Starting with Mingyu Gong, the Soul-Chasing and Life-Stealing Technique

Lu Chen left the inn and, attracted by the aroma of a noodle stall on the street, ate a large bowl of beef noodles before starting to explore Liangzhou City.

After exploring the north of the city, he strolled along a willow-lined street in the south. Hearing that it was a red-light district, he paid special attention, thinking, "It would be a shame to travel through time without experiencing the pleasures of the red-light district. I must have the chance to try it out."

It's not that Lu Chen has a particular taste for this; it's just that he's an assassin.

When you're stepping on a plate, you have to at least make it look convincing!

After all, killing someone is not easy, and escaping successfully afterward is even more difficult. If one is not familiar with the terrain, and cannot win a fight, running away might be impossible. Therefore, after Lu Chen went out, he went shopping.

This infuriated Xiao Shi, the maid who was monitoring Lu Chen.

Since Lu Chen knew that he had mistakenly entered the Demon Extermination Bureau's stronghold, how could he not understand the key point?

Why would Tang Tianlong, a single individual, prevent the Demon Extermination Division from taking action and instead use his own hands? There must be a reason he doesn't yet understand.

Given the Demon Extermination Division's behavior, they would surely take their own lives if they felt that what they said was nonsense!

Therefore, someone must be monitoring my movements.

Therefore, Lu Chen is not panicking now. As long as he doesn't run away after attacking the Tang family, he will be safe.

But once it's done, things might not be so simple.

Lu Chen wandered around, stopping by a clothing store to buy a new outfit, and then went to a weapons shop to buy a longsword.

"It is said that Tang Tianlong set up the arena to emulate the Tang family patriarch's past feat of defeating fifteen heroes of Xiliang with a single iron sword, which made him a figure of great prestige."

"Indeed, the Tang family head's reputation has remained strong for decades."

Tang Tianlong, known as the Tang family's number one genius, naturally wanted everyone to know that his family's reputation was growing ever stronger!

"Hmph, I don't think so. He might end up humiliated instead of seeking glory, and actually think he, Tang Tianlong, is the best among the younger generation!"

"You can't say that. In this Western Liang region alone, if it weren't for the people who came down from Mount Kongtong, how could any other place possibly do anything to them?"

Listening to the discussions of the many men carrying swords and knives, Lu Chen's lips curled into a slight smile: "What a pity, Tang Tianlong, that name is too grand. Your kid probably won't be tough enough!"

As darkness fell, Lu Chen hid the clothes and longsword he had bought in an abandoned courtyard before returning to the inn. He told the waiter, "Meet me at the Mountain God Temple in the north of the city after this is done."

……

"Young master, he was acting suspiciously on Willow Street today, nodding frequently to those beautiful women. He doesn't seem like a good person."

The maidservant complained to her master with a cold and stern expression.

Manager Zhang, who was following Lu Chen, was doing alright, but the little maid was almost pouting.

The handsome young man smiled and asked, "Uncle Zhang, what do you think?"

Manager Zhang said, "He's surveying the terrain, probably preparing for his escape. He's a smart man."

"Hehe..." The young master raised an eyebrow slightly: "Interesting. I'm quite curious about how he will kill people."

……

The next day, Liangzhou Square was extremely lively.

Tang Tianlong setting up a challenge arena is quite a hot topic in the Liangzhou martial arts world.

The older generation looks down on them, but the younger generation is the future, so many people come here wanting to see what it's like.

Even some well-meaning ordinary people who didn't know martial arts came.

Lu Chen, wearing the human skin mask belonging to "Li Feiyu," naturally arrived as well.

On a rather imposing high platform in the square, two people were engaged in a fierce fight.

One of them wore a golden headband on his head, resembling a Buddhist monk, and brandished a monk's knife.

They were moving like flowing light and rolling snow, hacking and slashing fiercely at a fat man.

The onlookers below cheered continuously.

Lu Chen was also observing carefully, imagining how he would react if he were to fight. At this moment, the fat man leaped back several feet, widening his position, and drew an iron whip from his waist, shouting, "The Everlasting Victory Monk lives up to his name! Now you can see my iron whip!"

The monk brandished his sword and shouted fiercely, "You, surnamed Lu, I've heard your Mountain-Breaking Whip technique can split mountains and shatter rocks. Let this Buddha see it for himself!"

The fat man roared, whipped his sword, and charged forward. In the blink of an eye, the sword and whip clashed, the sounds of their clashes ringing out, sparks flying—it was quite a spectacle.

