The Left Qian-Kun Guardian, Li Han, shouted, "You insolent brat! Do not get carried away!"
Lu Rou advanced with his staff and said, "I have long heard of your great reputations. What weapons do the two of you use?"
The two Qian-Kun Guardians exchanged a glance. They could not help thinking that this young man's Dog-Beating Staff Technique was astonishingly powerful. Elder Qilin Lin Ping had been knocked unconscious by just two blows from his staff and had been forced to retreat in defeat. A chill ran through both men.
The Right Qian-Kun Guardian, Ling Yun, said, "Brat, why not put down your weapon and let us have a bare-handed match?"
Lu Rou replied, "Very well. We shall fight bare-handed."
With that, he tossed his Vajra Staff toward Zhang Yongjun, a disciple of the Fire-Worshipping Sect.
At that very moment, beneath the moonlight, two figures suddenly leapt into the air. Lu Rou abruptly sensed two waves of palm force striking silently from both sides. There had been not the slightest warning.
Startled, Lu Rou instantly thrust out both palms. His right hand met the palm attacking from the right, while his left hand intercepted the palm coming from the left. All four palms collided simultaneously.
He immediately felt an astonishing force surge toward him. The two streams of palm power were immensely deep and powerful. There could be no doubt—they were the formidable Qian-Kun Divine Palms.
At the moment of his surprise, the profound power of the Phantom-Banishing True Scripture sprang to life within Lu Rou at the mere thought of it. He immediately thrust both palms forward and finally saw that his attackers were none other than the Left and Right Qian-Kun Guardians.
Each Guardian met one of Lu Rou's palms head-on. But while Lu Rou was locked in the exchange, the two men suddenly took advantage of the opening and struck him simultaneously on the left and right sides of his shoulders and chest.
Smack! Smack!
Lu Rou let out a muffled groan and was hurled backward.
The attack had clearly been launched while he was caught off guard, and the technique was vicious and underhanded. It was the very embodiment of the old saying: "He who strikes first gains the advantage; he who strikes last suffers the consequences."
The Beggars' Sect disciples immediately erupted in angry shouts.
Suddenly, a figure leapt into the fray.
He charged forward, and the sound of his palms cutting through the air came rushing toward them. The two Qian-Kun Guardians immediately struck back with their palms.
Boom! Boom!
Both men were forced backward several steps. Their blood and qi churned violently in their chests, and their bodies swayed unsteadily.
The man gave a cold laugh.
"Left and Right Qian-Kun Guardians, how can ambushing someone possibly be considered the conduct of a true hero?"
The man was none other than Li Jian, Hall Master of the Loyal and Righteous Hall. As the leader of the Loyal and Righteous Hall, he naturally placed chivalry and justice above all else.
Meanwhile, the four elders of the Beggars' Sect were deeply astonished by what had happened. Worried about Lu Rou's injuries, they hurried over to examine him.
Lu Rou merely smiled and waved his right hand lightly, indicating that he was unharmed.
He opened his upper garment and revealed two deep black palm marks, one on each side of his shoulders and chest. He immediately sat cross-legged and began circulating his inner energy.
The divine power of the Phantom-Banishing True Scripture surged into action within him, preparing to force out the internal injuries and poisonous palm force inflicted by the Qian-Kun Divine Palms.
Before long, wisps of white vapor continuously rose from the top of his head, making him look as though he were sitting inside a steaming bamboo basket.
Li Jian, Hall Master of the Loyal and Righteous Hall, now stepped forward.
The Left Qian-Kun Guardian, Li Han, said, "The martial world has always been a dangerous place. It has been so since ancient times!"
The Right Guardian, Ling Yun, sneered, "Brat, do you have to meddle in everything?"
Li Jian replied, "You attacked a man from the shadows. Is that the conduct of a true hero?"
Li Han said, "The Loyal and Righteous Hall certainly has a grand reputation. But do not think that the Jiuxiao Palace is someone you can bully!"
Li Jian replied, "The Tibetan Lamaist sect has been entangled in grudges with the various martial arts schools of the Central Plains for a hundred years. Now you have gone so far as to collude with the Tibetan Kingdom and plot to invade the borders of the Great Tang. Do not become accomplices to evil!"
