Lu Yulin.
Wu Shuangren turned around, stared at Lu Yulin, and called out the other's name.
His attention was drawn to the Traits above the other person's head.
The gold-colored Traits was the first time Wu Shuangren had ever seen it.
He was quite certain that Lu Yulin's Traits had previously been blood red, just like everyone else's. Could it be that after breaking through to become Great Grandmaster, his personal fortune changed, causing his Traits to be elevated to gold?
What's the difference between Traits gold and blood-red Traits? Will they affect the [Match for One Person] effect?
This was something Wu Shuangren hadn't anticipated.
In fact, Guo Jiwang had warned Lu Yulin beforehand about his move. Although Flying Feather Hall had placed many spies in Lu Province, they could only prevent Lu Yulin from attacking with a large force.
If the other party leaves quietly with only a dozen or so people like they are now, Flying Feather Hall definitely won't be able to keep an eye on them.
In response to Guo Jiwang's warning, Wu Shuangren replied that if Lu Yulin really wanted to take this opportunity to attack, then so be it!
It was not that he was arrogant or looked down on a Great Grandmaster.
He learned some information about Great Grandmaster from Lin Qian. For example, although Lu Yulin had broken through to the next level outside Rong Province City, it would take at least several months to half a year for him to truly enter the realm of Great Grandmaster, completely transform his body, and change his Internal Skill along with his body.
Therefore, at this moment, Lu Yulin may still be in seclusion cultivating, or he may have already become a true Great Grandmaster.
Wu Shuangren cannot abandon his plan to target Zhang Da and advance into Shu Province because of an unknown outcome.
If Lu Yulin really comes as Great Grandmaster, he can only bring a very small number of people with him.
The key to prevention lies solely with Lu Yulin.
For Wu Shuangren, the matter was quite simple.
"Lu Yulin!"
Another voice rang out, and a figure arrived at the battlefield at lightning speed, standing beside Wu Shuangren.
It was Lin Qian who arrived at full speed.
Steaming white vapor billowed from the gaps in his armor, his eyes shone like stars as he stared intently at Lu Yulin, having already pushed himself to his peak condition!
"Instructor Lin."
Lu Yulin's gaze fell on Lin Qian, appearing quite composed. "It seems you haven't taken that step yet."
During that epic battle outside Rong Province City, both of them were at the Half-Step Great Grandmaster level.
However, Lu Yulin was only one formidable opponent and one exhilarating battle away from becoming Grandmaster. Lin Qian's 'Dao' was different from his, and the two pursued completely different states of mind.
Therefore, Lu Yulin is now Great Grandmaster, while Lin Qian is still stuck in the same place.
Lin Qian pursed his lips. Although he had known this would be the outcome, seeing Lu Yulin become a true Great Grandmaster and stand before him still left him with mixed feelings.
Wu Shuangren privately asked him, what's missing before taking that final half-step?
Lin Qian has found his own 'path' and is clear about the direction of his next breakthrough. He told Wu Shuangren that his inner conflict originated in the capital and may now extend to the entire Wu Dynasty.
"Acting on behalf of Heaven" was merely a slogan used by Song Hai to win people's hearts. Now that Mount Liang had been destroyed, those who Gathering of Righteousness Hall were either dead or gone.
Perhaps only Lin Qian truly kept those four words in his heart, and he hasn't let them go even now.
After that questioning, Wu Shuangren never asked Lin Qian about breaking through to the next realm again.
"Xu Cheng, Wu Shuangren!"
With Lu Yulin's arrival and witnessing his overwhelming presence, Zhang Da completely relaxed and shouted with a laugh, "With Grandmaster Lu here today, you are all doomed!"
Long Lie is dead, but the death of a First Rank expert has given way to the arrival of a Great Grandmaster. Zhang Da feels this is his destiny!
He has already begun to envision his future collaboration with Lu Yulin.
Lin Qian glanced at Zhang Da in the crowd with disgust, then looked at Lu Yulin:
"Lu Yulin, you've become Great Grandmaster, yet you've colluded with such a traitorous villain! It's utterly shameful!"
Lu Yulin remained unmoved in the face of Lin Qian's angry outburst.
"Treason? Lin Qian, from the moment we set foot on Mount Liang, we rebelled against the Wu Dynasty! We rebelled against the world! Have you forgotten how your wife died? Have you forgotten how you climbed up Mount Liang step by step? And now you're willing to risk your life for the Wu Dynasty? How pathetic!"
He suddenly shook his head, looking at Lin Qian with a compassionate gaze:
"You've been bound by worldly rules your whole life. Even as a rebel, you still cling to those moral codes of benevolence and righteousness. Do you even know what rebellion truly means?"
As he spoke, he suddenly extended his left hand, palm open and facing upwards, then slowly turned it downwards:
"To oppose it is to break the rules!"
His voice suddenly rose, booming like thunder, once again dominating the entire arena!
Everyone present was involuntarily drawn to his palm, as if that hand possessed some kind of magic, captivating everyone's attention.
"Propriety, morality, and the laws of the court can all be broken! Those are rules set by others; why should they be used to bind yourself?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his palm was completely turned over, and then he clenched it tightly, as if the heavens and earth were being overturned, giving people a sense of the world being turned upside down!
"Countless mediocre people in the world drift along with the tide, bound by rules. Even someone like Song Hai, who seems to have the ambition to break all, still secretly longs for amnesty. After more than a decade of hard work, he only wants to return to someone else's rules. How utterly ridiculous."
