Chapter 407: Overbearing
Xiao Qi had no prior knowledge that Zhi Yan was after the Phoenix Sunflower; otherwise, she would never have sold it before his arrival. But she showed no panic, smiling sweetly as she said, "So Young Master Zhi happened to need a Phoenix Sunflower. You should have told me earlier. If you had just spoken up, I'd have gladly delivered it to your doorstep myself. What a pity—the Phoenix Sunflower I had was sold to another gentleman just before you came."
"What? Sold!?" Zhi Yan's expression changed, his voice instantly turning irritable: "Sold to whom? Who bought it?! This is the last Phoenix Sunflower! I must get my hands on it no matter what—I'll take it by force if I have to! Tell me who bought it!"
The people in the hall immediately wore expressions of schadenfreude, their mocking glances shifting toward Yun Che. Xiao Qi smiled and said, "Young Master Zhi, don't be anxious. The gentleman who bought the Phoenix Sunflower is still here. You can discuss it with him properly. Maybe he'll be willing to transfer it to you."
Xiao Qi stepped aside and extended her hand toward Yun Che: "It's this gentleman. He bought the last Phoenix Sunflower from me for two thousand purple profound coins. Whether he's willing to transfer it depends on you, Young Master Zhi."
Zhi Yan's gaze snapped to Yun Che. Scanning his profound strength, a clear sneer plastered itself on his face. He strode over, releasing an oppressive force that would make even a mid-stage Heavenly Profound cultivator struggle to breathe. "You bought the Phoenix Sunflower? Hmph. You heard what I said just now. Hand it over to me. Don't worry—I'll give you every single coin you spent on it, so no one can say the Zhi Yang Sect bullies the weak!"
Zhi Yan's tone was not one of negotiation but a harsh command—the typical manner of an absolute strongman speaking to a weaker one. Yun Che's expression remained unchanged as he said flatly, "Sorry, but this Phoenix Sunflower is equally important to me. I won't transfer it."
"Oh?" Zhi Yan clearly hadn't expected that this mere Earth Profound weakling would dare refuse him, especially after he'd promised to refund the coins in full. He didn't immediately lose his temper but turned to Xiao Qi and asked, "What background does this kid have? Looks like he doesn't want to give me face!"
Before Xiao Qi could answer, Gong Sunyu chimed in with schadenfreude: "Seventh Young Master Zhi, this kid's background is certainly not ordinary—otherwise, where would he get the nerve to stand up to you? Tsk tsk, he's a distinguished guest from the eastern Cang Feng Kingdom. Heh heh, when dealing with this foreign guest, Seventh Young Master should be gentle, to show the manners of our great empire."
"Cang Feng Kingdom? Hahahaha…"
At the name "Cang Feng Kingdom," Zhi Yan burst into loud laughter… Earlier, when Yun Che had announced he was from Cang Feng Kingdom, Gong Sunyu and the others had also laughed out loud, as if the name "Cang Feng Kingdom" wasn't the name of a country but a synonym for a joke.
Having grown up in Cang Feng Kingdom, Yun Che didn't think much of it, but now that he was in the Shenhuang Empire, he realized just how lowly Cang Feng Kingdom's status was on the Tian Xuan Continent. In the eyes of the Shenhuang Empire, it could only be described as "humble" or even "ridiculous." He finally understood the deep helplessness, melancholy, and sorrow on Cang Wanhe's face when he had spoken of the "Seven Kingdoms Rank Battle" back then…
Everyone has a natural attachment to their homeland, and Yun Che was no exception. Seeing his native country being sneered at and despised by these people, treated as an unabashedly inferior nation… he couldn't help but feel anger welling up. But compared to the Shenhuang Empire, Cang Feng Kingdom was far too weak—like a lamb compared to a lion. That was an undeniable fact.
Zhi Yan had initially worried that Yun Che might have an extraordinary background that could cause trouble, but now that he knew Yun Che was from Cang Feng Kingdom, all his reservations vanished. He said domineeringly, "Kid, my patience is very limited. Hand over that Phoenix Sunflower to me right now. If I lose my patience, don't expect to get even half a profound coin—let alone the Phoenix Sunflower."
"Heh! Kid, do you know who Seventh Young Master Zhi is? The fact that he's even speaking to you is the greatest honor you'll ever have. Don't be ungrateful," Gong Sunyu added sarcastically from the side.
Xiao Qi quickly gave Yun Che a meaningful look and said in a soft, honeyed voice, "Young Master, since Young Master Zhi urgently needs this Phoenix Sunflower, why not transfer it to him? I'm sure Young Master Zhi will be grateful, and you might even become friends."
Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly, his voice still utterly flat: "I told you, this Phoenix Sunflower is very important to me. I won't transfer it."
"Fine, kid…" Zhi Yan's muscles bulged, and rage filled his face. "It seems you won't drink a toast when offered—you'd rather be forced to drink a forfeit! I'll ask you one last time: will you give it up or not?"
