C7 Thunderous!

With a commanding shout from Lord Dai, the three elders finally plunged into the fray.

"Liu Xingchang, surrender now!"

One elder, distinguished by his white eyebrows, issued a cold command. Seemingly out of nowhere, a four-foot iron blade appeared in his grasp, slashing towards Liu Xingchang's head with unstoppable force.

A glint of icy resolve flashed in Liu Xingchang's eyes, and his sword thrust toward the elder's throat with the speed of lightning.

He was challenging the elder to a contest of speed – the slower one would meet their end.

In that fleeting moment, it was too late for anyone to intervene; this was a high-stakes duel for survival.

Yet for Liu Xingchang, it was not a gamble; he was suffused with self-assurance.

Despite being a ninth-grade Cultivator and initiating the attack, the white-browed elder's blade was outpaced by Liu Xingchang's swift swordplay!

The elder's blade never reached Liu Xingchang's head and it never would, for Liu Xingchang's sword had already penetrated his throat.

For a master swordsman, the fastest sword isn't the one that pierces the throat, but the one that pierces just enough to claim a life – without advancing an inch further or wasting even a fraction of a second.

Every onlooker's pupils contracted in shock, unable to fathom how Liu Xingchang, a mere seventh-grade Cultivator, could vanquish a ninth-grade Cultivator with a single stroke.

The remaining two elders squinted, their moment of restraint gone. They unsheathed their swords, striking with the deadly precision of viper strikes at Liu Xingchang.

These elders had both surpassed the ninth grade, marking them as true Cultivators.

In the expansive world of Cultivation, one must ascend through nine transitional grades to acclimate their mortal form to Spiritual Energy. Beyond these nine grades lies the Cultivators' gateway – the Spirit Mastery Realm.

Within the Spirit Mastery Realm are nine distinct levels, each one a new echelon of power.

The two gray-robed elders were both Cultivators at the first level of the Spirit Mastery Realm. Crossing into the Spirit Mastery Realm was tantamount to officially stepping through the gates of the Cultivation World, marking a substantial gap between it and the ninth grade. While it was common to see individuals in the nine entry-level grades successfully battle across realms, for a ninth-grade Cultivator to challenge one from the Spirit Mastery Realm was nearly impossible.

To onlookers, once the Spirit Mastery Realm elders engaged in combat, Liu Xingchang stood no chance of victory. Yet, was Liu Xingchang merely an ordinary seventh-grade Cultivator?

Bloodied but with a chillingly calm gaze, Liu Xingchang was undaunted by the elders' imposing aura. He keenly parried each attack, methodically forcing his way toward the Dai Mansion's exit.

"Upper Level One Spirit Technique—Devouring Edge!"

One elder, with sharp triangular eyes, bellowed as his sword burst forth with a brilliant gleam. Spiritual Energy was the cornerstone of a Cultivator's power, and mastering Spirit Techniques allowed them to wield this energy more effectively. Within the vast Great World of Cultivation, Spirit Techniques spanned nine levels, each with three tiers: upper, middle, and lower. An upper Level One Spirit Technique posed a formidable challenge for Liu Xingchang.

As the forceful wind approached, Liu Xingchang executed a lotus step, evading the attack with an indescribably deft movement, and simultaneously launched a counterstrike with his sword.

"Young man! Have you forgotten about me?"

The other elder, with white hair, coldly scoffed as his sword thrust toward Liu Xingchang from behind. Their strategy was clear: to prevent Liu Xingchang from defending on both fronts.

A chill ran through Liu Xingchang's heart. In a frantic response, he twisted his wrist, creating a flurry of sword flowers, and turned to meet the white-haired elder's blade.

"Clang!"

The swords' tips met with precision, and Liu Xingchang's sword shattered instantly. A formidable force sent him hurtling through the air.

"Chi."

Liu Xingchang's insides churned, and a sweet sensation rose in his throat. A mouthful of fresh blood stained his garment.

Liu Xinchang cried out anxiously, "Brother! I'm just a burden. Leave me and save yourself!"

Despite the blood smeared across his face, a faint smile still played on Liu Xingchang's lips. With a hoarse and pained voice, he said, "These mere broken bricks and rubble... they're not enough to stop me..."

The elder with triangular eyes sneered, "Your vital energy is depleted, and yet you dare to boast so boldly?"

The gaze of the white-haired elder was chilling as he said, "Surrender now, and I might allow you to keep your body intact."

"Heh..."

Suddenly, Liu Xingchang's eyes blazed with a storm of thunder, lightning flickering within, his presence swelling to an intimidating and formidable force.

"What an intense aura!"

The expression of the triangular-eyed elder shifted abruptly. "This kid is hiding something. Finish him off now!"

No sooner had he spoken than both the triangular-eyed and white-haired elders charged at Liu Xingchang.

"Thunder!"

In that moment, Liu Xingchang uttered a single word as if he were commanding the spring thunder, the rumbling in his eyes growing ever more fierce.

"Ting!"

The two elders had closed in on him.

"Ten thousand!"

Liu Xingchang lifted his sword, now only one foot and seven inches long, as the elders' blades reached for his heart and throat.

With just a fraction of a second more, Liu Xingchang would have stood no chance at all.

But at this critical juncture, Liu Xingchang's body erupted with an energy wave crackling with arcs of lightning.

Visible to the naked eye, this wave of energy caused the elders' swords to stall as if mired in mud, unable to advance the slightest bit.

Simultaneously, Liu Xingchang spoke the final word, "Jun!"

Thunderous Ten Thousand!

This was the last resort Liu Xingchang had relied on to save his life in his weaker days of his past life, and it was the only technique from his past that he could muster now.

In a flash, all the Spiritual Energy from his three Spirit Seas was drained, surging into his sword.

In that instant, Liu Xingchang's sword seemed to bridge the gap between the heavens' thunder and the abyssal sea of lightning, enveloped in a tempest of explosive energy.

"Huff!"

Liu Xingchang clenched his jaw and thrust his sword, brimming with immense energy, into the ground.

In a flash, blinding lightning lit up the entire hall. Everyone instinctively shielded their eyes. Simultaneously, a fearsome wave of sword qi radiated from the blade, exploding outward as if countless tons of gunpowder had detonated all at once.

The two elders nearest to Liu Xingchang were instantly blasted away by the lightning-infused sword qi. Their hands, which had gripped their swords, were now blackened and necrotic, possibly never to wield a sword again in their lifetimes.

Those in the hall with slightly weaker abilities were tossed about by the forceful current, ending up in disarray.

As the lightning faded, the hall was left in shambles. The two Dai Family elders were scorched and continuously spat blood, collapsing to the ground without the strength to even groan, their eyes wide and lifeless as dead fish.

All eyes swiftly turned to Liu Xingchang.

Shock and awe filled the gazes of the onlookers.

Everyone was tempted to pinch themselves, questioning whether this was a dream.

Could this truly be Liu Xingchang?

How could he be so powerful?

Liu Xingchang paid no mind to the astonished stares. He rose to his feet, supporting his weakened frame, and began to walk out, carrying his sister on his back.

As he approached, the sea of armored soldiers parted, none daring to intervene. They cast aside their helmets and armor, stepping aside to clear a path for Liu Xingchang.

With his sister on his back, Liu Xingchang moved forward with a determined gaze, navigating through the soldiers without a trace of fear on his face.

He continued on, his figure receding into the distance, his shadow elongating under the moonlight.

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