C12 The Promise of Two Years

Lei Hongyuan's voice boomed like thunder, causing everyone present to clutch their ears tightly. Some of the more frail individuals were even shocked to the point of bleeding from their ears, their eyes reddening with the strain.

Chu Tian quickly realized that Lei Hongyuan's power surpassed that of Chang Qianyu. If he were to engage in another battle with Lei Hongyuan, he feared it would be his last.

Feigning innocence, Chu Tian said, "Elder Lei, I was merely assisting Elder Chang Qianyu. I have no idea what happened, but somehow, the elder got impaled on my blade. Look, I can't even shake him off."

While speaking, Chu Tian shook the nameless blade in his hands vigorously. After a few moments, Chang Qianyu's screams subsided to weak moans that tugged at Lei Hongyuan's eardrums.

The centuries-old pride of the Coldtalons sect had been tarnished by a commoner, which infuriated Lei Hongyuan. He was determined that Chu Tian must die.

Lei Hongyuan took action, clutching a sword that crackled with lightning as he charged at Chu Tian. At such close quarters, Chu Tian stood no chance of evasion. Resigned to his fate, he stood still, bracing for the moment Lei Hongyuan's sword would pierce his body.

"Goodbye, Shen Mengxian," Chu Tian whispered to himself.

Shen Mengxian, upon seeing Chu Tian's expression, understood his thoughts. Disregarding Shen Xingsu's attempts to stop her, she moved to stand by Chu Tian's side. 'We must be together, no matter what,' she thought resolutely.

As a blinding white light was about to strike Chu Tian's neck, the black-clothed elder intervened. In an instant, he vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of Chu Tian, catching Lei Hongyuan's radiant sword with his bare hands.

The elder's speed was so incredible that no one could see how he had moved. When he materialized before Chu Tian, it seemed as though he had been standing there all along. Only Chu Tian, attuned to the elder's unique aura, could perceive his movement.

In truth, the black-clothed elder hadn't moved at all. He had made the entire world shift towards him. The onlookers, using the world as their point of reference, mistakenly believed the elder had taken action. In reality, it was they who had moved towards him, completely oblivious to the fact. The elder's profound mastery left Chu Tian in awe. To move the entire world in an instant—if only he could wield such power for even a second, his life, he felt, would be well-lived.

The elder in black robes grasped Lei Hongyuan's sword and remarked, "I never imagined Elder Lei's swordsmanship had reached the extraordinary level of transforming lightning into a blade. It's truly awe-inspiring. Had Elder Lei not been merciful, unwilling to slay the youth, and restrained himself to a mere fifth of his power, I would likely be gravely wounded by now."

His words sent shockwaves through the onlookers, reigniting their murmurs and excitement.

"Lightning as a sword? What's that about?" some in the crowd wondered aloud.

Others seized the moment to flaunt their knowledge: "You don't know about lightning as a sword? Tsk. Within the Coldtalons, there are two factions: the Hard Sect and the Soft Sect. The Soft Sect, as demonstrated by Chang Qianyu, employs the Dream Command to kill with illusions, concealing the real with the unreal. The Hard Sect, however, finds it most challenging and powerful to wield lightning as a sword. They focus on body and weapon refinement. Body refinement involves using cultivation to strengthen oneself physically to the point where the adept can perform feats like plucking the moon from the sky. Weapon refinement means creating a personal weapon. Consider Chang Qianyu—his sword is essentially a part of his soul, correct? That's a hallmark of the Soft Sect, where the weapon typically extends from one's body, like a sword from the hand, or it could be a personal item, such as a piece of clothing or an umbrella, all capable of transforming into a longsword in a soul state. In contrast, the Hard Sect's weapons are drawn from all things in the world, from something as small as a chopstick to something as vast as a star. The most fitting material for forging a longsword is the world's lightning—fatal on contact, wounding at a touch, sharper than any earthly blade, yet more resilient than any material. Such divine weapons are so rare that fewer than ten within the Coldtalons have successfully crafted one."

Some grew weary of the lengthy explanation, interjecting, "Why go on about this? It's as if you think we're all ignorant."

