Chapter 692: Troubles Arriving
There were no weaklings among Xiao Chen’s opponents. Be they the five faction leaders, or Gui Wu and Situ Gang, they had proven themselves with their strength.
As of now, everyone knew of Xiao Chen. When they heard that an expert from the Full Moon Pavilion came to challenge him, it immediately piqued their interest.
Back in the courtyard, Xiao Chen put on his clothes and slowly repeated Qiu Yi’s name to himself several times. Only then did he remember who this person was and the conflicts they had that led to this challenge.
“Issuing a challenge is fine, but why the need to say so many pompous words? How dull.”
Xiao Chen shook his head slightly with some disdain. He now understood why he did not bother remembering this person. With such pretentious and pompous nonsense and all the feigned righteousness, it would be strange if he wanted to remember Qiu Yi.
Ripples spread on the lake nearby.
Two figures flashed as they moved quickly. They were Yue Chenxi and Gong Yangyu, who had heard the news. After a few breaths, the two landed beside Xiao Chen.
“Senior Brother Xiao Chen, it seems like trouble has come for you,” Yue Chenxi said somewhat mischievously as she smiled gently. She was not very anxious.
Xiao Chen shrugged his shoulder and said, “It’s not really trouble.”
Smiling, Gong Yangyu retorted, “That is not trouble? Despicable and shameless; forgets his friends and plots against his comrades; head-shrinking tortoise—these are all rather big accusations.”
Xiao Chen smiled helplessly and said, “The two of you don’t believe this nonsense, right?”
Yue Chenxi burst out in laughter before asking earnestly, “Jokes aside, Xiao Chen, how confident are you?”
Gong Yangyu also said gravely, “In the eighteen southern provinces, the Full Moon Pavilion is no weaker than the Supreme Sky Sect in both resources and strength. Since he dares to come and challenge you in such a grand fas.h.i.+on, he must have a trump card. Otherwise, he would be very embarra.s.sed if he loses.”
“I’m totally confident,” Xiao Chen said calmly and positively.
Yue Chenxi and Gong Yangyu exchanged glances and relaxed. They knew that Xiao Chen would never boast. If he said he was totally confident, then he was totally confident.
Just as the three prepared to head for Giant Sword Peak, a blue-robed old man descended from the sky. Hovering in the air, he asked the three, “Who is Xiao Chen?”
The insignia of a Supreme Sky Sect inner sect elder was embroidered on the old man’s sleeves. He had a deep cultivation, just slightly weaker than Shui Lingling’s. Clearly, he did not have a low position.
Xiao Chen took a step forward and said, “I am.”
The blue-robed old man gauged Xiao Chen and revealed an astonished gaze. He discovered that even with his cultivation, he actually could not completely discern Xiao Chen’s strength.
The old man withdrew his gaze and said, “After the combat bell rings, the person called out has to answer the call. This is a rule common to all the big sects of the Tianwu Domain. I hope you will do your best. Do not lose and embarra.s.s our Supreme Sky Sect.”
“Definitely.”
Following the old man, the three flew to Giant Sword Peak. Only three kilometers tall, Giant Sword Peak did not stand out among the myriad of mountains around Supreme Sky City.
However, there was a peak grade arena and a resilient combat bell constructed on its summit, which was where it differed from the other mountains.
Someone strong had used extraordinary force to shave off the top of this mountain and form a smooth platform. The structures at the summit were extremely simple.
A wooden frame stood at the center. This hundred-meter-tall wooden frame supported an ancient and grand bell. Not far off was an arena built with Frost Mountain Stones.
Aside from a strong and sharp wind, this simple platform held only rustling battle intent.
“He’s coming! Xiao Chen is coming!”
When the various disciples already gathered around the arena saw the group of people flying over, their eyes lit up and became more alert.
Qiu Yi stood below the arena and revealed a cold smile as he looked at Xiao Chen in the air. His eyes gleamed with hate.
Around Qiu Yi were the sect disciples that had worked together the previous time to kill Lone Wolf. All of them had come over, and their eyes were full of hate as well.
This was especially so for the Thousand Mystery Sect’s Zhuo Ping. Back then, when she sneak-attacked Xiao Chen, Xiao Chen had broken her nose. Even after she recovered from her injuries, it could not be restored to its original state.
Now, Zhuo Ping’s nose sat crooked on her face, marring the beauty of her formerly pretty face.
Seeing that the fight was about to begin, someone from the group behind Qiu Yi said, “Big Brother Qiu, whether we can get our revenge or not will depend on you.”
Qiu Yi grasped his scabbard tightly with his right hand and revealed a confident smile. He said, “Rest a.s.sured. I already broke through the bottleneck of Medial Grade Martial Monarch and advanced to Superior Grade Martial Monarch. Previously, that brat was able to bully me because I ran out of Quintessence.
“This time, not only will I beat him until he kneels and begs for mercy, but I will also tear down all his reputation. He will never be able to raise his head again, ever.”
“Xiu!”
The blue-robed old man led Xiao Chen and the other two to land firmly on the opposite end of the arena. Then, he went below the arena to serve as the referee of this duel.
“Swords and sabers do not have eyes. Full Moon Pavilion’s Qiu Yi, once you rang the combat bell, it was equal to you signing a life-or-death contract. You understand this, right?”
“Naturally, I understand. It means that even if I kill this person, the Supreme Sky Sect will not pursue me to take responsibility.”
Qiu Yi pushed off the ground and flew gracefully into the arena. He held his sword to his chest with his two hands and looked at Xiao Chen. Smiling, he said, “Indeed, even after so long, you have only just broken through to Medial Grade Martial Monarch.”
Xiao Chen did not bother arguing with him. He leaped up and landed on the arena.
