"Xi Bu Tui, get down here and die!"
The moment those plain words left Chen Jiuyang's mouth—
"Rumble!"
The sound, like the thunderous wrath of the gods, exploded throughout the entire Fengshan mountain range, echoing for a long time, carrying a cold, merciless, and domineering killing intent.
...
Everyone's gaze followed Chen Jiuyang toward the figure on the mountaintop.
He's finally here!
The life-and-death battle between Chen Jiuyang and Xi Bu Tui.
Some anticipated it, some were indifferent, some were anxious.
"...Jiuyang." The Chen family patriarch was undoubtedly among the most anxious spectators.
Chen Jiuyang's aura had undergone an almost earth-shattering change compared to before, but no one knew his combat strength.
Whether he could triumph over a superior opponent, or what the outcome would be, they could not guess.
...
Under the gaze of countless eyes, the figure on the mountaintop finally rose slowly, stepping through the void step by step.
Xi Bu Tui was a confidant of the Third King, Zhou Fangzun, and had held sway in Feng Province for thirty years. During this time, countless people had challenged his authority, but every one of them was ruthlessly suppressed and killed by him.
Among them, Chen Jiuyang was the most renowned in decades.
Only twenty-three years old, a Grandmaster of the Earth Realm, enfeoffed as Marquis Xuanyang, young master of the Shu Mountain Chen family, champion of the Feng Province Martial Rankings, who had single-handedly killed two hundred Earth Realm ninjas overseas. Furthermore, Chen Jiuyang was loyal, valued friendship, kept his word, and refused to yield even unto death. These numerous factors were why tens of thousands had come to witness this battle.
Xi Bu Tui, clad in a black python robe, exuded a majestic and noble aura, commanding respect even without anger. He stood with his hands behind his back, floating in mid-air, his eyes looking at Chen Jiuyang with cold indifference.
Floating in the air consumed a significant amount of a martial artist's true qi. For an Earth Realm martial artist to maintain a stable position in mid-air through qi manipulation required an immense amount of true qi. The mere ability of Chen Jiuyang and Xi Bu Tui to float in mid-air made many fellow Earth Realm Grandmasters feel ashamed.
After a moment, Xi Bu Tui, suspended in mid-air, looked down at Chen Jiuyang and said indifferently:
"Chen Jiuyang, your talent is exceptional, and you have made contributions to the country. I truly do not wish to kill you. I give you one last chance: kneel and kowtow to admit your mistakes, or die."
The crowd was astonished. Xi Bu Tui had actually spoken such words.
With Xi Bu Tui's opening, the implicit meaning was a desire for both sides to step back, a subtle hint of yielding.
They quickly realized that the enmity between Chen Jiuyang and Xi Bu Tui was well-known to everyone. Chen Jiuyang's brother had been deliberately framed and forced to 'commit suicide' by Xi Bu Tui, which was Xi Bu Tui's wrongdoing. Later, Zhou Fangzun had issued nine golden decrees to force Chen Jiuyang to his death.
Although not openly stated, there were undoubtedly those who had pressured Zhou Fangzun and Xi Bu Tui. After all, the vast Dragon Country had five Heaven Realm Kings openly, and Zhou Fangzun alone could not control the heavens of the Dragon Country.
During his enfeoffment, there was a ceremony of "water can carry a boat but also capsize it." Even as the Third King, Zhou Fangzun must have experienced this.
This made things interesting. They watched to see how Chen Jiuyang would react.
"Hahahaha!"
Upon hearing Xi Bu Tui's words, Chen Jiuyang let out a burst of laughter that sounded like madness. Then, the smile slowly faded from his face. He slowly raised the hand holding the Yan Sheng Saber, and his cold, indifferent voice echoed:
"Xi Bu Tui, today, only one of us will leave here alive."
"I've prepared the items for you."
As Chen Jiuyang's voice fell, Fang Bahua, from behind Yao Zixuan and the others, floated through the air, carrying a thin wooden coffin in one hand and a large bell in the other.
The bell and coffin were ready.
This scene left many dumbfounded.
Many people's faces twitched, and some wore extremely strange expressions.
Chen Jiuyang's actions had taken arrogance and presumptuousness to the extreme.
Seeing this, a chilling intent gradually seeped into Xi Bu Tui's eyes.
He had developed a killing intent towards Chen Jiuyang.
Any Grandmaster of the Earth Realm with a shred of dignity could not tolerate such an insult from Chen Jiuyang, let alone Xi Bu Tui, who had governed Feng Province for thirty years, holding a position second to none.
Xi Bu Tui stared at Chen Jiuyang, his expression indifferent, and slowly said coldly, "Chen Jiuyang, your talent is extraordinary. Perhaps in another ten years, you might have the qualification to defeat me. But as you are now, you are too arrogant, too soon."
Chen Jiuyang sneered, raised his saber, and said loudly, "Then show me what you've got."
"Since that is the case, today, here, I shall send you on your way." The icy voice came from Xi Bu Tui's mouth. As the last word fell, a divine intent technique resembling a giant elephant was unleashed from his hand.
Brilliant divine soul true qi condensed and erupted from Chen Jiuyang's hand, hurtling towards Chen Jiuyang. In an instant, at a speed that tore through the sky, it arrived before Chen Jiuyang.
Truly, the old are the wisest!
Xi Bu Tui struck with thunderous force. Such a violent and terrifying divine intent technique was enough to kill an Earth Realm Grandmaster.
With this move, the world finally knew the terrifying strength of this chief constable who had presided over the Six Doors in Feng Province for thirty years. Many faces flashed with shock, and then they reacted, realizing this attack was not aimed at them but at Chen Jiuyang.
Almost instantaneously, this divine intent technique reached above Chen Jiuyang's head. However, facing this terrifying technique, Chen Jiuyang was completely unfazed, his expression unchanged. He showed no sign of evasion, even lowering the hand holding the Yan Sheng Saber and raising his other empty hand, then making a gesture as if to slap someone—
"Bang—"
"Rumble!"
Chen Jiuyang actually met Xi Bu Tui's divine intent technique with a palm strike from a distance. Immediately, the sound of terrifying true qi collision and explosion erupted, stirring up a gust of wind that swept in all directions.
Chen Jiuyang's palm strike had forcefully torn apart Xi Bu Tui's divine intent technique, which was capable of killing an ordinary Earth Realm Grandmaster.
The wind howled, making Chen Jiuyang's waterfall-like hair and clothes rustle, but his body did not move an inch.
In their first exchange, Chen Jiuyang had not been at a disadvantage. Xi Bu Tui had used a divine intent technique right from the start, while Chen Jiuyang had casually resolved Xi Bu Tui's fierce offensive with a mere palm strike.
The tens of thousands present were utterly shocked. Chen Jiuyang, with his cultivation at the second layer of the Earth Realm, faced Xi Bu Tui, a peak Earth Realm expert, with such ease.
To what extent had Chen Jiuyang's combat power reached now?
Under the gaze of countless shocked eyes, Chen Jiuyang slowly raised his head, looked at the figure looking down from above, and his words drifted out faintly:
"Xi Bu Tui, if this is all the strength you possess, how are you any different from Zhou Wushuang, that weak and useless trash? Don't disappoint me too much; show me your true abilities."
Hearing Chen Jiuyang's words, Xi Bu Tui's eyes became extremely gloomy, and an icy, bone-chilling voice slowly spread through the sky.
"Since you are so eager to die, I shall grant your wish!"