Chapter 66: A Battle Shocks the City (3)
Li Hao, the strongest of the sixteen-year-olds, had been effortlessly defeated by an opponent of the same age. Xia Yuanba was clenching his teeth in frustration, cursing his own low profound strength. Not only could he not reclaim face for Li Hao and the New Moon Mystic Palace, but he didn't even have the qualifications to challenge Xuan Yu. But he never expected that Xuan Yu would point his finger at him. Staring at Xuan Yu's fingertip, Xia Yuanba's eyes went wide, and he was completely dumbfounded.
Moreover, this Xuan Yu actually called him "Big guy senior brother!"
All gazes instantly converged on Xia Yuanba. All the elders of New Moon Mystic Palace furrowed their brows, and the disciples were also wide-eyed. None of them had expected that Xuan Yu's chosen challenger would be Xia Yuanba, who was only fifteen years old and had come purely to watch the excitement today! However, given Xia Yuanba's astonishing physique, anyone who didn't know him would never guess he was only fifteen! Mistaking him for eighteen or nineteen was normal.
Sikong Han spoke up: "This is my palace's disciple, Xia Yuanba. But you can't call him senior brother. Although his body is overly robust, he is only fifteen years old, the youngest in my palace."
"Fifteen... years old?" Many people from the Seven Mystic Sect side directly spat out the tea in their mouths. Xuan Yu's eyes also bulged.
"Yuanba, since this disciple of Xuan Xin Sect wants to spar with you, you should accept the challenge calmly," Sikong Han said, turning around. "You are still young; losing is not shameful. Just do your best."
"Yes, Elder." Xia Yuanba nodded and stood up. As his nearly two-point-three-meter tall body straightened, it startled quite a few people in the hall. Yun Che patted him and said in a low voice, "Be careful. Don't get hurt."
"Heh, don't worry. Although my profound strength is lacking, my body can take a beating." Xia Yuanba patted his chest confidently and walked to the center of the main hall. Standing in front of Xuan Yu, he said, "My name is Xia Yuanba, class one of the Mystic Palace. I'm fifteen years old. Please guide me."
Xuan Yu had clearly intended to challenge someone older to show off his prowess. Unexpectedly, he had pointed out a "giant" who looked over eighteen but was only fifteen! A sixteen-year-old fighting a fifteen-year-old—even if he won, there would be little glory in it. He casually probed the opponent's profound strength, and the corner of his mouth twitched... Only the sixth level of the Initial Xuan Realm! Picking such an opponent was beneath his dignity!
"This fool! I knew something would go wrong when he came to this banquet! If outsiders think that someone at the sixth level of Initial Xuan Realm can be an elite disciple of the Mystic Palace, wouldn't that be a laughingstock? Hmph, a complete disgrace!"
A series of mocking, disdainful mutterings drifted into Yun Che's ear. He glanced sideways at Murong Ye, then looked away, focusing his attention on Xia Yuanba.
Murong Ye, who had just shut his mouth, suddenly felt a chill run through his entire body, and he shivered violently. He hurriedly turned around, looking in all directions, his heart pounding wildly... In that instant, he felt as if he had suddenly fallen into an icy cavern, and as if a pair of terrifying viper eyes were fixed on him. But after looking around for a long time, he found nothing unusual. The terrifying feeling from that moment had gradually faded. Murong Ye wiped the cold sweat that had somehow appeared on his forehead, dismissing it as his own paranoia.
"Hah! Mountain-Splitting Rock-Crushing!"
Xia Yuanba struck first, clenching both fists together, leaping up with his massive body and slamming down hard. His physique, combined with the invisible oppressive force, did give off some semblance of a "mountain-splitting rock-crushing" aura.
"Such garbage profound arts, and he dares to show them off? If Xuan Yu lets him last three moves, he won't be able to show his face outside anymore!" an older disciple of Xuan Xin Sect sneered.
Facing Xia Yuanba's powerful attack, Xuan Yu didn't dodge or evade at all. He didn't even assume a stance to use profound arts. Instead, he directly raised his right arm horizontally, without any embellishment, to block Xia Yuanba's seemingly fierce heavy blow, a disdainful smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth...
With a dull thud, Xia Yuanba's fists slammed heavily into Xuan Yu's arm. Xuan Yu's arm sank slightly, then suddenly reversed upward like a viper awakened from a strike, clamping both of Xia Yuanba's thick arms in the crook of his elbow, profound force erupting explosively.
Crack!!
"AHH!!"
"Yuanba!" Yun Che shot to his feet.
With Xia Yuanba's scream, both his arms dislocated in an instant. Xuan Yu flung his arm out, tossing Xia Yuanba's body, which weighed over three hundred fifty jin, more than a meter into the air.