Yun Che said coldly, "I bought the Phoenix Sunflower, so it's mine. How I dispose of it is up to me—not up to you to command me to hand it over. If you want a Phoenix Sunflower, go look elsewhere. I don't have time to entertain you."
With that, Yun Che turned and prepared to leave.
"You say it's up to you? Hahahaha!" Zhi Yan laughed wildly. "Naive brat! Today, I'll teach you a lesson: in this world, no matter what the matter is, it's the one with the hardest fist who calls the shots!"
Zhi Yan reached out abruptly and grabbed Yun Che's shoulder. His arm was thicker than Yun Che's thigh, and by comparison, Yun Che's physique seemed frail and utterly vulnerable. With a sinister laugh, he tried to lift Yun Che by the shoulder. But when he exerted force, Yun Che's body didn't budge at all. Zhi Yan's eyes widened; he bulged his arm muscles, veins popping, and yanked hard—but Yun Che remained completely motionless, not even shifting his feet by a fraction.
Zhi Yan's heart pounded with alarm. Though he vaguely sensed something unusual, it only made him angrier. Frustrated, he bellowed, "Let me show you how hard my fist is!"
He released his grip on Yun Che's shoulder, clenched his hand into a fist, and slammed it toward Yun Che, purple flame igniting around his knuckles. Driven by a vague unease, he used nearly all his strength—nine-tenths of his power—not hesitating to kill Yun Che on the spot. After all, the other party was just a low-level profound practitioner from Cang Feng; there would be no consequences even if he died.
"Young Master Zhi!" Xiao Qi cried out in alarm at his action. The others were also startled. With that punch, profound energy roared through the entire hall—clearly a full-force strike. None of them were confident they could withstand such a blow, and Yun Che would likely be smashed into pulp.
Bang!!
Zhi Yan's fist, wreathed in purple flame, slammed solidly into Yun Che's chest, producing a dull, heavy impact. The scattered profound force made the entire hall tremble violently. Every unoccupied chair shattered without exception, and even the marble floor beneath them cracked, sending a long fissure across the stone.
The power of a Half-step King Xuan was no small matter. Everyone present was terrified. What shocked them even more was why Zhi Yan would go this far against a mere Earth Profound cultivator from Cang Feng—it was an absurd overreaction. But when they looked at Yun Che, they were all stunned, unable to believe their eyes.
Zhi Yan's fist still rested against Yun Che's chest. Yet Yun Che hadn't been sent flying—he hadn't even stepped back. His expression was completely unchanged. Opposite him, Zhi Yan's face, originally full of arrogance, was twisted in extreme agony. At that moment, the soft armor on his right arm burst into shreds like paper, and blood gushed out like a flood from a broken dam, instantly staining his entire arm red.
Zhi Yan seemed to wake from a nightmare. Staggering backward, he clutched his right arm, which had gone completely numb and hung limp, letting out a suppressed, painful groan. His pupils dilated, filled with deep terror. "You... you…"
"It seems your fist isn't all that great," Yun Che said, reaching out to brush disdainfully at the spot on his chest where he'd been hit. Then his eyes turned icy cold, and he punched toward Zhi Yan.
Zhi Yan instinctively raised his left arm to block. But with Yun Che's Great Dao Pagoda Art cultivation—even without using profound strength, his arm strength alone was a terrifying twenty thousand jin—how could Zhi Yan possibly withstand it? A crack sounded as Zhi Yan's left arm bone shattered into several pieces. He let out a pig-slaughtering scream, flew backward, and slammed into the stone wall behind him, his body embedded deeply into it.
Such a scene was something none of them could have ever imagined. Everyone stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded. Zhi Yan—of such esteemed background, such monstrous talent! The seventh young master of the Zhi Yang Sect, a twenty-eight-year-old Half-step King Xuan—had been utterly crushed by Yun Che without even a chance to fight back!
It wasn't that Zhi Yan was weak, nor that he had held back—that punch he'd thrown at Yun Che had clearly been full force. No, it was the man opposite him—this Cang Feng profound practitioner they had belittled and mocked—who was terrifyingly powerful! Zhi Yan's full-force strike hadn't even scratched a single hair on Yun Che's head! And Yun Che's casual punch had shattered Zhi Yan's arm bone! What terrifying body and strength!
A chill ran up their spines. They had been looking down on and sneering at such a freak! Gong Sunyu, in particular, was pressed against his chair, his face pale, his whole body trembling in fear, not daring to move.
Yun Che's form flickered, and in an instant, he appeared before Zhi Yan. He reached out, grabbed him by the throat, and yanked his burly body out of the wall like a chicken, then slammed him hard onto the ground. Looking down at Zhi Yan's blood-soaked face, he said flatly, "Do you still want the Phoenix Sunflower I bought?"
Zhi Yan hadn't even regained his senses before Yun Che had severely injured him. Lying on the ground, he gasped for breath and said, "I am... the seventh young master of the Zhi Yang Sect... If you... dare to harm me... the Zhi Yang Sect... will not let you go..."
