King of Ten Thousand Years

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: One Against Two

"My *Star Condensing Sword Point* has broken through to the Second-Layer. I should be able to fight Du Yuncheng and his men now."

Luo Tian went through the forms a few more times before slowly coming to a stop.

"Xiaotian, congratulations! Your martial skill has improved again!"

Ning Xueyao approached with a smile.

"Still, we need to hurry. We have to hunt Demon Beasts and gather one hundred thousand jin of flesh."

One hundred thousand jin of flesh was the condition the Sleeping Beast had given for letting them pass. If they tried to deceive and anger it, Luo Tian would likely be swatted to death by the beast before he could even leave Black Demon Ridge.

"No need to rush! First, I’ll kill Du Yuncheng and get my revenge!"

Luo Tian’s eyes turned ice-cold as killing intent surged from him.

Du Yuncheng was despicable and treacherous, with no bottom line. He went from the initial two-month marriage agreement to forcing Luo Tian’s hand with a three-day deadline.

Even after Luo Tian had paid off the debt, Du Yuncheng broke his promise and tried to forcibly abduct Xueyao.

To kill Luo Tian, he had leveraged the Du Family’s power, bribed the City Guard, and pursued him all the way to Black Demon Ridge, stopping at nothing!

If he didn’t kill Du Yuncheng, Luo Tian would remain on the defensive, trapped in an extremely dangerous and endless hunt.

"Revenge? You want to go back to Qingchang City?"

Ning Xueyao’s expression faltered.

"We don’t have to go to Qingchang City. They’re still outside the gorge!"

Luo Tian said with confidence.

Since his *Celestial Destiny Creation Technique* had broken through to the first layer, his senses were greatly enhanced, allowing him to vaguely perceive the killing intent coming from outside the gorge.

He was certain that Du Yuncheng and his two men had not left.

Ning Xueyao frowned. Knowing she couldn’t stop him, she bit her lip and said, "I’m going with you."

"No! You stay here."

Luo Tian couldn’t possibly let Xueyao risk her life.

"Together!"

Ning Xueyao insisted, revealing her stubborn side.

"Fine, we’ll go together. You can keep the Martial Artist at the Third Layer Peak occupied."

Luo Tian finally agreed.

’On second thought,’ he reasoned, ’Ning Xueyao’s background is extraordinary. She should be able to protect herself.’

「An hour later, night fell.」

Luo Tian and Ning Xueyao quietly slipped out of the gorge together.

A short while later, Luo Tian spotted Du Yuncheng and his men near a campfire.

Du Yuncheng and his two men were camped near a small hill.

A single puff of breath from the Sleeping Beast had crippled the Du Family’s Martial Artist at the Peak of the Third Heaven, and even Du Qian, at the Fifth Layer of the Meridian Opening Realm, was severely injured.

Only Du Yuncheng had sustained minor injuries, and he had already recovered.

"That brat will probably hide for a few more days. He’ll only dare to leave the gorge once he’s sure we’re gone."

Du Yuncheng’s sinister gaze drifted toward the gorge from time to time.

By then, the injuries of Du Qian, who was at the Fifth Layer of Meridian Opening, would also have time to heal.

Suddenly!

A blast of wind carrying a bone-deep chill swept over them.

Du Yuncheng shot to his feet. The four Qi Veins inside him flared, and powerful True Qi, glinting with a faint golden luster, erupted from his palm.

Illuminated by the golden light, the figure of a young man appeared. It was Luo Tian!

"Luo Tian?"

Du Yuncheng was stunned.

’It’s only been a day or two, and not only has Luo Tian come out, but he’s launching a sneak attack on me?’

"Courting death! You think a sneak attack is enough to deal with me?"

Du Yuncheng was ecstatic!

He had been getting impatient, worrying that Luo Tian would never come out.

He never imagined Luo Tian would deliver himself right to his doorstep.

’So foolish and naive!’

"Die!"

Luo Tian’s eyes were frigid as he struck first.

WHOOSH!

He activated his Divine Vein and thrust out his palm. A terrifying, cold power surged forth, carried by his True Qi.

WHOOSH!

Du Yuncheng met the attack, his palm glowing with a golden luster and wrapped in a layer of faint golden True Qi!

The *Golden Yuan Palm* he cultivated was the strongest among the Du Family’s Mortal Level Upper Grade Martial Skills. In terms of raw power, he was considered one of the stronger cultivators at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening.

BANG!

As the two palms collided, golden energy and chilling winds burst forth.

Du Yuncheng felt a fierce, domineering power radiating a winter-like chill invade his body.

His True Qi was being eroded and consumed.

"Hiss!"

Du Yuncheng cried out and quickly retracted his hand.

His palm was covered in a layer of frost, and his entire arm felt stiff.

"This... How can this be?"

Du Yuncheng’s face was a mask of disbelief.

’Even though Luo Tian got the jump on me and I had to respond hastily, without using my full strength... I should still be able to crush someone at the Peak of the Second Layer with ease!’

Hmph!

Luo Tian swayed slightly but steadied himself, his blood roiling within him.

’This Du Yuncheng is indeed worthy of being the Young Master of the Du Family,’ Luo Tian thought. ’His Palm Force is powerful. If it weren’t for my Divine Vein, my recent breakthrough in Cultivation, and using my Spiritual Sense to seize the initiative, I would have been at a disadvantage.’

"You little bastard! Just wait until I use my full power and see how you die!"

Du Yuncheng sneered.

Third form of the Golden Yuan Palm—Golden Thunderbolt!

Golden patterns coated Du Yuncheng’s palm, and a golden ball of qi swirled around it, rumbling like muffled thunder and radiating a dangerous aura.

’This palm strike is dangerous!’

