「The next day.」
The early morning sun shone into the cave. After a night's rest, the world was brimming with life, and the faint, sweet fragrance of plants and trees wafted to the young man's nose.
"Yaaawn..."
Hong Yu stretched his back and opened his eyes.
'I slept incredibly well last night!'
"The calm after the storm? Looks like today will be a good day to hunt Desolate Beasts!" Hong Yu smiled faintly and walked out of the cave.
He washed his face at a nearby pool, hastily ate so dry rations, and left the valley.
Last night's storm had raged for a long ti, its destructive power terrifying. Flash floods had even erupted in several places, subrging large areas in mud. Hong Yu darted through the dense forest with the agility of an ape when suddenly, without the slightest hesitation, he lashed out with a whip kick to his side.
WHOOSH!
The kick was imnsely powerful, creating a sonic boom that seed to tear through the air.
Almost at the sa ti, a long, black shadow erupted from the ground in a sneak attack. The creature was incredibly stealthy; an ordinary expert would have undoubtedly been ambushed. But it had clearly chosen the wrong target. 'That year I spent on missions for the Underground Alliance wasn't for nothing.'
His vast experience and constant state of high alert had allowed him to instantly detect the creature lurking underground.
The mont the creature's head erged, before it could even bare its fangs, the whip kick slamd into its skull.
With a pained HISS, the long black shadow was torn from the ground and sent flying. It landed with a series of THUDS, tumbling over and over to reveal its true form: a massive black python, a full five ters long and as thick as a bucket. The great serpent shook its head violently, whimpering in agony.
"So it's an Earth Spirit Python? Heh, I guess I've found my breakfast!"
Hong Yu chuckled.
The Earth Spirit Python was a Tier One Advanced Desolate Beast that loved to lurk and ambush its prey.
More importantly, its at was delicious—a rare delicacy!
Hong Yu had seen other Hunters kill Earth Spirit Pythons before, so he recognized it imdiately.
HISS HISS!
The Earth Spirit Python finally snapped out of its daze, its furious gaze locked on Hong Yu. It coiled its body and then shot forward like a released spring. The sight of a five-ter python lunging at full stretch was a terrifying spectacle.
Hong Yu's expression remained perfectly calm.
'With my current strength, I'm confident I could even kill a Tier Two Early Desolate Beast. What's a re Tier One Advanced Earth Spirit Python to ?'
"Rising Dragon Fist!"
Hong Yu threw a punch.
The heavy fist slamd into the lower jaw of the Earth Spirit Python's gaping maw. With a pained AOOOWL, the massive serpent was sent flying backward. Hong Yu used his Seven-Star Step to close the distance, grabbing the python's tail. His hands clamped down, and with a sickening CRACK, he crushed the surface muscles, his grip reaching the bone.
"AOOOWL!"
The Earth Spirit Python's body trembled and went rigid.
"Hah!"
Gripping the serpent's tail, Hong Yu spun, and with a sudden burst of strength, heaved the massive Earth Spirit Python in a brutal shoulder throw. With a thunderous BOOM, the python's body crashed into the ground, gouging a half-ter-deep trench into the earth.
"Little Thunderbolt Palm!"
Hong Yu strode forward. Thunder rumbled in his palm as he struck the Earth Spirit Python's weak spot with a Little Thunderbolt Palm that had reached the Realm of Perfection.
BAM!
The Earth Spirit Python shuddered one last ti and then went still, its life extinguished.
"Another three points," Hong Yu said with a snap of his fingers, his point total changing to 134.
Hong Yu humd a jaunty, off-key tune as he pulled out a dagger and sliced off a piece of flesh from three inches behind the Earth Spirit Python's head. This was the most valuable and delicious part of the python's body. Hong Yu took the cut of at and began to roast it over a fire. Before long, a light yet tantalizing aroma began to fill the air.
"Tsk, no wonder people would pay tens of thousands of Gold Coins for this 'three-inch golden serpent flesh.' It really is delicious!"
The piece of "golden serpent flesh" was only the size of his palm, and he quickly finished it.
Hong Yu stretched, preparing to resu his hunt for Desolate Beasts, when his ears twitched. A look of confusion crossed his face. 'Such powerful auras... one, two... there are seven experts at the Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm or higher, and they're approaching at high speed. What's going on? Where did so many powerful cultivators co from?'
In that brief mont of distraction, the seven powerful auras had closed to within a few kiloters, their speed suddenly multiplying.
'It's like they've already found their target!'
'Damn it... I recognize the auras of Lin Hai and Lin Tao!'
Ever since he had comprehended the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, Hong Yu's Perception had grown much sharper. He recognized the auras of the Lin brothers among the seven. His expression flickered, but there was no fear in it. Instead, he licked his lips, a strange smile playing on his face as he murmured, "Looks like the two brothers found themselves so backup."
As if to prove him right, seven figures soon tore through the sky and landed before him.
It was Lin Hai, Lin Tao, Wang ng, Chen Hao, and three others—a group of seven in total.
Two of them were at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm, the strongest of the group. Three of them, the weakest, were at the Mid-Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm.
More importantly, all seven were mbers of the Ten Great Celestial Prodigies from the recent clan tournant. Each possessed imnse talent and combat strength. As a group, they could even contend with a true Earth Soul Realm expert.
"Hahaha, we've finally found you!"
"Hong Yu, surrender quietly and we might spare your pathetic life! Otherwise, this day next year will be your death anniversary!"
"You should feel proud. It took seven of us from the Ten Great Celestial Prodigies to hunt you down."
