Chapter 544: A Confused Battle of Life and Death

Venerable Lord Ice's target was not actually Hong Zhan but someone else several dozen feet away from him.

The target was someone experienced who reacted immediately once he was attacked. With a roar, he advanced instead of avoiding, pouncing forward in spite of the current, while the crimson saber in his hands countered the attack accompanied by the harsh sounds of the wind.

Unfortunately for him, his opponent was Venerable Lord Ice, one of the Four Seasons Tower's Five Venerable Lords. No matter how swift his reflexes were or how much effort he expended in the attack, how could he hope to be an equal opponent to Venerable Lord Ice?

Boom!

Just as the ice dagger came into contact with the crimson saber, it crushed the saber blade and went right for the man.

Everyone watching saw how the target's entire being was utterly shattered. His bones fell, scattered on the ground piece by piece, becoming nothing more than a pile of minced meat!

Although there was technically no torment or suffering in this method of death, the victim of it was not much better off anyway.

The atmosphere fell into an eerie pin-drop silence.

Hong Zhan's hand crept towards the grip of his saber, his gaze rested on Venerable Lord Ice's face like a sharp blade; he spoke gently, "Are you the Four Seasons Tower's Venerable Lord Ice?"

The ice dagger storm was a well-known trick of Venerable Lord Ice. Seeing this trick greet the world, if Hong Zhan, being one of the top assassin organization's leaders, could not recognize it, he should consider quitting from the martial world.

Venerable Lord Ice rose, ice and frost surrounding him, as he bolted towards Hong Zhan, chuckling weirdly as he approached, "Hong Zhan, I've long heard that you're one of the few rare martial world experts, top six in the assassin ranking. Now that there's a chance for me today, I can experience it for myself - to see if a ranked assassin is more formidable or if the Four Seasons Tower's Venerable Lord is stronger!"

Hong Zhan waved his silver blade, pulling a curtain of glittering silver light, it looked as if the Milky Way itself had fallen from the sky. With a loud clang, he crushed all of Venerable Lord Ice's ice daggers and hollered, "Is this Mr. Nian's order?"

His strike was controlled with precision. Not only did his action halt Venerable Lord Ice's advance but he had also showcased his ability perfectly without hurting Venerable Lord Ice, obviously intending for the latter to retreat in a timely fashion.

The Four Seasons Tower's fame was overwhelming and there was also the precedence of the Concourse of the Underworld being targeted prior. Even for Hong Zhan, he was reluctant to make such an unrivaled enemy; by reserving himself in his strike, there was already an indication that he intended to admit inferiority and refusal to avenge his killer's sudden demise by Venerable Lord Ice.

Venerable Lord Ice chuckled and suddenly spat, chiding, "Hong Zhan, you're scared? Are you actually afraid? The so-called martial world fame is exaggerated then, the rumor of you exceeding expectations is only a joke!"

Hong Zhan sucked in a deep breath. Despite his calm stance, he still had some temper in him; what was more, he was a notable character who could shake the martial underworld with a stomp of his foot! If he were to surrender to this mocking, how could he dominate others in the future?

"Venerable Lord Ice, you've killed my man! You have to know, the debt of blood is paid by blood. This is how karma works!" he said in a chilling voice.

Venerable Lord Ice's ice daggers soared again as he laughed. "But would you dare kill me? Even if I kill everyone around you, so what? Would you dare to retaliate? If you kill me, the entire Hall of Crimson Blade will have to be buried with me!"

"What's more, you and your insignificant tricks are not even worthy of speaking to me!"

Ice daggers danced, Venerable Lord Ice soared as if riding clouds; he attacked ferociously without any defense, going all out in this battle as he embroiled all five men of the Hall of Crimson Blade into his attacking range, each one of his strikes was brutal and with the intent to kill.

Clang, clang, clang!

Hong Zhan, who was in the lead, countered thrice continuously and blocked Venerable Lord Ice's first three attacks head-on. He was about to speak again. With a strong cultivation base and capability of a first-rate expert, one could already assess what was going on during this exchange. Hong Zhan was actually reserving his force in the strikes - if Venerable Lord Ice was prudent, he should know to retreat instead of attack, to stop right away and even consider leaving so as to not aggravate the situation even more.

