Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Hong Yu and Feng Xue Xin blurred into two swift figures and slamd into each other.
BOOM!
A force of over ten thousand pounds of pressure erupted from each of them. The ground beneath their feet instantly shattered, and their legs sank deep into the earth.
"This Hong Yu is a true Demon Fiend. He hasn't even reached the Earth Soul Realm, yet he possesses imnse strength exceeding ten thousand pounds. His talent surpasses even the Three Heroes and the Hegemon. I'm afraid he's already comparable to the Four Great Kings!"
"It's truly enviable. Back in the day, of the Eight Great Celestial Prodigies—the Four Kings, the Three Heroes, and the Hegemon—the Hong Family claid all Four Kings for themselves, and the Hegemon was one of theirs as well. Now, they've produced another disciple who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Four Kings. Such fortune is truly heaven-defying!"
"It's a pity he's destined to be a short-lived cot, fated to die young. A dead prodigy is a forgotten one."
Murmurs of amazent, lant, and regret echoed through the camp.
Hong Tianduan's face was dark as a stormy sea, his eyes flashing as he seethed with hatred. 'Damn it all! If a prodigy like him were properly nurtured, he would surely increase our Montum imnsely. But that Hong Tiande is too sinister. He actually invoked the na of Hong Renjie and the other Four Kings to force Lord Feng's hand against Hong Yu... Despicable, utterly despicable...'
At this thought, Hong Tianduan shot a cold glare at Hong Tiande.
Sensing the fury in Hong Tianduan's glare, Hong Tiande broke into a sinister sneer. He murmured, "I know you're furious. But anyone who offends , Hong Tiande, is destined for a bad end. Heh heh heh… This Hong Yu is your precious trump card against the Four Kings, isn't he? If I were you, I'd be rushing to stop Lord Feng, no matter the cost!"
"Hong Tiande, don't you go too far," Hong Tianduan said through gritted teeth.
Hong Tiande curled his lip. "Too far? No, no, no. Not killing that little bastard with my own hands is the greatest rcy I can show. Just watch. The boy genius you have such high hopes for is about to be wiped from existence…" He paused, a look of utter disdain in his eyes. 'No matter how talented you are, you'll still be destroyed by my hand in the end.'
All eyes were fixed on the two figures who had just collided.
So hoped for Hong Yu's death; others prayed for his survival...
But regardless of their hopes, they all had to admit that faced with Feng Xue Xin's incredible power, even they would be shattered to pieces if they were in Hong Yu's place. Moreover, though Hong Yu was a Demon Fiend, his cultivation was only at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm. His chances of survival were practically zero!
However, was that truly how it would end?
"Hahahaha!"
From between the two youths who had collided, a sudden, hearty laugh rang out.
"What's going on?" The crowd was taken aback.
Hong Tiande frowned, a sliver of unease creeping into his heart.
A glimr of hope shone in Hong Tianduan's eyes, and he found himself praying for a miracle.
Looking back at Hong Yu and Feng Xue Xin, the two stood face-to-face, their legs buried to the knees in the earth. Each had one hand in a fist and the other held open as a palm—fist against palm, palm cradling fist. They stared into each other's eyes, and the hearty laughter had co from Feng Xue Xin.
"Excellent, excellent! Hong Yu, you really are an interesting fellow."
Feng Xue Xin flashed a brilliant, sunny smile and clicked his tongue in admiration. "It took a full six months to cultivate the Ten Thousand Shadows Spear Technique and the Beidou Step Technique to the Realm of Perfection, yet you, my friend, learned their very essence just by watching perform a few moves. That spear thrust of yours, in particular, had clearly reached a state of profound, transformative mastery. You're simply incredible!"
"My apologies, Brother Feng. I didn't an to learn your Martial Skills without permission," Hong Yu said, embarrassed.
