Chapter 231: Conflict

A gigantic fire serpent, five or six zhang in length, coiled and roared continuously before Yang Yan. With every hiss of its serpentine tongue, an intensely violent and scorching heat permeated the air.

Below the stands, an uproar erupted. Many onlookers’ expressions shifted as they gazed at the menacing fire serpent, which had been condensed from pure spiritual energy.

To most of them, this type of fusion martial technique was quite unfamiliar. However, they were no fools; the violent energy radiating from the serpent was something even a cultivator at the second level of the Spirit-Communication Realm would not dare to ignore lightly. This level of power was far beyond what ordinary martial techniques could achieve.

In this moment, many realized the formidable nature of this fusion attack, while simultaneously feeling a sense of regret for what was to come for Yang Yan.

Although Yang Yan had previously displayed thunderous methods to defeat Liu Yuebai and his companion single-handedly, those two were only at the peak of the Spirit-Sensing Realm, with a significant gap remaining before true Spirit-Communication status. In contrast, the opponent before him, Liu Zongsheng, was a genuine first-level Spirit-Communication expert, paired with an external helper of equal cultivation. In the eyes of the crowd, Yang Yan’s situation appeared dire.

Ignoring the clamor around him, Yang Yan kept his gaze fixed on the fire serpent that roared at him. There was not a hint of tension on his face, and he showed no intention of even withdrawing his hands from behind his back.

"Is this brat insane? Does he think he can defeat a joint attack from two first-level Spirit-Communication experts just by relying on the spiritual pressure emanating from his body, like he did before?"

Faced with Yang Yan’s lack of action, many in the crowd exclaimed in shock. They clearly believed Yang Yan was being far too arrogant. Even if his previous display of strength and talent were astonishing, pride often comes before a fall. While young geniuses were rare, they often shared a common flaw: arrogance, even bordering on blindness, believing their skills made them invincible and allowing them to act recklessly. Such behavior often led to their own destruction.

True geniuses were never in short supply in the Tianyuan Continent, yet those who reached the pinnacle were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns precisely because so many fell along the way. Whether Yang Yan would follow in their footsteps would be determined by the scene about to unfold.

In contrast to the crowd’s sighs and disdain, Liu Zong, the head of the Liu clan sitting in the seat of honor, grew increasingly solemn. As a Spirit-Communication expert, while his soul perception might not match Yang Yan’s, his instincts as a powerful master alerted him that something was amiss. Yang Yan had been far too calm from the beginning. A sharp-eyed veteran like Liu Zong could tell that this expression was not feigned. Such composure in the face of two powerful attackers could only stem from terrifying strength and rich combat experience. Liu Zong even sensed a trace of disdain in those indifferent eyes, as if he and his grandson were nothing more than clowns in Yang Yan’s eyes, posing no threat at all.

Thinking of this, Liu Zong’s expression shifted. He valued his precious grandson immensely. Without needing to be spoken aloud, Liu Zongsheng’s exceptional strength and talent meant his position as the future clan leader was all but set in stone.

Yet today, a clan competition that should have been foolproof had spiraled into trouble due to the appearance of someone from a minor branch. If Liu Zongsheng were defeated, not only would there be murmurs within the clan, but more importantly, for the Liu clan to be defeated by an external helper hired by a minor branch member in front of so many people would be a slap in the face. This was something Liu Zong would never allow to happen.

"Young friend, I ask that you show mercy. As long as you allow Zongsheng to win, our entire Liu clan will surely treat you as an honored guest!"

However, just as Yang Yan intended to use the same methods as before to blast the two away, a strange voice suddenly resonated in his mind. Yang Yan was slightly startled, but he quickly realized it was a secret transmission from Liu Zong, the patriarch of the Liu clan.

"Heh, the Liu clan truly has perfected the art of shamelessness. With a family like this, even if Zhengqing wanted to stay, I would never permit it!"

With a cold snort in his heart, a faint curve appeared on Yang Yan’s lips. His figure blurred as he lunged directly toward the giant, crimson, claw-flailing serpent of spiritual energy in mid-air!

"You're courting death!"

Seeing that Yang Yan chose not to dodge and, moreover, displayed no spiritual fluctuations on his body—appearing to rely solely on physical strength to contend with their martial technique—the crowd erupted in gasps. They could not fathom why Yang Yan would commit such a seemingly suicidal act. A joint martial technique from two Spirit-Communication experts could not be blocked by physical strength alone, even by a peak Spirit-Communication master. What kind of confidence did this sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth have to dare such a crazy feat?

"Dragon-Snake Myriad Manifestations!"

A roar of rage erupted from Liu Zongsheng and his partner. As they swung their palms, the red python, imbued with scorching and violent spiritual energy, whipped its five-or-six-zhang-long tail through the void. It shot toward Yang Yan like an arrow released from a bow!

Wherever the serpent passed, even the sturdy white jade platform cracked, with the areas closest to the impact showing signs of shattering into powder.

The serpent’s scarlet eyes shot forth countless sparks, and its massive jaws snapped open, revealing fangs that bit viciously toward Yang Yan!

