"Hmm?"
Suddenly, one of the guards turned his head, his gaze sharp, as if it could pierce through one's soul. Upon spotting Zhou Yan, he showed surprise.
"Who are you, and how dare you trespass into the Beiming Mountain Estate?" the guard demanded coldly.
"I'm looking for your Mountain Master—Beiming Han!" Zhou Yan said indifferently, his eyes full of defiance.
He had heard many rumors about Beiming Han, a person of immense power, highly valued by the higher echelons of Beiming Mountain, a truly formidable figure. However, Zhou Yan did not take such a person to heart at all.
In Zhou Yan's eyes, these so-called higher-ups were only slightly stronger than ordinary martial artists. If not for the constraints of the Zhou family and the kingdom's laws, he would have stormed into the Beiming Mountain Estate and eliminated all of them.
"Audacious!"
The guard let out an angry laugh, his face contorted with ferocity. He sternly reprimanded, "Do you know what you're saying?"
"I want to see your Mountain Master!"
Zhou Yan narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them.
"Since you are obstinate, then do not blame me for being heartless!" the guard roared, drawing the saber at his waist and slashing directly at Zhou Yan.
*Clang!*
A crisp clashing sound echoed, sparks flying.
Zhou Yan extended an arm and steadily clamped the blade of the incoming saber.
"How... how is this possible?"
The guard's eyes widened in utter horror, suspecting he was hallucinating. How could a mere seventh-level Body Tempering trash block his attack?
*Crack!*
Suddenly, a bone-cracking sound was heard. The guard snapped back to reality, quickly released his weapon, and retreated rapidly, watching Zhou Yan with vigilance.
"You dare harm the Mountain Master? You are unforgivable! Die!"
Another guard, enraged, drew his battle sword and lunged fiercely.
"Hmph!"
Zhou Yan's gaze turned icy. With a slight flick of his right hand, a black dragon scale flew out, whistling sharply through the air, and slammed hard into the guard's head.
*Squelch!*
The guard, caught off guard, was struck directly in the face. His flesh exploded, and blood gushed like a fountain.
Simultaneously, the black dragon scale flew back and struck the other guard again, piercing through his throat. Blood sprayed wildly, and his head was severed from his body.
"Ah..."
A shrill scream suddenly erupted, terrifying the patrolling guards nearby. Their faces turned pale, and their bodies trembled.
"Who dares trespass into the Beiming Mountain Estate will be killed without mercy!"
After a brief silence, dozens of guards arrived, their auras menacing, holding bows and crossbows, their arrows aimed at Zhou Yan.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*
In an instant, dozens of arrows streaked through the air, covering a radius of a hundred meters.
"You court death!"
Zhou Yan frowned slightly. He raised his palm and waved it. A terrifying surge of energy churned and rippled outwards.
*Rumble!*
In a flash, the arrows shattered, turning into countless tiny iron filings that scattered and vanished in the wind.
"What?" The eyes of the numerous guards contracted, their faces showing grave seriousness.
"Kill him!"
One of the guards let out a fierce roar, and then dozens of guards charged out together. Various weapons glinted with cold light, and a suffocating killing intent permeated the air.
"You court death!" Zhou Yan's expression was icy, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He stomped his right foot on the ground and shot out like an arrow loosed from a bow, charging towards the dozens of guards.
*Boom! Boom!*
The two forces collided, stirring up violent fluctuations.
"Kill!"
The guards roared continuously, fighting with all their might, attacking Zhou Yan ferociously.
Zhou Yan weaved left and right, dodging and weaving. Each punch he threw contained terrifying power, striking down all the guards.
"How is this possible?"
On a distant rooftop, a man gripped his long sword, his eyes dazed, completely stunned.
What had he just witnessed?
Dozens of guards had ganged up to attack, yet one youth had them completely overwhelmed, unable to fight back.
This...
Could that youth be an extraordinary realm expert?
How could this be possible?
Although Beiming Han was known as the strongest in the Beiming Mountain Estate, his cultivation technique only reached the Xiantian realm, and he was merely a first-grade Spirit Body, not having reached the second-grade Spirit Body.
Therefore, even with a third-grade Spirit Body, Beiming Han was not considered an unparalleled expert. Many even believed that Beiming Han would eventually die of old age, becoming a withered corpse.
But now, the appearance of that young man had shattered his understanding.
"Damn it, where did this brat come from? How can he be so strong?"
The guard's face showed a look of panic. He felt that Zhou Yan's cultivation seemed even lower than his own, yet, solely through the power of his physical body, he could crush all of them.
Too strong!
"Who is this young man? How can he be so monstrous!"
Sweat beaded on the guard's forehead, and his whole body trembled. A deep sense of fear surged within him. He immediately turned and fled.
As long as he escaped, he could return and report to the Mountain Master, requesting senior sergeants to apprehend this person.
After all, this was the Beiming Mountain Estate, a forbidden zone of Beiming City, where outsiders were not allowed to trespass.
"Trying to leave now? Too late!"
A cold sneer touched Zhou Yan's lips. He stomped his foot and appeared beside the fleeing guard like a phantom, launching a punch.
"No..."
The guard cried out in alarm, but it was useless. He was directly sent flying by Zhou Yan's punch, his chest caved in. His internal organs were pulverized and displaced, and he spat out a mouthful of black blood, dying on the spot.
*Swish~ Swish~*
Almost in the same instant, a series of whooshing sounds echoed. More than a dozen figures appeared, landing around Zhou Yan and protecting him.
These were the hidden sentries of the Beiming Mountain Estate, responsible for its security. They had rushed over as soon as they sensed the commotion.
"Hmm, these people's auras are so strong!"
Zhou Yan frowned slightly. He noticed that these hidden sentries all possessed powerful auras. The weakest among them were at the early Houtian stage, while the strongest few had reached the peak of the Xiantian realm, only half a step away from the Gang Qi realm.
Such a force was comparable to a first-rate sect.
"Who exactly are you? Why did you break into the Beiming Mountain Estate at night?" the leading middle-aged man asked in a deep voice, his tone quite wary.
Zhou Yan scanned them. This middle-aged man appeared to be in his early twenties. He was burly and sturdy, clad in a gray robe. His skin was dark and shiny, his eyes were sharp and bright, and he exuded a powerful oppressive aura, indicating his formidable strength.
"This fellow should be the guard commander beside Beiming Han, named Zhao Haifeng."
Zhou Yan's mind raced. He slowly said, "Where is your master, Beiming Han? Tell him to get out here and die."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression froze as if they had heard the funniest joke in the world. Their gazes towards Zhou Yan were filled with contempt.
"Presumptuous! Our master is the dignified master of the Beiming Mountain Estate, how can you ants insult him like this?"
"That's right, our master's cultivation has already broken through to the peak of Houtian. Even if your master came, he wouldn't dare be so arrogant."
Zhao Haifeng, Yang Zhong, and the other guards pointed at Zhou Yan indignantly, their anger soaring.