"Clang."
Zhang Su drew his sword.
Then, a sky full of sword shadows flashed.
The several Outer Sect disciples following Liang Zitao felt a sharp pain in their wrists.
"Clatter."
A bloody gash appeared on their wrists.
Immediately afterward, they could no longer hold their swords.
Their swords fell to the ground with crisp ringing sounds.
In that brief pause, Liang Zitao had already fled more than thirty feet away.
But how could Zhang Su possibly spare Liang Zitao?
"Whoosh."
The Light Shadow Killing Sword was unleashed soundlessly.
There was no unusual phenomenon.
Nor was there any overwhelming pressure.
Instead, it seemed to blend into the surrounding environment.
It made it impossible for anyone even to see Zhang Su's blade.
That was the terrifying aspect of the Light Shadow Killing Sword.
Especially now that Zhang Su had cultivated the Light Shadow Killing Sword to perfection, making it even more terrifying.
Zhang Su's sword instantly crossed the distance of thirty feet and arrived behind Liang Zitao.
At once, Liang Zitao felt as though thorns were pricking his back.
An intense sense of danger rose in his heart.
He spun around sharply and swept out with a backhand slash.
His expression was incomparably savage.
"Swish."
Yet when he swept his sword out, he found no one behind him.
Where was he?
Just as Liang Zitao stood there in confusion—
"Pfft."
A sharp pain shot through his wrist.
Immediately afterward, he could no longer grip his longsword.
"Ah..."
Liang Zitao let out a scream, clutching his wrist as he collapsed to the ground.
From beginning to end, he did not even know how he had been struck by the sword...
Holding the Lengshuang Sword, Zhang Su walked step by step toward Liang Zitao.
Drops of fresh blood still dripped from the tip of the sword.
Silence!
The surroundings suddenly fell quiet.
This was outside the Trading Hall, where people had always come and gone.
What was more, such a huge commotion had erupted.
Thus, many Outer Sect disciples had long since gathered in layer upon layer around them.
They had witnessed the entire process of Zhang Su "crushing" Liang Zitao and the others.
Stormy waves surged in their hearts.
"The sword technique Senior Brother Zhang Su used earlier was the Nine Shadows Sword Technique. That technique is familiar enough, but what sword technique did he use against Liang Zitao afterward?"
"I couldn't see it. I truly couldn't see it. Senior Brother Zhang's sword was too fast. Before I could even see the blade, Liang Zitao's wrist had already been struck."
"No, it wasn't merely a matter of not seeing it clearly. That sword technique is extraordinarily rare. It seemed somewhat like a special sword technique—the Light Shadow Killing Sword!"
"That's right, it was the Light Shadow Killing Sword! And his mastery was far from shallow, at least at the major accomplishment stage. Everyone had long known that Zhang Su possessed extraordinary talent in martial techniques, but who would have thought he could actually master a peerless martial technique? It is truly unbelievable."
"A peerless sword technique at major accomplishment... Zhang Su truly has the strength to contend for a place among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples..."
Many Outer Sect disciples understood perfectly well what a peerless sword technique represented.
It did not matter whether Zhang Su was overage.
Nor did it matter whether he had broken the Human Limit and condensed over a hundred strands of Blood Qi.
Before a peerless sword technique, none of that amounted to anything.
The saying, "one force subdues ten techniques," referred precisely to peerless martial techniques.
As long as one mastered a peerless martial technique, one could absolutely compete for a position among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples!
Zhang Su ignored everyone's discussions.
He looked down at Liang Zitao and asked coldly, "You just said I could not even protect myself? Then let me ask you—who, exactly, can make me unable to protect myself?"
Liang Zitao remained silent.
Zhang Su said indifferently, "It does not matter if you refuse to speak. But I can use on you the same methods you used on Chu Dachuan and the other two! When that happens, do not even think about cultivating properly. After a year or so, what future will you still have in the Guiyuan Sect?"
Hearing this, Liang Zitao raised his head. He drew a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Zhang Su, do you think no one knows why you had Chu Dachuan and the others gather information on the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples?"
"Since you have already prepared to make your move, do you think the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples will simply sit and wait for you to challenge them?"
"I am under Senior Brother Luo Feng. If you have the ability, go challenge Senior Brother Luo Feng!"
