System: I Can Open Martial Arts Chests

Chapter 382: Chapter 222: Heaven and Earth Shaken by the Storm! (Part 2)

"You’re not old; you’re only forty-four, in the prime of your life."

Li Hanguang’s voice was tinged with regret:

"You’ve taken the wrong path, gone astray, and drifted further and further."

"Hahahaha!!"

Shen Juke suddenly burst into laughter:

"The wrong path? There are countless paths in the world. Who dares claim they’re always on the right one? I pursue what my heart desires and work hard towards it. Where exactly did I go wrong?"

"A gentleman takes what he likes with integrity.

"For selfish gain, relying on Martial Arts to seize and plunder, how is that not wrong?"

Li Hanguang’s face was full of anger:

"In the past, when you held a sword, for what purpose was it?"

"Holding a sword... to achieve my desires!"

Li Hanguang, upon hearing this, laughed:

"If that were truly the case, then why are you so despondent now?"

"Because... what I pursued has come to nothing."

With those words, Shen Juke tapped his foot:

"Come, let me see what skills you still have!?"

Sword Qi gathered around him, forming a massive disc with beams of Sword Qi barely a foot long revolving behind him.

His figure stalled, as if merging into the disc of Sword Qi. In an instant, the human essence seemed cut off, and boundless Sword Intent spread in all directions.

Merging body with the sword, Human-Sword Unity!

Suddenly, Shen Juke vanished, leaving only a massive Sword Qi soaring from the ground, the sword tip pointing skyward as if to pierce the clouds.

The broad sword shadow spanned seven or eight feet, its lines clearly visible.

The sword tip pointed, and a crisp clang was heard.

Li Hanguang crossed his chest with his sword, propelled by the sword tip, soaring hundreds of meters high in the blink of an eye!

But just then, the sword shadow dissipated. In mid-air, Li Hanguang suddenly lifted his head to see Shen Juke already above him.

He was high above, descending with one swift stroke!

The massive sword shadow enveloped him from all sides, appearing like an Immortal descending with a sword to vanquish all demons.

This was the ultimate move "Heaven-Shocking Mist Break" from the "Heaven and Earth Shocking Mist Sword"!

The virtual image of condensed Sword Qi seemed tangible, with a sharpness that reached the ground. It was the focal point, with the surrounding area nearly a hundred meters distanced, all under the range of this Sword Qi.

Li Hanguang’s pupils contracted sharply, as his sword spun to his waist. Mid-air, his figure was still able to gather Sword Momentum.

Light suddenly brightened from the long sword, thrust upward as Sword Qi shot to the sky!

The "Nine Forms of Autumn Light Sword," "Killing Intent with This Autumn"!

The massive sword shadow and the radiant sword light collided, stirring up wave after wave.

The virtual image and Sword Qi exploded with a tremendous roar, shaking both individuals. But in mid-air, the swirling wind momentum avoided causing too much destruction.

The next moment, both the virtual image and Sword Qi shattered, as the two swords collided in space.

Their sharpness intersected, slashing in countless arcs!

Endless sharpness spread in all directions, as bedraggled Shen Juke let out a brief shout, pressing down with his Sword Intent.

Li Hanguang spewed blood from his mouth, involuntarily falling under the pressure of the Sword Intent.

He ultimately couldn’t stand in mid-air. The force of descent, along with the sword’s intrinsic power, made both figures plummet like falling stars from hundreds of meters high!

In the blink of an eye, they crashed to the ground with a tremendous boom!

Innumerable Sword Qi erupted, creating a chain of explosions around them, collapsing walls, and the already dilapidated main hall finally shattered and collapsed.

Smoke and dust filled the air, forcing the distant spectators to cover their noses and mouths with their sleeves. They couldn’t discern who had prevailed in this battle at this point!

Suddenly, a strong wind swept the area, dispersing all the dust.

The crowd looked towards the core, seeing Li Hanguang, blood splattering from his mouth, leaning against a broken wall, struggling to raise a wine gourd to his lips.

His sword was broken... the upper half flung somewhere unknown, leaving only half a long sword in his hand, tightly grasped, unwilling to release.

As for Shen Juke, his clothing was ragged, as if cut hundreds of times, with frayed sleeves and shredded hems.