His words won the admiration of everyone present. The assembled heroes nodded in agreement.
Ling Yun, the Right Qian-Kun Guardian, said, "You insolent brat! Are you relying on your superior martial arts and looking down on the two of us?"
Li Jian replied calmly, "The two of you are no match for me. I advise you to think carefully about your next move."
Just as the two Qian-Kun Guardians hesitated, Lord of Jiuxiao, Long Zhentian, thought to himself, If we do not drive this young man from the Loyal and Righteous Hall back, this situation will never be resolved.
His figure flashed, and he stepped into the center of the battlefield.
In a deep voice, he said, "The Loyal and Righteous Hall truly lives up to its name, and I admire your sense of justice. However, the Jiuxiao Palace has accepted another's request, and we must honor our word. Whatever the cost, the Jiuxiao Palace will do everything in its power to accomplish this task. Since there is no other choice, I shall have to request the honor of testing your unparalleled martial arts!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he gave a subtle signal with his eyes. The Left and Right Qian-Kun Guardians immediately surrounded Li Jian.
Lord Jiuxiao, Long Zhentian, had always been extreme in his actions. He cared little for the conventions of martial honor.
Li Jian replied, "Lord Jiuxiao is certainly generous with his invitation. I am deeply honored. In that case, I shall have no choice but to risk my life and accept!"
Meanwhile, under the circulation of the Phantom-Banishing True Scripture, the two palm marks on Lu Rou's body changed from black to purple, then from purple to gray, before finally disappearing altogether.
His internal energy was now flowing freely once more.
Slowly, he rose to his feet.
The assembled heroes exchanged stunned glances, secretly astonished. They had witnessed the two Qian-Kun Guardians strike him with their palms, yet moments later he was already back on his feet and walking toward the center of the battlefield.
Lu Rou called out in a ringing voice, "Hall Master Li, the two of us can take on the three of them. There is no need to fear them!"
His voice thundered across the battlefield like rolling thunder.
Everyone was utterly stunned. They had thought Lu Rou merely a minor branch leader of the Beggars' Sect, yet his internal power was astonishingly deep and powerful.
What a truly extraordinary man!
Li Jian, however, said, "Brother Lu, rest for a while. We shall need to stand together and face our common enemy."
With that, he strode forward and called out loudly:
"Gentlemen, please!"
Everyone stood there open-mouthed in astonishment.
Although the newly appointed Hall Master of the Loyal and Righteous Hall was renowned throughout the martial world for his extraordinary skill, the sheer courage required for him to challenge Lord Jiuxiao Long Zhentian and the two Qian-Kun Guardians alone was truly remarkable.
The Right Qian-Kun Guardian, Ling Yun, suddenly gave a cold laugh.
His figure flashed, shooting forward like a powerful arrow straight at Li Jian. At the same time, the Left Guardian, Li Han, let out a fierce shout and lunged forward, striking with a powerful palm.
Li Jian remained perfectly still.
Just as the two Qian-Kun Guardians closed in, he suddenly unleashed both palms.
The three men exchanged a rapid series of palm strikes.
Although the Qian-Kun Guardians had launched their attacks first, Li Jian's strikes arrived first. They had been a fraction too slow.
In an instant, the three combatants exchanged attack after attack. Their movements were so swift that they seemed like rabbits darting from their burrows and falcons swooping upon their prey—too fast for the eye to follow.
Suddenly—
Smack! Smack!
The two Qian-Kun Guardians were unable to withstand Li Jian's palm force. They sprang backward and retreated several steps.
At that very moment, Lord Jiuxiao, Long Zhentian, silently closed in from behind.
Li Jian suddenly sensed two waves of palm force striking toward his back. Once again, there had been not the slightest warning.
Protected by his powerful inner energy, Li Jian instinctively spun around. His two palms swept through the air and struck outward in a blur.
BOOM!
A thunderous impact rang out.
To everyone's astonishment, Lord Jiuxiao Long Zhentian was actually blasted backward by Li Jian's two palms.
Even after landing, he staggered backward several more steps before finally managing to steady himself. His body swayed, and his face darkened with humiliation.
For the mighty Lord Jiuxiao to be sent flying by a single exchange of palms was a devastating blow to his pride.