Chapter 85: Publicly Killing to Silence a Witness

Hearing those threatening words, Chu Tianxiong merely spared the man a passing glance, ignoring him entirely. He turned back to Mo Tuojiang with a calm smile. “The personal arrival of the Mo Family Head brings great light to my Ten Thousand Swords Sect! Once this Seat discovers who killed Peak Master Wan Helai, I will certainly provide the Mo Family with a proper explanation!”

Mo Tuojiang’s expression shifted unpredictably; his heart was weighed down by many concerns. Although his cultivation was formidable, he did not wish to engage in a grand slaughter without cause: after all, his primary goal was to find the true killer of his son. Causing a massive scene at the Ten Thousand Swords Sect now would likely be counterproductive.

Right then, a sudden burst of wild laughter erupted. It was none other than Peak Master Pang Ming, who had been captured by Chu Tianxiong earlier.

“Hahaha… Chu Tianxiong! Wan Helai was clearly killed by you! What, do you lack the courage to admit it now?” Pang Ming’s voice was filled with malicious glee. He was already a captive, and he knew his future would be bleak; now that the Mo Family, one of the Four Great Families of the Blood Moon Holy Land, had arrived with their Head in person, he naturally had to seize this rare opportunity!

Of course, he had no idea why the Mo Family was looking for Wan Helai. But since a chance had presented itself, he was determined to take it!

Upon hearing Pang Ming’s words, the faces of several Mo Family experts changed instantly. They looked at Chu Tianxiong with gazes of frigid steel. Chu Tianxiong’s expression flickered slightly, but he quickly broke into a chuckle.

“Heh. Peak Master Pang, what is the meaning of this? Do you intend to frame this Seat before this entire assembly?”

Pang Ming struggled against his bonds. “Framing? Chu Tianxiong, you are feigning ignorance while being perfectly aware! Wan Helai was a member of the Blood Messenger Alliance! Now, every Blood Messenger within the Ten Thousand Swords Sect has been taken down by you, either killed or captured! I am a living example!”

“And Wan Helai was the most loyal Blood Messenger of all! We all work for the Blood Moon Ancestor, while your secret actions have always been aimed at wiping us out! Although I did not see it with my own eyes, Wan Helai, Ji Yaoyue, and Peak Master Qi must have died by your hand!”

Pang Ming’s frantic roars made the crowd’s scalps tingle. He wasn’t just trying to trap Chu Tianxiong; he was trying to drag the entire Ten Thousand Swords Sect into the fire! His actions caused the complexion of everyone in the sect to turn pale.

The gazes of the Mo Family members changed as well. They stared at Chu Tianxiong in silence, yet their killing intent began to billow and steam.

Chu Tianxiong frowned, then suddenly gave a light smile. He walked toward Mo Tuojiang and silently lifted his own sleeve. When Mo Tuojiang saw the distinct Blood Moon Curse on Chu Tianxiong’s wrist, his expression shifted once again.

He did not speak, yet he narrowed his eyes and said, “Sect Master Chu, to be honest, my son Mo Linghan was invited here by your Peak Master Wan Helai. It seems they intended to deal with a powerful figure, yet unexpectedly, both he and Wan Helai have perished!”

Chu Tianxiong’s expression changed immediately upon hearing this. “What? Mo Family Head, someone actually dared to commit such a bold and reckless act? They truly do not know how to value their own lives!”

Hearing Chu Tianxiong’s shocked response, many onlookers shook their heads in confusion. Only Lu Jin, standing to the side, furrowed his brow slightly.

Is the Sect Master “acting” again? I have to admit, he is quite good at it.

However, looking at Chu Tianxiong now, Lu Jin felt a twinge of bitterness in his heart. With Chu Tianxiong’s capability, he could likely take the Mo Family Head by surprise and kill him on the spot. But even if he destroyed the Head, what then? The other Mo Family experts would surely launch a desperate counter-attack. The ones who would suffer the most casualties would undoubtedly be the innocent disciples of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.

Chu Tianxiong’s choice to endure was for the sake of his ultimate goal. From this, Lu Jin could guess that the Sect Master had likely spent years planning in the shadows, enduring countless such humiliations. In Lu Jin’s eyes, Chu Tianxiong was a true man: one who knew when to be firm and when to yield.

Judging by the Mo Family Head’s reaction, the Sect Master’s scheme seemed to be working.

However, seeing Mo Tuojiang engaging in conversation with Chu Tianxiong without conflict, Pang Ming’s face turned grim. He began to roar with a relentless ferocity.

“Mo Family Head, do not be deceived by him! Has the Mo Family Head ever heard of the Holy Tabernacle?”

The moment those two words left his mouth, Chu Tianxiong’s expression changed. He wished he could cut out the man’s tongue right then and there.

In that split second, a figure flashed beside Pang Ming. Then, a flaming flying sword was thrust directly into his mouth and sliced horizontally. Under the horrific gaze of the crowd, Pang Ming was silenced permanently.

Every eye turned toward the figure.

It was Lu Jin! He had personally sentenced Peak Master Pang Ming to death in front of everyone.

Seeing Lu Jin do this, Chu Tianxiong’s face darkened with frustration. Is it really all right to kill a witness so publicly? Even if they didn’t believe him before, they definitely will now!

“Huh? You little brat, what are you doing!”

Seeing Lu Jin’s action, the Mo Family expert who had attacked him previously, Mo Ji, let out a thunderous roar. He stepped forward and lunged at Lu Jin. He had already harbored killing intent toward the boy; now that Lu Jin dared to kill a witness to silence him, Mo Ji ignored all other concerns and unleashed a lethal move!

Boom!

The strength of a 9th-grade Jindan was fully exposed. As his offensive erupted, a hurricane whistled across a radius of a thousand yards. Sand flew, and stones rolled: the entire plaza seemed to reach a boiling point! To the Ten Thousand Swords Sect disciples who hadn’t even reached the Jindan Realm, a 9th-grade Jindan was a creature of pure terror.

Yet, facing such horrific killing intent, Lu Jin’s expression remained indifferent. He didn’t even change his stance, sticking with a single sword move from the Hell-Prisoner Calamity Sword.

Clang!

As the terrifying spiritual Qi fist hammered down, a cold light suddenly flashed upon the Hell-Prisoner Calamity Sword.

Kacha!

Before the sword’s tip could even touch the spiritual fist, a surge of eerie power shot into the mass of energy like a bolt of lightning. In a flash, that eerie force erupted into a network of lightning patterns resembling tree roots, which instantly drained the energy from within the fist. The patterns flickered once, and the power of the spiritual fist was completely hollowed out!

A surge of the Power of Sin was poured into the sword’s body, becoming a fresh source of energy for the Hell-Prisoner Calamity Sword.

“You are already hollow within!”

Lu Jin grinned. He watched the charging Mo Ji and suddenly threw a punch of his own. This punch looked completely ordinary, lacking any fancy flourishes; all it carried was a majestic, incomparable wave of spiritual Qi.

“You seek death!” Mo Ji roared. He had not even realized the energy in his spiritual fist had been drained. Driven by a desire to kill, he charged right into Lu Jin’s fist.

Boom!

In the next second, the void shook. The Mo Family’s seemingly horrific spiritual fist was shattered into pieces by Lu Jin’s plain, physical punch!