Condensing astral dao wheels into existence was enough to prove that this person possessed astonishingly formidable talent, extraordinary and nothing short of a world-shaking prodigy.
Chu Yu remained expressionless as the Burning Heaven Dao Wheel emerged, blazing like a scorching sun. A streak of crimson fire surged upward, meeting the attack head-on.
Boom!
It was as if a star had collided with a volcano, producing a deafening roar. Light splattered outward like a massive explosion.
A visible wave of violent, turbulent energy swept across the surroundings. Trees snapped in all directions and giant boulders shattered, painting a terrifying picture of the earth trembling and mountains shaking.
Right at that moment, Chu Yu's figure flashed forward, his gaze ice-cold. A black vortex materialized in his palm as he struck toward Chu Chen.
Since the fight had already begun, Chu Yu naturally saw no need to hold back. The power of devouring surged wildly, and his physical strength reached its absolute limit.
Ye Chen's expression shifted slightly. Only at this moment did he realize he had underestimated the youth before him.
Yet he remained arrogant. With his aptitude, he could be considered an elite even among the numerous prodigies of the ancient aristocratic families; how could he possibly be no match for some bumpkin from the wilderness?
"Plucking-Stars Art!"
Ye Chen roared. This was the supreme technique of the Ye family, practically their clan-guarding art. With a single palm strike, it felt as though he held the stars themselves in his grasp, shining with dazzling brilliance.
Bang!
The moment their palms collided, an astonishing explosion rang out, sending starlight scattering and fire blazing into the sky.
Chu Yu curled his fingers and exerted sudden, fierce force, snapping the web between Ye Chen's thumb and forefinger. A miserable shriek instantly tore from Ye Chen's throat.
The physical strength possessed by Chu Yu was utterly terrifying—amounting to at least three hundred thousand catties. When two people's realms and cultivation levels were roughly matched, the advantage brought by Chu Yu's physical strength was fully unleashed.
Bang!
Chu Yu struck out with another palm, carrying the power of devouring, and slammed it against Ye Chen's chest.
"Pfft!"
Ye Chen coughed up blood, his entire body trembling violently as if struck by a heavy blow. He could acutely feel his internal spiritual energy and the power of the Great Dao being sucked away by his opponent, to the point where even his dao wheel felt as though it were about to be pulled out of his body. His face turned ashen white.
He desperately wanted to flee, but Chu Yu's other hand, like an iron pliers, had firmly clamped onto his fingers, making escape completely impossible.
"Elder Hai, save me! If you don't make a move now, it'll be too late!" Ye Chen cried out in terror.
An elderly man at the Void Dao Realm flashed forward with extreme speed, arriving before Chu Yu in the blink of an eye.
Chu Yu's eyes narrowed slightly as one of his hands went straight for Ye Chen's throat.
"Old man, if you dare make a single move, his little life is finished!"
Elder Ye's weathered face shifted, his gaze turning gloomy as he roared angrily, "You brat, how dare you lay a hand on my Ye family's prodigy?"
"If you don't believe me, feel free to try!"
Chu Yu said coldly, tightening his fingers so that Ye Chen's face flushed a deep crimson, nearly suffocating him.
As long as he exerted just a tiny bit more force with his fingertips, he could snuff out Ye Chen's life right then and there.
Chapter 11: Outside the Barren City, Meeting the Dream Lover Once Again
The expressions of everyone present shifted. It was not hard to see that the youth before them was not joking in the slightest; he really would kill Ye Chen.
Elder Ye Hai, the Void Dao Realm expert of the Ye family, turned livid. In the end, he did not dare to act.
Ye Chen had condensed a stellar dao wheel, making him a rare prodigy of the Ye family in a century. Ye Hai did not dare to gamble; if Ye Chen died here, he would have no way to answer to the family head.
"Let Ye Chen go, and our grudges will be wiped clean. This old man promises not to make things difficult for you!"
Driven by necessity, Ye Hai had no choice but to take a step back, ensuring Ye Chen's safety first and foremost.
Chu Yu sneered dismissively, mocking, "You're someone who has lived for decades, yet you still pull stunts like this. Don't you find it laughable?"
