Tian Ci’s voice was deep and resonant, his footsteps heavy, each one sounding like a stone hitting the ground, making the earth tremble.
"I don't like necrophilia, but if she's too beautiful, I don't mind. Hahaha!" Tian Ci said, laughing maniacally as he advanced on Liu Ruyan. He showed no trace of being an old man in his seventies or eighties.
"My family once had a dog named Tian Ci! Later, I killed it because it always barked too much. Seeing you today, I suddenly feel that dog wasn't so bad," Liu Ruyan said, her face filled with anger, yet she remained standing still. Her gaze was fixed on the old man in front of her, who seemed less than human.
"Hehehe! You have successfully angered me." Tian Ci smiled sinisterly, and suddenly a bronze hammer the size of a winter melon appeared in his hand. With a whoosh, he swung it down towards Liu Ruyan.
Almost simultaneously, Di Can also moved. It had to be said that although the two brothers were detestable, they were undoubtedly powerful fighters, and their coordination was seamless.
The moment Tian Ci's bronze hammer descended, a blur of motion lunged towards Liu Ruyan, its speed so astonishing it made one's vision blur.
Suddenly, Liu Ruyan also vanished from her spot.
Clang, clang, clang... Liu Ruyan's sword met Di Can's dagger several times in an instant. However, the two near-identical blurs of motion made it impossible for Tian Ci to know where to bring his bronze hammer down.
Bang... The two figures separated. Liu Ruyan remained calmly blocking in front, while Di Can's breathing became slightly more rapid. His previously sinister eyes had become much more serious. He hadn't expected this young girl, who looked no older than twenty, to be able to block his six consecutive slashes. Furthermore, she had prevented the bronze hammer, poised to strike from the side, from finding its mark.
"I'll give you a chance. Leave now, and you can live. Otherwise, you die!" Liu Ruyan said coldly, looking at the two men before her.
"Hahaha! We brothers have been in seclusion for decades. How can we be scared away by a mere young girl like you? You should just surrender to me. I promise not to kill you," Tian Ci suddenly said.
"Old man, go to hell!" Swoosh... Liu Ruyan suddenly thrust her sword towards Tian Ci's chest.
Tian Ci hurriedly blocked with his bronze hammer. Clang... His hammer collided with Liu Ruyan's sword. Hummm... Liu Ruyan's sword let out a hum, and she felt her arm go numb, her sword nearly flying from her grasp.
Liu Ruyan staggered back several steps, her face a little pale. She thought to herself, "What immense strength."
"Hehehe... You die now!" Di Can, as if seeing an opportunity, suddenly charged forward. The dagger in his hand flashed, slicing towards Liu Ruyan's throat.
"Whose monkey is this, so annoying!" A voice suddenly echoed. Before the voice had even finished, a figure shot forward like lightning. Bang... He grabbed Di Can in his hand.
However, it seemed he had come too fast and couldn't stop himself, and with Di Can in tow, he crashed into Tian Ci.
Tian Ci instinctively brought his bronze hammer up to block.
Bang... Di Can's head slammed directly into Tian Ci's bronze hammer. With a splat... it shattered.
"Brother..." Tian Ci was instantly stunned, crying out in alarm. Clatter, the bronze hammer fell to the ground. He grabbed his brother's corpse. At the same time, he saw the person in front of him clearly – it was a young man around twenty!
"Xiao Fan!" Liu Ruyan also exclaimed. She hadn't expected Lu Fan's movements to be so fast, almost too fast for her to even see.
"Big guy! You killed your own brother, it has nothing to do with me," Lu Fan said indifferently, standing there and looking at the large man before him.
"Kid! You are Lu Fan? Today, I will kill you!" Tian Ci suddenly threw his brother's corpse aside, grabbed the bronze hammer from the ground, and swung it down at Lu Fan.
Bang... The bronze hammer was blocked by Lu Fan's palm.
"Since you've been in hiding for decades, you shouldn't have come out! Wasn't it good to live out your twilight years? Unfortunately, there's no medicine for regret. Once you're out, you can't go back." Lu Fan said coldly, then clenched his other hand into a fist and slammed it forcefully onto the bronze hammer.
Pfft... The handle of the bronze hammer, from Tian Ci's hand, pierced into Tian Ci's chest. A look of horror flashed in Tian Ci's eyes as he watched his own hammer stab into his chest, completely helpless.
"Xiao Fan!" Liu Ruyan rushed into Lu Fan's arms.
"Lu Fan!" Liu Qiannian and Liu Chifeng emerged from the villa behind them. Seeing Lu Fan, they felt extremely ashamed and didn't know what to say for a moment.
The two masters accompanying them appeared even more mortified. They were all people who had lived for decades, yet they had no more than a ten percent chance of winning against Tian Ci and Di Can. Let alone facing these two young people. Thinking back, they felt they had truly failed to live up to the title of "master" over the years.
"These two are dealt with, but I still have a lingering sense of unease. Ruyan, you handle things here. I'm going back to check on Li Jingjing!" Lu Fan said to Liu Ruyan.
"Okay! Hurry back and check on her," Liu Ruyan said urgently.
Swoosh... Lu Fan leaped away.
"So fast!"
The people nearby were instantly startled. They hadn't seen how Lu Fan arrived, but as he left, they were clearly in front of him, yet still couldn't see how he departed. This was truly baffling.
"Young Lady! Could Lu Fan have broken through to that realm?" A master beside Liu Qiannian suddenly thought of something and exclaimed.
They were certain that Tian Ci and Di Can were already Qi Realm powerhouses. Yet, Lu Fan had killed them so easily. This made them have to consider that legendary realm.
"I... I don't know either!" Liu Ruyan was also surprised. She truly didn't know if Lu Fan had surpassed the Qi Realm.
Outside the teahouse, the sound of clashing weapons could be heard.
Over a dozen masked figures in black had surrounded Old Master Yang Xiu, engaging in a fierce battle. Li Jingjing held a hidden blade, hiding in a corner, her eyes fixed on the fight unfolding before her.
Old Master Bai had left after finishing his tea. Upon receiving Lu Fan's message, he had left Yang Xiu to guard the teahouse for Li Jingjing as he departed. He hadn't expected trouble to actually arrive.
Fortunately, Yang Xiu's cultivation was extraordinary, at the peak of Grandmaster, just a step away from breaking through to the Qi Realm. Single-handedly, he was holding off these dozen or so individuals.
Swoosh... Another figure suddenly lunged from the darkness towards the corner where Li Jingjing was hiding. A large hand suddenly reached out, snatching at Li Jingjing.
Pfft...! The moment the hand grabbed Li Jingjing, she suddenly waved her hand. The attacker's arm was instantly severed cleanly.
Ah... The assailant let out a scream of pain, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. With his other hand, he suddenly punched down towards Li Jingjing.
"Ah..." The fist struck Li Jingjing's head forcefully. Li Jingjing's body went limp and she collapsed to the ground.
Bang... The attacker, ignoring the pain of his severed arm, grabbed Li Jingjing with one hand, turned, and fled.