Peak Origin Opening Realm cultivators can form true essence within their bodies, which can then project outward and transform into true qi.
The weapons they wield are no longer ordinary mortal weapons, but true essence weapons capable of parting hairs and cutting through anything with supreme sharpness.
"Slash again!"
With a horizontal sweep of his long sword, a massive true qi sword projection—resembling a giant door panel—cleaved outward, slashing fiercely toward Yun Chen.
Daring not to be careless, Yun Chen leaped and directly dodged to the side.
Following this, Feng Cheng launched attack after attack, while Yun Chen continuously evaded.
He had experienced far too few actual battles, and having previously been the favored son of heaven, even when encountering opponents he could defeat, they had never dared to unleash their full strength upon him. This had left him chronically lacking in combat experience.
Right now, fighting against Feng Cheng presented the absolute best opportunity to test his true strength while simultaneously refining his movement techniques and combat skills.
The entire eighth-floor space was shredded into a churning cloud of dust and debris.
Relying on his movement technique, Yun Chen kept Feng Cheng unable to land a hit for the moment.
Yet he also knew that if things continued this way, defeat was certain for him.
It was a pity that his current cultivation realm was too low, and the combat skills he practiced lacked any overwhelming power. Defeating Feng Cheng was practically impossible under these conditions.
By this time, the surrounding crowd of onlookers was dumbfounded.
They had never witnessed a Qi Cyclone Realm cultivator holding their own in such a fierce deadlock against a Peak Origin Opening Realm expert. Even though Yun Chen spent most of his time dodging, it was still astonishing.
"Han Lingyu, what are you standing around for? Attack together and wipe this fellow out!"
Seeing that he had failed to take Yun Chen down after all this time, Feng Cheng grew somewhat anxious and barked at Han Lingyu, who had been standing to the side watching the show.
To be honest, as a Peak Origin Opening Realm expert failing to take down a mere Qi Cyclone Realm cultivator after so long felt nothing short of humiliating to him.
If word of this got out, he would inevitably become the laughingstock of all Dayan Mountain.
Hearing this, a ferocious grin spread across Han Lingyu's face. He sprang into action, a suit of true qi armor manifesting over his body as a long spear materialized in his hand.
With the spear in hand, his entire aura abruptly transformed. He suddenly resembled a towering spear piercing the heavens and earth, capable of puncturing the nine firmaments and dominating the universe.
"The Tyrant Spear, Han Lingyu!"
"Word is he ranks near the very top among inner sect disciples, having made it onto the list of the top ten inner sect disciples!"
"Now we're going to get a good show. That Qi Cyclone Realm fellow managed to play around with Feng Cheng relying on his movement technique, but he certainly won't be able to do the same against Han Lingyu."
Many disciples murmured among themselves, their gazes carrying a trace of awe as they looked at Han Lingyu.
This was a genuine heavyweight figure of Dayan Mountain.
Of course, his background could not compare to Feng Cheng's, which was why he chose to follow by Feng Cheng's side.
Chapter Forty-Five: The Law Enforcement Hall
Seeing that Han Lingyu was also joining the fray, Yun Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.
He had not expected these two to be so utterly shameless.
Two Peak Origin Opening Realm experts actually plotting to gang up on a mere Qi Cyclone Realm cultivator.
"Han Lingyu, you are supposed to be one of the prominent figures of Dayan Mountain. Being willing to act as someone else's dog is one thing, but now you actually lower yourself to teaming up with others to gang up on a tiny Qi Cyclone Realm cultivator—have you no shame at all?"
Just as Han Lingyu was about to make his move, a voice suddenly echoed through the ninth-floor space.
"Who's there?"
A sharp, cold light flashed in Han Lingyu's eyes as he looked coldly toward the newcomers.
Over there, a figure dressed in cyan robes was slowly descending the stairs, followed closely by a woman in a blue dress.
Walking in front was none other than Chen Xue.
Behind Chen Xue was Xu Yingdie.
Whether Xu Yingdie or Chen Xue, both were prominent figures of Dayan Mountain, and both were Peak Origin Opening Realm experts who ranked near the very top among core disciples.
