"What did you say?"
Chu Xianzhi froze.
Yang Cheng didn't answer, but Zuo Qiuyu spoke: "He said his confidence is himself."
The corner of Chu Xianzhi's mouth twitched. "Little brother, don't joke like that."
Jin Yi burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.
"Chu Meng, what do we do? Do we have a way to save him?"
Xue Fu asked in a panic.
Chu Meng's face turned pale. "There's no way."
At that moment, she once again felt her own weakness deep in her bones.
"You people really have time to waste. I don't have your patience to play around with a little brat here."
Just then, an old crone stepped forward.
"Granny Tian?"
"They say Chen Mohai and Granny Tian had something going on. Looks like it's true."
"Another Martial Emperor shows up."
Quite a few people recognized the old woman.
Granny Tian was a well-known Martial Emperor Fifth Layer expert from Mozhou.
She wasted no time.
A flash of cruelty passed through her cloudy eyes, and her skinny claw-like hand suddenly shot out, aiming straight for Yang Cheng's throat.
"Little brat, this old woman will send you on your way."
Her five fingers scraped against the air, making sharp screeching noises.
"That boy's finished."
Some sighed with pity, others sneered with glee.
But—
Yang Cheng didn't even lift his eyelids. He just lazily raised his right hand and slapped forward.
The terrifying palm force pressed down, leaving a transparent handprint in the air.
Boom!
As that handprint came crashing down, the vicious grin on Granny Tian's face froze.
In the next instant, she felt a crushing force like a mountain flood engulfing her whole body.
Her clawed hand took the hit first.
With a sharp crack, all the bones in her hand shattered.
"Ah!"
Her shrill scream echoed as her body was flung away like a torn sack, slamming hard into the ground.
The earth caved in with a loud crash, her figure buried in rubble, limbs twisted unnaturally.
She tried to crawl up but found she didn't even have the strength to move.
The place went silent.
Everyone stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
"Granny Tian was crippled with one slap?"
Someone swallowed hard.
"Impossible! She was a Martial Emperor Fifth Layer."
Chu Xianzhi's face turned grim.
Even Zuo Qiuyu's pupils shrank, the smile vanishing from his face.
Yang Cheng looked over at Jin Yi. "Your turn."
"Arrogant brat, don't get cocky."
Jin Yi's face was cold.
As a Martial Emperor, he was ruthless by nature.
His iron fan snapped open with a swish. The thin edge gleamed coldly, sharp as a blade.
Swish!
In a blur, Jin Yi's figure darted forward like a ghost. The iron fan sliced fiercely toward Yang Cheng's throat.
Even before the fan reached, the sharp gust cut through the air, shrieking loudly.
Everyone nearby tensed.
Jin Yi was far stronger than Granny Tian.
A Martial Emperor Ninth Layer and a Fifth Layer weren't on the same level.
Yang Cheng didn't budge. Once again, he casually slapped out.
A crisp smack rang out.
The seemingly unstoppable Jin Yi had his qi shattered instantly and was sent flying with a single palm.
But he was stronger than Granny Tian.
In midair, he managed to adjust himself. Landing with a stagger, he retreated over ten steps before steadying his stance.
"Who the hell are you?"
Jin Yi glared hard at Yang Cheng.
"That's all you've got?" Yang Cheng stood with his hands behind his back, voice calm.
"I admit defeat…"
Jin Yi started to speak, but midway his hand suddenly flicked the iron fan.
Dozens of hair-thin silver needles shot out from the fan's ribs. Their tips gleamed with a dark green light—clearly coated in deadly poison.
"The Jin family's secret hidden weapon technique!"
Someone cried out.
The silver needles moved at frightening speed, almost instantly reaching Yang Cheng.
It looked like Yang Cheng couldn't react in time.
In the blink of an eye, dozens of silver needles slammed into his body.
"The Jin family of Mozhou really lives up to its name."
"That kid's strength is scary, but his combat experience is still too shallow. He got caught."
The crowd buzzed with talk.
"Those must be the Jin family's Green Bone Needles. I heard they don't just pierce deeply—they carry bone-corroding poison too," Zuo Qiuyu said.
"Exactly. This boy's either crippled or dead," Chu Xianzhi said coolly.
Jin Yi grew more smug. "Little brat still wet behind the ears, you think you're worthy to fight me?"
But then someone shouted in disbelief. "Impossible! Those poisoned needles didn't even pierce his skin!"
Everyone quickly looked at Yang Cheng. They were stunned to see the needles dropping off his body one after another.
The needles had only pierced his clothes. Not a single one broke his skin. The tips weren't even stained with blood.
Yang Cheng's expression stayed calm.
He had the Primordial Golden Body, and his body had been strengthened many times by the Marrow-Washing Divine Jade.
His flesh was already close to Martial Sovereign level.
Jin Yi's poisoned needles couldn't even scratch him.
That's why he hadn't bothered dodging.
"This… this can't be!"
Jin Yi's eyes widened, his voice cracking.
Even Martial Saints had to avoid this hidden weapon, yet this boy blocked it with his bare body?
Yang Cheng glanced at the scattered silver needles on the ground, cold light flashing in his eyes. "The Jin family really only knows these filthy tricks."
Jin Yi's heart filled with terror. He stumbled back fast, widening the distance. At the same time he shouted, "Zuo Qiuyu, we were all invited here by you, and you still just stand by?"
"Relax, none of you will die," Zuo Qiuyu said with a cold sneer.
She lifted her palm.
Whoosh!
A green flame shaped like a lotus appeared in her hand.
"Azure Lotus Demonic Flame."
Murong Yun's face changed.
Alchemists who possessed different flames were extremely rare. Even she, a core disciple of Divine Medicine Valley, didn't have one.
But Zuo Qiuyu was different.
Her older brother Zuo Qiu Ming was the top core disciple of Divine Medicine Valley, with higher status than many elders.
Because of him, Zuo Qiuyu had obtained a different flame.
Her flame, the Azure Lotus Demonic Flame, wasn't known for raw damage. Instead, it carried strong mental interference, dragging people into the Azure Lotus Illusion.
In the next moment, everyone felt an invisible wave spreading outward from the flame at its center.
Zuo Qiuyu targeted Yang Cheng, though even the aftershocks hitting the others were terrifying enough.
"Different flames really are terrifying."
People backed away, wary eyes filled with fear.
The Azure Lotus Demonic Flame swept toward Yang Cheng, making many believe his fate was sealed.
But—
Just as the flame neared Yang Cheng, it suddenly trembled. It was as if it sensed something dreadful.
Swish!
It immediately tried to retreat.
Everyone stared in confusion.
The next moment, their faces turned pale as they saw Yang Cheng inhale toward the flame.
A terrifying suction force, overwhelming for the Azure Lotus Demonic Flame, burst out.
The flame that had tried to flee couldn't move anymore. In an instant, it was sucked straight into Yang Cheng's mouth.