Firmament Sword

”Buy me a drink? You’re not worthy!”

Du Qingteng sneered at Xu Luo. ”Kneel. Give me three loud kowtows—and don’t you dare use your energy to resist. I want to see blood. Then, you’ll say ’Master Du, I was wrong’ three times, get the hell out, and I might just spare your life!”

”Lord Du, please, you’re a man of great stature...” Fuqu, the beautiful proprietor of the Divine Maiden Tower, pleaded from the side, trying to defuse the situation.

SLAP!

A young man beside Du Qingteng raised his hand and slapped Fuqu right across her delicate, flawless cheek. A crimson handprint immediately blossomed on her face.

The slap left Fuqu completely stunned. She stood frozen, eyes rimmed with red as she bit down hard on her lower lip, refusing to let her tears fall.

Though a woman, as the proprietor of the Divine Maiden Tower’s flagship location, Fuqu was no ordinary person. She had always been known for her tact and diplomacy, and she was extremely well-connected.

This was the first time she had ever met someone so utterly unreasonable, someone who would strike without a word. Had it been anyone else, even a disciple from a Supreme Great Sect, Fuqu would have fought them to the death.

But of all people, the one who struck her was from the three great Holy Lands!

Though he was clearly a servant, a servant from one of the three Holy Lands was, in terms of status, barely inferior to a Direct Disciple of the nine Supreme Great Sects!

Out in the world, he would be considered a top-tier, peerless prodigy.

Therefore, no one ever dared to look down on them simply because they were servants.

After slapping Fuqu, the young man said coldly, ”Annoying.”

Du Qingteng, meanwhile, wore an arrogant expression, his eyes fixed coldly on Xu Luo.

Just then, Yu Tianying stood up. ”Even the Holy Lands have to act with some reason, don’t they? When did we ever provoke you? There’s no grudge between us. Don’t you think you’re taking this too far?”

”Taking it too far?” the young servant sneered. ”Since when do the three great Holy Lands need a piece of trash like you telling us what to do? You haven’t provoked us? If you have to blame someone... blame yourselves for being blind. Take a look at yourselves. What right do you have to even think about Miss Yingying?”

With that, the young servant added coldly, ”Only the weak complain that others are taking things too far!”

Yu Tianying’s face flushed with anger. ”So it’s about who’s got more skill? Fine, let’s duel!”

”HAHAHAHA! Are you that naive? Who the hell do you think you are? Why would I duel you? I could kill a whole crowd of your kind with a single slap!” The young servant laughed maniacally, showing complete disdain for Yu Tianying.

The first part of his response might have sounded like cowardice, but his last sentence laid bare his arrogant nature.

It was truly a case of like master, like servant.

Yu Tianying flew into a rage, ready to lunge forward and fight the servant to the death. When had the dignity of a Heavenly Brilliance Disciple ever been trampled on so thoroughly?

He would not retreat a single step, even if it meant death!

”What an impressive servant,” Xu Luo suddenly remarked, his tone light. ”You only dare to bark so wildly because your master is here. As for your kind... I could wipe out a whole stack of you with one slap.”

As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He turned to Du Qingteng and said coolly, ”Get out.”

”You’re courting death!” the young servant bellowed. The ancient sword on his back shot out of its sheath, becoming a streak of light aimed straight for the space between Xu Luo’s brows.

On Xu Luo’s side, Yu Tianying and the others shot to their feet. Tang Xiao went a step further, kicking over the tea table in front of him as an ancient scripture materialized, hovering above his head.

At that moment, the Guardian standing beside Du Qingteng glanced at the ancient scripture above Tang Xiao’s head. He let out a soft sound of surprise but made no other move.

The ancient sword aiming for Xu Luo was already right before his face.

Xu Luo extended two fingers and caught the ancient sword between them. With a twist of his fingers—CRACK!—the sword snapped in two.

Then, Xu Luo casually flicked the two broken pieces back.

Enraged, the young servant raised a hand to strike the two pieces of the broken sword.

”Careful!” Du Qingteng warned, his expression grim. He then flicked a finger at the two flying shards.

Two sharp bangs echoed in the air as a powerful force erupted outwards.

The young servant’s expression changed, and he staggered back a few steps. His furious gaze toward Xu Luo was now tinged with apprehension.

Du Qingteng narrowed his eyes. ”No wonder you’re so arrogant. You’ve got some skill,” he said to Xu Luo. ”But... it’s nothing in front of Master Du. Are you still not going to kneel and beg for forgiveness?”

”Forgive my ass!” Xu Luo shot to his feet, leaping into the air and throwing a punch straight at Du Qingteng.

’Xu Luo was certain of it: the Celestial Venerable Guardian would not interfere lightly.’

’A Guardian’s purpose was to protect Du Qingteng on his path to the Great Dao, not to be his nanny or his bodyguard!’

’As long as Du Qingteng’s life wasn’t in danger, his Guardian would never interfere. Doing so would only hinder Du Qingteng’s growth!’

’From the moment Du Qingteng had burst in, Xu Luo had been mulling this over. Seeing the old man’s indifference to everything in the room, Xu Luo had made a bold guess. He was ready to take a gamble!’

’Even if he lost the bet and Du Qingteng’s Guardian did intervene, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. He had his own backers, after all.’

