Chapter 41: Executing the Blade Slave!

The faceless Saber Slave tilted its head slightly, flipped the long blade in its palm, and instantly charged straight toward Lu Li!

The Chen family's berserk saber style was renowned for its frantic and violent nature!

Its swordplay was fierce, coming down like a torrential summer rainstorm, and descended upon Lu Li in a torrential, overwhelming onslaught.

The chaotic offensive was fraught with immense oppressive pressure!

If it were anyone else, their breath would have likely frozen in their lungs by now, leaving them standing frozen and unable to move.

However, Lu Li was no ordinary person!

Facing this overwhelming attack, far from showing the slightest trace of fear, a blazing fighting spirit ignited in his eyes instead!

In his previous life, he had accidentally obtained a tattered manual on saber techniques, which recorded some basic principles of blade work.

Thinking it might be useful, Lu Li had learned it.

Only later did he realize that the tattered manual was actually the foundational technique of the Chen family's berserk saber style.

Because the Chen family was missing this exact foundational portion, the berserk saber style they practiced always carried a sense of precarious detachment, like rootless duckweed.

It could never be perfected.

Upon discovering by chance that Lu Li possessed the remnant manual, the Chen family had plotted against him to steal it.

The Chen family was also on Lu Li's vengeance list!

Although the saber techniques in the manual only covered the first three tiers, they had still laid a solid foundation for Lu Li.

Moreover, they had manifested into three distinct blade skills within his data panel.

Living a second life, although Lu Li had not been able to bring those three blade skills across with him, he certainly had not forgotten the first three tiers of the saber technique in his mind.

Now, facing the Chen family's Saber Slave, it came in extremely handy!

Although the combat style replicated by the Saber Slave was also the Chen family's berserk saber technique, its foundational method was not the "authentic version," but rather a "pirated version" refined and figured out by the Chen family over several generations.

It was usable, but not stronger than Lu Li's.

Even with the subsequent authentic tiers of the saber technique supplementing it, it could still only match Lu Li evenly.

Had it not been for a full ten-level suppression advantage, coupled with a gap in attributes, the Saber Slave would likely have already perished by now!

Watching the battle go back and forth down below, Chen Kou inside the Chen family's private box could no longer force a smile.

One had to remember that the Saber Slave was replicating his own combat style.

What did it mean if it failed to slay Lu Li?

It meant that he, hailed as a once-in-a-century blade genius of the Chen family, was inferior to a wet-behind-the-ears newcomer!

"Grandfather, make the Saber Slave use its innate talent!"

Hearing this, the old man named Chen Li frowned and shook his head:

"Don't rush, the time isn't right yet."

"Not the right time?" Chen Kou turned his head, his eyes filled with stubbornness. "Grandfather, what are you waiting for?"

With a solemn expression, Chen Li did not answer immediately.

In truth, according to his original plan, Chen Li had intended to use the duel between the Saber Slave and Lu Li to temper Chen Kou's arrogance.

Once that objective was achieved, he would have made the Saber Slave immediately unleash the [Rage] talent to end the battle.

Right now, however, circumstances had changed.

Because Chen Li had actually caught a glimpse of the very essence of the Chen family's berserk saber style within Lu Li's blade work!

If he could watch Lu Li execute the complete set of saber techniques and then study them thoroughly, Chen Li believed he might finally be able to completely reconstruct the missing first three tiers of the Chen family's saber manual!

The goal of shaving down the young man's arrogance had already been achieved, so Chen Li's tone softened considerably:

"There's no need to end it in a hurry. The Nexus Arena is a showcase platform. Letting the major stellar regions witness the Chen family's strength will benefit our future."

Chen Kou gritted his teeth:

"But a Level 25 Saber Slave fighting to a standstill against a Level 15 newcomer—does Grandfather truly believe this will make the other stellar regions hold the Chen family in high regard?"

Unfazed, Chen Li chuckled lightly:

"It hasn't used its innate talent yet, has it? Lu Li has played all his cards; he won't be able to bounce around much longer..."

As if to validate Chen Li's words, Lu Li's movements suddenly slowed down significantly.

It looked as though his stamina had been completely exhausted.

Seizing the opportunity instantly, the Saber Slave slashed its long blade diagonally downward, aiming directly for Lu Li's neck!