Just then, a young man dressed as a scholar, with thin eyebrows, bright eyes, and a sharp air about him, walked towards the arena with his hands behind his back and said, "Gentlemen, although I have set up this arena so that martial arts friends can all show their skills, it is really unnecessary for you two to be so violent and damage our harmony just for the purpose of making friends through martial arts!"

Someone in the audience remarked, "Is this the young master Tang? He certainly has the demeanor of a great man."

"Besides Young Master Tang, who else possesses such magnanimity!"

Lu Chen glanced at this young master Tang with a slightly scrutinizing look and gave him a critique: "Pretentious!"

If we've already set up a competition, the winner isn't necessarily glorious, and the loser will definitely be laughed at. What's the point of being harmonious then?

Of course, Mr. Tang's advice was completely useless, and the two continued their fierce battle.

Tang Tianlong approached the two men and said loudly, "Please stop, you two!" Suddenly, he swayed and kicked the monk's wrist.

This ascetic was able to fight against an iron whip that relied on brute force with his monk's knife, which showed his strength. However, after being kicked, his monk's knife flew straight into the air, he staggered, and let out a low roar, like a wild beast.

With a casual flick of his left hand, Tang Tianlong grabbed the tip of Fatty Lu's iron whip. It looked like he only gave it a light tug, but Fatty Lu could no longer hold onto the iron whip.

Tang Tianlong shifted his body to the side, and the fat man involuntarily took several steps forward in front of him, swaying unsteadily.

"Young master is mighty!"

"Truly impressive!"

"His skill in disarming an opponent with his bare hands is truly superb."

When someone commented, a burst of cheers and applause erupted.

The monk's dagger fell from the sky, and Tang Tianlong lashed out with his whip.

With a clang, it struck the back of the cleaver.

With a clang, the monk's knife broke in two and fell onto the platform.

"Impressive internal strength!"

Tang Tianlong's skill was so impressive that it stunned the entire audience. Yet, he remained calm and composed, grabbing the whip handle with his right hand and bending it into an arc with both hands before casually tossing it aside.

"This young master Tang is amazing!"

In the distance, on the upper floor, some women blushed and could hardly contain themselves, thinking that this was too manly.

The monk and the fat man hurriedly bowed and said, "Young Master Tang's martial arts are outstanding, we admire you!" They didn't even pick up their weapons before stepping off the stage.

Tang Tianlong clasped his hands in a fist and said, "The path of martial arts is as vast and unfathomable as the sea. I have only just begun to grasp its essence, and I am bound to make a fool of myself. Please forgive me!"

"No! No!"

"Truly the demeanor of a great man!"

"That's right! That's the Tang family!"

Listening to everyone's effusive praise, Lu Chen's lips curled into a slight smile.

With his past life's experience in judging people, he knew there were people in the audience creating a lively atmosphere, and Tang Tianlong could barely suppress the smirk on his face.

Tang Tianlong stood on the stage, glanced around, clasped his hands and said, "I, Tang, have brought this gathering here today not to seek fame, but only for sparring to prove the martial arts. If any heroes or great men wish to offer their guidance, please come up on stage."

There were naturally people in the audience who wanted to overshadow him, but some felt it was better to observe others first, to see what Tang Tianlong was up to, and not to go up there seeking glory only to be humiliated, thus doing a good deed for others.

Seeing that no one had stepped forward for a while, Tang Tianlong became even more smug.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

If I remain undefeated in this arena for ten days, and this reputation spreads, wouldn't the younger generation of Xiliang look up to me in terms of prestige?

If I do more good deeds that are visible to others, wouldn't my Tang family be even more secure?

Looking at Tang Tianlong's proud and imposing figure, Lu Chen thought to himself, "You've built up enough momentum, now it's my turn!" He immediately took steady steps toward the high platform.

As he activated his Mingyu Gong, the onlookers below the stage felt a chill and stepped aside, naturally creating a path.

As everyone shifted to the sides, Lu Chen's somewhat slender figure naturally came into Tang Tianlong's view.

Tang Tianlong's eyes lit up, he raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Friend, please."

Everyone's gaze then turned to Lu Chen, who looked completely blank. They asked in confusion, "Who is this?"

"I don't recognize him!"

Amidst the puzzled and curious gazes of the crowd, Lu Chen finally stepped onto the arena.

Then someone else said, "He can't fly either!"

"This one's obviously useless!"

"What is he doing?"

Lu Chen ignored the voices of others and simply smiled calmly, saying, "I've heard someone say that if friends come from afar, they will surely be punished, no matter how far away they are. Brother Tang, what do you think?"