Chapter 62: The Situation
As Lu Changfeng parried each of Sikong Jue’s strikes, he could feel the fury in his opponent’s eyes steadily growing.
Under the influence of his Ancient Sword Bone Dragon bloodline, it was easy for Sikong Jue to accumulate rage.
As Sikong Jue’s rage mounted, Lu Changfeng could feel the force behind his sword strikes increasing.
However, while his strength and speed increased, what little reason he had left was rapidly fading.
His sword strikes became increasingly reckless, relying entirely on speed and power as if he were a wild beast trying to rip Lu Changfeng to shreds.
Continuing to attack with his sword was perhaps the last shred of reason Sikong Jue had left.
In this way, Sikong Jue’s rising rage was actually to Lu Changfeng’s advantage.
Thanks to his Longevity Sword Dao’s Formless Tracing ability, Lu Changfeng grew more and more familiar with Sikong Jue’s attacks as the fight went on.
These moves, which he could now see through in a single glance, became increasingly easy to handle.
Offstage, the audience had clearly noticed something was wrong with Sikong Jue.
The aura of the Ancient Sword Bone Dragon emanating from Sikong Jue had an incredibly wide range.
The moment Sikong Jue activated his Bloodline Power, every member of the audience, regardless of their Cultivation Realm, felt the same thing Lu Changfeng did!
It was as if they were being stared down by a beast from Ancient Times!
It was a primal fear, passed down from the Ancient Era and embedded in their very blood.
Some ordinary audience members even pissed their pants in fear.
"Could this be the Sikong Family’s..." In a second-floor box, the venue’s elders felt this ancient aura as well. Gongsun Wu looked in shock at the man in charge beside him.
The man in charge was none other than Fengy Qingtian, the master of the Phoenix Martial Arts Hall—one of the three great Bone Refining Martial Arts Halls on Five Horses Street!
Fengy Qingtian looked like a handsome, refined middle-aged man, but he was a frenzied fighter. He was also Fengy Jiu’s master.
Fengy Qingtian nodded, his expression grave. "It must be."
His eyes scanned the audience, and just as he expected, he spotted the Sikong Family. Their Patriarch, Sikong Tuxiong, was on his feet, his expression ecstatic.
"We need to stop this match immediately, or there will be trouble," Fengy Qingtian said, his brow furrowed.
The Sikong Family was one of the Eight Great Families of Jiangnan Prefecture. With a thousand-year history, their heritage was far beyond what the Martial Arts Hall factions could match.
The Martial Arts Halls of Five Horses Street maintained their position through grassroots influence, not top-tier Combat Power.
If a real conflict were to break out, the reclusive old monsters from the Eight Great Families and the Sects would ensure the Martial Arts Halls suffered a crushing defeat.
"But Sikong Jue has clearly lost it! The Tendon Transformation-level referee can’t possibly stop two fighters this terrifying!"
Fengy Qingtian glanced at Sikong Tuxiong again. ’That old man... does he really want to see Sikong Jue kill someone?’ He stood up. "I’ll handle this myself!"
Meanwhile, the situation on the stage had changed drastically.
Lu Changfeng once again neutralized one of Sikong Jue’s violent slashes!
Lu Changfeng then found an opening and, with a backhanded stroke, slashed open Sikong Jue’s arm!
The Formless Tracing ability was simply too powerful. The longer the fight dragged on, the more openings Lu Changfeng could find, allowing him to wound Sikong Jue with ease.
"Hrrggh..."
A beastly, inhuman roar escaped Sikong Jue’s throat.
The pain from his injury made Sikong Jue’s body tremble slightly before the golden light in his eyes erupted with blinding intensity!
Sikong Jue had completely lost his mind!
He suddenly hurled his longsword at Lu Changfeng as if it were a javelin!
Propelled by immense force, the longsword whistled through the air!
Lu Changfeng shot backward, barely dodging the projectile with a slight twist of his head!
’This guy is insane!’ Lu Changfeng’s guard shot up, and he prepared to retreat at a moment’s notice.
