Chapter 43: A Single Battle to Decide Life and Death

“No problem, Grandfather. I will certainly ensure that the person who dared to break my second brother's limbs dies a most miserable death.” Su Shan responded decisively, then turned to look at Sikong Jing and asked, “Criminal, a life-and-death duel—do you dare to accept?”

Su Yuexi gripped Sikong Jing's hand tightly, shaking her head vigorously. “Brother Jing...”

“You have no choice but to accept. You cannot hide.” Su Shan strode forward, his true qi erupting as he pressed down heavily upon Sikong Jing.

“Fifth Stage of the Dark Realm!”

Su Zhenglong cried out instinctively. Su Shan's realm was far beyond his expectations; his previous assessment had only placed him at the third stage.

“Fifth Stage of the Dark Realm? How old is Su Shan?” The guests in the hall exchanged glances, their expressions turning solemn.

Within Yunye City, reaching the fifth stage of the Dark Realm at Su Shan's age already marked him as a minor prodigy.

Luo Tong lowered his voice and said, “What kind of virtue did the Su family's ancestors accumulate? After Su Zhenglong was heavily injured, another Su Shan emerges. How are the other three great families supposed to have any peace?”

Because of Su Shan's existence, the guests began to re-evaluate the Su family with newfound seriousness.

This emerging member of the four great families would likely become unstoppable, eventually overshadowing the other three.

Amidst the collective astonishment, Sikong Jing's voice drifted out faintly: “Are you certain you want a life-and-death duel?”

His tone remained as indifferent as ever.

“What? Do you intend to beg for mercy? Haha, too late!”

Su Shan continued to step forward, his true qi crushing down.

In the eyes of the onlookers, Sikong Jing appeared like a small boat tossed by storm and rain amidst this surge of true qi, liable to be crushed at any moment.

“Wait!” Suddenly, Su Zhenglong's raspy voice rang out.

At this critical moment, he appeared beside his gift, staring fixedly at Su Xuefeng. He spoke in a deep, heavy tone: “Father, please spare my son-in-law.”

“Do you think that is possible?” Su Xuefeng replied ruthlessly.

*Bang!*

Su Zhenglong forcefully flung open the lid of the gift box in his hands. The statue of Su Yuexi's grandmother immediately came into view of everyone present.

In an instant, the cold-faced Su Xuefeng froze.

“Father, this is the gift I brought for you today. Please, for Mother's sake, spare my son-in-law.”

“Zhengtao and I were brothers. I am your son; we should have been a harmonious family. Why must we turn against our own flesh and blood? Why must you drive us to the brink of death?”

“I, Su Zhenglong, led the Su family to become one of the four great families, but I do not claim credit for it.”

“I only ask that Father gives my daughter and son-in-law fair treatment. I only ask that Father occasionally shows them some concern.”

“If Mother were still alive, she certainly wouldn't want to see this situation, would she?”

Su Zhenglong's words were filled with sorrow, touching every heart, and many guests around him were moved by his plea.

Then, Su Zhenglong looked toward Su Zhengtao and said, “Second Brother, we are brothers. I have never understood why you harbor such resentment toward me, but so be it...”

“Please, for Mother's sake, tell Su Shan to stop.”

Su Zhengtao kept his head lowered, remaining silent, his gaze drifting toward Su Xuefeng.

He hadn't expected Su Zhenglong to use such a tactic. If their father was swayed, things would become troublesome.

He didn't care about "brotherly bonds."

Su Zhengtao only knew that if his elder brother did not die, he would never escape his inner demons, nor would he ever step out from under his brother's shadow.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed. Su Xuefeng walked toward Su Zhenglong step by step, then came to a halt. His hand gently brushed against the lifelike statue of Su Yuexi's grandmother.

Su Zhenglong watched Su Xuefeng with eyes full of anticipation...

The next second... *Crash!*

The statue shattered into pieces in Su Xuefeng's hand.

Instantly, Su Zhenglong's face turned pale, and he roared, “Father!”

Su Xuefeng turned back coldly. “Su Zhenglong, stop trying to threaten me with a dead person. I don't fall for that crap.”

In an instant, Su Zhenglong stumbled backward, collapsing onto the ground.

How could his father be so heartless that even Mother's statue could not move him?

He had actually destroyed Mother's statue with his own hands.

“If you truly valued family bonds, you wouldn't have let this criminal break Su Yang's limbs.”

“If you didn't want father and son to kill each other, you wouldn't have let this ugly thing live in this world to bring shame to the Su family.”

Su Xuefeng barked his orders, then suddenly looked at Su Shan: “Do it! Kill the criminal!”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

A crazed,狞笑 (sinister grin) spread across Su Shan's face. He gripped a blade in his hand, assuming the opening stance of the Eight Golden Thunder Blades.

“Criminal, you crippled my second brother's limbs. I will hack off your hands and feet, one blade at a time!”

As the words fell, the blade rose!

The first Golden Thunder Blade slashed fiercely toward Sikong Jing, the blade light seemingly carrying lightning as it tore through the air.

“Brother Jing...”

Su Yuexi's piercing scream rang out amidst the blade light. She had been pushed aside by Sikong Jing and landed in Mei Xiaofang's arms, watching helplessly as the unstoppable blade light descended.

Sikong Jing's fate was predictable; he would either die or be severely maimed.

“It's over.”

Sitting beside the shattered statue of Su Yuexi's grandmother, Su Zhenglong closed his eyes tightly.

The cause of Su Yang's injuries was clearly the criminal's initial challenge.

And no matter how ugly Yuexi was, she was still Su Xuefeng's granddaughter. Why was she not worthy of living in this world?

If Sikong Jing died, Yuexi would break.

*Clang!*

Just as Su Zhenglong felt the entire world dimming, the sound of clashing metal thundered through the banquet hall, followed by waves of low gasps: “Impossible!”

Su Zhenglong's entire body shuddered. He instinctively snapped his eyes open and was stunned.

In the center of the hall, Sikong Jing was holding a blade of his own. He had used it to parry Su Shan's Golden Thunder blade light horizontally, and a surge of true qi radiated from his body.

“Ninth Stage of the Bright Realm!”

In that moment, Su Zhenglong stood up and cried out in shock.

Ten days ago, when Sikong Jing had crippled Su Yang, he was only at the fourth stage of the Bright Realm. When had he reached the ninth stage?

“Ninth Stage of the Bright Realm? This kid was playing the pig to eat the tiger?”

Su Zhengtao's eyes widened. He had also sensed Sikong Jing's realm ten days ago at the Su family's Law Enforcement Hall.

In Su Zhengtao's view, it was impossible to jump from the fourth stage to the ninth stage of the Bright Realm in just ten days.

Clearly, Sikong Jing had been hiding his strength.

Amidst the crowd's suspicion and shock, Su Shan's blade light shattered. He stared at Sikong Jing with an unexpected look, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

“I didn't expect you to have been hiding your strength. So, you are at the ninth stage of the Bright Realm!”

“However, everyone below the Dark Realm is but an ant.”

As he spoke, faint lightning flickered within his great blade, and Su Shan's aura grew even stronger.

Around them, the initially shocked guests sat back down.

Luo Tong said indifferently, “It truly is useless. The gap between the Dark Realm and the Bright Realm is insurmountable. This criminal is merely struggling in his death throes.”

“Though he is quite impressive; reaching the ninth stage of the Bright Realm at such a young age is enough to hold a position in Yunye City.”

“A pity, he is about to die.”

No one around believed Sikong Jing could win. Being at the ninth stage of the Bright Realm would only mean a more prolonged struggle in death.

(End of Chapter)