Blood flowed unabated from the corner of his mouth, with brilliance gathered in his eyes, holding his long sword high!

Yet his sword wasn’t striking empty air.

It was caught within someone’s palm...

A young man dressed in black, with a sword at his waist, held Shen Juke’s sword with one hand.

Everyone instantly recognized this person... the Third Young Master!

"He actually caught that sword barehanded!"

"Li Hanguang is indeed defeated... Hero Jinglan is truly not just a name!"

"Li Hanguang is still a bit young; isn’t it normal that his Inner Power Cultivation can’t match up to Shen Juke? Do you think everyone is like the Third Master?"

"The Third Master’s age is younger than Li Hanguang’s, right? How did he practice his Martial Arts?"

The onlookers were never lacking; even if the battle was earth-shattering, they could find a place of safety amidst the crisis, and quietly observe the spectacular fight, commenting on it.

Chu Qing didn’t bother with these people; he just looked at Shen Juke:

"Earlier you said, who died?"

He hadn’t forgotten the main issue; without an answer from Shen Juke’s mouth, he wouldn’t let it go.

Shen Juke seemed to be stunned for a moment, as if he didn’t expect Chu Qing to be so persistent in asking this question.

For a moment, he was somewhat puzzled...

He actually didn’t want to kill Li Hanguang; after all, they had years of friendship.

He knew Chu Qing was watching, so he wanted to showcase his learning fully and wildly before he died.

Chu Qing’s appearance to block his sword was already in his expectations, but he never thought Chu Qing would still ask about the earlier question.

But at this point, Shen Juke didn’t care about hiding anything; he just said plainly:

"Madam Liu is dead."

"When did she die?"

Chu Qing inquired.

Shen Juke was stunned for a moment:

"Why ask that?"

Then he seemed to think of something, and his eyes sparkled:

"Madam isn’t dead? You’ve seen her!?"

"Indeed, I’ve seen her..."

Chu Qing nodded.

Shen Juke suddenly understood:

"So the Third Master came to Brahma Shock City to meddle... It turns out that Madam feigned death at Chen Sheng’s grave to find experts like you, to avenge her husband..."

When he said this, he didn’t seem angry but rather a bit relieved.

Chu Qing also felt relieved upon hearing this... it seems Madam Liu had fooled Shen Juke.

What felt off to Chu Qing earlier only made sense when Shen Juke said Madam Liu was dead, realizing the odd part.

If a person was attached for ten years, even if forced by Madam Liu’s death threat to let her go, how could there be no attention afterward?

When Chu Qing followed Madam Liu to the fence courtyard, he didn’t notice any surveillance around.

Later he heard Shen Juke sometimes dazed at Madam Liu’s courtyard, making it even more surprising.

Staying in the same city, if he truly missed her, with Shen Juke’s Martial Arts, sneaking to see Madam Liu, she probably wouldn’t notice.

It turns out Madam Liu faked death to escape, making Shen Juke believe she was dead, hence taking this stance... Adding a strange flavor to the whole situation.

But soon Chu Qing felt something was off again...

Shen Juke is Hero Jinglan, highly skilled in Martial Arts.

How could a common woman like Madam Liu trick Shen Juke even by feigning death?

There might be more strangeness in this matter.

Just looking at Shen Juke, who seemed to have let everything go, Chu Qing couldn’t help asking:

"Do you regret?"

"Never, I only regret meeting her too late, if not on Chen family’s wedding day, perhaps the outcome would be different."

"Stubborn..."

Chu Qing sighed softly, shifted Inner Breath, only to hear a cracking sound.

Cracks suddenly appeared on Shen Juke’s long sword, followed by a bang, shattering instantaneously!

Seeing Shen Juke’s unchanged expression, he released the sword hilt, reversed with a palm strike straight at Chu Qing’s chest and abdomen.

Chu Qing promptly countered with a Celestial Frost Fist, as fists met, Frost Qi instantly entered the body, Shen Juke’s face turned white, followed by a rumbling breaking sound.

But his form remained whole, only his body flew back, directly falling onto the ruins of the main hall.

...

...

ps: Starting yesterday afternoon, I had a fever, 38.4 degrees, my wife dragged me whining to get an IV; the doctor said the flu from last time wasn’t completely gone... After three bottles, I’m feeling better today, resuming regular updates, and will continue injections tonight.