The young man in leather armor was not a person of broad mind. On the contrary, he was extremely narrow-minded and jealous.


    Once, in the sect, he secretly murdered a fellow disciple who was more talented than him and had always admired him. The reason was that he saw a threat in that junior brother. The master''s affection for that junior brother was obviously greater than for him. Given time, with the master''s bias, that junior brother might take away the resources that belonged to him.


    So, he decided to strike first. During an outing, he killed that junior brother when he was off guard. He did it very secretly and prepared thoroughly, with an alibi. Therefore, although the master was heartbroken, he did not suspect him at all. Instead, the master focused more energy on him and gave him a lot of cultivation resources.


    Since then, the young man in leather armor felt as if a switch had been turned on inside him. Whenever he saw someone more talented than him, he couldn''t help but feel a murderous intent, wanting to destroy them.


    Now, seeing Lu Qing so young yet already not much weaker than him in the Tendons and Bones Realm, and he had almost fallen into Lu Qing''s trap, nearly dying under his de, how could he not burn with jealousy and a strong desire to kill?


    "Kid, you are a martial genius, but unfortunately, you are destined to die by my hand!" The young man in leather armor spoke coldly to Lu Qing.


    Facing the harsh words of the young man in leather armor, Lu Qing remained calm. He quietly reflected on the previous exchange and concluded that the Precelestial personal disciple was nothing special. Although this young man''s martial realm was a level higher than his, hisbat skills were inferior. His repertoire seemed extensive—w techniques, de techniques, and judging by the quiver on his back, he might even know archery, though it was curious why he had arrows but no bow. Perhaps because he dabbled in too many disciplines, none of his martial skills were refined.


    Far from the polished mastery of Lu Qing''s Four Directions de Technique.


    Seeing Lu Qing once again ignoring him, the young man in leather armor''s eyes grew colder."Brother Lu Qing, let''s fight together," Mago said, stepping beside Lu Qing, holding his knife with one hand.


    "No need. I should be able to handle him alone," Lu Qing replied, looking at the young man in leather armor with a peculiar gaze.


    Ever since stepping into the Tendons and Bones Realm, thanks to the Earth Vein Spirit Liquid, Lu Qing had found that his cultivation progress was rmingly fast. Each practice of Health Nourishing Boxing noticeably strengthened his tendons and bones. In just a few days, his physical strength had increased significantly, almost reaching the small sess stage. This was why he could strike down the young man in leather armor with a single de earlier. In terms of physical strength alone, he was not much inferior.


    However, despite his rapid progress, Lu Qing had always been unsure of his current strength because he practiced alone. Now, the appearance of the young man in leather armor was the perfect opportunity to test himself. With a realm higher than his own but weakened by a secret technique, what better grindstone could there be?


    Lu Qing''s eyes showed a mysterious glint as he looked at the young man in leather armor.


    That look again! The young man in leather armor grew furious. Despite having greater strength, the kid always looked at him with an expression he detested, as if he were never taken seriously. How could he tolerate that?


    "Kid, you''re seeking death!" The young man in leather armor kicked a stone at Lu Qing and, with a burst of Qi and Blood, followed it with a flexible movement, attacking Lu Qing.


    "Mago, help keep an eye out for me!" Lu Qingughed, sidestepping the stone and meeting the attack head-on.


    Seeing this, Mago stayed where he was. As a fellow martial artist, he understood the pride of a warrior. Since Lu Qing wanted to fight alone, stepping in would be an insult to him.


    The two martial geniuses shed quickly. Taking advantage of his long de, Lu Qing attacked first. When a few steps away, a bright white de light shed, shing at the young man''s face.


    Seeing the straightforward de technique, the young man in leather armor showed disdain. He had only been caught off guard before, leading to his earlier disgrace. Now prepared, how could he be hurt by such clumsy moves?


    Dodging the de, he closed in, aiming for closebat where his short de excelled. Once within range, Lu Qing''s long de would be useless, while his short de would be lethal. As long as he could get close, Lu Qing was dead.


    However, just as he moved to evade and close the distance, a cold sensation pricked his neck. To his horror, he saw Lu Qing''s de following his movements, elegantly slicing toward his neck.


    Impossible! He was stunned. Lu Qing''s de technique was supposed to be straightforward and unrefined, how could it change so skillfully?


    In his shock, the young man in leather armor rolled aside, narrowly avoiding decapitation. The de grazed his right cheek, drawing blood.


    Cold sweat poured from his body.


    "So close!" Mago thought, stunned by Lu Qing''s de mastery. He had never seen such a perfect blend of strength and subtlety, transforming an aggressive strike into a delicate, precise attack. He finally understood why so many had fallen to Lu Qing alone, including the Heart-Snatcher Wolf.


    Realizing Lu Qing''s profound de mastery, surpassing even the founder of the Four Directions de, Mago''s admiration grew.


    "Nice movement," Lu Qing remarked, forcing the young man in leather armor back without pursuing.


    The young man, though furious, was now filled with disbelief. "Such mastery... Your de technique has reached such heights?"


    "A mere trick," Lu Qing replied calmly.


    The young man''s shock deepened. Reaching this level of de mastery was a mark of a true master. Any de user achieving this blend of strength and precision was considered a master. Such mastery meant pushing the limits of Postnatal martial arts, a level even Internal Organs Realm experts couldn''t surpass.


    Despite being only in the Tendons and Bones Realm, Lu Qing''s de technique had reached the level of a master, shocking the young man.


    Unfazed by the disbelief, Lu Qing maintained hisposure. Each practice session, aided by his special ability, brought rapid improvements, allowing him to absorb and refine his skills quickly. Combined with the mysterious legacies in his mind, his perspective and understanding far exceeded ordinary martial artists. His confidence in surpassing even the founder of the Four Directions de was well-founded.


    The young man, now realizing the extent of Lu Qing''s abilities, felt a chill. Facing a monster like Lu Qing, whose de technique was at a master level, drained his fighting spirit. He knew he had no chance of victory. His previous boldness evaporated as he decided to flee.


    "You think you can escape?" Lu Qing, sensing his intent, stepped forward, blocking the path with his de.


    "Don''t push me!" The young man, cornered, unleashed a secret technique, increasing his strength and speed. He charged at Lu Qing, aiming for a desperate strike.


    Lu Qing''s face remained calm. His de moved with agility, deflecting the attack and slicing at the young man''s arm. Despite the strength of the Hundred Refined Battle de, the leather armor proved tough. A full-strength sh would be needed to break through, but a simple cut wouldn''t suffice.


    Realizing the vulnerability of the young man''s head, Lu Qing dodged the desperate attack and aimed for his neck. Despite his enhanced strength, the young man couldn''t match Lu Qing''s precise strikes. The de found its mark, severing his head.


    "Junior brother!!!" a grief-stricken shout echoed from above the valley.


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