Chapter 65: The Pledge of Allegiance

At the critical moment, Lu Yan struck. His palm gleamed gold, broad as a fan, and seized the blade of the He clan clansman’s sword in one powerful grip.

“You—!” The He clansman surged with energy, frantically pouring his strength into the sword, striving to thrust forward. Yet, the blade would not budge, as if caught fast in solid metal.

Lu Yan’s arm muscles bulged; with a sudden exertion, he snapped the sword with a ringing clang. Grasping the broken tip, he lunged, driving the shard straight through the clansman’s throat.

Without pausing, Lu Yan bent his legs and sprang toward the He clansman who had slain Huo Tian.

It all happened in the blink of an eye—from Lu Yan’s first move to his enemy’s death, scarcely two breaths had passed. So swift was he that even the He clan’s elite, a master of the Fifth Breakthrough, had not yet reacted.

Only when Lu Yan charged him did the man come to his senses. “You court death,” he growled, stabbing his sword at Lu Yan like a gusting wind.

Lu Yan, airborne, had no room to dodge—nor did he intend to. Mid-leap, he drew his refined steel saber and slashed, cleaving through the air.

This was the perfected strike of the Sky-Cleaving Blade—fifty-four forms fused into one, pursuing the utmost simplicity: swift, precise, lethal. One stroke to sunder gold, one cut to rend the sky, one blow to kill.

The He clansman’s Wind-Chasing Death Sword sought the same virtues of speed and ferocity, but he fell short in mastery.

Clang!

They passed one another. Lu Yan stood with blade in hand, droplets of blood sliding from the steel. The He clansman’s eyes widened in disbelief as a line of blood blossomed at his throat; with a gurgle, his head toppled to the ground. His sword, too, had snapped in two.

One stroke to split gold, one cut to sever a head.

With a crash, Lu Yan kicked off, shattering the ground beneath his feet, and his massive frame charged toward Liu Xingming.

“Well done! Ha ha ha!” Liu Xingming laughed, brimming with delight. What had seemed certain death had turned in an instant—Lu Yan’s strength reversing their fate.

“Quick, retreat!” the gaunt He clansman cried, appalled. After thrusting several times to force Liu Xingming back, he turned to flee.

He knew well how formidable the other He clansman, also of the Fifth Breakthrough, had been—though weaker than himself, the gap was small. For Lu Yan to slay that man with a single stroke, even if partially due to carelessness, was proof enough of his terrifying power; killing him would be no challenge.

Stay, and die.

The He clansman at the Fourth Breakthrough also turned to flee, but Liu Xingming struck, intercepting him.

Lu Yan, relentless, gave chase to the Fifth Breakthrough master.

Lu Yan’s speed was extraordinary. His legs coiled like springs; a single leap covered over ten meters. In mere moments, he had closed in on the He clansman and hurled his tempered steel saber like a bolt of lightning at the man’s back.

The He clansman spun, sword flashing, and batted the saber aside. Realizing escape was impossible, he turned and charged at Lu Yan, blade in hand.

“A swordsman who throws away his own weapon—how foolish,” sneered the gaunt clansman. He unleashed the Wind-Chasing Death Sword at its peak, a technique he had refined over decades to deadly perfection.

Lu Yan had discarded his saber—surely, this was his chance. As a swordsman, he knew the importance of a weapon; it was a second life, the focus of all his years of effort. Losing one’s sword was like an eagle without wings, a tiger without fangs—his strength greatly diminished.

So it was with a blade-master.

He would not let this opportunity slip by.

The sword’s tip darted toward Lu Yan’s throat.

Lu Yan twisted aside, dodging the strike. Planting his feet, he drew strength from the ground, through his waist and spine, into his arms.

Gale Palm!

Lu Yan thrust out his palm, wind howling from the blow. The gaunt clansman’s face changed dramatically; hastily retreating, he flicked his wrist and stabbed at Lu Yan’s arm.

Lu Yan shifted mid-strike, bringing his palm down sideways onto the sword. The force exploded in an instant; the sword shuddered violently like a startled serpent, nearly flying from its wielder’s grasp.

Though the clansman’s martial arts were formidable, his vital energy sharp and condensed, Lu Yan’s own reserves were now far deeper—five times that of an ordinary person. Though not yet overflowing, his energy dwarfed that of a typical Fourth Breakthrough fighter and exceeded even most at the Fifth.

