Suddenly, Zhang Linchuan made his move, lunging forth to strike down Wei Quji.

Lu Yan, unperturbed, merely chuckled strangely, “Good lad.” His Nether eyes swirled, the great array under his heavy command.

Yet, the sight before Fang Zeku and the others plunged them into profound shock. The shock wasn’t solely at Zhang Linchuan’s action, but even more so at his strength. Standing suspended in the air, his aura was calm and steady. Where was the cultivation of merely the Tongtian realm now? He had clearly pushed open the Heaven and Earth Gate, his Dao pulse soaring like a dragon, and had even… knocked open the Inner Mansion.

If he were not a strong practitioner of the Inner Mansion realm, even a sneak attack, even with Wei Quji so heavily wounded, could not have resulted in a single-strike kill.

It was all a lie. The forced defeat at the Three Cities Discourse on Dao, the quiet waiting for a year, the anticipation of next year’s Discourse to enter the National Dao Academy directly… all were a fabrication. He had stayed in Maple Forest City specifically to prepare for this day. He was, in fact, a member of the White Bone Dao!

Fang Heling finally understood why Zhang Linchuan had asked about Dong A’s whereabouts earlier and disregarded the others. At the moment of identity exposure, assassinating Dong A was the optimal choice. If not Dong A, then Wei Quji.

“Go!” Fang Zeku quickly snatched Fang Heling, urging, “Quickly, go!”

“No, Dad.” Fang Heling struggled free once more, laughing heartily. “I gambled correctly! My opportunity has arrived!” He strode forward, calling out, “Brother Zhang! So you’ve joined the White Bone Dao as well! Is there anything this little brother can do to help?”

Zhang Linchuan paid no heed to Wei Quji’s corpse, nor did he look at Fang Heling. Instead, he raised his head to meet Lu Yan’s gaze, speaking softly, “Elder, proceed as you wish.” As he spoke, he produced a mask and gently pressed it onto his face. The mask, astonishingly, was crafted from white bone.

And then, he abruptly turned his head! Towards the south gate stood a cultivator, a long knife held inverted in one hand. His black hair was like dyed ink, his long knife like cast snow. It was none other than Wei Yan. From the timing of his appearance, he must have just witnessed Wei Quji’s assassination. His expression was peculiar, seemingly devoid of anger, yet simultaneously filled with only anger.

Wei Yan was never a man of many words. And so, his feet began to move, and he started to rush forward. Towards the direction of the City Lord’s Manor, towards Zhang Linchuan, he launched his charge!

“White Bone Envoy!” Witnessing Zhang Linchuan don the white bone mask, Fang Heling grew excited. “So you are the White Bone Envoy! So it was Brother Zhang who brought me into the sect!” Long before contacting the White Bone Dao, he had maintained a good private relationship with Zhang Linchuan. Now, knowing his true identity as a White Bone Envoy, his heart grew even closer.

Fang Zeku blocked his path, his voice low and urgent. “Don’t speak! It’s too dangerous here, let’s quickly follow your Uncle Li and leave.”

“Dangerous? Now, the White Bone Dao is in charge here!” Fang Heling felt impatient with his father’s timidity, but he was, after all, his father. He again shouted towards Zhang Linchuan, “Brother Zhang, my dad is here, and the city is so chaotic. I fear the sect members might accidentally injure him. Can you think of a way? Help him?”

“Is there any identity proof…?” His voice suddenly stopped. He saw a cluster of lightning explode on Fang Zeku’s body. And Fang Zeku, barely managing to take a heavy step back, convulsed and charred before his son’s eyes, emitting no further sound. No one knew how an ordinary person with no cultivation could take that single step under such a powerful lightning technique. No one knew what supported him, in the instant before death, to allow his son, far away, to react.

The vast majority of cultivators below the Tongtian realm would be instantly killed under this single strike of lightning. Not even blinking an eye would be possible, there would be no time. And yet, Fang Zeku struggled out a single step. This was merely the most ordinary of ordinary people. The most ordinary of fathers. And he died.

“Absurd.” Zhang Linchuan shook the still-smoking hand, turned, and lunged towards Wei Yan, who advanced with his knife! There were no words before the battle, no confrontation or standoff. In the instant they closed in, the intense fight already erupted.

Fang Heling’s mouth hung open, wanting to shout something, but no sound escaped. Zhang Linchuan had indeed helped him resolve his father’s safety issue, though in a way he absolutely could not accept. His father was casually killed before his eyes, more simple and casual than killing a chicken. But because the corpse still crackled with thunder, he dared not even reach out to touch it. He did not understand why. He was also a member of the White Bone Dao, wasn’t he? He had done so much for the White Bone Dao! Could it be that the White Bone Dao’s unleashing of such a monumental catastrophe today, the launching of such a powerful and meticulous operation, was accomplished without the full assistance and cover of his Fang family? For the sake of the White Bone Dao, how many times had he been interrogated by the Jixing Si? How great a risk had he taken? How much had he sacrificed? Could it be that no one cared?

Why? Why?

“Go!” Li Gongfeng grabbed Fang Heling and turned to flee towards the city gates. Anger burned in his heart, yet he suppressed it firmly. No matter what, Fang Zeku had shown him kindness. If he could not protect Fang Zeku, he must at least protect his son. Even if this young lad was so foolish! Fang Zeku had seen through it all at a glance, while Fang Heling fundamentally failed to see clearly. From beginning to end, he was completely insignificant in Zhang Linchuan’s eyes. His expressed loyalty, his expressed determination, his expressed merit, except for provoking annoyance, yielded nothing.

