Thunder rumbled across the heavens while lightning tore through the dark clouds, illuminating the rain soaked estate for a brief instant before darkness returned once more.

The atmosphere was extremely suffocating.

Countless clan members watched nervously from afar, their hearts pounding.

Nobody dared to intervene or even speak up because they understood one thing; this matter had long surpassed the level where ordinary clan members could interfere.

Before Madam Shu’s residence, two figures stood facing one another.

One carried the grief of losing his parents, and the other carried the burden of protecting his mother. Neither of them could retreat.

And neither of them would retreat.

For several breaths, silence reigned as rain continuously poured down from the darkened sky.

Just then!

*Boom!*

The ground beneath Lu Yang exploded, a violent surge of crimson Blood Qi erupted from his body like a volcanic eruption!

Rainwater around him evaporated instantly as the bluestone beneath his feet shattered into countless fragments, his figure transforming into a crimson gold blur charging forward!

The expressions of countless spectators changed drastically!

"So fast!"

"Retreat!"

"Get away, quickly!"

The surrounding clan members hurriedly backed away.

Even numerous late stage Body Tempering Realm cultivators felt their scalps go numb at the shocking sight.

The speed displayed by Lu Yang had already surpassed what many Ninth Stage Body Tempering cultivators could achieve!

At the same moment as Lu Yang charged forward, Lu Tianhe’s eyes sharpened.

The perfected Golden Vajra Body Tempering Qi and Blood Method erupted forth from his body, crimson gold Blood Qi surging around him as well, causing the rain around him to explode outward.

His muscles tightened as his feet sank several inches into the stone pathway before stepped forward, meeting Lu Yang head on!

*BOOM!*

Their fists collided, the resulting shockwave exploding outward like thunder!

The ground beneath them instantly collapsed, the bluestone floor shattering into pieces as mud and rainwater shot into the sky.

The gates behind Lu Tianhe developed faint but visible cracks just from this one collision while the surrounding spectators felt powerful winds slam into their faces, many nearly losing their footing.

However, neither Lu Yang nor Lu Tianhe spared any attention to the destruction around them, their focus remaining entirely on each other.

The instant their fists collided, Lu Tianhe’s expression changed slightly.

An immense force surged through his arm, like a mountain crashing down or an ancient beast charging at full speed.

His Blood Qi trembled violently, the bones in his arm emitting muffled groans.

Extreme shock appeared within his heart.

What terrifying strength!

Lu Tianhe had entered the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering Realm more than a year ago, his cultivation had long since stabilized, and his foundation had been tempered countless times; he had even advanced a little further.

If the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering Realm was further divided into early, middle, late, and peak stages, then he would undoubtedly be at the limit of the early stage, not far from the middle stage.

With his impressive foundation and talent, even without any martial techniques or combat arts, he could easily defeat ordinary Ninth Stage Body Tempering Realm cultivators.

However, now, after only a single exchange, he was already feeling immense pressure.

And Lu Yang had only broken through barely a day ago. His cultivation wasn’t even completely stable, and yet...

The difference between them was painfully obvious.

No wonder...

No wonder the Spirit Awakening Realm powerhouses in the family favored Lu Yang so heavily, no wonder every Grand Elder viewed him as the future of the Lu Family.

Although he was also a genius, he just wasn’t on the same level as Lu Yang.

It wasn’t favoritism; it was reality.

Lu Tianhe finally understood it completely.

A trace of admiration involuntarily surfaced within his heart.

It was not the admiration a genius felt toward a fellow genius or appreciation one felt for a peer, but pure admiration a person felt toward another who was completely beyond them, incomparable.

No matter what happened today, and no matter whose side they stood on, Lu Tianhe had to put aside his pride and admit one fact:

Lu Yang was a true monster.

The greatest genius the Lu Family had ever produced.

The best of them all.

Yet, this only strengthened Lu Tianhe’s resolve.

Because he also understood that if even he stepped aside, nobody would remain to stop this monster.

*Bang!*

The two separated briefly.

Lu Tianhe immediately prepared to retreat, intending to stabilize his footing and gather momentum.

Unfortunately, Lu Yang gave him no opportunity whatsoever.

The moment they separated, he advanced again.

*Boom!*

He took another step, exploding the ground beneath his feet as his fist descended once more.

Lu Tianhe’s pupils contracted sharply, and he immediately raised his arms to block.

*Bang!*

The impact numbed both of his arms.

Before he could react, a second punch arrived, followed by a third, and then a fourth.

The attacks came endlessly, like waves crashing against a cliff.

Every movement generated explosive sounds, and every punch carried enough force to seriously injure ordinary Ninth Stage Body Tempering cultivators.

The rainwater around Lu Yang continuously exploded outward as scorching Blood Qi surged from his body, the temperature around him rising despite the rain.

Lu Tianhe gritted his teeth, focused entirely on the defensive.

*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

The sounds echoed continuously.

His feet left deep footprints across the shattered ground, with every step backward feeling increasingly difficult.

