Kill the Ma Family Warrior in Seconds and Form an Alliance
"Zhang Family martial artist, why did you bring me here? That black sphere earlier must be a treasure left behind by the owner of the Ancient Tomb! You can't keep such an opportunity all to yourselves!"
"Hand it over now… or I'll kill you first and seize the opportunity myself!"
A tall young martial artist dressed in the Ma Family's attire shouted coldly.
"Our Zhang Family's Young Master is engaged to your Ma Family's Young Miss. Our families are allies! You shouldn't provoke us!" Zhang Li shouted loudly.
Zhang Yuyang had already recovered his Lingwu Realm cultivation, which gave everyone confidence.
Within the Ancient Tomb Space, as long as they didn't encounter that prodigy Ma Ying'er or the martial artists from the City Lord's Mansion, the Zhang Family would have no real opponents.
Moreover, Zhang Lingxiao had also just stepped into the Lingwu Realm.
A family with two Lingwu Realm experts—who would dare provoke them?
The Ma Family martial artist sneered.
"Enough nonsense. Life and death are decided by fate, wealth and honor depend on Heaven. With an opportunity right in front of me, what alliance? What friendship? Those are nothing but empty words."
"If you don't want to die, surrender the treasure!"
Zhang Yuyang snorted.
However, he couldn't possibly explain that the black sphere was merely an illusion created by Zhang Lingxiao, who had been in the midst of a breakthrough.
"Ma Family warrior, I'll give you one more chance," Zhang Yuyang said coldly.
"Do you know who I am?"
The Ma Family martial artist laughed arrogantly.
"I don't care who you are. I'm the second young master of the Ma Family, second only to our Young Miss. None of you are my opponents!"
As he spoke, spiritual energy surged from his body.
He was actually a martial artist at Qiwu Realm Perfection.
If not for the suppression of the Ancient Tomb Space, his strength alone would have allowed him to roam freely here.
Unfortunately for him, Zhang Yuyang had just regained his First Heaven Lingwu Realm cultivation.
This opponent was perfect for testing his restored strength.
"Fine," Zhang Yuyang said coldly.
"I gave you a chance, but you refused it. Don't blame me for killing you."
"Enough talk!" the Ma Family martial artist shouted.
"Come fight! That opportunity is still waiting for me!"
"Good. As you wish."
Zhang Yuyang stopped wasting words.
Strength was the simplest solution.
With a roar, he threw a powerful punch toward the Ma Family martial artist.
Not far away, Zhang Lingxiao watched the scene calmly.
Human greed was inevitable.
Since the opponent was only at the Qiwu Realm, Zhang Yuyang was more than enough to deal with him. There was no need for Zhang Lingxiao to intervene.
He slowly walked over and stood beside Zhang Li and the others.
"Brother Zhang Lingxiao, you finished your breakthrough so quickly?" Zhang Li asked in surprise when she noticed him.
Zhang Lingxiao nodded silently and focused on the battle ahead.
Zhang Yuyang used a fist technique, his movements wide and forceful, each strike carrying tremendous power.
The Ma Family martial artist, though tall, fought in a completely opposite style.
His body was light and agile like a swallow. In his hand was a thin longsword, light as a cicada's wing. His swordsmanship appeared soft, yet every strike was razor-sharp.
Watching the battle, Zhang Lingxiao felt a sudden insight.
The opponent's swordsmanship gave him a deeper understanding of his own Falling Leaf Sword Technique.
Just as Zhang Yuyang gathered strength to end the fight—
Zhang Lingxiao suddenly shouted.
"Brother Yuyang! Leave him to me! Let me practice!"
Zhang Yuyang glanced back and saw Zhang Lingxiao.
He clearly sensed the powerful spiritual fluctuations coming from him—the aura of someone who had already entered the Lingwu Realm.
"Good. You take him!"
Zhang Yuyang stomped his foot and retreated, giving Zhang Lingxiao the battlefield.