One must know that the more proficient a cultivator was in their cultivation base, the more he cherished his own life. Even if Venerable Lord Ice's threat was true, that the Four Seasons Tower would hunt the Hall of Crimson Blade in the event of his death - if he died, the consequences would not benefit Hong Zhan, in fact, it would not benefit either of the two sides. It was because of this that Hong Zhan suppressed his anger and did not retaliate as brutally as he could.

However, Hong Zhan heard his subordinate cry out in anguish at that moment, "Leader! Are you going to accept this?"

Hong Zhan was jolted, his gaze took in the reddened eyes of his four men. How could he not realize that his subservient performance today had already caused dissatisfaction among his brothers? If he did not do anything, his brothers would be completely disappointed with him before considering anything else. Once this news was relayed back, the unity within the Hall of Crimson Blade's would reduce so much that it could hardly return to its former unified state.

The leader thought to himself that he would probably be thinking the same if he were in his subordinates' shoes. Facing Yun Yang, putting aside that he did not do anything when he killed his men; after all, Yun Yang was a king's son, there would be too many complicated issues arising from that. Besides, the youth had his reasons; they should not counterattack, be it from any aspect.

But Venerable Lord Ice had killed Hong Zhan's man right in front of him and was still so headstrong even after the latter had chosen to act so reservedly. Could Hong Zhan really not do anything at all? If he did not act, should they still be called the Hall of Crimson Blade? Why not change their name to 'doormat'?

As his train of thoughts carried him here, an indescribable intent to kill rose from within Hong Zhan heart. He had truly never felt so indignant in his life before.

Truthfully, the Four Seasons Tower was not a presence he could afford to offend; there was also the Concourse of the Underworld as the precedence too. But so what? Things had come to this stage where even if he could not offend them, he would still push through! Especially Venerable Lord Ice, who was the culprit responsible for instigating this standoff, he had to die!

Despite his inhibitions, and the daunting fact that the Hall of Crimson Blade and Hong Zhan would have to face Four Seasons Tower's revenge afterwards, Venerable Lord Ice was destined not to live any longer!

"Kill!" Hong Zhan cried out.

As his murderous intent towards Venerable Lord Ice increased, Hong Zhan stole a peek at Yun Yang, praying in his heart that Yun Yang would keep his word and would not suddenly ambush him; he also hoped that both men were not on the same team.

Hong Zhan was confident that his cultivation base was above Venerable Lord Ice's and had even noticed a slight anomaly of the latter's state during the prior exchange. It was far from the rumored mightiness that the Four Seasons Tower's Venerable Lords allegedly possessed, but it was still a huge threat. If he was assisted by Yun Yang, a heaven realm expert, the result would still be up for debate.

After a quick glance, however, he was relieved to see that Yun Yang did not move. He did not take advantage of this vulnerability. This was showing kindness.

Hong Zhan was very much reassured, striking fast without hesitation.

Swoosh... Blood splattered.

The result of the strike was that Venerable Lord Ice's left arm was sliced off cleanly. It was so easy that Hong Zhan himself was surprised in spite of himself.

He knew what he did. While his strike looked formidable, the actual damage was limited. More of his strength was contained within what he had yet to act upon; a few tricks that could have been executed based on how Venerable Lord Ice chose to retaliate, be it in greeting the strike of trying to avoid it.

Hong Zhan thought very highly of Venerable Lord Ice. Despite his understanding that the latter's cultivation base and capability was subpar based on the prior exchange, he did not dare advance so directly; this strike was only to probe Venerable Lord Ice's limit too but lo and behold, the strong Venerable Lord Ice could not actually withstand such a blow!

One strike and he...

As Venerable Lord Ice moaned, he exuded wisps of white gas and howled, "Young Master Yun, I ask a favor of you, based on our past relationship! Tell my brothers to avenge me!"

He suddenly expanded.

First, it was a beam of crimson that shot from him towards where Yun Yang was. The man himself had bolted to where Hong Zhan and his five subordinates were. Then, an earth-shattering explosion reverberated all around them.

He had ignited himself! Venerable Lord Ice exploded his entire soul and life force in a single moment!