“Are you alright?”
Ye Ling released Zhang Xiaoxia and asked softly.
Zhang Xiaoxia was stunned for a moment before coming back to her senses. Thinking of her rude actions just now, her ears turned red, and she stammered, “I-I’m fine…”
“It’s good that you’re fine.”
Ye Ling didn’t seem to mind. He smiled at Zhang Xiaoxia and then shifted his gaze to the red-haired man in front of Zhang Mingkong.
The red-haired man had a ferocious scar on his face and was powerfully built, standing at two meters tall. His hands were equipped with gauntlets made of an unknown material, which looked incredibly heavy.
The talismans of the surrounding Heavenly Masters were all repelled by his aura, and nearly half of the Heavenly Masters in the training grounds were injured!
The moment the man appeared, he had intimidated countless people!
Upon sensing the red-haired man’s aura, Zhang Zhiyue immediately realized the gravity of the situation. He rushed to the training grounds, landing beside Ye Ling with an extremely solemn expression.
Ye Ling sized up the red-haired man and then said to Zhang Xiaoxia, “Go take care of your master.”
“Yes!”
Zhang Xiaoxia knew that the enemy ahead was not someone she could handle. Without any hesitation, she quickly retreated to the rear to tend to Zhang Daoyuan, whose meridians had been injured by the red-haired man.
After sending Zhang Xiaoxia away, Ye Ling asked Zhang Zhiyue, “Do you know him?”
“I do,” Zhang Zhiyue nodded gravely. “He is Wen Tianhao, an eighth-rank extraordinary, known as the Fiery-Haired Vajra, who gained fame in Yan Hua a hundred years ago!”
Ye Ling looked again at the masked man who had just assassinated Zhang Xiaoxia and was now emerging from the audience stands. He asked Zhang Zhiyue, “And him?”
“Shadow Killer, Wang Shucheng, also an eighth-rank extraordinary and a renowned expert from a hundred years ago,” Zhang Zhiyue’s expression grew even more solemn. “I didn’t expect they were still alive and working for the Red Dust Pavilion…”
“This is troublesome!”
He was only at seventh-rank cultivation now. Although he had some reserves, he was already struggling to face Wang Shucheng, the Shadow Killer, alone, let alone the Fiery-Haired Vajra, Wen Tianhao, standing beside him!
If the two of them joined forces, he would surely be defeated!
Without Ye Ling by his side, the Zheng Yi Sect might be annihilated by the Red Dust Pavilion today!
“Master! Master Ye!”
Zhang Mingyu also realized the seriousness of the situation. Ignoring his not-yet-fully-healed injuries, he rose from the barrier and rushed to Zhang Zhiyue and Ye Ling’s side. “I will assist you both!”
Seeing more and more extraordinary individuals arriving, Wen Tianhao laughed heartily, “No matter how many ants there are, they are still just ants. They cannot bite an elephant to death!”
With that, he lifted Zhang Mingkong as if he were a chicken. Then, his bell-sized eyes swept across Ye Ling and the others before finally settling on Ye Ling.
Wen Tianhao loudly asked, “They all call you Master Ye. You must be Ye Ling, right?”
Ye Ling chuckled, “It seems you know me as well.”
Wen Tianhao narrowed his eyes slightly. “The Red Dust Pavilion forum says you entered the Heaven Ranking in the shortest time, your strength comparable to the Immortal Ranking, and that you are the foremost person in China today.”
“This monk doesn’t believe it, so I’ve come specifically to test your mettle.”
Zhang Mingkong, standing nearby, saw Wen Tianhao’s obsession with martial arts flaring up again and quickly reminded him, “Vajra, don’t forget the mission!”
The Red Dust Pavilion’s target this time was to assassinate Zhang Mingyu. All other priorities were secondary. He was worried that Wen Tianhao, getting carried away in a fight, would forget the main objective.
The commotion here was growing larger. If reinforcements from the Dragon Department and the Cangyan Army arrived, the situation would become even more difficult.
By then, it wouldn’t be so easy for them to act.
“Don’t worry, this monk has a sense of proportion,” Wen Tianhao laughed heartily. “Young Ye Ling, take this!”
As his voice fell, Wen Tianhao’s eyes instantly became extremely serious, and his entire aura changed drastically!
He directly stomped through the marble floor and charged at Ye Ling.
“Take this Heaven-Shattering Fist!”
