Lin Changkong's sudden move stirred up towering waves throughout the gathering.
In all these years, this was the first time anyone had seen the Golden Gang Sword Hall, secure in its position as the top hall, step forward to issue a challenge.
The various factions watched with growing interest, eager to see how the Thunderfire Hall would deal with this targeted attack.
Countless gazes focused on the Thunderfire Hall's upper level, where Lu Jin's aged figure stood like a pillar holding up the heavens, supporting a situation that seemed on the verge of collapse.
Under those gazes, Lu Jin's aged face showed not a trace of anger. He merely raised his head slowly and looked across at Lin Changkong.
Their gazes collided in midair. Astonishing Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi surged, producing a tremendous roar.
"Since the Golden Gang Sword Hall wants to enter the fray, let this old man see what you can do."
"Come, Hall Master Lin. Let's see whether this old man's Thunderfire Whip can smash your Golden Gang Sword in two."
Powerful Thunderfire Primordial Qi erupted from Lu Jin's aged body, forming a feathered robe woven from lightning and fire. His voice held an undisguised, icy killing intent.
It was clear that if Lin Changkong stepped onto the stage, Lu Jin would drag him down today at any cost.
Yet faced with Lu Jin's challenge, Lin Changkong gave a faint smile. "There's no need to be angry, Hall Master Lu. Why should either of us have to act when the Golden Gang Sword Hall challenges the Thunderfire Hall?"
He gave a casual wave.
Boom!
Two figures shot out from the Golden Gang Sword Hall's combat platform, wrapped in vast Primordial Qi. Like a pair of cannonballs, they crashed onto the Thunderfire Hall's middle flag platform.
When the dust cleared, the two figures appeared before everyone's eyes.
"Xu Xiong, Zhao Yu!"
Lu Qingyan's expression grew much uglier as he looked at the two men who had entered. They were the Golden Gang Sword Hall's top Great Divine Ability Practitioners.
Divine Ability Dharma Marks were the mark of a Great Divine Ability Practitioner. One used one's own divine ability to draw upon Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi, ultimately carving a complete Dharma Mark onto a Divine Ability Bone. Once a Divine Ability Dharma Mark took shape, the Divine Ability Bone could use it to draw upon even greater and more powerful Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi. Simply put, the levels of a Great Divine Ability Practitioner were distinguished by the number of Divine Ability Dharma Marks they possessed.
Thus, it was also called the Dharma Rune Realm.
Despite all his cultivation, Lu Qingyan had formed only nineteen Divine Ability Dharma Marks, while Lu Jinglei was a little worse off, with only seventeen.
Of the two men before them, Zhao Yu had also formed nineteen, but Xu Xiong was even more formidable. He had formed twenty-two Divine Ability Dharma Marks, placing him among the foremost Great Divine Ability Practitioners in all of Qingyuan Market.
Only Zhang Yue, in the past, had been able to keep him firmly suppressed.
"Lu Qingyan, without Zhang Yue, how are you going to defend this flag?" Xu Xiong was powerfully built, with long hair and a sword scar on his face. He grinned, his smile full of viciousness, as he stared at Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei with ill intent.
"Fuck you!"
Lu Jinglei's eyes blazed with fury. He knew that words were useless, so he roared, and violent Thunderfire Primordial Qi erupted from his body like a volcano. He clenched his hand, and the seventeen Divine Ability Dharma Marks carved on his Divine Ability Bone shone brilliantly, drawing Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi rushing toward him.
"Thunderfire Whip!"
A lightning-and-fire iron mace, thick as an iron rod, slowly materialized in Lu Jinglei's hand. Lightning and fire leaped violently along it, releasing destructive fluctuations.
Boom!
Lu Jinglei stomped down and shot forward like a streak of lightning, charging murderously at Xu Xiong and Zhao Yu.
But Xu Xiong paid no heed to Lu Jinglei's furious assault. He merely waved a hand, and Zhao Yu stepped forward with a laugh. Golden light flowed across Zhao Yu's palm, turning into a razor-sharp streak that slashed down at Lu Jinglei's head.
Clang!
The lightning-and-fire mace collided with the golden sword force. A staggering shockwave of Primordial Qi swept out, shaking the air into a succession of booms.
Lightning, fire, and sword force roared, engulfing both men.
"Lu Qingyan, your Thunderfire Hall has no chance of turning things around today. You might as well be good and step down," Xu Xiong said with a smile, his arms folded across his chest.
But Lu Qingyan couldn't be bothered to waste words on him. Expressionless, he reached out, and Thunderfire Primordial Qi surged like a tide, condensing in his hand into an even more violent Thunderfire Whip.
"In that case, let me see how much you've improved."
Seeing this, Xu Xiong smiled and reached out. Incomparably sharp golden sword-force Primordial Qi gathered and formed a Golden Gang Sword. Sword force darted freely from its blade, easily piercing the rocky ground.
