Chapter 14: Ferocity and Resolve

Lu Chengfeng had anticipated this moment long before Xue Dulong appeared on Bixiao Peak. He had been set on killing him, unwilling to risk Xue Dulong threatening Luo Suyi one day in his absence. However, the sect's rules were strict, forbidding disciples from killing one another outright. To eliminate Xue Dulong, he needed to lure him to the Sword Trial Platform.

Lu calculated that Xue Dulong, confident in his decades of accumulated power, would not view him as a serious threat. By goading him, Lu made it impossible for Xue Dulong to retreat without losing face.

Racing ten miles, Lu Chengfeng reached the outer peak's Sword Trial Platform, leaping onto the stone stage without a moment's hesitation. He stood there, sword in hand, waiting.

The Sword Trial Platform was a high stone stage, crafted from the mountain's hardest rock, resilient enough that even blades and swords left only shallow marks. Sixteen stone pillars surrounded the platform, stained with dried blood, filling the air with a foreboding chill.

Once on the platform, signing one's name in blood signified a deathmatch agreement. There was no turning back, no mercy. Even the three seated inner-peak stewards, who observed from their positions atop the stone pillars, would not interfere so long as the platform's rules were upheld.

Xue Dulong followed closely, vaulting onto the platform without breaking a sweat, showcasing his superior endurance and internal strength. In contrast, Lu Chengfeng's breathing was slightly unsteady, hinting that his inner power fell short of Xue Dulong's.

Without hesitation, Lu Chengfeng drew his sword, slicing open his left hand. Blood seeped down his sleeve as he wrote his name on the platform's pillar with deliberate, sharp strokes, each one brimming with killing intent.

A flicker of unease stirred in Xue Dulong's chest, but when he noticed Lu Chengfeng's uneven breathing, his confidence returned.

This brat may have reached the tenth level of swordsmanship, but his inner strength can't compare to mine. He's no match for my decades of combat experience. This might be the best chance to end him once and for all.

With a fierce resolve, Xue Dulong sliced his palm with his spear, writing his own name in blood on the stone pillar.

Both stood at opposite ends of the Sword Trial Platform, locking eyes without another word. They steadied their breathing, focusing their internal energy, preparing to fight at their peak.

The tension built in the silent moments, thickening the air as time stretched unbearably.

Without warning, Xue Dulong struck first. His years of cultivation in the Black Wind Demon-Slaying Spear and Canglong Peak's Dragon Return Technique were evident as he charged with deadly precision. With a roar, he lunged like a poisonous serpent, his twin spears slicing through the air with an icy glint, aimed directly at Lu Chengfeng's throat.

He attacked with full force, no probing or wasted motion—his goal was to end the battle in an instant.

Clang!

Lu Chengfeng reacted just in time, his sword vibrating with a sharp hum as it met Xue Dulong's spear. Sparks flew in all directions as metal clashed.

Xue Dulong grinned, one spear blocking Lu Chengfeng's sword while the other thrust forward, extending a foot of spear aura as it shot towards Lu Chengfeng's throat.

Blood splattered as Lu Chengfeng barely dodged, evading the deadly strike by a hair. His sword moved in response, glancing off Xue Dulong's spear and sending a cascade of sparks along the shaft.

The tip of his sword then trembled, releasing a burst of sword energy that sliced across Xue Dulong's hand, severing half of it and causing the spear to clatter to the ground.

"Argh!" Xue Dulong howled, clutching the bloody stump where his hand had been. But his fury overpowered his pain. His eyes filled with bloodlust as he charged once more, his face twisted in rage, looking like a demon possessed.

Even injured, Xue Dulong's ferocity only grew. With blood gushing from his left hand, he gripped his remaining spear and lunged forward, roaring, "Die!"

His shout was like thunder, leaving Lu Chengfeng's ears ringing. But Lu Chengfeng held his ground, sword drawn and aura burning with intensity.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Their weapons collided three times in rapid succession, each clash ringing out like hammer strikes. Sparks flew as their strengths clashed in a brutal test of will.

Xue Dulong's face flushed as he fought with desperate speed, abandoning all defense in a reckless attempt to drag Lu Chengfeng down with him.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Their clash had turned vicious, each seeking only the other's life. Lu Chengfeng roared in defiance, aiming his sword at Xue Dulong's throat, gambling everything on speed and precision.

At this moment, Lu Chengfeng felt the countless hours of training and the legacy of Zhao Changzhen's sword techniques fully align within him. The experiences imparted through Zhao's memories seemed to meld seamlessly with his own.

With a hum, his sword cut through the air, slicing with deadly precision. 

In one fluid motion, Lu Chengfeng's blade cleaved through Xue Dulong's neck. His severed head soared skyward.

Blood spurted from Lu Chengfeng's shoulder, where Xue Dulong's spear had grazed him, leaving a gaping wound. Had Lu's strike been even a fraction slower, that final thrust would have ended his life.

Xue Dulong's headless body staggered and collapsed, splattering blood across the platform and onto Lu Chengfeng's hair and face.

Xue Dulong's severed head lay on the ground, eyes wide in anger and disbelief.

When the disciples from Bixiao and Canglong Peaks arrived, all they saw was the blood-soaked Sword Trial Platform and Xue Dulong's lifeless remains.

Lu Chengfeng, drenched in blood,

sheathed his sword slowly and spoke calmly, "Return to the mountain."