Three figures soon arrived outside the hall.
The two individuals beside the tall young man were the Wanluo School students Luo Feng had just defeated. Both now looked at Luo Feng with triumphant eyes, a cold smile touching the corners of their mouths.
"Senior Brother Duanmu, this is Luo Feng, the one who wounded Duanmu Yu!" the sword-wielding young man beside him said respectfully to the tall youth in front, after a sideways glance at Luo Feng.
"Senior Brother, he also crippled Xu Huan just now! This is a blatant disregard for our Wanluo School. You must teach him a harsh lesson and avenge Xu Huan!" The other chimed in, "Yes, it would be best to make him kneel and apologize first! Let him know the consequences of offending our Wanluo School!"
The pair bantered, acting as if they already had Luo Feng cornered.
Luo Feng watched all this with cold eyes, his gaze fixed on Duanmu Kuang, who stood between the other two.
Suddenly, Duanmu Kuang whirled around. With two sharp THWACKS, the two Wanluo School students who had been bantering were sent flying, spitting blood, their faces etched with disbelief. This scene startled everyone present.
"Senior Brother, what are you doing?" The two Wanluo School students scrambled up from the ground, clutching their swollen cheeks, and stared at Duanmu Kuang in astonishment.
Duanmu Kuang’s gaze was icy, his voice dripping with potent killing intent. He sneered, "Trash! Three of you defeated by a single person, and you still have the gall to stand here blabbering! One more word, and I’ll take your worthless lives! Scram!"
"AH!" The two Wanluo School students cried out in terror and stumbled back several steps.
"Senior Brother, we are trash! We’ll leave right now..." Faces pale, the two looked at Duanmu Kuang before scrambling out of the Qin Family mansion.
An eerie silence descended. Everyone stared wide-eyed at Duanmu Kuang, stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Duanmu Kuang withdrew his gaze. His tiger-like eyes swept over Luo Feng as he said solemnly, "Are you Luo Feng, the one who severed Duanmu Yu’s arm?"
Luo Feng met his gaze calmly and nodded. "Yes, that was me."
Duanmu Kuang’s eyes flashed with a dangerous light, like those of a wild beast, as he stared sternly at Luo Feng. "You dare to admit it! Do you realize the crime of harming someone from my Duanmu Family?"
Luo Feng gave a cold laugh and said nonchalantly, "In a duel, life and death are one’s own responsibility. Duanmu Yu lost because his skills were inferior. What has that to do with me?"
"HAHAHAHA... A good one, ’his skills were inferior.’ So, by your logic, it wouldn’t be a problem if I killed you right now?" Duanmu Kuang roared with laughter. His coarse laughter shook the very rafters, causing many Qin Family members with weaker cultivation to clap their hands over their ears in discomfort.
"If you think you have the ability, then by all means, bring it on."
Luo Feng remained unperturbed, his gaze fixed on Duanmu Kuang, his expression composed.
Duanmu Kuang detected the mockery in Luo Feng’s words but, instead of anger, he laughed. "You’re the first person to dare speak to me, Duanmu Kuang, . I originally planned only to break one of your arms today. However, for those words just now, you’ll pay with a second!"
"Duanmu Kuang, Luo Feng and Duanmu Yu fought a duel where they were responsible for their own lives. On what grounds are you seeking revenge for him?" Seeing the situation about to escalate, Lu Xuanshuang stepped forward, sword in hand, to stand beside Luo Feng, her brows knitted as she questioned him.
Duanmu Kuang noticed the Floating Snow School uniform Lu Xuanshuang wore, and his gaze turned cold. "Someone from the Floating Snow School? Stepping out now, do you intend to face me alongside Luo Feng? Excellent. My Blood Jade Sword hasn’t tasted blood in days; one more will make no difference!"
Luo Feng glanced at Lu Xuanshuang in surprise. It was clear she was deeply afraid of Duanmu Kuang, yet she had chosen this moment to speak up for him.
This girl does have some loyalty.
Luo Feng smiled faintly and gestured for Lu Xuanshuang to step back. "Lu Xuanshuang, this is between Duanmu Kuang and me. Stay out of it. I wouldn’t want people gossiping that I needed help to defeat him if he gets hurt."