More importantly, these two women were good sisters of that female demon.
Who on Dayan Mountain did not know that aside from the Ten Great Disciples of Dayan Mountain, there were two other people who must never be offended?
Those two people were Xu Yingdie and Chen Xue.
Do not let their stunning appearances fool you; if they were to truly throw down, they would dare to fight even a Heavenly Martial Realm expert.
"Xu Yingdie! Chen Xue!" Han Lingyu's expression turned rather ugly. If it were anyone else, he would have already struck, but facing these two, he truly lacked the courage. Even though they had just scolded him as a dog, aside from anger, he did not dare retort in the slightest. "What I, Han Lingyu, choose to do is not your place to point fingers at!"
"Of course it's not our place, we just find your behavior utterly repulsive. Tsk tsk, two inner sect disciples actually bullying a newly arrived junior brother—you really know how to put a face on yourselves!" Chen Xue mocked mercilessly.
"Hmph!"
Feng Cheng let out a cold snort and stepped back a little, positioning himself beside Han Lingyu.
Although these two women rarely made a move, they were immensely powerful, and both were Peak Origin Opening Realm experts whom they could not match.
"Senior Sister Chen, Senior Sister Xu, why have you come?" Seeing that Feng Cheng had ceased his attacks and no longer paying him any mind, Yun Chen looked toward Chen Xue and the other woman.
As for Feng Wu,
in his eyes, he was already a dead man.
To deal with Feng Wu, he first had to deal with Feng Cheng.
Had he possessed mid Qi Cyclone Realm strength, or practiced Earth-rank intermediate combat skills, he might have been able to wipe out Feng Cheng. But right now, he still fell somewhat short.
Yun Chen still felt a sense of gratitude toward Chen Xue and Xu Yingdie.
If not for these two, he probably would have already been killed by that woman Mu Ling.
Seeing Yun Chen greeting the two women, Feng Cheng's pupils constricted involuntarily.
If Yun Chen had a close relationship with these two, he would truly need to think very carefully before making a move against him.
Feng Wu had likewise not expected Yun Chen to be acquainted with these two great beauties, leaving him frozen in place, utterly at a loss for what to say.
"We came because we were worried about you!" Chen Xue sighed. "Apologies, we forgot to remind you earlier—actually, Senior Sister is a very good person, she just harbors an aversion toward men. You shouldn't live in the C-grade room area anymore; otherwise, if Senior Sister sees you again, you won't be so lucky next time."
Yun Chen shook his head slightly and did not reply.
He was, after all, a disciple of Dayan Mountain, yet right here in Dayan Mountain, he no longer even had a place to live.
"Feng Cheng, don't go acting recklessly in Dayan Mountain just because of your master!" Xu Yingdie warned Feng Cheng.
Feng Cheng said coldly, "My affairs are not for Senior Sister Xu to worry about."
He, Feng Cheng, also had backing, so naturally he wouldn't be overly intimidated by Chen Xue and the others.
Neither Xu Yingdie nor Chen Xue possessed any massive backing within Dayan Mountain, which was why Feng Cheng didn't take them too seriously.
Seeing Feng Cheng lock horns with Xu Yingdie, the surrounding crowd exchanged glances.
Were these two about to start fighting?
Though, logically speaking, they probably wouldn't.
Xu Yingdie's strength surpassed Feng Cheng's; how could Feng Cheng ever dare to fight her?
"What is going on here?"
Just at that moment, another voice rang out.
The crowd turned to look and saw a stern-faced middle-aged man walking over slowly.
"Steward Pang!"
"Steward Pang!"
Upon seeing the middle-aged man, the crowd hurriedly cupped their fists in greeting.
For this man was none other than Pang Yuan, the Law Enforcement Hall steward stationed at the cultivation pagoda.
The Law Enforcement Hall was a place that made everyone on Dayan Mountain turn pale at the mere mention.
Because once you were targeted by the Law Enforcement Hall, you could kiss goodbye to ever having an easy life on Dayan Mountain.
"Why is he here?"
Xu Yingdie and Chen Xue felt a sudden jolt in their hearts.