Liang Zitao's words caused an uproar among the surrounding disciples.
"Senior Brother Luo Feng? The tenth-ranked among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples!"
"No wonder Luo Feng had Liang Zitao step forward to cause trouble for Chu Dachuan and the others. Luo Feng's real aim was not the wine but the drink—he wanted to deal with Zhang Su. Even if these matters caused Zhang Su the slightest disturbance, it would be worth it."
"Luo Feng was already the weakest among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples. Once Zhang Su sought a place among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples, the best choice would be to challenge Luo Feng. It seems Luo Feng truly panicked and has even begun resorting to such methods..."
Zhang Su's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Luo Feng..."
This truly came as something of a surprise to him.
He had thought of Wang Hai.
Zhang Su had even wondered whether Wei Yunzhou had interfered in the affairs of the Outer Sect.
Yet he had never imagined it would be Luo Feng, with whom he had previously had no dealings at all!
And the reason was also very simple.
It was merely to preserve his position among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples!
It seemed Zhang Su had still underestimated the importance of being among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples.
It definitely was not as simple as receiving some Blood Replenishing Pills as subsidies.
"Heh, what is it? You heard Senior Brother Luo Feng's name and got scared?"
Liang Zitao sneered.
Zhang Su said nothing.
"Swish."
Zhang Su swung the Lengshuang Sword in his hand. One Sword Nine Shadows descended upon Liang Zitao.
"Ah..."
Liang Zitao immediately let out a miserable scream.
Then, nine wounds appeared across his body.
Those nine wounds were not fatal, but they were troublesome.
For them to heal completely, it would take at least over a month.
"You... you..."
Liang Zitao stared fixedly at Zhang Su, but he no longer dared to utter another threat.
He was truly afraid.
Fear had taken root in his heart.
"Whether I challenge Luo Feng or not has nothing to do with you! Since you chose to become a pawn, you must bear the corresponding price!"
After saying that, Zhang Su sheathed his sword directly.
"Chu Dachuan."
Zhang Su spoke.
"Senior Brother, what are your orders?"
Chu Dachuan immediately stepped forward.
"Go and deliver a letter of challenge to Senior Brother Luo Feng. Tell him that ten days from now, I will personally challenge Senior Brother Luo Feng! It is time for the positions among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples to change."
As soon as Zhang Su said this, many of the surrounding Outer Sect disciples widened their eyes.
"Boom."
Many minds seemed to roar.
Even greater stormy waves surged through their hearts.
"Zhang Su is going to challenge Senior Brother Luo Feng?"
"The positions among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples have not changed for three years, have they? Senior Brother Luo Feng may seem to be merely the weakest among the ten, but every disciple who challenged him in the past failed without exception!"
"Yes, Senior Brother Luo Feng is no soft persimmon."
"However, Senior Brother Zhang has mastered the peerless sword technique, the Light Shadow Killing Sword. His strength has definitely reached the level of the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples. Who wins and who loses is truly hard to say."
"If Zhang Su becomes one of the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples, would he not be the only overage Top Ten Outer Sect Disciple in recent decades?"
Chu Dachuan answered in a trembling voice, "Yes, Senior Brother! I will definitely deliver your letter of challenge into Luo Feng's hands!"
Zhang Su nodded.
He picked up a large bag of Blood Replenishing Pills from the ground.
Then he turned and left.
Before long, Zhang Su returned to his room.
His mind was very calm.
Challenging Luo Feng was not a decision made on impulse.
He had long planned to attempt challenging the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples after returning to the Guiyuan Sect.
He simply had not decided whom to challenge before.
Now Zhang Su had made his decision: he would challenge Luo Feng!
As for why he had set the time ten days later—
The reason was also very simple.
Zhang Su needed time to take his own strength one step further.
He did not need to defeat the strong while weak.
He did not need a dazzling battle filled with hair-raising perils.
What he needed was absolute, thorough crushing domination!
Ten days would be enough for him to cultivate his Blood Qi to over three hundred strands.
By then, with three hundred strands of Blood Qi and the Light Shadow Killing Sword at perfection—
No matter what methods Luo Feng possessed, there would be only one outcome: defeat!
Luo Feng was doomed to lose!
No one could change that!
Before you continue