Moyang did not speak. In his heart, he still held a faint expectation of encountering an opponent in the Heaven Mystic Realm, as that would allow him to gauge his current combat strength.
As the ring matches began in the afternoon, Xu Xin and Qi Heng took the stage one after the other. Although both won three consecutive matches, the process was thrilling in the extreme. After securing three straight wins, Xu Xin directly chose to withdraw; since it was only the first round, she could not afford to fully expose her strength.
"The first round should be ending soon, right? Is it my turn yet?" Moyang opened his eyes, gave a bold and uninhibited stretch, and looked as though he had just woken up.
Xu Xin gave Moyang a speechless look and said, "Previously, all the various sects tacitly avoided matches between Heavenly Prodigies. You might run into Mu Qiu and Pang Long—neither of them has taken the stage yet!"
The Third Elder also exhorted, "If you run into Mu Qiu of the Jade Clear Gate, do not fight him head-on; just directly forfeit and concede defeat. There are still two rounds of matches after this, so avoid trouble in the first round whenever possible!"
Moyang nodded, then stood up and walked toward the ring.
Moyang had assumed Pang Long would take the stage directly, but to his surprise, it was someone else entirely.
Moyang still had some impression of this person, who had been sitting with Pang Long in the restaurant earlier.
"Kid, remember, my name is Pu Fan!" the young man said, his expression cold and stern.
"Moyang!" Moyang smiled and spoke calmly.
Moyang made his move instantly. With a flash of his figure, he arrived right in front of Pu Fan, threw a single punch, and blasted Pu Fan straight out of the ring.
The surrounding spectator stands fell into absolute silence. Many people hadn't even had time to look before it was already over—ended with just a single punch.
Let alone the others, even Pu Fan was left in a daze after being blasted off the ring.
Moyang had no desire to waste time; if a problem could be solved with one punch, he would never throw a second.
Chapter 30: No One Dares to Fight
The members of the Lingxu Sect were also stunned in place. Xu Xin hadn't even seen what happened; her thoughts had drifted for just a split second, and before she even saw the start, it was already over just like that.
Pu Fan raised his head to look back at the ring, killing intent surging intensely in his eyes as he roared, "Kid, you dared to sneak attack me?"
Moyang spread his hands and said, "Big brother, both sides already announced their names, so the fight had officially begun. It's your own foolish fault for not making a move—are you going to blame me?"
With a face full of rage, Pu Fan leaped up fiercely, intending to charge back onto the ring, but before he even landed, Moyang kicked him right back down.
Afterward, Moyang cast his gaze directly toward the area of the four major sects and spoke, "Next!"
Only then did a huge uproar break out all around the central plaza. Many observing cultivators whispered among themselves in low voices; strictly speaking, the fight had indeed started, but Moyang's speed was simply too fast. Pu Fan hadn't reacted at all, not even having time to raise a defense before being knocked off the ring just like that.
"Moyang? He's never appeared before. It seems to be his first time participating this year. This guy is quite interesting!"
"That Xuan Sect disciple was much too careless. It ended before it even began, tsk tsk. Especially that kick at the end—damn, that really had soul! Xuan Sect has lost a massive amount of face this time!"
"This kid is somewhat strange. What on earth is his cultivation level? Why can't it be probed at all..."
Amidst the hubbub of discussion, a cold snort came from the Xuan Sect side. Pang Long had originally intended to let his junior martial brother test the waters with Moyang first, but in the end, nothing could be gleaned, and his junior brother had even been kicked straight off the ring. Unable to hold back any longer, Pang Long sprang up from his seat with a start.
Moyang stood in the ring, looking at Pang Long with a full-faced smile. There was no mockery on his features; that smile looked completely harmless to humans and animals, appearing very friendly.
Pang Long arrived before the ring and leaped lightly onto it. His face was gloomy and cold, killing intent swirling within his eyes.
"Kid, your luck is really bad. You probably don't know the consequences of provoking Xuan Sect yet!" Pang Long stared at Moyang, his words bone-chilling.
Moyang smiled and shook his head, saying, "I don't!"
After a brief pause, Moyang continued, asking, "Does your hand still hurt?"
