Chapter 102: The Battle Against the Spirit Emperor, Thunder Tiger!

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Quality over quantity.
“Villain?” The man in white was momentarily taken aback upon hearing Lu Zhe’s words, then burst into hearty laughter. Pointing at Lu Zhe with confidence that could shake mountains and rivers, he declared, “Very well, today I shall punish evil and eliminate traitors, acting as the heavens’ justice.”
Lu Zhe smiled faintly in response. Sliding his right hand into his robe to scratch his nose slightly, he scoffed, “Justice of the heavens? Even that requires skill. Do you have it?”
“Then come and try!” The man in white did not flare up at Lu Zhe’s scornful tone. Instead, he smirked coldly, concealing a deadly intent within his smile. It was clear a fierce battle was about to unfold here.
“Bang! Whoosh!”
Moments after speaking, the man in white kicked off with his right foot, his body shooting forward like an arrow from a bowstring. His speed was lightning fast; the crowd barely noticed his movement before he was within three feet of Lu Zhe—a speed that defied description.
As the man leaned forward, Lu Zhe sensed something. When the man propelled himself forward with his right foot, Lu Zhe had already prepared to block. As the man appeared three feet before him, Lu Zhe leaned slightly forward, meeting him head-on.
“Clap, clap, clap…”
The sound of impact echoed between the two, chilling the onlookers to the bone.
Their bodies collided, hands flashing like shadows, arms sweeping wildly. The whooshing of wind from their rapid movements was so fierce it seemed to tear at the skin. Within moments, they exchanged dozens of strikes. The man in white relentlessly attacked, while Lu Zhe remained purely defensive.
The man’s strikes were fast, fierce, and vicious, each aiming for Lu Zhe’s vital points. One misstep would surely mean death—a type of assault only a battle-hardened warrior could execute. Clearly, Lu Zhe had met a formidable opponent.
“Clap, bang, bang, bang!”

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In the blink of an eye, Lu Zhe and the man in white exchanged seven or eight more moves, with the same pattern: relentless offense from the man, steadfast defense from Lu Zhe.
“Hey! Bang!”
On the eleventh exchange, Lu Zhe suddenly shifted from defense to offense, striking with both fists. He landed a heavy punch squarely on the man’s chest. Although the man was slightly surprised by this sudden attack, his extensive combat experience showed. As his body was knocked backward, he raised his right foot and delivered a heavy kick to Lu Zhe’s abdomen.
“Thud.”
A soft sound arose between them. At the sound, the two, previously locked in fierce combat, were thrown backward about ten feet each. The man in white steadied himself after the backward movement, though his body swayed slightly, he remained standing. Lu Zhe, however, stumbled and then crashed to the ground with a heavy thud, rolling over before finally lying flat.
The man in white steadied himself and glanced down, touching his chest with a slight frown. Silently, he thought, “Impressive skills—not only did he withstand my forty strikes undefeated, he even found a flaw in my continuous assault and managed to injure me.”
Lu Zhe pressed his right hand against the ground to sit up, looking down at his abdomen where a clear footprint was visible.
Sitting cross-legged, he touched his abdomen and exhaled softly, thinking, “Such a ruthless technique—over forty moves all aimed at my vital points. Clearly, this man wants me dead.”
The first battle ended with both sides wounded, but it was obvious to all that the man in white held the upper hand, while Lu Zhe was at a disadvantage, taking a minor loss in the final blow.
“You withstood forty of my strikes undefeated—surely you are a renowned figure. Judging by your skills, you must be a Ling Emperor-level expert. I am Lei Hu of the Ogre Empire. May I know your honorable name?” The man in white clasped his fists and bowed respectfully.
“Lei Hu?” Lu Zhe furrowed his brow slightly; the name sounded familiar.

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Lu Zhe pondered briefly, then softly murmured to himself, “Lei Hu? Isn’t he one of the Ogre Empire’s top ten masters? Could this be the same person?” Startled, he lifted his head and looked at the man named Lei Hu through his hood. The man remained standing respectfully with fists clasped.
The Ogre Empire’s Top Ten Masters are a collective name given by the public to ten Ling Emperor-level experts within the empire. Each has a different background—some elders or sect leaders, others lone warriors without affiliation. Lei Hu belonged to the latter category.
“Lei Hu, you flatter me. I am but an unknown nobody. As for my name, I fear revealing it would only insult your ears.” Lu Zhe rose, clasped his fists, and spoke politely.
Hearing this, Lei Hu was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said, “Not at all. Given you withstood my forty strikes undefeated and even managed to wound me, you must be a figure of great renown. Since you prefer not to reveal your name, I shall not press. However…” Lei Hu paused thoughtfully, then continued with a smile, “There is a favor I would ask.”
“What is it? Please speak freely.” Lu Zhe crossed his arms and replied calmly.
Lei Hu smiled slightly, tinged with apology, “I imagine you have come for the rare celestial treasure, the Extreme Mountain Fire Aster. Whether you are here on behalf of someone or for your own need, I only hope you might show some mercy and not contend with us. This way, we can complete our mission and return. Such a favor I would repay handsomely in the future.”
After Lei Hu’s lengthy plea, Lu Zhe remained silent. Lei Hu waited quietly before Lu Zhe suddenly laughed heartily.
“You know full well that the Extreme Mountain Fire Aster is a rare celestial treasure, nearly impossible to find. Yet you expect me to give up? Isn’t that a joke?”
Hearing the slight mockery in Lu Zhe’s voice, Lei Hu clenched his fist tightly and said coldly, “So there’s no room for negotiation?”
“I’ve heard you are among the top in the Ogre Empire’s Top Ten Masters. Your unique technique, the ‘Thunder Tiger Sky-Cleaving Fist,’ is famed across the land. Today, I shall have the honor of witnessing it firsthand!” Lu Zhe threw back his robe and declared loudly.