Feng Xue Xin pulled back his hands, extracted his feet from the ground, and slung an arm around Hong Yu's shoulders as he did the sa. "What's this talk about learning without permission?" he said with a grin. "The Martial Dao is all about absorbing the essence of all techniques, refining their strengths to enhance one's own power. The fact that you could grasp it after seeing perform it once—and even create such a profound Martial Skill from it—ans your talent and comprehension are among the most incredible I've ever witnessed. In the entire Cyan Nether Sword Sect, only the Ten Great True Disciples could possibly compare to you!"
"You flatter , Brother Feng!"
Hong Yu said modestly.
Feng Xue Xin waved a hand. "I'm serious."
Not wanting to dwell on the topic, Hong Yu smiled. "Brother Feng, after we parted that day, I never thought we'd et again. To think we'd run into each other under these circumstances… life is full of unexpected reunions!"
"Hahaha, that's fate for you!"
Feng Xue Xin let out a booming laugh and patted Hong Yu's shoulder. With a flick of his wrist, a half-eaten, golden-brown roasted chicken appeared in his palm. He tore off a drumstick, tossed it to Hong Yu, and then began to devour his own portion with gusto. "I was so disappointed after eating that Fiery Fla Vermilion Fruit the other day," he mumbled through a mouthful of food, "so I ca to the Abyssal Mountain Range to find so truly delicious ingredients. I stumbled on a lead for a Celestial Phoenix Chicken and ended up staking this place out until today, when I finally caught the feathered beast. Try so, it's amazing!"
With that, he went back to gnawing on the chicken.
Hong Yu's mouth twitched. "..."
'Now I'm truly beginning to understand Feng Xue Xin's obsession with food.'
'He'd battle a Tier Two Wild Beast, the Dominating Demon Ape, just for a taste of the Fiery Fla Vermilion Fruit. And he, a mighty Late Stage Earth Soul Realm Powerhouse, would stake out the Abyssal Mountain Range for a full half a month for a taste of the Celestial Phoenix Chicken...'
'Holy crap, *that's* what you call a foodie!'
As he thought about it, Hong Yu's stomach let out a loud RUMBLE. The Celestial Phoenix Chicken slled just too good. He lifted the drumstick and started to gnaw on it. The at was satisfyingly firm, and the flavor was sweet and savory. With every chew, a gush of delicious juice burst from the at, flooding his mouth.
Feng Xue Xin grinned. "So? My skills aren't half bad, eh?"
While savoring the delicious flavor, Hong Yu gave him a thumbs-up.
The sound of the two of them chewing and swallowing—CHOMP, GULP—filled the air. anwhile...
Hong Tiande stared, his face a mask of disbelief. "..."
An indescribably odd expression was plastered on Hong Tianduan's face. "..."
The other experts exchanged bewildered glances. "..."
What in the world was going on?
Wasn't Hong Tiande supposed to have used the reputation of Hong Renjie, the Leader of the Four Kings, to pressure Feng Xue Xin into killing Hong Yu? What happened to the plan of killing with a borrowed knife? How did it turn into the two of them casually eating roasted chicken together?
"Lord Feng, you're…" Hong Tiande began, his voice low and pointed.
Feng Xue Xin, who was thoroughly enjoying his al, shot a cold glance at Hong Tiande. "What about ?"
"Th-That is…"
Hong Tiande's expression shifted rapidly. But the thought of Hong Luàn and Hong Hu dying at Hong Yu's hands, combined with Hong Yu's terrifying talent, left him on edge. He had no choice but to bite the bullet. "Lord Feng, Hong Renjie is a True Disciple. If I were to write a letter reporting today's events to him, I'm afraid it would put you in a very awkward position, no?"
Hong Tiande's reasoning was simple.
A True Disciple held an incredibly high status within the Cyan Nether Sword Sect.
Each of the Ten Great True Disciples held a status on par with that of an Elder. In addition to their astonishing talent and strength, they also had a chance to vie for the position of Sect Leader. At worst, they were guaranteed to beco an Elder in the future. For this reason, even the lofty Elders would show a certain amount of deference to a True Disciple.
In Hong Tiande's mind, by invoking Hong Renjie's na, Feng Xue Xin would surely be intimidated enough to help him deal with Hong Yu.