The taunts rang out one after another.
Chen Hao was the most arrogant of them all. He spat in Hong Yu's direction, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt and killing intent. Licking his crimson lips, he sneered, "Hong Yu, Young Master Lin paid a hefty price for us to co kill you. I'd advise you not to fight back. Let cripple your limbs and your cultivation, and maybe I'll even help you beg Young Master Lin to spare your miserable life!"
"Cut the crap, Chen Hao," Lin Hai roared, his eyes bloodshot. "I will *never* spare him. I want him to suffer a fate worse than death."
With such a powerful lineup on his side, his confidence had swelled. This, combined with his deep-seated hatred for Hong Yu, made his tone even more nacing.
Lin Tao nodded fiercely. "That's right! Only making him suffer a fate worse than death will be enough to quell my hatred."
"Sigh, you two are hopeless," Chen Hao said, shaking his head in exasperation. "I was just trying to fool him. If he'd actually crippled his own limbs and cultivation, you could have done whatever you wanted with him. It would have been easy." He stuck out his long, crimson tongue, licked his lips, and added suddenly, "Young Master Lin, I heard Hong Yu has a very young sister at ho..."
"Hmph!"
Lin Hai snorted. "Once Hong Yu is dead, the Hong Family won't bother with his sister. You can do whatever you want with her then. It's none of my business."
"Excellent!"
Chen Hao cackled.
He was already imagining the scene: Hong Yu dead, and himself having his way with the sister.
Lost in his depraved fantasy, Chen Hao had no idea that with that single sentence, he had just summoned a murderous Godslayer.
CRACKLE!
Hong Yu's hand tightened around the shaft of his long spear, his knuckles cracking from the pressure.
A closer look would have revealed a vein throbbing on Hong Yu's forehead like an enraged dragon, ready to unleash a torrent of devastating fury at any mont.
"Ooh, look, everyone! He's getting angry!" Chen Hao said in a taunting, sing-song voice, patting his chest. "Oh dear, I'm so, so scared!"
"You are courting death."
Hong Yu finally spoke.
His voice was a guttural rumble, like that of an enraged beast, and his gaze was as sharp and cold as the glint of a blade.
"Courting death? Hmph. We'll see who's the one dying today!"
Chen Hao's expression froze for an instant before he decisively gripped a long spear. The entire weapon was carved with a ferocious, coiling black dragon, giving it a cold, bloodthirsty air.
"Take this! Furious Dragon Roll!"
Chen Hao roared like thunder and charged forward, long spear in hand.
Furious Dragon Roll was an Advanced Martial Skill. Executed with Chen Hao's cultivation at the Late Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm, it could unleash an imnse force. Amplified by his technique, the strike's power was great enough to kill an expert at the Peak of the Essence Realm, a level above his own.
WHOOSH! The wind howled.
A powerful gale erupted from the tip of Chen Hao's spear, twisting into a furious vortex that surged forward.
Dust and stones were kicked into the air wherever he passed, making him look like an unstoppable War God.
'As expected of one of the Ten Great Celestial Prodigies.'
'This Chen Hao really has so skill.'
"Chen Hao is this powerful? I definitely couldn't block that attack..."
"Furious Dragon Roll... That's an incredibly difficult Advanced Martial Skill to learn. But once you master it, its power is far greater than other skills of the sa rank."
"With Chen Hao on the attack, Hong Yu is sure to be defeated!"
The few prodigies who had yet to witness Hong Yu's true strength whispered amongst themselves.
Only the Lin brothers remained silent, their faces grim.
'Can soone like Chen Hao really handle Hong Yu?'
They didn't think so.
"Hong Yu, there's nowhere left to run! Just die!" Chen Hao cackled, his taunts unending. "After I'm done with you, I'll go have so fun with your little sister! Hahaha!"
At that mont, Hong Yu moved.
He used no flashy moves, nor did he draw upon the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in his Lower Dantian.
He simply, almost casually, reached out to grab the long spear.
"Is Hong Yu insane? He's trying to catch an Advanced Martial Skill with his bare hand!"
"Has he given up all hope of winning?"
"He's literally asking to die!"
While the crowd was still jeering, expecting to see Hong Yu's hand torn to shreds, his palm broke through the swirling gale and seized the spear tip. The unstoppable weapon ca to a dead stop. The sight stunned everyone, and a collective gasp swept through the onlookers.
"How is that possible? He... he actually caught it bare-handed?"
"Impossible! Is his hand made of steel?"
Only the Lin brothers exchanged a look, their expressions saying, 'I knew it.'
The person most devastated by this was, without a doubt, Chen Hao. His face went deathly pale, and he shook his head frantically. "Impossible... This is impossible..." In his shock and disbelief, a venomous chill grew in his heart.
He snapped his head up, his eyes glinting with the cold light of a viper as he shrieked, "Bastard, I'll kill you!"
Chen Hao frantically channeled his Profound Skill, trying to unleash another powerful move to kill Hong Yu.
However, Hong Yu gave him no such chance. He simply opened his mouth and spoke, his words laced with ice. "Kill ? You're not qualified."
The hysterical Chen Hao suddenly shuddered as the Elental Power and life force drained from his body. He looked down in horror to find himself being lifted into the air. Hong Yu was holding Chen Hao's spear with his left hand; with his right, he had run Chen Hao through with his own spear and was now hoisting him high into the air with one arm.
Hong Yu held Chen Hao aloft on the tip of his long spear. His imperious gaze swept across the stunned faces of Lin Tao and the others as he asked coolly...
"Who's next?"
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