Testing strength
Despite his efforts to appear indifferent, the resentment and unwillingness in his expression were palpable.
He had been waiting for a rematch, eager to regain some of his lost pride and to erase the humiliation from his past.
However, Ye Xian didn't head toward him. Instead, he walked directly past Yang Mu and pointed at the bald man standing standing some distance away from him.
"You. Fight me."
The crowd blinked in surprise, and a stunned silence settled over the training grounds.
Even Yang Mu, who had been anticipating a rematch, was caught off guard. He couldn't hide the brief flicker of disappointment before a smug smirk crept onto his face.
He was certain that Ye Xian was about to make a huge mistake, underestimating the power of the man who stood before him.
The bald man, Su Sang, stopped his training. He turned toward Ye Xian with a sharp, calculating look in his eyes.
His broad shoulders and muscular frame tensed as he assessed the young man who dared to challenge him.
Su Sang was a 3rd-stage Ki Warrior, a realm far beyond Ye Xian's current level. He had access to Ki Armor, a defensive technique that enhanced both his offense and defense. The difference in their cultivation levels was massive.
"Me?" Su Sang asked, his voice low but full of authority.
"Yes," Ye Xian responded simply, his tone unwavering.
The crowd erupted into whispers once again. The news that Ye Xian was bypassing Yang Mu to challenge Su Sang was met with confusion and astonishment.
"Why is Ye Xian skipping Yang Mu to challenge Su Sang? The difference between them is massive!"
"Su Sang is in the Ki Warrior Realm! He can form Ki Armor to enhance both offense and defense! Ye Xian's in for a tough fight!"
"Does Ye Xian think he can defeat Su Sang with raw strength alone?"
Su Sang frowned, clearly displeased with the challenge. There was a significant gap between them in terms of cultivation.
As a 3rd-stage Ki Warrior, he had an advantage that would be difficult for Ye Xian to overcome.
In the Ki Warrior Realm, one could form Ki Armor, which drastically improved durability and attack power.
Even if Ye Xian was stronger than before, this fight would be a formidable challenge.
"Young Master Ye… are you sure about this?" Su Sang asked, his gaze narrowing.
Ye Xian chuckled softly, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Don't worry, I won't make things too difficult for you. But if you don't accept... I will."
His calm confidence sent a shiver down Su Sang's spine. There was something about Ye Xian's demeanor that made him hesitate for a moment, an unsettling feeling that he had never felt before. It was as though the young man knew something Su Sang didn't.
The bald man grinned, shaking his head. "Fine. Let's fight."
Ye Xian nodded. "Use your full power—otherwise, you might end up like Yang Mu."
The crowd roared with excitement as a massive circle formed around them. They eagerly awaited the battle, their eyes locked on the two warriors who would soon clash.
As Ye Xian and Su Sang faced each other. The air crackled with anticipation.
The younger disciples whispered excitedly, while the more experienced members of the Ye Clan watched with serious expressions.
"A battle between a Ki Refining cultivator and a Ki Warrior… is this even possible?"
Yang Mu folded his arms, his expression dark. His humiliation at Ye Xian's hands was still fresh, but he couldn't deny the sharp killing intent emanating from Su Sang.
"That idiot Ye Xian… challenging Su Sang outright? Let's see how long he lasts."
A heavy silence settled over the training grounds as Su Sang stepped forward, rolling his shoulders.
His muscles tensed, veins bulging beneath his skin. The crowd's whispers faded into anticipation.
Then, like a coiled beast springing into action—
Boom!
Su Sang's fist hurtled toward Ye Xian, a blur of raw power cutting through the air. The force behind it compressed the very atmosphere.
A gust of wind sweeping outward as he aimed to overpower Ye Xian in one strike.
Ye Xian didn't flinch.
His own fist shot forward, meeting Su Sang's strike head-on!
BOOM!
A violent gale erupted from the impact, sending dust spiraling outward. The ground trembled beneath their feet.
Yet—
Ye Xian's stance remained firm, his body rooted like an unshakable mountain. Su Sang, on the other hand, staggered back a step, his eyes widening in disbelief.
He had thrown everything into that punch, yet Ye Xian met him blow for blow?
"Is this all you've got?" Ye Xian smirked, flexing his fingers.
A flicker of irritation crossed Su Sang's face. With a loud stomp, he crushed the ground beneath him, sending cracks rippling outward.
