Chapter 28: Such Terrifying Power

“Could he already be a Grandmaster?” someone uttered in utter shock. A Grandmaster at twenty years old—such a notion was terrifying.

“He’s not quite there yet, but he’s already half a step toward Grandmaster,” an elder, his expression solemn, gazed at the scene of the duel upon the lake. Huang Zhen’s technique surpassed the ordinary contests of moves between martial artists; he had already begun to manifest traces of his own ‘Way’.

To possess one’s own ‘Way’ was the true mark of a Grandmaster. Grandmasters were considered invincible precisely because of this—they no longer needed to rely on martial techniques to defeat their opponents. By wielding their Way, a simple gesture was enough to harm or even take a life.

Though Huang Zhen now possessed his own ‘Way’, he had achieved it only by meditating here for three days and nights, integrating himself with the lake’s waters. He was still a step away from the true Grandmasters.

“He may not be a true Grandmaster yet, but his opponent is unlikely to escape unharmed,” the elder sighed. Once someone has their own ‘Way’, ordinary martial artists are no longer a match; there’s simply no way to counter such attacks.

Those watching the duel, shocked by Huang Zhen’s prowess, also felt deep sympathy for his opponent. Facing a master half a step to Grandmaster, defeat was only natural.

In their eyes, the battle was already decided—the outcome inevitable. No wonder the Huang family had gone to such lengths to publicize this duel; it was now clear how formidable Huang Zhen truly was.

After this match, likely no one in China—except among the super clans with Grandmasters—would dare underestimate the Huang family. The family would ascend into the ranks of elite clans, perhaps even begin to rival the super clans.

Meanwhile, in a remote corner, Pagoda watched this scene, his eyelids twitching, and spoke to the other three, “Prepare yourselves. It seems Mr. Lu is about to lose.”

As he spoke, Huang Zhen retrieved a long wooden box from beneath the ground and drew the Tang Executioner from within. The other three also unearthed their own weapons.

At this moment, seeing Huang Zhen’s overwhelming dominance, everyone believed Lu Ming would surely lose.

Yet just as hundreds of water arrows shot forth, and all expected Lu Ming to be pierced by a thousand blades, a transparent shield appeared around him, enveloping him completely.

The water arrows clattered against the shield with a sound like metal striking metal, shattering into droplets that fell back to the lake.

“Eh—” The crowd gasped in surprise, not expecting Lu Ming to withstand such an attack.

At that moment, a dragon more than ten meters long and as thick as a water barrel lunged forward, jaws agape, to tear at Lu Ming’s shield.

“This one is also a peak innate master, and he can use a shield of true energy. Such mastery of true energy is rare—but even so, that shield won’t withstand the dragon,” the elder commented to those beside him, his tone confident, as if well-versed in martial arts.

Indeed, Lu Ming’s shield shattered under the dragon’s bite. The dragon let out a silent roar, mouth wide, lunging for Lu Ming.

If struck by this dragon, there would hardly be anything left of his body.

The crowd cried out again; timid girls covered their eyes.

Yet as the dragon’s jaws closed in, Lu Ming shouted, grabbed its upper and lower jaws with both hands, and wrenched them apart.

With a muffled sound, the dragon formed from Huang Zhen’s true energy and lake water collapsed into a column of water and fell.

“Impossible! Is the man named Lu truly so powerful?”

“No way—he’s unharmed?”

“Damn, could he be another half-step Grandmaster?”

Seeing Lu Ming effortlessly neutralize Huang Zhen’s attack, the crowd was stunned. One twenty-year-old half-step Grandmaster was frightening enough, but now another equally formidable young man appeared—how could they not be shocked?

Before today, neither had been known; their existence was a secret.

Now, people no longer simply assumed Huang Zhen would claim an absolute victory, for Mr. Lu had demonstrated strength on par with his.

The crowd’s anticipation grew; a duel between equals would be a spectacle.

