One Move—Who Agrees, Who Objects?

At this moment, more than twenty people sat gathered inside the ship's cabin.

Fortunately, the thousand-material ship was large enough.

Even with so many people, it did not feel crowded.

The moment Zhang Chu entered, quite a few rose and cupped their hands. "Hearing of someone is nothing compared to meeting them. Young Daoist Zhang's great name has nearly made calluses grow on this old man's ears these past few days. Now that I have seen you, you truly live up to your reputation."

A man's name was like a tree's shadow. Ever since word of the Li Family's destruction spread without wings yesterday, the name Zhang Chu of True Martial Temple had rapidly swept through the entire county town.

Some sects spanning several cities had even carried the news to more distant cities.

No one had expected that after the True Martial old Daoist Huang Xugu died in Mobei, True Martial Temple would actually enjoy a second spring, with a Zhang Chu suddenly springing up out of nowhere!

An eighteen-year-old at the First-rate Realm!

That was truly remarkable. At that age, most people could not even stand steady in their stance training!

"Not at all. Sect Master, you remain vigorous in your old age, no less formidable than in your prime. You are the true model of the Jianghu," Zhang Chu said with a smile.

Zhang Chu recognized the man who had spoken.

He was Situ Ying, the old Sect Master of Linjiang County's Tiger Blade Sect, known in the Jianghu as Flying Saber Tiger.

The man had often visited the Old Temple Master before.

"Senior Brother Zhang Chu, do you still remember me? We used to practice martial arts together seven years ago."

A young woman approached him from inside the cabin. She had a slender figure, and a flag was embroidered on her pale-colored clothes.

"So it is Junior Sister Jiang. Of course I remember."

Jiang Yourong, the daughter of the Chief Escort Leader of Linjiang County's Changfeng Escort Agency. The two had indeed known each other in their youth.

Hearing that Zhang Chu still remembered her,

a flicker of delight flashed through the young woman's eyes.

But when the knife-bearing young man in the corner of the ship caught that delight, he gave a cold snort.

"Hmph! What grand airs. Being late is one thing, but you even made a whole shipful of seniors watch you flirt!"

Jiang Yourong froze at first. Once she understood, anger immediately filled her face.

"Lu Feng, what do you mean by that? Senior Brother Zhang Chu and I have not met for many years. We were merely catching up. How did it become nothing but filthy words in your mouth?"

"Besides, Senior Brother Zhang is one of the main forces in this campaign against the Boat Gang. What harm is there in everyone waiting a little while?"

Lu Feng held his Deerskin Treasure Saber across his body.

His gaze swept coldly over Zhang Chu.

"A main force? Hmph. Someone whose cultivation came from an unknown source can serve as a main force in attacking the Boat Gang?"

"Everyone, do not forget that the incident took place in the Li Family Secret Passage. Aside from a group of dying mud-legged people, no outsiders saw how those two Second-rate Realm Boat Gang experts died!"

"If someone deliberately staged a self-inflicted injury ruse to lure us to our deaths, would not all these experts gathered here become offerings for the Demonic Cult evil art Jin Kui cultivates?"

"Of course, someone might even get a share of the spoils, considering his own cultivation also came from an unknown source!"

"And whether he is truly at the First-rate Realm is something no one knows. It is all just hearsay!"

The instant those words fell,

the ship's cabin became so quiet that a needle dropping could be heard.

Some frowned, some began to ponder, while others kept watching the spectacle with detached amusement!

At this critical moment, Jin Mu suddenly slammed the table.

"Enough! Young Master Lu, I am pleased that your Lu Family Manor joined this demon-slaying assembly, but do not forget that Daoist Priest Zhang is someone I personally invited!"

Lu Feng did not care about the meaning behind those words and instead continued, "Lord Jin's devotion to defending the Righteous Path of the Martial World is naturally beyond my suspicion. But with a great battle at hand, surely we cannot allow ourselves to be used by others?"

"What do you intend to do, then?" Jin Mu asked coldly.