Perhaps it was not until today, until this moment, that he truly recognized himself. But how late it already was.

Zhang Linchuan and Wei Yan clashed like lightning and flint. One touch, and they separated. Wei Yan coughed up blood and retreated, while Zhang Linchuan’s body was entwined with lightning, like a divine being. The white bone mask concealed Zhang Linchuan’s expression, but his voice was cold: “To dare draw a knife on me. It seems I’ve truly let you misunderstand for too long. Do you truly think Zhu old big, you old two?” The Dao Xun list ranking at the Maple Forest City Dao Academy had always been Zhu Weiwu, Wei Yan, Zhang Linchuan, and so on. Even if the top three spent large amounts of Dao Xun, the cultivators after them would consciously control their Dao Xun quantity, following the ranking. This was a sign of respect for the strong.

But no one had ever imagined that the true strongest was Zhang Linchuan. He was not only stronger than all the students at the Maple Forest City Dao Academy, but significantly stronger, a difference of heaven and earth. His strength was immense, yet it seemed to have no impact on Wei Yan. Fast Snow craved blood, no matter how strong the opponent. Wei Yan did not even bother to wipe the blood from his mouth, but stomped on the green brick, raising his knife once more. Fast Snow, like a startling rainbow on the edge of the sky, swept up from Wei Yan and descended upon Zhang Linchuan.

Zhang Linchuan bent a finger and flicked it, striking Fast Snow’s blade. Lightning suddenly surged from his fingertip, following Fast Snow upwards. Wei Yan quickly released and re-gripped his hand, evading the lightning, and drew his knife to counter-slash! He chopped into a cluster of lightning. He was fast, but Zhang Linchuan was faster. The lightning exploded. Wei Yan endured the paralysis and gripped his knife tightly, but he was blasted back once again. Zhang Linchuan stepped forward, extended a hand, and then suddenly retreated! Countless, endless golden lights instantly submerged him. That was Wei Yan, using himself as the core, setting up a first-grade lower quality Dao technique, the Gold Light Kill Array, right where he stood. This setup, with Zhang Linchuan directly facing Lin Zhengren at the Three Cities Discourse on Dao, had a similar marvel. Both were predictions. And at the same moment the Gold Light Kill Array exploded, countless golden light arrows suddenly appeared in mid-air, howling and converging, shooting into the Gold Light Kill Array. The target of all the golden light arrows was Zhang Linchuan.

At this moment in Maple Forest City, only one person could make golden light arrows have such an effect. The former fifth on the Dao Xun list, Shen Nanqi! No one knew when he had arrived on the battlefield, but this attack was clearly accumulated force. The two layers overlapped, suddenly forming an absolute kill situation. The gold light scattered, and a huge skeleton frame slowly stood up in the original place. A pair of bony hands spread open, and Zhang Linchuan walked down from them, his hair undamaged. He walked on empty air, one step after another, the huge skeleton slowly dissipating. Lightning was only his disguise during his time at the City Dao Academy. His true power, his most formidable strength, lay in the White Bone Dao’s Nether Dao laws.

“Not bad, Shen Nanqi. You’ve finally pushed open the Heaven and Earth Gate as well.” Words of delight escaped his lips, but the eyes beneath Zhang Linchuan’s mask held no amusement. His hands suddenly pulled outwards, and a white bone gate sizzled into existence in the high air. A vague roar echoed in the void.

“Get away! My matters don’t concern you!” Wei Yan grabbed Shen Nanqi, flinging him backward, and at the same time, charged forward with his knife. He had not expected Shen Nanqi’s appearance. Even less had he expected Shen Nanqi to make a move to help him. That year, he had chosen to abandon their common friend, equivalent to abandoning their three-person friendship. He did not regret it. If the person in danger at first had been Shen Nanqi, he would have made the same choice. Because that was the right choice. Better to die together, better to have one less person die. He completely did not regret his choice, so he also had the resolve to be hated to death by Shen Nanqi. So, if Shen Nanqi saw this scene today and chose to turn and leave, he would not be surprised. And certainly not disappointed. Regarding abandonment and being abandoned, such things he could completely understand. After all, such a Zhang Linchuan was too strong. The gap between the Soaring Dragon realm and the Inner Mansion realm needed no further explanation. He did not even know that Zhang Linchuan possessed his own divine ability seed. He could not force Zhang Linchuan to that step. Thus, in reality, the instant he saw Wei Quji being assassinated, he should have turned and fled. That was the most correct choice. Because with Wei Quji’s death in battle, the last shred of opportunity in the entire Maple Forest City domain had extinguished. He should have made that kind of choice. He had always made that kind of choice. He deeply hated Wei Quji, yet again, he was unconsciously influenced by him. He hated him, yet seemed to be becoming him.

But today, he had actually drawn his knife. He also did not understand why. Sending oneself to death was not something he would do. But this time, if he did not draw his knife, Fast Snow seemed unable to be unsheathed. This time, if he did not send himself to death, he seemed more uncomfortable than death itself. His heart clearly knew what he should do, but he could not control himself. He slanted Fast Snow, dragging his knife forward. He silently said in his heart: Sorry. Perhaps my choices are always too cold. But this is the way of choosing that I have learned. I am just like this in my choices. My mother also died in such a choice. For this one last time, I will make a ridiculous choice. But it is very strange, I am not laughing. I am not laughing. He thought.

He suddenly lifted the knife light, like a silk ribbon, like a strung moon, hanging horizontally in the long sky! This time, he heard a voice, coming from behind, chasing to his ear.

“Do you mind this old man?” Shen Nanqi’s voice.