Chapter 3286 — A Crack

The Mad Bull Patriarch actually understood Zhong Yongliang well enough. The man had already died at those hands once back then, and this time he had no wish to die again. With his present cultivation, it would be utterly impossible for him to preserve his primordial spirit by secret arts a second time; if he died now, he would truly be dead.

"Little Qian, this Elder Dongfang is a master who has attained the Way. Do not be reckless." The Secluded Elder, who had not spoken a single word the whole way, finally opened his mouth—and his first words were a reprimand aimed at Qian Boguang.

That one "Little Qian" set Qian Boguang's temper flaring. In the past he might have let it pass, but now they were all peers at the peak of the late Heaven Rank, masters of Great Perfection—by what right did the old man flaunt his seniority? And to do it before outsiders, no less. Where did that leave him, the president of the association?

So Qian Boguang gave a cold snort without a moment's thought. "What has gotten into all of you? I refuse to believe it. Even if this fellow is also a late Heaven Rank peak Great Perfection master, there is no need for us to cower like this! If none of you will act, then let me strike first and wipe this old man out!"

To Qian Boguang's mind, however formidable Lin Dongfang might be, he could not surpass the peak of the late Heaven Rank, Great Perfection—for that was already the equivalent of a nuclear bomb on land. A master of the Heavenly Way was impossible before the Cloud Rank Island plan was opened!

So even if he could not win, the worst he could suffer was a draw. Besides, the Black Horse Association excelled at combat; unlike those late Heaven Rank peak Great Perfection masters with little real fighting experience, Qian Boguang had advanced his strength in actual battle. Thus he was confident that against an opponent of his own level, he could seize the upper hand and never be defeated!

At this thought, Qian Boguang sneered. "Secluded Elder, if you are timid, so be it—not everyone is as timid as you. Elder this, elder that—I will cut him down right now!"

With that, Qian Boguang shot forward. As he saw it, since Lin Dongfang stood in the way of their killing the Sinister Ancestor, then they need only kill this man before them first—or wound him—and the matter would be settled!

Of course, his chief purpose was to establish his authority. In the Black Horse Association, the Secluded Elder had never taken him seriously, and now he would prove that he was stronger than the Secluded Elder. Others dared not act—but he, Qian Boguang, dared!

"Little Qian, come back!" The Secluded Elder was startled. He had not expected Qian Boguang to be so blind to the situation—to dare provoke Lin Dongfang under these circumstances was simply courting death, was it not? Did it make you look capable?

Did you think all these masters here were cowards? If they truly could not beat him, if he were not their match, who would bow their heads? Every one of them was a top-tier master; none would yield easily—and yet today was so strange. Was that not worth pondering?

Even if you had never met Lin Dongfang, could you not at least read the situation?

But the Secluded Elder's call had the opposite effect. A surge of shame and fury rushed from his ribs to his brain. Calling me Little Qian again? Who is little? I, too, am a late Heaven Rank peak Great Perfection master!

Qian Boguang was furious beyond measure, and all the more eager to prove his worth. With a great shout he pressed his attack on Lin Dongfang. Far from stopping, he drew from his waist his Heaven Rank divine weapon—a silver snake softsword, a weapon easy to carry and excellent for killing. That was the Black Horse Association's trade. Though this divine weapon of Qian Boguang's had never yet slain a late Heaven Rank peak Great Perfection master, it had killed masters of late Heaven Rank peak strength.

The Secluded Elder was frightened out of his wits. Was Qian Boguang suicidal? If he wanted to die, he should not drag the Black Horse Association down with him! The Secluded Elder wanted to stop him, but he lacked the strength to do so. For one thing, both were masters of late Heaven Rank peak Great Perfection; for another, if his interference provoked Lin Dongfang's misjudgment, and the man killed him as well—what then?

In that moment of hesitation, Qian Boguang had already closed in on Lin Dongfang. It was too late to undo.

"Sshh—" A sharp whistling of the blade, and Qian Boguang struck. The silver snake softsword in his hand lashed at Lin Dongfang's neck like a venomous serpent! From the very first move, he went for the head—that too was the Black Horse Association's style: strike without mercy, or do not strike at all!

Yet what left the crowd uncertain and alarmed was that Lin Dongfang simply stood there and did not dodge, as though utterly unaware that the silver snake softsword was about to take his life. Had Lin Dongfang been frightened senseless?

The thought had no sooner arisen than they all dismissed it. If the man before them was indeed that man of years past, then he would certainly not be frozen by such a trifling scene. The only other possibility was that Lin Dongfang did not regard Qian Boguang as worth a thought.

Of course, the Secluded Elder was afraid—and Zhong Yongliang and the others were just as afraid! Zhong Yongliang cursed inwardly: Qian Boguang, you fool, are you trying to get us all killed? Do you not see that we all look like one gang right now?

"Crack—" Just as each nursed his own hidden thoughts, the silver snake softsword met Lin Dongfang's neck and gave out a crisp sound!

What?!

The crowd could not believe it. Lin Dongfang had neither dodged nor flinched, letting the silver snake softsword chop into his neck? Was that not courting death? Even a master of the Heavenly Way could not be indestructible, surely? This Heaven Rank divine weapon, the silver snake softsword, was a treasure that cut iron like mud—was his head not about to come off?

Especially at that crisp "crack"—the crowd was all the more certain that Lin Dongfang's head had fallen. But what made their jaws drop was that the crisp "crack" was not Lin Dongfang's neck being severed, but Qian Boguang's silver snake softsword snapping!

"Boom—" Just as jaws were dropping, Lin Dongfang finally threw a punch—a single punch, plain and unremarkable, striking Qian Boguang's chest with a thunderous roar!

And Qian Boguang's whole body was sent flying backward. In his chest was a clear, deep concavity, proclaiming the unimaginable and tremendous power of that seemingly ordinary punch from Lin Dongfang!

Qian Boguang's eyes had already rolled white while he was still in the air, and when his body struck the ground heavily in the distance, he was dead beyond any doubt!

Not a sound—not even a crow's cry!

This sudden turn, though the crowd had long been mentally prepared for it, shook them deeply once again! Zhong Yongliang especially—mouth agape, gasping in great heaving breaths, his whole body trembling—because that was exactly how he had died back then!

The Secluded Elder did not even bother to check Qian Boguang's injuries. For one thing, he dared not reveal that he had any connection to Qian Boguang; for another, there was no need to look—Qian Boguang was certainly dead, and looking would be wasted effort. (To be continued)