Having his dragon shattered, Huang Zhen showed no panic. He glanced at Lu Ming and pressed his palms together.

Instantly, four giant water figures rose slowly in the east, south, west, and north around Lu Ming. These water giants, towering ten meters high, strode toward him, raising fists larger than millstones to smash down upon him.

“Damn, truly worthy of a half-step Grandmaster—his methods are endless.”

“This is Huang Zhen’s domain. Unless Mr. Lu leaves the lake, no matter how strong he is, he cannot win.”

“Agreed.” The crowd voiced their assent.

Once again, Huang Zhen’s techniques amazed them.

But Lu Ming had lost interest. To him, Huang Zhen’s methods were nothing remarkable; he no longer wished to play.

He threw his head back and let out a resounding, clear dragon’s roar. In that moment, the audience seemed to glimpse a giant dragon circling the lake.

The four water giants shattered in response to the roar.

“What’s happening?” Amid the cries of surprise, Lu Ming reached for Huang Zhen, suspended in mid-air, and called, “Come down!”

A tremendous force pulled Huang Zhen from his perch atop the water column, forcing him to descend.

“Now taste one of my moves,” Lu Ming said coldly, charging at Huang Zhen and unleashing a punch.

As he struck, golden scales enveloped his right hand, and by the time he neared Huang Zhen, his entire right arm gleamed gold.

His fist, like a golden meteor, shot toward Huang Zhen.

Huang Zhen’s face changed, sensing the power and danger of the blow.

He stomped his right foot, conjuring seven water walls before him.

Yet these walls shattered instantly under Lu Ming’s fist, offering no resistance.

Unable to evade, Huang Zhen took a deep breath, reclaiming all the true energy he had infused in the lake back into his body.

“Hah!”

With a sharp shout, Huang Zhen gathered all his remaining true energy into his right fist and struck back at Lu Ming.

Boom!

A violent explosion resounded, sending waves dozens of feet high across the lake, obscuring the crowd’s vision.

Moments later, the lake calmed, revealing Lu Ming standing with hands behind his back, while the Langya Pavilion had collapsed entirely, and Huang Zhen lay among the ruins.

“This is terrifying.”

“Huang Zhen actually lost?”

“The power of a single punch—how terrifying!”

The crowd stared at the astonishing scene, eyes wide, unable to believe what they saw.

A martial prodigy, a twenty-year-old half-step Grandmaster, defeated so easily?

It was difficult for them to accept.

Lu Ming stepped across the water to Huang Zhen’s side. Seeing him coughing blood, his right arm shattered, Lu Ming said, “You’ve lost. I’ll be taking this.”

He unfastened a scroll from the immobilized Huang Zhen.

Now, at the end of his strength, Huang Zhen looked at Lu Ming, coughing blood. “Tell me—are there cultivators in this world?”

Lu Ming nodded slowly, meeting Huang Zhen’s expectant gaze.

A faint smile appeared on Huang Zhen’s face.

“So I was right. The world wasn’t always like this.”

With those words, he gently closed his eyes and breathed no more.

Silence fell over the entire crowd. All eyes were fixed on the figure among the ruins of Langya Pavilion, filled with reverence.

Lu Ming took up the scroll, turned, and strode across the lake toward the shore.

A martial prodigy had fallen.

A new generation Grandmaster had risen.

On the shore, wherever Lu Ming passed, people stepped aside and bowed their heads.

This was respect for a Grandmaster.

Meanwhile, the Xu family members trembled as Lu Ming walked by.

They had dared to think of teaching a Grandmaster a lesson—how childish! With a single finger, he could crush them.

Fortunately, this Grandmaster did not trouble them and simply departed. Only then did the Xu family breathe a sigh of relief.

Reaching the parking lot outside South Lake, Lu Ming prepared to drive home.

But then, a figure like a small mountain stepped forward to block his path.

Lu Ming frowned, quietly sizing up the newcomer. “Are you here for a fight?”