A life-and-death duel was different from an ordinary martial bout.
In an ordinary martial bout, intentional maiming or killing was forbidden.
But a life-and-death duel was different; one person had to live and one had to die, and the victor would bear no responsibility for the death.
"Junior, you have a lot of courage."
"It's been many years since someone dared to challenge me, 'Madman Xiao,' to a life-and-death duel..."
The tall, thin man stood on the platform, his indifferent voice carrying a bone-chilling killing intent.
"Madman Xiao? It's actually him!"
Gasps of shock rippled from below the Martial Combat Platform.
Many people even had expressions of terror on their faces.
"Madman Xiao, isn't he a Martial Artist from Lingyun County City? I heard he used to have a Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening Cultivation, but three of his Qi Veins were destroyed, causing him to fall to the Third Layer of Meridian Opening."
"Even though he fell to the Third Layer of Meridian Opening, Madman Xiao's Martial Skill Realm is extremely high. He's invincible below the Fourth Layer and can even fight those at the Fourth Layer to a standstill."
...
Amidst the cries of alarm, Du Yuncheng revealed a cold smirk, his plot having succeeded.
'Hmph! I bet no one knows that two months ago, Madman Xiao killed a Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm expert, though he was severely injured in the process.'
Du Yuncheng stared at Luo Tian on the platform as if he were already a dead man.
Luo Tian didn't know Madman Xiao, but he could sense that his opponent was far from simple and could not be underestimated.
SWISH!
Suddenly, Madman Xiao's figure vanished from his sight. A sinister gust of wind, accompanied by a sense of crisis, rushed toward him.
"Die!"
Madman Xiao's face was cold, erupting with killing intent.
The edge of his palm glowed with a gray stream of air as it sliced silently through the void, aiming for Luo Tian's neck.
His first move was a killing blow!
'So fast!'
Luo Tian was alarmed.
'As expected of someone who was once at the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm.'
The speed Madman Xiao displayed far surpassed that of the white-robed youth from before. Combined with a surprise killing strike, it was enough to instantly kill someone at the Peak of the Third Layer of Meridian Opening!
"He's too strong! Madman Xiao is going to kill this kid in a single blow!"
"With such speed, even if that kid's Wandering Body Step has reached the Great Achievement Realm, he won't be able to dodge it. He's a dead man for sure!"
The onlookers were shocked and felt a sense of pity that a genius was about to fall.
Just as Madman Xiao's palm was about to slice the youth's neck...
CRACK!
A hard, icy palm blocked it!
BANG!
As the two clashed, the icy, tyrannical True Qi collided with the sinister, condensed True Qi, sending a cold wind spreading in all directions.
"Huh?"
Madman Xiao looked surprised.
His previous attack was something an ordinary Third Layer of Meridian Opening cultivator would find impossible to react to, let alone someone at the Second Layer of Meridian Opening.
Moreover, the power of Luo Tian's palm and the intensity of his True Qi also secretly alarmed Madman Xiao.
How could he have known?
Luo Tian's Spiritual Power and reflexes were several times greater than those of his peers. With the enhancement of his Spiritual Sense, he couldn't be measured by the standards of a conventional Martial Artist.
"Die!"
Madman Xiao didn't overthink it. His palms, like two dark daggers, struck out continuously from cunning and bizarre angles.
The intensity of his True Qi was extremely close to the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm, and his experience and insight were even greater.
Even with his sneak attack foiled, he was confident he could kill Luo Tian within five moves in a direct confrontation!
But once again, the reality was unexpected.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Luo Tian's moves were equally swift. By integrating his Body Technique, he completely shattered all of Madman Xiao's attacks.
'Impossible! He's only at the Second Layer of Meridian Opening. How is he doing this?'
Madman Xiao's pupils shrank as he truly sized up the youth before him for the first time.
In the past, he had killed over a dozen cultivators at the Second to Third Layers of the Meridian Opening Realm, and not one of them could withstand more than a few of his moves.
"That kid is actually fighting Madman Xiao on equal footing!"
"Madman Xiao must not be using his full strength yet, right?"
The surrounding Martial Artists also found it unbelievable.
Du Yuncheng's face darkened, and he bellowed, "Madman Xiao, I want him dead within ten moves!"
A cold light erupted in Madman Xiao's eyes.
His aura surged, the True Qi in his palms grew more condensed, and his attack speed increased dramatically.
Nine Yin Life-taking Palm!
Madman Xiao struck out with a palm. Hidden within its sinister softness was a vicious venom. Its trajectory was impossible to discern—a peerless killing move designed to take a life!
At his Peak Cultivation, he had once used this move to kill someone at the Sixth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm!
The hairs on Luo Tian's body stood on end as he abruptly sensed the danger. His Spiritual Sense locked firmly onto Madman Xiao's palm strike.
"Star Condensing Sword Point!"