Hearing this, Lu Xuanshuang’s beautiful eyes widened as she stared at Luo Feng, a mix of anxiety and anger churning within her.
How can he be so oblivious to the situation!
Duanmu Kuang was at the sevenfold Essence Storage Realm and cultivated the Red Chain Swordplay, a top-tier Yellow Grade swordsmanship. His strength ranked among the top twenty in the Wanluo School. Luo Feng, on the other hand, was only at the peak of the sixfold God Bravery Realm. If she joined forces with him, they might have a slim chance of victory. Otherwise, even that slim chance would vanish.
Duanmu Kuang, however, paid no heed to Lu Xuanshuang’s thoughts. Seeing Luo Feng’s arrogance, rage boiled within him.
"Boy, no one who dared act so arrogantly before me has ever lived to tell the tale! Die!"
With a low growl, Duanmu Kuang stomped a heavy foot forward. A booming sound erupted as large cracks instantly spiderwebbed out from under Duanmu Kuang’s foot. An immense power, like a colossal sea serpent, surged furiously towards Luo Feng. A muffled thunder seemed to rumble from beneath the earth, causing many Qin Family martial artists to lose their footing and stumble to the ground.
"The Wanluo School’s Tianluo Burst Cloud Step? Interesting..." Luo Feng mused, watching the advancing fissures. He smiled faintly, his body as immovable as an ancient bell in the deep mountains, and then he too stepped forward.
The two terrifying forces collided, shattering the ground between Luo Feng and Duanmu Kuang. Large cracks radiated outwards in all directions like a spiderweb.
"Quick, leave the hall!" Lu Xuanshuang exclaimed, urging the stunned Qin Family martial artists nearby to retreat.
Just as everyone scrambled out of the hall, several support beams at the entrance, each as thick as two people embracing, snapped, and half of the hall caved in.
"Are they even human?" one of the surrounding Qin Family martial artists exclaimed in astonishment, eyes wide.
"The Thunder Rush Shock Cloud Step from the Purple Sun School?" Duanmu Kuang looked at Luo Feng, an eyebrow raised. Both the Purple Sun School’s Thunder Rush Shock Cloud Step and the Wanluo School’s Tianluo Burst Cloud Step were superior-grade Yellow Class martial arts, their power levels nearly equivalent. As a martial artist at the seventh level of the Essence Storage Realm, Duanmu Kuang should have been able to suppress Luo Feng easily. Yet, in reality, the power of Luo Feng’s Thunder Rush Shock Cloud Step had surpassed his own. Luo Feng’s Thunder Rush Shock Cloud Step had reached the fourth stage, while Duanmu Kuang’s Tianluo Burst Cloud Step had only just entered the third. The disparity in their mastery was clear.
Lu Xuanshuang, watching from the side, also perceived this, a flicker of surprise in her beautiful eyes. Clearly, she hadn’t expected Luo Feng to so effortlessly parry Duanmu Kuang’s attack.
After a moment of surprise, Duanmu Kuang sneered, "Kid, you’ve got guts! Taste my fist again! Iron Rock Fist!"
Duanmu Kuang’s towering figure lunged forward, his fist enveloped in a layer of grey-black light, resembling steel.
"That’s Gang Qi! Luo Feng, be careful!" Lu Xuanshuang cried out, feeling the tremendous power in the punch.
Luo Feng’s expression was resolute, showing no fear. He bent his knees, coiling his body like a crouching tiger, then unleashed a defiant punch.
BANG! A violent sonic boom erupted, sending leaves in the courtyard rustling. The surrounding air seemed to boil, rippling with transparent shockwaves that spread outwards.
Upon impact, both recoiled. Luo Feng retreated three steps, while Duanmu Kuang fell back two.
How is this possible! Duanmu Kuang thought, stunned. He had believed his full-force punch would leave Luo Feng dead or crippled, never expecting them to be so evenly matched! He stood dumbfounded for a moment.
"Evil Qi Overwhelming the Sky!"
