Chapter 136: The Soaring Eagle's Shattered Bone Claw

He could clearly hear the murmurs of those around him.

“Li Wei really is extraordinary—he guessed almost everything correctly.”

If it weren’t for Lu Han’s “Heavenly Garment” technique, he would not have been able to withstand that counterattack just now.

The “Star-Shattering Palm” was merely an intermediate-level martial skill of the Yellow Rank. Although it fused with the chilling essence of Heavenly Frost, it was still only barely approaching the power of a beginner-level Black Rank martial skill, far from truly reaching that level of strength.

The man from the Bloodthirsty Mercenary Corps also possessed a beginner-level Black Rank cultivation method. The difference in their realms was evident. Lu Han had been fortunate to escape unscathed, which indirectly attested to the formidable power of the “Heavenly Garment.”

As the surrounding whispers grew louder, the leader among the four who fought Lu Han felt his face burning with embarrassment. He had expected to at least wound Lu Han, but instead, he had only managed to force him back a few steps.

“This brat is quite strange; his strength seems nearly equal to mine. Could he be born with divine power?”

“Who cares what he is? He dared to injure my third brother. Since the Deputy Captain specifically ordered his destruction, there’s no leaving him alive!”

A sinister grin spread across the man’s face.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve used my ‘Flying Eagle Bone-Shattering Claw.’ Boy, I’ll let you taste the agony of every bone in your body being crushed, a fate worse than death.” He licked his lips, as if crushing bones was a pleasure.

Lu Han lifted his head and caught the man’s grim smile.

“Whoosh!”

Suddenly, the man lunged at Lu Han, his body radiating a fiery, innate energy. Like a black phantom, he surged forward with incredible speed, a crisp eagle’s cry emanating from his body.

The distance between them was minimal, and the man’s speed was astonishing.

“I’ll tear you apart!” he roared.

With one hand, he clawed toward Lu Han’s shoulder bone, aiming to shatter it in a single strike. The sound of rushing air cut through the silence as the eagle-shaped claw came hurtling through.

Many in the dining hall held their breath for Lu Han. If that claw landed, it would likely crush his entire shoulder bone, completely shattering his arm.

“You’re still too green, kid!” the man sneered with pride, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he imagined Lu Han clutching his shoulder in agony.

Yet, to his surprise, no trace of panic appeared in Lu Han’s eyes; instead, a hint of mockery surfaced.

Suddenly, a faint sword’s hum echoed from Changzhi. If one did not listen carefully, they would not have noticed it, but the man closest to Lu Han heard it clearly.

Just a faint sword’s hum.

“Whirr!”

A shadow of a sword flickered under Lu Han’s foot, and his figure seemed to teleport as he instantly sidestepped. The man’s clawed strike missed completely.

“Intermediate Black Rank agility technique, ‘Sword Shadow Phantom Body’!”

This was the strange man’s signature move. To master the “Sword Shadow Phantom Body,” one’s soul power must be sufficiently strong. Although Lu Han was only at the first innate heaven, his soul power rivaled that of a first innate Black Lord, enabling him to grasp this technique initially. Though still rough, it was an intermediate Black Rank agility method, allowing him to effortlessly evade what appeared to be an unavoidable claw.

“I don’t believe it!” the man snarled.

The eagle’s cry sounded again. Behind him, a faint glowing silhouette of a fiery eagle appeared. As his innate third heaven peak aura surged forth, a crushing pressure pressed down on Lu Han. This oppressive aura was the hallmark of a higher realm warrior suppressing a lower realm opponent—so imposing that a King-Level expert could use it to prevent Lu Han from even thinking to strike back.

Lu Han’s expression shifted. Though the pressure was not overwhelming, if it persisted during battle, a single mistake could lead to ruin.

Suddenly, the shadow of the Dark Crow within Lu Han’s Niwan Palace flapped its wings abruptly.

A gray-white innate energy surged from Lu Han’s body, instantly nullifying the man’s oppressive aura. A smile of relief spread across Lu Han’s face.

From afar, the Evil Wind Beast sneered upon seeing the fiery eagle silhouette behind the man. “A mere fiery eagle dares to suppress the shadow of the Ancient Supreme Cold Beast, the Dark Crow? Truly overestimating yourselves!”

“That’s the difference in levels—something you will never understand!”

The fiery eagle behind the man screeched, its silhouette growing stronger. He wore a proud expression; with his aura suppressing Lu Han and locking onto him, he feared not even Lu Han’s astonishing speed. But was that really the case?

The Dark Crow’s shadow within the Niwan Palace let out a piercing cry upon seeing the fiery eagle strengthen.

“Caw!”

A wave of soul power cut through the fiery eagle’s silhouette, instantly dimming it and pushing it toward collapse.

The man’s face turned pale. Over the years, he had faced many stronger than himself, but never had anyone forced his cherished fiery eagle silhouette to the brink of destruction.

“This won’t do. This brat is too strange. I must finish this quickly, or I might truly fall by his hands!”

With the rapid flow of his “Fire Eagle Technique,” he pulled the fiery eagle’s silhouette back from the edge of collapse.

Lu Han unleashed the “Heavenly Garment” once more, the energy mesh armor reappearing. With its protection, he no longer hesitated and charged forward.

In an instant, the two clashed over a dozen times, each strike perilous. A single slip could result in grievous injury.

Seizing an opportunity, the man darted behind Lu Han, unleashing a crushing blow with all his might against Lu Han’s back. The sound of rushing air and heat reached Lu Han’s ears.

Lu Han let out a cold smile. “Competing on speed?”

With another sword hum, a shadow flickered beneath his feet as he sharply twisted his body away from the claw.

“You slippery brat, you wriggle like a loach!”

Those in the dining hall were dumbfounded. The leader of the four was a renowned figure in the Beast Town for many years, skilled in beginner-level Black Rank cultivation and matching martial arts. Yet, he could not gain any advantage against Lu Han, who was only at the first innate heaven.

Though young, Lu Han’s battle experience was vast, adding a weighty seriousness to the man’s eyes.

As for Wu Yong, the Deputy Captain—a seventh postnatal heaven who spent his days indulging in women—he saw nothing of value. All he knew was that his subordinate, at the peak of the third innate heaven, had been locked in a prolonged battle with a first innate heaven Lu Han and failed to end it. Useless.

“Leader Zhu, you four brothers truly are a bunch of trash! Our third brother was crippled in a single strike, and you, as the leader, haven’t even taken this brat down!” Wu Yong roared.

The four took no offense at Wu Yong’s scolding. Their lives had been saved by their Captain Wu Qing, their cultivation methods granted by him. Their mission was to protect and obey Wu Yong in all matters. This was their duty.

“Brat, your luck ends here!”

Leader Zhu’s body trembled slightly as fiery innate energy surged explosively from within, gathering around his right hand.

His right hand suddenly curled into a claw shape and slammed down toward Lu Han, a claw shadow materializing.

The fiery eagle silhouette behind him surged forward to meet the strike. Though dim, when the eagle’s claw overlapped with Zhu’s claw shadow, it solidified fiercely.

Zhu looked at Lu Han with a hint of pity. This martial move was the counterpart to his “Fire Eagle Technique,” a beginner Black Rank skill, vicious and cruel. If it landed, it would shatter bones outright. It was called the “Flying Eagle Bone-Shattering Claw.”