Yun Che narrowed his eyes and sneered. "You said something quite true: in this world, it's the one with the hardest fist who calls the shots. But if you're arrogant without enough strength, you're just asking for death!"
With that, Yun Che stomped down on Zhi Yan's chest. Zhi Yan's eyes bulged, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Stop!!"
The white-haired old man who had been standing behind Xiao Qi shouted. He suddenly attacked, sending a cold gleam straight at Yun Che. Instantly, the pressure of a Throne enveloped the entire hall. Things had escalated to this point; he could no longer stand idly by. If Zhi Yan suffered some irreversible harm, the Zhi Yang Sect would likely take revenge on the Luo Yan Merchant Guild.
"Get lost!"
Although this white-haired old man was a true Throne, he was only at the first level of the King Xuan realm—a low-level Throne who posed no threat to Yun Che. Without even turning his head, Yun Che flung out a Phoenix Break, which collided with the cold gleam. In an instant, the cold light was completely dispersed. The Phoenix Break continued undiminished, slamming straight into the old man's chest. Startled, the old man hastily defended, stumbling back seven or eight steps before barely managing to block the Phoenix Break's force. But both his sleeves were scorched black.
"This is... Phoenix Flame!" the old man exclaimed in shock. "You are a member of the Fenghuang God Sect!"
The Phoenix Flame that Yun Che had flung out was clearly visible and perceptible to all. It was unmistakably Phoenix Flame—no possible forgery. And Phoenix Flame was the unique profound flame of the Fenghuang God Sect! Anyone who could release Phoenix Flame was one hundred percent a member of the Fenghuang God Sect—a figure at the very peak of the entire Shenhuang Empire!
"Hmph!" Yun Che snorted but did not respond, nor was he foolish enough to deny it.
Zhi Yan realized he had kicked a solid iron plate today. Amid his terror, his mind churned with thoughts of how to tear Yun Che apart later. But when he personally witnessed Yun Che unleash Phoenix Flame, his entire body trembled violently. This enmity was one he could never seek revenge for. The Fenghuang God Sect was an existence the Zhi Yang Sect absolutely could not afford to provoke. Though his Zhi Yang Sect was called the second sect of Shenhuang, the gap between it and the Fenghuang God Sect was like the distance between heaven and earth.
"So... so you're a brother from the Fenghuang God Sect... I was blind and failed to recognize a true dragon. This injury is not at all undeserved..." Zhi Yan adopted a pleading posture, all his arrogance and toughness gone. "Had I known you were a brother from the Fenghuang God Sect... I wouldn't have dared offend you even with heaven-sized courage... If you still find this unsatisfying, please leave a sound transmission imprint. Another day, I will... I will personally come to your door with heavy gifts to apologize..."
Beaten until his bones were shattered and his internal organs injured, yet still having to grovel and apologize—such was the immense deterrent power and influence of the Fenghuang God Sect in the Shenhuang Empire. The others in the hall had all stood up, remaining rigidly in place, not daring to breathe heavily. Their gazes toward Yun Che were filled with deep reverence. As for Gong Sunyu, who had mocked Yun Che several times earlier, he was drenched in cold sweat, his legs trembling, on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
The old man stepped forward and said fearfully, "An honored guest from the Fenghuang God Section has arrived. This old man failed to recognize your eminence and allowed you to be disturbed. It is... a crime deserving of death... Xiao Qi, what are you standing there for? Hurry and return the profound coins!"
"Yes... yes." Xiao Qi was also nervous, her face a bit pale, and she fumbled to retrieve the purple profound coins.
"No need." Yun Che removed his foot from Zhi Yan's chest. "Don't be nervous. I'm not a rotten scum like the one at my feet who bullies others with his power. If others don't provoke me, I can't be bothered to provoke anyone else... You may continue."
With that, Yun Che paid no further attention to anyone and turned toward the exit. The crowd watched him leave step by step, all secretly heaving a sigh of relief. But not a single person dared to speak, for fear of drawing his attention.
When he passed by Gong Sunyu, Yun Che suddenly turned his head and gave him a cold stare. Gong Sunyu let out a terrified shriek, his legs gave way, and he plopped down onto the ground... Not until Yun Che had walked far away did he come to his senses, nearly soiling himself on the spot.
The Fenghuang God Sect had ruled the Shenhuang Kingdom for five thousand years. Its prestige was deeply rooted, and its deterrent power was so strong that other nations could not comprehend it. Yun Che couldn't help but sigh inwardly: if the Cang Feng imperial clan could be so dominant, the previous imperial rebellion would never have happened.
Just as he was about to step out of the hall's entrance, a strange sensation swept across his back. Yun Che paused and immediately turned around. All he saw were the faces in the hall—expressions of awe and slight fear. His gaze swept briefly over everyone's faces. With a slight frown, he turned and walked away slowly.