C15 Young Lord's Attack

It couldn't be real!

The four children on the scene were completely dumbfounded by what had just unfolded before their eyes. Yuan Ji, a master who had unlocked four meridians, was unexpectedly sent flying by a punch from Yuan Ling. But Yuan Ling hadn't even opened a single meridian—could they have seen it wrong?

Yuan Mu was the first to snap out of his shock. He glanced at Yuan Ji, sprawled in the snow several yards away, then turned his gaze back to Yuan Ling. "Yuan... Yuan Ling, what have you done?" The turn of events utterly shattered Yuan Mu's perception of reality.

He could come to terms with Yuan Kong being kicked away by Yuan Ling in the past; Yuan Kong was, after all, considered worthless. And he could make sense of Yuan Shi's recent defeat, since the guy had only just made a breakthrough. But Yuan Ji was a different story; he was a prodigy of the Qian City Yuan Family! The thought of someone opening four meridians by the tender age of ten was beyond Yuan Mu's wildest dreams. Such a prodigious youth was supposed to be an object of his admiration. Yet here he was, knocked away by a single punch.

Was this genius not as perfect as he seemed, or was Yuan Ling playing a cunning game, feigning weakness to catch others off guard? Without witnessing it firsthand, who would believe such a tale? Who would even dare to?

Yuan Ling, however, didn't see what the big fuss was about. With the Horned Dragon Sword at his side, he felt confident enough to confront even those who had opened five or six meridians. He was eager to return and inquire about the origins of the Sword Scripture from the white-haired elder. He was baffled as to how he had been unaware of such a formidable sword spell existing within the Sword Sect.

"Big brother! Are you okay?" The two boys who had arrived with Yuan Ji finally came to their senses.

They hurried over to where Yuan Ji lay in the snow and frantically helped him to his feet. Yuan Ji moaned as he regained consciousness, the searing pain prompting a cry of agony. Yuan Ling's punch might have seemed light, but it landed with the force of a carriage collision, leaving Yuan Ji convinced his nose was broken. The shame was raw and undeniable. His face, he felt, had been utterly disgraced, beaten so pitifully by someone once deemed worthless.

He realized he had underestimated his opponent, which is why he was struck down by Yuan Ling in a single blow.

Otherwise, how could someone who had just broken four meridians be defeated by a nobody in one move? Now, all he could think about was pulverizing Yuan Ling to calm the rage burning within him.

"Get out of my way!"

He shoved Yuan Mian aside, who was trying to help him, as blood gushed from his nose. Wiping it carelessly, he glared at Yuan Ling with venomous eyes, looking exceptionally brutal and vicious.

"Kid, you dare to ambush me! I swear, today I'll make you wish for death!"

"You have no shame!"

Yuan Mu immediately retorted, unafraid of a verbal confrontation.

"It was you who struck first, and now you're playing the victim, claiming Yuan Ling ambushed you. Have you no dignity?"

Yuan Ji's face twisted in fury as if a deep wound had been exposed. He trembled with rage, staring at Yuan Mu with clenched teeth.

"You little wretch, I'll rip that foul mouth of yours to shreds today!"

"Oh no! The Yuan family's prodigy is about to lash out again! I'm absolutely terrified!"

Yuan Mu taunted from behind Yuan Ling, his sarcasm unrelenting.

Yuan Ji was consumed with the desire to reduce Yuan Mu to ashes to quell his seething resentment. But before he could act on his impulse, a group of people approached, drawn by the commotion of the recent fight.

"Who did this to you, Yuan Ji?"

Surrounded by his entourage like stars around the moon, Yuan Loong approached and frowned upon seeing Yuan Ji's bloodied face.

Fuming with anger, Yuan Ji was about to explain the whole incident.

But then he reconsidered, realizing how humiliating it would be to admit he was bested by a so-called weakling who hadn't even unlocked a single meridian. He found himself at a loss for words.

Yuan Loong's expression soured at the lack of response to his question. He turned to the other two youths for an explanation.

The two boys glanced at Yuan Ji and, with a hardening resolve, recounted the events. They conveniently omitted their own provocation and falsely accused Yuan Ling of ambushing and injuring Yuan Ji.

"Absolutely worthless!"

Yuan Loong's expression darkened, his eyes ablaze with fury as he glared at the trio.

"Do you really think I'm unaware of what you three are capable of? Even if they struck first, for someone with four meridians opened to be beaten by an ordinary person is simply disgraceful—you're nothing but trash!"

"Given another chance, I swear I'll break every bone in his body!"

Bloodied, Yuan Ji responded with resentment.

Yuan Loong's rage subsided slightly as he nodded in approval.

"Good. As a member of the Qian City Yuan Family, you must possess such spirit! If wronged, you must make the offender pay back twofold!"

It was then that the Young Lord turned his gaze to Yuan Ling, studying him briefly with a furrowed brow.

For some inexplicable reason, Yuan Ling evoked a sense of danger deep within him, though he found the notion utterly ridiculous.

After all, he was the prodigy among prodigies of the Qian City Yuan Family, having opened nine meridians by the tender age of ten.

Even a talent like Yuan Ji, with four veins opened, couldn't hold a candle to him, much less a piece of garbage who hadn't opened a single meridian.

Yuan Loong detested this feeling, which only intensified his disdain for Yuan Ling.

He was a complete waste; how could he possibly give Yuan Loong pause? The very thought was an affront to him.

Yuan Loong's demeanor was icy.

"So, it was you who sent Yuan Ji flying with a single punch? Without a single meridian opened, you've managed to achieve this. Normally, if you had injured someone else, I would have sought your friendship.

"But this time, you've harmed my kin. As their Young Lord, it's my duty to reclaim their honor!"

