Everyone knew that Hex Feng was the Young Master of the Hex Family, a person of esteemed status. If he were injured, the Hex Family Patriarch would likely come seeking blood.
But Jiang Jichen was too unscrupulous. Not only had he broken one of Hex Feng's fingers, but he was also using him as a human shield and a weapon, completely unafraid of crippling him.
"Jiang Jichen, what will it take for you to release my brother?"
Hex Yao's beautiful face was flushed with rage. Her eyes held a murderous glint as she asked in an ice-cold voice.
Jiang Jichen ignored Hex Yao's existence. He simply carried Hex Feng to the center of the arena and said, "My spiritual cultivation is gone, and the Dao of Body Refining is broken. I'm a cripple now, that's true. But even so, I'm not someone that trash like you can defeat!"
Dangling Hex Feng, standing in the center of the arena, Jiang Jichen exuded an air of domineering arrogance, as if with a human shield in hand, the world was his.
Many people didn't dare to approach and were left speechless.
"Jiang Jichen must have lost his mind. With four families breaking off their engagements, he's already the biggest joke in Cyan Moon City. Besides, there are recent rumors that the Hex Family wants to form a marriage alliance with the Murong Family, with the prospective couple being Hex Yao and Murong Qingshu. Maybe Jiang Jichen heard this news and decided to take his anger out on his former brother-in-law!" someone commented.
Hex Yao felt ignored by Jiang Jichen, and she was furious.
She was a noble princess, adored and pursued by countless people wherever she went. When had she ever suffered such humiliation?
"Jiang Jichen, are you making an enemy of my Hex Family? I've already notified the experts of my family. They will capture and kill you today!"
Hex Yao threatened in a cold voice. The Communication Talisman in her hand had already turned into a flash of white light and vanished into the void.
At this moment, Murong Qingshu also stepped forward and said, "Jiang Jichen, I hope this is your own doing. Don't bring disaster upon the Jiang Family."
Murong Qingshu was also threatening him, but his meaning was clear. Although the Jiang Family was one of the four great families of Cyan Moon City, it had long since declined. In particular, the Fifth Mansion, where Jiang Jichen resided, was in danger of being wiped out at any moment.
"My actions are my own and have nothing to do with anyone else. However, I did hear that someone is calling their family's experts to capture and kill me!"
Jiang Jichen said with a cold laugh. Meanwhile, Han Qing, gripping two Black Iron Spears, had an excited look on his face. "To think that I, Han Qing, a commoner Cultivator, would see the day I could compete on the same stage as so many noble young masters! This is great! This battle is enough to make my name known throughout Cyan Moon City!"
Hearing Han Qing's words, the crowd almost coughed up blood.
He was clearly just a follower standing behind Jiang Jichen and hadn't even made a move. How could he have the nerve to say he was competing on the same stage with them? That was just too much. Was it really necessary to go this far just to get some attention?
Murong Qingshu stared at Jiang Jichen and said, "I can guarantee that the experts from the Hex Family won't make a move. But I'm not satisfied with you simply being erased from the Youth List, nor am I content with taking the top spot by default. That being the case, do you dare to fight me?"
At sixteen years old and at the Seventh-level Mortal Warrior Realm, his talent and combat power were only slightly weaker than the former Jiang Jichen, forcing him to settle for second place on Cyan Moon City's Youth List. Murong Qingshu had never been convinced of this. He knew he was no match for an uninjured Jiang Jichen, but now that Jiang Jichen's spiritual cultivation was crippled, he was completely confident of victory.
Faced with Murong Qingshu's challenge, Jiang Jichen sighed and said, "It seems you don't know my rules?"
"Rules? There are rules to challenge you? Jiang Jichen, who do you think you are? A Great Sect Saint Son? A Holy Land Saintess? An Ancient Country Prince? You're ridiculous!"
Hearing Jiang Jichen's words, Murong Qingshu couldn't help but laugh in exasperation.
"A cripple, shamelessly setting rules!"
"If you don't dare to fight, just say so instead of making excuses. If the rule is that no one can use Spiritual Power, who could possibly fight him?"
"So despicable, so shameless!"
...
After hearing Jiang Jichen's words, some of the noble young masters began to mock and ridicule him relentlessly.
In the crowd, a scornful smile appeared on Mun Xia's beautiful face as she said, "I used to think he was someone special, but after his spiritual cultivation was crippled, he's just a coward who hides in his shell. He only dares to attack people weaker than him and avoids fighting powerful geniuses. He's nothing but a gutless piece of trash!"
Upon hearing Mun Xia's assessment, some of the young masters nodded in praise, saying that Miss Mun Xia's words were very reasonable.
Bai Yiyi stood to the side, not joining in. Her eyes were filled with indifference, as if what was happening before her had nothing to do with her.
Luuo Xue, however, had a complicated look in her eyes. She was a little worried for Jiang Jichen, but of course, this was purely out of kindness and had nothing to do with anything else. As for breaking the engagement, she had no say in the matter; it was entirely the decision of her family's Elders.
'Of course, if the choice had been hers to make, the outcome might not have been any different.'
In the center of the arena, facing the crowd's mockery, Jiang Jichen just smiled calmly and said, "Nothing in this world is absolute. Who knows, maybe one day my broken Body Refining Dao will be reconnected. I'll achieve Great Success in Body Refining, forge an Undying Golden Body, and when my flower blooms, all others will wither. I'll sweep across the world and become an invincible legend!"
"Oh, please. A broken path reconnected? In your dreams!"
