Many in the hall were stunned by the appearance of the flying knife artifact.
Even some martial arts grandmasters showed fearful expressions, their hearts trembling.
Such an artifact was incredibly powerful; even a martial arts grandmaster could be killed with a single strike.
It took the combined efforts of Master Huixing, Chongxu Zi, and Chen Fan to barely block this attack, and these were three martial arts grandmasters.
If there had been only one martial arts grandmaster present facing the man's flying knife, it would not have been surprising if they were unable to block it and had their throats slit by a single stab.
The condensed internal energy of a martial arts grandmaster could not withstand the sharpness of this flying knife.
However, the middle-aged man was not satisfied with his unsuccessful strike. He muttered something incomprehensible, his palm resting on the box, his gaze sweeping across the faces present.
The killing intent in his eyes sharpened and deepened.
It was as if a predator was searching for its prey.
As his gaze locked onto them, one martial artist after another felt a chill run down their spine, instinctively shrinking back and casting pleading glances at Zuo Lizhou.
Chongxu Zi and Master Huixing showed vigilance, their expressions serious and guarded.
Having locked onto one person, the middle-aged man sneered and prepared to open the box again.
"Stop!"
A sharp shout rang out.
A powerful aura soared upwards, with surging and profound true energy.
A figure strode forward, appearing out of nowhere, raising a hand like a blade and slashing towards the middle-aged man.
The man looked up and sneered, changing his mind.
As he opened the box, a beam of knife light shot towards the sky and arced towards the newcomer.
"This is the territory of the Heroic Alliance; you are not welcome to cause trouble here!"
With a furious roar, the attacker unleashed interwoven saber energy, slashing through the void.
It was Zuo Lizhou.
He had finally made his move!
Of course, this was not entirely unexpected.
The Heroic Gathering was his initiative, and these three had come to challenge them, so Zuo Lizhou could not stand idly by.
However, his immediate action, rather than waiting to observe further, surprised Shang Ruilong and some others.
The flying knife shot forward, instantly piercing through layers of energy.
The knife light crisscrossed, darting left and right, seemingly unstoppable, shattering Zuo Lizhou's saber energy into pieces.
Just as the flying knife spun and was about to reach him, Zuo Lizhou relaxed his right hand and suddenly brought both hands forward.
He did not attempt to grab the flying knife.
The flying knife was sharp and agile; as a powerful artifact, even Zuo Lizhou could not directly catch it.
However, Zuo Lizhou's fingers moved rhythmically, energy pulsing, his hands seeming to carve a vast circle that encompassed the heavens and earth.
A tremendous suction force appeared, covering all the area within his palms.
Once the flying knife entered this domain, it trembled incessantly, emitting a piercing shriek, but its speed greatly decreased, as if it had plunged into mud.
Zuo Lizhou let out a cold snort and clapped his hands together.
The flying knife seemed to freeze.
An immense martial intent enveloped a radius of ten feet.
The expression of the middle-aged man who had unleashed the attack changed. He held the wooden box, his brow furrowed tightly, as if trying to urge it on with great force.
Yet, the flying knife could not break free from its restraint.
All eyes were fixed on the scene, filled with shock and awe.
The flying knife slowed further and further. Zuo Lizhou suddenly loosened his left hand and reached out to grasp the flying knife.
The flying knife struggled, vibrating violently, trying to escape Zuo Lizhou's control, but he held it firmly.
However, the sharp knife intent of the flying knife still penetrated his palm, causing crimson blood to drip.
But the light of the flying knife was also stained by this, becoming increasingly dim.
"You... deserve to die!"
The middle-aged man strained harder, roaring with anger and a deep sense of injustice.
Just then, the young woman flicked her wrist.
Several points of cold light flashed, shooting towards Zuo Lizhou.
Upon closer inspection, they were seven small, bullet-like shuttles.
They moved with incredible speed, directly targeting Zuo Lizhou.
Zuo Lizhou was startled and shifted his position to evade.
This evasion weakened his restraint on the flying knife, allowing it to seize the opportunity to escape and fly back.
The cold lights missed their target, then curved in mid-air and flew back, being collected by the woman.
With a clang, the flying knife landed back in the box.
The middle-aged man's face turned somewhat pale. Staring at the blood-stained flying knife in the box, he showed a look of heartbreak and angrily exclaimed, "How dare you damage my Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife?"
Zuo Lizhou flicked the blood from his palm and said calmly, "Calling this an Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife? It's nothing special!"
The middle-aged man seethed with resentment.
Zuo Lizhou spoke sternly, "If these are all the means you possess, then the three of you should not leave. Stay here!"
"Insolent!"
The woman shouted, "A mere martial arts grandmaster dares to speak such arrogant words?"
The many martial arts grandmasters present breathed a sigh of relief.
These three cultivators were very powerful, their methods unfathomably strange, but Zuo Lizhou's strength was not inferior. He had blocked the Immortal-Slaying Flying Knife, which greatly reassured them.
They were also deeply impressed by Zuo Lizhou's power.
Undeniably, Zuo Lizhou's intervention acted like a stabilizing pillar, showcasing the demeanor and bearing of the Heroic Alliance's leader.
The man at the head of the group waved his hand, signaling the woman to cease speaking, and flashed a grin.
His smile was sinister and eerie, making one's scalp tingle.
"As expected of the Alliance Leader's stature, your martial cultivation is indeed extraordinary!"
He said faintly, "You can be proud that you were able to block my eldest disciple's flying knife!"
His words sent a shiver through the martial artists present.
Although this man was older, he didn't appear to have fought much, yet the flying knife user was merely his disciple?
If the disciple was already so formidable, how powerful was the master?
Could Alliance Leader Zuo handle him?
"The sharpness of a flying knife is indeed extraordinary!"
Zuo Lizhou seemed surprised, his pupils contracting slightly. "But it cannot kill a martial arts grandmaster. Would you care to offer me some guidance, sir?"
"Guidance? Not at all!"
The man said calmly, "Seeing as your cultivation is not weak, I will give you some face. You and your people step aside, and this matter will have nothing to do with you. I am only looking for others, how about that?"
Zuo Lizhou was taken aback and looked around at the other martial artists.
Many factions without martial arts grandmasters present began to panic upon hearing the man's words.
"Alliance Leader Zuo, you cannot abandon us!"
"Alliance Leader Zuo, we are no match for them. You cannot just look out for yourself!"
"Exactly, Alliance Leader Zuo, we were invited by you. Facing a great enemy, we will follow your lead!"
"Alliance Leader Zuo, after this matter, my Hong family will immediately join the Heroic Alliance. We request your guidance!"
"..."
The weaker martial arts families and sects began to plead earnestly.
Zuo Lizhou waved his hand and looked at the man, saying, "Before we proceed, may I ask for your esteemed name?"
The man cooperated readily and replied, "My name is Yin Yazi. These are my two disciples, Long Ya and Huan Die."
"So you are Mr. Yin Yazi. The Heroic Gathering was initiated by me, the Alliance Leader, and I will absolutely not allow anyone to act wantonly here. If Mr. Yin Yazi intends to seize the ancestral treasures of our fellow cultivators, you will have to pass through me first!"
Zuo Lizhou announced loudly.