The next instant, he turned into a streak of golden light and attacked Lu Qingyan, sweeping up a vast surge of golden sword force.
An icy look on his face, Lu Qingyan met him, and the two plunged into battle.
Every gaze on and around the lake focused on them.
But as the fierce fighting continued, people gradually noticed something amiss. Neither Xu Xiong nor Zhao Yu intended to fight Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei to the death. Instead, despite having some advantage, they chose to keep them entangled.
"They're deliberately dragging the fight out to wear down Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei's Primordial Qi!" someone said, suddenly realizing what was happening.
"So the Golden Gang Sword Hall never intended to commit everyone to the fight. Lin Changkong really is cunning. He won't go onstage himself and give Lu Jin a chance to take him down with him, in case things get out of hand and the Golden Gang Sword Hall loses its place as the top hall."
"As long as they wear down Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei's Primordial Qi, other Divine Ability Halls will naturally take care of the rest."
As for who would finish the job...
That was already obvious. Weren't the people from the Red Sand Hall already rubbing their fists and palms in anticipation?
Sure enough, at this hall gathering, the Golden Gang Sword Hall and the Red Sand Hall had joined forces to hunt down the Thunderfire Hall!
Amid countless regretful and rueful looks, the fierce battle on the Thunderfire Hall's middle flag platform continued.
Faced with Xu Xiong and Zhao Yu's fierce attacks, Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei had likewise understood their opponents' intention to wear down their Primordial Qi. But there was nothing they could do; they couldn't simply concede.
So they could only feel the Primordial Qi in their bodies rapidly draining away, while their hearts sank bit by bit.
Finally, when an hour had passed,
Xu Xiong and Zhao Yu pulled back with loud laughter.
"Lu Qingyan, I'll give you that. You have some skill. Let's call this match a draw." Laughing, they soared into the air and landed back on the Golden Gang Sword Hall's side, where they sat cross-legged to recover.
Watching them leave, Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei's slightly pale faces were filled with anger and frustration. They knew their opponents' intentions, yet could only sit and wait for death.
Only now did they truly feel just how much pressure that noble young lady of the Great Golden Crow Hall could put on their survival. She had done nothing at all, yet the Thunderfire Hall was already in danger of being overturned.
"Hall Master Lu, my Golden Gang Sword Hall's challenge is over," Lin Changkong said with a smile, standing with his hands behind his back as he looked at Lu Jin.
Lu Jin said nothing, but anyone could feel the raging flames surging beneath that silence.
The Golden Gang Sword Hall's mocking treatment was even more sickening than the Red Sand Hall's blatant hostility.
Clearly, that was precisely the Golden Gang Sword Hall's aim.
Lin Changkong meant to use this sickening display to claim credit with the noble young lady of the Great Golden Crow Hall.
Yet Lu Jin could do nothing, for as soon as the Golden Gang Sword Hall's men withdrew, the Red Sand Hall, which had long been watching like a tiger eyeing its prey, came out in full force.
"The Red Sand Hall challenges the Thunderfire Hall!"
With a long cry from Shi Tong, the Red Sand Hall's master, several figures shot through the air and landed on the Thunderfire Hall's three flag platforms.
This was the challenge truly aimed at seizing the flags!
"Lu Qingyan, how much Primordial Qi do you have left to fight with?" Zhu Lian, whom they had seen at the Qingchuan Merchant Association, gave Lu Qingyan a gloating smile.
Lu Qingyan and Lu Jinglei no longer had the strength to trade words. They simply took deep breaths and circulated what little Primordial Qi remained in their bodies, condensing their Thunderfire Whips once more.
For the Thunderfire Hall, they had to fight to the very end.
Everyone who saw this felt regret. Without Zhang Yue, the Thunderfire Hall had fallen to such a state.
As things stood, the middle flag was certain to be lost, and the lower flag was at a disadvantage. Though the upper flag was secure, the Thunderfire Hall had almost no chance of turning the situation around.
But while everyone pitied the Thunderfire Hall for being caught in the Golden Gang Sword Hall and Red Sand Hall's hunt, no one noticed what was happening on the Thunderfire Hall's lower flag platform.
After witnessing it all, the young man named Lu Ming had a dark fury gradually rising in his eyes like a tide.
"Are you going to surrender yourselves, or shall I invite you down?"
A mocking laugh came from ahead.
Lü Xiao, Gong Peng, and Gong Hu approached with smiles. Their gazes swept across the platform before settling on Lu Ming, mocking smiles slowly curling their lips.
Lu Ming abruptly raised his head.
The smiles froze on the three men's faces. They saw a chilling savagery and killing intent gathering in Lu Ming's eyes.
He was like a wild beast about to devour someone.
Lu Ming took a deep breath. His voice was soft and measured as it reached Lü Xiao and the other two, as well as Gao Yu and Yuan Da.
"Watch yourselves."
"I'm very angry right now. When I strike, I'll strike hard."