Chapter 247: Slaying a Genius
The Cloud-Breaking Mountain Range soared into the heavens, severing the white clouds. Some peaks were lush and green at their base, while their summits were covered in pristine snow, presenting a dual spectacle.
Broken Mountain. Located at the heart of the mountain range, figures flickered in the shadows as young cultivators descended one after another. The gathering grew larger, with the outstanding young cultivators of Qu Province assembled together.
Sima Feng wore a slightly cold expression, his stature tall and lean. Standing apart from the crowd, he was quite arrogant. Fixing his gaze on Ye Fan, he said, "That joke wasn't very funny."
Ye Fan stood a few zhang away from him, calm and composed. His joints shifted, emitting crackling sounds, and he quickly resumed his true appearance.
"It really is you," Sima Feng said, somewhat surprised, but he quickly sneered. "You actually dared to come here. You do have some nerve."
Ye Fan's body emitted a mist that enveloped him, concealing his true form. He took a few steps forward and said, "The world is vast—where can I not go? This is just a gathering of Qu Province cultivators. Why wouldn't I dare to come?"
Sima Feng's face turned colder. "Since you've come here today, I'm afraid you won't be leaving."
"You want to slap me to death?" Ye Fan said, taking a few more steps forward as he spoke.
"Killing you is as easy as turning my hand. One slap is enough!" Sima Feng, a genius of the Swallow Cloud Sect, was already a Dao Palace Third Heaven cultivator in his early twenties, and he was quite arrogant.
Ye Fan rubbed his chin and said, "Am I really that easy to bully? One slap from you and I'm dead. You really do treat me like a blade of grass."
"Aside from relying on that flame of yours, you're nothing in my eyes. Killing you is no different from plucking grass or picking leaves—effortless," Sima Feng said flatly.
"Then come and try to slap me to death," Ye Fan said, stepping forward again.
At this moment, the surrounding cultivators noticed the commotion and turned to look.
"Isn't that Sima Feng of the Swallow Cloud Sect? He's hailed as the most outstanding genius of that sect in a hundred years. At just twenty-one, he's already a Dao Palace Third Heaven powerhouse."
"In southern Qu Province, Sima Feng is quite famous among the younger generation. Many speculate that he will definitely break into the Four Extremes Secret Realm before he's thirty."
The gathered cultivators murmured among themselves, holding him in high regard.
At just twenty-one years old and not a Holy Land heir, Sima Feng's cultivation was indeed impressive, as very few of the younger generation had truly reached the Four Extremes Secret Realm. He would likely break into that realm before thirty, a testament to his extraordinary talent.
"You're quite famous in Qu Province—so many people know you," Ye Fan said, his figure growing more ethereal as the mist swirled, covering his entire body.
"Who is this person? He dares to confront Sima Feng. Could he be trying to contend with the genius of the Swallow Cloud Sect?" someone asked, puzzled.
"He must be a challenger. After Sima Feng became famous in southern Qu Province, some young cultivators refused to accept it. This kind of thing happens often."
"Fame is a killer. To gain renown, they risk a fight, but challenging a genius of the Swallow Cloud Sect is just asking for death. Among those around twenty in Qu Province, I doubt anyone can match him."
"It seems I'm in for a rough time. Everyone says I'm no match for you," Ye Fan said self-deprecatingly.
At this moment, Broken Mountain was filled with young cultivators, and many turned their attention to the tense atmosphere here.
"It's a pity. I didn't really want to kill you, but since you've come before me, I don't mind sending you on your way with one slap," Sima Feng replied indifferently. His body turned into a blurry shadow, drifting over like a figure from a painting.
As he had said, he only used one palm. His right hand rose high, radiating a water-blue glow—bright, crystalline, and shimmering.
At this moment, many eyes were fixed on this spot, both near and far. This was a gathering of Qu Province's young cultivators, and such conflicts were expected; no one was surprised.
Those at Broken Mountain, knowing it was Sima Feng, believed there was no suspense. The unknown challenger would surely be killed by the Swallow Cloud Sect's genius.
Ye Fan stood still, waiting for Sima Feng to close in. He raised his right palm to meet the water-blue hand.
"Slap!"
The sound was incredibly loud, like a thunderclap exploding across Broken Mountain. The two palms collided, sending out ripples of water-blue light. The hazy blue glow drifted like thin gauze, engulfing the area.
"As I said, Sima Feng's talent is extraordinary. Challenging him will come at a heavy cost, often one's life."
"The blue light is like lightning, divine power overflowing. The force of that palm is terrifying!"
Many exclaimed in awe.
But when the blue mist cleared, everyone was stunned, their mouths agape, swallowing the words they were about to say.
In the center of the field, Ye Fan stood calmly, his long sleeves fluttering in the mist. Sima Feng, however, was pale as death, having retreated far away. His entire right hand was deformed, beyond recognition, with drops of blood falling to the ground.
"This... how is this possible?!"
"Who is he? He actually wounded the genius of the Swallow Cloud Sect—his right palm bones shattered inch by inch."
"What kind of person is this? I've never heard of him. Could there be such a figure in Qu Province?"
"Qu Province spans over three thousand li, and I've never heard of anyone like this. Could he be a cultivator from another oasis?"
Many around them showed surprise. An unknown person had severely injured Sima Feng with a single palm, leaving everyone astonished.
Ye Fan was very calm. In terms of physical strength alone, who in the Dao Palace Secret Realm could compare to him? His bronze tendons and iron bones were more terrifying than magical artifacts, unmatched in the Dao Palace.
Many speculated about his identity, but his body was shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see through.
