Chapter 685: 装逼被雷劈

The Qi Prince's Heir frowned slightly, saying, "Who are you trying to scare with that broken fire poker?"

The Tai'a Sword was unassuming, not gleaming brightly like typical divine weapons. Instead, it looked somewhat rusty and dull, which explained why he mocked it as a fire poker.

"Then why don't you try what it feels like to be poked a few times by this fire poker?" Zu An said with a grin. He wondered if the Qi Prince's Heir would be foolish enough to accept the challenge, in which case he'd quickly teach him a lesson.

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" The Qi Prince's Heir didn't humor him. Although he didn't believe the shabby sword could pierce his elemental shield, he certainly wasn't going to stand there stubbornly and let himself be cut.

"Since you're unwilling, don't blame me for getting rough." As Zu An's words fell, he appeared beside the Qi Prince's Heir with incredibly ghostly footwork, his sword striking towards him at an impossibly strange angle.

The Qi Prince's Heir's expression hardened. This guy's footwork was too bizarre; he dared not be careless. Fortunately, his lightning-based abilities gave him an advantage in speed, so he swiftly dodged and counter-attacked.

The two figures flickered in and out of sight, a dazzling spectacle to the onlookers.

Mu Rongqinghe was dumbfounded. "How is your brother-in-law so strong?"

The scene before her exceeded her understanding. As a martial arts enthusiast, although her cultivation level was not exceptional in the capital, she was already outstanding among her peers. She also possessed excellent judgment, having grown up surrounded by many experts in her family. This upbringing had given her far superior discernment compared to ordinary practitioners who simply trained in isolation.

From every perspective, Zu An should not have been a match for the Qi Prince's Heir. Zhao Zhi was a Grade Eight expert!

Yet now, the two were fighting to a standstill?

No, she even felt that the Qi Prince's Heir was gradually losing ground.

Zu An's footwork was so uncanny that his swordplay appeared ghostly and elusive, giving off an eerie vibe even from a distance.

The same sword technique, when performed by Miss Chu, was like that of a fairy. Yet, when this guy wielded it, the aura was completely different.

Chu Youzhao, standing nearby, puffed out her chest proudly. "Of course! Who do you think he is, after all?"

Mu Rongqinghe pursed her lips. Just a few months ago, someone was constantly cursing her brother-in-law and even suspected her own sister was blind. Now, she had changed her tune so quickly.

At this moment, the Qi Prince's Heir was both shocked and enraged. "Very good, you've successfully captured my attention. You are worthy of making this prince draw his sword."

With his Grade Eight cultivation, he had initially thought dealing with Zu An would be child's play and disdained using a weapon, fearing it would lower his prestige.

But the current situation left him no choice. He had planned to wait until his opponent's vital energy was exhausted, which would naturally make his footwork falter. Yet, for some unknown reason, Zu An's aura was incredibly long-lasting, and this high-intensity exchange seemed to have no effect on him at all.

If this continued, he feared his opponent would injure him before he could wear Zu An down.

As a dignified Grade Eight expert, failing to capture a mere punk and even getting injured in the process would ruin his reputation in the capital's circles.

"Still trying to act tough," Zu An scoffed, "If you're so capable, don't draw your sword! I'll chop off your third leg in minutes."

The Qi Prince's Heir's old face flushed. Several times, he had nearly been stabbed by Zu An's sword. He had been confident his elemental shield could withstand it, but this infuriating guy kept aiming his sword at his lower regions. He truly had no confidence in using his "little brother" to block the opponent's blade.

He silently drew his own sword, his anger flaring. *Even if I don't kill him today, I'll chop off his limbs and cut out that annoying tongue of his.*

Rage points from Zhao Zhi +444 +444 +444...

Watching the two fight, Mu Rongqinghe blinked and looked at Chu Youzhao beside her. "Brother Chu, what's a 'third leg'?"

As a martial arts enthusiast, she knew everything about cultivation, but this term was entirely outside her scope of knowledge.

"Don't ask about such things, little girl." Chu Youzhao's pretty face flushed slightly. She hadn't understood it herself initially, but after witnessing Zu An pressing down on her sister in the room that day, she had instinctively figured out what a "third leg" was without needing to be taught.

"You talk as if you're so much older than me," Mu Rongqinghe grumbled, annoyed at being dismissed for her age. Just as she was about to say something more, she saw a blush spread across Chu Youzhao's cheeks, and her eyes instantly turned into hearts. *Brother Chu is truly handsome, such a charming and elegant young man with rosy lips and white teeth!*

While Mu Rongqinghe was lost in her infatuation, the Qi Prince's Heir was far from pleased. Given his family background and status, his personal sword was naturally a top-tier divine weapon. He had expected to easily hack through the "junk" in his opponent's hand, but after several clashes, that "fire poker" hadn't budged an inch.

