104: Chapter 15 I'll stand still and let you pass with one hand

"I understand," he said softly, appearing harmless. "If this is what you wish, I am willing to accompany you."

"Heh," Gu Tianyang sneered, feigning magnanimity. "You don't need to be so solemn."

His voice rang out. "I will show mercy and not use my full strength; I will limit my cultivation to the same level as yours, the first stage of E-rank."

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall erupted in shocked discussion once again.

"What did he say? Did he just say Lu Chen is E-rank?" someone couldn't help but exclaim.

"How is that possible? Didn't he just have his Awakening ten days ago? Lu Chen's parents personally confirmed it. A Breakthrough from an ordinary person to E-rank in ten days? In that case, the Lu family didn't exaggerate at all. They even held back..."

The crowd was rowdy, with everyone looking at him with eyes full of surprise and awe.

The corners of Lu Chen's mouth curled up, revealing a faint, almost pitying smile.

"You don't need to lower yourself like this," he said.

His voice suddenly became cold and resonant, echoing in every corner of the hall.

Lu Chen spoke word by word, each syllable like a heavy hammer falling. The surrounding air seemed to tighten.

"From the moment you challenged me, this world no longer has anything to do with you."

"Forget everything, forget the people around us, forget the elders watching us, and even forget me."

"Think about yourself, how you can fully unleash all your potential at this very moment."

This sentence swept through the entire hall like a proclamation. Even the most experienced warriors felt a condescending pressure, their hearts pounding involuntarily.

Lu Chen stepped forward. The light around him grew stronger and stronger, until his silhouette became difficult to look at directly.

"I will stand right here," he continued. Every word was incomparably calm, carrying an unshakeable majesty.

"Bring out all your strength. You can use any weapon, any means, and every method you possess. If you can make me take a single step back, you win."

He raised one hand, keeping the other behind his back. "I will only use one hand."

A buzzing whisper immediately broke out in the hall.

"He... this is..."

"He is completely ignoring Gu Tianyang. Even if he is a monster who achieved a Breakthrough to E-rank in ten days... Gu Tianyang is a seasoned E-rank tenth-stage Prodigy who even cleared all levels of the first floor of the Trial Tower. Don't you think this heir of the Lu family is a bit too arrogant?"

"Shh! Do you want to die for saying that here? Just wait and see. Don't talk nonsense, or you won't even know how you died when the time comes."

Someone quickly warned. Those who were whispering immediately shut their mouths.

In the back, Lu Daohong and Xiao Wanlong exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock and surprise.

Even they had not expected Lu Chen to say such things when facing a perfectly broken-through E-rank tenth-stage challenger.

"This little guy is indeed a bit too arrogant," Xiao Wanlong thought to himself. His gaze became sharp.

"Let us see if he can actually do it... If any problems arise, I will have to intervene."

Gu Tianyang felt his heart of battle shatter. His vision turned red. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms, pricking out beads of blood.

"You... you are courting death!" Streams of Qi surged around his body.

Although Lu Chen told him to use his full strength, he had his own dignity, so he only unleashed the strength of the first stage of E-rank.

He charged forward, his figure turning into a blurry afterimage as he quickly closed the distance.

His fist tore through the air, emitting a whistling sound like steel being ripped apart, and slammed toward Lu Chen's chest.

Lu Chen watched him approach, his eyes as deep and calm as the deep sea.

Then, he raised one hand. The movement flashed by, almost too fast for the eyes to follow.

Bang! He opened his hand and flicked it lightly, like spinning a top.

Gu Tianyang's swift and peerless punch was sent flying away like a leaf caught in a gale. He stumbled, retreating again and again with a face full of horror.

Lu Chen, however, did not move his feet at all, not stepping back even half a step.

The crowd couldn't help but gasp in unison.

"He... he blocked the attack without any effort!"

"You... again!" Gu Tianyang roared and attacked again.

This time, he launched a series of rapid attacks aimed at Lu Chen's vital points, such as his ribs and throat. His limbs became blurry as he gradually entered his most proficient combat state.

Lu Chen's hand continued to drift like flowing water, omnipresent yet elusive, smooth and unpredictable.

Every time Gu Tianyang attacked, his force was neutralized. With minimal movement, Lu Chen diverted it to the side. Not a single strike landed, and he didn't even touch a single hair of his opponent.

Gradually, Gu Tianyang's breathing became irregular, and his features twisted.

"Fine," he spat, his voice hoarse, "then I won't hold back!"

At this moment, he released all his power. A terrifying pressure surged from his body, an Aura so vast that an ordinary E-rank tenth-stage expert could not compare.

Then, with a fluid motion, he drew his long sword. The bright metal blade crackled as if ignited by surging energy, emitting a buzzing vibration strong enough to split reinforced high-tech alloy.

The hall immediately erupted in exclamations.

"He used a Yuan Energy weapon!"

"Even so... can he hit his opponent?"