Young Master, hurry and leave, I'll hold him off...

"Who are you people? How dare you lay a hand on Young Master Wu? Do you not fear the wrath of the Wu Clan?"

The moment the Wu Clan's guardian arrived, he locked his gaze on Shen Zhou with a furrowed brow.

The latter's earlier palm strike and the dangerous aura now radiating from him kept the guardian from acting rashly.

Shen Zhou gave a cold snort. "Wrath of the Wu Clan? The Wu Clan had better consider whether they can withstand my wrath first."

With that, Shen Zhou struck decisively, raising his sword and charging at the man.

His motto: if you can use your hands, spare your mouth.

"Such big talk!"

Seeing that the clan's reputation couldn't intimidate his opponent, the Wu Clan guardian immediately crossed his hands, using his palms as blades. With a sweep of his hands, he clashed with Shen Zhou, all while turning back to shout at Wu Jiuyan: "Young Master, flee quickly—I'll hold him off..."

When the Wu Clan guardian arrived, A Dai, San Mazi, and Dongfang Hongyu had already darted to the side for safety.

Wu Jiuyan struggled to lift his head, his face twisted with malice as he glared at Shen Zhou and the three others. His voice dripped with venom: "You're finished. I'm not dead yet. The moment I get back to the venue, I'll have the Wu Clan come and tear you limb from limb.

I'll flay your skin, pull your sinews, drain your blood, and gouge your bones...

I'll subject you to every cruel torture under heaven.

I'll make you regret ever crossing me... Wu! Jiu! Yan!"

Just as Wu Jiuyan was spewing his threats, a figure came flying through the air with a whoosh, sent hurtling by Shen Zhou's blade. Blood sprayed across the sky as the man tumbled and rolled, landing right at Wu Jiuyan's feet.

Wu Jiuyan looked down—it was none other than the Wu Clan guardian.

In that moment, the atmosphere seemed to freeze.

Wu Jiuyan stared blankly at the guardian before him, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Wait, weren't you supposed to hold him off?

I barely finished my rant—how are you already down?

The Wu Clan guardian returned Wu Jiuyan's gaze with a complicated look.

It carried a mix of speechless frustration, a hint of disappointment at wasted potential, and the expression of someone stuck with a useless teammate.

Couldn't you have waited until you'd escaped to spew your threats?

What's the point of yapping on when you haven't even gotten away?

Now look—we're stuck...

At the same time, the guardian's eyes held a trace of shock as he looked at Shen Zhou.

Too strong!

Three strikes.

The man had only used three sword strikes, and yet he, a Transformation Realm seventh-level guardian, had been defeated—utterly crushed.

If he hadn't experienced it himself, no one would believe it.

Shen Zhou then turned to Wu Jiuyan and said flatly, "What did you just say?"

Wu Jiuyan: "..."

The silence at that moment was deafening.

But credit where it's due—the Wu Clan guardian was a loyal one.

Seeing that neither of them had a chance, he somehow forced himself back to his feet, drenched in blood, staring at Shen Zhou. Yet his words were directed at Wu Jiuyan behind him. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Young Master, this is no time for chatter. Go now. Even if I have to give my life, I'll block him for you..."

Wu Jiuyan was deeply shaken. "You..."

The guardian roared, "Go!"

With that shout, he launched himself at Shen Zhou.

Having learned his lesson, Wu Jiuyan didn't dare say another word. Mustering the last of his strength, he executed 'Thunder Flash,' and his figure vanished swiftly from the hilltop.

Shen Zhou narrowed his eyes, raised his sword, and sent the guardian flying again with a single strike.

The man was already at his last gasp—he couldn't even withstand one blow.

Shen Zhou stepped forward to chase Wu Jiuyan, but the fallen guardian grabbed his leg, coughing up blood as he said, "I told you... even if it costs me my life... I'll hold you back!"

For the first time, Shen Zhou gave the guardian a proper look and said coolly, "You really are a fine dog for the Wu Clan."

The guardian smiled.

As if those words were the highest praise.

The next moment, Shen Zhou struck with his sword.

Pfft...

After finishing off the guardian, A Dai, San Mazi, and Dongfang Hongyu walked over.

Looking at the guardian's corpse, A Dai sighed. "I didn't expect a great clan to have such loyal subordinates. He was just a guardian, yet he sacrificed himself to protect the main family. That's rare."

Dongfang Hongyu said, "Many who become clan guardians were unfortunate as children, raised by the clan from a young age. Such people are never lacking in loyalty."

San Mazi glanced in the direction Wu Jiuyan had fled, worry creeping into his voice. "What now? We let that bastard get away. If we'd known, we wouldn't have dragged it out for fun—we should've just let Boss Zhou kill him on the spot."

Shen Zhou said indifferently, "It doesn't matter. Since this is revenge, of course you have to personally vent your anger—otherwise, how can it be called revenge? An accident may have happened now, but the outcome won't change. He's still going to die today!"

Pant...

Pant...

On the mountain path, Wu Jiuyan's blood flowed and his breath heaved, but as the venue drew nearer, his heart gradually steadied. Then he couldn't suppress the wild joy inside and said, "I escaped, I finally escaped, hahaha... As long as I'm out, nothing is over yet! Just you wait, just you wait... I won't let this go, I'll..."

