This year's Grand Competition yielded three elite disciples: first, Meng Qinglu, who, despite being only at the fourth layer of Qi Drawing, served as the captain and won supreme honors in military strategy and formations; second, Huo Zhongguang, who stunned everyone by one-shotting the Foundation Establishment realm cultivator Liang Si'an, thereby taking his place as the third-generation foremost disciple.
The third was Feng Zikang, who had swayed Meng Qinglu with just a single remark.
While this outcome was surprising, both the elders and the disciples of the same generation expressed their satisfaction.
Now that General Lu had passed, the military strategists of Dragon-Tiger Mountain naturally hoped to see a surge of excellent young disciples. For the third-generation disciples, the Sunset Peak competition had been absolutely breathtaking; the tedious formation battles beforehand held their own peculiar interest, but the main spectacle was Huo Zhongguang’s earth-shattering strike during the individual cultivation verification—that was truly something to behold.
For the past few days across Dragon-Tiger Mountain, everyone was excitedly discussing the sheer power of the divine ability, the "Chaos-Unity Unstoppable Single Blade Split," and many disciples secretly vowed to accumulate merit points to exchange for this particular technique later.
Feng Zikang, naturally, did not partake in such idle chatter. He was busy preparing for his final reckoning with Liang Si'an.
Three days after the Sunset Peak Grand Competition.
Liang Si’an had finally managed, albeit barely, to walk unassisted. He declined the company of his junior martial brothers and wandered alone into the small grove behind the mountain.
This had also been General Lu’s habit. Whenever vexed, General Lu preferred quiet solitude without any interference.
Though General Lu was dead, he remained the most celebrated figure of the past century; yet, Liang Si’an was no longer the foremost disciple of the third generation at Dragon-Tiger Mountain.
Liang Si’an felt a deep sense of melancholy.
However, he was still the only Foundation Establishment disciple among the third generation! Once he refined his life-bound magic treasure and achieved the next breakthrough, he definitely could… definitely could…
“Eldest Senior Brother, I have been waiting for you here.”
A voice shattered his contemplation and resolve.
Feng Zikang stood silently against the cliff face, holding the Soul Bone Sword. The tip of the bone-forged blade shimmered with a chilling, terrifying gleam.
“You… are you, the… Foolish… Feng Zikang?”
Liang Si’an had only known him as the Fool previously, only learning his name, Feng Zikang, three days prior. But on that day, he had achieved fame overnight, while Liang Si’an had been utterly defeated.
“What are you doing here?”
Seeing this junior brother always made Liang Si’an feel uneasy. He had once instructed Miao Yuchun to eliminate this man to clear a spot for his own younger brother. He never expected that Feng Zikang wouldn't die, only end up foolish, often subjected to bullying by his other junior brothers.
Who would have thought that so soon after Master General Lu’s passing, this fool would recover, and even steal the spotlight during the Sunset Peak Competition? It only deepened his displeasure, though his mind was currently too troubled to dwell on the fool’s affairs.
“Nothing else…”
Feng Zikang slowly raised the Soul Bone Sword in his hand. “Just here to claim a life!”
“What?”
Liang Si’an took a step back, his expression strange.
“Miao Yuchun is already dead. I imagine he must have been anxious waiting for you…”
Liang Si’an’s pupils constricted, his face changing drastically before gradually settling back into calm.
“You killed Miao Yuchun… You have quite the nerve…”
He glanced dismissively at Feng Zikang’s ragged, torn armor and that Soul Bone Sword, which even a military disciple couldn't wield effectively, and then burst into loud laughter.
“So what do you want now? To try and kill me? Based on what you have? Haha!”
It was as if he had heard the funniest thing imaginable, laughing until he coughed uncontrollably.
“If you were whole and unharmed, I might need a few more years to kill you.”
Feng Zikang straightened the Soul Bone Sword, giving it a gentle swing. Black mist slowly seeped out, forming the shapes of several skulls at the blade’s tip.
“But now…”
With a sweep of his bone sword, Feng Zikang unleashed the black mist to fill the air. Screaming like ghosts and howling wolves, the miasma charged toward the frantically retreating Liang Si’an.
“You dare!”
Liang Si’an only had time for a pained cry before he was engulfed by the black mist. He was severely wounded, his meridians completely severed. He had only just begun to re-cultivate, and his Dao foundation was heavily damaged. His full strength was less than one-tenth of what it should be. How could he possibly escape the tenth-level Hundred Ghosts Soul Devour?
Amidst shrieks, his vision suddenly went black, and he plunged into boundless terror and panic.
With multiple negative effects of the Hundred Ghosts Soul Devour activating simultaneously, Liang Si’an wailed incessantly. In less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, he collapsed onto the ground, utterly unable to move.
“What a waste…”
Feng Zikang felt no shame or guilt in slaughtering a severely wounded man. Not to mention, his injuries were largely his own doing, and this was the only opportunity in the short term to eliminate Liang Si’an and settle the score for this body.
He certainly wouldn't let it pass.
Feng Zikang slowly approached Liang Si’an, placing the tip of the Soul Bone Sword against his throat.
“Eldest Senior Brother, the cycle of Heavenly Dao ensures retribution never misses. You sought to eliminate me before; it is only right and proper that I kill you now… Do you have any final words?”
Liang Si’an’s eyes were blind, his body covered in wounds. He made gurgling noises, and after a moment, managed to compose himself.
“Junior Brother Feng, since I must die today, so be it. But my master once said: a military disciple must not die if his posture is wrong, nor die if his helmet is askew! Could you trouble yourself to move me to the base of the tree and straighten me up, and fix my helmet…”
“Swoosh!”
The Soul Bone Sword sliced across Liang Si’an’s throat, choking all his rambling words into his lungs. Blood sprayed forth. In Liang Si’an’s terrified eyes reflected a muddled confusion and unconcealed reluctance. His chest rose and fell erratically, but he couldn't speak, his hands clawing uselessly at the ground without any semblance of dignity.
“Trying to draw a tiger only to end up with a dog’s likeness!”
General Lu was such a heroic figure! If he had spoken such words upon his death, people would have admired his spirit; but what was Liang Si’an? To put on airs even at the moment of death?
A faint crimson light flickered in Feng Zikang’s pupils. He sneered, retrieving a jar of white jade from his storage pouch, lifted Liang Si’an, and casually tossed him inside.
Liang Si’an, the only disciple of General Lu, who spent his life merely imitating the superficialities of his master while his character and conduct were utterly base, vanished silently from this world.
Inside the thatched hut where Huo Zhongguang resided, he was still lying down, his face pale, recuperating from his injuries.
“This jar contains the essence of the Condensed Killing Dew that Master stored. It’s even more potent than the previous batches. I happened to find it a few days ago. This single jar of vital essence is sure to help Senior Brother recover his injuries and even successfully impact the Foundation Establishment stage. That is why I specifically brought it for you!”
Huo Zhongguang, whose eyes were half-closed, suddenly snapped them wide open the moment Feng Zikang produced the jade jar, his gaze sharp and piercing.
“Brother, didn't you say the Condensed Killing Dew was all gone?”
“It was an unexpected stroke of fortune that I found more.”
“Will there be any more in the future?”
“Future matters depend on fate,” Feng Zikang replied with a faint smile. He noticed the flickering, evasive look in Huo Zhongguang’s eyes, yet he turned around with complete self-assurance, hands clasped behind his back, admiring the moonlight outside the hut.
Huo Zhongguang’s hand finally closed around the jade jar.