His ki flared violently, wrapping around his body like a raging storm.
Then—he exploded forward!
His movement blurred, his fist once again driving toward Ye Xian, now reinforced with even greater force. This time, the very air howled, carrying the promise of destruction.
Ye Xian's pupils contracted.
But he didn't dodge.
He stepped in, muscles tensing, veins bulging with power. His arm lashed out in a counterstrike—
BOOM!
A second collision, even more devastating than the first. The training ground cracked beneath them.
This time, Su Sang stumbled back two steps.
A hush fell over the crowd.
Ye Xian hadn't moved a single inch.
His voice cut through the stunned silence.
"Use your Ki Armor. If you don't, this fight will be over too soon."
Su Sang's expression hardened. The humiliation of being forced back, of being challenged by someone of a lower realm—it ignited something in him. His pride as a warrior would not allow him to lose here.
A deep breath. His ki surged, emerald light flaring around him as his Ki Armor solidified—an ethereal layer of defense wrapping around his body like a translucent suit of armor.
A powerful gust of wind erupted from him. The aura of a true Ki Warrior descended upon the battlefield.
"Young Master Ye… you are strong. But now—things will get dangerous."
His voice was low, steady.
Then, with a thunderous stomp, he launched forward like a cannonball!
BOOM!
In an instant, he was upon Ye Xian, his ki-coated fist tearing through the air. A whirlwind of power followed.
Ye Xian didn't retreat.
Instead, he advanced.
Ki surged through his body, muscles tightening, skin glowing faintly as his raw physical strength reached its peak. His fist clenched, veins bulging—
And then he met Su Sang's strike head-on!
BOOM!
The sheer force of the impact sent an shockwave exploding outward. The ground beneath them fractured into a web of cracks, dust rising like smoke from a battlefield.
Su Sang's smirk wavered—
Because in that brief exchange, he had been the one pushed backward.
He gritted his teeth, refusing to acknowledge the reality. With a roar, he retaliated, throwing a rapid barrage of blows.
Fist after fist, strike after strike—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each punch carried devastating power, the air itself explode under the relentless barrage
Yet Ye Xian stood his ground, meeting each blow with equal ferocity.
Flesh against ki-coated flesh—
Every impact sent pulses of wind rippling outward. The air itself cracked under the sheer intensity of their battle.
Twenty. Thirty. Fifty blows—
Then—
Ye Xian's eyes flashed. His fist tensed, power surging to its peak.
And with a final, devastating punch—
CRACK!
Su Sang's Ki Armor—shattered.
A stunned silence fell.
Su Sang barely had time to react before another fist came crashing toward him. His instinct screamed at him to block, and he raised his arm—
CRACK!
His Ki Armor fractured again, this time completely splintering across his arm.
Shock flooded his expression.
Impossible.
A cultivator in the Refining Realm shouldn't be able to overpower a Ki Warrior!
Desperation fueled his next strike as he swung his left fist—this time with full force.
Ye Xian's eyes gleamed.
He didn't hesitate. He didn't slow down.
He stepped forward, his right fist blazing with power.
BOOM!
The impact was catastrophic.
Su Sang's right Ki Armor shattered completely—his body launched backward like a broken kite as fist smashed into his chest!
He tumbled across the training ground, rolling several meters before finally coming to a stop.
A deep crack spread across his chest—his Ki Armor barely holding together.
His breathing was ragged, his arms shaking.
Silence.
Then—
"I… lost."
Su Sang's voice was hoarse, filled with reluctant acceptance.
Ye Xian stood tall, his breathing even, his expression calm.
"You're a good fighter," he said, nodding at Su Sang. Unlike Yang Mu, there was no malice in his opponent, only the will to improve.
The spectators erupted into cheers, praising Ye Xian's overwhelming victory.
From a distance, two figures observed the fight in silence.
One was Ye Feng, Ye Xian's father.
The other—Ye Tian, the Ye Clan Patriarch.
"Your son's power is… unnatural," Ye Tian murmured, his gaze lingering on Ye Xian's steady figure.
Ye Feng exhaled slowly. Even he hadn't expected this.
"His aura is only at the 7th Stage of the Refining Realm… yet his strength is already comparable to a 5th Stage Ki Warrior."
His eyes gleamed with a mixture of pride and awe.
"But how did his cultivation advance to this stage in such short time.Such monstrous physical power… his potential is limitless."