Before he could finish, the sound of Shen Zhou breaking through the air came from behind. Wu Jiuyan was so terrified his soul nearly fled, and he desperately ran toward the venue with all his might.

Inside the venue.

By now, most people had arrived. The negotiations between the Xu and Qin families were about to begin.

Under the Qin family's awning.

Seeing the clan leader's seat empty for quite a while, Third Elder Qin Yihu couldn't help muttering, "The clan leader's been gone so long—could he have chickened out and run?" Hearing this, the Qin family members all looked over. For a moment, aside from Ancestral Aunt Qin Fenglan and Clan Leader Qin Yuanshan, everyone else actually thought the same. Qin Yuanshan coldly glanced at Qin Yihu, who realized he'd misspoken and quickly shut up. Qin Fenglan then spoke, her tone calm: "I trust the clan leader. Since he came, he won't abandon our Qin family. Let's wait a bit longer." Since the Ancestral Aunt had said so, the others could only continue waiting.

Under the Lin family's awning.

The Lin family clan leader hadn't come; instead, a Lin family elder had arrived, along with the family's golden boy and jade girl, Lin Yusheng and Lin Yuling. The two were young, only thirteen or fourteen, and unlike the other families' prodigies, they weren't exceptionally powerful. But they excelled in extraordinary bone structure and astonishing talent. The principal of Flying Bird Academy had personally tested their bone structure a few years ago, saying they had a special 'martial soul' constitution—they wouldn't make much progress in cultivation before eighteen, but once their 'martial soul' awakened after that, their cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds, and their future achievements would be immeasurable. Thus, the Lin family valued them greatly. While waiting, the cute, loli-like Lin Yuling kept craning her neck to look at the Qin family's awning. Lin Fang, the guard captain for this trip, couldn't help asking, "Ling'er, what are you looking at?" Lin Yuling replied without turning her head, "I'm looking at what that Qin Family Sword Drawer really looks like. Grandfather Clan Leader said before that the Qin Family Sword Drawer might become our Lin family's great enemy in the future, and we must be careful. Is he very fierce?" Lin Fang chuckled and said, "Maybe. But no matter what he's like, he'll never be a match for Ling'er and Yusheng in the future. You two are the true chosen ones, the cream of the crop. Those who rise only by relying on a sword won't go far on the martial path!" This wasn't just Lin Fang's thought—it was the opinion of everyone in the Lin family.

As they were speaking, a commotion suddenly arose at the venue entrance. Countless eyes turned to look, and they saw a blood-soaked man charging in from outside, running wildly and shouting hoarsely as he burst in, "Help... Father, save me... Someone wants to kill me..." Seeing this, many were taken aback. "What's going on?" "Who is that, and why is he so badly injured?" "What happened here?" Just then, with a whoosh, another figure chased after him from the sky. The moment he arrived, he kicked the blood-soaked man to the ground. Wu Jiuyan spat blood again, and as he struggled backward in terror, he said, "Don't come near me! My Wu family people are right over there! If you dare come closer, my Wu family won't let you off!" Shen Zhou stepped closer, his killing intent icy as he said, "Do you think that just because you've reached the venue, the Wu family can protect you?"

Meanwhile.

More and more people in the venue were paying attention to this scene. When the Qin family saw Shen Zhou chasing someone, they were all stunned. "Isn't that... the clan leader? What's he doing there? Who is he chasing?"

On the other side.

The Xu family.

"Hm? What's happening?"

"It looks like that sword-drawer from the Qin Family is chasing someone down."

"The sword-drawer? Who's the one being chased?"

"Uh... too badly injured to recognize."

The Yang Family, the Lin Family, the Chu Family... they were all asking the same question.

Only the Wu Clan was different.

The moment the Wu Clan patriarch saw Wu Jiuyan, he shot to his feet. Though the latter was drenched in blood, as Wu Jiuyan's father, he could tell with a single glance—that was his son, Wu Jiuyan.

The Wu Clan patriarch bellowed on the spot and launched himself forward, shouting, "Stop!"

At the entrance to the venue.

Shen Zhou had already reached Wu Jiuyan.

Hearing the Wu Clan patriarch's shout, hope flickered in Wu Jiuyan's eyes. He turned his head frantically and cried out, "Father, save me!"

A cold, cruel curve lifted the corner of Shen Zhou's mouth. He seized Wu Jiuyan by the neck and slowly lifted him off the ground, then said to him, word by word, "No one can save you today. From the moment you struck my brother yesterday, your fate was already sealed..."

Wu Jiuyan sensed the breath of death and screamed in panic, "No... don't..."

The Taixuan Sword pierced through Wu Jiuyan's chest, cutting off his words.

The sword tip entered from his back and thrust out through his front.

Wu Jiuyan's voice died abruptly. He watched his father approach with his own eyes—the hope of survival right before him—yet the sword in his chest was steadily draining his life away.

The Wu Clan patriarch finally arrived, but what greeted him was Wu Jiuyan's helpless, despairing gaze.

The Wu Clan patriarch froze on the spot.

Pfft...

Another dull thud.

The Taixuan Sword was pulled free, and blood sprayed across the ground.

Shen Zhou flicked his wrist and tossed the body aside. Wu Jiuyan's corpse crumpled helplessly before the Wu Clan patriarch's feet—

His eyes wide open in death!

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