However, right at this critical juncture of life and death, Lu Li's figure abruptly blurred.

"Rip!"

The Saber Slave's attack did not miss, but Lu Li remained completely unharmed!

"What is going on?!"

Spectators around the arena gasped in unison, while Chen Li's pupils violently constricted.

The Saber Slave's attack had landed on a completely pitch-black human-shaped figure!

As for Lu Li himself, he had inexplicably materialized behind the Saber Slave!

Instant position swap?!

Xing Anling wore a bitter expression, wrapping his arms around the Saber Slave in front of him to pin it in place:

"Boss, can you have someone else take the beating next time? Stop always picking on me..."

"Fine, fine, next time I'll use Chen Hao."

Lu Li gave a perfunctory reply while simultaneously raising his right arm high, preparing to deal a fatal blow to the Saber Slave.

Just as success seemed imminent, a fierce aura suddenly erupted from the Saber Slave!

The sudden shockwave forced Lu Li to stagger back repeatedly, and even Xing Anling, who had been pinning the Saber Slave, was instantly cleaved in half by a slash.

It was the Chen family's unique innate talent—[Rage].

"Hh, the talent activated quite in good time, but it's time to end this!" Lu Li sneered coldly.

As the words fell, the Saber Slave was tightly grabbed by Chen Hao, who suddenly rushed forward.

Although Chen Hao was quickly cut down by the Saber Slave, this momentary restraint provided Lu Li with ample opportunity.

The fatal strike was ready!

Lu Li's speed suddenly burst forth, more than twice as fast as during the previous close combat!

The blade swept horizontally, aiming straight for the Saber Slave's head!

The latter raised its blade to parry, only to find its weapon snapped directly in two!

Along with its faceless skull, it was cleanly severed and sent flying!

Inside the private box, Chen Kou was completely dumbfounded.

He never imagined that Lu Li would actually win!

Although Chen Li had anticipated Lu Li's formidable strength, seeing the Saber Slave's head roll to the ground still shocked him profoundly.

This was a Level 25 Saber Slave!

It had replicated the combat techniques of the blade genius Chen Kou and had even activated its innate talent.

Had it truly been defeated?

And not even by a sneak attack, but by a direct, head-on kill!

Although two bizarre summoned entities had been distracting the Saber Slave for Lu Li, that final fatal blow had been a pure, unadulterated clash of blade against blade!

An outsider might fail to comprehend the gravity of it, but how could Chen Li not understand?

Lu Li's mastery of the saber technique completely crushed the Saber Slave!

He had been concealing his true abilities all along!

"Grandfather..."

Chen Kou called out softly, his vacant eyes slowly turning toward Chen Li:

"How... how did Lu Li do it? He actually killed the Saber Slave! Is he... is he stronger than me?"

Seeing this, Chen Li felt a pang in his heart.

The blow had been too heavy.

According to the script Chen Li had originally envisioned, Lu Li should have engaged in a bitter struggle with the Saber Slave before ultimately falling in defeat.

This would have tempered Chen Kou's arrogance without making him doubt his own strength.

Yet the current situation was clearly not what Chen Li had wished to see.

For Lu Li to directly slay a Level 25 Saber Slave was equivalent to delivering a vicious slap across Chen Kou's face!

And telling him:

"You, the genius of blade techniques, are nothing special. Even with a ten-level advantage, you still get slaughtered by me just the same."

His self-confidence had completely collapsed!

"Kou'er, don't think like that. There must be something strange about how Lu Li managed to kill the Saber Slave! Let's keep watching for now..."

"Something strange?" Chen Kou was startled, offering a bitter smile:

"What could possibly be strange? In a direct sword fight, even his weapon was chopped in two..."

Chen Li frowned, his voice deepening:

"Kou'er! Keep watching, the duel isn't over yet!"

"If Lu Li can truly win a hundred consecutive matches, it proves he is indeed a rare genius, and it won't be strange for the Saber Slave to lose!"

"But if he fails to win, you have no reason to ruin your own path of cultivation over a dead man!"

The primary reason he comforted Chen Kou like this was because Chen Li was privy to inner secrets.

He knew that the Highest Heaven, which had tried every possible means to eradicate Lu Li, would inevitably dispatch *that thing* to end this duel!