Still in mid-air from the recoil, Luo Feng instantly executed Steps in the Air. He pivoted, and with a feint of his Tiger Soul Saber, a dazzling black beam of energy shot out. Duanmu Kuang, caught completely off guard and unable to dodge, was struck on the left shoulder.
A spray of blood erupted as Duanmu Kuang’s left arm was severed. He grunted in pain, stumbling back ten steps.
Everyone froze, stunned into silence as they stared at the scene unfolding before them. Lu Xuanshuang pressed a hand to her lips, her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief, as if witnessing the impossible.
Luo Feng flicked the blood from his blade, his gaze cold as he looked at Duanmu Kuang, now ten steps away. "It seems your skills are the ones not up to par."
"You’ve actually cultivated the Sky Slayer Saber Technique to the fifth stage!" Duanmu Kuang’s tiger-like eyes stared fixedly at Luo Feng. After a brief moment of stunned surprise, he suddenly threw back his head and laughed. "Not bad! Luo Feng, you are indeed worthy of being my opponent!"
With a booming laugh, Duanmu Kuang suddenly drew his longsword. The longsword was four feet in length and a palm’s breadth wide. A faint red light shimmered along its blade, making it appear as if crafted not from metal, but from jade.
With a deafening roar, Duanmu Kuang’s four-foot longsword erupted with a two-meter-long beam of blood-red light, blazing like a scorching sun and illuminating half the sky.
"Red Blood Overturning Heaven!"
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The blood-red longsword danced wildly, a crimson hurricane stirring up sand and stones throughout the Qin Family courtyard. Everything seemed to be swallowed by that baleful, scarlet light.
"Not good! He’s trying to escape!" Lu Xuanshuang’s alarmed cry rang out. Then, two sharp CLAPS were heard. A gust of wind swept through, and the dust in the courtyard gradually settled.
Everyone looked around, but Duanmu Kuang was gone from the courtyard. Only deep sword gashes, nearly a meter deep, remained etched into the ground. A collective gasp went through the crowd.
"Luo Feng, I, Duanmu Kuang, will never forget the humiliation of losing an arm to you today! Once I’ve recovered, I will return to settle this score!" Duanmu Kuang’s voice boomed from all directions, his location indeterminable.
"Luo Feng, quick, after him!" Lu Xuanshuang urged, sword in hand, ready to give chase.
"No need. He’s long gone," Luo Feng said, stopping Lu Xuanshuang.
Lu Xuanshuang frowned. "Why didn’t you press your advantage and kill Duanmu Kuang? He’s ruthless and tyrannical. Not finishing him off while he’s injured is like letting a tiger return to the mountains. He’ll be even more dangerous next time, and prepared."
Luo Feng shook his head with a sigh, lifting his left hand. "Look..."
Lu Xuanshuang looked down and saw Luo Feng’s entire left arm trembling slightly. She furrowed her brow. "You’re injured?"
Luo Feng shook his head. "Just overexerted myself. I’ll recover after a short rest. However, that exchange showed me Duanmu Kuang’s true strength. Even though I severed his arm, I’d only have a sixty percent chance of killing him right now. Being from the Duanmu Family, he might also know the Red Blood Technique. We can’t afford to be careless."
The Red Blood Technique... Lu Xuanshuang’s gaze grew intent, and she nodded. "You’re right. If Duanmu Kuang does know the Red Blood Technique and were to fight back with desperation, he would indeed be difficult to handle. These scions of great families are so privileged; they all possess powerful secret techniques. It’s truly enviable!"
A hint of discontent tinged Lu Xuanshuang’s words. Then, she looked up, gave Luo Feng a quick wink, and smiled. "Still, Duanmu Kuang has been undefeated since entering the Wanluo School. Forcing him to leave an arm behind today is already an incredible feat."
Luo Feng offered a faint smile but didn’t reply directly. He glanced at the sky and said, "We can’t stay in Luoxia Town any longer. You spoke up for me; Duanmu Kuang might redirect his anger towards you. I’ll escort you to Mount Tianding."
"Hmph! I just couldn’t stand his arrogance!" Lu Xuanshuang said, lifting her chin with a light snort.