Speed and Defense
"Master Xuan, kill him!" Upon hearing Xing Jue's words, the smiling expression on Wang Buren's face instantly transformed into a hideous sneer as he commanded the old man with a goatee.
Gritting his teeth, the old man hesitated for a moment, seemingly conflicted. Finally, he steeled himself and prepared to strike Xing Jue.
"Bang!" Just as the old man was about to unleash his attack, a muffled sound echoed. To everyone's astonishment, Xing Jue vanished into thin air.
"Master Xuan, save me!" When Xing Jue reappeared, everyone was utterly shocked. He was standing directly in front of Wang Buren, his hand tightly gripping the man's throat. Wang Buren's face contorted in pain as he choked out a desperate plea for help. All around Xing Jue, gusts of wind swirled and whipped.
Looking at the sheer terror etched on Wang Buren's face, Xing Jue smirked. "Save you? Weren't you just trying to kill me?" His words, though spoken with a casual air, sent shivers down Wang Buren's spine.
Master Xuan, sensing the murderous aura emanating from Xing Jue, intervened hastily. "Young man, let's talk things over! This doesn't have…"
"Crack!" A sickening crunch cut the Master short. The sound of bone grinding against bone emanated from Wang Buren's neck. His head lolled to the side, lifeless. It was clear – Wang Buren was dead.
Xing Jue casually tossed Wang Buren's body aside and turned towards the stunned old man. "You're next."
The old man stared at the lifeless body of Wang Buren, his rage building. He hadn't agreed to help Wang Buren out of the goodness of his heart. And now, with Wang Buren dead, he would get nothing. "You… You will pay for this! Kill them all! Leave no one from the Xia family alive!"
"Yes, Master!" The twenty or so martial artists behind him roared in unison, their eyes burning with murderous intent as they turned towards Xia family servants.
Panic flooded the servants. Some of them, their faces pale with terror, turned and fled.
Xing Jue let out a mocking laugh, "Haha… Let's see if you have the chance!" In a flash, he blurred into a white streak, shooting toward the group of martial artists with such speed that he seemed more like a meteor streaking across the sky. By the time they realized what was happening, he was gone.
A scream pierced the air as Xing Jue reached the group. One of the martial artists, blood spraying from his mouth, collapsed to the ground.
More screams followed. In less than a minute, the once-lively fighters lay scattered on the ground – dead. Xing Jue stood among the corpses, his eyes fixed on the old man.
The scene that unfolded before them left the Xia family, Siyan, and even the old man speechless. This wasn't twenty chickens or ordinary people. These were twenty skilled martial artists – annihilated in an instant. The sheer display of power was deeply unsettling.
"Well, I guess that puts an end to the massacre, doesn't it?" Xing Jue said casually, wiping his hands together as if brushing off dust. He was enjoying this.
The old man, consumed by rage, could no longer hold back. His disciples… gone! He didn't care how strong Xing Jue seemed. His fury burned bright. With a roar, he gathered his Qi, enveloping himself in a shimmering, protective layer of energy. A palpable wave of killing intent washed over everyone present.
"A defensive technique, huh?" Xing Jue remarked, his eyes gleaming with interest. This old man was certainly powerful – but this technique would drain him quickly. This was going to be fun.
"Boy, you may be fast, but you cannot break through my defense!", the Master roared. "Prepare to die!"
His right fist crackled with energy, and in a blink, a spear of pure Qi formed, humming with deadly power. He lunged. The spear, a blur of motion, shot toward Xing Jue with incredible force.
But Xing Jue remained calm. He waited until the very last second, a smirk playing on his lips, before activating his own Qi and disappearing in a swirl of white energy. When he reappeared, he was several feet away from the spot where the spear struck the ground.
He'd been practicing. A lot. He might not have mastered teleportation yet, but this… this was close enough.
The Master's spear slammed into the ground, leaving a gaping chasm in its wake. Even without hitting its target, the raw power of the attack was evident.
"Tsk, tsk," Xing Jue said, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter how strong your attacks are if they don't hit anything, does it?"
His taunting seemed to infuriate the Master even more. "Let's see if you can dodge this", he snarled. He gathered his Qi. Dozens of daggers, sharp and shimmering, materialized in his hands.
