An Unexpected Encounter

An Unexpected Encounter

This Falling Leaves Following the Wind Movement Technique was indeed useful.

Because Lu Zhaojin had comprehended Gale Sword Intent, and this movement technique was not of a high grade and happened to be related to the flow of wind, its proficiency directly rose to the minor mastery stage after being recorded by the system.

Lu Zhaojin had not expected this. He was somewhat surprised that the system had such a function.

Lu Zhaojin had already made his way to the city tower and discovered that candlelight still burned within; the people inside had not yet rested.

He did not hide himself either, strolling brazenly in through the main entrance.

Cheng Yan was discussing how to deal with the Brocade Merchant Guild with several people.

Earlier, he had wanted to coordinate from within and without with the Xu Family, settling everything once and for all by forcibly seizing Brocade Tower. Yet he had not expected Li Xiufang to have a Sixth-Rank Realm protector at her side. That protector had driven back the Xu Family members, though he had also been injured. Cheng Yan had secretly sent people to investigate, but they had never learned where that protector was hiding to recover.

Later, he chose to join forces with the Chen Family and use the Exquisite Treasure Tower to slowly nibble away at Brocade Tower. But plans could not keep pace with changes. Before the Chen Family could stretch out its hands and feet, Lu Zhaojin had destroyed them, and this plan had once again died in the womb.

Cheng Yan was practically exploding with rage, though he still maintained that calm, unruffled appearance on the surface.

The clothes worn by that group were made of silks and satins, showing that their origins were anything but ordinary.

The middle-aged man leading them was rather lean. His broad robes draped over him like clothes hung on a bamboo pole, making him look somewhat comical. His expression was gloomy and sinister, his lips thin, and his features carried a faint air of harshness. "Lu Wenxiu was injured by us today. Li Xiufang should have no one left by her side to use."

He looked toward Cheng Yan and said sternly, "Tonight is the best opportunity. We must not miss it again."

Cheng Yan frowned deeply and did not immediately answer him.

His thinking was perhaps more conservative. He wanted to wait until Lord Qi returned before deciding whether to make a move against Brocade Tower. With Qi Yanqiu, a Sixth-Rank Realm expert, standing guard beside them, they would have absolute confidence in taking down Brocade Tower's Sixth-Rank Realm protector.

But what the Xu Family said was not without reason. Lu Wenxiu was injured as well, and Li Xiufang had no one else to protect her. As long as they captured her, everyone else would have to obediently surrender without resistance.

If they missed tonight's perfect chance, they truly deserved to be struck by heaven's thunder.

Cheng Yan decided to gamble. Just as he made up his mind, he suddenly saw a shadow flash past the doorway. Accompanied by soft, unhurried footsteps, it appeared before him. "It's you!"

The Xu Family members looked at Lu Zhaojin in surprise, because they had not heard the slightest sound. This youth was rather strange.

However, judging from Cheng Yan's reaction, he should know this youth. They did not know whether he was friend or foe.

Cheng Yan did not know Lu Zhaojin's true purpose. He thought Lu Zhaojin had made up his mind, so he gave him a friendly smile. "Lord Qi never breaks his word. And with your current strength, if you join the Third Prince's ranks, you will surely become one of his right-hand men, far beyond anything I can compare to."

Lu Zhaojin nodded. "I have indeed considered it."

He drew the Cold Edge Sword. Its blade flickered with a ghostly gleam beneath the candlelight, and chilling sharpness spread through the room. "My answer is that all of you must die."

Cheng Yan's face darkened. He had not expected such an outcome, but neither did he fear Lu Zhaojin. In a one-on-one fight, he was naturally no match for Lu Zhaojin, but he had the Xu Family members beside him, which gave him some courage.

Cheng Yan roared, "You dare become enemies with the Third Prince?"

Lu Zhaojin swung his sword, sending out a strand of Sword Qi. In the blink of an eye, he beheaded one of the Xu Family members. "Once, someone also mentioned the Third Prince to me. I do not understand why you all trust him so deeply. Perhaps it is because you curry favor with the powerful, always wanting to cling to those with greater power than yourselves, hoping that you might rise in rank someday."

