“I feel that our Southern Sea’s Young Master Chu has high hopes. It was rumored that Young Master Chu cultivated in the Sun. I wonder if that is true,” someone asked Chu Yang.
Instantly, everyone looked over at Chu Yang.
“That’s right. The Cyclic Astral Palace lords over the Southern Sea. The Sun Palace has always taken in only elites. Furthermore, Young Master Chu is an elite of elites. He must have made significant improvements in his closed-door cultivation.”
Chu Yang’s expression did not change. He smiled calmly and said, “It is true that I cultivated in the Sun. However, the outstanding talents of the Heavenly Province Academy, the Five Poison Sect, the Yinyang Paradise, Myriad Fiend Island, and the other Holy Lands would have cultivation grounds that are no inferior to mine. That is not really an advantage.”
Suddenly, Chu Yang changed the topic. He intentionally or otherwise glanced at Xiao Chen. After a pause, he said, “It is rare for the various outstanding talents of the Southern Sea to gather in one place. How about we have an exchange before the Four Seas Hero Gathering? That will allow all of us to improve.”
“Young Master Chu, that is a great suggestion. This way, we can get to see the strength of the various outstanding talents as well.”
“The Four Seas Hero Gathering is about to start. I believe that the various outstanding talents are all prepared.”
Right after Chu Yang said that, people immediately picked up on his line of thought and elaborated on it, calling out support for the suggestion.
The place instantly became very lively. In the world of cultivators, combat would forever be something that would set everyone’s blood on fire—especially with all the outstanding talents around. The fights would be fantastic.
“Brother Yi Ling, what do you think?!” Chu Yang looked at the Young Treasure Master. After all, this was the Treasure Master’s residence. They needed to get the Young Treasure Master’s approval first before they could do anything.
Yi Ling smiled and replied, “I don’t have any opinion on this as long as the Holy Daughter does not mind.”
Yue Bingyun frowned slightly. She faintly sensed that Chu Yang’s words were targeting Mo Yun, pressuring him.
After hesitating for a moment, she said, “It is fine if we stop when appropriate, as long as it does not devolve into a grudge match.”
Actually, Yue Bingyun also knew that her words did not matter, that the Young Treasure Master and Chu Yang wanted to test out Mo Yun.
Even if she said something to stop them, these two would naturally find ways around her.
Aunt Bai, later, please keep watch and help out if anything unexpected happens. Yue Bingyun quietly sent a voice projection to Aunt Bai.
Don’t worry. I’ve had my eye on him all the while.
It was not yet clear whether if this Mo Yun was the person Yue Bingyun sought, so she did not wish for any accidents to happen.
However, Yue Bingyun did not realize that these actions caused Xiao Chen to misunderstand further. He thought that Aunt Bai was keeping an eye on him in light of the matters of Purple Cloud Island, giving him the impression that he could only do things by force.
The Young Treasure Master Yi Ling smiled faintly and said, “In that case, we will be sure to hold back and keep things cordial. I also want to see how strong Brother Chu Yang is now, after coming out of closed-door cultivation.”
Chu Yang did not express any opinion on that, not answering that question. Instead, he said, “There will be an opportunity. Let’s see how the others perform first. Brother Gongsun seemed to be very restless and impatient already.”
Gongsun Yan looked at Xiao Chen as he walked forward. He said coldly, “That’s right. Earlier, outside the Treasure Master’s residence, I had a brief exchange with Young Master Mo. However, I am far from satisfied with it.
“Mo Yun, since Young Master Chu has spoken already, do you dare to have another exchange with me?”
Just as Xiao Chen was trying to think up a plan, he heard these words, which gave him an idea.
Xiao Chen stood up and opened his folding fan. Then he stepped forward, using his actions to answer Gongsun Yan.
Seeing Xiao Chen step forward, a strong fighting spirit blazed like fire in Gongsun Yan’s eyes. Gongsun Yan had been suppressing the feeling of humiliation from the scene outside the Treasure Master’s residence for a long time already.
Without saying anything more, Gongsun Yan put on a pair of dark-gold gloves. Then, there was a flash of electricity as he charged at Xiao Chen.