Any fool could figure out that even if he let Ye Chen go, the people from the Ye family would not necessarily let him walk away alive.
"Then what do you want?" Ye Hai asked gloomily.
"This young master of your Ye family is going to leave with me. When I feel that I am safe, I'll let him go!" Chu Yu said.
Hearing this, Ye Hai's expression turned even uglier. This brat didn't look like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth at all; his mind was meticulous, rivaling a veteran who had roamed the pugilistic world for years.
"In your dreams! That is absolutely impossible. Who knows whether you'll kill our young master the moment you feel safe!" Ye Hai said in a deep voice.
"You have no other choice!"
Chu Yu said coldly, murderous intent blazing in his eyes. He began to back away slowly while using Ye Chen as a hostage, the Sky-Swallowing Beast staying close by his side.
"I'll say it again: if you dare move, you'd better watch out for Ye Chen's little life!"
Ye Hai's expression was so gloomy it looked like it could drip water. He was terrified that this brat might actually deal a fatal blow to Ye Chen, yet he could not just stand by and watch this brat take Ye Chen away. He tentatively took a single step forward!
"Ah!"
The very instant Ye Hai's foot touched the ground, Chu Yu snapped Ye Chen's arm, and a wretched, agonizing howl tore from Ye Chen's lips."Elder Hai, step back! Step back!"
Ye Chen shrieked, letting out a hysterical roar.
Ye Hai's face contorted as if he were going mad, anger reaching its absolute peak.
This brat was truly ruthless; merely by taking a single step forward, he had severed Ye Chen's arm.
A look of utter shock washed over the faces of everyone else present.
"Take another step, and I'll cripple his dao wheel!" said Chu Yu.
"Elder Hai, listen to him! He really will cripple my dao wheel!"
Ye Chen screamed. At this very moment, the dao wheel inside his body was completely out of his control.
"Young master, would you grant this young woman some courtesy and spare the young master of the Ye family this once?"
At that moment, a young woman spoke. Her appearance was peerless, and her melodious voice sounded as pleasant as chiming bells.
"And who might you be?"
Chu Yu asked indifferently, unmoved.
"Mu Miaotong of the Mu family!" the young woman replied.
Chu Yu frowned slightly. The Mu family was one of the most powerful ancient clans in the Eastern Wasteland.
Ten thousand years ago, an ancestor of the Mu family made a vow to always keep his word, a tradition the Mu family had upheld ever since. Even throughout the entire Primordial Ancient World, they enjoyed a great reputation, and Chu Yu had heard of them long ago.
"Young master, as long as you are willing to spare young master Ye Chen, I, Mu Miaotong, swear upon the honor of the Mu family and my own cultivation future that I will never make things difficult for you. Should Ye Hai attempt to make a move, the powerhouses of my Mu family will definitely step in to stop him!" said Mu Miaotong.
Although Ye Hai was extremely unwilling to let the matter rest just like this, he had no other choice. Being able to preserve Ye Chen's life right now was already a stroke of immense fortune.
"Putting it that way shows a bit of sincerity, at least."
Chu Yu said indifferently, tossing Ye Chen away as if he were throwing out trash.
Seeing this, Ye Hai hurriedly rushed forward to catch Ye Chen. Constrained by Mu Miaotong's words, he could only forcefully swallow this rage back down into his stomach.
"Many thanks, young master. May I ask your esteemed name? If you happen to be heading towards Wèncāng Pavilion, perhaps you would care to travel with this young woman."
Mu Miaotong said. Genitals were rare, and she had every intention of making his acquaintance.
"No need!"
Chu Yu replied coldly, leaping away through the air. Although the Mu family's reputation was decent, the fact that Mu Miaotong had pleaded with him to spare Ye Chen showed that the relationship between the Mu family and the Ye family was not so simple, and there was no need for him to travel with Mu Miaotong.
"Don't let me see you again! Otherwise, this young master will surely tear you to pieces!"
A voice filled with bitter hatred and malice burst from Ye Chen's lips, echoing across the surrounding mountains and forests.
Before long, Chu Yu had nearly walked out of the Canyun Mountain Range. Standing on a mountain peak and looking outward, he saw a boundless wilderness of forests, free of so many towering peaks and ridges.