To the onlookers, these words seemed somewhat inexplicable, but Pang Long knew very well. It was as if his sorest spot had been poked, instantly twisting his expression into something ferocious.
Although Moyang appeared very casual, he wasn't careless either; the true qi within his body was already circulating.
Pang Long let out an angry roar, his body violently charging forward. The entire ring seemed to vibrate as a violent wave of energy emanated from him. Although he was only at Earth Mystic Realm - Stage 1, he was already in the mid-to-late stage of it, and based purely on this momentum, he was considerably stronger than Qi Heng and Xu Xin.
Moyang stood in his tracks, running the fifth-tier mental cultivation method of the Tyrant Fist, and then unleashed a single punch.
With a muffled sound, Pang Long's charging body was sent flying backward in a flash, retreating directly to the edge of the ring where one foot stepped into empty air, almost causing him to tumble down.
Gasping exclamations erupted around the area once more. Just how formidable Pang Long's physique and strength were was something everyone knew well; yet now, such a situation had occurred, and he seemed utterly unable to match his opponent.
In the seating area of the Jade Clear Gate, that young man who had maintained an indifferent expression all along furrowed his brows for the very first time. His gaze narrowed slightly as he silently watched Moyang in the ring.
He was none other than the number one genius of the Jade Clear Gate, Mu Qiu!
Meanwhile, a look of suspense and uncertainty resurfaced on Pang Long's face. His heart was completely unsettled; he had exchanged blows with Moyang just yesterday and had assumed Moyang was using his full strength back then. Yet compared to the power just unleashed, the previous one fell vastly short.
"Off you go!"
As he snapped back to his senses, he heard Moyang's voice ring out. At the same time, Moyang had already arrived right in front of him. His expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly mobilized his power, raising his arms to block, but that incoming fist was like a mountain, directly crashing into him and sending him flying.
Following that, Pang Long landed solidly off the ring!
At this moment, Pang Long's expression grew even more ferocious. His arms ached as if they were fractured; although he wasn't injured, his body had already left the boundaries of the ring, and he felt like vomiting blood.
The entire central plaza was in an uproar. Xuan Sect had sent up two disciples in succession, and both had met the exact same ending.
Pu Fan was one thing, but Pang Long—a genius renowned for his ferocious strength and formidable physique—had actually only managed to take a single punch before being blasted out of the ring on the second.
The disciples of the Xuan Sect were completely dumbfounded. Although Xuan Sect's overall strength fell short of the Jade Clear Gate and the Dragon Pool Pavilion, they had always suppressed the Lingxu Sect in the past. They never in their wildest dreams imagined they would stumble at the hands of a single disciple from the Lingxu Sect.
In the Lingxu Sect's seating area, even Qi Heng was filled with shock. Though he hadn't spoken a word, watching two battles that should have been intensely fierce end in the blink of an eye delivered a massive impact to him. If it were him, handling Pang Long alone would have been extremely difficult, yet Pang Long hadn't even lasted two moves under Moyang's hands.
Although the Third Elder was also startled, he felt an even greater surge of joy. Before their departure, the Supreme Elder had told him that Moyang would definitely bring a surprise to the Lingxu Sect. At first, he had harbored some doubts, but seeing these two battles, he had no choice but to believe it.
"Big Brother Moyang is so amazing!" Su Fei'er's face was full of delight, happier than anyone else. As she looked at that figure in the ring, her eyes were practically sparkling with little stars.
Xu Xin's expression was complex. Yesterday in the restaurant, she had known she underestimated Moyang, but she never expected him to be this formidable—and this wasn't even about his cultivation realm, but rather his physical body and raw strength.
However, the situation on the ring then became somewhat awkward, because absolutely no other cultivators stepped forward.
Moyang wore a speechless expression, his gaze continually sweeping toward the areas of the other three sects. Yet that side remained very quiet; apart from Pang Long and Pu Fan glaring at him with murderous intent in their eyes, none of the others had any intention of making a move.
Moyang frowned, then looked toward the elderly cultivators presiding over the ring. "Where's the next one?"
"The first round relies entirely on voluntary participation. If no one steps up, there is nothing we can do either!" an old man explained, cupping his hands.
After waiting for a long time, Moyang walked off the ring with a helpless expression.