Wen Tianhao’s aura was incredibly powerful, his voice like a muffled thunderclap. Even the extraordinary individuals fighting in the distance were startled by Wen Tianhao’s booming voice, nearly disrupting their spiritual energy circulation!
Flames coiled around Wen Tianhao’s fist, scorching the surrounding air. Ye Ling felt a wave of heat wash over him.
Seeing Wen Tianhao charge, Zhang Zhiyue’s face changed drastically. He quickly said to Ye Ling, “Senior! Wen Tianhao cultivates the ‘Dragon Elephant Vajra Art,’ following a path of brute force, his power unmatched, comparable to the might of a dragon and elephant! However, his speed is lacking. If Senior wishes to win, you need to…”
*Bang!*
Before Zhang Zhiyue could finish speaking, Ye Ling threw a punch directly at him!
Fist met fist, and Wen Tianhao’s gauntlet instantly shattered!
The moment Wen Tianhao made contact with Ye Ling, his expression changed dramatically, realizing Ye Ling’s terrifying power.
Then, he felt a sharp pain in his arm!
*Crack, crack!*
His entire arm broke, and he was sent flying like a cannonball, whizzing past Zhang Mingkong and scraping Zhang Mingkong’s cheek painfully!
*Boom!*
Wen Tianhao crashed heavily into the audience stands, causing walls to collapse and dust to billow.
After sending Wen Tianhao flying, Ye Ling clapped his hands, turned to Zhang Zhiyue, and asked, “What were you saying just now?”
Looking at the collapsed audience stands in the distance, Zhang Zhiyue’s mouth twitched. He then remembered that even Zhuge Feng had fallen at Ye Ling’s hands.
Wen Tianhao wasn’t even a match for Zhuge Feng, so how could he possibly defeat Ye Ling?
Swallowing the words that were about to come out, Zhang Zhiyue shook his head and said with a wry smile, “N-nothing…”
Under the crushing weight of absolute power, all techniques were mere embellishments.
“This, this…”
At this moment, Zhang Mingkong was stunned. He stared blankly at Ye Ling ahead, his mind a blank slate.
The person Ye Ling had just sent flying was no ordinary fellow!
That was the renowned Fiery-Haired Vajra, a formidable eighth-rank extraordinary!
And he was an eighth-rank extraordinary renowned for his strength!
Although Wen Tianhao had rarely appeared in the secular world after joining the Red Dust Pavilion, mostly cultivating in secluded mountains and forests, this did not mean his strength was weak!
After years of dedicated cultivation, although Wen Tianhao’s cultivation had not advanced further, his strength was definitely much greater than a hundred years ago!
According to Wen Tianhao’s own account, one of his punches could even blast through Dragon Dao Mountain!
Even looking at the Heaven Ranking, there were very few who could surpass Wen Tianhao in sheer strength alone!
Yet, even such a powerful individual was sent flying by Ye Ling with a single punch…
Zhang Mingkong could no longer fathom how strong Ye Ling truly was!
“Gulp!”
He swallowed hard, instinctively backing away. He looked at Wang Shucheng not far away, placing his hope on him.
Unlike Wen Tianhao, Wang Shucheng was an eighth-rank assassin, incredibly fast, killing in the blink of an eye, specializing in countering extraordinary individuals who followed a path of brute force like Wen Tianhao.
Since Ye Ling could surpass Wen Tianhao in strength, his speed must be inferior to Wang Shucheng’s!
There was still a chance!
Wang Shucheng naturally knew this too. He took a deep breath, removed the half-shattered mask from his face, and drew a Tang dao from behind him.
Azure spiritual energy attached itself to the blade.
“Shadow Art · Instant Kill Formation!”
Wang Shucheng whispered, splitting himself into three shadows that charged towards Ye Ling, while his true form dissolved into shadow.
The next moment, Wang Shucheng appeared behind Ye Ling, holding the Tang dao with both hands, and silently slashed at Ye Ling.
“I was careless earlier and you managed to ambush me. You won’t be able to touch me again this time!”
Killing intent blazed in Wang Shucheng’s eyes!
The Tang dao swiftly sliced across Ye Ling’s body!
Ye Ling’s figure dissipated!
“Illusion?” Wang Shucheng’s pupils contracted sharply.
“I’m here.”
Ye Ling’s voice sounded from behind him.
Wang Shucheng trembled all over with fright!