Two days later, an ancient city of majestic momentum appeared in Su Chen's line of sight.
This ancient city was called Waste City, and a hundred miles west of Waste City lay Wèncāng Pavilion.
The very existence of Waste City was entirely due to Wèncāng Pavilion.
Whenever the time for Wèncāng Pavilion to recruit new disciples drew near, Waste City became its most bustling, practically overflowing with people.
With less than ten days remaining until Wèncāng Pavilion's recruitment period, geniuses from various factions had already gathered in Waste City.
A young woman stood before the gates of Waste City, gazing into the distance as if waiting for someone, instantly drawing the attention of countless cultivators.
This young woman was breathtakingly beautiful. Her arched brows resembled crescent moons, her large eyes were clear and refined, her skin was like mutton-fat jade, and her delicate face was exquisitely refined. Three thousand strands of hair cascaded down to her waist, and her slender, graceful figure was absolute perfection.
Her ethereal beauty made her look like a celestial maiden descended from the nine heavens, untouched by mortal food.
With such a young woman standing before the city gate, it was only natural for countless gazes to fall upon her. Men aside, even women couldn't help but feel their hearts stir at the sight of her.
Many young elites stepped forward to strike up a conversation, every single one of them clad in luxurious attire and hailing from extraordinary backgrounds.
"Fair lady, I am the young master of the Wang family. Meeting you today is truly my greatest fortune. I wonder if the young lady would grace me with her presence and allow me to treat you to lunch?"
"I am Liu Shaoqing, young pavilion master of the Treasure Pavilion. I would love to make your acquaintance, and I can only hope I have this honor!"
"I am Tie Junshan, the fifth prince of the Tie Kingdom. May I dare ask the fair lady's esteemed name?"
...
Those who stepped forward to chat were all young masters of great clans, princes of various kingdoms, and heirs to massive financial conglomerates.
Yet the young woman didn't even deign to give them a second glance. Her delicate face was as cold as frost, and her response to all their words consisted of only two words.
"Get lost!"
Hearing this, the surrounding young elites felt no anger whatsoever; instead, their hearts stirred even more.
What you cannot obtain is always what drives you wild. To these youths of extraordinary background, things that were too easily obtained offered no sense of conquest at all.Not long after, a ragged figure with a handsome and resolute face walked toward Desolate City. It was none other than Chu Yu.
No one paid any attention to Chu Yu, except for one stunning young woman.
"Brother Chu Yu!"
As Chu Yu drew closer, the young woman's eyes lit up. Her icy, frost-like expression instantly melted into a look of joyful surprise, and she eagerly ran toward him, throwing herself directly into his arms.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Who is that kid? How is it that such a breathtaking beauty would actively throw herself into his arms?"
...
A crowd of young elites all around stood dumbfounded, watching with jealousy and hatred as the goddess of their hearts hurled herself into the embrace of a tattered youth.
"You silly girl, how did you know I'd be coming here?"
Chu Yu smiled, reaching out to gently flick Jiang Ruoxi's pretty nose.
He had roamed the Cloudy Mountains for many days, fighting numerous powerful entities, and the clothes on his back were barely enough to cover him. Yet he had cleaned himself up as best as he could, and Jiang Ruoxi did not mind his appearance in the slightest, plunging straight into his arms.
"I heard you mention Wèncāng Pavilion before. Knowing that you left the Prince Wu's Estate, I guessed you would probably cross the Cloudy Mountains to get there. So I took a cloud ship and arrived at Desolate City three days ago, waiting for you here," Jiang Ruoxi said sweetly.
"You really do understand me," Chu Yu said.
"Of course I do. Don't worry, even if Chu Lingfeng comes with people from the Hua Clan, I won't let them drag you back to the Chu Kingdom," Jiang Ruoxi said.
Chu Yu glanced at the three elderly men standing behind Jiang Ruoxi. Two of them were powerful experts of the Void Dao Realm, while the last elder was unfathomable—if Chu Yu guessed correctly, he had to be an expert of the Extreme Dao Realm.