The onlookers sighed in amazement. Such a situation was happening for the first time in all these years of the Four Sects' Martial Arts Assembly. If it were because of Mu Qiu, they could understand it, but because of an obscure and unknown disciple from the Lingxu Sect, this truly exceeded everyone's expectations.
The first round ended in this baffling manner. When the tally of the first round of ring matches was done, the Dragon Pool Pavilion had the most points, followed by the Jade Clear Gate, with the Lingxu Sect ranking third. Xuan Sect fared the most miserably; apart from their initial two disciples winning two matches in a row, they secured zero victories thereafter.
Upon returning to the inn, Moyang went straight into the Star Emperor Pagoda to continue comprehending the God-Slaying Art.
Chapter 31: I'm Very Tough
Moyang unfolded the God-Slaying Art and focused his mind on comprehending it. As his gaze swept across those messy, chaotic brushstrokes, he seemed to see towering sword qi sweeping toward him. Those disorderly characters appeared to possess a certain hidden rhythm, and gazing at them with concentrated focus made it feel as though he could see a figure brandishing a sword and slashing outward.
Gradually, beads of sweat began to seep onto Moyang's forehead. The further down he read, the more those chaotic strokes seemed to bleed, exuding a terrifying, murderous intent. In a trance, he felt as though he were witnessing a terrifying powerhouse raise a sword to sweep across the heavens and earth, an unmatchable sharpness filling the cosmos and leaving behind a battlefield piled high with corpses and oceans of blood.
"This sword manual is somewhat bizarre. This comprehension is actually different from the previous one. No wonder that pretty sister said how much one comprehends depends entirely on oneself. The same sword manual, placed in the hands of different people, will inevitably yield different sword intents. Is it because of the revenge and killing intent hidden deep in my heart? Why on earth did I conjure up that image of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood?"
After several hours of comprehension, Moyang gained a vague inner realization. What he felt was an unquantifiable aura of slaughter, and that sort of sword intent carried a hint of bloodthirstiness.
Night passed in the blink of an eye. The next day, the central plaza remained bustling and exceptionally lively—today was the second round of competitions for the assembly.
It would be even fiercer than the first round because, according to past convention, during the second round, all disciples from the four sects would have to face three ring matches each, and their opponents would be randomly drawn.
No sooner had the ring matches begun than the surrounding onlookers erupted into a wave of commotion, for Moyang was actually the very first to take the stage.
"There are a total of three ring matches in the second round. If you can conceal your strength, try not to expose it completely!" the Third Elder reminded Moyang. During the first round, Moyang had only thrown a total of three punches, meaning his true combat strength was definitely even greater.
Moyang's opponent was a disciple of the Jade Clear Gate, but when Moyang walked onto the ring, the direction of the Jade Clear Gate showed no movement whatsoever.
People in the surrounding spectator stands discussed animatedly, their gazes all shifting toward the area belonging to the Jade Clear Gate.
Moyang was also at a loss.
What kind of ghost is this?
Where are people?
"I concede defeat!"
Amidst the discussions of the crowd, a voice drifted out from the Jade Clear Gate's section.
In an instant, the entire central plaza exploded like a boiling pot. This kind of thing had actually happened to Moyang one time after another; it was like that in the first round, and now, no sooner had the second round begun than someone directly conceded defeat.
"My goodness... Is this Moyang really that terrifying? His opponent doesn't even dare to step onto the ring!" an observing cultivator blurted out, dumbfounded.
"That Jade Clear Gate disciple only has a Spirit Awakening Realm - Stage 3 cultivation. Even Pang Long was blasted off the ring by this guy in two punches; going up at Spirit Awakening Realm is just asking for a beating! Since he can't win anyway, conceding defeat directly at least avoids losing face," another onlooker replied.
"This fellow Moyang is a bit bizarre; his cultivation aura cannot be probed, and to this day his true strength remains a mystery. Otherwise, the Heavenly Prodigies of the Dragon Pool Pavilion and the Jade Clear Gate wouldn't have remained indifferent yesterday."
Amidst the crowd's discussions, Moyang sighed heavily and walked down the ring.
Afterward, Qi Heng took the stage, only to be matched against Long Wu of the Dragon Pool Pavilion. With a cultivation gap of a full two realms, Qi Heng was defeated after exchanging a dozen or so blows.