When Lu Yulin mentioned Song Hai, the man who had changed his life, his tone was flat and devoid of emotion:
"Lin Qian, you are different from others; you have the opportunity to break the rules. But if you continue with this mindset, it's truly a pity."
"..."
Lin Qian stared blankly at Lu Yulin, knowing what the other meant by having a chance to break the rules—it meant he had a chance to become Great Grandmaster!
Of all those present, only he was closest to Lu Yulin in terms of his level of understanding. He could sense from Lu Yulin that unrestrained and truly free spirit, as if he were in complete control of his own destiny.
As Lu Yulin said, all the etiquette, morality, laws and regulations in this world can no longer bind the other party!
Is this the mindset of Great Grandmaster?
Or is it that only with this kind of mindset can one become Great Grandmaster?
If any Great Grandmaster of this era were to stand here and preach today, Lin Qian would not be so moved.
However, he had a life-or-death battle with Lu Yulin and witnessed Lu Yulin take that step.
The impact Lu Yulin had on his mind was far greater than he realized!
"You're a defeated opponent, isn't it a bit premature for you to declare victory now?"
A voice suddenly rang out, interrupting Lin Qian's reflection.
It was Wu Shuangren who spoke.
Lu Yulin turned his gaze back to Wu Shuangren, but did not show any anger.
Wu Shuangren is right. Although he is now Great Grandmaster, as long as he has not defeated Wu Shuangren, he will still be Wu Shuangren's defeated opponent.
"Then let's go."
Lu Yulin said calmly, "You two can come at me together."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qian gripped his spear tightly, ready to strike.
But Wu Shuangren gently patted him. "I'll deal with him. You go and kill Zhang Da."
Lin Qian was taken aback upon hearing this.
In his opinion, even if he and Wu Shuangren joined forces, they probably wouldn't be a match for Lu Yulin. He couldn't understand why Wu Shuangren was so confident.
"His approach is just his 'way,' it doesn't mean he's right."
Wu Shuangren turned to look into Lin Qian's eyes, "I'll show you what's right!"
Lin Qian and Wu Shuangren exchanged glances for a few moments, then nodded emphatically:
"Good!"
After saying that, he drew his gun and charged at Zhang Da.
"Kill--"
Xu Yu roared angrily from the crowd.
The guards then resumed their fighting, and the battlefield descended into chaos once more!
However, everyone consciously kept their distance from Lu Yulin and Wu Shuangren.
Wu Shuangren strode towards Lu Yulin.
Lu Yulin looked at Wu Shuangren approaching and shook his head:
Ignorance is bliss.
The moment he uttered the first word, he took a step forward, instantly closing the distance between them!
As soon as he uttered the second word, he thrust his spear straight at Wu Shuangren.
Raising the gun, flicking the wrist, and drawing the gun—it was clearly a series of continuous movements, but Wu Shuangren could only vaguely see a few fragments.
That's too fast!
Clang--
The sound of metal clashing was like a thunderclap, and a large cluster of sparks flew everywhere.
As the long spear was struck by the broadsword, Wu Shuangren twisted his body and used the momentum to step to the right.
Only then did Lu Yulin utter the third word. He withdrew his spear and thrust it out again.
Wu Shuangren only had time to dodge to the side this time; the tip of the spear almost grazed his breastplate.
As soon as the fourth word was uttered, Lu Yulin twisted his wrist, sheathed his spear, and thrust again!
Wu Shuangren slammed the hilt of his Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) into the ground, using the force to leap to the right, once again dodging the spear with a near-limit-limit posture.
As he uttered the last word "fear," Lu Yulin abruptly stopped his spear thrust, which was halfway through. He stepped forward, then withdrew his spear and thrust it out again.
At this moment, Wu Shuangren, so he could only swing his Mo Dao again to strike the spear shaft, causing the spear to deflect and graze his right shoulder.
Whoosh!
Amidst a piercing scraping sound, sparks flew everywhere, and several beetle blades were ejected.
Wu Shuangren used the momentum to retreat, creating distance between them.
To outsiders, everything that just happened seemed like an illusion.
Lu Yulin charged at Wu Shuangren, and in the blink of an eye, their weapons clashed twice before they abruptly separated.
In fact, during this process, Lu Yulin Wu Shuangren four times in succession!
There were no profound or mysterious techniques; all four spears were simply level spear strikes.
The bayonet was in a straight line.
One end of the line was on the tip of Lu Yulin's spear, and the other end was behind Wu Shuangren's armor.
Wu Shuangren had no doubt that if he had been stabbed just now, his armor would have been pierced through!
That lightning-fast exchange was the most stressful moment Wu Shuangren had ever faced!
But he showed no fear; instead, he stared intently at Lu Yulin with excitement.
Before the fight even began, he had already locked onto Lu Yulin with [Match for One Person], and his internal energy surged like a mighty river, vast and inexhaustible.
His essence, energy, and spirit have all been elevated to an unprecedented peak!
"Um?"
Lu Yulin also keenly noticed the changes in Wu Shuangren and looked at him with a strange expression.
Wu Shuangren's speed, strength, and reaction time just now were much stronger than when he was Yi Prefecture City!
Could it be that the other party, like Lin Qian, has already taken that step, or even gone further than Lin Qian?
Is this the source of your confidence to face me alone?
Lu Yulin spoke up.
"No."
Wu Shuangren shook his head. "You guessed wrong."
"Oh?"
Lu Yulin suddenly stepped forward again and fired his gun!