Chapter 221: Chapter 140: Suppressing the Ten Heroes
When they heard that Chen Sheng and Lu Maozhi had actually made a bet, the guests who had been pretending to leave were suddenly rooted to the spot, unable to move an inch.
Curiosity, excitement, and anticipation flashed in their eyes, and a tide of whispers spread through the ruined courtyard.
It was simple: this was a fight not to be missed!
Chen Sheng had just annihilated the entire Qu Shui Song Clan with ruthless efficiency. His killing intent had yet to fade, and his ferocious aura was at its zenith.
As for Lu Maozhi, he was a True Inheritor from the Direct Lineage of Luoyun Manor. If he did nothing about the annihilation of one of his vassal powers, Luoyun Manor’s prestige in Ning’an Prefecture would suffer a devastating blow once word got out.
Some had speculated earlier that Lu Maozhi would intervene, but he had been holding back, wary of the Government Office’s power.
But now, with the Song Family’s fate sealed, this clash between young prodigies had become unavoidable after all.
On one side was the renowned True Inheritor of Luoyun Manor, one of the Ning’an Ten Heroes. Even if he held the lowest rank among them, he was still undeniably at the apex of Ning’an Prefecture’s younger generation, with a solid Cultivation and a powerful background.
On the other was a rising star from the Jingwu Bureau who had made a shocking debut. Though he had only just reached the Earth Fiend realm, he had brazenly slain the veteran expert Song Renyi. His strength was unfathomable, his methods decisive and ruthless, and he made no effort to conceal his sharp edge.
If Chen Sheng won, he would be using one of the Ten Heroes as a stepping stone to rise higher. His fame would skyrocket, and he would truly enter the ranks of Ning’an Prefecture’s top young experts.
If Lu Maozhi won, he could use the victory over a rising star from the Government Office to mitigate the fallout from the Song Family’s destruction, thereby solidifying his own reputation and that of Luoyun Manor.
And that was to say nothing of the tantalizing wager, which set everyone’s imagination racing.
The twenty precious Elemental Crystals were a secondary concern. The agreement for "one dinner engagement with the legitimate daughter of the Wang Family" was fraught with such subtle implications that any astute observer could understand what was truly at stake.
If Chen Sheng were to take Wang Zilan to this dinner, Lu Maozhi would utterly lose face before the entire Jianghu of Ning’an Prefecture.
For a moment, everyone’s minds raced with their own calculations as their gazes darted between Chen Sheng, Lu Maozhi, and Wang Zilan, who stood quietly to the side.
Although the situation prevented anyone from openly taking bets, private speculation and anticipation were already at a fever pitch.
.....
Hao Tong, Vice General of the Military Preparation Army, frowned at the sight and sighed inwardly.
Though he admired Chen Sheng, he knew better than anyone the caliber of the Ning’an Ten Heroes.
Chen Sheng had just fought a pitched battle, so his True Qi was surely depleted. Furthermore, his Cultivation was a notch lower. Accepting this challenge now was, in Hao Tong’s opinion, utterly foolish. But what was done was done. All he could do was watch from the sidelines and hope for a miracle.
Wang Zilan quietly retreated to the edge of the crowd, her lovely eyes fixed on Chen Sheng’s straight-backed figure. Deep within her gaze, nervousness and hope intertwined.
She had wagered a dinner engagement, but in truth, she was betting her one slim hope of escaping her marriage contract on Chen Sheng.
That was why she had fanned the flames and backed Lu Maozhi into a corner.
But she had no certainty of the outcome and could only pray in her heart for Chen Sheng to win.
On the field, the ones with the most confidence in Chen Sheng were, without a doubt, the Jingwu Guards under his command.
Xu Shenzhi stood cradling his saber, his gaze burning with intensity.
When he heard the wager involved Wang Zilan, his heart gave a great leap. Though it was ultimately just a simple dinner, he was filled with anticipation.
As for who would win?
Like his brothers in G Camp, he had an almost blind faith in his captain.
Having followed Chen Sheng for some time, they had come to understand their superior’s disposition. He would never agree to a public duel like this unless he was absolutely certain of victory.
Therefore, he was convinced Chen Sheng would win this fight.
.....
In the center of the Song Family’s ravaged courtyard, the crowd cleared a space ten zhang in diameter.
The ruined walls and still-wet bloodstains added to the grim and somber atmosphere.
Lu Maozhi took his position, his expression grave. His earlier anger and indignation had been replaced by focused battle intent. He stared at Chen Sheng and slowly drew a longsword from his waist. The blade was a deep cyan and seemed to shimmer with a faint, flowing light. He pointed it forward and said in a low voice:
"Deputy Captain Chen, please, make the first move. I’d hate for gossips to later claim I used my superior Cultivation to bully you and that it was a dishonorable victory."
His words sounded magnanimous, but they couldn’t conceal the pride and confidence he felt as one of the Ten Heroes.
He believed he had at least an eighty percent chance of winning.
Otherwise, he never would have accepted a wager that concerned both Wang Zilan and his own honor.
"In that case, I won’t be polite."
Chen Sheng gave a faint smile. The words had barely left his lips before he was in motion.
BOOM.
The stone tiles beneath his feet shattered as he launched himself into the air like a bolt from a heavy crossbow. A cold light flashed in midair as the Cold-Intimidating Blade was unsheathed.
There was no flashy opening stance—just a chilling blade arc, so condensed it seemed solid, that tore through the air with a piercing shriek as it descended upon Lu Maozhi.
"A fine strike!"
A sharp light flashed in Lu Maozhi’s eyes. He neither dodged nor retreated. His Cyan Light Sword let out a clear hum, and a vibrant, emerald Sword Qi flared up, swelling to meet the descending arc with perfect precision.
CLANG—!!!
The sound of metal on metal rang through the heavens. A violent Qi Force exploded outward in a ring, kicking up a storm of dust and debris.
In their initial clash, they were evenly matched.
Lu Maozhi swayed slightly, then used the momentum to leap into the air, instantly seizing the high ground.
A vicious glint flashed in his eyes. With a few rapid flicks of his wrist, seven or eight jets of cyan Sword Qi shot out like a peacock spreading its tail, raining down from different angles to seal off all of Chen Sheng’s escape routes.
Chen Sheng’s expression, however, remained unchanged. Though still in midair, he didn’t pause for a moment. His Cold-Intimidating Blade carved a perfect arc, Evil Qi surging from its body to form a solid barrier that he thrust outward.