This time, Gongsun Yan did not hold back any of his strength at all. He left behind a clump of thunderflame, and his body seemed to move instantly, vanishing from where he was.
This simple move contained both the explosive speed of lightning and the destructive power of fire.
It could be described in two words: fast and ruthless. In this not-too-vast hall, it held a great advantage.
In such a situation, a regular great grandmaster-level Martial Sage would be caught off guard and defeated in one move.
Xiao Chen’s expression remained calm. To others, Gongsun Yan seemed to have disappeared. However, to him, Gongsun Yan appeared to be moving in slow motion. Xiao Chen could clearly see the trajectory of Gongsun Yan’s movements and all the openings.
In the time it took for a spark to fly, Xiao Chen made his move. To those people with weaker eyesight, he seemed to disappear as well.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The sounds of an intense fight came from the air. Suddenly, Gongsun Yan’s figure appeared as he went flying back while vomiting blood. Xiao Chen moved like an apparition, charging forward and striking with the folding fan. Gongsun Yan flew back once again and crashed into the steps right before Yi Ling’s table.
To ordinary people, this scene looked extremely simple: just two people vanishing one after another, then the imposing Gongsun Yan reappearing in the air, strangely defeated, retreating as he vomited blood, and after that, Xiao Chen ferociously striking him again and severely injuring him.
However, this was not what happened in the eyes of the experts. The two fought extremely fast. In an instant, they exchanged ten moves.
Each move was shockingly powerful, decisive and lethal. The intensity of the exchange was no less than a great battle of more than a thousand moves.
In those ten moves, Gongsun Yan only managed to attack once before getting driven into the defensive. After doing his best and blocking three from Xiao Chen, he could no longer keep up.
A flying folding fan and bone-chilling cold wind, each strike was very horrifying. After getting hit seven times, how could he not end up in such a sorry state?
Chu Yang could not understand. The strength that this Xiao Chen displayed was indeed only that of a grandmaster-level Martial Sage. However, Xiao Chen’s combat experience and techniques were far superior to Gongsun Yan’s—so much so that Gongsun Yan was clearly defeated, giving the impression that he could not even last one round.
Could it be that he is really not that person? Chu Yang wondered.
“Hua!”
Xiao Chen opened the folding fan and smiled faintly. “With such standards, you dare to call yourself an outstanding talent? It is best that you not go to the Four Seas Hero Gathering. Even if you went, you would just embarrass yourself. It seems like the Southern Sea is merely this strong.”
“Arrogance! I, Xia Hanfeng, will test you out!”
As part of the Xia Noble Clan, one of the ancient Noble Clans, when Xia Hanfeng saw Xiao Chen being so arrogant, he leaped into the air and pressed down towards Xiao Chen.
Learning a lesson from Gongsun Yan’s battle, Xia Hanfeng fought in a stable manner. Using the Xia Clan’s strange cultivation, he imitated the might of the Heavenly Dao. As he descended, he sent out a heavy palm strike, which gave the impression that it was the palm of heaven.
Xiao Chen’s eyes lit up. This was his first time seeing such a Martial Technique.
Unexpectedly, this move could simulate the might of the Heavenly Dao. Unfortunately, it lacked maturity. Xia Hanfeng’s cultivation had not reached great grandmaster-level Martial Sage, either. So this palm strike was not of much threat to Xiao Chen.
“Thousand Frost Battle Snow!” Upright and unyielding!
Xiao Chen opened the folding fan and used a Profound Martial Technique as well. Pride soared up, not fearing the sky nor the heavens.
The state of this Martial Technique happened to counter Xia Hanfeng’s move.
Xia Hanfeng, who was preparing to thrust the pressure down, got forced back. The surging pride suppressed his might, instead.
Having lost its might, this move naturally broke on its own. Xiao Chen flew up and clashed with Xia Hanfeng in the air. With one move, he pulled his opponent into his own rhythm.
It looked like Xia Hanfeng would be pushed into a sorry state, following in Gongsun Yan’s footsteps.
