Lu Chengfeng, long before Xue Dulong's arrival, had already anticipated this encounter was inevitable.
He had harbored the intent to kill this man, fearing that one day when he wasn't around, Xue Dulong might charge up the mountain and harm Luo Suyi. He had long decided to kill this man.
However, the sect's rules were strict, prohibiting the killing of fellow disciples. To eliminate this man, it had to be on the Sword Discussion Platform.
He predicted that Xue Dulong, relying on his decades of power, would not take him seriously, so he used words to provoke him, giving the opponent no chance to back down.
Lu Chengfeng ran for ten miles straight, quickly reaching the Outer Peak's Sword Discussion Platform. Without any pause, he flipped onto the stage, standing with his sword.
The so-called Sword Discussion Platform is a high stone platform, forged from the mountain's steel jade, extremely tough. Even with knife cuts and sword slashes, it could only leave shallow marks.
Around the Sword Discussion Platform are sixteen stone pillars surrounding the high stage. On those pillars are dark red blood stains, exuding a sense of killing tension.
Once up on the Sword Discussion Platform, writing one's name with blood was equivalent to signing a declaration of life and death. Once on this platform, life or death was no longer a concern, and no one was allowed to interfere.
On this Sword Discussion Platform, there are always Inner Peak Stewards stationed, not Inner Peak True Inheritors, but stewards with cultivation above the Eighteenth Layer, deeply cultivated, stationed here.
At this moment, three Inner Peak Stewards sat cross-legged on the stone pillars, ignoring even when sect disciples ascended the Sword Discussion Platform.
As long as they adhered to the rules of this Sword Discussion Platform, even if blood flowed like a river, they would not intervene.
At this time, Xue Dulong followed closely after Lu Chengfeng, flipping onto the Sword Discussion Platform. Even after such a long run, he showed no redness or panting, displaying extremely skillful and deep Inner Power Cultivation.
In contrast, Lu Chengfeng's breathing was somewhat disordered, clearly showing his Inner Power Cultivation was inferior to the opponent's.
Lu Chengfeng drew his sword, the sharp blade directly cutting his left palm, the crimson blood dripping and staining his sleeves.
He used his blood as ink, writing his name on the stone pillar of the Sword Discussion Platform.
His resolve to kill was firm, Sword Qi filled the air, and the three characters of 'Lu Chengfeng' were written with extreme sharpness, as if a blade was drawn, exuding endless coldness.
Xue Dulong, for some reason, felt a little unsettled, yet seeing the opponent's slightly messy breathing, he steadied his mind.
"Even if this boy's swordsmanship has broken through to the Tenth Layer, his Inner Power Cultivation is still far from mine, and his combat experience is even less compared to mine."
"Today may be the best opportunity to take his life. I must not miss it."
Having thought of this, he hesitated no longer. With the spear tip, he cut open a wound on his palm and similarly wrote his name on the stone pillar with blood.
The two stood on opposite sides of the Sword Discussion Platform, and after signing the life and death declaration, there was no more superfluous talk. Both simultaneously circulated their inner strength, harmonizing their Essence, Qi, and Spirit, slowly elevating their states to the peak.
Time ticked away second by second, and the atmosphere became more and more intense, even breathing felt oppressive.
Boom!
Without warning, Xue Dulong made the first move; his Inner Power Cultivation far surpassed, reaching the optimal state first and launching the attack without hesitation.
The Thirty-Six Paths of the Black Wind Demon-Breaking Spear and Azure Dragon Peak's Azure Dragon Returning to the Sea Heart Method had long been ingrained after more than three decades of cultivation.
At this moment, once he moved, it was like a venomous dragon emerging from the abyss, his figure stirring up a gale, his robe trailing a black shadow in the air. The two short spears instantly tore through the air, flashing with a chilling gleam, stabbing towards Lu Chengfeng's throat.
From the start, it was an all-out effort, no probing, no excessive techniques, speed and power perfectly fused to kill the enemy in an instant.
Clash!
Seeing the enemy already before him, the cold tip of the spear brought a stinging pain to Lu Chengfeng's throat, before he suddenly shook his arm, the sword blade humming.
Clang!
The short spear and the long sword collided, producing the sound of metal on metal, sparks flying.
Xue Dulong's face showed a sinister expression, one short spear holding Lu Chengfeng's sword, the other spear's speed surged again, a foot of spear light spitting from the tip, reaching the enemy's throat instantly.
Slice!
Crimson blood splattered as Lu Chengfeng slightly sidestepped, narrowly evading the enemy's strike at the last moment.
Then his long sword flew forward, like a dragonfly skimming the water, brushing against Xue Dulong's short spear, slightly drawing a line of sparks on the shaft.
Then the sword blade vibrated, Sword Qi shooting forth, accompanied by a sharp power slanting across, causing half of the hand along with the short spear to clatter to the ground.
"Ah!" Xue Dulong let out a howl of pain, half of his hand severed, blood gushing like a fountain, bones clearly visible.
He shouted loudly yet did not retreat, his eyes filled with blood, his whole face twisted together, like a vengeful spirit, rushing up once again.
This man was indeed extremely brave, growing fiercer despite injury, blood from the severed hand gushed like a spring, wielding the spear single-handedly with a furious roar, charged fiercely.
"Kill!"
This shout was like thunder, hurting Lu Chengfeng's eardrums, yet he did not dodge, his long sword's Sword Qi erupting, roaring back as he charged head-on.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
With no flourish, three consecutive clashes, sword and spear colliding, sparks shooting out like an iron strike, the sound spreading in all directions.
"Die!"
Xue Dulong's face flushed, the spear light flickering, no longer guarding, aiming to perish together with the enemy.
Injured first, he fell into a disadvantage; if delayed any longer, death was imminent. At this moment, he was reckless, like a wild beast from the mountain, disregarding his own life to exchange life for life.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The brief clash of just a few breaths had driven both to madness.
Lu Chengfeng also shouted furiously, abandoning defense, the Sword Light sweeping toward the enemy's throat like a brilliant stream.
He intended to compete with the enemy in speed under these circumstances, for the slightest difference could determine life or death.
Whoever was faster had the possibility to survive.
Fast! Fast! Fast!
At this moment, Lu Chengfeng had already unleashed his Twelfth Layer Swordsmanship to its peak, the decades of Zhao Changzhen's dedicated cultivation seemingly merging with himself entirely at this moment.
Buzz!
He even felt as if his Cold Cicada Sword was tearing through the fierce wind, then with a slice, like cutting through paper, sending a head flying skywards.
Swoosh!
A sharp spear light grazed his left shoulder, leaving a wound, a stream of blood scattering. Had Lu Chengfeng not severed the enemy's head beforehand, causing the final strike to veer off, this spear would surely have taken his life.
The blood from the headless corpse sprayed out, drenching Lu Chengfeng, blood covering his hair and face.
Xue Dulong's blood-stained head rolled to the ground, eyes wide open with anger and disbelief.
By the time the disciples from Bixiao Peak and Azure Dragon Peak arrived, all they saw were the blood on the Sword Discussion Platform and the head and remains scattered on the ground.
Lu Chengfeng, covered in blood, slowly sheathed his long sword and said calmly, "Return to the mountain."