Chapter 23: Aura of Bloodshed

"How did this happen, Luli? Weren't you allowed to practice martial arts just half a month ago?"

The remaining two were astonished, but Luli merely shook his head. The Zhang family seemed stingy, sending only two second-stage and one third-stage practitioners to assassinate him.

The third-stage warrior wielding a knife had already been cut down by Luli. The remaining two second-stage warriors couldn't help but feel horrified.

"Quick, escape! He's definitely not a first-stage practitioner!"

The two black figures split, fleeing in different directions. A third-stage practitioner was dispatched with a single stroke of Luli's knife; the two remaining dared not continue facing Luli.

"Since you've come, don't think of leaving!"

After Luli spoke, the Swift Wind Blade Technique swiftly beheaded two more individuals.

All three assassins sent by the Zhang family were swiftly killed by Luli, becoming ten points of ferocity in his ledger.

At this moment, Luli suddenly looked in a certain direction, but there was no one there—only a few old tree branches swaying gently in the night breeze.

"Hmm, I clearly felt someone watching there a moment ago. How is it that I now feel nothing?"

Having said this, Luli saw someone rushing into the courtyard. It was Chen Kang and his daughter.

"Hire a carriage and send the bodies to the entrance of the Zhang residence!"

After saying this, Luli wiped the blood off the blade on the corpses.

On a old tree, a man in black watched Luli with astonishment.

"A mere Meridian Connection Fourth Stage practitioner, yet he detected my presence. It seems there won't be any trouble here tonight!"

At the Lord's residence, Lord Longcheng suddenly looked towards the entrance.

"Back so soon. What's the news?"

"The people sent by the Zhang family were all killed. Luli even had the bodies sent to the Zhang family's doorstep!"

"This lad suits my taste!"

If Luli heard this, he would undoubtedly shiver all over.

"There's one more thing, not sure if it's an illusion, but it seems Luli discovered me!"

"Oh, the formidable West Qin Hidden Guards discovered by a Meridian Connection Fourth Stage youngster!?"

"Maybe I'm mistaken; he merely glanced in my direction unintentionally."

"What if I recruit him?"

"He's quite remarkable!"

"Haha, it's the first time in these years that I've heard you praise someone!"

"But, young master, he's only at the Meridian Connection Fourth Stage for now."

"Do you know how long he's been practicing martial arts? Just half a month. Even the most terrifying geniuses in West Qin can't compare. Unexpectedly, during my training in this small city of Yunzhou, I encounter such a monster. Truly, the heavens bless the Long family!"

"What should the young master do next?"

"You've spoken quite a lot tonight. Order them to investigate the movements of Tianmang Twelve Strongholds. Once they're confirmed, wipe them out. Then I can present this training as my answer to my father!"

If Luli were present, he would surely detect the change in Lord Longcheng's voice, no longer the extraordinary middle-aged man from daylight but sounding like a young man.

"Take care of it immediately!"

As the most trusted guard left, Lord Longcheng felt his closest protector depart, gazing into the vast night.

"A Meridian Connection Fourth Stage in half a month can easily calculate and kill a practitioner of the same level. This Luli is indeed a monster. If Lu Tianxiong has a son like this and doesn't cherish him, he'll regret it in the future."

"But this Zhang Yao, thinking he can do as he pleases by marrying his daughter into the Marquis's family, what is a mere Marquis in my eyes? Zhang Yao, this is the last time. If there's a next time, the Zhang family won't need to exist!"

The next day, as Luli arrived at the martial arena, he felt the resentful gazes from the direction of the Zhang family. Luli smiled and walked directly towards the Zhang family.

"Did you like the gift I sent last night, Zhang residence?"

"Luli, today you will die on the stage. I was mistaken; you do have someone protecting you!"

Luli smiled but didn't explain. Someone protecting him? A joke. How could Luli have someone protecting him? That so-called father of his probably wished Luli had died on the stage yesterday.

As the second day of the grand competition began, a warrior from the Zhang family challenged Luli by name. Luli looked at the third-stage practitioner.

Why did the Zhang family still think those three weren't killed by him? Another one seeking death; Luli liked that.

Lord Longcheng glanced at Luli at this point, nodding silently. Luli suddenly heard a voice in his ear—sound transmission technique. It was Lord Longcheng communicating with him.

"Go ahead and do it, no need to hide!"

The voice echoed in his ears, and this time, Luli didn't hesitate. He jumped onto the stage, no longer concealing his abilities as he did yesterday.

In his hands, he held a long knife—the one gifted by Lord Longcheng yesterday.

With a cold flash, a head rolled, and the melodious system sound echoed in his mind, adding four more points to his ferocity.

Looking at Luli now, there was no trace of the disheveled appearance from yesterday.

The crowd below began to buzz with excitement. Many people had thought Luli was just lucky yesterday, that Zhang Zifeng had bad luck. But now, it seemed different.

A third-stage practitioner was killed with ease by Luli, who had only been practicing martial arts for a short half-month. 

"Did I hallucinate? Luli killed the third-stage Zhang family warrior with a single stroke!"

"He did kill him. What cultivation level is Luli now? He's only been practicing martial arts for half a month!"

"Half a month, and he easily killed a third-stage warrior. Terrifying!"

"More than the third stage; yesterday, Zhang Zifeng, it seems, was manipulated to death by Luli!"

The crowd was in an uproar, but Luli, holding the bloodied long knife, gazed towards the Zhang family.

"Zhang Yao, you said I would die on the stage today. Now I'm waiting for your Zhang family members to challenge me!"

With a bloodied knife, facing the entire Zhang family, the scene moved many hearts.

"Don't be arrogant! I will personally meet you. I'll use your head to honor my brother's spirit!"

At this moment, a member of the Zhang family jumped onto the stage, holding a long spear, resembling Zhang Zifeng.

"If you die, Zhang Yao will have no one left!"

Luli looked at the newcomer, then sneered. Zhang Yao had two sons and one daughter. The daughter was married into the Hou family in Cangyun City, and now, with Zhang Zifeng dead, only Zhang Ziyu remained.

Since he had killed Zhang Zifeng, Luli and the Zhang family were mortal enemies. There was no need to be polite now.

"If you want to kill me, Luli, practice for a few more years!"

Zhang Ziyu's long spear shook, creating a brilliant spear flower.

 Silver light flashed like a silver thread, bright as a shooting star.

The Zhang family's Shooting Star Spear Technique, presented as soon as Zhang Ziyu stepped on the stage. The crowd was already stirred up. Luli of the Lu family calculated Zhang Zifeng to death yesterday, and today, facing Zhang Ziyu, a fifth-stage practitioner, this would be the most anticipated duel in the grand competition.

"Brother Chen, who do you think will win?"

"There's no need to say; it's definitely Zhang Ziyu. He's already at the fifth stage, and he practices the Zhang family's Yellow-ranked high-grade martial art—the Shooting Star Spear Technique. Luli might have killed Zhang Zifeng, but the gap between him and Zhang Ziyu is too vast."