Lu Ding had grown tired of hearing this phrase.
Every single person, without exception!
All claimed they would kill him.
From the very beginning until now.
These people seemed cloned from the same mold.
'I'll kill you' 'I'm killing you' 'I must kill you'
Yet to this day, not a single one could actually do it.
Zhide no longer cared about coordinating with Elder Kudou.
He charged forward alone.
Zhide's approaching figure split into afterimages.
His speed was extraordinary.
A stark contrast to all previous opponents.
Lu Ding's pupils darted unpredictably within his eyes.
Locking onto each successive afterimage.
Waves of distorted, corrupting power continuously shattered the illusions.
Yet none of the Zhide figures dying under his gaze were real.
Finally seeing a figure rush before him.
A sleeve blade thin as cicada wings snapped out, aiming straight for Lu Ding's throat.
Just as it was about to sever his windpipe.
The gaze of [Direct Gaze Eye] gradually overlapped.
Two slender fingers extended.
Firmly pinching the razor-sharp sleeve blade.
Lu Ding spoke calmly: "Your speed is indeed noteworthy, but your strength... falls somewhat short."
His greatest pride was his speed and movement!
Throughout Lingshun, below Heavenly Perception realm, if he claimed second place, none dared claim first!
Even ordinary Heavenly Perception cultivators couldn't match him.
As the saying goes, ultimate martial arts lies in unrivaled speed.
Thus, all his offensive methods prioritized speed.
Even his weapon differed from typical Buddhist monks' heavy implements.
Instead using these extremely thin, lethally sharp sleeve blades.
His proudest speed had been completely seen through by this junior!!!
Zhide refused to accept this!
He noticed Lu Ding's bizarre pupils.
"Then how about this!!!"
The afterimages behind him continuously returned, merging with his body.
Layer upon layer of accumulating power.
A surging momentum charged forth.
Before Lu Ding seemed to stand an invisible barrier, completely neutralizing Zhide's sharpness and momentum.
Now Zhide finally understood the gap between their power.
Even with his Bodhi Overlapping Leaves technique, splitting afterimages then recombining to multiply strength.
His base power differed too greatly from Lu Ding's!
Numbers below a hundred, even multiplied dozens of times, can't surpass ten thousand.
Lu Ding flicked the pinned blade lightly.
A clear chime rang out.
Tremendous force instantly diverted Zhide's attack.
Only to grasp empty air again.
Watching the afterimage dissipate.
Lu Ding recognized the technique: "Moon Toad Temple's secret art, Bodhi Overlapping Leaves. Rather nauseating."
In pure speed, he surpassed Zhide by more than a little.
But the confusing footwork of Bodhi Overlapping Leaves.
This wasn't Lu Ding's forte.
On this particular branch of speed concepts, Zhide's movement made delivering a killing blow difficult.
Not that he couldn't defeat him, but that he couldn't reliably hit him.
If Zhide chose to flee, capturing him would prove troublesome.
Never relies solely on techniques alone.
According to 749 Bureau's big data records.
Zhide could sacrifice speed for power.
And his personality... seemed somewhat flawed....
Lu Ding formulated a strategy.
Seated leisurely on his Sin Dragon throne, he spread his hands open.
"I acknowledge your speed. Since capturing you is inconvenient, how about this - I'll let you leave. Like a stray dog, flee far from this place."
"Find some warm doghouse, live out your days in hiding. Forget today's events. What say you?"
Zhide's expression darkened.
This was outright humiliation!!!
His master-uncle dead, junior brother severely wounded, temple disciples slaughtered.
And he should just run!?!
Decades of winter and summer training.
Now only fit for escaping!?
Lu Ding raised a hand, cutting him off: "Ah, think carefully. Though I'm a Si Ming, you're just an Earth Observer."
"Few Earth Observers earn my recognition."
"This is your honor. Don't be ungrateful. I'm not always this generous."
What gall - 'though I'm a Si Ming, you're just an Earth Observer.'
Complete reversal of natural order!!!
One might think Lu Ding was the Earth Observer and Zhide the Si Ming.
However heard, it was utterly humiliating.
Seeing Zhide's face flush red, Lu Ding allowed a smile to touch his lips.
The monk may flee, but the temple remains.
Even if he truly ran.
Lu Ding had means to capture him.
For instance, once sufficiently charged, the Way of Jinche's slash attack could blanket the area.
But Zhide wouldn't run!!!
That faint smile proved the final spark igniting Zhide's fury.
Buddhist mudra - Lower Grade Lower Birth - held before him.
Spiritual energy surged violently.
Lu Ding watched the casting animation.
Precisely what he wanted - abandoning movement for power.
"Thousand Paths Vajra Form, Winged Si Ming!!!"
Momentum skyrocketed.
A hundred-meter Si Ming avatar erupted skyward.
Clad in crystalline armor, twin storm blades for arms.
With wingbeats, hurricanes howled.
Sutras swirled like snow, chanting Buddhist hymns.
"LU DING, PREPARE TO DIE!!!!"
The colossal Si Ming gathered energy, combining arm blades into a hundred-meter glaive.
The world dyed cyan, half the sky immersed as if a crystal realm.
Lu Ding stood: "HAHAHAHAHA..... FINALLY, YOU, TOOK, THE BAIT!"
As the blade descended.
Lu Ding's explosive speed sent tsunami waves through Zhide's mind.
He couldn't even track Lu Ding's movement.
The massive blade struck earth, shaking the ground.
Zhide frantically scanned everywhere for Lu Ding's figure.
Someone already stood behind him.
The gigantic Si Ming deity emitted disturbing metallic strains.
Upon closer inspection.
Countless transparent threads densely entangled both deity and Zhide.
The slightest movement.
Threads sliced into crystalline armor and Zhide's flesh alike.
This was [Cured Silk Scattered Meat Technique]
"Wh...when did you set this up???"
But Lu Ding owed no explanations to the soon-dead.
A raised arm tugged the threads.
A bloodcurdling scream: "AHHHHH!!!!"
Zhide's lifeblood extracted through the threads, forming a human-shaped sanguine splash.
His entire body's blood.
Leaving behind a standing mummy crisscrossed with light-piercing cracks, collapsing into finger-sized desiccated chunks.
The massive cyan Si Ming similarly shattered, crumbling, vanishing alongside Zhide's life.