In direct confrontation, Lu Yan dominated utterly.

Pressing his advantage, he allowed no respite. Closing in, his fists and palms struck in unpredictable succession.

The clansman barely parried a few blows before Lu Yan suddenly surged forward, landing a full-force punch to his chest.

The man could not withstand such power; his defensive energy shattered, his chest caved in, Lu Yan’s fist sinking entirely into his ribcage.

“You…” Blood gushed from the gaunt man’s lips, bitterness and regret etched across his face.

“Forgive me—the blade technique is newly learned,” Lu Yan said, withdrawing his hand. The man collapsed, lifeless.

Meanwhile, Liu Xingming had seized the upper hand as well. Distracted by Lu Yan’s victory, the He clansman was struck square in the forehead by Liu Xingming’s palm, killed instantly.

Nearby, Wang Lin stared at Lu Yan in shock, as if seeing him for the first time. His thoughts seethed, unable to settle—only now did he realize the younger man who had always followed him had concealed such depths.

“Young Master Liu, it’s done,” Lu Yan said with a fist salute, walking toward Liu Xingming.

“Well done! Ha ha! I never imagined the Scarlet Guards harbored a talent like you. When we return to Changfeng City, I’ll report this to the elders—there will be a heavy reward. With your skill, you could easily serve as captain of the Scarlet Guards. After a period of observation, I’ll recommend you for the House of Retainers,” Liu Xingming said, surveying Lu Yan with open admiration. Yet inwardly he mused, This lad—Lu Yan, wasn’t it? A refugee by birth, only eighteen or nineteen, yet he just slew a scion of the aristocracy, a Fifth Breakthrough fighter, as if it were nothing. There must be a great secret behind him. Once we’re back, I’ll have the elders seize him and extract the truth.

Among the aristocratic clans, incompetents rarely rise—if any exist, they never reach high positions. The Liu clan’s elite had thoroughly investigated the Scarlet Guards; each member was familiar in broad strokes. Liu Xingming had reviewed Lu Yan’s file before. Now, thinking carefully, he realized how abnormal Lu Yan truly was.

He possessed the strength to slay a Fifth Breakthrough fighter, yet claimed only the second. If not for today, no one would know his true power.

He’s hidden it well!

“My thanks in advance, Young Master Liu!”

With a crash, Lu Yan struck Liu Xingming in the chest, caving it in and sending him flying a dozen meters, blood gushing from his mouth.

“Lu Yan, what are you—” Liu Xingming shouted in rage and terror. One moment friendly, the next, Lu Yan had turned on him even faster than flipping a page.

Wang Lin, too, was stunned, muscles tensing as he gripped his saber.

“Now that you know my true strength, I can’t let you live,” Lu Yan said coldly. Though directed at Liu Xingming, his gaze fell on Wang Lin, calm and devoid of emotion.

“Don’t you dare! I am of the Liu clan’s main line—if you kill me, the clan will tear you to pieces!” Liu Xingming screamed in terror.

“Kill!” With a fierce shout, Wang Lin suddenly struck. His blade flashed; Liu Xingming’s head flew high, rolling several meters away.

“Master Lu, please spare me! From now on, I am yours—I’ll go east if you command, never west,” Wang Lin said, saluting deeply.

Lu Yan broke into a smile and hurried over to help Wang Lin up. “Brother Wang, there’s no need for this. Just call me Lu Yan—no need for ‘Master,’ that’s too formal. You were just thinking of saving me; why would I kill you?”

He spoke with sincerity—he truly had not intended to kill Wang Lin. The reason he spared Liu Xingming was simple: to force Wang Lin to kill him, staking his allegiance and binding their fates, ensuring he would never reveal Lu Yan’s hidden strength.

He had not expected Wang Lin to grasp the situation so quickly and act even before he spoke—a keen mind and decisive hand, more so than Lu Yan had imagined.

His rise had been too swift. In just over four years since arriving as a refugee, he had risen from an ordinary man to a martial artist capable of killing Fifth Breakthrough fighters. If word got out, it would cause an uproar.

Not only the Liu clan, but other great houses would seize him for questioning.

Until he could protect himself, he could not risk exposure.