Facing the incoming giant fire serpent, Yang Yan did not slow his stride for a second. When the hideous snake head was but a few inches away, he let out a laugh and punched forward, driving his fist directly into the maw of the giant head!

Compared to the massive python, Yang Yan’s figure looked like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The moment Yang Yan’s fist made contact with the snake’s head, instead of being consumed by the violent attack, the python began to disintegrate at the point of impact as if the fist were striking tofu. The red body fractured inch by inch, dissolving into countless sparks of light!

"This… how is this possible?!"

The scene was too shocking. Yang Yan, completely disproportionate to the python, had obliterated the joint attack with a crushing blow—and all of this was done without utilizing a shred of spiritual energy, relying purely on raw physical force!

***

By relying solely on physical strength, he had crushed a martial technique unleashed by two Spirit-Communication experts! Such power was beyond the reach of even some peak Spirit-Communication masters!

BANG! BANG!

Two muffled sounds of physical impact echoed across the arena. The crowd watched in horror as Liu Zongsheng and his external helper were blasted off the platform like cannonballs, spewing blood into the air!

Eventually, the two landed in a heap among the crowd outside the arena, saved from hitting the ground by the help of others. Even so, they were limp and had lapsed into unconsciousness.

Yang Yan, the man responsible for all this, stood on the stone platform with his hands behind his back. Not even a corner of his clothing was torn. To the onlookers, his figure did not seem tall, but for some reason, he exerted a pressure akin to Mount Tai bearing down upon them, leaving many unable to even meet his gaze.

A mere sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth had achieved this with physical strength alone. Could it be that his strength had already reached the peak of the Spirit-Communication Realm?

Many stood with their mouths agape, unable to speak, the thought in their minds seeming too ridiculous and unbelievable. If a sixteen-year-old at the first level of the Spirit-Communication Realm could be called a genius, they could not fathom someone of that age reaching the peak of the realm. If that were true, the youth’s cultivation talent could only be described as monstrous.

As the entire plaza fell into a dead silence, Liu Zong, who sat in the seat of honor, abruptly stood up. His body hovered in the sky without any visible support, and a terrifying wave of spiritual energy erupted from him, deep and vast like an endless ocean. The pressure alone caused many in the stands to collapse to the ground.

"You brat, I see you are here to cause trouble! You used some method to hide your true identity and disguise yourself as a youth. Do you really take my Liu clan for fools?!"

Seeing the unconscious Liu Zongsheng and his companion, a look of fury appeared on Liu Zong’s aged face. He had not expected that after his warning, Yang Yan would not only fail to restrain himself but would instead escalate the matter, crippling his own grandson right before his eyes!

This situation naturally sent Liu Zong into a state of rage. Since the Liu clan had risen to power in Shangzhou, no one had ever dared to challenge their authority. He never imagined that the one to do so would be a youth who looked barely sixteen or seventeen.

Being bullied by such a greenhorn felt like a humiliation, as if someone were trampling on his dignity. For the sake of the Liu clan’s honor and his own authority, he would never allow Yang Yan to walk out of Shangzhou alive!

"Heh, the Liu clan’s ability to turn black into white is truly remarkable."

Yang Yan sneered at these words. Under the overwhelming pressure of Liu Zong’s presence, he stood firm, his robes flapping in the wind. He looked up at Liu Zong, who hovered in the air, and said coldly, "Speak, who are you? Disguising yourself as a youth, not only breaking the rules of our competition but also severely injuring my grandson—what is your objective?!"

Hearing Yang Yan’s mocking tone, Liu Zong’s expression turned completely dark as he barked at him.

"I have no patience for reasoning with you people. In your eyes, whoever has the bigger fist makes the rules. Since that’s the case, come then!"

As his voice fell, Yang Yan no longer held back. A boundless surge of spiritual energy erupted, swirling like a storm and instantly neutralizing the pressure Liu Zong had cast over the arena. Within that translucent, water-attributed spiritual storm, there seemed to be an invisible force—it was the power of the soul!

Facing a true master who had stepped into the Spirit-Sea Realm for the first time, Yang Yan felt a tremor of shock. Though he appeared calm, he had no certainty of victory; the pressure from the old figure in the sky was far greater than anything he had felt from Xie Xuantian, the head of the Qingxuan Sect.

However, Yang Yan was the type to yield to soft words but resist hard ones; his nature was to grow stronger as the opposition grew stronger. He refused to believe that even if this old man were a true Spirit-Sea expert, he couldn’t make him pay a heavy price if he exhausted all his means!

"This is… the aura of the peak of the Spirit-Communication Realm, combined with the soul power of the Minor Success stage of the Spirit Realm?!"

High above, faced with the sudden eruption of Yang Yan’s aura, even a battle-hardened veteran like Liu Zong was overwhelmed with shock. The words he had spoken earlier were merely an excuse to harass Yang Yan. The giant white jade platform beneath their feet was no ordinary object; it could accurately distinguish the age of those standing upon it. Even a Spirit-Sea expert like himself could not bypass its testing mechanism.

While he was shocked that someone of Yang Yan’s age could reach the Spirit-Communication Realm, the youth was still far from the Spirit-Sea Realm, and he hadn't considered him a serious threat—until now.