*Did I do something wrong when I left home today?*

The Qi Prince's Heir was beginning to doubt reality. It was one thing for his Grade Eight cultivation not to swiftly defeat a low-level cultivator, but his divine weapon couldn't even sever his opponent's unremarkably plain weapon. What exactly was going on?

However, he didn't let his focus waver in the slightest. Instead, he executed a brilliant technique, instantly thrusting his sword into his opponent's thigh.

"Hmph, let's see what you do now!" The smile that had just begun to form on his face froze because the sensation on his sword tip was wrong.

As expected, the Zu An he had stabbed gradually dissipated.

Another afterimage!

Without turning his head, he immediately thrust his sword backwards.

Not far away, Chu Youzhao gasped. From her perspective, Zu An had taken the opportunity to flash behind the Qi Prince's Heir for a sneak attack, but who knew his opponent would react so quickly, as if he had deliberately thrown his chest into the sword tip.

Further away, the gap-toothed coachman felt the lady in the carriage leaning forward. Knowing her concern, he explained, "Don't worry, Madam, that young man's footwork is incredibly sophisticated. He isn't hurt."

The woman in the carriage finally let out a slight sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, the Qi Prince's Heir's expression also changed, for he felt that this thrust too had hit nothing but air.

He immediately thought to dodge, but he was a step too late. A sharp pain shot through his thigh, and a spray of blood mist burst forth.

The Qi Prince's Heir roared, his long sword swirling wildly as a violent bolt of lightning scattered outwards. This move was powerful enough to take away half of his opponent's life.

Unfortunately, Zu An didn't press his advantage greedily. After landing the hit, he immediately retreated, making the Qi Prince's Heir's attack strike empty air.

"You actually managed to break through my defense!" The Qi Prince's Heir looked down at the bleeding wound on his leg, filled with both shock and rage.

Rage points from Zhao Zhi +588 +588 +588...

If not for his cultivator's instinct for crisis warning, which made him dodge to the side at the last moment, he might have already bid farewell to his "little brother."

Zu An secretly lamented the missed opportunity. Grade Eight cultivators indeed possessed many trump cards; otherwise, that last strike would have finished him off. "Who was it just now boasting that my attacks couldn't even break your shield? If you don't believe me, want another chance to try?"

Zhao Zhi's gaze turned cold. He looked at the Tai'a Sword in Zu An's hand with some trepidation, realizing the anomaly likely stemmed from it. "I admit, I did underestimate you earlier. But do you really think you can defeat me just with a bizarre old sword?"

"Are you a duck? Why is your beak still so hard at a time like this?" Zu An couldn't help but mock.

Even Chu Youzhao and Mu Rongqinghe, not far away, subconsciously nodded. They also felt that the Qi Prince's Heir had been disgraced this time. A loss was a loss, even if it was by half a move.

He was, after all, a formidable Grade Eight expert. Being forced into such a state and even injured by a lower-ranked martial artist made any fine words useless.

In contrast, the gap-toothed coachman in the distance frowned. "That young man is in danger now."

He had originally expected the lady in the carriage to respond so he could elaborate further, but there wasn't a sound. All his pretentious words fell flat, leaving him feeling quite stifled.

At this moment, Zhao Zhi's hair-tie had unknowingly come undone. His neatly combed hair now floated in the air as if caught by a breeze, and his pupils were tinged with purple. "Do you know the difference between a Grade Eight cultivator and a low-level cultivator?"

Feeling his aura continuously rising, Zu An's expression subtly changed. He recalled the common knowledge he had learned at the academy.

Grade Six allowed cultivators to form an elemental shield, almost entirely preventing lower-level cultivators from challenging those above their rank. It was considered the first qualitative leap in cultivation.

Grade Eight marked the second qualitative leap in cultivation. Before Grade Eight, cultivators primarily relied on their own stored vital energy from heaven and earth, meaning their own power. But upon reaching Grade Eight, they could harness the power of heaven and earth itself!

Even in his previous life, in a world of highly advanced technology where humans could explore space and the deep sea, a casual typhoon or an earthquake-induced tsunami could unleash energy equivalent to who knew how many atomic bombs.

Compared to the power of heaven and earth, humanity was ultimately too insignificant.

And at that moment, he could acutely feel the vital energy of heaven and earth rushing madly towards the Qi Prince's Heir.

Noticing the change in his expression, the Qi Prince's Heir finally showed a hint of pleasure. "It seems you've realized it. I originally didn't want to cause such a commotion in the capital, but you forced my hand. Let me show you the true terror of a Grade Eight cultivator!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he shot towards Zu An like a cannonball, with such speed that even Chu Youzhao and Mu Rongqinghe, who were intently watching the battle, couldn't react in time.

