"You court death!"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan sneered, his eyes blazing with fire, his aura surging like a tidal wave of true essence.
*Buzz buzz buzz...*
In an instant, Zhou Yan held the Soul Severing Saber, its blade spitting out a torrent of sword qi that tore through the air and slashed down overwhelmingly.
The black-clad man found himself in a desperate situation, with no escape from the dense sword light.
"Hold it for me!"
The black-clad man roared hysterically, flailing his arms and fists to meet Zhou Yan's assault.
However, his fists collided with the Soul Severing Saber, unleashing a cacophony of metallic clangs and sparks. His armor was rent by gushing flames.
*Bang bang bang...*
Following this, a series of dull thuds echoed. After a few exchanges, the black-clad man was sent flying, utterly defeated and disheveled.
*Crack......*
His vambrace shattered, his chest caved in, and dark blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He looked withered and weak, barely clinging to life, on the verge of collapse.
"Damn it!"
The black-clad man growled, gritting his teeth. He couldn't believe that after years of traversing the martial world, he would fall here, ambushed by a beardless novice, losing all face.
His mind was a tempest of conflicting emotions. On one hand, he desired to kill Zhou Yan. On the other, he knew such an act would draw the attention of the Martial Arts Association.
Once the Martial Arts Association became involved, it would undoubtedly lead to endless trouble, possibly even attracting the intervention of Innate Grandmasters. Such powerful experts could annihilate their secular factions with a mere flick of their fingers.
"Useless!"
Suddenly, a sinister voice cut through the air, causing the black-clad man to tremble and turn in alarm.
A young man in brocade robes stood in the distance, his gaze fixed coldly upon him.
The brocade-clad youth's expression was impassive, his tone chilling, like a frozen river that could freeze one's soul. He spoke indifferently, "You're too incompetent. With such meager strength, you dare to assassinate Zhou Yan?"
As the words fell, the brocade-clad youth flickered, appearing beside the black-clad man like a phantom. He lightly placed his right hand on the latter's shoulder, a surge of internal energy flowing from his palm.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, the brocade-clad youth's brow furrowed, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. The black-clad man's skin felt as hard as forged steel, unyielding. His internal energy couldn't penetrate.
"Who exactly are you?"
The brocade-clad youth turned, staring intently at Zhou Yan, a chill creeping into his heart. He had just probed Zhou Yan's cultivation, finding it to be only at the second level of Innate.
For someone of such cultivation to contend with a martial artist at the third level of Innate was clearly abnormal. Unless... Zhou Yan was concealing his true power, deliberately playing the pig to eat the tiger.
"Heh heh, none of your business who I am! If you know what's good for you, leave immediately, or don't blame me for being ruthless!" Zhou Yan sneered.
Though he hadn't discerned the brocade-clad youth's cultivation, he remained undaunted, confident in his own potential. Even if the opponent were a fifth-level Innate expert, he believed he'd have a chance to escape.
Upon hearing this, the brocade-clad youth's expression shifted, killing intent flashing in his eyes. He spoke with a sinister grin, "Heh heh, you think you can just make me leave? It's not that easy..."
As the words ended, the brocade-clad youth's body blurred, moving with uncanny speed, as if teleporting towards Zhou Yan.
*Swish~*
The brocade-clad youth was incredibly fast. With a single step, his figure became a blur, crossing ten meters in the blink of an eye to stand before Zhou Yan, unleashing a palm strike accompanied by a whistling wind.
*Bang~*
Zhou Yan reacted swiftly, his wrist flicking the Soul Severing Saber horizontally to block. A tremendous force surged from the hilt, sending Zhou Yan staggering back several meters.
"What a potent palm technique!"
Zhou Yan inwardly marveled. In their brief exchange, he had felt a sharp palm wind that gnawed at his flesh. Had he hesitated even slightly, he would have been sent flying.
Indeed, a sixth-level Innate martial artist possessed such formidable power with just a single hand.
"Haha, you're quite impressive, managing to withstand my 'Gale Palm'. It seems I underestimated you..."
Seeing Zhou Yan effortlessly block the palm strike, the brocade-clad youth's expression turned serious. After a moment's thought, he continued, "However, now, you have no recourse..."
*Rumble...*
Suddenly, the black-clad youth bent his knees and leaped into the air. Immediately, his palms struck out in rapid succession, each strike possessing immense power, like thunderclaps shattering the void.
In an instant, hundreds, even thousands, of palm imprints materialized, engulfing Zhou Yan from all directions.
*Crack!*
Zhou Yan swung his saber to block, but the force of the impact sent him staggering back several steps. His internal blood and qi churned, a metallic taste filled his throat, and he nearly spat out blood. He was utterly aghast.
"Damn it, how can this bastard be so strong!"
Zhou Yan's heart pounded with fear. He had exerted his full strength, employing his learned saber techniques, yet he was still unable to overcome the black-clad youth. The gap between them was too vast.
"Again!"
The black-clad youth roared, his body a blur as he lunged forward, his palm strikes carrying the force of an overwhelming tide, aimed directly at Zhou Yan's throat.
"Not good!"
Zhou Yan's pupils contracted, his face contorted with alarm. He quickly dodged, evading the opponent's vicious palm.
*Chira...*
The back of his clothes ripped open, revealing a wound that went deep to the bone, from which blood flowed.
"How can this guy be so powerful!" Zhou Yan's heart pounded, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Before him, the black-clad youth's movements were ethereal, his palm shadows like rain, densely covering Zhou Yan and leaving him nowhere to escape.
*Pfft...*
A stinging sensation shot through Zhou Yan as his chest took a palm blade. His body swayed precariously, his mouth opening in a cough. His face was pale and bloodless, his clothes tattered, revealing his sturdy muscles, brimming with explosive power.
"Heh heh....."
The black-clad youth sneered, his voice chilling. "Kid, surrender obediently, or I'll torture you to death..."
"Nonsense!"
Zhou Yan's face contorted in an enraged roar, his eyes bloodshot, his voice hoarse. "I, Zhou Yan, vow this life to never be a coward. I'd rather die on the battlefield than live in shame..."
"In that case, you shall die!"
The black-clad youth's eyes glinted with ferocity, his killing intent boiling over. His patience had run out, and he could no longer suppress the murderous rage within him.
In an instant, the black-clad youth's figure became ethereal, like a ghost, lunging at Zhou Yan. His palm strikes surged like a tide, vicious and cunning, sealing off the space around Zhou Yan.
"Hmph, mere petty tricks!"
Zhou Yan snorted coldly, his aura suddenly surging. His eyes blazed with brilliant light, his blood surging like a raging inferno.
He fiercely swung his long saber, cleaving out a terrifying blade light that, with a ferocious aura, cut through the void and slashed towards the black-clad youth.
*Clang clang clang.....*
Metal struck metal, with resounding clangs. The blade light and palm imprints collided, igniting fierce sparks and a palpable sense of impending battle.
*Deng deng deng.....*
Both men retreated several steps, their expressions grave.
"What? How can this guy be so powerful......"
A tempest raged within the black-clad youth. He hadn't expected a mere youngster to fight him to a standstill. It was utterly inconceivable.
"Hmph, your strength is not bad, but compared to me, there's still a huge gap..." the black-clad youth said in a deep voice.