Whether in the Jiang Kingdom or the Chu Kingdom, cultivators of the Extreme Dao Realm could be considered absolute apex powerhouses.
With an Extreme Dao Realm expert protecting her side, even if people from the Hua Clan arrived, they would not dare to act rashly.
A flash of touched emotion crossed Chu Yu's eyes. He took Jiang Ruoxi's small hand in his and walked toward Desolate City.
An uproar erupted among the crowd gathered outside the city gates.
"They're acting so intimate—could they really be a couple?"
"How could such a peerless beauty possibly fancy some unknown bumpkin from the boondocks?"
"On what grounds?! I refuse to accept this! Exactly how is this young master inferior to that punk?!"
...
Angry shouts rose from the many young elites, every single one of them glaring at Chu Yu with eyes full of jealousy and resentment.
None of them could wrap their heads around it: why would this stunning young woman, who treated them with absolute frostiness and refused to utter a single word beyond "Get lost," lose her heart to a tattered punk?
Holding Jiang Ruoxi's small hand, Chu Yu walked toward the city gate as if he hadn't heard the jealous jeers at all.
By nature, he was untamed and accustomed to doing as he pleased; he had never cared about the opinions of others.
However, while Chu Yu disdained to pay these people any mind, there were always a few clueless fools cursed with an inflated sense of self who insisted on looking for trouble.
"Hey, kid! Take your hands off this young master right away! Look at yourself—what kind of wretched state are you in? Are you even remotely worthy of a beauty like her?"
A young man who looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six blocked Chu Yu's path, staring at him with a look of utter contempt. His spiritual energy surged powerfully, and his Great Dao force was far from weak.
Fifth Layer of Inscription Realm.
To reach the fifth layer of the Inscription Realm at the age of twenty-five or twenty-six could be considered ordinary talent, surpassing many cultivators, though it still fell far short of true top-tier geniuses.
The onlookers all wore expressions of schadenfreude. This young man was none other than the young master of the Treasure Pavilion, and he enjoyed quite a prominent reputation in Desolate City.
They were eager to see what kind of tricks this punk actually had up his sleeve to make such a stunning girl so utterly devoted to him.
"Who are you?" Chu Yu asked indifferently.
"Hahahaha! You don't even recognize this young master? What the hell did you come to Desolate City for?"
The young man laughed wildly, his expression arrogant and overbearing.
"Listen up, punk—this young master is Liu Shaoqing, the young master of the Treasure Pavilion. If you know what's good for you, you'd better—"
Before the young man could finish, Chu Yu made his move without hesitation, hurling a fist straight at Liu Shaoqing.
Liu Shaoqing sneered contemptuously. Sensing no particularly formidable spiritual energy or Great Dao force behind the punch, a cruel glint flickered in his eyes.
"Since you're courting death, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Liu Shaoqing muttered inwardly as patches of azure runes swirled around his body, deploying a divine ability that transformed into a ferocious gray wolf lunging toward Chu Yu.
He held nothing back, unleashing his full strength at the fifth layer of the Inscription Realm. Anyone could see that Liu Shaoqing meant to kill.
The next instant, Chu Yu's fist smashed ruthlessly into the gray wolf.
Bang!
A muffled sound echoed as the gray wolf divine ability shattered like dry wood snapping under pressure.
Immediately following that, under Liu Shaoqing's horrified gaze, the remaining momentum of Chu Yu's fist pressed on with unstoppable force, slamming savagely into his chest.
"Ah!"
A miserable scream tore from Liu Shaoqing's throat. Then, under shock-widened eyes, Liu Shaoqing was sent flying backward, spitting out a massive mist of blood. His chest caved inward, and who knew how many ribs snapped.
He had thought things would be too simple; seeing that the spiritual and Dao forces on Chu Yu's fist weren't particularly formidable, he had assumed Chu Yu's strength was lackluster.
Never had he imagined that Chu Yu's pure physical strength alone was no weaker than the full-powered strike of a fifth-layer Inscription Realm expert!
Thud!
Liu Shaoqing's body crashed to the ground with a heavy impact, sounding like a giant hammer striking right against the hearts of the spectators.
The terror of a single punch was such that Liu Shaoqing, a cultivator of the fifth layer of the Inscription Realm, had been defeated this miserably.
