Chapter 125: The Grandmaster

Outside the inn in Langya City, a lone figure stood quietly on the deserted street, eyes closed in contemplation. Under the moonlight, he slowly drew his longsword, the blade shimmering with a brilliance like starlight.

"Have you come to settle the score for that blade strike?"

Yang Guang appeared suddenly on the street opposite the inn, his voice cold as he addressed Lu Jue, who was still standing with his eyes shut and sword drawn. Lu Jue’s ears twitched slightly; he opened his eyes slowly and asked with indifference, "I never imagined you had already reached the Grandmaster realm."

Lu Jue did not answer Yang Guang’s question directly. Instead, upon sensing the shift in his opponent’s cultivation, a flicker of eager excitement danced in his eyes. After hearing Xiao Han’s words, the first person Lu Jue thought of as a worthy sparring partner was Yang Guang. Although their weapons differed, both men pursued speed. Originally, Lu Jue had worried that Yang Guang’s injuries would prevent him from fighting at full strength, but now that he sensed Yang Guang had transcended his previous limits and attained the Grandmaster realm, all of Lu Jue’s lingering doubts vanished.

Yang Guang frowned slightly, sensing that Lu Jue seemed different from usual. Among martial artists, the gap between a near-Grandmaster and a true Grandmaster, while seemingly only a single step, represented a qualitative transformation. Learning that Yang Guang had advanced, Lu Jue showed no trace of cowardice or hesitation; instead, his tone betrayed a faint, palpable excitement.

Expressionless, Yang Guang spoke to Lu Jue’s back: "I can wait for you. We shall decide the victor once you, too, have reached the Grandmaster realm." While the Grandmaster realm was the lifelong pursuit of every martial artist, Yang Guang believed it was only a matter of time before Lu Jue reached it as well.

Lu Jue turned slowly. Under the moonlight, he lowered his head slightly, strands of hair fluttering in the breeze. He smiled indifferently, his eyes filled with disdain. "Heh, that won't be necessary."

As the words fell, Lu Jue lunged forward, his sword thrusting diagonally. A sharp, ringing sound echoed through the silent street as the blade’s piercing killing intent locked onto Yang Guang.

*Clang!*

Yang Guang parried with his blade, the metallic clash resonating sharply. After that single exchange, Yang Guang took flight, heading straight out of the city. Lu Jue followed him, and together they departed the city limits.

Though Yang Guang had attained the Grandmaster realm, he had always regarded Lu Jue as a formidable equal. However, as one of Feng Yewu's men, Lu Jue was destined to be eliminated sooner or later. Since he had come to court death, Yang Guang would not refuse him. Lu Jue had come alone from the inn where Prince Chen Pingwu and Wang Jia were sleeping; he had sought to draw the fight away from the city so that their deaths would not implicate the Prince.

As Lu Jue pursued Yang Guang, his sword remained relentless. The truth behind the Lu family’s wrongful case was finally surfacing; once this was over, the family’s name would surely be cleared. The heavy burden that had weighed upon Lu Jue’s heart for so long was finally beginning to lift.

Without any inhibitions, Lu Jue felt his battle intent surging, with faint signs of a breakthrough. *Just a little more, just the final step!* he chanted inwardly. His sword danced with blinding complexity, yet the more desperate he became, the more elusive that final threshold felt. Unknowingly, as the two fought while moving toward the outskirts, they traveled from the West Gate all the way to the slopes of Langya Mountain.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The series of thunderous impacts sent dust and debris flying, leaving the ground scarred with the marks of blades and swords. Yang Guang delivered a powerful strike that sent Lu Jue flying, crashing hard against the earth.

"Pfft!" Upon impact, Lu Jue felt the blood surge in his chest and spat it out.

"Heh, is this the power of a Grandmaster?" Lu Jue sneered. Despite his injuries, he maintained his look of disdain, mocking his opponent as he shakily climbed back to his feet.

The violent sounds of the duel alerted Lang Tou and Zhao Xiyan, who were hiding in a nearby cave. They peered out vigilantly.

"Them?" Zhao Xiyan recognized Yang Guang and Lu Jue at a glance, her voice filled with surprise. Lang Tou frowned and asked, "You know them?"

Zhao Xiyan nodded slightly and explained, "The youth with the blade is Yang Guang, foster son of Prince Changwu. The other is the son of the former General of the North, now a slave in the palace, though he is a trusted aide to Feng Yewu. His name is Lu Jue."

Hearing this, Lang Tou’s lips curled into a smirk. "Interesting. Both men have complex backgrounds. This fight will be worth watching." He turned his gaze back to the two figures locked in confrontation.

Zhao Xiyan watched them, puzzled. Why were they fighting here, and why were there no other soldiers in sight? Had Chen Pingwu clashed with Feng Yewu inside the city?

"One is a Grandmaster, and the other is just a hair’s breadth away," Lang Tou remarked with keen interest.

"A Grandmaster?" Zhao Xiyan was startled. She squinted, trying to discern the truth. "Senior... has one of them broken through to the Grandmaster realm?" As she was still some distance from that level herself, she could not judge who had achieved the breakthrough.

"That Yang fellow—the one with the blade—has entered the Grandmaster realm. But the other boy is close," Lang Tou said, gesturing with his chin, watching with relish.

Yang Guang was a Grandmaster? Zhao Xiyan’s eyes lit up. She realized that Yang Guang must have come with the intent to kill; if Lu Jue died, Feng Yewu would lose a capable right-hand man.

"Senior, you said Lu Jue is close?" she asked, finding the description vague.

Lang Tou looked at her confused expression, shook his head, and said with a hint of regret, "That Lu fellow is already at the doorstep. If that Yang doesn't kill him within three moves, he risks becoming a stepping stone for the boy."

"Three moves?" Zhao Xiyan’s eyes widened as she watched the two combatants with bated breath.

...

Yang Guang looked at Lu Jue, who was covered in wounds yet still showed fervent spirit. He frowned, realizing the truth: Lu Jue was not stupid enough to throw his life away; there could only be one reason—he was using Yang Guang to temper his own skills.

A flash of rare anger crossed Yang Guang’s expressionless face. He almost regretted not killing Lu Jue sooner, feeling toyed with.

Lu Jue, meeting Yang Guang’s gaze, saw that his opponent had realized his intent and was truly enraged. A subtle smirk touched his lips before he composed himself. He swung his sword, settled his inner agitation, and slowly closed his eyes. For a moment, Lu Jue felt the very air around him change, and the pain in his body began to fade away.