Chapter 135: Even a Lion Uses Its Full Strength to Hunt a Rabbit

The man kneeling beside the injured one inspected his condition and his expression shifted dramatically. "An ice-attribute technique! And it's of a high grade; otherwise, Third Brother’s 'Flame Technique' would never have failed to withstand it."

"Hmph, useless trash," Wu Yong cursed. "To be defeated by someone at the First Heaven of the Xiantian realm while you are at the Third Heaven, and to have your arm crippled—you've truly shamed our Bloodthirsty Mercenary Group. You're nothing but a waste."

Wu Yong felt the man had disgraced him in front of the mysterious woman, so he didn't even spare him a glance. He barked, "What are you three standing around for? Hurry up and slaughter that little brat!"

One of the men prepared to rush forward but was blocked by another.

"Second Brother, purge the icy energy from Third Brother’s body. I will deal with this kid myself."

"But, Eldest Brother..."

"There are no 'buts'." This was the leader of the four, a man who commanded great respect. At his words, the one called Second Brother tightened his fists, sat cross-legged on the ground, and began to purge the Heavenly Frost energy from the injured man.

"Kid, I am not like my third brother. Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit; you won't have another chance," the leader declared.

*Caw!*

A bird's cry resonated from within him, and his aura—the peak of the Third Heaven of the Xiantian realm—was fully unleashed. True to his word, he gave Lu Han no time to react and surged forward.

"This... he isn't giving that youth a single chance. To be the leader of the four, he certainly isn't just relying on his reputation," someone remarked as they watched him charge at Lu Han without holding anything back.

It was true. Between the peak of the Third Heaven and the First Heaven, there was a gap of two minor realms. Being able to sweep across one's own level was the mark of a genius, and crossing a realm was something only seen in the great clans and sects. Crossing two realms was unheard of in this beast-taming town.

The cultivation hierarchy showed that each level was a world apart. Though the crowd had been amazed when Lu Han defeated the third brother, Li Wei’s explanation had clarified things: the man had been careless, and Lu Han’s proficiency in martial arts—specifically using both hands to execute a technique—had caused a swift defeat. Had the man gone all-out from the start, Lu Han would not have won so easily.

The leader stretched his hands out, curling them into talon-like shapes that gleamed like sharp daggers. He tore toward Lu Han with his hands crossed. The invisible force of his strike ruffled Lu Han’s white robes, and his talons, wreathed in fiery red Xiantian energy, seemed intent on shredding him.

Lu Han’s pupils constricted. The invisible pressure stung his face. He tapped his toes and retreated several steps. The moment he moved, the fiery talons struck the table where he had just been standing.

*Crack!*

The entire table shattered into splinters, and the food scattered across the floor.

The Evil Wind Beast, which had hidden itself among the crowd, poked its head out and looked at the ruined meal with heartache. "What a spendthrift! Wasting all that food. If you weren't going to eat it, you could have given it to Master Evil Wind. What a waste."

Lu Han knew the caliber of his opponent and held nothing back. In an instant, he pushed his Xiantian energy to the limit. A visible shroud of energy enveloped his body. Although he only possessed the first half of the "Heavenly Raiment," it was still a high-grade Xuan-level defensive technique. Since reaching the Xiantian realm, his defensive capabilities had skyrocketed.

Lu Han stomped his feet, advancing instead of retreating, his hands weaving through a series of rapid seals.

"Heavenly Frost—Star-Shattering Palm!" Lu Han shouted.

As he spoke, a brilliant white light flared from his palms. A palm print about a foot wide emerged, condensed from concentrated, icy Xiantian energy, and blasted toward the leader. As the palm hit the air, a layer of frost began to spread across the ground, centered on Lu Han.

The leader’s expression remained unchanged as he saw Lu Han charge. "My third brother was merely careless. Do you think the same trick will work twice?" A mocking smirk tugged at his lips. He kept his talons in position, but the fiery red glow intensified until it seemed as if they were ablaze.

"Hah!" Lu Han’s palm strike arrived. The palm-shaped energy flew from his hands, and he retreated immediately after unleashing it.

The leader narrowed his eyes at the incoming strike. He crossed his hands and tore through the air. "Break!"

With a thunderous shout, the fiery red light instantly engulfed Lu Han’s white palm print, shattering it into nothingness. Although Lu Han had retreated immediately, the residual force of the fiery claw-shadows still caught him, forcing him back several more steps.

"He only stepped back a few times? Just who is this youth?" someone exclaimed.

Anyone with an eye for it could see that the leader of the Bloodthirsty Mercenary Group had used his full strength. Given the gap in their cultivation, for Lu Han to only be pushed back a few steps was astonishing.

"As I thought," Li Wei murmured with a nod.

"Big Brother Li, what do you see? Tell us," someone asked, and the surrounding crowd turned toward him.

"I noticed it from the start, but I’ve only just confirmed it. Look at the ground—wherever that youth passes, there are traces of ice crystals. This boy cultivates a legendary ice-attribute technique," Li Wei stated firmly.

He had suspected it earlier but couldn't be certain, as some special water-attribute techniques could achieve similar effects. He had only just confirmed it. He hadn't considered it might be ice-attribute, as the Great Xia Empire hadn't seen anyone with an ice-attribute constitution in centuries. However, Lu Han wasn't a "complete" ice-attribute cultivator; at this stage, he was only at about seven-tenths.

"You all know the four members of the Bloodthirsty Mercenary Group; they all cultivate fire-attribute techniques. Their leader, in particular, practices the low-grade Xuan-level 'Fire Eagle Manual'."

Before Li Wei could finish, someone interrupted, "Are you saying that the youth's ice technique suppresses his fire technique? But that doesn't make sense. The man is at the peak of the Third Heaven—he's almost at the Fourth. That's a gap of nearly three minor realms. Even with a difference in techniques, the youth shouldn't have been able to hold his ground so easily."

"No," Li Wei said, a sagely light in his eyes. "I sensed it just now. The white energy shroud around the youth is peculiar. It neutralized the majority of the recoil from those claw-shadows. If not for that, he wouldn't have just been pushed back; he would have at least suffered minor injuries."

"So that's how it is! Big Brother Li is truly a seventh-level Xiantian powerhouse; we are in awe," the crowd flattered.

Li Wei waved off the praise, rubbing his chin in deep thought. *I suspect this is a legendary defensive technique,* he thought, though he kept it to himself.

"Just where did this pair of youngsters come from?"