Lei Hongyuan, gripping the electric sword, attempted to wrest it from the elder's grasp, but it remained immovable, as if he were trying to tug on the handle of a planet. A wave of cold sweat washed over him. Since forging the electric sword, he had never encountered anything it couldn't slice through, yet the elder held the blade effortlessly, preventing him from withdrawing it—an achievement not even the Sect Master could boast.

Lei Hongyuan had just delivered his most powerful strike, yet in his eyes, it was perceived as merely a fifth-tier effort. Was this an attempt to save face, or had he genuinely overestimated his capabilities? These were the speculations running through Lei Hongyuan's mind.

The man in black spoke up once more, "The elder and I agreed to bear witness to the duel between these two young men. As their seniors, it would be unseemly for us to meddle in the affairs of the younger generation. We've all been through this; surely we understand such basic principles? This young man has already bested a new disciple of the Coldtalons, and yet Elder Chang Qianyu abruptly attacked him, attempting to kill him in one fell swoop. Does he not fear tarnishing the centuries-old reputation of the Coldtalons with such actions?"

Lei Hongyuan's grip relaxed. The black-clothed elder's invocation of the Coldtalons' principles might not sway others, but it was highly effective on Lei Hongyuan. Known for his strict treatment of disciples and as the most reputation-conscious elder outside the sect, he internally disapproved of Chang Qianyu's sudden assault on Chu Tian. A master swordsman stooping to strike a commoner from the lower realms was beneath him, and losing to the son of Yizera's Prime Minister was a disgrace. If he were to slay Chu Tian now, it would broadcast the incident across the Western Region, subjecting the Coldtalons to ridicule from all other sects.

Yet, Lei Hongyuan couldn't bring himself to forgive Chu Tian. The man had repeatedly insulted the Coldtalons that day. Failing to execute him would neither quell Lei Hongyuan's fury nor avenge Chang Qianyu—an outcome he found utterly unacceptable.

Lei Hongyuan declared, "Elder Shuo, with you present today, I will certainly heed your command. But this youth has wounded disciples of the Coldtalons and nearly slain an elder. Should word of this reach the martial community, where would the Coldtalons' honor stand? I cannot let this individual go unpunished."

The man in black gave a slight smile, "Elder Lei, as a Coldtalons elder, would you really lower yourself to challenge this youth, who possesses not a single vein of talent?"

Lei Hongyuan's face showed signs of embarrassment. For a moment, he was at a loss, his grip on the lightsaber faltering. Observing Lei Hongyuan's indecision, the elder in black released his hold on the lightsaber and, with a respectful gesture, said to Lei Hongyuan, "Today, the only one present of the same generation as this young man, and who has the rightful claim to kill Chu Tian, is this prince from the Yan Kingdom lying on the ground. Yet, he has been defeated by Chu Tian. I propose we make an agreement: we each take one of these young men under our wing, train them diligently, and reconvene here in two years. Then, we will let the youths duel to the death. This way, the honor of the Coldtalons Sect remains intact, and the world will witness the caliber of genius that the Coldtalons Sect can cultivate in two years. What do you say, Elder Lei?"

Lei Hongyuan was secretly thrilled. He was in no position to confront the man in black, nor did he have any means to kill Chu Tian. He was in a predicament, like riding a tiger with no way to dismount. The elder's suggestion of a duel in two years provided Lei Hongyuan with a graceful exit, sparing him from a direct clash with the man in black—a confrontation Lei Hongyuan doubted the Coldtalons could win.

Besides, although Yan Nanfeng was currently no match for Chu Tian, he was, after all, a prodigy with a Seven-Vein Meridian. Given two years, he could become one of the foremost masters in the Western Region. By then, Chu Tian, a talentless individual with zero meridians, would still be at his current level, hardly a challenge for Yan Nanfeng.

In the long run, the elder in black's wager was bound to fail. Lei Hongyuan sheathed his lightsaber and responded, "Senior Shou, I certainly won't refuse your proposal. We shall part ways with these two young men and return here in two years. At that time, the Coldtalons Sect will surely invite all the major sects to witness the outcome of this wager."

The man in black took the nameless blade from Chu Tian and extracted Chang Qianyu, who was now lifeless. Whether Chang Qianyu could be revived depended on how quickly Lei Hongyuan could act.