Chapter 524: Chapter 524: Competition
As for Xie Ann, though he had always been confident in Yang Tian in the past, his strength and insight were far inferior to that of Murong Long and his daughter.
After hearing Murong Yan’s analysis, my heart grew tense. I wasn’t sure if Yang Tian would fully grasp the danger of that claw.
However, Yang Tian remained unmoved at this moment—no sorrow, no joy. He merely raised his palm and lightly patted Yan Kuan.
Bang!
When Yang Tian’s palm struck out, a pair of Blood Claws collided with his hand, producing a sharp metallic sound.
"Hahaha! This is nothing but a game of courting death! Does your flesh dare to challenge the hardness of my Blood Coagulation Claws? If so, let me tear your hand to shreds, open your chest, and show you how your blood flows!"
Seeing that Yang Tian used just one hand to block his claws, Yan Kuan let out a disdainful laugh. At the same time, he urged Zhen Yuan to shred Yang Tian’s palm.
But before his laughter even ceased, Yan Kuan suddenly saw a streak of black light flash across Yang Tian’s hand, transforming into a black crescent shape.
Under the Black Crescent, Yan Kuan’s once-proud Blood Coagulation Claws were sliced through effortlessly, like tofu. Both severed claws fell to the ground.
Clang!
Watching Yan Kuan’s severed hands drop to the ground and hearing the impact, Xie Ann froze in shock. Murong Longcheng, sword in hand, was stupefied, having earlier declared that Yang Tian was bound to lose. Murong Yan, too, stood petrified, unable to believe her eyes.
Nobody had expected that Yan Kuan’s formidable Blood Coagulation Claws would end up like this.
For a moment, the entire hall fell into an eerie silence, as if haunted by a ghost!
Yan Kuan himself wore an expression of shock and bewilderment.
Yet soon, that bewilderment turned into outright horror.
Because when he looked into Yang Tian’s eyes, he seemed to see something beyond fathomable darkness!
Something like thunder roaring—like a white colt darting through the void—a resonance of heavenly thunder!
"You... you shouldn’t be able to..."
Before Yan Kuan could finish his words, the black crescent lashed out, hurtling violently through him and slamming into the stone pillar behind him.
The pillar immediately crumbled into dust, scattering across the floor. Yan Kuan’s broad body was split in two, collapsing to the ground, where it was consumed by a sudden eruption of black flames.
But Yang Tian, the catalyst of all this, acted as though it were nothing remarkable. With a flick of his sleeve, he dispersed the ashes born of the magical fire.
Then, looking at Murong Yan, his expression, gaze, and tone remained unchanged as he asked, "Are you a disciple of Shenjian Gate?"
"I... I..."
This time, faced with Yang Tian’s inquiry, Murong Yan could no longer muster the arrogance she previously displayed. Yang Tian’s gaze had left her utterly uneasy!
Initially, it might have seemed that Yang Tian coincidentally overcame Yan Kuan by using a secret technique.
But now, Yan Kuan was well and truly dead by Yang Tian’s hand!
This could only mean that Yang Tian’s strength was extraordinary. Terrifyingly extraordinary!
Yan Kuan, a powerhouse of the late Yuan Dynasty, was as insignificant as an ant before him.
To Murong Yan, such formidable power was enough to rival anyone.
Where was Chen Xue?
Hearing Yang Tian’s words, Murong Yan was suddenly perplexed.
Chen Xue, as a disciple of Shenjian Gate, could she have connections beyond the sect?
Doubt immediately arose!
As Murong Yan had pondered earlier, her knowledge of Chen Xue was quite limited. Even within Shenjian Gate, others knew little about her.
Murong Yan only knew Chen Xue because they lived as neighbors near the sacred Sword Sect.
It was through their conversations that Murong Yan learned a secret unknown to others—that Chen Xue hadn’t come to cultivate from the mortal world but from the underworld!
Therefore, upon hearing Yang Tian’s question, Murong Yan suspected his identity and immediately barked, "Who exactly are you? And how do you know Chen Shimei?"
At Murong Yan’s sudden outburst, Murong Longcheng, who had remained stunned by Yan Kuan’s demise, finally recovered. He promptly looked at Yang Tian as though facing a formidable enemy.
It wasn’t just because Yang Tian had killed Yan Kuan but also because of the terrible power he had shown.
Murong Yan’s question had made Murong Longcheng even warier of Yang Tian.
Yet Yang Tian seemed wholly indifferent to the reactions of Murong Yan and Murong Longcheng. He simply smiled faintly and replied, "Why wouldn’t I recognize her? I’m Chen Xue’s elder brother."
"Chen Shimei’s elder brother? How is that possible?"
Murong Yan immediately refuted after hearing Yang Tian’s words.
But at that moment, a memory flashed in her mind. Hadn’t Chen Xue mentioned stories about the Lower Realm?
It seemed that in the Lower Realm, Chen Xue indeed had an elder brother, Yang Ming.
Yang Tian?
Murong Yan connected the name Yang Tian with what she’d observed and recalled how Xie Ann had addressed him earlier. Suddenly, she exclaimed in shock, "You... Are you Yang Tian? How could this be? You’re a cultivator of truth!"
"A cultivator of truth?"
Yang Tian smiled without offering any explanation.
After all, within his domain, it was clear that to Murong Yan, Murong Longcheng, and others present, his origins seemed like those of an unassuming cultivator. Yet in truth, he was the nemesis of such cultivators—one of the Devil Cultivators!
And the fact that Murong Yan recognized his name from Chen Xue’s mention further corroborated their connection. It proved that Murong Yan and Chen Xue did, indeed, share a close bond.
However, Yang Tian offered no clarification, while Murong Yan stood utterly stunned!
She knew Chen Xue wasn’t from the higher world, so Chen Xue’s elder brother, Yang Tian, must also be from the Lower Realm!
When Chen Xue had first mentioned Yang Tian, it was always with admiration and reverence. She had repeatedly declared how strong he was.
To Murong Yan, such talk had sounded laughable at the time!
In her eyes, someone from the Lower Realm could never compare to the higher world. How could someone there possibly possess true strength?
She had even advised Chen Xue to abandon her lingering thoughts of the Lower Realm and sever ties with such worldly matters during her ascension to Shenjian Gate.
Now, however, the once-dismissed man stood before her, embodying overwhelming power.
Years of her belief system crumbled in moments as shocking revelations disrupted her understanding of truth.
"Yan! Yan, snap out of it!"
Noticing his daughter’s sudden stillness, Murong Longcheng anxiously rushed forward, shouting, "Yanar, who is this man? Should I inform the City Lord’s guards immediately?"
"Notify all the city guards?"
Murong Yan, finally coming back to her senses upon hearing her father’s words, quickly waved her hand. "No, father! I wish to speak with him alone."
"Alone? But he..."
Murong Longcheng wanted to protest but found himself unable to refuse in the face of Murong Yan’s resolute gaze.
He could only cast a reluctant look at Yang Tian as he led Xie Ann out of the hall.
Soon, only Murong Yan and Yang Tian remained in the hall.
Murong Yan’s sword aura suddenly flickered. The hall’s doors and windows closed automatically, sealing off the room. There was no wind.
A layer of Sword Qi enveloped the hall, ensuring the area was entirely secluded.
"A seal of sword spirit?"
Yang Tian glanced at the boundaries of the room and simply smiled.
He could tell this wasn’t an offensive measure but rather intended to prevent external forces from eavesdropping!
Clearly, Murong Yan had something she wished to discuss with him privately!