At the foot of Mount Li Imperial Tomb.
On a level patch of ground.
The Awakened gathered there were all drawn to the commotion.
But the atmosphere was tense, and shock showed on every face.
From what had just happened, someone was challenging the Wuzhou Group—openly and brazenly.
More importantly,
that person showed not the slightest fear.
Zhou Biqiong stood at the front, staring straight at Lu Yuan, her eyes narrowed with an air of pride.
She was furious. She thought he was being far too presumptuous. He had merely been lucky enough to eat some Spiritual Fruits and Exotic Grass, and become an Awakened. He had no idea how high the sky was, yet he dared to act like this.
Especially with so many people watching, she had to step in.
She had to protect the Wuzhou Group—and, more than that, Yi.
Yi had a special bloodline.
He was a true Heavenly God descended into the world. No one could treat him like this.
After a moment's thought, Zhou Biqiong stepped forward again, as if granting a favor. "Apologize right now, and I might consider letting bygones be bygones."
She thought that since he was connected to her older sister, she could afford to be a little more magnanimous—for now.
This was already an enormous act of mercy.
As soon as she said it,
everyone turned to Lu Yuan, waiting to see how he would respond.
They thought he would back down. After all, he was facing the Wuzhou Group.
If he offended them, it would be hard to survive in the new era.
Their power was simply too great.
"Apologize?"
At last, Lu Yuan spoke, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
But in the very next instant, he moved so fast that no one could react.
He appeared right in front of Zhou Biqiong, raised his hand, and brought it down without the slightest hesitation.
Smack!
A sharp, resounding slap cracked through the air.
Zhou Biqiong had no time to react. She only felt a heavy force slam into her left cheek.
The blow was so powerful that it spun her around before she crashed to the ground. Blood stained the corner of her mouth, and her pretty face swelled red across a wide patch.
Of course, he had held back. Otherwise, that single slap would have killed her.
"That's my apology. How do you like it?"
Lu Yuan stepped back and dusted off his hands.
He glanced at Zhou Biqiong, sprawled on the ground.
Then he looked at Zhou Yunqiong and the man called Yi, his expression indifferent.
He had never been the sort to swallow an insult. He repaid grievances head-on.
He had meant to ignore them and avoid a pointless quarrel.
But what had happened in the end?
They had kept pressing him, demanding an apology, speaking from on high as if they were doing him a favor.
If so, why should Lu Yuan show them any courtesy? With his strength,
he had no need to be polite or hold back.
If they really wanted to fight,
fine.
He would see it through to the end. But next time, it would be more than a slap.
"You—you..." Zhou Biqiong trembled on the ground, overcome with fury and humiliation.
She had always been doted on.
No one had ever dared raise their voice to her.
Now she had been slapped in front of all these people, and he had even said something like that.
Zhou Biqiong could not bear the humiliation. After spitting out another mouthful of blood, she shouted, "Kill him! Kill him!"
She gave the order then and there.
She wanted them to attack Lu Yuan.
He was finished!
Everyone nearby thought Lu Yuan had brought disaster upon himself.
Sure enough, in the next instant,
dozens of people from the Wuzhou Group sprang into action at the command.
They charged without the slightest hesitation.
They were all Awakened, and stronger than many present. Light shimmered around each of them.
Among them, an old man stepped forward and immediately unleashed Xing Yi Quan.
His left hand shaped a dragon; his right, a tiger.
Roar!
His powerful aura surged, taking the form of a Dragon Tiger Form.
The old man seemed to become a raging lion, his presence terrifying.
The Awakened nearby could barely keep their footing. They retreated again and again, their faces pale.
"That's the strongest secret art of Xing Yi Quan—the Dragon Tiger Form!"
"I know who that man is. His name is Duan Kun, the current inheritor of Xing Yi Quan. He has deep foundations and is one of the Wuzhou Group's top fighters."
"My God, I heard the Wuzhou Group recruited him long ago. He's already at the sixth level of the Initial Realm."
Someone nearby recognized the old man, horror in their eyes.
Xing Yi Quan was one of the Huaxia Ancient Martial Arts.
It was a kind of visualization art, and incredibly powerful when mastered.
Now that the man had made his move, the Awakened thought Lu Yuan had brought disaster upon himself. He was going to die here.
At that moment, five or six people from the Wuzhou Group rushed forward, blocking every escape route as they attacked.
"Fools."
Lu Yuan said only two words.
Facing them, he did not even move his feet. He merely raised one hand a little.
Clang, clang, clang—
In an instant,
a clear sword cry rang out, and sword intent descended.
Everyone felt their hair stand on end. Even those standing far away could not escape it. They felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their bodies trembling uncontrollably, as if some terrifying thing had locked onto them. Their souls seemed to freeze, and they would die in the next instant.
Pfft, pfft—
All they saw was
a streak of black lightning suddenly appear beside Lu Yuan.
It shot toward the Wuzhou Group members and the old man wielding Xing Yi Quan.
Then, in no time, flowers of blood burst into bloom, splashing across the ground.
