A Battle Decides Life and Death

"No problem, Grandfather. I will certainly make this person who dared to break my second brother's limbs die a miserable death." Su Shan answered decisively, then looked at Sikong Jing and asked, "Criminal, do you dare to accept a life-or-death duel?"

Su Yuexi gripped Sikong Jing's hand tightly, shaking her head vigorously. "Jing Gege..."

"It won't matter if you refuse; you cannot hide." Su Shan strode forward, his true energy erupting as he pressed down fiercely on Sikong Jing.

"Fifth level of the Dark Realm!"

Su Zhenglong exclaimed subconsciously. Su Shan's cultivation level exceeded his expectations; he had previously judged him to be only at the third level.

"Fifth level of the Dark Realm, and how old is Su Shan?" The guests throughout the hall looked at one another, their expressions grave.

In Yunye City, reaching the fifth level of the Dark Realm at Su Shan's age was already considered that of a minor Heavenly Pride.

Luo Tong lowered his voice and said, "What kind of merit did the Su Clan's ancestors accumulate? After Su Zhenglong was severely injured, another Su Shan pops up. Are they not going to let the other three great families have any peace?"

Because of Su Shan's existence, the guests began to regard the Su Clan with renewed importance.

As one of the emerging four great families, they would likely surpass the other three in the future; they were unstoppable.

Just as the entire hall was filled with astonishment, Sikong Jing's voice rang out faintly: "Are you certain you want a life-or-death duel?"

He still maintained an indifferent tone.

"What? Do you want to beg for mercy? Ha, it's too late!"

Su Shan continued to step forward, his true energy crushing down.

In the eyes of the crowd, Sikong Jing seemed like a small boat tossing in a storm, ready to be pulverized at any moment.

"Wait a moment!" Suddenly, Su Zhenglong's hoarse voice rang out.

At this critical juncture, he appeared beside his gift and stared fixedly at Su Xuefeng, saying in a deep tone, "Father, please spare my son-in-law."

"Do you think that's possible?" Su Xuefeng was merciless.

Bang!

Su Zhenglong pulled open the door of the gift box in his hand, and the statue of Su Yuexi's grandmother was instantly revealed to everyone's eyes.

In an instant, the cold-faced Su Xuefeng froze.

"Father, this is the gift I brought you today. Please, for the sake of Mother, spare my son-in-law."

"Zhengtao and I are brothers, and I am your son. We should have been a harmonious family. Why must we kill each other? Why must you drive us to our deaths?"

"I, Su Zhenglong, led the Su Clan to become one of the four great families, but I do not claim the credit."

"I only ask that you treat my daughter and son-in-law fairly, and that you show them a little concern once in a while."

"If Mother were still here, she certainly wouldn't want to see this situation, would she?"

Su Zhenglong's words were filled with sorrow, moving many of the surrounding guests.

Then, Su Zhenglong looked at Su Zhengtao and said, "Second Brother, we are brothers. I have never understood why you hold such a grudge against me, but whatever..."

"Please, for the sake of Mother, ask Su Shan to stop."

Su Zhengtao lowered his head, saying nothing, his gaze fixed on Su Xuefeng.

He had not expected Su Zhenglong to pull such a move. If his father were swayed, it would be troublesome.

He didn't care about brotherhood.

Su Zhengtao only knew that if his elder brother did not die, he would never be able to escape his inner demons and would forever be suppressed under his shadow.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded. Su Xuefeng walked toward Su Zhenglong step by step, then stood still. His hand gently touched the lifelike statue of Su Yuexi's grandmother.

Su Zhenglong looked at Su Xuefeng with eyes full of expectation...

The next second... Bang!

The statue shattered into pieces in Su Xuefeng's hand.

In an instant, Su Zhenglong's expression changed wildly, and he roared, "Father!"

Su Xuefeng turned back coldly. "Su Zhenglong, stop trying to threaten me with a dead person. I don't buy that."

Su Zhenglong retreated repeatedly, collapsing onto the ground.

How could his father be so heartless that even his mother's statue could not soften him?

He had actually destroyed his mother's statue with his own hands.

"If you knew the value of brotherhood, you wouldn't have let this criminal break Su Yang's limbs."

"If you didn't want father and son to kill each other, you shouldn't have let this freak live in this world and bring shame to the Su Clan."

Su Xuefeng shouted sharply, then suddenly looked at Su Shan. "Do it! Kill the criminal!"

"Yes, Grandfather."

A crazed, cruel grin appeared on Su Shan's face as he gripped a blade in his hand, assuming the opening stance of the Golden Thunder Eight Blades.

"Criminal, you crippled my second brother's limbs, so I will hack off your hands and feet, one by one."

As the words fell, the blade rose!

The first blade of the Golden Thunder slashed fiercely toward Sikong Jing, the blade's light seemingly carrying lightning as it tore through the air.

"Jing Gege..."

Amidst the blade's radiance came Su Yuexi's shrill scream. Sikong Jing had pushed her away, and as she landed in Mei Xiaofang's arms, she watched helplessly as the unstoppable blade descended.

The outcome for Sikong Jing was all too predictable; he would either be dead or severely crippled.

"It's over."

Su Zhenglong sat beside the shattered statue of Su Yuexi's paternal grandmother and squeezed his eyes shut.

The entire conflict had started because Su Yang had challenged him first, leading to his limbs being broken.

Even if Yuexi was ugly, she was still Su Xuefeng's granddaughter; why did she not deserve to live in this world?

If Sikong Jing died, Yuexi would surely collapse.

Clang!

Just as Su Zhenglong felt the entire world go dark, the sound of metal clashing rang out through the Birthday Banquet hall, followed by gasps of disbelief: "Impossible!"

Su Zhenglong shuddered, instinctively opening his eyes, only to be stunned.

In the center of the hall, Sikong Jing was now holding a blade of his own, which he had used to block Su Shan's golden thunderous strike. A surge of true energy radiated from his body.

"Bright Realm, ninth level!"

Su Zhenglong stood up and shouted in shock.

Ten days ago, when Sikong Jing crippled Su Yang, he had only been at the fourth level of the Bright Realm. When had he reached the ninth?

"Bright Realm, ninth level? This brat was playing the pig to eat the tiger?"

Su Zhengtao's eyes widened. He had sensed Sikong Jing's cultivation level at the Su Clan Enforcement Hall ten days ago as well.

In Su Zhengtao's view, it was impossible to jump from the fourth level to the ninth level of the Bright Realm in just ten days.

Clearly, Sikong Jing had been hiding his true strength all along.

As the crowd murmured in suspicion, Su Shan's blade shattered. He stared at Sikong Jing in surprise, a faint smirk curling his lips.

"I didn't expect you to be hiding your strength. So you are at the ninth level of the Bright Realm!"

"However, everyone below the Dark Realm is but an ant."

As he spoke, lightning flickered along his heavy blade, and Su Shan's aura intensified.

The surrounding crowd, who had been momentarily shocked, settled back into their seats.

Luo Tong said indifferently, "It is indeed useless. The gap between the Dark Realm and the Bright Realm is insurmountable. This criminal is merely struggling in his final moments."

"Still, he is quite impressive. To reach the ninth level of the Bright Realm at such a young age is enough to establish a foothold in Yunye City."

"It is a pity that he is going to die."

No one around believed Sikong Jing could win; being at the ninth level of the Bright Realm only meant he would struggle a little longer before his death.