Create the Sky-Opening Palm and Kill the Enemy with One Palm
"Big Brother Zhang Lingxiao, we all know you're strong, but even Big Brother Yu Yang isn't a match for Li Zhan. We should run!"
Among the three men and two women, the beautiful female martial artist Zhang Li spoke anxiously.
"Don't be afraid. Just watch," Zhang Lingxiao said calmly.
"If you don't believe me, you can keep running. I won't stop you."
The three men and two women exchanged uncertain glances, momentarily at a loss.
They wanted to flee—but how could they? Could they really abandon their Young Master here, regardless of whether he lived or died?
At that moment, a triumphant laugh echoed through the air.
"Hahaha! I'm here—none of you are getting away!"
A figure rapidly approached from a distance. It was Li Zhan, hot on their trail.
Li Zhan advanced alone, his body radiating the unique aura of the Lingwu Realm. He held a magnificent longsword in one hand, his presence domineering and high-spirited.
In his other hand, he carried a battered martial artist.
Upon closer inspection, the person Li Zhan was holding was none other than their leader—Zhang Yuyang!
"Big Brother Yu Yang was captured alive…"
Zhang Li and the others froze, their expressions stiffening.
There was no longer any chance to run. Not only had Li Zhan captured Zhang Yuyang, he had already caught up to them!
That speed was terrifying.
"Run? What's there to run for?"
Zhang Lingxiao glanced at the severely weakened Zhang Yuyang, then turned to Li Zhan with a cold snort before stepping in front of the others.
"Oh?" Li Zhan sneered. "Aren't you that Zhang Family trash, Zhang Lingxiao? Even Zhang Yuyang couldn't withstand me. Do you really think you're any stronger?"
Li Zhan casually tossed Zhang Yuyang to the ground.
Zhang Yuyang weakly lifted his head, struggling to look at Zhang Lingxiao.
"Run… you can't beat him. Remember to avenge me…"
Before he could finish, Li Zhan kicked him hard in the head.
Zhang Yuyang's head snapped to the side, and he fell completely still—whether dead or alive was unknown.
"Enough nonsense," Zhang Lingxiao said coldly. "Li Zhan, you dared to injure members of my Zhang Family. Today, I'll kill you!"
With a flick of his arm, the Tianji Sword shot out from his Storage Pouch and landed firmly in his hand.
"Hiss—what arrogance! A mere Qi Wu Realm cripple dares challenge me?" Li Zhan laughed scornfully. "Zhang Lingxiao, today I'll teach you what despair truly means!"
"Blazing Flame Swordplay!"
Li Zhan roared as he lunged forward.
Blazing Flame Swordplay was the Li Family's ancestral technique—extremely domineering. When cultivated to major success, it allowed the user to channel Spiritual Qi through the sword, releasing scorching flames with overwhelming destructive power.
Li Zhan's weapon was a Yellow Rank Spirit Sword.
The moment the technique was unleashed, the sword erupted in crimson Sword Qi, flames coiling around the blade as an oppressive aura surged outward.
Zhang Lingxiao remained unfazed.
Activating Phantom Step, he moved like a shadow while raising the Tianji Sword, countering with Falling Leaf Swordplay.
Swish!
Unlike the grand spectacle of Blazing Flame Swordplay, Falling Leaf Swordplay was subtle and unadorned.
Its sword movements were light and erratic, like drifting leaves—impossible to predict.
Zhang Lingxiao easily evaded the blazing Sword Qi. With a sudden, tricky thrust, he stabbed toward Li Zhan's arm.
Swish!
A deep, bone-exposing wound appeared instantly.
Li Zhan groaned and hurriedly retreated several steps to widen the distance.
Seeing this, Zhang Li and the others—who had been tense with worry—brightened instantly.
"Big Brother Zhang Lingxiao is amazing!"
"Kill Li Zhan! Avenge Big Brother Yu Yang!"
Li Zhan's expression darkened. He shot a glance at the others, then stared at Zhang Lingxiao in shock.
"That sword… it's a Profound Rank Spirit Sword?!"
"You've got sharp eyes," Zhang Lingxiao replied coldly. "That's right—this sword is called the Tianji Sword. Dying by it won't be a loss for you."
"Heh, don't get cocky," Li Zhan laughed harshly. "I was careless earlier. Just wait—once I kill you, that treasure will be mine!"
"Then come and take it," Zhang Lingxiao said with a faint smile, utterly unconcerned.
After their previous exchange, his confidence had only grown.
A Lingwu Realm Second Heaven expert didn't seem quite as terrifying as he had imagined.
"Hmph! Die!"
Li Zhan charged again, slashing downward with his sword.
"You're courting death!"
Zhang Lingxiao's eyes narrowed. As he swung the Tianji Sword, his other hand quietly gathered Qi.
"Opening Sky Palm!"
With a sharp shout, his left palm shot forward like lightning.
An overwhelming palm force exploded outward.
Bang!
Li Zhan's longsword flew from his grasp.
The palm strike pierced directly into his chest.
Li Zhan's eyes widened in disbelief as his body was blasted backward.
Zhang Lingxiao withdrew the Tianji Sword and looked down at his palm in silence.
The Opening Sky Palm was a technique Zhang Lingxiao had created himself, derived from the Primordial Sky-Shattering Fist.
The Primordial Sky-Shattering Fist—passed to him by Gu Yue Ningbing—required one to reach the Lingwu Realm, where Spiritual Qi condensed into liquid spiritual power, before it could be cultivated.
Unable to practice it yet, Zhang Lingxiao modified the technique, transforming the fist into a palm art that relied solely on Spiritual Qi.
Thus, the Opening Sky Palm was born.
Though their execution differed—one driven by spiritual power, the other by Spiritual Qi—their underlying principles were the same.
Different paths, same destination.
Even Gu Yue Ningbing had been astonished when Zhang Lingxiao first mastered it, praising his comprehension endlessly.
"Oh my god!" Zhang Li exclaimed as she rushed over, eyes filled with admiration.
"Big Brother Zhang Lingxiao, you actually killed a Lingwu Realm Second Heaven expert! That's incredible!"
Zhang Lingxiao chuckled softly.
"You guys check on Big Brother Yu Yang. I'll take care of Li Zhan's body. If the Li Family finds out, it'll only cause unnecessary trouble."
Zhang Li and the others nodded and hurried to Zhang Yuyang's side.
Zhang Lingxiao crouched down and searched Li Zhan's corpse, eventually pulling out a Storage Pouch and a small wooden token—about half the size of his palm.
"This looks… familiar."
Turning it over, he saw a clearly engraved 'Li' character on its back.
His eyes narrowed as he suddenly remembered something.
Reaching into his own Storage Pouch, he retrieved another wooden token engraved with the character 'Zhang'.
This was the only strange item he had recovered from Zhang Yuntao's Storage Pouch back then.
The two tokens were identical in shape and material—only the characters differed.
"Could this be the treasure that allowed Li Zhan to recover his cultivation in the Ancient Tomb Space without side effects?"
Zhang Lingxiao searched Li Zhan's Storage Pouch again. Aside from a little over twenty low-grade Spirit Stones, there was nothing else of value.
So the real treasure had to be this wooden token.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, then looked toward Zhang Yuyang, who was surrounded by the others.
"Kong Rong gave up pears," Zhang Lingxiao said with a grin.
"Let Big Brother Yu Yang recover his Lingwu Realm cultivation first."
His smile was bright and harmless—but his eyes gleamed with hidden intent.
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