You Know You're Going to Die

"Overestimating yourself."

Seeing this, Xiao Peng used the Upper Clarity Sword Technique.

The Qingping Sword transformed into a flowing streak of azure light in his hand as the exquisite Sword Intent of the Upper Clarity Sword Technique instantly spread out.

"Hiss!"

The first flash of sword light swept upward at an angle, striking precisely against the force of the Mountain Collapse Fist.

The Dou Qi fist imprint, powerful enough to split steles and shatter stone, crumbled like papier-mâché. The elder who had thrown the punch felt a soft yet unstoppable force creep up his arm. His wrist bones ached as though they were about to crack, and his fist dropped helplessly.

Then Xiao Peng turned his wrist and pushed out with the flat of his blade.

The seemingly slow movement met the crimson flaming palm head-on.

"Clang—"

With a muffled crash, the azure light along the blade's flat forcibly drove back the heat wave of the flaming palm. The backlash sent the elder screaming through the air, half his body scorched black by his own flames.

Just as the most troublesome dark green poisonous mist spread near him, the Qingping Sword suddenly let out a clear hum. Its sword light surged outward like a wheel, spinning with fierce currents of air.

The poisonous mist was shredded by Sword Qi. Before it could come within three feet of Xiao Peng, it had already vanished without a trace.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Every rise and fall of the Qingping Sword was perfectly timed—lifting, slicing, cleaving, thrusting. Each move seemed casual, yet always struck after the opponent moved but arrived before them, dissolving their Dou Techniques into nothingness.

As Jia Lie Ao watched two elders fall wounded in an instant, a chill crawled up his spine and into his skull.

His earlier subtle retreat had not escaped Xiao Peng's notice. Now, he felt that icy gaze lock onto him as though it were tangible.

Run!

The single word exploded in his mind. Jia Lie Ao no longer cared about the family's honor. Dou Qi surged madly through his body as he turned and lunged toward the side door of the council hall.

He even burned a small amount of Dou Qi, seeking only to be faster—just a little faster.

"Trying to leave?" Xiao Peng's teasing voice sounded behind him.

The Qingping Sword followed like a shadow, its azure light slicing through the air and leaving behind an afterimage.

"Pshht—"

The sword tip pierced out through Jia Lie Ao's back, bringing a spray of scorching blood with it.

His running body suddenly froze. The terror of flight remained fixed on his face as a wheezing, leaking sound escaped his throat.

He slowly collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide open. Even at death's door, he could not believe he had died so easily.

After dealing with Jia Lie Ao, Xiao Peng turned and swept his gaze over the remaining elders.

His eyes were terrifyingly calm, as though he were looking at several objects awaiting disposal.

"Attack together!" one elder shrieked, putting on a fierce front despite his fear.

He charged forward, swinging a longsword wrapped in faint red Dou Qi. Yet when he came within roughly ten feet of Xiao Peng, an arc of light from the Qingping Sword cut him cleanly in half.

The sword light did not lose momentum, brushing past his neck.

The elder remained in his sword-swinging posture as a thin line of blood appeared on his neck. Then blood erupted, and he crashed to the floor.

The remaining elders were terrified out of their wits. None dared step forward. They all fell to their knees and begged, "Mercy! Lord Xiao, have mercy!"

But Xiao Peng had no intention of stopping.

The Qingping Sword turned into an azure bolt of lightning in his hand, weaving through the kneeling crowd.

As sword light rose and fell, screams rang out one after another. In only a few breaths, not a single Jia Lie Family elder remained standing in the council hall.

Blood dyed the stone floor red, mixing with scattered weapons and shattered tables and chairs. The air was thick with the stench of blood.

The only surviving Jia Lie Bi slumped against a pillar. Blood continued to gush from the wound on his left shoulder, and his face was as pale as paper.

He watched helplessly as his clansmen and elders fell one after another. His pupils widened with utter terror, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

"No... impossible..." Jia Lie Bi muttered, his broken voice barely forming words. "You're clearly only an Eight-star Dou Practitioner... How could you... how could you..."

He could not understand why Xiao Peng, once a worthless Xiao Family descendant in Wu Tan City, possessed such terrifying strength.

That fluid swordsmanship, that effortless bearing—he was even more terrifying than some peak Da Dou Shi Jia Lie Bi had seen!

Holding the blood-dripping Qingping Sword, Xiao Peng walked toward him step by step. Every step felt as though it landed on Jia Lie Bi's heart.

"Please spare me. I know I was wrong." Jia Lie Bi immediately dropped to his knees and begged Xiao Peng for mercy.

Xiao Peng smiled when he heard that. "You don't know you were wrong. You know you're going to die, so you're begging me for mercy."

The color instantly drained from Jia Lie Bi's face. He scrambled forward on his knees, trying to grab Xiao Peng's trouser leg, but the Qingping Sword's edge kept him from daring to approach.

His lips trembled. All the pleas he had carefully prepared seemed pale and laughable before those words.

"Yes... I was blinded by greed! I was jealous of the Xiao Family's rise!" Jia Lie Bi frantically slapped his own face. The crisp slaps sounded especially piercing in the deathly silent council hall. "I'm willing to offer you all of the Jia Lie Family's property! I'm willing to take the remaining clansmen and leave Wu Tan City, never to return! Please... please give me a way to live!"

Xiao Peng looked down at him. The tip of the Qingping Sword lightly tapped the ground, stirring up a wisp of dust.

"A way to live?" Xiao Peng's voice was soft, yet it pierced Jia Lie Bi's heart like an ice spike. "When you sent people to assassinate me, did you give me a way to live?"

A flash of viciousness passed through Jia Lie Bi's eyes. Taking advantage of Xiao Peng looking down, he suddenly gathered all his Dou Qi and thrust both palms forward, sending a crimson wave of Dou Qi screeching through the air toward Xiao Peng's face.

This was the Dou Technique he had kept in reserve, using every last bit of his strength.

"Unrepentant." Xiao Peng snorted coldly.

Without moving, he sent the Qingping Sword darting out like a spirit serpent. Its tip struck precisely at the center of the Dou Qi wave.

"Pop..."

With a soft sound, the crimson Dou Qi wave burst like a bubble.

The Qingping Sword did not slow. Following the trajectory of the Dou Qi, it slashed upward in return, so fast that only a streak of azure light remained.

Jia Lie Bi felt a chill in his chest. Looking down, he saw the blade had already pierced through him, blood streaming down the sword.

His mouth hung open, his eyes filled with disbelief. In the end, his hand dropped limply, and his body slowly slid to the ground, utterly silent.

Seeing this, Jia Lie Ying, who had been hiding in the shadows, chose to flee without hesitation.

Jia Lie Ying had just darted to the rear window of the council hall and had not yet managed to climb out when the back of his neck suddenly turned cold. The Qingping Sword's edge was already pressed against his skin.

"Running?" Xiao Peng's voice sounded behind him, carrying bone-deep coldness. "Not a single member of the Jia Lie Family is leaving."

Jia Lie Ying's entire body stiffened. He abruptly turned, intending to strike back with his fist, but an azure flash swept past, and his throat had already been cut open by sword light.

He clutched his neck as blood spurted through his fingers. The last thing reflected in his eyes was Xiao Peng's calm, unruffled gaze, as though he were looking at a piece of worthless trash.

He felt some regret. He should have run sooner.