Chapter 84

“The Xü family’s ancestor has restored his peak youth state? How is this possible?” Liang Jingtang, who had just been smug, suddenly paled.

“This news is currently sealed by the Xü family—they intend to catch the Three Families Alliance off guard and uproot them completely. It’s laughable that the Three Families Alliance still dreams of toppling the Xü family,” Shi Fengyuan said, pleased with Liang Jingtang’s reaction.

“If the news is sealed, only core Xü members should know. How did you find out?” Xia Daoming frowned, his expression grave.

“My young daughter is clever and obedient. Last year, the Xü family’s ancestor took notice of her and had her serve him. She accidentally learned this secret and quietly told me!” Shi Fengyuan, desperate to save his life, spoke frankly.

“So he’s reversed aging and returned to his peak? Clearly, that old man has something valuable in his possession! Could there be some immortal cultivator behind him?” Xia Daoming stroked his chin, his thoughts growing heavier.

“What do we do now, Xia Daoming?” Liang Jingtang frowned tightly.

A Master can condense force into form and kill from afar.

The entire Li City has only one Master.

If Xu Zhiyuan’s vital energy had severely declined, Liang Jingtang would still have some confidence in his young disciple.

But if Xu Zhiyuan has already restored his peak state, Liang Jingtang has no confidence in Xia Daoming.

“I’ve told you both such an important secret. Surely you now know how to choose!” Seeing Xia Daoming and Liang Jingtang’s grim expressions, Shi Fengyuan regained some courage.

“Thank you, Master Shi, for revealing this secret. In return, I’ll reveal one to you,” Xia Daoming said solemnly.

“What secret?” Shi Fengyuan looked stunned.

“The secret of who killed your son!” Xia Daoming said.

“Who killed my son? Was it you?” Shi Fengyuan froze, then struggled to his feet, his facial muscles twisting into a grotesque snarl.

“If the Xü family’s ancestor has restored his peak, I must side with the Xü family. If I killed him, do you think I’d tell you now?” Xia Daoming countered.

“Then who killed him?” Shi Fengyuan gritted his teeth.

He didn’t doubt Xia Daoming’s words. If the Xü ancestor had truly returned to his peak, he himself would have chosen the Xü family.

“It was Ding Chuding. Months ago, I traveled far and happened to witness their battle on the road to Lübai City. Unfortunately, Shi Yingdeng was too weak—he couldn’t match Ding Chuding,” Xia Daoming said.

“What?!” Ding Chuding widened his eyes and shook his head frantically.

Liang Jingtang and Liu Qiaolian also widened their eyes.

No one knew better than them that Shi Yingdeng had been killed by Xia Daoming.

“Ding Chuding—I should’ve realized sooner! I’ll kill you!” Shi Fengyuan forced down his chaotic qi and lunged, drawing his blade.

“Damn, what are the odds! Shi Yingdeng actually had a grudge against Ding Chuding!” Xia Daoming thought inwardly, then snatched the blade from Shi Fengyuan and blocked him.

“Master Shi, we’ve exchanged secrets—we’re even. But your family crippled my Gu Ren teacher, destroyed my senior sister’s Yao Hua Pavilion, and killed or injured many. I haven’t settled that score with you yet, and now you think you can just take the easy win? Do you really think I’m that kind?”

“Master Xia, what do you mean?” Shi Fengyuan asked.

“What do I mean?” Xia Daoming coldly smiled. “I’ll give you the chance to kill Ding Chuding. But you won’t get to kill this bound, helpless man and avenge your son so easily.”

Saying this, Xia Daoming walked to Ding Chuding’s side and whispered into his ear: “If you want to live, fight Shi Fengyuan to the death. Don’t talk. Otherwise, I’ll kill you now.”

With that, he slashed the ropes with his blade.

Ding Chuding had no idea what game Xia Daoming was playing.

But that didn’t matter now.

What mattered was that fighting Shi Fengyuan to the death was his only chance to survive!

