forged from top-grade spirit ore mixed with the blood of a bonded beast, far stronger than ordinary weapons. With a Beast Weapon in hand, a beastmaster's killing power was greatly enhanced.

There was also a resonance between Beast Weapons and bonded beasts.

"This Greensteel Sword has yet to taste your blood." Li Zifeng raised the longsword, pointing it at Li Tianming.

"This Bloodfire Dagger of mine never drinks a brother's blood, but today, I'll make an exception."

From Li Tianming's sleeve, a flash of blood-red light suddenly shot out—a dagger barely half a foot long, its blade only as long as a finger, blood-red all over, like a viper's fang.

In terms of "Beast Weapon" grade, the Bloodfire Dagger was no worse than the Greensteel Sword. This was Li Tianming's long-famed weapon, shadowless and formless, killing in the blink of an eye.

This was real steel and real blood, killing to draw blood, brother against brother, even more explosive!

"Why bother making a fool of yourself? Even with that first-tier bonded beast, you'll be a waste at the Beast Pulse stage your whole life. Once I get the Yanhuang Order, I'll soar straight up. Within three years, you'll be looking up at me from hell!"

As Li Zifeng spoke, he flourished the Greensteel Sword, his feet seeming to ride the wind as his speed suddenly increased.

This was the mid-grade Beast-level Battle Art, Windwalk Step. Under Windwalk Step, his figure was extremely agile.

But even more formidable was the sword art in his hand. As his sword momentum unfolded, it was clear this was the City Lord's Mansion's "Tornado Flame Sword Art," a "high-grade Beast-level Battle Art" comparable to the Dragon-Elephant Heavy Fist!

Under the Tornado Flame Sword Art, the wind howled, and sword momentum, sword shadows, and sword force were hidden within the storm, sweeping toward Li Tianming.

At the same time, the Purple-eyed Double Pupil Bird executed the beast art within the Tornado Flame Sword Art, "Tornado Flame Heavenly Wings." The Tornado Flame Heavenly Wings whipped up a terrifying storm, its wings like two giant blades appearing on either side of the Little Yellow Chick, striking to kill it!

The battlefield was split into two parts, but both were equally spectacular!

"Die!" With the Tornado Flame Sword Art combined with Windwalk Step, Li Zifeng felt he could take down Li Tianming!

His sword moves shifted in countless ways, stirring up a storm of flames. In an instant, it was as if a tornado of fire swirled around Li Tianming, and within the flames, countless strands of Sword Qi tore toward him.

This overwhelming assault revealed Li Zifeng's true strength. Anyone below the seventh level of the Beast Pulse stage couldn't possibly block this move!

Just the scorching of the purple flame tornado alone was more than most could endure.

"Are you dead yet? You should've died long ago, why are you still haunting me!" Li Zifeng was almost hysterical.

At this moment, the awe he once held for Li Tianming surfaced in his heart—unforgivable. He remembered that just days ago in front of the Emerald Pavilion, Li Tianming was still an ant before his eyes.

When his Tornado Flame Sword Art completely engulfed Li Tianming, he was confident at first, but the next instant, fear gripped him.

Where was Li Tianming?

"That's right, I'm haunting you."

When those words rang in his ear, Li Zifeng felt a chill run through his entire body.

From head to tailbone.

Without warning, a flash of blood-red light appeared at his throat, and behind him, there was a wave of scorching heat!

The crowd clearly saw Li Tianming appear behind Li Zifeng, his Bloodfire Dagger already pressed against Li Zifeng's throat. If he hadn't stopped, Li Zifeng would already be dead!

In truth, he hadn't relied solely on footwork to achieve this. Li Tianming truly controlled his life and death through a top-tier Beast-level Battle Art.

That was—the Transcendent Beast-level Battle Art!

This was the strongest battle art Li Tianming had ever practiced, specifically used with the "Bloodfire Dagger." It was the pinnacle of Beast-level Battle Arts, rarely mastered by anyone.

It wasn't an offensive battle art, but a complete set of footwork combined with a killing method, emphasizing speed, ruthlessness, and precision—striking with the utmost burst in an instant to make the enemy drop dead on the spot.

It seemed simple, but Li Tianming had trained in it, practicing thousands of times daily, to achieve that one-hit kill effect.

"Pfft!" Li Tianming didn't kill Li Zifeng with the Bloodfire Dagger—after all, this was his blood-related younger brother—but his next slash cut directly into Li Zifeng's arm. With a tearing sound, blood flowed.

"Ah!" Li Zifeng trembled all over, drenched in sweat, completely stunned.