The young man with the narrow saber suddenly felt a chill run through his entire body.
He retreated toward Zong Yan's back, but before he could take more than a step, Su Yu had already raised his sword.
A silver edge pierced through the surging energy between them and reached him in an instant. The young man hurriedly raised his saber to block, but the Sword Light vanished before impact, slipped past the blade, and plunged straight into his throat.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed from the back of his neck.
His body was still retreating, but his hands had already lost their strength. His saber fell to the ground with a sharp clang.
Zong Yan's palm strike arrived only in time to scatter a wisp of lingering light.
The young man collapsed. Without another glance at him, Su Yu scooped up Huo Tingchuan and darted behind a large boulder nearby. Xiao Yue threw out both fists in succession, driving back the approaching spear wielder before joining him.
"Hold this position first!"
Su Yu laid Huo Tingchuan down, his voice low.
Seeing that bloodless face, Xiao Yue's throat worked, but in the end, he only nodded heavily.
He and Huo Tingchuan had known each other for years. They had competed for rankings and never held back when sparring. Whoever lost would refuse to accept it and fight again next time. Neither had ever thought anything of it.
But this time, there would be no next time.
Xiao Yue wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and clenched his fists again.
On the other side of the boulder, Zong Yan stared at his fallen fellow disciple, his face livid.
He had tried to intercept Su Yu's strike, yet he had still been too late. It was not that the sword had