Luli Li scrutinized people and events with precision, immediately discerning the hidden intricacies. It seemed that the decision to participate in the grand competition of the three major families led Luli Yan to seek assistance from the Zhang family.
The Lady of the Luli family had noble origins in the Zhang family, being the blood sister of the current head of the Zhang family, who, in turn, was the maternal uncle of Luli Yan.
Summoning the younger generation of the Zhang family to teach Luli Li a lesson suggested that Luli Yan's intentions went beyond mere instruction.
With this realization, Luli Li chuckled coldly, noting how eager Luli Yan was to hasten his demise.
Luli Li, now approaching the martial stage, didn't leap onto it like others; instead, he ascended step by step.
"Zhang Zifeng, you dare to let the weakling from the Luli family face you in combat, a victory obtained through such means lacks martial honor!"
"Haha, though this weakling has cleared his meridians, it's only been half a month. Even if he becomes a martial artist now, he's merely at the first meridian stage. A fourth meridian facing a first meridian—Zhang Zifeng, aren't you bullying him?"
"Luli Li, beware not to get killed!"
The audience erupted into noise. No one expected someone from the Luli family, particularly this 'weakling,' to step up.
Initially, the Luli family assumed Luli Li's participation in the competition was merely a formality, but unexpectedly, he chose to engage in a match.
"How about using weapons? I specialize in the sword!"
After Zhang Zifeng's proposal, a sheathed long sword flew onto the martial stage from the crowd, landing gracefully in Zhang Zifeng's hands.
Proposing the use of weapons, Zhang Zifeng surprised everyone by providing his own. Luli Li glanced at the long sword, confirming its quality.
"Zhang Zifeng, you truly lack shame, employing weapons against this weakling."
"Without weapons, this weakling wouldn't last three moves. With a weapon, he won't be decapitated in a single sword strike!"
"I'm certain Luli Li won't dare to engage in weapon combat with Zhang Zifeng!"
As discussions continued below, Luli Li, amidst laughter, selected a weapon. He grabbed a weapon amid the laughter, astonishingly running off the stage to retrieve his recently forged tungsten steel knife.
Upon Luli Li's return to the stage, laughter resounded from below.
"Today, the Luli family will have to bury this weakling!"
"Fear not the low level of martial arts; fear the lack of intelligence."
"Zhang Zifeng isn't challenging Luli Li just for a simple contest. This fool dares to go up!"
"Probably, the Luli family wouldn't mind if something happened to this weakling!"
Laughter echoed, but Luli Li paid no heed, now armed with the knife.
As Zhang Zifeng's sword thrust towards him, executing a formidable move directly aimed at Luli Li's vital points, he retorted, "Since you're intent on killing me, you'll be the first to fall beneath my blade today."
"However, the method of killing you is a tricky matter. If it's too straightforward, others may hesitate to spar with me afterward. The ferocity matters! Looks like I'll have to put on a show!"
In a rush, Luli Li raised the knife to parry, narrowly evading Zhang Zifeng's sword in a somewhat awkward manner.
Engaging in combat with a practitioner at the true fourth meridian stage, Luli Li discovered that his spiritual energy was indeed beyond the ordinary fourth meridian stage.
At this moment, if Luli Li wished, Zhang Zifeng wouldn't be able to withstand even a single move. Though both were at the fourth meridian stage, Luli Li had already transcended the typical capabilities of this level.
Laughter filled the air below.
"This weakling can't endure even a single sword strike, just look at how awkwardly he dodged!"
"How many strikes do you think he can endure?"
"I bet at most three strikes. I dare wager a hundred silver coins!"
"Who'd bet with you? This weakling couldn't even handle one strike properly; how could he withstand three?"
Meanwhile, on the stage, Zhang Zifeng's swordplay was swift. Luli Li, despite the awkwardness, managed to fend off the attacks. Several exchanges had already occurred.
"He's endured seven strikes! This weakling surprisingly hasn't been defeated yet!"
"Can't you see? Zhang Zifeng is deliberately toying with this weakling. He's playing games with him!"
At this moment, even Zhang Zifeng on the stage couldn't believe it. Whether he had toyed with Luli Li or not, he knew he had exerted his full strength, yet Luli Li eluded him.
On the surface, it appeared Luli Li was struggling, but in reality, he orchestrated the situation.
After dozens of moves, the audience below was thoroughly convinced that Zhang Zifeng was intentionally playing with Luli Li.
Suddenly, Zhang Zifeng's long sword flicked, and Luli Li's tungsten steel knife flew out of his hand.
"Look, Zhang Zifeng is getting serious now! The weakling lost his weapon!"
"I said it earlier. He was just toying with this weakling. If not for Zhang Zifeng playing around, the weakling would have lost within three moves!"
At this moment, Zhang Zifeng, holding his long sword, made a swift motion. Luli Li, caught off guard in his confusion, stumbled and fell. Yet, in a bizarre turn of events, Zhang Zifeng fell from the stage. Even more astonishingly, Zhang Zifeng's chest had a tungsten steel knife impaled through it, drenched in blood.
Zhang Zifeng was dead, leaving everyone bewildered. How could this happen?
Some couldn't comprehend, while others had witnessed the entire scene.
Luli Li had cleverly maneuvered himself to the edge of the stage earlier. When he fell, half his body was already hanging in mid-air. Simultaneously, Zhang Zifeng, in a bid to land a fatal strike on Luli Li's heart, missed his target as Luli Li tumbled. Instead, Zhang Zifeng's body fell precisely onto the sharp edge of the tungsten steel knife that had coincidentally dropped below. Thus, he was pierced through the heart and lungs, a death both unforeseen and bizarre.
"Congratulations to the host for killing Zhang family's young master. Ferocity value +5!"
The long-lost voice echoed, rewarding Luli Li with only five points.
"How is this possible? Each advancement in the meridian stage usually adds only one point to the ferocity value!"
Luli Li felt frustrated; indeed, obtaining the ferocity value was no easy feat. Now, with these five points, the blood-red -1 finally changed.
"Luli Li, you dared to kill my son. Today, I will kill you!"
With Zhang Zifeng dead, everyone remained in disbelief. Amidst the stunned silence, an authoritative middle-aged man leaped onto the stage. In mid-air,he unleashed a powerful palm strike, sending shockwaves through the air. A distinct palm imprint appeared, revealing the extraordinary skill of a transcendent expert.
The detachment of spiritual energy from the mortal realm indicated the involvement of a high-level practitioner.