“Xiao Chen, back then, I saw that your cultivation was low, so I invited you to kill Lone Wolf together with us out of the kindness of my heart. However, you selfishly hid and preserved your strength.
“When you killed Lone Wolf, you immediately went back on our agreement, biting the hand that fed you. You then proceeded to beat up all the sect disciples who had exhausted their Quintessence, do you admit to this?!”
Qiu Yi had a gloomy expression on his face as he shouted ferociously at Xiao Chen.
The group of people who came with him started to shout loudly as well, raging at Xiao Chen. They spoke all sorts of unpleasant words.
When the Supreme Sky Sect disciples who came to watch the battle heard this, their expressions changed. They could not believe that Xiao Chen was someone like this. Hushed discussions erupted among them.
This was the impact Qiu Yi wanted. He first wanted to make it sound like Xiao Chen was unreasonable and unscrupulous. Then, he would use absolute strength to trample him ruthlessly, relieving all his hatred.
“Xiao Chen, with so many people as witnesses here, do you have anything to say about that?!” Qiu Yi demanded coldly, pointing at Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen’s white robes fluttered in the wind. He had a calm expression as he replied with only one sentence: “Are you done?”
Seeing Xiao Chen so indifferent and not panicking at all—something entirely different from his expectations—Qiu Yi was stunned. At a loss for words, he fumbled. “You…”
“Are you done? If you are, then you can scram!”
Xiao Chen’s expression turned cold, and he circulated the ancient sovereign’s aura that he refined once, unleas.h.i.+ng it. It felt like a divine being descended, shocking Qiu Yi immediately.
Xiao Chen unleashed his Vital Qi, and then he burned half of it. Azure smoke wafted out of his Tianmen Acupoint and rushed to the sky. Then, he punched upwards.
After most of the clouds above burned with azure flames, a dragon roar resounded. An Azure Dragon’s claw clenched into a fist drove down from the sky, carrying the might of heaven.
Qiu Yi had just broken free of Xiao Chen’s aura. Before he could draw his sword, the lightning-fast punch knocked him to the floor.
After burning nine hundred tons of force’s worth of Vital Qi, Xiao Chen achieved a thousand tons of force that planted Qiu Yi face first into the Frost Mountain Stones before creating cracks that looked like a spiderweb with him in the center.
Xiao Chen’s figure flashed and arrived beside Qiu Yi. Without even giving Qiu Yi a chance to get to his feet, he kicked Qiu Yi.
Qiu Yi tumbled in the air like a tossed sandbag, falling towards the crowd.
From the moment Xiao Chen spoke to sending out the punch and kicking Qiu Yi, only two blinks of the eye had elapsed.
Xiao Chen flowed like the wind, decisive and lightning fast.
The onlookers were all stunned. This was especially so for the various sect disciples who came with Qiu Yi. Such an end was entirely outside of their expectations.
Just a moment ago, under Qiu Yi’s lead, they had been aggressively criticizing Xiao Chen. However, in less than a breath, Qiu Yi came flying down.
The entire place fell quiet as if someone had died. No one spoke a word. No one had expected that the great battle they had antic.i.p.ated would be settled with one punch from Xiao Chen.
Several people did not even realize what had happened; Xiao Chen was too fast.
Only some inner sect disciples with higher cultivations managed to see what had happened. The force from Xiao Chen’s punch had already surpa.s.sed that of an ordinary Superior Grade Martial Monarch.
Given the sudden attack with aura along with Qiu Yi’s carelessness, this outcome was only logical. When experts fought, how could they be careless? One mistake could instantly change the situation.
The cultivators who came with Qiu Yi rushed forward to treat him, feeding him Medicinal Pills and infusing their Quintessence into him.
“Xiao Chen, you are too ruthless in your attacks. How could you attack so heavily?!”
“You are not only despicable and shameless but also ruthless!”
The cultivators who came expecting Qiu Yi to help address their hatred could not accept such an ending. So they all started cursing and scolding Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen remained calm and felt disdain in his heart, disinclined to explain himself. Only the weak would make trouble for no reason like this, trying to win the dispute with their tongues.
“If you think the results are inappropriate, you can always ring the combat bell anytime.”
Xiao Chen just replied indifferently and looked coldly at these people. These disciples from the various sects cursing and shouting earlier promptly shut up, no longer daring to say anything.
After seeing Qiu Yi’s miserable state, how could they dare to go up and humiliate themselves?
A cold light flickered in the eyes of the Thousand Mystery Sect’s Zhuo Ping. As she looked at Xiao Chen on the arena, she hated that she would not ring the combat bell and cut him into tiny pieces.
However, when Zhuo Ping thought of Qiu Yi’s fate, she gritted her teeth. She simply stood there not moving at all.
Xiao Chen frowned slightly and shook his head. He felt that this was just a waste of time. These were people who talked big but could not perform. It was too boring.
“Since no one is going to ring the bell, I will be taking my leave.”
Xiao Chen nodded towards the blue-robed old man and turned around, preparing to leave. The Savage Battlefield would officially open at the end of the month; he did not have time to waste here.
“Dang! Dang!”
Just at this moment, the ancient combat bell suddenly rang twice. As the ringing echoed around the mountain peaks, it stirred up strong winds that would not die down for years.
The ringing echoed in everyone’s ears. After hearing the combat bell ring at such a close distance, everyone’s blood surged, evoking an intense battle intent.
“You truly deserve to be the Sky Dome Realm’s King Grade True Dragon. In a mere three months, you have already grown this much.”
A cold voice came from a distance. The people on the summit immediately looked towards the origin of the voice and saw two figures in the air flying over quickly together on a cold wind.
With a casual wave of his pale white hands, the person who spoke fired out icy Quintessence and rang the ancient combat bell continuously.