However, Feng Xue Xin just gave him a passing glance, a look of contempt on his face. "A True Disciple? Is that supposed to be impressive?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he flicked his wrist, and a gleaming silver Sword Order appeared in his palm.
Hong Tiande's eyes flew wide, looking as if they would pop right out of their sockets.
Engraved upon the silver Sword Order were two distinct words: True Disciple!
Feng Xue Xin was also a True Disciple!
"H-Hong Tiande pays his respects to the esteed True Disciple!" The True Disciple Sword Order could not be a forgery. Drenched in a cold sweat, Hong Tiande scrambled to his knees and kowtowed.
Hong Tianduan and the other experts from Shishui City all wore expressions of utter shock.
When they looked again at Hong Yu, sitting beside Feng Xue Xin, the experts who had backed the other, now-deceased prodigies no longer dared to harbor any ill will. 'Can't you see he's on brotherly terms with a True Disciple from the Cyan Nether Sword Sect? Who would dare make a move on Hong Yu now? That's just asking to die!'
Hong Tiande was the most terrified of all, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
'Feng Xue Xin is a True Disciple! That ans even if he were to kill right here, neither the Hong Family nor Hong Renjie would risk offending an esteed True Disciple for the sake of one dead Elder!'
Feng Xue Xin's cool gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Hong Tiande. His indifferent voice made Hong Tiande freeze as if he'd been struck by lightning. "Hong Tiande, don't think for a second that no one knows what you've done. If not for your connection to Hong Renjie, I would have punished you the mont you sent that man out."
"I was wrong! Please, esteed True Disciple, spare my life!" Hong Tiande kowtowed repeatedly, begging for rcy.
Feng Xue Xin said coolly, "The n you sent are already dead, so I won't pursue that matter. However, you knowingly violated the rules of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, and that isn't sothing I can just let slide." He paused, then looked at Hong Yu. "Brother, what we do with this old bastard is up to you!"
THUD!
At these words, Hong Tiande collapsed to the ground, landing hard on his rear.
Letting Hong Yu decide his fate?
Hong Tiande wanted to weep but had no tears. He had antagonized Hong Yu more than just once or twice. Given the hatred between them, each one wished the other a grueso death!
Hong Yu, however, remained silent. Staring at Hong Tiande's ashen face, he felt a strange sense of detachnt.
Not long ago…
It was this very man, Elder Hong Qi, whose powerful glare had nearly shattered his will and turned him into a mindless simpleton. Back then, Hong Yu had been as weak as an ant before him, soone the Elder could crush with a whim. But tis had changed. Now, the life and death of this once-lofty Seventh Elder rested in his hands.
This dramatic reversal of fortunes drove ho the importance of strength to Hong Yu once again.
'If Feng Xue Xin hadn't appeared today,' he thought, 'I would already be a corpse.'
He took a deep breath. Just as he was about to speak, a voice transmission from Hong Tianduan reached him. "Hong Yu, he is an Elder of our Hong Family, after all. Besides, his faction is extrely powerful. If you kill him, you will surely be ostracized within the family, and even your sister might get caught in the fallout…"
Hong Yu froze, sinking into deep thought.
He thought of Yun ngyao. He was heading to the Cyan Nether Sword Sect, but Yun ngyao had to remain in Shishui City, in the Hong Family.
At this thought, Hong Yu sighed softly and said, "Hong Tiande, I can spare your life today!"
Hearing this, Hong Tiande looked up in disbelief, while Hong Tianduan breathed a sigh of relief, tinged with a hint of regret.
'Hong Tiande's death would certainly weaken the opposing faction's power,' Hong Tianduan thought. 'But now is not the ti to completely break all ties with his faction!'
Just as everyone assud the matter was settled, Hong Yu spoke again. His next words made everyone's nerves tighten. Hong Tiande's face instantly beca hideous, his heart leaping into his throat. They heard Hong Yu say quietly…
"However, if you want to live, you must…"
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