With a flick of his wrists, the Master unleashed a storm of golden daggers. They flew towards Xing Jue at impossible speeds, cutting off all possible escape routes.
Unfazed, Xing Jue smiled. He gathered his own Qi into his right fist, a surge of power coursing through him, and prepared for the impact.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" A series of deafening roars ripped through the air as bursts of energy exploded around Xing Jue like fireworks.
Master Xuan stared at the spectacle, eyes wide with disbelief. "External Qi projection?!"
The old man was right. What Xing Jue had just unleashed wasn't a martial skill, but a highly advanced form of Qi manipulation. Normally, covering oneself in Qi for increased defense and attack power required immense control. Most martial artists could only manage it with their fists or palms. Very few could achieve full-body coverage without relying on Qi-draining techniques.
Xing Jue, however, had managed to gather his Qi into his fist and then fire it off as a long-range attack – something almost unheard of amongst even the most experienced martial artists. It was called "External Qi Projection" – and it was a testament to Xing Jue's extraordinary talent.
Xing Jue looked down at Master Xuan, a mocking grin spreading across his face. "Is that all you've got, old man?" His tone dripped with disdain, as if the old master was nothing more than an insignificant annoyance.
Realization dawned on Master Xuan. He'd underestimated this boy. He had to admit, Xing Jue's speed and Qi control were impressive. But his own defensive technique was rock solid. Xing Jue couldn't hurt him. As long as he stayed on the defensive, he could wear Xing Jue down and find an opening to strike.
"Well? Are you wondering if you're tough enough?" Xing Jue asked, his perpetual smirk unwavering, but his eyes glinted with something dangerous.
Master Xuan met his gaze.
Slowly, Xing Jue raised his right hand. A ball of Qi, brighter and more intense than anything he'd conjured so far, crackled in his palm. Master Xuan watched with growing apprehension as the energy swelled, pulsed, and finally…
"Devouring Wind Palm!" Xing Jue roared as he thrust his palm forward. A searing beam of light shot towards the Master.
An earsplitting clang echoed as a shower of sparks erupted around Master Xuan. He remained unharmed. The energy beam had vanished.
Master Xuan laughed, a triumphant, booming sound. "What did I tell you? Nothing can penetrate my defense! "
Xing Jue seemed unfazed by the old man's taunts. He merely raised his hand again. The glowing energy returned.
"Give it up, boy," Master Xuan scoffed. "Your little tricks are useless aga…"
His words were cut short as a white blur came hurtling toward him.
Another clang. Xing Jue's palm pressed against Master Xuan's chest - but this time, something was different. Master Xuan staggered back, taking a step to regain his balance.
The Master lashed out, his fist aimed at Xing Jue's head, but he was gone again.
Xing Jue reappeared a few feet away. In his palm, a ball of blinding energy was already forming.
Another blinding streak, a meteor slicing through the air, heading straight for the Master. Another impact. Another step back. But Master Xuan was still on his feet, apparently unharmed.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" Xing Jue's attacks came in a relentless barrage. Master Xuan, though seemingly invincible, seemed to be tiring. The protective layer of Qi surrounding him was flickering, growing fainter with each blow.
"Bang!" Xing Jue's speed increased again and again, each movement faster than the last, until he seemed to teleport – a white-clad phantom striking with the speed of light.
There was another flash of light, another resounding clang as Xing Jue's palm slammed into Master Xuan's back. But this time, the Master cried out in pain. The glowing handprint on his back, though partially negated by his defensive Qi, was more than enough to inflict serious damage. His protective aura had finally shattered.
Master Xuan stumbled, his face contorted with pain and disbelief, and collapsed to the ground, blood trickling from his lips. "How…", he choked out.
Xing Jue's expression remained unchanged. He balled his right hand into a fist and swung it towards the Master's chest, his movements swift and brutal.
A sickening crunch. Xing Jue's fist, unimpeded now, sank into Master Xuan's chest. Blood spilled down the Master's robes, staining the ground crimson.
Xing Jue withdrew his hand slowly, as if reluctant to end this, and wiped the blood on his adversary's robes. He leaned down, his breath warm against the dying man's ear. His voice, barely a whisper, held a chilling note of finality. "Looks like I win."