"Beat me?" Luther was first taken aback by the outrageous idea, followed by a series of explosive laughter. The other Boulderthorn disciples joined in and laughed at Dustin and Maximus as though the two were fools. Maximus might have been a formidable mentor for many of the disciples, but he was nowhere close to Luther's level. "Oh, you little jerk. Do you even know what you're talking about?" Scowling, Luther challenged them, "I was the one who taught everything to that traitor. Even at his peak, he was no match for me! Are you asking him to fight me with a destroyed core after he's lost all his prowess? And does he have the guts to do so?" "Right! A trash like him doesn't deserve the honor of fighting Dad!" Oliver, Brody, and the other disciples scorned at the same time. Unfazed, Dustin challenged back, "We'll know after the battle. The most important question is—are you brave enough to take on the challenge?" "I have nothing to be scared of." Luther sneered. "If that little

"Luther Williams, you have gotten slower in sword fighting," Maximus casually commented. "No! That's impossible! How did you manage to strike me? It must have been dumb luck!" Feeling indignant, Luther turned around and launched his attacks again, even though he was injured. This time, he did not hold back and put in his 100%, evident from his frenzied and merciless attacks that were hard to dodge. During the ninth move, he switched it up and aimed his blade at Maximus' throat with the intent to kill. However, Maximus didn't shun the attack and instead slashed Luther in the abdomen with greater speed and accuracy. Luther stumbled backward, aghast. He would have been gutted had Maximus' sword slashed upward. "What's going on? Where did that punk learn the trick from?" He pressed against his bleeding abdomen in shock. He could not wrap his mind around how Maximus had recovered from the grave injury with significant improvements to his skills all within a few days. "Luther William

"Gosh, who is that kid? He's quite something to challenge Tatum in public! Is he asking for death?" "He is gutsy but not the sharpest tool in the shed." Dustin's presence became the talk of the town. No one had expected any martial artist to have a showdown with Tatum at the last minute. "Hey! Why did you go up there? Are you mad? Get down here now!" After a slight pause, Abby loudly called out to Dustin. In her eyes, he was nothing more than a clueless young man who did not know his place. "What is that dude doing? Doesn't he know that he's up against one of The Heavenly Immortals, Tatum Thunders? He'll die in Tatum's hands!" Ralph shook his head forlornly and looked on as though he could predict Dustin's demise. After all, Ralph wasn't strong enough to take on Tatum, and he did not expect a no-name as young as Dustin to succeed too. "Hmph! That reckless thing! How dare he insult Tatum? He'll meet his end!" Brody and the others started cackling with glee. Not only would Tatu

An eerie silence hung over the scene. The spectators were wide-eyed at the sight of Tatum's lifeless body on the ground. They struggled to make sense of the outcome, as it was totally out of their expectations. They had assumed that Dustin would be defeated when Tatum used his signature attack. To their shock, Dustin sent Tatum flying with a slap. It was a sight that no one would have believed unless they saw it for themselves. They could not help but wonder about the reason behind the Fanatic Blade's shameful loss. Was it a momentary slip-up, or was Dustin simply too powerful? "Heavens! Did I see it wrong? Was Tatum … defeated?" "A sight that was unseen and unheard of!" After moments of utter silence, the audience exploded in a raucous chatter, punctuated by exclamations and expressions of shock, astonishment, confusion, and disbelief. No one had expected that the Fanatic Blade, one of the Heavenly Immortals, had been taken down by Dustin. "T-that's impossible. How did that

The audience was split in their reactions toward Dustin's victory. Cheers exploded around Dustin, but some spectators seemed sour at the outcome. "Fuck! Who's that guy? How could Tatum lose to him?" a surly and fearful Brody hissed. "Whoever he is, let's get out of here before he notices us!" After the initial shock, Luther dared not stay a minute longer and planned his immediate escape. "Stand still!" Dustin turned around and instantly spotted the few suspicious-looking men. "Luther Williams, did I tell you to leave?" "Dustin Rhys, I'm the second-in-command at Boulderthorn. You'd better steer clear of me!" Luther warned him with a stern look. At the critical moment, he had no choice but to use the Boulderthorn name as protection. "The second-in-command? Hah …" Dustin scoffed and remarked, "Do you think I'd be scared of the second-in-command when I couldn't care less about the guildmaster?" "What do you want?" Luther's expression sank. "Give up your practice, and I'll spa