Lou Quan was attacked from four different directions. The attacks came in succession, making it difficult for him. Even his cheek was grazed by the tip of an opponent's sword. Blood dripped from the wound he received. Lou Quan's eyes moved rapidly. He knew his opponents' movements, but his body couldn't keep up.
Slash!
Another slash hit Lou Quan. This time, it was his chest. A deeper wound. It nearly caused Lou Quan to fall.
"Trash like you doesn't deserve to live," mocked Yu Hong.
He smiled as he saw Lou Quan being cornered and wounded in the chest. Lou Quan clearly looked more desperate now—this was a good start. Yu Hong had never liked Lou Quan, because when Lou Quan used to be the best talent in the Sky Sword Sect, Yu Hong was always stuck in his shadow.
Now, he was one of the sect's top priorities, ever since Lou Quan could no longer be relied upon. Still, his hatred for Lou Quan remained. He wouldn't be satisfied until Lou Quan was dead. This was his chance.
"Die, you bastard!" Yu Hong shouted.
Lou Quan jumped back, dodging a spear thrust aimed at him. He closed his eyes, focusing himself to the highest point. At that moment, an attack came from behind. He only slightly dodged it.
The slash cut Lou Quan's back, but he seemed calm. Still intensely focused on what he was doing. One second later, he took a fighting stance.
"I forgot I could still do this."
Another attack came at Lou Quan. Not just one, but two at once. However, Lou Quan didn't dodge. He simply moved his hands. He blocked the attacks from both opponents with his bare hands. Not only that, he counterattacked with great force. The two opponents were forced back.
The four people fighting Lou Quan only smiled. They underestimated him. What he had just done, they thought, was just a fluke. Lou Quan was just a fool. They attacked again—this time with qi-enhanced weapons.
But their arrogance was shattered by Lou Quan. When their weapons touched Lou Quan's fingers, they were deflected. Their bodies became unstable, as if they had just struck a wall of steel.
"What the…" They were stunned.
Lou Quan pushed himself forward with his right leg. In one second, he was right in front of one of them. He struck with an open palm. One hit sent his opponent flying. Not just flung, the man instantly lost consciousness with a palm mark on his chest.
[Buddha Palm Technique]
Lou Quan had learned it from another memory. His memory as the strongest cultivator in the world. The Buddha Palm Technique was one of the most powerful techniques that memory had. It had taken him three years to master, and it became one of his trump cards.
"Five more to go."
Lou Quan moved toward another opponent. This time, the battle leaned in Lou Quan's favor. His enemies were overwhelmed. It wasn't just the Buddha Palm Technique giving Lou Quan the edge. He was also using the Sky Dragon Qi Technique.
His attacks didn't rely on the qi inside his body, but instead, he drew on the qi from his surroundings. A very difficult technique, but Lou Quan could use it. Though still imperfect, with a terrifying side effect if used for too long.
This technique could be used anytime, anywhere, as long as there was qi in the area. Without a Dantian, Lou Quan could still appear like a cultivator. The difference was he used qi from nature, not his own internal qi. He wrapped his entire body in natural qi.
Lou Quan glanced at Yu Hong after defeating the others. "You're the only one left."
The two faced each other. Yu Hong's face turned pale, filled with fear. He took a stance, but his hands and legs were trembling. His earlier confidence and arrogance had seemingly vanished. Lou Quan simply shook his head in disbelief at the change.
"You're still the same, Yu Hong. A coward," mocked Lou Quan.
"You... don't talk nonsense, you bastard! I'll kill you," he shouted.
Yu Hong charged, slashing at Lou Quan. His attacks were fast and powerful, but his movements were unstable. Easy to read. Lou Quan simply dodged a few strikes and blocked one before counterattacking with a single, powerful blow—Yu Hong's body was hurled back.
He crashed into a tree nearby. Much easier than the others earlier. Yu Hong had a palm mark on his chest. He coughed up blood, his face pale from pain, his breath ragged.
"You're finished," said Lou Quan.
He picked up Yu Hong's sword. Ready to end Yu Hong's life. He absorbed natural qi and channeled it into the sword. Just one more strike, and Yu Hong would enter the afterlife.
Yu Hong shook his head. "No. You… you won't do it, right? I'm one of the Sky Sword Sect's top disciples. If you kill me, then you'll—"
"Do I look like I care?" Lou Quan cut him off.
He slashed Yu Hong's head off with the man's own sword. A single strike cleanly decapitated him, ending his life. Blood streamed from his neck. Lou Quan turned and assumed another stance. He realized someone had been watching him all along.
"What do you want, Father?" asked Lou Quan. His eyes were sharp, like a challenge. "If you want to kill me, then come out and do it!"
A second later, Lou Guangji revealed himself. A 35-year-old man with a long beard, neatly tied hair, and crimson eyes full of ambition. His face looked very similar to Lou Quan's. He looked Lou Quan up and down, then sighed.
"Leave. I'll hold them off, but from this moment, you are no longer part of the Lou family. Do not use that name again. I refuse to have a son like you," Lou Guangji declared firmly.
Lou Quan gave a slight smile. "I've already stopped considering you my father. How can a father destroy his own child's Dantian and believe others' words over his own son's? Truly a foolish parent," Lou Quan mocked.
He turned to leave. He could sense dozens of powerful cultivators approaching after he killed Yu Hong. He didn't know who they were, but one thing was certain—one of them was definitely Yu Hong's father.
Before leaving, Lou Quan glanced briefly at Lou Guangji. "I don't know why you want to protect me, but know this—I'll never acknowledge you as my father, even after what you did for me."
With that, Lou Quan left. He ran as fast as he could; otherwise, he'd be killed there. He would become a fugitive—but he didn't mind. He would become someone new. Start a new life. Lou Quan was certain he could do it.
Lou Guangji remained standing. He smiled slightly. "You've become much tougher. That's good." He felt a little relieved, just before the other cultivators arrived. "I'll hold them off. This is how I'll atone for my mistake back then."