"You're all utterly unreasonable. It was the Qian City Yuan Family who instigated this, lacking the strength and getting beaten in return. Now you seek to save face? It's downright disgraceful!"

Yuan Mu, seething from the background, shot back.

Yuan Loong, as if Yuan Mu's words were of no consequence, responded with a chilling tone.

"If you cross the Qian City Yuan Family, you must face the consequences. It doesn't matter to me who threw the first punch, but since you too descend from the Yuan Family, if you're willing to offer an apology to Yuan Ji and bow your head in contrition, I might just let this whole thing slide!"

Taking advantage of their power!

Even the usually composed Yuan Ling couldn't suppress his anger.

They were the ones attacked first, and now they were expected to simply accept their lack of skill and kneel in apology?

It was an outright affront.

"What's the matter? Can't accept it?" Yuan Loong said with a cold, mocking laugh.

Yuan Ling frowned. "Don't you think you're being a bit excessive?"

"You injured my people. I'm here to demand justice. There's nothing excessive about that."

A smug, contemptuous smile spread across Yuan Loong's face as if he were entirely justified.

Yuan Ling stared icily at the Young Lord of the Qian City Yuan Family. His adversary's cultivation had reached the ninth level, creating a vast chasm between their Genuine Qi.

Not even the Horned Dragon Sword Scripture could bridge the gap.

This Young Lord was hailed as a prodigy for good reason, and not just for his rapid advancement in cultivation.

His prowess in combat was also far beyond the ordinary, and Yuan Ling knew he was no match for him at present.

But apologize?

Yuan Ling scoffed with disdain.

"You're pushing it too far!"

Yuan Mu, standing beside him, lacked Yuan Ling's composure.

His eyes bulged with fury as he pointed at them, shaking with rage.

"Your bullying knows no bounds. Don't get cocky just because you're on top right now. The tables could turn in the future!"

"And what if we are insulting you?

Our Young Lord is a once-in-a-lifetime genius. You three are nothing but stepping stones, and you think you can make a comeback? That's laughable!" Yuan Ji retorted with a vicious sneer.

Yuan Mu let out a cold laugh.

"The Qian City Yuan Family's audacity is truly remarkable. I've heard that your elder, Yuan Qian, had already unlocked seven meridians during his baptism. Although he wasn't quite at your level, he was still regarded as the foremost among his peers back then. But what of it now? I bet that title of 'first among his generation' has long since been passed on to another!"

"Kid, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? Our master has always been the leader of his peers, the undisputed top of his generation. This time, he's going to use the baptism to become the Yuan family's patriarch in one fell swoop!"

Yuan Mu let out a cold laugh. "Typical of the Qian City Yuan Family, no one can match their shamelessness. But I've heard from others that the real number one of their generation is someone named Yuan Yi!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ji was instantly furious. "Yuan Yi? I've never even heard of him. Whoever he is, he doesn't deserve to be compared to our Patriarch!"

Yuan Mu glanced at Yuan Loong with a mocking smile, his lips twisted in sarcasm. "You're the Young Lord; surely you're not as uninformed as the rest? Don't tell me you're unaware of what I'm talking about."

Yuan Loong's expression darkened; he was indeed aware that Yuan Mu's words held truth. "Young Lord, this guy must be spouting lies. You're not taking him seriously, are you?" Yuan Loong kept silent, while Yuan Ji looked at him anxiously.

"He's not spouting lies. Yuan Yi is indeed stronger than my father," Yuan Loong retorted with a snort.

"Is that so?" Yuan Ji's jaw dropped, and the others who overheard were equally wide-eyed and incredulous.

Yuan Mu's smugness grew. "They say that during his baptism, Yuan Yi hadn't unlocked a single meridian and was labeled a failure by many. But who would have guessed that, in just a decade, he'd rise to become the foremost among his peers! Even the figures from the previous generation couldn't match him, probably not even the former City Lord. If someone like him didn't disdain the position of Patriarch, what chance would anyone else have?"

Yuan Loong's face was a mask of grim fury as he stared at the triumphant Yuan Mu, struggling to contain his anger. Yuan Mu caught every flicker of emotion on the Young Lord's face.

Far from being intimidated, Yuan Mu found the thrill of dancing on the edge of danger exhilarating. Recalling the Young Lord's earlier haughty demeanor, he described the situation with even more colorful detail.

"So what if you've unlocked nine meridians? In the end, you'll end up just like your father..."

"Shut up!"

Bang!

Yuan Mu, who had been speaking so confidently, suddenly found himself airborne.

While still in the air, his already chubby face swelled even more.

Yuan Loong's attack was shockingly swift.

Yuan Ling hadn't even managed to draw his wooden sword before Yuan Mu was already hurtling through the air, which caused his expression to shift dramatically.

Yuan Loong's displayed strength surpassed Yuan Ling's expectations. When it came to agility, Yuan Ling knew he couldn't match him, even at full power.

Despite having sent Yuan Mu flying, Yuan Loong's heart still simmered with unresolved resentment.

He turned his cold gaze to Yuan Ling and Yuan Sang and scoffed.

"Now, this isn't something you can fix by kneeling and bowing your heads. I want all three of you to remember this day, remember me—Yuan Loong, the prodigy of the Qian City Yuan Family! I'll make sure it haunts you for the rest of your lives!"

The insincere smile vanished from Yuan Loong's face as he let his Genuine Qi surge outward, charging at them with a ferocious intensity.

He was unstoppable!

Yuan Ling's face paled at the sight. Yuan Loong's imposing aura seemed insignificant to him.

Even Yuan Li had failed to cow him in the past, so the idea that Yuan Loong could dominate him with mere presence was laughable.

What he hadn't anticipated was the staggering power of Yuan Loong's Genuine Qi—nearly three times stronger than a martial artist of the same rank!

He stood no chance of victory.