A true monster
The undisputed ruler of the outer sect—Xiao Chen!
With a single punch, he had defeated Wang Hao, sending shockwaves through the entire Qingyun Sect.
The one once mocked as the greatest failure now stood atop the outer sect, sweeping through all its so-called geniuses. He had reached the peak, standing unrivaled.
Yet, his expression remained calm, as if everything had gone exactly as he had expected.
"Qi Refining ninth layer? Hardly worth mentioning," he murmured, his gaze sweeping over the stunned outer sect disciples around him.
At that moment, no one dared to meet his eyes.
Xiao Chen's strength had already exceeded their comprehension.
The Arrival of the Core Disciples
Just as everyone thought the storm had passed, an overwhelming aura suddenly descended from the skies.
Boom!
The surrounding spiritual energy trembled violently as a golden figure shot through the air, landing at the center of the training grounds.
A collective gasp spread through the crowd as all eyes turned toward the newcomer in shock and fear.
Clad in golden robes, carrying an ancient sword on his back, the young man had sharp, imposing features and radiated an aura of absolute dominance.
"It's a core disciple! It's Senior Brother Jin Yang!"
"He actually came?!"
The crowd erupted in hushed exclamations of disbelief.
Jin Yang—a core disciple of Qingyun Sect, a powerhouse at the peak of Qi Refining, only a step away from reaching Foundation Establishment Realm. He was one of the sect's most promising rising stars.
For outer sect disciples, standing before him was akin to standing before a god.
A Battle Between Geniuses
Jin Yang's sharp gaze locked onto Xiao Chen, his eyes flashing with a hint of curiosity and scrutiny.
"So, you're Xiao Chen?" His voice was indifferent yet carried an undeniable sense of authority.
Xiao Chen's expression remained unchanged. "Who are you?"
Jin Yang frowned slightly, clearly not expecting such a dismissive response.
But a smirk soon played at his lips, laced with disdain. "Interesting. The outer sect finally produced someone bold enough to challenge the core disciples."
Slowly, he unsheathed the sword on his back, its blade emitting a piercing radiance. The surrounding air seemed to hum with killing intent.
"I heard you defeated Chu Feng with a single punch. Impressive," Jin Yang said coldly. "But tell me, can you withstand my sword?"
The moment those words fell, the outer sect disciples paled in horror.
"This is bad! Senior Brother Jin Yang is serious!"
"A core disciple's strength is far beyond ours. No matter how strong Xiao Chen is, there's no way he can win!"
The crowd instinctively retreated, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
After all, Jin Yang's power was on an entirely different level.
The Stance of an Invincible Warrior
Yet, despite Jin Yang's intimidating aura, Xiao Chen remained completely unmoved.
A mocking glint flickered in his eyes as he spoke.
"Core disciples? So what?"
Dead silence.
Every disciple watching froze in shock.
Did… did Xiao Chen just mock a core disciple?!
"Arrogant fool!" Jin Yang's eyes turned icy, and a powerful surge of sword energy erupted from his body.
"In that case, let's see just how strong you really are!"
In an instant, he vanished.
"Gale Sword Technique—Instant Kill!"
A blinding sword light tore through the air, traveling at an unimaginable speed toward Xiao Chen.
It was so fast that most outer sect disciples couldn't even see its trajectory.
"It's over! There's no way Xiao Chen can react in time!"
"This is the difference between outer and core disciples!"
The crowd trembled, already anticipating Xiao Chen being cut down.
But then—
Xiao Chen raised his hand.
He casually reached forward—directly grabbing Jin Yang's sword.
"Fool!" Jin Yang sneered, his eyes brimming with killing intent.
His sword was a high-grade spiritual weapon, sharp beyond measure. Even a Qi Refining peak-stage expert wouldn't dare to catch it barehanded.
But in the next moment—his smirk vanished.
Clang!
Jin Yang's sword stopped dead in Xiao Chen's grip.
The cutting edge failed to penetrate even a single layer of his skin.
"What?!"
Jin Yang's face drained of color as his pupils contracted in disbelief.
His strongest sword strike—caught effortlessly?!
"This… this is impossible!" He roared, channeling all his spiritual energy in an attempt to pull his sword free.
But no matter how much force he exerted, the blade did not budge.
Xiao Chen's grip was like an unshakable mountain.
A faint, amused smile curved at Xiao Chen's lips.
"Your sword… is too weak."
His voice was calm, yet it carried an irrefutable dominance.
"Here's your chance. Leave in three breaths, or I'll cripple you."
His tone was light, but every syllable sent shivers down the spines of everyone present.
"Three breaths…?"
"He's ordering a core disciple to leave?!"
No one dared to laugh.
Because the fact remained—Jin Yang's sword had been completely overpowered!
He had unleashed his strongest attack, yet it hadn't even scratched Xiao Chen.
What kind of monster was this man?!
"You—!" Jin Yang's face turned a deep shade of red, a mix of rage and humiliation.
But no matter how hard he tried, his sword refused to move.
For the first time, he felt it.
A crushing, suffocating pressure emanating from Xiao Chen, making him feel as though he was standing before an unstoppable force of nature.
"Three." Xiao Chen's voice was indifferent.
Jin Yang shuddered involuntarily.
"Two."
His expression twisted in frustration, his teeth grinding audibly.
Then, just before the final count—he let go of his sword and retreated!
With a burst of speed, he vanished into the distance, his voice filled with hatred and fury.
"Xiao Chen! You'll regret this!"
But Xiao Chen only smirked.
He casually clenched his hand.
Crack!
Jin Yang's sword shattered into pieces.
The training grounds fell into absolute silence.
The disciples stood frozen, staring blankly at the fragments of what was once a high-grade spiritual weapon.
A core disciple had been defeated in an instant.
At that moment, everyone understood one thing—
A true monster had been born in Qingyun Sect.
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