Chapter 88: The Final Killing Art, Part 3

Lanbo? You actually came forward for a slave? That is quite beyond my expectations. Could it be that the two of you are playing some kind of twisted game?

After saying this, Zhang Ba burst into lewd laughter, so obscene that Wu Meitian was so furious she nearly lost her breath and fainted on the spot. In Lanbo’s eyes, however, it looked more like Zhang Ba had seized her by the throat and was choking her, and he was instantly thrown into panic.

"Zhang Ba, let her go first. We can talk about everything else."

"Fine. First have your men drop their weapons and surrender, and I’ll spare this little beauty’s life. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless and making an example of her after a little pleasure." Seeing that he had gained control of the situation, Zhang Ba could not help feeling pleased with himself. As a pampered young heir of the same rank as Xi Runsi, his own strength had also been artificially boosted at great expense by his family on the capital planet. At heart, he was still little more than an amateur martial arts enthusiast and could not truly judge the difference in power. Seeing Zhang Hai, who had always acted so invincible, be finished off in a single move, he instinctively assumed Zhang Lang would be no match either. The Zhang brothers were the strongest experts in the family; losing one could still be explained, but if they all died, the family’s power would likely fall off a cliff.

Looking at Wu Meitian’s condition, Lanbo felt both anguish and anxiety. He unconsciously turned toward Ler Kai, and when his gaze met the other man’s icy eyes, he suddenly choked and could no longer speak.

Ler Kai said coldly, "Forget it. I’ll take a step back. As long as you release our people, today’s grievance can be wiped clean."

Zhang Lang could no longer endure it and said in a deep voice, "Young Master, allow me to kill the intruding bandits and be done with it. Why yield? Though I do not know what evil sorcery he used to kill my elder brother, he must already be at the end of his strength. If we let them leave like this, how will our Zhang family ever stand in Central Huazhong City again?"

Zhang Ba frowned and snapped, "Shut up. Can’t you see I already have the situation under control? The brave fight by force, the wise conquer by strategy. Do you think I can’t tell what’s going on? To settle this without bloodshed is true wisdom. Stand aside for now; I’ll avenge you."

Zhang Lang, sword in hand, nearly could not restrain himself from turning around and slashing this idiot of a master with a single blow. Just how stupid did one have to be to do something like this?

Yet, poisoned since childhood by the mentality of servitude, he still could not bring himself to betray his master. He could only glare at Ler Kai with hatred to vent his fury.

"Ler Kai, are you deaf or stupid? Didn’t you hear what I said? Your master told you to drop your weapon and surrender. Are you actually daring to disobey orders?" Zhang Ba said smugly. To nobles, bodyguards and servants were nothing more than private property; the master could grant life or death at will.

What he had not reckoned with was one thing: Ler Kai was not Lanbo’s bodyguard or servant. And even if he were, Ler Kai would never do something so absurd as to lay down his blade and place his own life in another’s hands. Only a fool would do that.

"Drop my weapon, then stretch out my neck and wait for you to kill me? I don’t know how a fool like you has survived until now. Is it because you have two powerful bodyguards? Since you’re hopelessly stubborn, I’ll destroy the support you rely on completely."

A trace of coldness appeared at the corner of Ler Kai’s eye as he looked at Zhang Ba with contempt. "Though you can kill her at any moment, I would still rather live myself, at least long enough to avenge her. You can kill her, but I will certainly kill you. Since I cannot escape death anyway, we may as well die together."

Then he looked at Zhang Lang. "Serving a master like this—doesn’t it feel suffocating? You probably have not enjoyed a single truly satisfying day in your life. This time, I’ll give you a chance: die where your brother fell."

"Then fight!"

Those two words, fierce and soaring, rose from a voice still carrying a trace of youth, and struck with an inexplicable force. At that moment, his saber slanted toward the heavens, proud and unchallenged.

"If that is so, then let us decide life and death here and now!"

Battle intent surged in Zhang Lang’s eyes, impossible to suppress any longer, and he no longer wished to suppress it. His only relative in this world had died; his enemy stood before him; yet he was still bound by the family oath and forced to obey the whims of some idiot young master. There was no greater bitterness in life than this. Now, under Ler Kai’s provocation and goading, he finally shattered the knot in his heart completely.

A series of thunderous cracks rang out as his body twisted violently. His muscles writhed like living rodents, terrifying to behold, and his aura rose all at once, growing markedly stronger.

"Goddammit, I miscalculated. I never thought this guy could actually break free of his inner knot, and his strength would rise instead. He was already much stronger than Zhang Hai, and now he’s even more terrifying. He actually broke through directly to the Hallmaster tier. That’s a full eight thousand Ank of power! He’s barely weaker than Vajra."

Though he had been using tactical maneuvering to control the battle, constantly exploiting the momentum and building upon it, he had never imagined Zhang Lang could break through at this moment. Hallmaster and expert tier were absolutely two different concepts, not only in raw strength but also in understanding and perception. It was like a middle school student suddenly leaping up to university level, with his vision widening along with it.

Zhang Ba was also staring at Zhang Lang in shock. At this moment, he too could sense that terrifying aura emanating from him.

As if truly seeing Zhang Lang for the first time, a trace of fear unexpectedly rose in Zhang Ba’s heart. He could only watch helplessly as the two men completely ignored him and walked out into the hall beyond.

The violent storm in Zhang Lang’s heart also seemed to calm. Slowly raising his sword, the hatred in his eyes faded, but the killing intent only grew thicker. His voice was like the edge of a blade, sharp and overbearing.

"Ler Kai, you are truly one of the most fearsome young men I have seen in all these years. At such a tender age, you’ve already reached this realm. Given time, you would surely become a mighty lord dominating a region. It is a pity that you offended someone you should never have offended, and now you have killed someone you should never have killed. No matter how monstrous your talent, you are destined to fall short before you reach your prime."

Ler Kai sneered. "Your elder brother was no match for me in a single exchange. What can you do to me?"

"You need not goad me with words. My heart is as still as dead water; you will not move me. That is the advantage of a Hallmaster-tier expert: not only an increase in power, but also an understanding of the higher realm. Bring out your true skill. In this battle, whatever the outcome, only one of us will walk away alive."

The change in Zhang Lang was nothing short of earth-shaking. In the previous moment, his mind had been filled with hatred and wild agitation; now he was cold, calm, and terrifying, like a beast stalking its prey.

This transformation utterly shattered every tactic Ler Kai had devised earlier. Even he now felt somewhat helpless and vexed. Indeed, the world is ever-changing, without fixed law; no amount of preparation can rival swift change.

The brave never shrink from battle.

If you want war, then war it shall be.

Ler Kai slowly closed his eyes. When they opened again, his battle intent was so fierce it nearly outshone Zhang Lang’s across from him. His sleeves fluttered without wind, as though a stream of qi were surging through them at speed and flowing directly into the curved blade. The blade in his hand trembled, and the rust-stained metal seemed suddenly coated in a layer of bloodlight, faintly radiating a crimson glow. It was the sign of true essence pouring into the blade.