"You..." Sima Feng's face was pale. Not only were the bones of his right hand broken, but his entire right arm had shattered into eight pieces. No one was more shocked than him. It felt like he had collided with a great mountain—such divine power was impossible to resist.
"You have quite a challenge trying to slap me to death," Ye Fan said, standing still without pursuing.
Sima Feng's expression stiffened. His right arm trembled as he gritted his teeth to set the bones. At the same time, he spat out a pearl, which hovered above his head, releasing layers of water curtains that protected him.
"That's the Water-Blue Pearl of the Swallow Cloud Sect!" someone exclaimed.
At the same time, Sima Feng spat out a blue lotus, radiating brilliant light. It was as heavy as a mountain, pressing down on the surroundings until everyone struggled to breathe.
The lotus was entirely translucent, glowing with a deep blue luster. Its immense pressure made many feel uneasy, their faces turning pale. Even the ground of Broken Mountain cracked and groaned, forming large fissures.
Ye Fan's expression changed, not only because of the lotus's weight but also because the ground was cracking. This was the dojo of a ruthless figure—if it caused any trouble, things would go badly.
He held nothing back. He charged forward, his palm like a blade, striking repeatedly. The water-blue glow shattered.
The blue lotus remained undamaged, its light growing even brighter as it pressed down. He raised one hand to the sky, holding it aloft. It was indeed as heavy as a mountain, putting some strain on his physical body.
The Water-Blue Pearl rose, flying toward the lotus. The two merged, doubling the weight and forcing Ye Fan to sink downward.
"This is a heavy treasure of the Swallow Cloud Sect, almost unbearable. And this person is holding it off with just his physical body. What kind of background does he have?" Everyone around was astonished.
But what left them even more dumbfounded was yet to come. Ye Fan's hands trembled repeatedly, and a golden great hand seal materialized, collapsing the sky itself.
Sima Feng's expression changed. His left hand shot out three beams of blue light, which converged into a blue lightning blade. It suddenly expanded, reaching over ten zhang in length, and slashed toward Ye Fan.
"Sima Feng has actually refined the Three Yin True Water! Each drop of this water can pierce through metal and shatter stone!"
"Even more terrifying, he has forged a spiritual blade from the true water. This secret art is extremely fearsome—it can sever a person's soul!"
"The Three Yin True Spirit Blade has reappeared. How unexpected and shocking!"
The onlookers all changed color, watching intently.
The Three Yin True Water could extinguish true fire, dissolve refined gold, and weighed tens of thousands of jun. Forged into the Three Yin True Spirit Blade, its power was unmatched.
Ye Fan let out a low roar. His arms shook nine times. After nine strikes, the Swallow Cloud Sect's heavy treasure, the Water-Blue Pearl, and the blue lotus both cracked.
"Boom!"
With the final punch, blue light scattered everywhere. The two treasures turned to dust, shattered by his golden fist!
"Who is this person? How does he have such immense strength?"
"His physical body is harder than treasures. How did he train? Is he from the demon clan?"
"This is terrifying!"
Everyone was stunned, utterly incredulous.
The Three Yin True Spirit Blade slashed down, blue light like lightning, casting a pale blue hue on the skin of those nearby, with bone-chilling cold.
"Clang!"
Ye Fan grabbed the blade with his hand. His right hand was as hard as red gold, leaving five deep fingerprints on the blade.
"The Three Yin True Spirit Blade can sever the soul. Heavens, he caught it with his hand and is completely unafraid."
"Is this someone whose physical body could become a saint in the future? How does he have such a terrifying body?!"
"Boom!"
Sima Feng urged the Three Yin True Spirit Blade forward. Blue light shot into the sky, and water surged everywhere, flooding toward Ye Fan.
This was the Three Yin True Water, capable of dissolving metal and iron. A single drop could pierce a cultivator's body. With so much surging forth, its power was indescribable.
But Ye Fan's entire body radiated brilliant light. All the true water evaporated, turning into blue vapor, unable to harm him at all.
His divine power surged like an immortal furnace, burning and destroying everything.
"Crack, crack."
The Three Yin True Spirit Blade snapped in his hand, reverting to true water, then turning into blue mist as he completely refined it.
This scene was horrifying. The spirit blade, forged through secret arts, was utterly fragile, destroyed by his golden palm.
"You..." Sima Feng's face was deathly pale. He turned and fled, his heart ashen. Such an opponent filled him with a sense of utter defeat.
"The genius of the Swallow Cloud Sect has been defeated and forced to flee."
"That was the genius of southern Qu Province, yet he was no match for this person. Who is he? So terrifying!"
Many at Broken Mountain were filled with shock.
"Now, try the power of my slap!" Ye Fan's speed was incredible. He caught up in an instant, his golden palm expanding to the size of a millstone, smashing down. The void trembled and buzzed.
"Spare him!" a young elite of the ancient aristocratic Ji Family shouted, his figure rushing forward.
At the same time, Sima Feng struggled to resist, hoping to avert his doom.
The golden great hand seal was unparalleled, draining the surrounding heavenly and earthly essence, leaving a blurry patch of black space!
"Slap!"
This time, it was like a muffled thunderclap in the sky.
Sima Feng's resistance was utterly futile. His entire body was smashed, sent flying.
"You..." The young powerhouse of the Ji Family was furious, not expecting the other to disregard his face and kill before his eyes.
He reached out to catch Sima Feng's broken body, but as soon as his hands touched it, the corpse turned to ash—body and soul annihilated!
"Who are you? How dare you kill before me? Did you not hear my words?!" the young Ji Family powerhouse demanded.
"Who do you think you are? You tell me to stop, and I stop? Is the ancient aristocratic family so great?" Ye Fan said, hands clasped behind his back.
That's all for tonight's chapter. We'll continue tomorrow.