18: The Northern Star of Mount Tai and the two elders of Mount Shang, all killed!

The tip of the Guhong Sword gathered a cold glint, as if it wanted to pierce through everything!

"How dare you!" A sharp light burst from Yun He's cloudy eyes. He was closest to Tian Song, and his reaction was as swift as a phantom.

The moment Lu Jiuyuan's figure moved, his right hand, withered like a bird's claw, was already raised, five fingers slightly curved, with a layer of grayish-white Qi, visible to the naked eye and solidified like a substance, swirling around his fingertips.

Carrying a terrifying aura that could penetrate metal and stone and extinguish all life, it pointed like lightning towards the flank of Lu Jiuyuan's lunge.

It was his famous ultimate skill—the Crane Beak Finger of the Tianqin Nine Forms!

Before the finger wind arrived, the chilling intent that extinguished life had already made one's hair stand on end!

However, Lu Jiuyuan's target was never Yun He!

Just as the edge of the Guhong Sword was about to touch Tian Song's robes, and Yun He's finger wind was about to tear into Lu Jiuyuan's ribs—

That extremely fast blue shadow, against all odds, changed. His forward momentum did not diminish in the slightest, yet his body, using his waist and hips as an axis, completed an unnatural right-angle turn in mid-air!

His target instantly switched, abandoning Tian Song. The Guhong Sword, with a piercing shriek, transformed into a decisive blue rainbow, stabbing directly at Yun He, who had just attacked and whose old strength was spent and new strength had not yet emerged!

Using himself as bait, luring the enemy to strike, then delivering a fatal blow! This was a desperate move, putting his life on the line! It was also a life-or-death strike that utilized speed to its absolute peak!

Yun He's expression changed slightly!

He had not expected the opponent to be able to forcibly change direction at such extreme speed, and furthermore, the target was precisely the imperceptible gap in his transition after his finger force was unleashed!

In a hurry, his extended right hand sharply retracted, and his left hand moved as if to block, his sleeve billowing with Internal Energy as thick as a wall, attempting to parry this fatal sword strike!

"Junior Brother, be careful!" Tian Song, who had been as steady as an ancient pine, finally moved!

He took a seemingly slow half-step forward, and the hard ground beneath his feet silently sank an inch.

A withered hand emerged from his wide sleeve, palm facing outward, five fingers slightly splayed, moving as smoothly as if pushing open an invisible door.

Luan He of the Tianqin Nine Forms!

His claw strike was like a vortex. Even without touching the Guhong Sword, the pulling force of his Qi, powered by his profound Internal Energy, actually caused Lu Jiuyuan's fatal sword strike, aimed at Yun He's throat, to deviate slightly!

It was this slight deviation!

Pfft!

The Guhong Sword, carrying an bone-chilling coldness, fiercely plunged below Yun He's left shoulder blade! The sword's edge passed through his body, bringing out a spray of hot blood!

"Ugh!" Yun He grunted, his body shaking violently, his face instantly drained of color.

The follow-up force of the Crane Beak Finger was interrupted. He staggered back a step, his eyes filled with incredulous shock and anger!

If not for Tian Song's timely intervention and pull, this sword strike would have pierced his throat!

"The old do not rely on their bones and muscles; you are old! Eighty-year-old men, though their Internal Energy is profound, their body's Qi and blood have long since declined.

Your eyesight is good, your experience is sufficient, but unfortunately, your bodies cannot sustain this kind of outburst any longer!"

Lu Jiuyuan quietly pressed his left hand on the embroidered needle at his waist, his face calm as he spoke.

The The Two Elders of Mount Shang had roamed the Jianghu for decades, revered as Martial Forest grandmasters.

When had they ever suffered such humiliation?

One moment it was "the old do not rely on their bones and muscles," the next it was "their bodies cannot sustain it."

Every word was like a poisoned steel needle, fiercely piercing their pride as Martial Forest grandmasters and pillars of the Tianqin Sect!

It has always been the truth that hurts the most.

"You brat! How dare you!"

Yun He's beard bristled, and a sickly flush appeared on his withered face. The intense pain from the sword wound beneath his left shoulder blade was now completely overshadowed by towering rage.

The wound, far from making him retreat, ignited a ferocity that had been dormant for many years!