They looked dazzlingly bright.
In the very next instant,
the black lightning returned to Lu Yuan's hand, flecked with blood. It was the Great Luo Sword Embryo!
But Lu Yuan had not even activated the power within it.
Otherwise, the result would have been even more shocking.
After all,
these few were not worthy of it.
No one knew what had happened, but soon every person present looked utterly stunned, as if they had seen a ghost.
The Wuzhou Group members who had attacked—including the old man—stood there with their chests pierced through. Then they toppled straight to the ground, utterly lifeless. They were dead beyond any doubt.
Hiss—
Everyone drew a sharp breath.
Their faces went pale, their bodies trembling.
Dead.
The Wuzhou Group's people were dead, and it had happened in an instant.
They stared at Lu Yuan and backed away, as if they had come face-to-face with a god of slaughter.
How could this be?
Zhou Yunqiong was stunned too.
She had brought only elite fighters, and five or six of them were gone in the blink of an eye?
"Kill him! Kill him again—" Zhou Biqiong had just struggled to her feet. After a brief moment of shock, she gave the order to kill once more. She was nearly crazed with humiliation, with the pain of having been slapped.
Of course, deep down, she was also afraid.
The man she had thought was just an ordinary Awakened
had suddenly erupted with such overwhelming strength.
So Zhou Biqiong knew she could not let him live. He had to be killed at once.
She screamed like a madwoman.
She swore to make the man who had humiliated her pay!
"My patience is gone."
But before she could finish speaking,
Lu Yuan spoke, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
Then he stepped forward and appeared before Zhou Biqiong in an instant, gripping her by the throat with one hand.
At the same time, a frightening killing intent burst from him.
"Since you won't accept my apology,"
"then die!"
Lu Yuan spoke calmly, as if killing someone were the simplest thing in the world.
He was no saint. Since she had already shown murderous intent, he would show no mercy.
No one could stand in the way of his will!
At that moment,
everyone froze.
Even Zhou Yunqiong was visibly shocked.
Everything had happened too quickly. No one could have imagined it would end like this.
Arrogant!
So arrogant!
He had slapped someone and still dared to mock her.
That guy was insanely strong—and now he was going to kill someone too!
That was what the Awakened nearby thought, gaping in disbelief.
"Let her go!"
At that moment,
the man called Yi stepped forward.
Golden light shimmered in his eyes.
His aura began to surge, as if a volcano were erupting inside him.
Without the slightest hesitation, Yi attacked. His body became a blur, and in an instant he was in front of Lu Yuan, his right hand shaped like a blade as he swung it down.
"Enough noise!"
Lu Yuan did not even look at him.
He raised his foot and stamped toward Yi's chest.
Yi did not dodge. Instead, a smile appeared on his face.
He was confident in his physique. Even in his normal state, it was more formidable than steel.
But the moment Lu Yuan's foot struck,
Yi felt as if he had been hit by a primeval mountain. His internal organs shuddered, and blood poured from his mouth.
Then he flew hundreds of meters like a kite with its strings cut, slamming into a ridge before finally stopping. He was embedded in the mountainside, his life or death unknown.
"I thought you'd be tougher."
Lu Yuan shook his head. He had only used a fraction of his strength. If he'd tried any harder, wouldn't he have kicked Yi to death?
Gulp—
It had all happened so fast.
But everyone had seen it.
Their mouths went dry; their hands and feet turned icy.
Who was this man? How could he be so powerful, killing everyone in a single move?
They had thought he would die here, but now the tables had turned completely. Faced with several Wuzhou Group experts, he had not only held his own—he had revealed terrifying strength.
Too strong!
Many Awakened were racking their brains, trying to remember who Lu Yuan was.
But for some reason, there was nothing in their memories.
"Lu Yuan."
At last, Zhou Yunqiong, who had been silent all this time, stepped forward.
She glanced at the dead, then at her sister in his grasp.
Lu Yuan's behavior now felt utterly unfamiliar to her. Was this really the same person?
He had once been sensitive, considerate, and gentle.
But now?
He was wild.
Defiant.
Overwhelmingly domineering!
Still, Zhou Yunqiong was no ordinary person. After taking a deep breath, she quickly regained her composure. "Lu Yuan, do me a favor. Don't hold my sister's behavior against her, all right?"
Her voice had softened considerably, with a pleading note. Paired with her peerless beauty, it made people feel for her.
The Awakened watching all softened at the sight. If they were in his place, they'd definitely agree.
"Sorry, but you have no face with me."
But Lu Yuan answered soon after.
His voice was quiet.
He remained completely unaffected by her, his expression calm.
Then, in the next instant, he looked at Zhou Biqiong and gave a slight squeeze.
Crack—
Her neck snapped.
The Third Miss of the Wuzhou Group, who had been shouting so wildly just moments ago, was dead.
So easily. So simply.
When it was all over,
Lu Yuan dusted off his hands as if he'd done something perfectly ordinary, then turned to Zhou Yunqiong. "What, do you want me to apologize to you too?"
Before you continue