’Xu Luo refused to believe that with all the ruckus they were causing, Xie Wanrou wouldn’t have heard anything.’

Seeing Xu Luo dare to attack him, Du Qingteng sneered. He raised his hand, forming it into an eagle’s claw, and shot it toward Xu Luo’s fist.

”You dare punch me? I’ll cripple that hand!”

Du Qingteng’s five fingers instantly turned the color of Gold!

They looked like five fingers carved from pure Gold, radiating a terrifying power that threatened to pulverize anything in their path!

Xu Luo’s expression was perfectly calm. Without any intention of pulling back, he drove his fist straight toward Du Qingteng’s Gold eagle claw!

THUD!

A muffled thud echoed as a terrifying wave of energy erupted in the air.

The energy was immensely powerful. If left unchecked, it could have instantly blasted the entire Divine Maiden Tower to smithereens!

Du Qingteng’s Guardian made no visible move; he merely glanced at the ball of energy, and the terrifying power in the air vanished without a trace.

Xu Luo was relieved his gamble had paid off, but he was also inwardly stunned. ’So this is the power of a Celestial Venerable? How terrifying!’

As fist met palm, both men took a step back.

A flicker of surprise crossed Du Qingteng’s eyes. With his strength surpassing the Initial Tier Ultimate Venerable, he had failed to crush his opponent’s fist in one move.

Instead, his opponent’s punch had forced him back a step. This surprised Du Qingteng, but more than that... it pissed him off!

That last strike had felt like grabbing a piece of unshakable Divine Gold. Though he wasn’t injured, Du Qingteng felt he had lost a great deal of face.

”Again!”

Du Qingteng’s body flickered. Like a phantom, he vanished, reappearing before Xu Luo in the blink of an eye.

The two immediately engaged in close-quarters combat!

This time, both of them contained their auras. Otherwise, the Divine Maiden Tower truly would have been destroyed.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged a flurry of blows, fighting to a standstill.

Du Qingteng’s annoyance grew, but his astonishment grew even more.

’He was a young, mighty figure who had surpassed the Initial Tier Ultimate Venerable!’

’He wasn’t like those stuffy martial artists who insisted on showing off by suppressing their power to the Great Saint Realm. In fact, he had been unleashing his full strength from the very beginning.’

’His aura, which surpassed the Initial Tier Ultimate Venerable, hadn’t put the slightest bit of pressure on his opponent.’

’Du Qingteng could do nothing against Xu Luo’s tyrannical combat strength.’

The Guardian, who had remained expressionless by the door, now watched Xu Luo with a profound gaze.

THUD! THUD!

Their bodies collided, and both felt as if they had slammed into a wall of bronze and iron. The other’s body was incredibly tough.

”Kid... your physical body is damn tough! To be able to fight Master Du to a standstill... you’re not bad!” A light of excitement flashed in Du Qingteng’s cold eyes. ”If you can beat Master Du today, Master Du will let you have the woman!”

”She’s not yours to give,” Xu Luo retorted. By now, certain that the Guardian would not interfere, he had completely let loose.

”Bah! If I hadn’t run into a pretty boy like you, she’d be mine!” Du Qingteng grew furious just thinking about it.

’With his title as a Holy Land Inheritor, where had he gone where people didn’t fawn over and revere him? Any woman he set his sights on would be crying and begging for his favor, wouldn’t they?’

’But how could he, Lord Du Qingteng, ever be interested in such common, painted faces?’

’He finally found one who stirred his heart, and to his surprise, she wasn’t interested in him!’

’Even after he revealed his identity as the current heir of Weiyu Mountain, one of the three great Holy Lands, she remained completely unmoved.’

’Damn it, so what if I look a bit more masculine?’

’Why do all these little sluts fall for pretty boys?’

’From top to bottom... how am I any weaker than those pretty boys?’

’Blind fool! Even if you don’t like me, I’ll still have you!’

This was Du Qingteng: domineering, arrogant, the kind of man who, even if he couldn’t win your heart, would still take your body. This was Lord Du!

But more than women, Lord Du was a martial arts fanatic!

Otherwise, how could his Guardian completely ignore his outrageous behavior?

Du Qingteng truly looked down on the so-called disciples of great clans and top-tier sects. The only people he respected were those who were stronger than him!

To earn his camaraderie, a person had to at least be able to fight him to a standstill!

And this person before him sparked that very feeling of camaraderie, and even... a little admiration!

’Because his own realm had surpassed the Initial Tier Ultimate Venerable and was advancing toward the intermediate tier, while his opponent... was only at the Peak of the Great Saint Realm!’

’Despite the difference of an entire major realm, his opponent could fight him on these terms, not seeming weaker in the slightest.’

This realization gradually calmed Du Qingteng down, and a sense of admiration began to grow in his heart.

”This is called being handsome and dashing, not a ’pretty boy.’ You know how to appreciate peerlessly beautiful women, so why can’t they appreciate a handsome and dashing man like me?”

’Xu Luo realized that although Du Qingteng was domineering and arrogant, seemingly completely unreasonable, there was something almost endearing about his tyranny. At least... he wasn’t like that servant of his, who only dared to bark when his master was nearby.’

”Damn it, you’re gonna make me puke!” Du Qingteng roared. ”This is no fun at all! Let’s take this fight to the skies!”

With that, Du Qingteng’s figure flashed, and he shot out through the window.