Freak

The secret chamber erupted into chaos, with angry roars and the sound of fists and feet colliding echoing through the room, punctuated by the occasional grunt and the splatter of blood.

As the saying goes, "Two fists cannot fend off four hands," and Yang Kai, already vastly outmatched by these opponents, faced the impossible task of taking on five at once. How could he possibly defend himself?

Each strike he managed to land was met with a barrage of four or five in return.

The disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall showed no mercy, their blows landing with brutal precision. Though they didn't intend to kill Yang Kai, the beating was severe enough that anyone would be bedridden for a month or two.

"Stop!" After what seemed like an eternity, one of the disciples, who had reached the Qi Transformation Stage, suddenly shouted in anger and leapt out of the fray. "Enough! If we keep this up, we'll end up killing him."

The other four quickly retreated as well, their gazes wary as they stared at Yang Kai, who lay beaten on the ground.

"Damn it!" one of them muttered, clutching his cheek. "He slapped me so hard I almost lost a tooth."

Another held his groin with a look of lingering fear. "I nearly got crippled. If I hadn't dodged in time, I'd be the one lying down right now."

Even though he had avoided the worst, his thigh still throbbed with pain, the result of a powerful kick Yang Kai had thrown in his desperate struggle. The memory of it sent a chill down his spine.

The five looked at each other in shock. Despite the overwhelming difference in strength, Yang Kai had left his mark on every single one of them in this lopsided battle.

The realization stunned them. The looks on their faces quickly turned sheepish—how humiliating!

How could a mere third-stage Kaiyuan Realm disciple be so ferocious? They hadn't paid much attention during the beatdown, but in hindsight, it seemed unbelievable.

A soft sound broke the silence, drawing their attention. To their astonishment, Yang Kai, who should have been incapacitated on the ground, was shakily rising to his feet, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

His body flickered with a strange light, fluctuating as if a hidden power was awakening within him. A faint red glow shimmered on his skin, and an intense heat radiated from him, like a long-dormant volcano on the verge of eruption.

"This Yuan Qi...!" The disciple at the Qi Transformation Stage was visibly alarmed. "Something's not right."

This was no ordinary Kaiyuan Realm disciple's Yuan Qi—it was clearly at the peak of the Kaiyuan Realm, just a step away from breaking into the Qi Transformation Stage.

"Can he still stand?" One of them widened his eyes in disbelief. Even if it were him, after such a beating, he wouldn't have the strength to lift a finger. How could Yang Kai still be on his feet?

"He's coming!" another suddenly cried out. Before the words had fully left his mouth, Yang Kai, who had been trembling just moments ago, launched himself at them with the force of a whirlwind.

Midway through, his fists ignited, turning a fiery red like branding irons pulled from the embers.

The disciple who had shouted gathered his Yuan Qi and met Yang Kai's punch head-on.

With a thunderous crash, the disciple was sent flying, slamming into the wall before collapsing to the floor, blood spilling from his mouth. Yang Kai only paused briefly before targeting his next opponent.

"Outrageous!" The leader of the group, the disciple at the Qi Transformation Stage, erupted in fury. Five senior disciples ganging up on one junior, and not only had they failed to take him down, but they were now being counterattacked? If word of this got out, where would their pride go?

Enraged, the disciple thrust out a palm, his voice booming as he channeled his Qi. "Wind Cyclone Strike!"

A whirlwind erupted from his palm, visible to the naked eye, and rushed to meet Yang Kai's fist.

The sound of tearing fabric echoed through the chamber as Yang Kai's sleeve shredded into rags, his arm covered in bloody gashes.

Yang Kai's bloodshot eyes widened in surprise, and with a surge of True Yang Yuan Qi, he fiercely countered the attack, blocking the opponent's martial skill.

With a whoosh, flames burst to life within the chamber.

Yang Kai's True Yang Yuan Qi intertwined with the disciple's Wind Cyclone Strike, igniting it.

Amid the blaze, Yang Kai's fist met the disciple's palm, and both were forced to retreat.

"What are you standing around for? Attack!" The Qi Transformation disciple's palm was scorched red, stunned by the eerie power of Yang Kai's Yuan Qi. Though uninjured, he had still suffered a hidden loss. Infuriated, he bellowed out an order.

The other three Law Enforcement Hall disciples snapped out of their daze and rushed forward, surrounding Yang Kai once more, each using their own martial arts to rain blows upon him.

The disciple Yang Kai had sent flying earlier, seething with humiliation, joined in the assault.

After what seemed like the time it would take to drink half a cup of tea, the four of them finally stopped, panting heavily as they withdrew a few meters, leaving a considerable distance between themselves and Yang Kai, their expressions wary.

They were utterly shaken by their junior brother's ferocity.

The second round of the beating had a noticeable effect!

Yang Kai was in far worse shape than before, his injuries multiplied several times over. Yet... the four had also paid a price, each suffering to varying degrees.

"He won't get up again, will he?" one of them asked softly, coughing into his hand, which came away bloody.

"He shouldn't... not after a beating like that," another muttered, rubbing his bruised eye, which was swollen and blistered as if it had been scalded by boiling water.

The five disciples felt a bitter taste in their mouths. They believed they had suffered such losses due to the confined space.

In the cramped chamber, five against one might seem advantageous, but it made it difficult for them to coordinate their attacks, while their opponent had no such restrictions and could fight freely. If they had been out in the open, where they could fully unleash their strength, how could things have turned out so awkwardly?

But... this junior brother Yang Kai was truly formidable. An ordinary third-stage Kaiyuan Realm disciple wouldn't stand a chance against him. No wonder Wei Zhuang had lost to him.

Just as the five believed Yang Kai had finally been defeated, he began to move again. Though weak and battered, he slowly, inch by inch, rose to his feet. The Yuan Qi radiating from his body had not diminished—instead, it surged even more powerfully.

"Impossible!" the Qi Transformation disciple cursed under his breath. What kind of monster was this junior brother? How could he remain conscious after such a beating?

"Don't come any closer! If you do, we'll really kill you!" The disciple with the bruised eye shouted, trying to sound fierce but betraying a hint of fear.

It was an absurdly comical scene—the aggressors huddled together, yelling at their battered victim to stay away. Yet the one who had been beaten, seemingly dazed and drenched in blood, was the one slowly advancing on them.

Each step he took was heavy, each movement unsteady as if he might collapse at any moment, but he continued to press forward.

If not for the wall behind them, the five would have likely retreated even further.