Sikong Jue lunged forward. His sword-like hair, now tinged with a golden light, seemed to come alive, standing on end and shooting toward Lu Changfeng like a swarm of fine needles!
A profound sense of crisis washed over Lu Changfeng, and he shot backward!
At the same time, Lu Changfeng felt a faint itch between his brows.
A surge of energy instantly flooded his eyes.
To an outsider, it looked as if a small, dagger-like sigil had appeared on Lu Changfeng’s forehead.
A silver light poured from Lu Changfeng’s eyes, turning them completely silver!
Then, a terrifying aura erupted from Lu Changfeng, one that far surpassed that of the Ancient Sword Bone Dragon. The pressure was so immense that even Sikong Jue’s advance stuttered to a halt!
A command surfaced in Lu Changfeng’s mind. All he had to do was give the word, and the energy in his eyes would transform into endless Saber Energy, without a doubt dicing Sikong Jue into a pile of shredded meat!
’This is... the mark the Giant Elephant Woman left me...’ Lu Changfeng froze.
Across from him, Sikong Jue’s golden strands of hair froze bizarrely in mid-air. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes.
From the second-floor box, a figure smashed through the window and shot toward the ring!
At the same time, several figures leaped up from the audience!
Fengy Qingtian was the first to arrive, landing between Lu Changfeng and Sikong Jue. "The match ends here!"
Fengy Qingtian had used some form of Sound Wave Martial Arts. His voice boomed, snapping both Lu Changfeng and Sikong Jue out of their trances.
The light in their eyes faded. Sikong Jue’s form returned to normal, and he staggered before collapsing to the ground.
As for Lu Changfeng, the silver light in his eyes vanished, reforming into the sigil on his forehead, which then slowly faded from sight.
"Sect Leader..." Lu Changfeng said, looking at the only person he knew on the stage.
Luo Tianhao gave Lu Changfeng a reassuring look and stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Lu Changfeng.
A strange tension filled the arena.
The others who had arrived were all masters of the Bone Refining Realm.
Among them were Sikong Jue’s master, Yuan Zhen of the Taizhen Martial Arts Hall.
Fengy Qingtian, the master of the Phoenix Martial Arts Hall.
And the Patriarch of the Sikong Family, Sikong Tuxiong.
Yuan Zhen and Sikong Tuxiong now stood on either side of the unconscious Sikong Jue.
Sikong Tuxiong was the first to speak. "Regardless of his foolishness, he is still a son of the Sikong Family. I am taking him home."
Yuan Zhen didn’t move. A long object wrapped in beast hide was strapped to his back—presumably a sword.
His hair and beard were completely white, and though he was already a hundred years old, his frame was as solid as a mountain.
For a Martial Sect at the Bone Refining Realm, living to the age of one hundred and fifty was no issue.
"Sikong Family Master, how about we let him decide for himself once he awakens?" Yuan Zhen said, choosing his words with care.
Sikong Tuxiong shook his head, his expression light but firm. "Yuan Zhen, you don’t understand what this awakening means to the Sikong Family."
"I must take my nephew with me."
Seeing the tension, Fengy Qingtian interjected, "Gentlemen, if you would indulge me, let’s take this discussion upstairs."
Fengy Qingtian then turned to Luo Tianhao with a pleading look. "Sect Leader Luo, since you’re here, could you help mediate?"
Luo Tianhao just laughed and clapped Lu Changfeng on the shoulder. "I’m here for my Elder Lu. Your business is your own!"
"Whether there’s any persuading to be done... well, that depends on what my Lu Changfeng thinks."
"Elder Lu, what do you say?" Luo Tianhao asked.
Lu Changfeng saw the situation clearly. He was still coveting Sikong Jue’s Bloodline Talent.
If Sikong Tuxiong took him away, he could forget about any chance of copying it.
He clasped his hands and said, "Sect Leader, this duel isn’t finished. I’d like to wait for Sikong Jue to awaken so we can continue our match at a later time."
Luo Tianhao immediately understood. With a smirk, he looked at Sikong Tuxiong and shrugged. "What Elder Lu says, goes!"