Occasionally, he attempted counterattacks, however, every single one was blocked, avoided, or broken apart before completion.

The pressure mounted on him continuously, growing heavier with each passing moment.

Before long, Lu Tianhe realized something even more terrifying.

Lu Yang’s fighting style was not normal, not even remotely. The other party didn’t fight like a twenty-four year old cultivator at all!

Instead, he fought more like someone who had spent decades wandering through life or death battles, even subtly surpassing those experienced Body Tempering Ninth Stage cultivators in the clan!

Every movement was efficient, every strike targeted weaknesses, and every attack flowed naturally into the next. There were no wasted motions, hesitation, or flaws in the slightest!

His combat instincts were ridiculously sharp, as if every exchange had already been calculated beforehand.

The more they fought, the greater Lu Tianhe’s disadvantage became.

His breathing gradually became heavier, his arms began trembling slightly, and his Blood Qi circulation became increasingly strained.

Meanwhile, Lu Yang remained expressionless as he continued advancing, attacking relentlessly without any intention of slowing down in the slightest.

The surrounding spectators became increasingly horrified as the battle continued raging on, many younger clan members already pale with fright.

"This..."

"Is this really a battle between Ninth Stage Body Tempering Realm cultivators!?"

"Impossible..."

Even many veteran cultivators in the later stages of Body Tempering Realm had eyes full of disbelief, including Lu Shan, who looked much older than the days he used to teach Lu Yang, and Lu Chuan, who was now at the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering Realm as well.

Both of them had basically seen Lu Yang grow up, and the former had even taught both Lu Yang and Lu Tianhe for years.

Yet now, any one of these children could probably suppress both of them old fellows at once!

The battle before them had already surpassed ordinary Ninth Stage Body Tempering Realm standards!

These two prodigies simply could not be measured with common sense!

At that very moment, the two suddenly separated several meters apart once more.

Rain continued to pour between them, both falling silent briefly.

Then, almost simultaneously, their eyes flashed with a streak of crimson gold, the Golden Vajra Body Tempering Qi and Blood Method erupting at full force.

The probing phase was over.

A tacit understanding formed between them instantly.

Neither needed word as both understood that the real battle would only begin now.

*Boom!*

Lu Tianhe moved first, striking out with his palm, dense Blood Qi condensing around it.

"Bone Shattering Palm!"

The surrounding air exploded immediately.

This simple palm technique was originally used to dismantle the opponent’s techniques and restrict their movements to defeat them efficiently for cultivators in the early stages of Body Tempering Realm.

But now, unleashed with the power of a Ninth Stage Body Tempering Realm genius, it caused a palm shadow of Blood Qi several feet wide centered on Lu Tianhe’s hand to sweep forward with unstoppable momentum, completely changing its essence.

However, facing this strike, Lu Yang remained calm.

He clenched his fist, Blood Qi surging forward as he faced it head on.

"Mountain Breaking Fist!"

*Bang!*

Palm and fist collided, the Blood Qi exploding instantly as shockwaves spread outward.

Even the rain within several meters vanished completely.

Immediately afterward, Lu Yang’s figure blurred, appearing beside Lu Tianhe as he extended his index finger.

"Qi-Breaking Finger!"

A piercing whistle echoed, causing Lu Tianhe’s expression to change.

His footwork activated immediately, his figure drifting backward faster than mortal eyes could perceive.

The finger strike narrowly missed, creating a deep hole in the stone pathway behind him.

Before he could take a breath, Lu Yang had already closed in.

The battle instantly intensified, numerous combat techniques and martial arts erupting continuously.

Every technique had been cultivated to an extremely high level, and every move carried astonishing power!

The surrounding area became a battlefield of destruction, a forbidden zone of death.

Within a radius of ten meters, Blood Qi surged violently, shockwaves erupted constantly, stone pathways shattered, and even the rainwater evaporated before it could touch either of them.

The whistling sounds of strikes filled the air, making even the rolling thunder overhead seem insignificant compared to the battle below.

Several weaker clan members involuntarily retreated further, and even some Eighth Stage Body Tempering cultivators felt their hearts trembling.

If they entered that battlefield, they would likely be injured immediately.

As for Seventh Stage Body Tempering cultivators?

They would probably be seriously injured by any stray attack!

This was no longer a battle ordinary cultivators could participate in!

This was a battle between monsters, the strongest geniuses the Lu Family had ever produced!

The older of the Twin Stars and the Rising Sun, two prodigies standing at the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering Realm.

Each exchange between them was capable of shaking the hearts of all the spectators!

However, at the same time, despite Lu Tianhe’s full efforts, the situation continued deteriorating.

Every clash pushed him further backward and every exchange widened the gap slightly even more.

His arms had already become numb, his breathing grew heavier, while the admiration and desperation within his heart only deepened further.

Only now, facing Lu Yang directly, did he truly understand the difference between them, the same difference that all the Spirit Awakening cultivators had seen years ago.

It was the difference between a genius and a monster.