Chu Xuzhi was struck as if by lightning, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
His eyes were full of disbelief. "This is impossible."
"All showy nonsense."
Yang Cheng's tone was calm. His figure flashed, and he was already before Chu Xuzhi, a single finger stabbing straight for his throat.
"Presumptuous!"
Chu Xuzhi roared, both palms glowing black as he unleashed the Chu clan's ultimate technique, Black Fiend Palm.
But Yang Cheng's attack didn't waver. At the moment finger-sword and palm force collided, the sinister palm energy tore apart like paper.
A crisp sound rang out. Chu Xuzhi's palm was pierced through by that finger-sword.
He grunted, enduring the searing pain as he leapt back, flinging three streaks of black light from his sleeve.
"It's the Chu clan's Soul-Chasing Death Nails!"
"They say these can pierce the protective qi of a Martial Saint with ease."
The three black streaks shot like lightning, targeting Yang Cheng's brow, throat, and heart.
Yet Yang Cheng didn't even lift his eyelids. His finger flicked three times, leaving afterimages.
Clang, clang, clang!
All three black streaks were instantly knocked aside.
Chu Xuzhi retreated desperately.
But Yang Cheng was faster.
His palm pressed directly onto Chu Xuzhi's qi barrier.
The next moment, that protective qi shattered with a bang.
Boom!
Chu Xuzhi was blasted away on the spot, crashing into the crowd.
The crowd split apart in chaos.
Then everyone stared blankly at Chu Xuzhi lying on the ground.
For a moment, their minds went completely blank.
Chu Xianzhi stood frozen like a wooden chicken, as if in a dream.
Zuo Qiuyu's breath locked tight in her chest.
Murong Yun was so shocked she tore her sleeve without even realizing.
Only Lin Shu, though surprised, remained much calmer than the rest.
She merely thought, 'His Highness is even stronger than I imagined.'
At the same time, under countless gazes, Yang Cheng looked at Chu Xuzhi calmly. "Peak Martial Saint. Is that supposed to be impressive?"
The crowd finally regained their senses.
They suddenly realized something.
Chu Xuzhi had actually been crushed by this boy.
"Who on earth is he?"
Everyone was shaken to the core.
"He can't possibly be some boy. He must be an old monster who knows how to preserve his looks."
Chu Xianzhi suddenly cried out.
"That's right," Chu Daoxing said solemnly, no longer able to dismiss Yang Cheng. "There are many in this world skilled in preserving youth. He may look ten years old, but his true age could be several hundred years."
The others felt relieved at those words. That was something they could accept.
Otherwise, this boy would be too monstrous, making all of them look useless.
Chu Xuzhi thought the same.
"As a senior, disguising yourself as a ten-year-old boy to toy with juniors—what's the point?"
He glared at Yang Cheng, face grim.
There was no way he would believe Yang Cheng was younger than him yet stronger.
He was the greatest prodigy of the Western Regions. How could anyone be more monstrous than him?
"Toying with juniors is, of course, very amusing," Yang Cheng replied, not bothering to explain.
After all, in terms of soul age, he truly was an old monster.
Before his voice faded, his figure vanished.
In the next instant, he was behind Chu Xuzhi, striking out with another palm.
Chu Xuzhi reacted fast, instinctively twisting and throwing a punch.
Fist and palm collided!
Boom!
Even though Chu Xuzhi had braced himself for Yang Cheng's strength, he was still forced back.
Yet having mentally prepared himself, the difference was already significant.
This time he wasn't as battered as before.
At least, that's how it looked to the others.
In truth, Chu Xuzhi's heart was in shock. 'Damn it, this old monster's strength is terrifying.'
His palms were numb, his bones aching as if they might crack apart.
Yang Cheng gave him no chance to think.
In the blink of an eye, Yang Cheng was in front of him again.
"Since your physical strength is so great, then I'll let you taste my Chu clan's sword art."
Chu Xuzhi's eyes flashed with killing intent.
"Golden Serpent Sword Technique!"
From his sleeve, a flash of cold light burst forth. A pitch-black slender sword shot out like a venomous snake.
Where the sword edge passed, the air crystallized into tiny shards of ice.
The chilling sword qi of this strike could freeze the blood of an ordinary Martial Saint.
"What a terrifying sword technique."
The crowd all shuddered inwardly.
They fixed their gazes on Yang Cheng, wanting to see how he would respond.
"Sword art?"
Yang Cheng laughed.
He still used his finger as a sword.
Vast sword qi surged from his fingertip.
For an instant, everyone seemed to sense a giant kun leaping out of the sea.
The kun's sword qi clashed with the golden serpent's sword qi, crushing it completely in an instant.
"He even knows Sword Dao?"
Chu Xuzhi's pupils shrank, his mood sinking to the lowest point.
"Your strength is indeed impressive," Yang Cheng praised.
Though Chu Xuzhi's sword qi had been shattered, he wasn't seriously injured.
It showed that as a peak Martial Saint, Chu Xuzhi truly had some skill.
Those others earlier—Yang Cheng had honestly held back, afraid he'd blast them into bloody mist and make the scene too ugly.
But against Chu Xuzhi, there was no need to worry.
"Great Fish Surfaces."
He unleashed the second form of the Northern Sea Sword Codex.
Even greater sword qi poured forth.
Chu Xuzhi felt dread grip him.
He wisely chose to dodge.
In an instant, he darted to the edge of the square.
Almost at the same time, the fake mountain where he had stood exploded under Yang Cheng's strike, shattered into fragments that scattered everywhere.
The onlookers swallowed hard.
'Is he even human?'
"Hahaha, not bad."
Yang Cheng laughed, delighted.
Not long ago he had broken through to Ninefold Martial Emperor. Who would have thought his luck would be so good, meeting such a decent opponent so soon, someone who could test his strength.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Yang Cheng pressed his attack, chasing Chu Xuzhi relentlessly.
Chu Xuzhi could only block when he couldn't avoid, but most of the time he was fleeing.
The onlookers grew more stunned with each exchange.
Chu Xuzhi now looked like a rat with its head covered, fleeing in utter disgrace.
'Damn it, where did this old monster come from? Such terrifying strength—could he be a Martial Sovereign?'
Chu Xuzhi was beginning to suspect his opponent was a Martial Sovereign.
Otherwise, how could he, a dignified Ninefold Martial Saint, be crushed so completely?
'So earlier, when he fought us, he was just playing around.'
Zuo Qiuyu bit her red lips.
"Senior sister, we've already offended him. What should we do now?"
Murong Yun's face had gone pale.
Zuo Qiuyu said solemnly, "At worst, I'll apologize to him. We are from Divine Medicine Valley. He wouldn't dare truly harm us."
By now, everyone had retreated to the edges of the square.
The square itself had become the battlefield of Chu Xuzhi and Yang Cheng.
The whole square was in ruins, like it had been struck by a meteor, a shocking sight.
Chu Xuzhi had realized, unless he unleashed his ultimate methods, he would definitely lose today.
"Golden Serpent Secret Form—Kill!"
He invoked the deadly secret art within the Golden Serpent Sword Technique.
In an instant, the black sword in his hand softened, writhing like a venomous serpent flying forth.
Even more terrifying was that Chu Xuzhi clearly intended to sacrifice the sword itself.
The blade quivered violently with sword patterns, releasing a sharpness unlike anything before.