Zhang Lingxiao stepped forward, summoned the Tianji Sword, and walked toward the enemy.
The Ma Family martial artist laughed loudly when he saw him.
"Haha! I recognize you! Aren't you that good-for-nothing from the Zhang Family?"
During his battle with Zhang Yuyang, the pressure had been overwhelming.
Now the opponent had been replaced with a so-called useless man.
Wasn't this simply humiliating him?
"Enough nonsense. Take this sword!"
Zhang Lingxiao shouted softly as he unleashed the Falling Leaf Sword Technique.
His sword thrust forward.
"Good! Let's see whose sword is stronger!"
The Ma Family martial artist drew his blade.
"Clang!"
Two streams of Sword Qi collided violently in midair.
The Ma Family warrior's sword qi was soft yet resilient—remarkably similar to the style of Zhang Lingxiao's Falling Leaf Sword Technique.
Both attacks looked gentle, yet each contained terrifying destructive force.
However—
Zhang Lingxiao's sword qi was clearly stronger.
The Tianji Sword's energy shattered the opponent's attack instantly.
A flash of sword light followed.
The Ma Family martial artist was cut cleanly into two halves.
"And I was holding back," Zhang Lingxiao said calmly as he sheathed his Tianji Sword.
"He couldn't even withstand a single strike."
He turned to Zhang Yuyang and the others.
"Let's go. Once we gather the remaining Zhang Family members, we'll enter the Dark Forest to search for the Heaven and Earth Treasure."
Zhang Yuyang nodded absent-mindedly.
He was still immersed in Zhang Lingxiao's sword strike.
Even though he wasn't a sword cultivator, he had faced many before.
That attack…
Its power was enough to instantly kill a Mid-Stage Lingwu Realm expert.
And Zhang Lingxiao had only just entered the Lingwu Realm.
"Why are you standing there? Let's go," Zhang Lingxiao said.
"Right… right."
Zhang Yuyang snapped out of his thoughts and hurried after him.
Zhang Li couldn't help but chuckle at the scene.
---
Over the next day, most of the Zhang Family members were gathered.
Of the thirty-five who had entered the Ancient Tomb Space, only twenty-eight remained.
Seven had disappeared.
They were likely killed by martial artists from other factions—or perhaps they had encountered the Six-Armed Giant Ape and become its food.
Zhang Lingxiao still couldn't stop thinking about the rune bone on that beast.
Just as the group prepared to move—
A gentle voice, melodious like a nightingale, sounded nearby.
"Are you planning to enter the Dark Forest now?"
The newcomer was Ma Ying'er, the Young Miss of the Ma Family—and Zhang Lingxiao's fiancée.
Zhang Lingxiao had just killed a Ma Family martial artist. When he saw her, he paused for a moment, though the hesitation quickly passed.
Her question was directed at Zhang Yuyang.
However, after witnessing Zhang Lingxiao's strength, Zhang Yuyang's attitude had changed. Instead of answering, he nudged Zhang Lingxiao.
Zhang Lingxiao nodded.
"Yes, we're about to depart. Would you like to join us?"
Behind Ma Ying'er stood nearly forty martial artists, clearly indicating that she had also gathered her people—though they had likely suffered some losses as well.
"Alright," Ma Ying'er replied after a moment.
"The Dark Forest is dangerous and unpredictable. It's better to travel together."
She looked deeply at Zhang Lingxiao.
She had long heard rumors about her fiancé—that he was a useless man who couldn't cultivate.
Yet now, he appears to be the leader of the Zhang Family group.
Something about this was clearly unusual.
Still, she accepted his invitation.
Soon after, the Zhang Family and Ma Family joined forces and entered the Dark Forest together.
Not long after they left—
The martial artists from the City Lord's Mansion and the Li Family also arrived.
The two factions quickly formed a temporary alliance and headed toward the Dark Forest as well.
Everyone believed that the Heaven and Earth Treasure hidden within the Ancient Tomb Space was located somewhere inside that pitch-black forest.
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