Zu An was greatly startled. The opponent's speed was incomparably faster than before; it was too late to dodge. So, clenching his jaw, he directly swung his sword towards the Qi Prince's Heir's vitals. As the saying goes, "When rivals meet, the brave one wins." He didn't believe someone so "precious" would dare trade injuries or lives with him.

"A lowlife from the marketplace just has this reckless abandon," the Qi Prince's Heir sneered. "Too bad none of that means anything in the face of absolute power!"

As he spoke, he easily blocked the Tai'a Sword with his own blade. With his current speed, Zu An's desperate attack was nothing but a joke in his eyes.

At the same time, he unleashed a punch. A white energy surge emanated from his fist, moving so fast that it broke the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom just like the fighter jets Zu An knew from his previous life.

Zu An raised his hand to block, but he was a step too slow and was hit squarely in the chest by the punch.

The sound of bones cracking echoed, and Zu An's body arced through the air like a broken sandbag, crashing heavily to the ground.

"Brother-in-law!" Chu Youzhao cried out in alarm. She had even seen the blood Zu An spat out as he fell through the air, like a tragic rainbow.

She rushed over and stood in front of Zu An. "Please show mercy, Your Highness."

"Brother Chu!" Mu Rongqinghe exclaimed, hurrying after him. The combat power of a Grade Eight cultivator was terrifying; even a small ripple of their fighting energy could be fatal to him.

Despite this, she instinctively ran to Chu Youzhao's side, trying to protect him.

The Qi Prince's Heir stopped about ten feet in front of them, frowning. "For the sake of the Qin and Murong families, move aside, and I can pretend nothing happened."

Mu Rongqinghe quickly pulled Chu Youzhao. "Yes, Brother Chu, this is a fight between your brother-in-law and His Highness. Besides, it's useless for you to stay here. Come to the side quickly."

She was concerned for Chu Youzhao's safety, and furthermore, as the Murong family was a pillar of the Qi Prince's faction, she didn't want any conflict with the Qi Prince's Heir that might affect their families' relations.

As for Zu An, while it was a bit regrettable, he had been so arrogant from the start.

As a martial arts enthusiast, she always recognized only victory and defeat in such fair duels.

"No!" Chu Youzhao cried out, trembling with fear but refusing to move an inch.

She wasn't sure if she was doing it for her sister or because her brother-in-law had saved her life and honor several times. She only knew that she couldn't retreat now, or she would surely regret it for the rest of her life.

The Qi Prince's Heir's face hardened. "Young Master Chu, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"

The Chu family from Brightmoon City was indeed powerful, but they had repeatedly refused their overtures, which had long displeased them.

The reason he had spoken kindly to her earlier wasn't because of the Chu family, but out of respect for the Qin family.

But if they continued to be ignorant of proper conduct, even if something happened, the two Dukes of the Qin family wouldn't be able to blame him.

Feeling the oppressive aura of a Grade Eight expert, Chu Youzhao shivered, wishing her sister were there. *I'm still so young, and my cultivation isn't high. He could crush me with a single finger. Why do I have to bear such a terrifying scene?*

But she immediately realized that even if her sister were there, she also wouldn't be a match for a Grade Eight expert.

Despite her intense fear, she stubbornly spread her arms, her feet unmoving.

"Brother Chu!" Mu Rongqinghe was also anxious. She even considered knocking him unconscious and dragging him away. Even if he blamed her later, at least his life would be saved.

Just then, a voice came from behind them: "Youzhao, do you have so little faith in your brother-in-law?"

Chu Youzhao's body trembled. She turned back in disbelief to see Zu An standing behind them, smiling at her.

"Brother-in-law!" Chu Youzhao was both surprised and delighted. "Are you alright?"

Zu An shook his head slightly. "Don't worry, his little punches are barely tickles to me. They're nothing at all."

The Qi Prince's Heir, who had been arrogant moments before, his pupils contracted. "This is impossible!"

He had been absolutely certain that punch had shattered Zu An's sternum. How could he stand up as if nothing had happened, and his aura even seemed a bit stronger than before?

Zu An ignored him and instead said to Chu Youzhao, "Youzhao, step aside for a moment. I still need to settle things with His Highness here."

It had to be said that the Chu sisters were all initially proud and aloof, but beneath their tough exterior, they were actually quite soft-hearted. His efforts in saving her multiple times had not been in vain.

"Okay!" Seeing him safe and sound, Chu Youzhao happily moved to the side.

