539: Chapter 540 A Decisive Strike!

Facing Lu Ming's slightly teasing inquiry, Lei Bao merely snorted coldly.

"I wouldn't call it sticking my neck out, but Your Excellency is going a bit too far in bullying others.

Although I, Lei Bao, am no big shot, I am also not a coward who fears trouble."

He paused, then cupped his fists and said,

"The master of Zhenshan Martial Arts Hall, Lei Hu, is my elder brother. He was inferior in skill and got injured; that was his own fault.

But since Your Excellency resorted to a lethal blow, I, Lei Bao, will be the first to object."

Lu Ming shrugged helplessly: "Fists and kicks have no eyes; that is all."

Lei Bao glanced at him, stopped wasting words, clenched his fists, and folded his arms: "Then please."

Lu Ming glanced at Lei Bao. This man was slightly stronger than Lei Hu and was a Qi-Transforming Martial Artist.

Qi-Transformation: transforming blood Qi into Gang, releasing it to kill enemies, much like a Sword Cultivator's Sword Qi.

His fighting style was vastly different from Lei Hu's, and their boxing techniques were distinct, but the path of the Dao of Martial Arts leads to the same destination.

Lu Ming patiently waited for Lei Bao to finish his entire set of boxing techniques. After observing his Divine Ability, he sent him flying with a single punch.

However, this time Lu Ming controlled his strength perfectly. He knocked Lei Bao flying, causing him to spit out some blood, but he did not sustain any serious injuries.

Lei Bao climbed up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked at Lu Ming with eyes full of shock.

What exactly is this person's background?

Judging from the battle just now, he was clearly at ease; his Realm must be far above his own.

Lu Ming paid no attention to Lei Bao, who was climbing up from the ground. Feeling quite disappointed, he shook his head and cursed under his breath.

"In all of Iron Blood City, there really isn't anyone who can fight."

The voice was not loud, but everyone present heard it.

Lei Bao's face flushed red, veins bulging, wanting to retort but having nothing to say.

The onlookers also kept their heads down, not daring to make a sound.

Just then, in the corner of the crowd, someone muttered softly.

"Just because you won against two people, you think you're invincible? If you have the ability, try winning against the strongest one first!"

The voice was soft, yet it was exceptionally abrupt at that moment, falling clearly into everyone's ears.

Lu Ming turned his head suddenly, his gaze landing on the person who spoke.

In an instant, that person's face turned pale. He wished he could slap himself a few times, cursing himself inwardly for having a loose tongue.

However, Lu Ming did not mind. Instead, he revealed a meaningful smile: "Oh? In this city, who is the strongest?"

"Of course it's the City Lord, could it be me?!"

Speaking of this, the person seemed to gain some confidence, his back straightening by three points.

"The City Lord, you say? Where is he?"

Once these words were spoken, the martial arts hall fell silent, and everyone looked at each other.

Huh? No way, this guy actually dares to go? He must be some naive newcomer!

One must know that the City Lord is a powerhouse in the Void Realm, the strongest in all of Iron Blood City. Even in the entire Qianyuan Domain, he counts as a notable expert.

Although this person can defeat a Qi-Transforming Hall Master, he is no match for someone in the Void Realm.

The gap between the two, although just one Realm apart, is like heaven and earth.

If this person really goes, given the City Lord's decisive and ruthless nature, he certainly won't show mercy to such a provocateur. Perhaps this person will even fall there.

Thinking of this, everyone couldn't suppress the corners of their mouths, their hearts blossoming with joy.

They wanted to use a borrowed knife to kill; they wanted to use the City Lord's hand to avenge their master.

Thus, among the crowd, in the Zhenshan Martial Arts Hall, a clever Disciple quickly raised his hand and pointed west.

"The City Lord's Mansion is in the west of the city. If you have the guts, go."

Lu Ming glanced at that Disciple and smiled.

A clumsy provocation.

However, this suited his intentions perfectly.

In fact, as early as when he first arrived in Iron Blood City, he had already surveyed the entire city's structure with his Divine Sense; naturally, he knew where the City Lord's Mansion was.

He asked this extra question merely to find an excuse to challenge the other party.

Having obtained an excuse, he did not linger and turned to walk out of the martial arts hall.

Behind him, a group of Disciples watched Lu Ming's departing back, their eyes full of schadenfreude.

They were waiting to see this ignorant fellow get beaten to a pulp by the City Lord.

Lu Ming did not look back, but he knew exactly what this group was thinking.

"Heh, looks like I've been underestimated. I suppose I have to give you a little shock."

Lu Ming's thought moved; he lifted his foot and stepped into the Void Realm.

In an instant, ripples spread from beneath his feet, as if invisible steps were supporting his figure, lifting him steadily.

One step, two steps, three steps... Lu Ming stood in mid-air just like that, stepping on invisible stairs, walking up into the high sky step by step.

