Unrestricted Dao Lord

"What?"

Chen Tianying was shocked.

Ghost Face was a Martial Artist at the Peak of Inner Force.

His Inner Strength was incredibly profound!

Once he unleashed his Inner Force, he was terrifyingly powerful.

How could he lose in a head-on clash to an Outer Force Martial Artist?

And it was a crushing defeat, no less!

Chen Tianying quickly rushed to Ghost Face’s side.

He saw that Ghost Face’s left arm was a bloody mess, and the left side of his chest had completely caved in. There was no longer any sign of life.

Ghost Face was dead!

In a direct confrontation, he had been brutally killed by Zhang Su’s Inner Force!

Looking at the injuries on Ghost Face’s body, Chen Tianying could hardly imagine just how domineering that Inner Force must have been.

CLICK.

Zhang Su sheathed his sword.

He glanced at Ghost Face’s corpse and shook his head imperceptibly.

’This Ghost Face put all his effort into hidden weapons. His strength was nowhere near Wei Yunzhou’s.’

’Back then, Wei Yunzhou at least managed to withstand three of my sword strikes in a direct clash.’

’But Ghost Face couldn’t even take a single blow.’

’Too weak!’

"Senior Brother Zhou, I was fortunate not to fail the mission."

"Good. Junior Brother Zhang, you’ve won two matches in a row. Well done."

Zhang Su then turned and returned to the group from the Guiyuan Sect.

Many disciples of the Guiyuan Sect stared at Zhang Su with astonished eyes.

Inner Force disciples like Yu Jingjing and Bai Jinghong tried to put themselves in his shoes. If they had been the ones facing Ghost Face’s attack just now, could they have blocked it?

In the end, all these Inner Force disciples shook their heads.

They couldn’t have blocked it!

It wasn’t that Ghost Face was truly that strong, but that his hidden weapon technique was just too insidious.

The slightest carelessness would have resulted in getting hit.

This was especially true for Bai Jinghong.

A trace of lingering fear flashed in his eyes.

He had been about to go on stage himself.

But then Zhang Su spoke up, so he didn’t have to.

’Looks like I was pretty lucky,’ he thought.

’If I had been the one to fight Ghost Face, I most likely would have been hit. I’d be severely injured, if not dead.’

Yu Jingjing, for her part, couldn’t help but turn to the Guardian behind her and ask softly, "Senior Brother Zhou, you’re a Huajin Martial Artist. You must have seen how Zhang Su blocked Ghost Face’s hidden weapons just now, right?"

The Guardian behind Yu Jingjing was also a disciple from the Bamboo Sword Peak lineage. His name was Zhou Mu, and he was a Martial Artist at the Peak of the Huajin Stage.

Zhou Mu’s expression was grave as he whispered, "Ghost Face’s use of hidden weapons was completely unexpected and far too sudden. Without prior preparation, it would be exceedingly difficult to block. The only exception would be a Huajin Martial Artist who has comprehended the transformations of Power and achieved a state where not even a feather could be added nor a fly could land on them."

"But Zhang Su clearly wasn’t prepared, and he’s not at the Huajin stage... To be honest, I don’t understand it either. How did he block so many hidden weapons, as fine as ox hair, with just the sword in his hand?"

Yu Jingjing was very surprised.

’Even Senior Brother Zhou couldn’t understand it?’

In truth, it wasn’t just Zhou Mu.

The Guiyuan Sect had brought thirteen Huajin disciples this time.

Like Zhou Mu, none of them could understand how Zhang Su had blocked so many hidden weapons.

After all, who could have imagined that an Outer Force Martial Artist like Zhang Su would possess a perception so keen it was infinitely close to Martial Sense?

If Zhang Su hadn’t possessed such keen perception, he too would not have been able to escape unscathed from that barrage of hidden weapons.

Having won two matches in a row, Zhang Su had accomplished his task and could now retire from the stage.

Once he returned to the Guiyuan Sect’s encampment, he would certainly be rewarded with merit points.

However, there was still a third match.

Although Celestial Eagle Tower had already lost two matches in a row, and had even lost a trusted subordinate like Ghost Face, Chen Tianying was still not resigned to defeat.

No matter what, Celestial Eagle Tower had to win one match!

As long as they won just one, any price would be worth it!

Chen Tianying was like a gambler now; he wouldn’t quit until all three matches were played.

However, this third match was for the Huajin Martial Artists.

And Huajin Martial Artists were already considered true masters in the Jianghu.

Chen Tianying himself had roamed the Jianghu for decades, and even now, he had only reached the Huajin Cultivation stage.

Among his subordinates, Ghost Face had the highest Cultivation, but he was only at the Peak of Inner Force.

As for Huajin Martial Artists, he didn’t have a single one.

It was true that Chen Tianying had no Huajin Martial Artists under his command, but there were a few staying as guests in the Celestial Eagle Tower.