So the moment the ropes were cut, Ding Chuding tore the gag from his mouth and locked his eyes on Shi Fengyuan.

“Ding Chuding, I’ll kill you!” Shi Fengyuan roared, raising his palm-blade and lunging forward to slash at Ding Chuding.

Under the setting sun, the palm-blade faintly glinted with a black metallic sheen.

It was the Shi family’s ancestral Black Ash Palm.

“Kill!” Ding Chuding surged forward like a snake, thrusting out his Snake Tongue Palm.

The Ding family’s heritage was the Mystery Snake Art, which bore some resemblance to the Dragon-Snake Scripture.

Thus, some lesser Ding family members, denied access to the family’s secret scrolls, paid to train at Qianjiao Martial Hall.

Black Ash Palm was fierce and forceful; Mystery Snake Palm was subtle and unpredictable.

The two fought fiercely in the inner courtyard.

But Shi Fengyuan was old, and his palm technique was too forceful, draining his strength rapidly. Soon, he grew weak—Ding Chuding found an opening and struck with a Snake-Drill Fist, hitting his solar plexus.

Shi Fengyuan spat blood, collapsing to the ground.

Ding Chuding rejoiced, stepping forward to finish him—when a palm-blast slammed into his face.

It was Xia Daoming who had just cut the ropes binding Shi Yinghao.

Ding Chuding had no choice but to abandon Shi Fengyuan and turned to fight Shi Yinghao.

Ding Chuding quickly fell behind, taking several Black Ash Palm strikes. His clothes shredded into fragments, and black palm prints began to show on his skin.

“Thank you, Master Xia!” Shi Fengyuan, seeing Shi Yinghao now clearly dominant and about to avenge his son, felt a surge of satisfaction—and his resentment toward Xia Daoming lessened slightly. He turned to thank him where he stood.

“Master Shi, you’re too kind. But you’ve mistaken the target. I’m the one who killed your son and Lin Lu.”

“You—” Shi Fengyuan’s throat flooded with blood, his eyes turning crimson, as if dripping with it.

“Your son was a beast. I didn’t expect you to be one too,” Xia Daoming continued smiling.

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” Shi Fengyuan went mad, reaching to choke Xia Daoming’s throat.

Xia Daoming merely coldly smiled, his eyes brimming with killing intent. He raised his Snake Head Fist and struck his temple with full force.

Shi Fengyuan’s head slumped sideways—dead on the spot.

But his eyes remained wide open.

Unwilling to die!

“You!” Shi Yinghao caught Xia Daoming’s fist killing his uncle out of the corner of his eye—he froze, stunned. Ding Chuding seized the opening and landed a punch on his back, staggering him.

That punch made him stop glancing around. He no longer cared what game Xia Daoming was playing.

Otherwise, a few more punches like that and he’d join his uncle in death.

“Master, if we keep fighting, Ding Chuding will die. You’ve worked hard—go help him,” Xia Daoming said.

“What’s your game, boy?” Liang Jingtang glared at Xia Daoming in confusion—but still obeyed, roaring as he charged forward to join Ding Chuding against Shi Yinghao.

Liang Jingtang, though aged, was still formidable. In moments, he and Ding Chuding together crushed Shi Yinghao to death.

“Thank you, Master Liang! I’m sorry for my earlier rudeness!” Ding Chuding, gasping for breath after barely surviving, bowed to Liang Jingtang.

“Don’t thank me. Thank my little disciple,” Liang Jingtang waved dismissively.

“Thank you, Master Xia! Just now—” Ding Chuding immediately bowed deeply to Xia Daoming.

“Why thank me? I never said I’d spare your life!” Xia Daoming feigned confusion.

“You—!” Ding Chuding was utterly bewildered.

In truth, not just Ding Chuding—everyone else was stunned too.

If you weren’t going to spare Ding Chuding’s life, why go through all this?

Xia Daoming first gave Ding Chuding a faint smile, then suddenly grabbed his throat and dragged him before the two Ding family martial masters.