C16 Change Mission(2)

The cultivation effects were not in the same league as the practice itself. Lin Shouchai readily agreed, for in his eyes, Lee Tianhu was as good as dead. Even if Lin Dafei failed to kill Lee Tianhu in the end, Lin Shouchai was prepared to take matters into his own hands.

Wang Yufei's confidence stemmed from his system. If he couldn't protect a single person, there was no point in Wang Yufei assigning tasks to others. Naturally, if Lee Tianhu was destined to die, it should be by Wang Yufei's hand.

After all, Lee Tianhu possessed a skill fragment that Wang Yufei was determined to obtain.

Suddenly, on the Platform of Life and Death, a white-bearded elder appeared. This venerable figure was the caretaker of the platform. Anyone stepping onto the platform had to sign a life and death contract with him. After the two combatants had signed, the elder sighed deeply and addressed them.

"Lee Tianhu, Lin Dafei, once you ascend the Platform of Life and Death, you must do so without regrets. Your fates will be left to the heavens, and your families shall not hold my sect accountable for any consequences."

This admonition was largely unnecessary; only the most formidable families would dare to disrupt the Sword Immortal Sect. Otherwise, it was all talk. Lee Tianhu and Lin Dafei nodded without showing any emotion.

As soon as the white-haired elder departed, Lee Tianhu sprang into action. His body moved with the precision and grace of a drawn sword, cutting through the air in a swift arc as he charged at Lin Dafei.

Simultaneously, Lee Tianhu's Innate Python Move was unleashed, its massive head emerging slowly. The crowd was electrified by this display of a once-in-a-century talent. But Lin Dafei was no pushover.

An illusory flame above Lin Dafei's head burst into a myriad of sparks, floating before him. His palms, ablaze with tiny flames, hurled fire towards Lee Tianhu.

The two were evenly matched in their intense clash. Yet Lin Dafei's awakened talent was fire, far from a low-tier ability. It seemed as though a mere breeze could snuff out those flames. When compared to Lee Tianhu, Lin Dafei's combat prowess was simply in a different realm, as stark as the difference between heaven and earth.

Just as expected, in the blink of an eye, Lin Tianhu took control and, like a python emerging from its lair, swiftly ensnared Lin Dafei's body. Despite the man's desperate struggles, he was bound as securely as a stake in the ground.

To Lin Tianhu, Lin Dafei was nothing more than a live target at that moment. Wang Yufei watched with a smirk. But then, he turned and whispered something into Zhang Tianmeng's ear, leaving him momentarily taken aback.

Nonetheless, Zhang Tianmeng didn't hesitate. He nodded at Wang Yufei with a smile and quickly departed. Shortly after, Wang Yufei issued Zhang Tianmeng a mission: "Mission for Zhang Tianmeng: Rescue Lee Tianhu within an hour and escort him away from the Platform of Life and Death to receive a mysterious reward."

What Wang Yufei had whispered was simply a directive for Zhang Tianmeng to disguise himself at Qiao Manor and then rescue Lee Tianhu when he was injured. Wang Yufei was certain that Lin Shouchuan would intervene.

Wang Yufei's decision not to issue the mission directly to Zhang Tianmeng was a test to see if Zhang truly wished to remain by his side. Whether Zhang would suspect the mission's origins didn't concern Wang Yufei.

Unfazed, Wang Yufei knew that even if Zhang did suspect, he might just conclude that Yufei was the secret offspring of some elders. As Zhang Tianmeng left, Yufei's gaze followed Lin Shouchuan.

Suddenly, several silver needles appeared in the man's hand. Yufei's lips twitched slightly. He had thought Lin Shouchuan would confront Lee Tianhu openly, but instead, Lin Shouchuan chose to maintain his facade and launch a stealthy attack.

With a flick of Lin Shouchuan's wrist, the silver needles, as if guided by sight, shot towards Lee Tianhu on the Platform of Life and Death. Lee Tianhu, having swiftly bound Lin Dafei with his python-like move, had clearly gained the upper hand. However, Lee Tianhu could never have anticipated a sneak attack from Lin Shouchuan below. As the needles pierced his flesh, Lee Tianhu's complexion began to shift, his once-raised fist now feeble and his body teetering on the brink of collapse.

Initially at a disadvantage, Lin Dafei suddenly seemed to lose the will to fight upon seeing Lee Tianhu. It wasn't lost on Lin Dafei that his elder brother must have intervened from his position below the stage.

From the outset, when Lee Tianhu issued his challenge, Lin Dafei had discreetly informed Lin Shouchai via a voice transmission talisman that he was no match for Lee Tianhu, who possessed the talent of the python.

Lin Dafei's face twisted into a snarl as he threw a punch, fierce as a gale, directly at Lee Tianhu's head. The female disciples instinctively shut their eyes, dreading the sight of Lee Tianhu's head possibly bursting like a smashed watermelon. Meanwhile, Li Yaoqian was too terrified to remember her duty to protect her cousin at school.

But just as the tension peaked, the air shifted. A vicious blade energy cleaved through the sky, forcing Lin Dafei to stagger back several steps. The crowd rose to their feet in shock.

The identity of the mysterious figure in black was unknown to all but Wang Yufei, who remained nonchalantly seated. The man in black was none other than Zhang Tianmeng in disguise, wielding a saber he had acquired through a mission given by Wang Yufei.

Zhang Tianmeng felt a twinge of anxiety. He didn't fear Lin Dafei but was wary of Lin Shouchai. His actions confirmed his suspicions: Wang Yufei had instructed him to rescue Lee Tianhu in disguise at a critical juncture.

Having now received a mission with identical instructions from his sect, Zhang Tianmeng was convinced of Wang Yufei's connections with the sect elders. He realized that clinging to Wang Yufei's coattails could easily secure him a position of influence within the sect.

Thus, Zhang Tianmeng was both apprehensive and exhilarated. He had never imagined opposing Lin Shouchai, especially after overhearing the exchange between Lin Shouchai and Wang Yufei. If Zhang Tianmeng succeeded in saving Lee Tianhu, it would mean Lin Shouchai had been bested by Wang Yufei.

As the unexpected blade energy surged towards him, Lin Dafei's expression shifted. He quickly summoned his own flames to counter the overwhelming force. Meanwhile, Zhang Tianmeng gripped his battle blade with both hands, unleashing his blade energy from above in a powerful downward strike.