Pedestrians on the street stopped and looked up.

The Disciples from the martial arts hall swarmed out, looking up at the back that was stepping into the Void Realm, ascending higher step by step. The schadenfreude on their faces solidified bit by bit, replaced by undisguisable shock.

"Void... Void Realm! He is actually a Void Realm powerhouse!"

In the crowd, someone let out a trembling exclamation.

Then, everyone suddenly understood.

So that's why; no wonder he was so at ease when facing Baodan and Qi-Transforming Martial Artists.

As for the Disciple who had pointed the way earlier, his face was pale, his legs were weak, and his lips were trembling, unable to say a single word.

Thinking that he had just tried to set a trap for a Void Realm powerhouse, he wished he could slap himself a few big times.

But immediately, resentment arose: Damn it, he's already a Void Realm powerhouse, yet he's still here bullying lower-level cultivators. What about the demeanor of a Senior?

At this moment, Lu Ming stood in the Void Realm, looking down at the panicked crowd below, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted.

Then he turned and walked towards the west of the city. Every step he took landed in the Void Realm, sending out a ripple.

He was unhurried and calm, like walking in his own backyard.

West of the city, City Lord's Mansion.

The mansion was imposing, covering a vast area, with blue bricks, grey tiles, and upturned eaves.

Within the mansion were pavilions and towers, arranged in an orderly manner, with rockeries, flowing water, and winding paths leading to secluded spots.

At this moment, the City Lord, Tie Qingtian, was reviewing official documents in his study.

He was burly, with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, with a black beard under his jaw, naturally imposing without anger.

As the City Lord of Iron Blood City and a Void Realm powerhouse, he was the sky in this city.

Suddenly, the brush in his hand paused. He looked up abruptly, his gaze piercing through the roof, looking towards the sky.

He felt a powerful, unfamiliar aura, and it was approaching in his direction.

Tie Qingtian put down his brush, his figure flashed, and he disappeared from the study.

The next moment, he was already standing in the sky above the City Lord's Mansion, hands behind his back.

He saw a figure in the distance, stepping through the air, unhurried and calm.

The two stood facing each other from afar in the Void Realm, their eyes meeting.

"Who comes? And for what purpose?"

Tie Qingtian's voice was not loud, but it was like a heavy hammer, striking the heart of everyone who heard it.

Lu Ming stopped, standing with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering: "Just a passerby, here to ask for a spar."

Tie Qingtian frowned: "Ask for a spar?"

He looked up and down at the young man in front of him.

This person was lean, his aura restrained, impossible to tell his depth.

But he could feel a faint sense of danger from him.

That feeling, he had only experienced it years ago when he fought the commander of the Imperial Guards of the Great Qian Imperial Dynasty.

This person was definitely not as simple as he looked on the surface.

Tie Qingtian's eyes became a bit more serious, but he did not retreat in the slightest.

He had been the City Lord of Iron Blood City for decades; what great storms and waves had he not seen?

An unknown Martial Artist was not worth fearing.

"In that case, then lay out your path."

Tie Qingtian extended his right hand, and a blood-colored long saber condensed from his palm.

That was a weapon condensed from blood Qi, using Qi to form a shape, and using the shape as a weapon.

The saber was three feet and seven inches long, the blade as red as blood, with a dark red light flowing on the edge.

Then, Tie Qingtian moved.

His figure flashed, turning into a stream of blood-colored light, rushing straight at Lu Ming.

The blood saber in his hand slashed horizontally, the saber light breaking through the air, tearing it and emitting a piercing screech.

Lu Ming dodged to the side, the saber light brushing past him and slashing onto a rockery behind him.

The rockery split into two silently, the cut as smooth as a mirror.

Tie Qingtian's saber momentum was continuous, each strike faster and more ruthless than the last.

His saber technique had no frills, only speed, precision, and ruthlessness; every strike went straight for the vitals, leaving no room for retreat.

This time, although Lu Ming was still calm and unhurried, he was not as much at ease as before.

It wasn't that the City Lord was that strong, but in terms of martial arts foundation, he was still a notch behind these natives.

Although his Divine Thought could observe all the scriptures in the entire city in an instant, and his cultivation speed could match decades of others' hard work in a single day.

But he had never cultivated any Divine Ability, though this did not stump him.

Not to mention anything else, just with his current False Nascent Soul body, even if he stood still and let this Tie Qingtian hack at him, it wouldn't even scratch his skin.

If he were to lift his own Seal, a single glare would turn the opponent into dust.

But that would be meaningless; even if he won, the Luck of the martial arts would probably not favor him, and might even backfire.

So, he must solve it using a Martial Artist's methods?

But because of this, Tie Qingtian became more and more alarmed the more they fought.

Each of his strikes was casually neutralized by the opponent; no matter how he changed his moves or increased his speed, the opponent remained unhurried.

What exactly is this person's Realm?