Mu Rongqinghe was quite speechless, thinking, *I tried so hard to convince you, but you wouldn't budge. Then your brother-in-law says one sentence, and you happily scamper off.*

After they had moved away, Zu An finally looked at the Qi Prince's Heir. "It's time to settle things between us."

"Why are you completely unharmed?" Even when Zu An had stabbed him earlier, the Qi Prince's Heir hadn't panicked at all, feeling everything was under control. But now, he was genuinely flustered. Humans always feared the unknown.

Zu An chuckled softly. "It's your fault for being so weak. Your punch was less than a tickle."

The Qi Prince's Heir's breath hitched. His punch could collapse city walls, yet he called it a tickle. "Hmph, I don't know what secret technique you used to recover so quickly, but let's see how many more hits you can take."

As soon as he finished speaking, he rapidly attacked Zu An again. In his mind, such a heaven-defying secret technique surely came with a price, and Zu An would eventually be unable to sustain it.

However, for Zu An, the Primordial Chaos Scripture provided powerful physical recovery, while the Phoenix Nirvana Scripture allowed him to increase his cultivation by taking hits. Zu An had originally intended to use this opportunity to simultaneously raise the levels of both the Primordial Chaos Scripture and the Phoenix Nirvana Scripture.

But with his sister-in-law and others watching, being beaten too badly would truly damage his glorious image.

*Forget it, I need to save face!*

In front of so many people, Zu An genuinely couldn't bring himself to just take a beating, so he decided to end the fight quickly.

At this point, the Qi Prince's Heir horrifyingly discovered that his opponent's speed and strength had suddenly increased many times over, now matching his own. Combined with Zu An's uncanny footwork, this put him at a disadvantage.

It was important to remember that he was only at the initial stage of Grade Eight, while Zu An was already at the peak of Grade Seven. Moreover, Zu An's cultivation rank was inherently different from others, placing him significantly higher than a regular peak Grade Seven cultivator.

So, strictly speaking, in terms of cultivation, the Qi Prince's Heir was actually the weaker party.

But the Qi Prince's Heir himself didn't know this. The more he fought, the more alarmed he became. After sustaining a few more injuries, he finally lost his nerve. With a roar, he gave up close-quarters combat and directly unleashed his ultimate move.

"Overlord's Sacred Thunder!"

His body slowly ascended into the air, arms spread wide. His entire form glowed with a bluish-purple light, becoming incredibly bright, as if he had transformed into a massive ball of lightning.

Bolts of lightning as thick as arms shot out from him like chains, engulfing an area of ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) in radius. Flashes of electricity shimmered everywhere within, transforming the space into a sea of thunder.

The Qi Prince's Heir's gnashing voice carried over. "Dodge now, go on, dodge! What good is your miraculous footwork now? This entire area is a sea of thunder. Where can you hide? Prepare to face the consequences of enraging this prince!"

Chu Youzhao's face turned pale, illuminated by the lightning. Remembering her previous lesson, Mu Rongqinghe quickly held her back tightly.

The woman in the distant carriage could no longer remain calm and urgently said, "Quickly, save him!"

The gap-toothed coachman's expression turned serious. Just as he was about to rise, he suddenly stopped. "Perhaps I won't need to intervene after all."

Zu An, in the center of the lightning field, sighed. "Do you know what I hate most in this life? It's lightning!"

After all, he had transmigrated precisely because he was struck by a ball lightning. He really didn't want to experience that sensation again.

"You hate lightning, yet you're about to be punished by this prince with lightning, and there's nothing you can do about it. Aren't you infuriated?" The Qi Prince's Heir finally felt a surge of satisfaction. This guy had constantly made him lose face; now it was time for him to taste the consequences of offending him. "I'll give you one last chance. If you kneel down now and kowtow to me a hundred times, I might consider sparing your life."

It had been a long time since he was pushed to such an extent. Only by publicly humiliating Zu An could he finally quell the hatred in his heart.

Zu An chuckled. "Then I'll give you a chance too. If you kneel down now and kowtow to me a thousand times, I'll spare your life."

The Qi Prince's Heir flew into a rage. "Since you want to die, then I'll grant your wish!"

"God of Thunder, aid me!"

He pointed both fingers to the sky. Thunderclouds churned in the ten-zhang radius above, and everyone could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from them.

Immediately, lightning flashed, and bolts of thunder revealed their fearsome countenances.

Just then, a massive water sphere suddenly appeared, directly colliding with the Qi Prince's Heir in mid-air.

In that instant, he was drenched from head to toe. Immediately afterwards, countless lightning bolts that were originally heading for Zu An abruptly changed direction, all striking the Qi Prince's Heir instead.

"What the f—" The Qi Prince's Heir only managed to curse before his entire body was struck, becoming burnt crispy outside and tender inside, then plummeting straight down from mid-air.