Pang Yuan's appearance here was definitely not a coincidence.
Upon seeing Steward Pang, Feng Cheng and Han Lingyu exchanged glances, both catching the glint of smiles in each other's eyes.
Seeing Pang Yuan appear, Yu Jiaojiao and Long Fei—who had been ignored by everyone until now—suddenly began to wail loudly.
"Steward Pang, you must seek justice for us!"
"Steward Pang, fighting is strictly prohibited inside the cultivation pagoda! Not only did this fellow start a fight, he's utterly lawless—he even crippled the cultivation of both Senior Sister Yu and myself! This is a blatant disregard for the sect rules of Dayan Mountain, a complete contempt for Dayan Mountain as a whole!"
"That's right, Steward Pang! I request that this fellow be executed on the spot to serve as a warning to others!"
Chapter Forty-Six: Fabricating Charges Without Cause
"Such a vile beast! A mere outer sect disciple dares to cripple the cultivation of his fellow senior brothers and sisters! With such a vicious heart, he deserves execution!"
Hearing their words, Pang Yuan didn't waste a single breath. He lunged forward instantly, lashing out with a palm strike toward Yun Chen.
A massive wave of pressure rolled over him, filling Yun Chen with a sense of utter helplessness.
This old bastard was a Heavenly Martial Realm expert, and a late Heavenly Martial Realm one at that.
Naturally, Yun Chen was not about to sit and wait for death. He frantically channeled the spiritual energy within his body and met the attack head-on with the Raging Thunder Palm.
With a resounding "bang," the palm strike landed. Yun Chen's hand instantly rebounded from the impact, and following that, Pang Yuan's palm struck heavily against Yun Chen's shoulder. Accompanied by a muffled groan, Yun Chen stumbled back several steps, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
Although he had not been killed on the spot, Yun Chen's expression turned exceptionally grim.
This steward could not possibly be unaware of what had transpired here.
Even if he didn't know, this fellow had come here and immediately attempted to kill him without asking for the cause. This was a clear intent to drive him to an early grave and deny him any chance to explain. While this sent a chill through Yun Chen's heart, it also ignited a fierce desire to kill Pang Yuan.
"Oh?"
Seeing that Yun Chen had actually blocked his palm strike and sustained only minor injuries, Pang Yuan felt a flicker of surprise, but immediately sneered, "No wonder you dared to be so arrogant; you little beast actually have some tricks up your sleeve. However, daring to cripple a fellow disciple's cultivation is a capital offense. No matter how high your innate talent is, today I will execute you on the spot, you little beast, to restore clarity and justice to Dayan Mountain!"
Pang Yuan spoke with an air of righteous indignation and moved to strike again mid-sentence.
"Hahahaha! Old bastard, if you want to kill me, just say so—why bother making up so many excuses? As a Law Enforcement Hall steward, you come here and immediately try to kill me without asking about cause and effect. Heh, is this the truth of how your Law Enforcement Hall enforces the law? If that really is the case, then I'd like to ask the Sect Master of Dayan Mountain if Law Enforcement Hall justice is supposed to look like this!"
Driven to the edge, Yun Chen shouted aloud without a care left in the world.
Hearing Yun Chen's words, many people trembled all over with fright.
Who knew where this fellow had crawled out from, but his nerve was so monstrous that he actually dared to talk back to a law enforcement steward.
Sure enough, Pang Yuan's face turned livid with rage, murder flashing wildly in his eyes.
A mere outer sect disciple dared to talk back to him?
"Steward Pang, law enforcement by the Law Enforcement Hall relies on evidence. Since you currently have no evidence, aren't you being a bit too tyrannical by sentencing Yun Chen to death?" Xu Yingdie spoke up coldly. "If you dare lay a finger on him today, I will certainly report this to my master and investigate this matter to the very end. I refuse to believe that your Law Enforcement Hall can truly cover the sky with one hand here on Dayan Mountain, or that you, Steward Pang, can!"
Pang Yuan had originally intended to strike, but upon hearing Xu Yingdie's words, he was forced to pause.
He could afford to disregard Xu Yingdie, but he could not afford to disregard Xu Yingdie's master.
