"What's going on?"
The kneeling crowd exchanged glances, each seeing a trace of fear in the other's eyes. They were usually the high and mighty elite, accustomed to others bowing to them, never the other way around. Now, they were kneeling to an unknown outsider. If word got out, it would surely become a laughingstock throughout Yan Jing City.
"Wicked sorcery, easily broken! Break it for me!"
Suddenly, a guest exclaimed in a stern voice. Then, a golden light emanated from a Xuan Huang jade pendant he wore. Runes inscribed with Tibetan characters rose into the air one by one. A powerful force materialized in the sky, accompanied by the faint sound of chanting. It turned out this guest possessed a Dharma artifact from Tibetan Buddhism! He had spent a fortune and called in countless favors to obtain it. It had protected him from evil spirits at least ten times. The most perilous instance was when he traveled to Siam and offended a local sorcerer, only to be attacked by a ghost curse that night. The artifact had shone brightly, annihilating the curse and saving his life.
Now, although he didn't know the specific technique Ying Chen was using, he was certain of one thing: to make so many people kneel simultaneously without anyone noticing was definitely sorcery! And sorcery was absolutely no match for this artifact!
"Om Ah Hum!"
The guest chanted three words. These were known as the King of Mantras, the most powerful incantation in Tibetan Buddhism. Upon chanting, the body, speech, and mind are purified, and all inauspiciousness instantly turns auspicious.
*Boom!*
As the mantra was uttered, the golden runes in the sky transformed into a tsunami, surging towards Ying Chen. The kneeling crowd felt an immediate lightness, a sense of relief. They rejoiced and were about to stand up.
Just then, Ying Chen's cold laugh echoed: "Even the creator of this artifact wouldn't be my match if they came here in person. What makes a mere artifact think it can contend with me?"
With that, Ying Chen took a deep breath and exhaled. Instantly, the air surged like a sword's edge, slicing through the void before him and heading towards the artifact on the guest's person!
*Crack...*
The artifact on the guest instantly shattered into pieces, falling to the ground! The golden runes that had swept through the air vanished. The oppressive, heavy pressure on the crowd returned, forcing them back to their knees!
"Spitting out sword pellets?"
"How is that possible!"
An elder, witnessing Ying Chen shattering the artifact with a mere exhalation, trembled and cried out in disbelief. Legend had it that Xuanmen masters, upon reaching profound levels of cultivation, could achieve the feat of spitting out sword pellets. Sword pellets were essentially concentrations of the weapon's malevolent energy within the body. When expelled, they were named for their sword-like shape and the sharpness of flying swords. For a long time, spitting sword pellets remained a legend, with no one ever truly demonstrating it. Yet, here was Ying Chen, doing just that! How could the elder not be shocked?
"Ah, someone actually recognizes it." Ying Chen glanced at the elder. "However, this isn't spitting sword pellets, but exhaling air into a sword. If I were truly spitting sword pellets, all of you would have lost your heads. Within ten miles, not a blade of grass would grow. You wouldn't even have a chance to speak."
"So that's how it is." The elder's expression shifted to one of dawning comprehension, followed by fear. "You mean... you can truly spit sword pellets?"
"Hu Quan'an, oh Hu Quan'an, who exactly have you offended? Why have you drawn such a terrifying expert here? Do you know that even among the Five Great Sects, there isn't a single person who can spit sword pellets!"
"You've actually offended a reclusive sect that is more terrifying and mysterious than the Five Great Sects! All these guests who came with good intentions to celebrate you will now die an unjustified death because of your actions!"
"Quick! Apologize to this immortal master immediately! Beg for his forgiveness!" The elder, furious, berated Hu Quan'an. Before Ying Chen displayed this move, he might have considered challenging him. But after seeing this, all his courage vanished, replaced by utter dread and resentment towards Hu Quan'an.
The guest whose artifact was destroyed first looked at the shattered pieces on the ground with agony, then turned towards Ying Chen with terror and shock. He knew all too well the power of his artifact, and even more so, the power of the one who created it! That was a Tibetan master renowned for his power on the frontier! An artifact personally crafted by such a figure couldn't even withstand a single exchange with Ying Chen. It was clear just how formidable Ying Chen was. He was certainly not someone they, ordinary people, could resist!
With this thought, the guest also turned to Hu Quan'an and berated him fiercely, "Hu Quan'an, this is all your doing! It's one thing for you to offend an immortal master through your own carelessness, but why drag us down with you?"
"Kneel and apologize to the immortal master immediately! Otherwise, even without the immortal master's intervention, we'll make sure you die a horrible death!"
With these two leading the charge, the remaining guests, however stubborn or foolish, realized something was seriously wrong. Especially since the two leading the charge were a powerful figure from a prominent family with close ties to the Five Great Sects, and a wealthy merchant of high standing. Neither of them spoke lightly. If they couldn't be trusted, then few others in the entire hall could.
The tide of opinion shifted instantly. The guests who had just indignantly accused Ying Chen of ruining someone's celebration and breaking Yan Jing's rules were now pointing fingers at Hu Quan'an.
"Hu Quan'an, take responsibility for your actions! If you still have any manhood, step forward and admit your mistake! Perhaps the immortal master will spare your life if he sees your sincere attitude!"
"Hu Quan'an, take the initiative! Don't force us to act! We Yan Jing men are all upright and honorable, not cowards! Be a man and take responsibility!"
"That's right! A true Yan Jing man would act like this! That's what it means to be genuine!"
Hu Quan'an, who had been hoping to sacrifice others to save himself, was stunned by this turn of events. What was happening? How did the situation reverse so quickly? Weren't they all indignant and eager to slap Ying Chen just moments ago? Now they were becoming Ying Chen's accomplices?
"Hey, this scoundrel isn't listening to us! Come on, brothers, lend a hand. We'll carry him to the immortal master so he can kowtow and apologize!"
At a shout, several people pounced towards Hu Quan'an. One grabbed a corner of Hu Quan'an's clothes, and like a dead dog, they dragged Hu Quan'an out of the crowd! They hauled him to Ying Chen's feet! The most comical part was that these men, also unable to stand themselves, were still kneeling as they dragged him. Their knees hurt terribly, but it didn't stop them from pulling Hu Quan'an out! Hu Quan'an fared even worse, his entire face scraping along the ground. By the time they reached Ying Chen, his face was covered in blood, almost unrecognizable.