"Quite the speed, but what about this?" Zhang Tianshun's lips curled into a cold smirk, as he unleashed a barrage of lightning bolts from his fingertips, streaking towards Zhang Fan with no room to dodge.
"Trivial tricks," Zhang Fan retorted, unfazed by the apparent peril. With a powerful leap, he soared three meters into the air, evading the lightning assault. As he descended, his Fengchang sword lunged towards Zhang Tianshun.
"Futile!" Zhang Tianshun dismissed the attack, enveloping himself in a barrier of lightning. To reach him, Zhang Fan would have to breach this electrified fortress, a dangerous prospect.
"What?" Zhang Tianshun's eyes widened in disbelief as Zhang Fan accelerated towards him, a Magnum revolver suddenly appearing in his left hand. Three shots rang out, striking Zhang Tianshun in both shoulders and his staff-wielding right arm. The pain disrupted his control over the lightning, providing Zhang Fan with an opening. Using the momentum from his descent, Zhang Fan delivered a brutal knee strike to Zhang Tianshun's face, knocking out three of his teeth.
"Surrender now!" As Zhang Tianshun looked up, Zhang Fan's sword was already poised at his neck, ready to strike at any sudden movement.
"Heh, surrender? The word doesn't exist in my dictionary. Die!" In a surprising turn, a cloud of black smoke billowed from Zhang Tianshun's sleeve, a desperate move to obscure Zhang Fan's vision.
Ordinary smoke might have hindered sight, but Zhang Fan had other means to locate his target. "Right here!" As his voice echoed, a gunshot rang out, distinct from the Magnum's sound. It was more akin to an assault rifle, but nobody had seen Zhang Fan with such a weapon before. The black smoke veiled the scene, keeping everyone in suspense about the outcome.
As the smoke cleared, only Zhang Fan stood in the arena. Zhang Tianshun lay unconscious from excessive blood loss. Zhuge Jingxuan immediately sent for medical attention, accepting their defeat.
"Indeed, Zhang Fan, the dual expert of sword and gun, is formidable," Zhuge Jingxuan acknowledged respectfully. He bid farewell to Xiang Tianxiong and Lanbao, promising a smooth transfer of the agreed territories.
"Zhang Fan, I find you intriguing. I'll make you one of mine," declared Keke, the girl resembling Arya, expressing her keen interest in Zhang Fan.
"Step aside, brat. Next time I see you, I'll strip you naked and throw you in the street," Lanbao interjected before Zhang Fan could respond, her disdain for Keke palpable.
As Zhuge Jingxuan departed, Zhang Fan advised Xiang Tianxiong to be wary of him. Xiang Tianxiong chuckled, confident in his cunning, likening himself to an old hunter, though Zhang Fan thought him more of a sly fox.
The matter resolved, Zhang Fan planned to leave, but Xiang Tianxiong insisted he stay for the night, arranging a morning flight for him. That evening, a lavish banquet was held in Zhang Fan's honor.
"You're a fine young man, Zhang Fan. I entrust Lanbao to you," Xiang Tianxiong declared amidst the merry drinking, seemingly planning to match Zhang Fan with his daughter.
As Zhang Fan attempted to clarify, Xiang Tianxiong brushed him off, believing in the virtues of straightforward manhood. The night continued with joyous celebration, the future uncertain but filled with possibilities.