Chapter 44: How Shameless

Listening to these voices, Su Zhenglong's eyes dimmed once more.

Suddenly, holding his blade, Sikong Jing ignored the arrogant Su Shan and instead pointed the tip of his sword at Su Xuefeng.

"Su Xuefeng, the only reason I have endured until now is because my father-in-law wanted to give you a statue; he hoped it might touch your heart."

At this point, Sikong Jing shifted the tip of his blade toward the shattered remains of the statue, his voice carrying a heavy killing intent: "Now that you have personally destroyed Grandma Yuexi's statue, it is as if you have personally killed Su Shan."

"Since you are heartless and ungrateful, then I, Sikong Jing, have no need to show any more mercy."

A voice containing suppressed fury echoed through the hall. Sikong Jing stood tall with his blade, exuding an overwhelming, domineering aura!

Everyone stared fixedly at Sikong Jing, before erupting into thunderous laughter.

"This criminal certainly knows how to talk big. Anyone who didn't know better would think he's at the Fifth Layer of the Dark Realm."

"No more mercy? Is he going to die without mercy?"

"Su Zhenglong, your son-in-law is truly interesting. Even when he's about to die, he wants to go out with such grand gestures and heroic words!"

The last sentence was spoken by Luo Tong.

He could hardly hold himself back, clutching his stomach as he laughed until it hurt.

Su Zhenglong could only smile bitterly, while Mei Xiaofang was unable to utter a single word, cursing inwardly. Seeing her daughter Su Yuexi in such a miserable state, she couldn't help but weep.

Sikong Jing, however, listened to the surrounding voices with cold indifference, his expression unmoved.

Suddenly, pointing his blade again, Sikong Jing said, "Su Xuefeng, I will now show you the martial technique contained within the green jade slab that you personally ordered Su Yun to smash... Battle Technique: Mad Blade Fury!"

With a low roar, Sikong Jing moved like a sudden clap of thunder. His blade, like a wild war horn on a battlefield, slashed toward Su Shan.

At this moment, Su Shan was also laughing, but the instant he felt the power within the blade, his expression changed abruptly. He instinctively unleashed the second strike of the Golden Thunder to block Sikong Jing's Mad Blade.

Boom!

Sparks flew in all directions. Even though Sikong Jing only had the True Qi of the Ninth Layer of the Bright Realm condensed in his blade, he managed to blast Su Shan's blade light away.

Su Shan was forced back three times in succession, leaving the entire crowd stunned!

Sikong Jing landed expressionlessly. Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, he shouted again, "Su Xuefeng, do you know why I wanted to give you a gift?"

"Because I did not want my father-in-law to fight his own son and grandson, and I hoped Yuexi could receive the love of her elders and family."

"But you... you refuse to repent even unto death!"

As his words fell, Sikong Jing raised his blade once more.

Staring at Su Shan, he continued, "Even within the Lower Grade of the Profound Rank, there are levels of quality. The Su family's Eight Golden Thunder Strikes are merely the lowest tier of the Lower Grade Profound Rank. Now, witness the strongest Lower Grade Profound Rank martial technique."

With a flash of blade light, Sikong Jing charged forth with invincible momentum, letting out a thunderous shout: "Mad Blade Suppression!"

Facing the blade, Su Shan roared, "No matter how strong your technique is, you are still just a lowly Bright Realm cultivator! I don't believe—wah!"

Before he could finish, the moment he met Sikong Jing's Mad Blade, Su Shan felt a sharp, agonizing pain in his hands. His Fifth Layer Dark Realm True Qi was ruthlessly crushed; Sikong Jing's Mad Blade felt as heavy as a thousand catties.

Retreating again and again, Su Shan's hands bled. He stared deathly at Sikong Jing, who had landed once more.

The hall had fallen silent. The mocking laughter was gone, replaced by eyes wide with disbelief as everyone stared at Sikong Jing.

In just two strikes, Su Shan had been defeated repeatedly!

Su Xuefeng was shocked, unable to believe his eyes, his face flushing red with shame.

Su Zhenglong's entire body trembled violently; he stood agape, his heart racing.