For her master was a peak master, whose status and position were not the least bit inferior to the head of the Law Enforcement Hall.
"If it truly is Yun Chen's fault, even if you killed him on the spot, we wouldn't pursue the matter. But if it is not his fault, then don't blame me for also reporting this to my master!" Chen Xue chimed in as well.
Her master was the peak master of Thunder Peak, a notoriously domineering figure.
This caused Pang Yuan's expression to turn unsightly. He snorted coldly, "Xu Yingdie, Chen Xue, isn't the evidence obvious enough? Regardless of the reason, Yun Chen had no business crippling the cultivation of his fellow senior brother and sister."
"That's right, Senior Sister Xu! I harbored no grudge against this Yun Chen, yet as soon as he arrived here, seeing that I possessed a pleasing appearance, he attempted to take liberties with me. When I refused, he tried to force himself upon me. Fortunately, Senior Brother Long happened to walk in. Driven to fury by his thwarted attempt, he directly crippled the cultivation of both Senior Brother Long Fei and myself, and even smashed Senior Brother Long Fei's arm to pieces! Pitiful weakling that I am, I've somehow ended up in this wretched state!"
As she spoke, Yu Jiaojiao actually burst into sobs, looking thoroughly pitiful and wretched.
Hearing this, many newly arrived disciples cast cold, contemptuous glances toward Yun Chen.
Meanwhile, Xu Yingdie and Chen Xue furrowed their brows slightly.
If things truly happened this way, even if they wanted to help Yun Chen, they wouldn't be able to.
After all, Yun Chen was clearly in the wrong here.
"Truly a beast! He actually tried to violate someone, and when he failed, he went ahead and crippled their cultivation! For such beastly conduct, if I, Pang Yuan, do not act on behalf of heaven today, wouldn't I be failing the Law Enforcement Hall, failing Dayan Mountain, and failing all women under heaven?"
Pang Yuan shouted sternly and demanded coldly of Yun Chen, "You little beast, what else do you have to say for yourself now?"
"Hahahaha! Utter nonsense and malicious slander!" Enraged, Yun Chen glared with eyes that seemed ready to spit fire. "As if someone of my standing would ever fancy trash like this! Stop trying to disgust people here—just taking one more look at her makes me want to vomit! Try to take liberties? Take liberties with your mother's corpse!"
"Vile woman, do you really think I'm dead for sure?"
The gaze Yun Chen cast at Yu Jiaojiao was filled with utter disgust as he spoke coldly, "Earlier, Feng Wu smashed my stone door, and because of that you guys flew into a rage. But furious as you were, you didn't dare look for trouble with Feng Wu, so you tried to vent your anger on me instead—only to lack the skill and end up getting your cultivation crippled by me!"
Chapter Forty-Seven: An Unsettled Heart After All
"Now, right here in front of everyone, you still don't forget to slander me!"
"I, Yun Chen, have seen plenty of disgusting people in my life, but I've never seen anyone as repulsive as you."
"What use is there in keeping trash as sickening as you alive?"
As he spoke, Yun Chen suddenly moved. Lunging forward, he slammed his palm down onto the crown of Yu Jiaojiao's head. Accompanied by a soft squelch, Yu Jiaojiao's body shuddered violently, bleeding from all seven orifices as she died on the spot.
Before dying, Yu Jiaojiao's eyes bulged wide, as if she never could have imagined that Yun Chen would actually dare to execute her directly in front of everyone.
"Now, tell them—was what Yu Jiaojiao just said true?"
Having killed Yu Jiaojiao, Yun Chen grabbed Long Fei by the throat.
If Long Fei dared to utter a single lie, he would extinguish him without the slightest hesitation.
Even though he had been reborn, he was still ultimately just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth; if he didn't kill Yu Jiaojiao, his heart would never find peace.
"Ah..." Long Fei never expected Yun Chen to grab him by the throat. At that moment, profound regret washed over him—he regretted following Yu Jiaojiao in framing Yun Chen.
This fellow was a madman! A thorough, absolute madman!
Right in front of a Law Enforcement Hall steward, he actually dared to kill Yu Jiaojiao. How could mere "audacity" possibly describe this?!