PSHHH!
All his True Qi gathered at his fingertip, forming a faint blue sword gleam that flashed and vanished like a star.
PFFT!
Luo Tian's Sword Pointing strike hit Madman Xiao's Nine Yin Life-taking Palm, effortlessly piercing through his opponent's True Qi and punching a bloody hole in Madman Xiao's hand.
In terms of sinister viciousness, the Nine Yin Life-taking Palm was superior.
But in terms of single-target attack power and Penetration Power, the Star Condensing Sword Point completely overwhelmed the Nine Yin Life-taking Palm!
"Agh! You..."
Madman Xiao screamed. He looked from his bloody palm to Luo Tian, his expression a mixture of shock and fury.
'My Body Technique and Palm Technique, which I've always been so proud of... why are they completely useless against this youth?'
'Even my Nine Yin Life-taking Palm was seen through and countered, injuring me in return.'
"This Finger Technique... it's the Star Condensing Sword Point!"
Madman Xiao was worldly and experienced; his expression changed drastically.
'Luo Tian actually managed to master the Star Condensing Sword Point, that incredibly dangerous and incomplete Martial Skill. No wonder my Nine Yin Life-taking Palm was no match for it.'
"That's right. And I have Young Master Du to thank for gifting me this Martial Skill. It's exceptionally powerful."
Luo Tian said with a smile, glancing lightly at Du Yuncheng below the platform.
Wh-what?
Du Yuncheng froze for a second before it dawned on him. The veins on his forehead bulged.
'This Luo Tian is the masked man in the Black Robe who killed the Iron Spike Water Buffalo that day!'
What was even harder to accept was that this brat had actually mastered the Star Condensing Sword Point and used it to injure Madman Xiao on the life-and-death platform.
"Damn you! I'll kill you! I'll avenge Ah Niu!"
Du Yuncheng was so furious his nose was practically crooked. His face was full of resentment as he stared daggers at Luo Tian, his gaze looking like he wanted to eat him alive.
"Madman Xiao, kill him!"
Du Yuncheng roared.
BANG! SWOOSH! PSHHH!
On the Martial Arts Arena, Madman Xiao's expression was crazed and his killing intent was overwhelming. He struck out with both palms continuously, now going all out.
Luo Tian showed no weakness, fully unleashing the power of the Star Condensing Sword Point. He simultaneously activated his Divine Vein, and the sword gleam gathering at his fingertip now contained a deep, dark-blue iciness.
Under the perception of his Spiritual Sense, Madman Xiao's Palm Technique had nowhere to hide and was completely broken.
On the contrary, it was Madman Xiao who didn't dare to clash directly with Luo Tian's Sword Pointing attack. Its Penetration Power was simply too strong!
PFFT! PFFT!
Two holes were successively punched through Madman Xiao's chest and arm, and blood began to flow.
Not only that, but he was also invaded by Cold Power, his body growing stiff and cold as his condition deteriorated.
"Die!"
Luo Tian pressed his advantage, activating his Divine Vein and pushing his body's speed to its limit.
SWISH!
A beam of light from his finger, like an icy blue star, struck Madman Xiao's brow.
PFFT!
The Sword Pointing pierced his brow, and a flower of blood bloomed.
Madman Xiao's body stiffened, and his eyes dimmed. He couldn't believe that he would ultimately die at the hands of someone at the Second Layer of Meridian Opening.
"No!"
Du Yuncheng's face was savage as he let out a furious, unrestrained roar.
He had lost!
Madman Xiao was dead!
Below the platform, after a moment of stunned silence, the crowd of Martial Artists erupted into an uproar.
"Du Yuncheng, you lost the bet. Hand over the ten thousand taels of Gold."
Luo Tian shouted, standing beside Madman Xiao's corpse.
"I..."
Du Yuncheng's face alternated between green and white; he was utterly humiliated.
Although he had bet ten thousand taels of Gold, he had never imagined Madman Xiao would lose. This was a powerful Martial Artist who had even killed an expert at the Fourth Layer of Meridian Opening Realm!
Ten thousand taels of Gold—even for him, the Young Master of the Du Family, it was not an amount he could produce on the spot.
"Alright, just consider ten thousand taels repaid."
Luo Tian leaped off the Martial Combat Platform, fumbled inside his robe, and approached Du Yuncheng.
"What are you doing?"
Du Yuncheng demanded angrily.
RUSTLE!
Luo Tian took out a stack of gold notes and threw them at Du Yuncheng.
"What am I doing? Paying my debt, of course!"
The stack of gold notes glittered under the sun, fluttering down onto Du Yuncheng, a glaring sight.
"This is the remaining ten thousand taels of Gold. The debt is now paid in full."
"From now on, Xueyao's engagement to you is officially void. I have no further ties to you or the Du Family."
Luo Tian's gaze was sharp, his voice firm and resounding.