The aura the youth now displayed forced him to take notice. Peak Spirit-Communication Realm cultivation, plus Minor Success soul power—this level of strength gave Yang Yan combat power comparable to a half-step Spirit-Sea expert!

In their Liu clan, apart from himself, the strongest elder was only at the eighth level of the Spirit-Communication Realm, falling short of this youth! Such an expert, even among the major powers of the Tianyuan Continent, would be treated as an honored guest.

Compared to Liu Zong, the shock felt by those in the seats and below the stands was even more intense. Who was this youth? To reach such a level at such a young age was beyond their comprehension. A peak Spirit-Communication expert at sixteen or seventeen? Nobody would believe it, yet it was happening right before their eyes. Even if they refused to believe it, the reality was undeniable.

Beyond the shock, many felt a sense of dejection. Compared to this youth, their own cultivation talent could be described as pig-like, or perhaps even worse than pigs!

***

Any so-called genius, compared to this youth, was worth less than a pile of dog excrement!

Even Liu Zhengqing, who considered himself well-acquainted with Yang Yan, was utterly bewildered. He could never have imagined that in just half a year, this guy would have become so monstrously strong. Even the patriarch of the Liu clan, whom he could only look up to, was now being faced as an equal by Yang Yan, who was a year or two younger than him!

In the six months Yang Yan had been missing, Liu Zhengqing had never ceased his grueling training, and through a stroke of luck, he had attained his current cultivation. He had hoped that even if he hadn’t surpassed Yang Yan, the gap would have closed.

But the scene unfolding before him shattered that notion completely.

Peak Spirit-Realm vs. Peak Spirit-Communication Realm—the difference, though only one character apart, was as wide as a chasm. Even if he were given ten more years, Liu Zhengqing would not dare to guarantee he could reach that level. Yet, the youth nearby had attained it at his age, becoming someone he could only gaze up at.

"This guy is too much of a freak. Comparing myself to him is enough to make a person die of anger!"

After a long while, Liu Zhengqing sighed helplessly. When he sensed the situation on the field, his expression turned tense. Despite Yang Yan’s shocking cultivation, he was facing someone who had truly entered the Spirit-Sea Realm. Even though he could feel the sharp pressure from Yang Yan, he could still sense the gap between him and Liu Zong in the air.

The gap between the peak of the Spirit-Communication Realm and the Spirit-Sea Realm was even greater than that between the peak of the Spirit-Sensing Realm and the Spirit-Communication Realm. Thus, even with Yang Yan’s extraordinary power, resisting Liu Zong would be incredibly difficult!

"Good brother, don’t worry. If this old man makes things difficult for you, I will die before you do!"

In that moment, Liu Zhengqing made up his mind. Setting aside that Yang Yan was his good brother, he had no sense of belonging to this so-called Liu clan; he had only participated in this competition to fulfill his grandfather’s dying wish.

Choosing between the two was easy for him. Even if he knew it was a path to certain death, he would stand by Yang Yan without hesitation. This, of course, was one of the reasons why he was one of the few true friends Yang Yan recognized.

"Young man, your cultivation talent is truly astonishing. To reach such a level in spiritual cultivation at such a young age, and to have such attainments in soul power, which is difficult for ordinary people to cultivate—it would not be an exaggeration to call you a heaven-sent genius!"

After a long silence, Liu Zong, hovering in mid-air, stared at Yang Yan with a complex expression and spoke slowly.

Yang Yan, however, did not acknowledge the praise, his gaze remaining cold as his aura remained fully unleashed, showing no signs of receding.

"But today, you must give me an explanation. Even if you have a formidable power behind you, if I allow you to walk out of Shangzhou unscathed after this, how will my Liu clan maintain its standing here?"

As he continued, Liu Zong’s tone gradually turned icy.

He could not believe that Yang Yan possessed such attainments at this age without the backing of a super-power. While he was wary of the mysterious force behind Yang Yan, if he let him leave after such a public display, where would he, as the head of the Liu clan, put his face?

After all, his murderous aura had been witnessed by many. If he backed down immediately upon seeing Yang Yan’s power, he would become the laughingstock of the entire city.

Of course, he understood that killing Yang Yan today was impractical. If the youth would just offer an apology and show some deference, he would let it go, out of respect for the power behind him.

However, Yang Yan clearly had no intention of giving him that face.

"Patriarch Liu, you are truly joking. I don’t see what was wrong with helping my friend compete within the rules. As for accidentally injuring your precious grandson, I apologize, but bumps and bruises are inevitable in a match. Getting a little hurt is perfectly normal."

Hearing Yang Yan’s lack of apology, Liu Zong’s expression turned increasingly grim.

"Furthermore, you don’t need to worry about what power lies behind me. I’ve already said I am but an ordinary disciple of the Qingxuan Sect. If you want to seize me, feel free to do so without any burden!"

Yang Yan knew exactly what the other side was planning. But a single Spirit-Sea cultivator was not enough to make him yield. Besides, he had been looking forward to his first battle against a Spirit-Sea expert for a long time!