But getting these Huajin Martial Artists to fight for him would be very difficult.

After all, while Celestial Eagle Tower was nominally just sparring with the Guiyuan Sect disciples, two people had already died in the first two matches.

Who would dare to so easily risk their life now?

Of course, Chen Tianying could fight himself.

But he hadn’t fought much in recent years and had long since lost the sharp edge of a Martial Artist.

If he went up, he would most likely suffer a crushing defeat.

Besides, he had seen what had become of Leng Wujie and Ghost Face.

He could promise all sorts of benefits to get others to fight.

But when it was his own turn, he didn’t dare.

Chen Tianying’s expression flickered uncertainly.

The next moment, as if having made a decision, he abruptly looked up toward the second floor and yelled, "Mo Tingzhu, you owe me your life! Now it’s time to repay that debt!"

WHOOSH.

Everyone looked up toward the second floor.

Sure enough, a Martial Artist emerged from one of the rooms upstairs.

He was dressed in martial attire and held a long saber in his hand.

"Chen Tianying, I owed you a life in the past. Today, I will repay you!"

The Martial Artist leaped directly from the second floor, landing lightly on his feet.

"It’s actually Hero Mo?"

"I never thought Hero Mo owed Chen Tianying his life! No wonder he made a special trip to Hengshan County a month ago. Chen Tianying must have written to him and asked him to come."

"Hero Mo is a dignified Huajin master. With his ’Tingzhu Blade,’ he fought his way from south to north, killing countless evil mountain bandits and villains along the way. In the end, he even wiped out all three Huajin masters in Shatuo Castle in one fell swoop, removing that cancer from the Jianghu."

"But today, Hero Mo has to face a Huajin master from the Guiyuan Sect. I wonder if he’ll be able to escape unscathed..."

Many of the Jianghu Martial Artists inside Celestial Eagle Tower looked at Mo Tingzhu with complicated expressions.

There were many so-called "heroes" in the Jianghu who were just fishing for fame, tarnishing the very word ’hero’.

But Mo Tingzhu was different.

Even the most critical people in the Jianghu had to admit that Mo Tingzhu was a true hero.

Mo Tingzhu truly deserved the title of Hero!

With Leng Wujie and Ghost Face before, many of the Jianghu people were just watching for the excitement.

But now that Mo Tingzhu was fighting the third match, these Jianghu people no longer cared about who won or lost. They only hoped that he could escape unscathed and not die at the hands of the Guiyuan Sect’s Huajin Martial Artist.

"Mo Tingzhu..."

Zhou Peng suddenly spoke up. "I have heard of your reputation in the Jianghu. You are a great hero of the Jianghu, a man of unyielding integrity. Why must you wade into these muddy waters?"

Mo Tingzhu shook his head and said faintly, "Since you have experience in the Jianghu, Your Excellency, you should know that once you’re in it, you can’t always do as you please. I owe Chen Tianying a life from the past, and that debt must be repaid!"

After a pause, Mo Tingzhu turned to Chen Tianying and said, "Are you sure you need me to fight the third match? Once I step onto the stage, regardless of the outcome, the life I owe you will be considered repaid. After this, there will be nothing more between us!"

Chen Tianying said coldly, "But of course."

He wasn’t worried that Mo Tingzhu would hold back or be perfunctory in his actions.

Mo Tingzhu was a man who valued relationships and righteousness; his word was his bond.

Since Mo Tingzhu had agreed to fight, he would definitely give it his all.

"Who from your esteemed sect will be fighting?"

Mo Tingzhu asked.

This time, Zhou Peng didn’t ask for the opinions of the other Huajin Martial Artists from the Guiyuan Sect.

He took a few steps forward and stood opposite Mo Tingzhu.

Clearly, Zhou Peng intended to fight this one himself.

The two men took their positions, facing each other across the distance.

"Mo Tingzhu, a wandering man of the Jianghu."

"Zhou Peng of the Guiyuan Sect."

Following the customs of the Jianghu, the two exchanged names.

SHING.

Both were Swordmen, and they drew their sabers almost simultaneously.

The edges of their sabers clashed in an instant.

BANG.

Both men felt a tremor run through their bodies.

When a Martial Artist reached the Huajin stage, their Inner Strength first became incomparably profound, far surpassing that of an Inner Force Martial Artist.

With every move, they could strike with Inner Force.

Secondly, they would have comprehended the transformations of Power, rendering flashy Martial Techniques and moves useless.

Therefore, the battles of Huajin Martial Artists were often head-on clashes, with wide, sweeping movements.

It was the same for Mo Tingzhu and Zhou Peng.

The first saber strike had only just landed when the second one immediately followed.

However, by the second strike, one could see Mo Tingzhu tremble, seemingly already at his limit.

That was only the second strike, yet the gap between them was already immense.

Then came the third strike.

BANG.