"I intend nothing. I merely wish to tear off someone's mask and let everyone see his true face!"

"He is only a Dao Child, yet he dares boast of breaking through to the First-rate Realm. Either he colluded with the Demonic Cult and cultivated an evil art, or he is putting on a grand show to deceive everyone into marching to their deaths."

"Whichever it is, once I test him, he will naturally reveal his flaws on the spot!"

As he spoke, Lu Feng suddenly drew the treasure saber in his hand and attacked Zhang Chu without another word.

At the sight of this, everyone's expressions changed drastically.

"Stop!!"

"Young Hero Lu, do not harm anyone!!"

"Lu Feng, what are you doing?"

At that moment, whether it was Jin Mu, Situ Ying, the old Sect Master of the Tiger Blade Sect, or Jiang Yourong,

all rose to their feet in alarm.

Lu Family Manor had always been famous for its swift blades.

Now, with the cabin so narrow and the two standing so close together, a sudden attack like this could injure even a First-rate Realm expert on the spot.

Yet Lu Feng came swiftly—and stopped even faster!

Zhang Chu merely extended two fingers and lightly pinched, catching the rapidly incoming blade.

Then Lu Feng felt his neck tighten. His feet suddenly left the ground, and he was inexplicably lifted into the air!

Seeing this,

everyone in the cabin felt their heads buzz.

"What just happened?"

"Lu Feng, at the peak of the Second-rate Realm, launched a surprise attack first, yet he was defeated in one move!"

"No, not even one move. Before that move was even complete, he had already lost the ability to act!"

Every person seated in the cabin was of no small standing.

The weakest among them was still at the Second-rate Realm.

At this moment, they felt a chill sweep over them.

Because even they had not seen how Lu Feng had lost. Their vision had merely blurred, and Lu Feng was already being held by the neck in midair.

Hiss! What kind of monster was this Daoist Priest Zhang?

"You..."

Lu Feng could still barely speak.

He stared at Zhang Chu in terror.

In ordinary days, he relied on his swift blade to cut a glorious figure throughout Linjiang County, acting arrogant and high-profile in everything he did.

But now, he could no longer be arrogant.

From Zhang Chu, he felt endless pressure, as if he might be crushed to death at any moment.

Zhang Chu gave him a calm glance, then said softly, "Do you want to die that badly?"

At those words, a terror Lu Feng had never known before surged into his heart.

"You can't..."

Before Lu Feng could finish, a crisp crack rang through the entire cabin.

Merit Points +600!

Under the stunned gazes of the crowd,

Zhang Chu casually flicked his hand.

He tossed the corpse into the surging river waters.

From beginning to end, he did not spare the corpse a second glance, as though he had casually thrown away a piece of trash.

Having done all that, Zhang Chu turned and looked at the others in the cabin.

"Everyone, you can bear witness for me. I had never met this man before, yet he sought to harm me. How was such conduct any different from that of the Demonic Cult?"

"If I had not possessed some martial skill and defended myself in time, I fear I would already have died beneath his blade."

"I killed him reasonably and lawfully. What do you all think?"

"I have said my piece. Who agrees? Who objects?"

Hearing this, everyone in the cabin looked at one another.

They had a feeling that if they said no, would he slaughter every last one of them?

The atmosphere grew heavy for a time.

Jin Mu was the first to speak.

"Daoist Priest Zhang is correct. Lu Feng brought this upon himself and sought his own death. He has no one else to blame."

Seeing this, the others could only nod along.

When under another's eaves, one had no choice but to bow one's head...

Who could have imagined that the renowned young master of Linjiang's Lu Family Manor would be killed in a single move?

If it had been any of them, there likely would not have been a second outcome. This Daoist Priest Zhang of True Martial Temple was several degrees more ferocious and baleful than the rumors claimed.

Just as the cabin had fallen into silence and no one dared speak loudly, the great ship suddenly rocked.

A yamen runner hurried inside.

"Reporting, my lord, we have arrived at the Boat Gang's stronghold!"