"In this world, those who don't follow the path of a Spirit Cultivator can only turn to dust. And he wants to be invincible? Hilarious!"
"Undying Golden Body? Do you think this is still the Ancient Era? You really think you're something special."
...
Hearing Jiang Jichen's arrogant words, the crowd grew even more furious, and a new wave of ridicule washed over him.
"Enough. State your rules!" demanded Murong Qingshu, who had no desire to waste any more time bantering with Jiang Jichen.
The crowd quieted down, wanting to hear what ridiculous rule Jiang Jichen had come up with to avoid the battle.
Jiang Jichen's gaze, however, fell upon Ouyang Xue and the few people from the Jiang Mansion. They had been at the Qingjiang Cultivation Field at the time, so it was impossible for them not to know the last thing he had said. The information had just been suppressed and hadn't spread.
As Jiang Jichen's gaze swept over them, the expressions of Ouyang Xue and the people from the Jiang Mansion turned a little ugly. The malicious smile on Jiang Jichen's face made them uneasy.
"I once said at the Qingjiang Cultivation Field that anyone who wants to challenge me again must first prepare five hundred First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills. Miss Ouyang Xue can certainly testify to this!"
His words were met with stunned silence. Everyone thought they had misheard.
They had expected Jiang Jichen to find some flimsy excuse to avoid the fight, but they never imagined he would state such a condition.
Without absolute confidence in victory, who would dare to propose such an astonishing condition?
Jiang Jichen was a cripple. Where did he get such confidence? Was this just a ploy?
All eyes focused on Ouyang Xue and the Jiang Family disciples. They all wanted to know if this was true, since they hadn't heard anything about it before.
'Does he really have the confidence to win, or is he just bluffing?' Ouyang Xue was also secretly shocked. Back then, Jiang Jichen had clearly said one hundred First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills, but now he had increased it to five hundred.
'Jiang Jichen, since you're seeking death, don't blame me for being ruthless. We'll see how you come up with five hundred First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills then!' Ouyang Xue thought hatefully, but her expression remained calm. She nodded and said, "He did indeed say that!"
Hearing Ouyang Xue's confirmation, the crowd no longer had any doubts, and a clamor erupted from all sides.
Something else they didn't know about must have happened at the Qingjiang Cultivation Field. Many people made a mental note to look into it later.
Murong Qingshu flicked his hand, and a large bag of First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills flew out, landing at Jiang Jichen's feet. "You can count them!"
Seeing Murong Qingshu act so decisively, the crowd knew this battle was inevitable. However, no one thought Jiang Jichen had any chance of winning; they were just confused as to why he was doing this.
Jiang Jichen extended the tip of his foot and flicked it gently. The large bag of Spirit Pills floated over to Han Qing. "Count them and see if there are five hundred!"
Han Qing's mouth split into a wide grin he couldn't contain. "You got it!" he replied excitedly.
The crowd was speechless watching this pair. They were so shameless! The fight hadn't even started, yet they had already taken the Spirit Pills. Did he really think he was going to win?
"Aren't you afraid of getting burned holding those? However many you take now, you'll be spitting them back out double later!" sneered someone behind Murong Qingshu.
"Be quiet! I just finished counting and you made me lose track! Now I have to start over!"
Han Qing shouted, startling everyone. Some people couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter.
A young master in green robes behind Murong Qingshu had an ugly expression. He snapped coldly, "Young Master Qingshu has already put up five hundred First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills. What are you, a cripple, going to offer? I hear you're dirt poor and your monthly allowance is always being withheld. I don't believe you can produce five hundred First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills!"
"I'm a cripple. What does that make you?"
However, the moment the green-robed young master's voice fell, Jiang Jichen suddenly took a step forward, tossed Hex Feng toward Murong Qingshu, and then threw a punch.
PUH!
The green-robed young master spat out blood and collapsed, his eyes wide with terror as he stared at Jiang Jichen.
"You're not even as good as a cripple!"
Jiang Jichen said faintly, his gaze sweeping over the entire arena. In that instant, his previous image was shattered, replaced by an aura of invincibility.
The green-robed young master was a talented Spirit Cultivator at the Fifth Level Mortal Realm, yet he was still knocked down by a single punch from Jiang Jichen.
The most shocked of all was Ouyang Xue. Whether at the Qingjiang Cultivation Field or here at Cyan Moon Plaza, Jiang Jichen had always defeated his enemies in a single move.
The rest of the crowd was stunned, unable to believe this was the cripple they had been talking about.
Murong Qingshu set Hex Feng down. His face was expressionless, but the aura around him was steadily rising. Seven faint, cyan Spiritual Power Lines coiled around his body.
Spiritual Power Lines were divided into several color-coded grades, such as gray, cyan, silver, and gold. Ordinary Cultivators couldn't even condense a single Spiritual Power Line. The fact that Murong Qingshu could produce faint, cyan lines was a testament to his refined Spiritual Power, high level, and extraordinary talent.
As Murong Qingshu's powerful aura erupted, the crowd hastily retreated, clearing a large open space on the stage.
"The Seventh-level Mortal Warrior Perfection Realm! I can't believe Young Master Qingshu has already reached this stage!" the crowd exclaimed in awe.
Meanwhile, Jiang Jichen casually flicked out a Five-Star Bronze Cultivation Card and asked, "Is this thing worth five hundred First-Grade Spirit Condensing Pills?"
"It is!" Murong Qingshu replied in a deep voice.
"Then let's fight!"
Jiang Jichen took several steps forward, moving like a tiger descending a mountain, unstoppable.