"Speak!" Yun Chen barked.
"Audacious! How dare you execute a fellow sect disciple right in front of me? If I don't kill you, how can I appease the public?"
Seeing that Yun Chen actually dared to commit murder, Pang Yuan flew into a towering rage and moved to charge forward.
"If you want to kill me, then I'll kill him first. See if I dare or not!" Yun Chen said coldly.
A threat—a naked, undisguised threat.
"Then go ahead and kill him!" Pang Yuan didn't care in the least.
A disciple whose cultivation had already been crippled—so what if he was killed by Yun Chen?
He wouldn't care at all.
"Junior Brother Yun, you..." At this point, even Chen Xue found it difficult to speak up for Yun Chen.
"Senior Sister Chen, that woman slandered me so viciously; if I didn't kill her, my heart would never find peace. They say a man fights for his breath and a Buddha for a stick of incense. If I, Yun Chen, were slandered like this and did nothing in return, I'd be unworthy of being a man!"
His words rang out with clanging metallic resolve, carrying an unyielding, decisive edge.
"Never finding peace in one's heart... unworthy of being a man!"
Hearing this, Chen Xue stared blankly at Yun Chen, repeating the words to herself.
"What a fine, iron-spined young man!"
An exclamation of praise rang out.
Hearing this voice, Pang Yuan's pupils shrank slightly as he looked toward the speaker.
The speaker was a white-haired elder, similarly clad in the attire of the Law Enforcement Hall, except that his garments were white.
White represented an elder of the Law Enforcement Hall. An elder's status was a tier higher than that of a steward.
"Greetings, Fifth Elder!"
Upon seeing the old man, Pang Yuan hurriedly cupped his fists.
The rest of the crowd also cupped their fists slightly, appearing extremely respectful toward the old man.
A Law Enforcement Hall elder was equivalent to the elders of the various peaks, possessing an incomparably lofty status.
"Little fellow, tell us the cause and effect of this matter!"
The elder said to Yun Chen.
Yun Chen shook his head slightly. "Old mister, I think it's better to let this fellow tell it himself!"
The fellow he referred to was naturally Long Fei.
Not daring to conceal anything, Long Fei hurriedly blurted out the entire sequence of events from beginning to end.
After listening to Long Fei's account, many people inwardly cursed the two of them for being utterly shameless.
It was clearly Feng Wu's fault, yet they had vented their anger on Yun Chen.
Had Yun Chen not possessed superior strength, he probably would have already been killed.
"I know that I'm merely an outer sect disciple with no background on Dayan Mountain. Even if I'm framed or bullied, I'm supposed to swallow my anger and keep quiet. But I'm terribly sorry—I cannot do that. A man born in this world should stand upright between heaven and earth, unyielding and unbroken!"
Yun Chen spoke leisurely.
This caused the white-robed elder to cast a cold glance at Long Fei.
"A bully of the weak and a coward to the strong!"
Long Fei turned deathly pale, not daring to retort.
"Little fellow, then tell me, how should I handle this matter?" The white-robed elder looked back at Yun Chen and asked.
As a Law Enforcement Hall elder, there were simply too many things he had to consider.
If it were an ordinary disciple, he probably would have already ordered people to arrest Feng Cheng and Feng Wu.
However, Feng Cheng's master happened to be the peak master of Fengming Peak.
The peak master of Fengming Peak was notoriously vindictive and fiercely protective of her own. If he really did something to Feng Cheng, that old hag would likely never let him go.
Of course, if Yun Chen insisted on punishing the two Feng brothers, he would still take action.
Only, if it came to that, Yun Chen's standing in his heart would plummet significantly.
What use was being unyielding?
This was fundamentally a world of the jungle where the strong preyed upon the weak. Without strength, what right did one have to speak of fairness or justice?
"There is no need for Elder to punish them. This is a grievance between myself and the Feng brothers, Feng Wu and Feng Cheng. Moreover, we are all disciples of Dayan Mountain. Since we are all disciples of Dayan Mountain, let it be resolved in the manner of Dayan Mountain disciples!"