Luo Tian felt an immense pressure. His Spiritual Sense could perceive the terrifying power of this move—enough to instantly kill someone at the Third Layer of Meridian Opening.

It was, without a doubt, more than twice as strong as his previous strike!

"Hmph, this killing move of mine once severely injured a cultivator at the same Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening," Du Yuncheng sneered, full of confidence.

Star Condensation Unity!

Luo Tian took a deep breath and slowly extended a finger, pouring all the True Qi from his Qi Veins and all his Divine Vein Power into the attack.

SHIIING!

A deep blue sword light pulsed from his fingertip, shining like a brilliant star. Its sharp, ice-blue aura carved a frost-rimmed groove into the ground.

BOOM! CRACK!

The thunderous golden Palm Light crashed against the sharp, deep blue Sword Point.

For a moment, the two attacks were locked in a stalemate, neither giving way.

Then, the icy frost spread, and the razor-sharp sword light pierced through the golden Palm Light.

"No! How is this possible..."

Du Yuncheng cried out in horror, his body recoiling.

SPURT!

A bloody gash was left on his palm.

’Luo Tian’s Sword Point is too terrifying!’ he thought. ’It’s as sharp as a Treasure Artifact, and that dreadful Cold Power...’

"How is your Attack so strong? Don’t tell me your *Star Condensing Sword Point* has already reached the Second-Layer?"

Du Yuncheng’s face was pale with disbelief.

The version of the *Star Condensing Sword Point* he had given Luo Tian was incomplete and notoriously difficult to practice. How had it become so easy for Luo Tian to cultivate? And its power was frightening.

His *Golden Yuan Palm*, also an Upper Grade Martial Skill, couldn’t even compete!

Du Yuncheng didn’t know that after being perfected by the Creation Celestial Book, the *Star Condensing Sword Point*’s Tier had been elevated to Spirit Level, Low Grade!

Moreover, Luo Tian had infused that finger strike with the innate Cold Power of his Nether Dragon Divine Vein.

"Young Master, we’re here to help!"

Just then, Du Qian and the other Du Family Martial Artist rushed over.

"Du Qian, what are you waiting for? Capture this brat at once!"

Du Yuncheng roared, his face filled with resentment.

’Du Qian is at the Fifth Layer of the Meridian Opening Realm. With a Fourth Layer expert like me at his side, there’s no way Luo Tian can resist us.’

Du Yuncheng wouldn’t let Luo Tian die so easily.

He wanted to make Luo Tian watch with his own eyes as Ning Xueyao writhed and moaned beneath him.

"You little thief, surrender now!"

Du Qian charged forward with a cold shout.

FWOOSH!

The five Qi Veins in Du Qian’s body flared with True Qi. His fist seemed to swell, wrapped in a dark yellow True Qi Vortex that kicked up a violent gust of wind.

"Two against one?"

Luo Tian sneered, unfazed.

After all, Du Qian was severely injured and couldn’t fight at full strength.

He released his Spiritual Sense. With his heightened reflexes, Du Qian’s movements seemed to slow several times over in his vision.

SWOOSH!

Luo Tian executed his *Wandering Body Step*, which had reached the Great Achievement Realm. His figure moved like a darting fish or a flitting bird, and he flashed behind a large tree.

CRACK!

The giant tree was snapped in two by Du Qian’s punch, but Luo Tian had already vanished.

The many obstacles in the forest allowed the advantages of the *Wandering Body Step* to shine.

"Young Master, watch out!" Du Qian turned and shouted.

WHOOSH!

Having dodged Du Qian’s attack, Luo Tian once again charged toward Du Yuncheng.

"You’re courting death!"

Du Yuncheng’s face darkened as rage erupted within him.

’This Luo Tian is fighting two-on-one and is still this arrogant? Does he think he has me cornered?’

But then he remembered Luo Tian’s terrifying strength and decided against a direct confrontation.

’I have to outsmart this brat!’

"Hmph! Let me show you my trump card."

A cold thought formed in Du Yuncheng’s mind.

As the Young Master of the Du Family, he was wearing a Defensive Treasure Artifact, the Golden Lock Armor, which protected his vital organs.

This Golden Lock Armor could block an attack from a cultivator at the Seventh Layer of the Meridian Opening Realm; it was his life-saving trump card.

Thinking of this, Du Yuncheng decided to feign defeat. He planned to endure Luo Tian’s finger strike with his Golden Lock Armor, then use the opening to launch a fatal counterattack.

Star Condensing Sword Point!

Luo Tian’s chilling Sword Point whistled through the air as it stabbed toward him.

"Die, you little thief!"

Du Yuncheng gave a savage laugh, letting the finger strike hit his chest while simultaneously blasting a golden palm strike toward Luo Tian’s head.

’With my Treasure Armor, Luo Tian’s finger strike can’t possibly harm me in the slightest.’

’But my palm strike will take his life!’

However, at that very moment...

The corner of Luo Tian’s mouth curved into a sly smile. "Even a Treasure Armor won’t save you!"

"Star Condensation and Chasing the Sun!"

The finger that had been aimed at Du Yuncheng’s chest suddenly swerved in a bizarre arc, striking the very arm he was attacking with.

PFFT!

The deep blue finger-sword light pierced through Du Yuncheng’s arm as if it were tofu.

"Aargh! My arm..."

Du Yuncheng screamed and tumbled to the ground.

A bloody hole had been punched through his arm. Blood sprayed out, and the entire limb was now useless.

"Luo Tian! You dare injure the Young Master! The Du Family will never forgive you!"

From the other side, Du Qian charged, enraged.

He never could have imagined that the Young Master, a cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening, would have his arm crippled by Luo Tian in a single exchange.

Du Yuncheng was even more baffled. ’How could Luo Tian have known I was wearing Treasure Armor?’