Mo Tingzhu felt the web of his thumb go numb, and he almost lost his grip on his saber.

At the same time, a sweet taste rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

PTUI.

Mo Tingzhu could finally hold on no longer.

He stumbled back several steps, finally using his saber to prop himself up on the ground, barely managing to stop.

Three shocks of Inner Force had already sent his internal organs into turmoil, as if churning a great river and overturning the sea, and his own Inner Strength was on the verge of being shattered.

If another strike were to come, Mo Tingzhu would undoubtedly die!

However, after three strikes, Zhou Peng stopped.

"I can feel that you could have delivered a fourth strike..."

Mo Tingzhu’s voice was hoarse.

Zhou Peng smiled faintly. "Victory and defeat have already been decided. Why the need for a fourth strike? You have repaid your debt to Chen Tianying. Now leave Hengshan County quickly and don’t get involved in these muddy waters again."

Clearly, Zhou Peng had intentionally spared Mo Tingzhu, holding back and not delivering the fourth strike.

"Thank you, Your Excellency, for your mercy..."

Mo Tingzhu slowly steadied himself and gave Zhou Peng a deep look.

Then, he turned and left.

"Mo Tingzhu, you..."

Chen Tianying pointed at Mo Tingzhu, his voice trembling.

But Mo Tingzhu left Celestial Eagle Tower without a single glance back.

Just as Zhou Peng had said, he had already repaid his life debt to Chen Tianying. Now, they owed each other nothing, and Chen Tianying’s affairs were no longer his concern.

The battle between Zhou Peng and Mo Tingzhu had ended quickly and could hardly be called spectacular.

But Zhang Su had watched very carefully.

’A true Huajin Martial Artist really can’t be compared to a half-baked one like Wei Yunzhou...’

Zhang Su compared Wei Yunzhou and Zhou Peng.

He realized that Wei Yunzhou was indeed only at the Half-Step Huajin stage and couldn’t compare to a true Huajin Martial Artist.

’Forget about comparing him to Zhou Peng; even against a wandering Huajin Martial Artist from the Jianghu like Mo Tingzhu, Wei Yunzhou probably wouldn’t have stood a chance.’

Just then, a Huajin disciple from the Guiyuan Sect said loudly, "Senior Brother Zhou Peng is truly magnanimous, intentionally sparing Mo Tingzhu’s life. How could Mo Tingzhu know how formidable Senior Brother Zhou Peng really is? Senior Brother Zhou Peng practices the ’Seven Extremes Saber.’ He can deliver seven strikes, not just a mere four."

As soon as these words were spoken, the many Jianghu Martial Artists in Celestial Eagle Tower all fell silent.

Even Chen Tianying, who was still unreconciled to his defeat, couldn’t help but open his mouth at these words, but in the end, all he could do was let out a long sigh, unable to say a thing.

Zhou Peng could actually deliver seven strikes?

The "Seven Extremes Saber"—just from the name, you could tell it was extraordinary, with each strike being more powerful than the last.

Just three strikes had been enough to make Mo Tingzhu vomit blood.

If he had really unleashed all seven, how powerful would that be?

They always say that disciples from the Major Sects are invincible among those at the same level in the Jianghu.

They had always thought it was an exaggeration.

But now it seemed the rumors about Major Sect Disciples weren’t exaggerated in the slightest.

Celestial Eagle Tower’s three consecutive defeats were clear proof!

"Enough. I am thoroughly convinced. From this moment on, Celestial Eagle Tower is hereby disbanded..."

Chen Tianying looked at the Celestial Eagle Tower, his face filled with bitterness.

This time, it wasn’t as simple as losing three matches in a row and being driven out of Hengshan County.

From now on, his reputation in the Jianghu would also be in tatters.

To think of re-establishing the Celestial Eagle Tower would be nothing but a foolish fantasy.

Half a lifetime of effort had been washed away in a single day...

Chen Tianying’s gaze swept over the people from the Guiyuan Sect.

Zhou Peng was one thing; after all, he was a Huajin master, armed with the profound Martial Arts of the Guiyuan Sect. Chen Tianying wasn’t actually surprised that he could defeat Mo Tingzhu.

His real hopes had been pinned on the Outer Force and Inner Force matches.

But Zhang Su, who was so obviously young, had managed to win two matches in a row with only his Outer Force Cultivation. It was simply unbelievable!

Once Leng Wujie and Ghost Face had been defeated by Zhang Su back-to-back, Celestial Eagle Tower had, in truth, already lost.

In the final match, Zhou Peng had powerfully defeated Mo Tingzhu with just three strikes, completely extinguishing the last glimmer of hope in Chen Tianying’s heart.

"Hahaha..."

Chen Tianying began to laugh maniacally.

Then, he staggered out of the Celestial Eagle Tower, leaving only a somewhat desolate silhouette that gradually faded into the distance...