Experience for killing an Eighth-Rank Martial Artist +500

Experience: 1068

Before the Xu Family members could react, blood had already splashed all over them. Another person was slain.

Experience for killing an Eighth-Rank Martial Artist +500

Experience: 1568

Lu Zhaojin continued, "But have you considered whether you possess that ability? Do not let yourselves be swallowed until not even bone scraps remain."

The Xu Family elder also came to his senses. This youth had come with ill intent. "Who knew where this snot-nosed brat came from, spouting nonsense and wagging his tongue here."

The Xu Family elder swept his sleeve. Several flying knives, each as long and thick as a finger, shot toward Lu Zhaojin like streaks of light.

A strand of Sword Qi suddenly flew forth, cutting down every one of the flying knives.

The Sword Qi did not stop, instead shooting straight at the Xu Family elder.

"Blade Rain Formation."

The elder's entire body trembled. His powerful true qi seemed to transform into a great mountain, shattering the Sword Qi. He stamped his foot against the ground, cracking the stone bricks beneath him, showing just how great his force was. Borrowing that force, he leaped into the air. His hands danced in midair, splitting into countless afterimages, as though countless hands were hurling flying knives.

Knife light fell like rain, blanketing Lu Zhaojin from all directions.

Lu Zhaojin's body was like a fallen leaf, swaying and drifting amid the rain of knives without suffering the slightest injury. Yet Cheng Yan suddenly struck, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows and seizing a chance to bite. His wavering Sword Light was extremely dim and nearly impossible to detect; the slightest carelessness would result in being pierced.

If Brute Ox Stance had not broken through to the Extreme Realm and brought comprehensive improvement, he might truly have been wounded by this sword tonight.

Seeing that his sword strike had failed, Cheng Yan hurriedly retreated behind the Xu Family members, once again turning into that venomous snake hidden in the shadows.

Lu Zhaojin intended to slaughter this venomous snake first, lest it continue to be a nuisance.

"Gale Sword Art."

Sword Qi transformed into a gale that swept through the room. Wherever it passed, every Xu Family member was cut down, their bodies covered in sword wounds, their clothes shredded into strips hanging from them.

Experience for killing an Eighth-Rank Martial Artist +500

...

Experience: 3568

Seeing that he could no longer remain hidden, Cheng Yan had no choice but to take the initiative and attack.

The Xu Family elder also kept throwing flying knives without pause, but Lu Zhaojin was simply too nimble for them to hit him. When the elder saw that all his disciples had died, his fury grew even greater.

Having thrown away all his flying knives, the Xu Family elder drew the saber hanging across his back. He and Cheng Yan combined blade and sword, joining forces to attack Lu Zhaojin.

For a time, the place rang with an unceasing clash of metal.

However, the two of them could not bring Lu Zhaojin any pressure at all. He casually dismantled their offensive and stopped using them to hone his moves. Terrifying lightning suddenly flickered across the Cold Edge Sword, containing dreadful power of destruction.

The Xu Family elder saw through it. "Lightning Sword Intent!"

Though it was only a tenth of Sword Intent, it was still a fatal threat to them.

The Xu Family elder knew he could not take it head-on. He stomped the ground and leaped upward, trying to break through the roof and escape.

Cheng Yan had the same idea.

But before either of them could act, a faint cyan glow suddenly lit up amid the lightning. As Lu Zhaojin swung his sword, that dazzling bolt of light cleaved across the void, as though even space itself had been split apart. The Xu Family elder and Cheng Yan were no exception. Their bodies were severed directly into two halves, falling from midair as blood and entrails splattered across the floor.

Experience for killing a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist +5000

Experience for killing a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist +5000

Experience: 13568

Lu Zhaojin sheathed his sword. After searching these people and taking several cultivation manuals and some silver, he strode out of the city tower.

Tonight, encountering Xu Family members at the City Lord's Manor was an unexpected delight.

He would not need to search for them in the mountains and forests.