The complexions of the many young elites present shifted drastically. They hadn't expected the youth before them to possess such terrifying strength.
"Young Master!"
The faces of the Dao Pattern Realm experts beside Liu Shaoqing turned ashen as they stepped forward.
The Treasure Pavilion's business spanned several great kingdoms, and here in Desolate City, they held a total monopoly. For their young master to be heavily wounded right at the city gates, the Treasure Pavilion's reputation could be said to have been dragged through the dirt.
"The Treasure Pavilion's young master is trash, so now you lackeys have to step in? Feel free to give it a try!"
Jiang Ruoxi said coldly as the two Void Dao Realm experts by her side stepped forward, their formidable auras sending a chill through the onlookers.
She would not allow any Dao Pattern Realm expert to threaten Chu Yu. As for peers of the younger generation, she trusted Chu Yu's strength entirely.
In the end, those Dao Pattern Realm experts didn't dare to make a move.
Yet the various young elites in the surroundings refused to accept this, loudly hurling accusations.
"You are too lawless! How could you inflict such a heavy blow upon the Treasure Pavilion's young master?!"
"Utterly ruthless and vicious! You violate all principles of benevolence and morality!"
"A barbaric brute—how are you any different from a beast?!"
"You stirred up trouble, yet you hide behind a woman for protection? What kind of ability is that?!"
...
A chorus of angry denunciations rang out across the area. In an instant, Chu Yu became the target of public criticism.
Chu Yu's gaze turned frosty, his expression aloof as he shouted sternly, "You refuse to accept this? Step out and fight me one-on-one!"
At once, the surrounding condemnations screeched to a halt. The many young elites looked at one another in dismay. When it actually came time to throw down, every single one of them was too intimidated to step forward.
Liu Shaoqing, who was at the fifth layer of the Inscription Realm, had been defeated in a single move by this youth before them; they certainly lacked the guts to challenge him.
"You don't accept this?"
Chu Yu looked toward a young elite, his murderous intent razor-sharp.
That very person had been shouting the loudest and roaring with the biggest voice earlier, acting as though he were irreconcilably at odds with Chu Yu.
"No, no, no! I'm just an innocent bystander, this matter has nothing to do with me!"
That young elite instantly folded, shaking his head and waving his hands as he retreated to the very back of the crowd.
"Or you?"
Chu Yu said coldly, turning his gaze to another young elite.
"No, no, I'm a man of culture. Don't come looking for me when it comes to all this fighting and killing."
As he spoke, that person also began backing away.
Chu Yu looked at a third person. "Or perhaps you?"
"No, no, no! You and I are total strangers; there's really no need to resort to violence."
The third person chimed in, quickly retreating backward as well.
Chu Yu swept his gaze around the surroundings. The young elites who had been brimming with aggressive momentum just moments ago were all harboring guilty consciences, backing away one after another, not even daring to meet Chu Yu's eyes.
"A bunch of spineless rats! All you're good for is barking!"
Chu Yu said indifferently, his expression arrogant and defiant, reeking of utter disdain.
"Let's go into the city!"
With that, Chu Yu grabbed Jiang Ruoxi's small hand and strutted proudly into Desolate City under a wave of shocked gazes.
Inside Desolate City, streams of people and endless horse-drawn carriages bustled about. It was even more prosperous than Chu Yu had imagined; even the imperial capital of the Chu Kingdom was barely on par with this.
Moreover, with the admissions period for Wèncāng Pavilion drawing near, geniuses from all directions had gathered here, making Desolate City packed to the brim.
"Ruoxi, where have you been staying during the past few days since arriving in Desolate City?" Chu Yu asked.
"I've been staying at Cloud Pavilion. Wherever Brother Yu wants to stay is fine, I'll keep you company."
Jiang Ruoxi said with a smile. It was clear that seeing Chu Yu had made her genuinely happy.
"Then let's stay at Cloud Pavilion," Chu Yu said.
Situated on one of the most bustling streets in Desolate City, Cloud Pavilion was the largest and most luxurious tavern in the city, renowned far and wide. Its cuisine and service alike were utterly flawless.