Originally, the "spar" should have ended there. Xia Yuanba had been utterly defeated in a single exchange, and this was an outcome that surprised no one. With his profound foundation, techniques, and skills, Xuan Yu could defeat an opponent only one level below him in two exchanges, let alone Xia Yuanba at the sixth level of Initial Xuan Realm. But just as Xia Yuanba's body was in the air and about to land heavily, a sinister look crossed Xuan Yu's face, and purple light flashed on his right fist.
Yun Che instantly sensed Xuan Yu's intent and shouted sharply, "Stop!!"
But why would Xuan Yu heed his words? A merciless Purple Cloud Palm slammed heavily into Xia Yuanba's body just as he was about to land.
The clear sound of at least three ribs breaking rang out.
"YUANBA!!!!"
Yun Che could no longer care about anything else. He leaped to Xia Yuanba's side and caught his falling body. After landing, Xia Yuanba's face had turned deathly pale, blood flowed from the corners of his mouth, and his face was severely contorted from the excruciating pain. Although Xia Yuanba looked sturdy, his protective profound energy was too weak; how could he withstand Xuan Yu's heavy blow?
Yun Che glared at Xuan Yu, his face turning ashen. "This competition is only for sparring, to be stopped at the point of contact. The victor was already clear just now—why did you strike so heavily?"
"Heh!" Xuan Yu let out a disdainful sneer. "Sparring is fine, but blades and fists have no eyes—everyone knows that. In sparring, it's common for injuries or even deaths to occur because it's hard to hold back. A little injury is perfectly normal. How was I supposed to know that the elite disciples of New Moon Mystic Palace are so fragile? After just a move or two, they're already breaking bones and spitting blood. Instead of blaming your own incompetence, you come to accuse me?"
"Haha, Brother Xuan Yu is absolutely right."
"Among us fellow disciples, broken legs and arms are commonplace. That's what true sparring is. This New Moon Mystic Palace can't even handle a little injury—no wonder they've always been so pathetic. Tsk tsk..."
"If you ask me, Brother Xuan Yu was already showing mercy. If he had used his full strength, with that kid's Initial Xuan sixth level protective profound energy, would he still be alive?"
Scathing remarks came from the Seven Sects' side. The elders of New Moon Mystic Palace could only shake their heads and sigh helplessly. Yun Che was so angry he laughed instead. He helped Xia Yuanba over to Lan Xueruo, who was nearby, and said, "Senior Sister Xueruo, could you please take care of Yuanba for me?"
"Alright!" Lan Xueruo quickly stepped down, took out a vermilion-white pill, and placed it into Xia Yuanba's mouth. When she looked up, she saw that Yun Che had already stood up and was walking toward Xuan Yu.
"Well said: blades and fists have no eyes." Yun Che stood in front of Xuan Yu, his expression now utterly calm. He stared at the man who had dared to maliciously injure Xia Yuanba in front of him and said flatly, "Remember those words of yours well... Next, I'll be your opponent! Yun Che, class one of the Mystic Palace, sixteen years old!"
"Who is this young man? Sixteen years old, yet at the first level of the Xuan Entry Realm, and his profound energy density is even slightly above Li Hao's. I've never seen him before?" The elders of New Moon Mystic Palace exchanged glances.
"Don't overthink it. He is indeed a disciple of our Mystic Palace, but he only joined at noon today. He is the grandson of an old friend of mine," Sikong Han explained to the other elders, though his brows were furrowed with worry. Yun Che's profound energy aura was indeed a bit stronger than Li Hao's, but only by a hair—basically evenly matched. Li Hao had been utterly crushed by Xuan Yu, and there was no way Yun Che would have a different outcome.
"Hmm? Oh, your name is... Yun Che, right? Don't just stand there. If you want to start, feel free to attack anytime. At least then you'll get one move in. If I strike first, you might not even get a chance to attack." Xuan Yu crossed his arms and said with a grin.
"Heh," Yun Che chuckled as well. He didn't say another word. His body suddenly moved forward, his left hand reaching out, aiming straight for Xuan Yu's throat.
"What? No profound arts?" Xuan Yu's smile grew even more mocking. His eyes half-closed, and just as Yun Che's left arm was less than two feet from his face, his right hand shot out like lightning, grabbing for Yun Che's left wrist, then precisely catching the extended hand in his palm...
A sinister smirk flashed at the corner of Xuan Yu's mouth. Just as he was about to surge his profound force and snap Yun Che's wrist, the palm that should have gripped his wrist suddenly felt empty... His five fingers passed through Yun Che's wrist, grabbing nothing but air! And at that moment, Yun Che's figure dissipated like mist...
At the same time, a gust of roaring wind came from his right side. Dazed, he had no time to react at all...
"SLAP!!"
A deafening slap echoed through every corner of the main hall. Everyone heard it clearly, crisp as if it had struck their own faces. Xuan Yu was sent flying horizontally by the slap, spinning a full one thousand four hundred forty degrees in the air before crashing heavily to the ground.
That slap, Yun Che had used all his strength without reservation. Disgustedly, he wiped the slightly reddened back of his right hand on his clothes and said flatly, "First move."