He suddenly shook his right arm, and his wide grey cloth sleeve billowed like a sail with a "whoosh," his claws hidden within the sleeve.

He lunged directly forward, executing the Eagle Strike, one of the Tianqin Nine Forms!

Before his sleeve arrived, the suffocating strong wind had already made Lu Jiuyuan gasp for breath.

At the same time, a bone-chilling killing intent appeared on Tian Song's usually unperturbed face:

"You wretch! Die!"

His withered body leaned slightly forward, seemingly slow, yet carrying the terrifying oppressive force of a collapsing mountain.

His right palm slowly pushed out from his sleeve, his left hand forming a claw to connect. The surrounding air seemed to be fiercely squeezed by an invisible large hand, emitting a creaking sound under the immense pressure!

Tianqin Nine Forms · Phoenix Soaring Together!

One palm, one claw, one left, one right, one yin, one yang.

Eagle Strike, Phoenix Soaring Together!

The two men's two ultimate killing moves instantly sealed off all space for Lu Jiuyuan to dodge or maneuver. He had no choice but to meet them head-on!

But to clash head-on with the combined ultimate killing moves of two old monsters who had cultivated for decades?

Lu Xiaofeng's heart instantly sank to the bottom. His Spiritual Finger force was ready to be unleashed, but he couldn't find the slightest opening to insert it!

Triple speed!

Lu Jiuyuan's pupils suddenly contracted to needlepoints under the shadow of death, and the flying needle in his left hand suddenly shot out!

Puff!

A subtle yet extremely domineering sound of tearing air suddenly rang out! Two silver lights, completely imperceptible to the naked eye.

Like a venomous snake that had been lurking for a long time, it shot out from Lu Jiuyuan's waist, aiming directly for Yun He's right eye.

This needle was beyond reason in its speed, beyond imagination. The needle was faster than sound; by the time the sound was heard, the needle had already pierced the eye and entered the brain.

"Aaargh—!!!"

A horrifying, bloodcurdling scream rang out!

Yun He's forward lunge came to an abrupt halt, his body twitching and shaking violently, like a flickering candle in a strong wind.

That feeling of losing control of his own body, even when he knew it wasn't very painful, he still couldn't control it. The fierce claw force of "Eagle Strike" instantly dissipated!

Now!

Lu Jiuyuan's gaze was fixed on Tian Song, who was greatly shaken by Yun He's injury, and whose combined attack had developed a fatal flaw.

For the first time, clear shock, anger, and a hint of imperceptible fear appeared on his usually unperturbed face!

Phoenix Soaring Together paused slightly due to his loss of composure!

Lu Jiuyuan's sword was thrust out in this momentary flaw!

There was no sound, no burst of light.

Only speed! Ghostly speed! Unparalleled speed!

Pfft!

The muffled sound of the sword's edge penetrating tough flesh, piercing throat bone, and severing the windpipe, amidst the lingering echo of Yun He's agonizing scream,

Sounded exceptionally clear, exceptionally piercing, like a heavy hammer striking hard at the heart of every witness!

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Tian Song's withered body suddenly stiffened, and his forward-pushing palm force dissipated without a trace, like a punctured balloon.

His cloudy eyes, filled with astonishment and disbelief, stared fixedly, intently, at Lu Jiuyuan, who was within arm's reach.

He staggered, taking a step backward as if drunk.

His hands, withered like bird's claws, desperately, convulsively, clutched his own neck.

However, his fingers could not stop the surging warm liquid.

Crimson blood, like a burst dam, instantly dyed his grayish-white beard red and soaked his grey cloth long gown on his chest.

Drip, drip, drop, falling onto the dark red dust of the official road, splashing open shocking little flowers.

"Senior Martial Uncle! Master!!!"

Shanxi Yan let out a heart-wrenching wail, his eyes instantly turning blood-red, even his bald spot turning red. He collapsed to the ground with a thud, as if his spine had been removed.

Mr. Jian Er trembled all over, his face ashen, veins bulging on his forehead, his teeth clenching with a grinding sound.

He rushed over to support Yun He, but could feel his breath slowly dissipating, yet he couldn't utter a single word.

The embroidered needle, the length of a finger, had pierced his brain; he was doomed.