Su Yuexi sat up straight in Mei Xiaofang's arms. She saw the hope for her husband's survival, and saw his invincible stature.

"This Lower Grade Profound Rank battle technique is a slaughter technique from the battlefield, named 'Mad Blade Rampage'."

Sikong Jing's voice rose again. He had been granted this technique in his second year of joining the Great Shang army when he entered the elite camp. He was only thirteen at the time, yet he used the Mad Blade Rampage to dominate the ranks.

That was when he first showed his brilliance!

"Mad Blade Rampage consists of only six strikes. The extraordinary martial intent within the green jade slab was carved by an... unknown fierce general of the Great Shang."

As Sikong Jing spoke, a flash of pain and nostalgia crossed his eyes.

He himself was that unknown fierce general.

Within the borders of the Great Shang Empire, aside from the Imperial City, few knew his name was Sikong Jing. They only knew him as the Invincible Divine General—the legendary invincible man whose name had almost never been spread.

Thinking back, perhaps the Emperor, Yan Tianmo, had done this intentionally to suppress his fame.

Gathering his thoughts, Sikong Jing looked back at Su Shan: "There are four strikes left. I wonder if you can take them?"

"Third Strike: Mad Blade Annihilation!"

The blade light rose again, its momentum seemingly piercing the clouds. Slash!

Gritting his teeth, Su Shan refused to believe a Ninth Layer Bright Realm could truly defeat a Fifth Layer Dark Realm. He unleashed the Eight Golden Thunder Strikes in a frenzy.

Boom!

Another roar erupted. The violent golden thunder within Su Shan's blade was shattered into pieces, and with a "wah" sound, he fell heavily to the ground.

At this moment, he had been defeated, coughing up blood.

"Xiao Shan!"

At that moment, Su Zhengtao lunged toward Su Shan, crying out in a mix of excitement and horror.

Simultaneously, Su Xuefeng strode forward. He could not let them continue fighting, otherwise, Su Shan would surely die from the next strike.

"It's a pity you only managed to take the third strike. You are truly weak. However, Su Zhengtao can just take your place." Sikong Jing's gaze fixed on Su Zhengtao, the culprit behind the misery of Su Yuexi's family.

Then, Sikong Jing looked up and said, "Father-in-law, help me block Su Xuefeng."

Su Zhenglong froze. Su Shan had already lost; was there still more fighting to be done?

Did Sikong Jing mean he intended to fight even Su Zhengtao?

He opened his mouth to persuade him, but under Sikong Jing's terrifying aura, Su Zhenglong could not utter a word. Ultimately, he erupted with True Qi reaching the Human Realm and moved sideways to intercept Su Xuefeng.

"Father, since this is a life-and-death duel between juniors, you should just watch from the side."

Su Zhenglong's voice was low and resolute. The moment his mother's statue was destroyed, his heart toward his father had nearly died as well.

Hearing this, Su Xuefeng halted his steps. He blasted Human Realm True Qi toward Su Zhenglong and said coldly, "Get out of the way!"

Right at that moment, Sikong Jing's voice rang out again: "Mad Blade Extinction!"

Aiming toward Su Zhengtao and Su Shan, Sikong Jing's fourth strike burst forth with brute force. If any soldiers from the army could see this Mad Blade Rampage now, they would surely cry out in awe.

This was no longer the original Mad Blade; it seemed to carry the roar of a monster, like claws tearing through the void.

Su Zhengtao's face was distorted. He gripped Su Shan's blade and performed a horizontal slash. It was still the Su family's Eight Golden Thunder Strikes, but Su Zhengtao was at the Eighth Layer of the Dark Realm, making his strength even greater.

A series of booms echoed as countless tables and plates in the banquet hall were shattered.

Yet, Su Zhengtao stood cold and firm; he blocked Sikong Jing's fourth strike without retreating an inch.

"What a 'life-and-death duel,' what a 'battle between juniors.' Can you people be any more shameless?"

Mei Xiaofang's shrill voice rang out, filled with biting sarcasm.

This was nothing short of a joke. They had called it a life-and-death duel, yet Su Zhengtao, as an elder, had intervened.