"You shouldn’t have interfered in this matter," Lu Changhen said hoarsely.
"Why shouldn’t I?" Ji Ruobing said calmly.
"Just because it’s you? Lu Changhen, you think too highly of yourself."
"I didn’t want to do this, but because of your meddling, they all must die," the sword in Lu Changhen’s hand trembled.
He stuck out his tongue and licked his lips, as if recalling something exciting.
At this moment, Xu Zimo also walked out from the shop.
He looked at Lu Changhen, slightly surprised.
The two had met before.
On his way to participate in the Martial Heaven Tournament, he and Monk Great Wisdom had seen a young man fighting the Undying Race. That youth possessed one of the hundred battle physiques, the Undying Physique.
And judging by the techniques he used, Monk Great Wisdom had once speculated that he was a disciple of the Immortal Extinction Sacred Ground.
He hadn’t expected the two of them to meet again in such a way.
However, Xu Zimo felt the other should have forgotten about him already.
After all, it was just a passing encounter, without much interaction.
"Young Master Xu," Fan Luoyu greeted beside him.
Xu Zimo nodded slightly, gave a yawn, and said, "What’s going on today? The street is so deserted, nothing like its usual liveliness."
Fan Luoyu lightly tugged at Xu Zimo’s sleeve and said, "That man in front is Lu Changhen."
"I know," Xu Zimo nodded, then looked at Ji Ruobing and asked, "Can you defeat him?"
"Fifty-fifty," Ji Ruobing replied calmly.
Lu Changhen, like his elder brother Lu Changhen, was one of those rare peerless geniuses.
If not for his excessive bloodlust, perhaps the contest for the position of Holy Son might have included him as well.
"Then I’ll leave it to you," Xu Zimo waved his hand.
If he didn’t have to step in personally, he couldn’t be bothered to.
After all, once he struck, it meant trouble would follow again.
Lu Changhen seemed to hold quite a high position within the Immortal Extinction Sacred Ground. If Xu Zimo accidentally killed him, those elders of the sect would come after him, beating the young then bringing the old and then the even older...
Xu Zimo found that tedious.
Letting Ji Ruobing take action, since they were of the same sect, no matter how big the conflict got, it would remain a family matter.
"Hey, how can you be so ungentlemanly," the youth named Zhihang shouted at Xu Zimo. "How can you let a woman fight in such matters? Didn’t you once defeat Senior Sister? What are you afraid of?"
"You want to play the hero so badly," Xu Zimo chuckled. "Then why don’t… you go?"
"You…" Zhihang pointed at Xu Zimo, speechless for a long while. "Fine, I’ll go. I see now you’re just a coward clinging to life."
"Oh, so you could tell that too," Xu Zimo laughed lightly.
Zhihang snorted coldly, then with a slightly broad sword in hand, faced Lu Changhen.
"Step aside," Lu Changhen said indifferently.
"I won’t," Zhihang said, though nervous, still standing his ground.
"Do you want to die?" Lu Changhen lifted his eyes, killing intent surging madly.
"Zhihang, you are not his match. Let me," Ji Ruobing spoke from the side.
The aura around her surged as she walked forward slowly.
She ordered, "Xian Ying, Zhihang, you two just protect Miss Fan."
"Saintess, I’ve long wanted to spar with you," Lu Changhen looked at Ji Ruobing, excitement flashing in his eyes.
"Ancient Sword Style," Ji Ruobing snorted coldly. The sword in her hand pierced through layers of clouds, transforming into countless techniques that slashed toward Lu Changhen.
On this wide main avenue, there was not a single soul.
Only the soaring sword aura echoed endlessly.
"Hiding the sword in the edge, the sword descends upon the four seas," Lu Changhen naturally was not to be outdone.
A flash of blood-red gleamed along his blade, followed by an endless flood of sword intent.
Two different sword intents collided, each brimming with profound meaning.
One sword traveled through the ages, dazzling the world, sharp and unrivaled.
Another was domineering and overflowing with killing intent, charging straight into the heavens, the Extinction Sword descended.
"Who do you think will win?" Xu Zimo leaned comfortably against the shop doorway, smiling as he asked.
Zhihang glared angrily at Xu Zimo, still sulking over what had just happened, and didn’t answer.
But Xian Ying beside him laughed and said, "Before Senior Sister left the sect last time, she fought that Lu Changhen. It was a draw, neither gained the upper hand. Now, after so long, it depends on whose progress has been greater."
"It’ll definitely be Senior Sister Ji," Zhihang quickly said.
"That guy surnamed Lu is nothing. Even his elder brother might not be able to outshine Senior Sister. One day, Senior Sister will surely be the one to bear Heaven’s Will."
"Seems you’ve got blind faith in Ji Ruobing," Xu Zimo chuckled.
"Of course," Zhihang replied firmly.
"I heard Ji Ruobing practices the sword art of the Ancient Emperor. While Lu Changhen, he learns the sword art of your sect’s ancestor, the Extinction Emperor." Xu Zimo laughed, "This battle will be interesting to watch."
The Immortal Extinction Sacred Ground’s founder, the Extinction Emperor, was likewise a remarkable emperor.
In fact, people often compared the Extinction Emperor with the Slaughter Emperor.
But the two truly belonged to different extremes.
The Slaughter Emperor walked a single path to the very end, only caring about kill or be killed.
Whereas the Extinction Emperor, though also excessively ruthless, cultivated the Dao of Extinction, not the Dao of Slaughter.
While these two Daos were somewhat similar in certain respects…
But the differences between Daos are distinct, and especially so when magnified infinitely further down the path.
……
At this moment, in the middle of the main avenue, the two were already locked in fierce combat.
Two opposing sword intents surged violently.
The surrounding buildings collapsed entirely, yet the fight remained undecided.
"Extinction Immortal Slash," Lu Changhen, dressed in green, his aura roaring within the gale.
His sword intent was frenzied, filled with destruction.
But Ji Ruobing’s sword intent was equally unyielding, like a towering tree rising to pierce the heavens.
With a loud boom, the sword intents clashed again. Space itself was split apart, the world darkened as wind and clouds churned.
"Again," Ji Ruobing snorted coldly.
Behind her, the Myriad Tribulation Cone began to manifest. As soon as her true fate appeared, she was like a true deity.
Wielding thunder in her hand, she gave a light shout.
"Heavenly Thunder Tribulation."
Thunderclouds gathered in the sky. But just then, a shout resounded.
"Enough, do you want to destroy this Immortal City?"
As the voice fell, an overwhelming pressure descended instantly.
It forcibly suppressed Ji Ruobing’s Myriad Tribulation Cone.
The thunderclouds in the sky also dispersed.
Everyone’s faces were shocked, all turning to look at the northern horizon.
There, an elder’s shadow gradually condensed into form.
"Grand Patriarch."