He calculated rapidly in his heart, but his movements did not stop.

He changed his saber momentum, and the blood saber suddenly surged, turning into a blood-colored giant blade a zhang long.

Tie Qingtian held the saber with both hands, raised it high, and slashed down.

"Blood Moon Slash!"

The saber light was like the moon, the blood color like a tide, dyeing the entire sky dark red.

This time, Lu Ming finally did not dodge.

He raised his hand and punched out.

The fist Gang collided with the saber light, erupting with a deafening roar. The blood-colored saber light shattered inch by inch, turning into countless points of light and dissipating.

Tie Qingtian was shaken back several steps, his chest feeling stuffy, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He looked up at Lu Ming, his eyes full of shock.

This person actually caught his Blood Moon Slash with bare hands? And his fist didn't even break the skin!

Tie Qingtian gritted his teeth and rushed towards Lu Ming again.

This time, the blood saber drew a circle in the air, the saber light like a wheel, rotating and slashing towards Lu Ming.

At the same time, his left hand grabbed into the Void Realm, and a blood-colored longbow appeared in his hand.

"Blood Moon Consecutive Shots!"

The bowstring vibrated, and three blood-colored arrows were shot out one after another, sealing Lu Ming's path of retreat in a triangular formation.

The saber wheel in front, arrows behind, a pincer attack.

Lu Ming's eyes brightened slightly; this was somewhat interesting.

He slapped his palm out, the palm wind like a wall, blocking both the saber wheel and the arrows.

Tie Qingtian's face turned pale, and he was shaken back again.

The web between his thumb and index finger split, blood flowing freely, and his hand holding the saber was trembling.

But he did not admit defeat, because he still had a trump card.

Tie Qingtian took a deep breath, his blood Qi surging like boiling water.

He saw a huge figure slowly condensing in the Void Realm behind him.

It was a Violent Ape, over three zhang tall, pitch black, with eyes as red as blood, fangs exposed, hideous and terrifying.

The Violent Ape roared at the sky, its voice shaking the surroundings, beating its chest with both fists like a war drum.

This was precisely Tie Qingtian's ultimate trump card Divine Ability — Violent Ape True Body.

Lu Ming looked at that Violent Ape, a flash of interest in his eyes.

This was a real Divine Ability, far stronger than those tigers and leopards from before.

Unfortunately, it was still not enough. He sighed, raised his right hand, and blood light surged in his palm.

"Since that's the case, I'll learn and use it right now."

Lu Ming closed his eyes. He rapidly replayed Lei Hu and Lei Bao's Divine Abilities in his mind, those boxing techniques, those trajectories of blood Qi circulation, those ways of condensing martial will.

Although he had never cultivated these Divine Abilities, having seen them once, he already understood them in his heart.

His Divine Sense was so strong that it could comprehend any martial art in an instant. Not just imitation, he could also innovate.

Lei Hu and Lei Bao's Xingyi Fist only simulated ordinary tigers and had never seen a real tiger king.

But Lu Ming was different; not only had he seen one.

He had seen all kinds of great demons and strange beasts, which were numerous.

Therefore, Lu Ming planned to use this to manifest it using a Divine Ability.

Lu Ming opened his eyes suddenly.

And behind him, a huge phantom slowly condensed.

It was a strange beast, with deer antlers, a camel head, demon eyes, a snake neck, a clam belly, fish scales, eagle claws, tiger paws, and cow ears.

It was exactly a Qilin!

Its body was dark green/black, with sharp scales, four hooves stepping on fire, and its whole body entwined with lightning and flames.

"Roar!!"

The Qilin roared at the sky, its voice like thunder, shaking the entire Iron Blood City.

The commoners in the city looked up at the giant beast that blotted out the sky; some collapsed on the ground, some screamed, and some scrambled to run home.

The Disciples at the entrance of the martial arts hall were pale, their legs weak.

They finally knew why this person dared to challenge the City Lord.

This person was no naive newcomer, but a powerful dragon crossing the river.

At this moment, Tie Qingtian looked at the Qilin, his pupils shrinking.

His Violent Ape was as small as a baby in front of this Qilin.

The Violent Ape was trembling all over, not out of fear, but from instinctive terror.

That was the trembling from the depths of the Soul when a low-level creature faced a high-level creature.

At this moment, the Qilin moved.

It raised its front claw and stepped down gently.

An invisible wave spread out; the Violent Ape didn't even let out a scream before its body began to disintegrate.

From limbs to torso, then from torso to head.

The Violent Ape instantly turned into countless blood-colored points of light and dissipated.

The Qilin's claw did not lose momentum; after defeating the Violent Ape phantom, it slammed heavily onto Tie Qingtian.

Tie Qingtian instantly flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the City Lord's Mansion below.

Houses collapsed, rubble flew everywhere, and dust filled the sky.

A moment later, the dust settled.