Everyone had anticipated such an outcome; after all, the disparity was simply too large.
"The Lingxu Sect's strength is still quite lacking compared to the other three sects. I heard they've been in last place for five consecutive years. Who knows where that Moyang popped out of this year, though he looks somewhat formidable!"
Qi Heng wore a disappointed expression. After returning to his seat, he cast his gaze toward Moyang and said in a deep voice, "Moyang, our only hope this time rests on you. If you still consider yourself a disciple of the Lingxu Sect, show the other three sects the true strength of our Lingxu Sect!"
Moyang glanced at Qi Heng and said nothing, feeling quite speechless inside. Was their perspective really this narrow? Winning or losing the assembly didn't fundamentally change anything; so-called rankings were nothing more than empty fame.
However, he had come this time to make up for his master's regrets, which could also be considered a parting memory he left behind for the Lingxu Sect before his departure.
"Big Brother Moyang, what on earth is your cultivation realm now? Why does everyone not dare to exchange blows with you?" Su Fei'er looked at Moyang with starry-eyed admiration, asking in a low voice.
Even Qi Heng and Xu Xin pricked up their ears to listen—Moyang's cultivation realm was likewise a mystery to them.
"Uh... My cultivation is just so-so. I'm just relatively tough!" Moyang said casually. Although his cultivation had now broken through to the Heaven Mystic Realm, the impact that Sixth Senior Sister had brought him was simply too immense; the Heavenly Prodigies from those supreme, powerful factions were probably even more terrifying.
Su Fei'er's cheeks flushed bright red, and she muttered with bashful shyness, "Big Brother Moyang, you're so bad!"
"Uh..." Moyang looked completely baffled. How was he bad? He had consumed countless marrow-cleansing pills and coupled them with the cultivation of the Star Emperor Scripture; his physique had indeed become extremely formidable. Wasn't he tough?
Beside them, Xu Xin also let out a cold snort, leaving Moyang even more clueless. Was he not tough?
Afterward, the other Lingxu Sect disciples took the stage one after another. When Su Fei'er ran into Pang Long, she was blasted off the ring by a single punch after just a few exchanges. Pang Long was clearly doing it on purpose, wanting to reclaim the face he had lost earlier.
In the afternoon, Moyang had two consecutive matches. His first encounter was against a disciple of the Xuan Sect, and the result was the same as before—the opponent couldn't block a single punch from Moyang.
Sometimes Moyang felt like he was bullying children; after all, he had already reached the Heaven Mystic Realm, while his opponents were merely at Spirit Awakening Realm - Stage 3. Facing him, it was always a matter of one punch per person.
However, in his second match, he ran into Qian Wushuang of the Dragon Pool Pavilion. Qian Wushuang's cultivation was the same as Long Wu's—both were at Earth Mystic Realm - Stage 3. The moment the two stepped onto the ring, the surrounding area erupted into a boil.
Moyang's journey had been smooth sailing up until now; his opponents either had been directly blasted back with a single punch or had conceded defeat. Now, he had finally encountered a Heavenly Prodigy of the Dragon Pool Pavilion.
Although Qian Wushuang appeared calm in demeanor, he kept sizing Moyang up.
The surrounding onlookers were all guessing away, and the disciples of the four sects were also watching with focused attention, including the Lingxu Sect side. Through this battle, the outcome of the third round could be roughly deduced; if Moyang could defeat Qian Wushuang, the Lingxu Sect would very likely become the ultimate champion.
After the two calmly announced each other's names, the atmosphere instantly grew tense.
"I didn't expect the Lingxu Sect to possess someone like Brother Mo. If my guess is correct, Brother Mo should specialize in body refinement, and your cultivation realm should also have reached Earth Mystic Realm - Stage 3!" Qian Wushuang did not rush to make a move; he spoke in this manner only after silently observing him.
He was clearly also trying to probe him, seeing if he could ferret out some of Moyang's foundation.
Moyang smiled and said, "Regardless of the cultivation realm, once I step onto the ring, my goal is to defeat you. I wonder if Brother Qian intends to take one punch or two?"
