Chapter 103: Overturning the Nameless

At the foot of a hundred-step staircase leading to a grand estate, a youth clad in fine silk robes stood with his back to the residence. His deep, contemplative gaze drifted aimlessly as he pondered.

"Who goes there?"

Just then, one of the two house servants standing guard by the main gate stepped forward. Upon seeing the youth’s refined attire, a look of involuntary respect crossed his face. Hearing this, the other servant hurried over as well.

"Is this the Li residence?" the youth asked, ignoring the commotion behind him.

"It is. May I ask what business you have at the Li estate, young master?" The two servants nodded in succession, with one eagerly rushing to answer.

"Announce my arrival. Tell them Chu Yun of the Chu household has come to pay a visit," the youth said with a smile, turning around.

As he turned, Tianming revealed a smile of hidden meaning. Guided by Xiaoying, he had quickly located the Li estate, having left her waiting at a nearby tea stall.

"What!"

"You... are you that good-for-nothing, Chu Yun?"

In an instant, the two servants, who had been cheerful just moments before, looked as though they had swallowed a fly. Their faces soured, filled with unspoken resentment.

"What? Am I not welcome?" Tianming frowned and demanded.

Hmph!

With a cold snort, the two servants ignored him and returned to their posts. As one turned away, seemingly unable to suppress his anger, he muttered under his breath, "Just a useless piece of trash, yet he acts so haughty. If not for Chu Tianlong’s protection, that bastard would have died a hundred times over!"

Seeing that the servants were ignoring him, Tianming showed no visible emotion, as if he had expected this outcome all along. He watched the scene with calm detachment.

"The Li residence? Such arrogance!"

His calm expression shifted into a cold sneer. Tianming stopped waiting and began to ascend the hundred-step staircase.

"Chu Yun! Our young lady has already annulled your engagement! What are you still doing here? I warn you, if you take one more step, don’t blame us for being impolite! Don't say we didn't warn you—get lost!" seeing Tianming’s persistence, the leaner of the two servants shouted.

"Do you two Foundation Establishment-stage servants think you are qualified to threaten me?"

As he spoke, Tianming raised his left hand. In an instant, a surge of dark elemental energy was harnessed within his palm.

What!

"This... is this primordial energy?" One of the servants, who possessed a sharper eye, stammered incoherently.

The other, seeing the orb of dark energy in Tianming’s hand, felt a flash of terror and retreated several steps. "Young Master Chu, please, show mercy! It was my eyes that failed to recognize a superior! Please forgive me!"

As they spoke, the two servants dropped to their knees. Though they were only at the Foundation Establishment stage, they knew enough to recognize that only those at the Spirit Void realm could manipulate primordial energy.

It appeared that Chu Yun had reached the Spirit Void realm!

"How... how could he have reached the Spirit Void realm?"

Realizing this, the two servants had no choice but to submit, regardless of their resentment. Beyond mere strength, Chu Yun held the authority to crush them, and even the head of the Li family would likely side with this young master of the Chu household.

"Since you two refuse to announce me, I shall do it myself," Tianming said, his face stern as he ignored the servants.

Channeling the power of the sixth-grade Spirit Void realm, Tianming flung the dark orb of energy from his palm, sending it crashing directly into the plaque above the gate.

A moment later!

The black nanmu wood plaque hanging atop the vermilion-lacquered doors split in two, separating the elegant calligraphy inscribed upon it. Whether by coincidence or design, the two halves fell precisely onto the heads of the servants.

Thud! Thud!

Two crisp yet dull sounds echoed beneath the estate. The servants, having never expected Tianming to actually strike, were caught off guard. Without even a scream, they were knocked unconscious by the heavy, falling plaque.

"Audacious! What kind of lowlife dares to act so brazenly before the Li estate?"

Suddenly, a resonant, booming voice rang out from within the estate. A gaunt, skeletal figure vaulted over the walls and landed upon the staircase, his malevolent eyes looking down upon the silk-clad youth.

"Who are you?" Tianming asked, taken aback by the sight of the man, whose skin seemed stretched tight over his bones.

"Chu Yun, why ask what you already know? I didn't expect you to hide your strength so deeply. But if you think this is enough to enter the Li residence, you are still lacking. Let this old man teach you a lesson for all those years you spent hiding your true power!"

Glancing at the shattered plaque behind him, the old man’s expression turned fierce. Enveloped in dark primordial energy, he lunged at Tianming without giving him a moment to react.

"A mere eighth-grade Spirit Void, yet you dare to boast."

Facing the attack, Tianming sneered. A dark luster shrouded his entire body, and he vanished into a flurry of black plum blossoms.

"Boasting? It is more than enough to deal with you!"

Seeing Tianming disappear, the old man snorted and unleashed a barrage of dark, corrosive energy orbs toward the area behind him.

Boom!

Boom! Boom!

The old man continued the bombardment without tiring until, at a certain moment, a sinister smile crossed his lips.

"Damn it!"

Tianming realized the danger, transforming into plum blossoms once more to escape.

"Land into a Swamp!"

With the old man’s command, the area within a ten-mile radius turned into a mire. Tianming felt his speed drop drastically; even with his 'Plum Blossom Flash' technique, he struggled to break free. If not for the protection of his primordial energy, he would have been swallowed instantly.

"Running away? Why don't you run anymore?"

Watching Tianming trapped, the old man wore a cruel smirk. Did he really think he was so easy to deal with? As expected, trash would always be trash—unable to handle the big stage, even with strength, he lacked the ability to use it.

Tianming smiled bitterly, reminding himself never to lower his guard against these old foxes again.

"I’ve had enough fun. Since you are so eager to end this, I will oblige!"

A finger coalesced!

In a flash, dark primordial energy gathered in Tianming’s hand. Drawing upon the essence of heaven and earth, the energy swirled around him like a swamp, further amplified by his movement technique.

"Two Fingers Break the Law!"

In an instant, as the plum blossoms scattered, a barrage of fingertip strikes, dark as ink, pierced toward the old man.

"Not enough! Not enough! Are you trying to tickle me?"

Seeing the attack, the old man stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at Tianming with a scornful grin.

"Nine Heavens Violet Lightning Immortal-Slaying Slash!"

"Since you want something stronger, I shall satisfy you!" With a sharp shout, Tianming brandished his moonlight-silver sword.

The power of the Heaven-rank technique erupted. Silver-white crescents of blade energy surged toward the old man, accompanied by the crackling of violet lightning. Under the pale moonlight, the countless sword auras left no gap in the air.

The sword energy was wild and merciless.

Cold as moonlight, pale as ice.

There were no flashy maneuvers, only the relentless layering of sword strikes—a truly mad sword style.

"How is this possible... A Heaven-rank technique? An immortal weapon?"

Seeing the sky filled with sword auras and finger strikes, the old man’s face grew desolate, yet he refused to yield.

"Evil Ghost’s Furious Charge!"

"Ah!!! How could I lose to a piece of trash like you? Do you think you are the only one with a Heaven-rank technique?"

Screaming in rage, the old man’s face twisted. His bones protruded, transforming into a dark, skeletal frame, like a flaming ghost-shell. A sea of corrosive, dark energy surged outward, clashing head-on against the thousands of sword auras and finger strikes unleashed by Tianming.