The Divine Dragon Palace’s Hai Tian, who was still thinking, and the Shangguan Noble Clan’s Shangguan Yun both shouted and attacked at the same time, helping out Xia Hanfeng.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly. This was good timing. With them willing to take the initiative to attack, it would prevent any disputes about the results.
A chaotic battle ensured, suddenly becoming an intense melee involving four people. Three outstanding talents of the Southern Sea actually wanted to team up to suppress Xiao Chen.
Yi Ling, who was seated in the center, revealed a thoughtful expression. Xiao Chen’s strength somewhat surpassed his expectations.
Chu Yang felt anxious. Even at this point, he still had not seen Mo Yun use any Martial Techniques that could be associated with Xiao Chen.
Did Hongyao really mistake him?
Just at this moment, something strange happened. The aura of Xiao Chen, who was being suppressed by the three, suddenly soared up, reaching great grandmaster-level Martial Sage.
It was not that realistic to defeat these three people with just the cultivation of a grandmaster-level Martial Sage. At that rate, Xiao Chen would not be able to accomplish his plan.
The plan would stand a chance only if Xiao Chen increased his strength.
The sudden soaring of Xiao Chen’s strength caught Hai Tian and the others off guard. The first to fall was Xia Hanfeng.
Xiao Chen smashed Xia Hanfeng aside, sending him crashing into three tables. Xia Hanfeng bounced around as his figure flew, turning the place chaotic.
“Bang!”
With another palm strike, Xiao Chen knocked back Shangguan Yun. A gust burst out from his body, blowing everywhere and creating an even greater mess.
With the last strike, Xiao Chen knocked back the Divine Dragon Palace’s Hai Tian like a meteor. The friction between Hai Tian’s body and the air produced a piercing screech.
The direction that Hai Tian flew in was where the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter sat. Aunt Bai’s expression changed. Given the speed at which Hai Tian flew at, if he crashed into the Holy Daughter, she would be injured, so Aunt Bai quickly made a move to block him.
The hall turned riotous. A gust exploded forth, and a powerful might surged out and reached all the guests. They all made their moves, and the situation became even more chaotic.
Everything happened in just two breaths. Xiao Chen used the opening of Aunt Bai moving to protect Yue Bingyun to rush forward and suppress the Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter.
Xiao Chen used his Heavenly Laws and used the suppressive advantage of the power of the world to instantly seal Yue Bingyun’s strength, not allowing her to use any of it.
“Don’t struggle. I just want to speak to you about something and will not harm you!”
Xiao Chen heaved Yue Bingyun over his shoulder and leaped out of the hall. After a few flashes, he unfurled the Freedom Wings and vanished from the Treasure Master’s residence.
The great hall was still in chaos, loud sounds ringing out continuously. Aunt Bai had just caught the flying Hai Tian.
The other party was the Southern Sea Divine Dragon Palace’s Young Palace Master. In addition, Aunt Bai did not have a decisive character. She did not wish to hurt Hai Tian. Who would have imagined that the moment she landed, Yue Bingyun would vanish from her side?
Upon seeing Xiao Chen carry off Yue Bingyun, Chu Yang and Yi Ling were flabbergasted, their eyes bulging out.
What was going on? The Lunar Palace’s Holy Daughter was carried off just like that!
“Bang!”
With the Holy Daughter captured, Aunt Bai could not be bothered anymore. She casually tossed Hai Tian aside and unleashed her strong aura. Becoming one with the heavens, she charged out with one step, the world moving along with her.
Aunt Bai knocked over all the cultivators in her way like bowling pins, scattering them everywhere.
Yi Ling and Chu Yang reacted. Their faces both sank at the same time as they soared into the air and quickly gave chase.
While feeling anxious, both of these people burst out with the auras that were not much inferior to a Small Perfection quasi-Emperor’s.
The two exchanged glances. They could tell that the other had held back some of their true strength previously; it was not limited to what was apparent on the surface.
However, things were urgent at this moment. There was no time to think; it was more important to give chase.
If the Holy Daughter was abducted and anything happened to her, the Lunar Palace would not sit by idly and watch. Both of them would definitely receive some of the blame.