As soon as these words fell, the area beneath the ring erupted into an uproar.
"What the hell... This Moyang is simply too arrogant! Does he think Qian Wushuang is one of those ordinary disciples?"
"Damn it, Qian Wushuang is my idol! I cannot tolerate this; he's showing off again..."
Qian Wushuang's expression shifted slightly, a trace of coldness welling up in his eyes as he said, "Even Brother Mu Qiu, the publicly acknowledged strongest genius of the four sects, wouldn't dare speak such words!"
Moyang merely smiled. He didn't want to argue about anything; even if Mu Qiu were in the Heaven Mystic Realm, he would still ask the same question—if a matter could be resolved with a single punch, wouldn't throwing an extra one be a waste?
Chapter 32: The Cultivator's Nightmare
Qian Wushuang was exceptionally cautious. Although Moyang's words a moment ago had stirred anger within him, he did not act impulsively when the fight started, nor did he harbor the slightest bit of carelessness.
Yet upon seeing the oncoming fist closing in, a sense of emptiness arose in his heart. Moreover, Moyang's speed was terrifyingly fast, prompting him to hurriedly raise his sword in defense.
"Clang!"
A metallic ringing sound echoed out, causing many cultivators to hastily cover their ears—the sonic wave was far too sharp and piercing.
Qian Wushuang stepped back, step by heavy step, directly stamping several footprints into the ring. A flash of shock crossed his eyes; he had encountered countless cultivators who traded blows with him, but this was the first time he had met someone with such overwhelming strength.
No wonder Pang Long couldn't even take two punches. Even at this moment, he could feel a wave of numbness running through both his arms, and the broadsword in his hand was still vibrating incessantly. He used all his strength through several maneuvers just to keep a grip on the hilt; had he retreated a few more steps, he would have tumbled right off the ring.
"As a cultivator, do you only know how to use brute force?" Qian Wushuang let out a cold snort after steadying his stance.
Moyang frowned and said, "Big brother, you can't even block brute force, so how do you expect to play?"
Qian Wushuang felt exceptionally depressed in his heart, wanting nothing more to curse out loud—big brother your sister, who the hell is your brother!
"Don't panic, at most it's just a matter of another punch. It'll be over very quickly!" As soon as he finished speaking, Moyang formed a fist again, flashed forward, and struck.
Qian Wushuang almost vomited blood. He hurriedly mobilized all his internal energy and fiercely slashed out with his sword.
Yet in the next moment, he was dumbfounded. That dazzling sword qi had clearly been slashed out and looked as though it had struck Moyang, but an instant later, an iron fist landed squarely on his body.
Qian Wushuang's body was sent flying directly, landing squarely and solidly off the ring.
This scene was all too familiar, having played out more than once before, yet experiencing it firsthand made it feel utterly unimaginable.
By now, this scene had become a nightmare for many cultivators; it seemed that fighting Moyang meant escaping this kind of ending was impossible.
Until this very moment, Qian Wushuang still hadn't figured out how Moyang had managed to evade that sword strike of his. At that distance and from that angle, how could it possibly be dodged? Yet Moyang had dodged it precisely, coming out completely unscathed.
"What are you thinking about? I already told you it's just a matter of one punch, what's the point of struggling?" Moyang stood in the ring, looking at Qian Wushuang—whose face was ashen with anger yet filled with bewilderment—and spoke calmly.
The scene was dead silent. In the areas reserved for the four sects, many people rose from their seats as if afraid they wouldn't see clearly, every single shocked gaze locked onto the ring.
Especially on the side of the Dragon Pool Pavilion, Long Wu—who shared the title of Heavenly Prodigy alongside Qian Wushuang—wore an expression of sheer disbelief. Could it be that Moyang was a Heaven Mystic Realm cultivator?
Otherwise, how could Qian Wushuang fail to block even two punches?
"Brother Qian, I have no intention of humiliating you. I simply prefer a simple and direct combat style, because I didn't come here for a friendly spar—I came solely to seize the championship!"
Looking at the enraged Qian Wushuang beneath the ring, Moyang spoke calmly.
In an instant, discussions erupted around them like a tidal wave. Although Moyang appeared far too arrogant in the eyes of countless people, they had to admit he possessed the capital to be so.