Driven by sudden terror, Lu Zhong slashed his long blade straight at the man before him. Black Qi swirled around the steel, condensing into a thick mist that seemed capable of devouring a person's sanity.
But the stranger simply reached out with his free hand and clamped down on Lu Zhong's wrist, effortlessly halting the strike.
"Not bad. A Sword Skill that disorients the mind is rare, but it's not enough."
Lu Zhong's eyes widened. Though he had struck in a moment of desperate panic, the blow had been blindingly fast and incredibly powerful. Yet, this stranger had stopped it like it was nothing. An immense, crushing force locked around his wrist, ensuring he could not advance the blade a single inch further.
"Who exactly are you? What do you want?" Lu Zhong demanded. "Are you trying to make an enemy out of the Black Blade Sect?"
