C4 The King Was Already Proud

Woo Zhengyang certainly wasn't losing his mind; in fact, after being knocked back time and again, he was more clear-headed than ever. Each blow he took didn't bring pain, but a strange sense of relief, as if impurities were being hammered out of his body, forging him into something stronger.

This peculiar transformation was undoubtedly linked to the mysterious black vortex from the previous night. It had bestowed upon Woo Zhengyang a unique physical change. The dire circumstances of that night also instilled in him the heart of a king—proud and untouchable. It wasn't until much later that Woo Zhengyang realized this shift in his mindset was the strongest foundation on his path to becoming a true warrior.

Living by the creed of battle! This belief was etched into Woo Zhengyang's very being after experiencing his transformation. Since he lived for the fight and not to be beaten, he refused to remain on the receiving end. However, Yue Liqing's speed and strength were beyond Woo Zhengyang's current capabilities. Even if he wanted to fight back, he had to wait for the right moment.

That moment came when Yue Liqing's fatigue set in, and his repetitive attacks lost their fervor. Woo Zhengyang seized the opportunity perfectly, resulting in a scene where Yue Liqing's nose bled profusely. Struck twice in the face, with his nose smashed and tears involuntarily mixing with the blood, Yue Liqing was furious.

After taking two steps back to steady himself, Yue Liqing, his face covered in blood, glared with fierce determination. A swirling energy appeared around his fist. For someone who had just entered the Martial Disciple stage, channeling this energy was risky, but Yue Liqing was confident. Even if his meridians suffered minor damage, he was certain his family's elders would help him recover. Right now, Yue Liqing had only one goal: to turn Woo Zhengyang into a pulp.

"Die..." Yue Liqing shouted, charging forward with his fist raised.

Woo Zhengyang had just slid down from the rock wall when Yue Liqing closed the distance, his energy-infused fist slamming hard into Woo Zhengyang's chest.

"Boom..."

The solid punch echoed throughout the cave, reverberating with a force that stunned everyone. The impact drove Woo Zhengyang's body back against the rock wall, creating a crack, with bits of stone cascading down behind him.

The sheer power of the punch was astonishing. Even more shocking was that Woo Zhengyang showed no signs of injury. Instead, the ambient energy around them seemed to stir, as if drawn to Woo Zhengyang, flowing through his clothes and skin, and surging into his body.

"What!" Liu Tiancheng exclaimed in disbelief.

"Is this... a sign of Origin Genuine Qi being activated?" stammered a disciple standing nearby.

Woo Zhengyang himself was equally shocked beyond measure. Yue Liqing's punch, infused with Qi, struck his chest, and for the first time, Woo Zhengyang truly felt pain. However, accompanying the pain was a trembling sensation in his core.

His Origin Genuine Qi, which had always been stagnant, suddenly burst forth like fireworks under the force of Yue Liqing's punch, spilling out of Woo Zhengyang's body. This Qi acted as a catalyst, and once outside, it began to wildly absorb the surrounding vital energy, which then flowed back into his core, transforming into Qi and replenishing the void.

Even though he had never experienced it before, Woo Zhengyang was certain that this was the long-awaited activation of his Origin Genuine Qi.

Being struck so hard triggered his Qi in such an unbelievable way that if someone else had told him, Woo Zhengyang wouldn't have believed it. Yet, it undeniably happened, and it was surely connected to that mysterious black vortex.

"Thud..."

Another solid punch landed, leaving Woo Zhengyang no time to ponder anything else. Although he owed the activation of his Origin Genuine Qi to Yue Liqing's powerful punch, it didn't mean Woo Zhengyang enjoyed being pummeled. Since both hitting and being hit could lead to progress, he decided to let the former become his stepping stone to advancement!

As everyone, including Woo Zhengyang, stood in shock, only Yue Liqing remained focused on his goal of taking down Zhengyang. Oblivious to Zhengyang's unusual resilience, Yue Liqing relentlessly threw punch after punch with all his might.

By the time Yue Liqing launched his third punch, he finally sensed something was off. With the force he exerted, an ordinary person's body would have caved in, their internal organs shattered. Yet, Zhengyang's body seemed as tough as steel, showing no signs of injury. To Yue Liqing's surprise, Zhengyang was now raising his own fist.

"Thud..."

The two fists collided in mid-air with pinpoint accuracy. Yue Liqing's fist, enveloped in a glow from his harnessed energy, met Zhengyang's simple yet powerful punch. Despite Zhengyang having reached the level of a one-star Martial Disciple, he didn't use any energy, relying solely on his raw strength.

What should have been a decisive clash turned into a shocking reversal. The force of the impact sent Zhengyang back against the stone wall, while Yue Liqing was propelled backward through the air.

"Crack..."

The sound of bones breaking echoed, sending a chill through the onlookers. As Yue Liqing flew backward, his arm awkwardly pressed against his abdomen, the glow around his fist fading. Bright red blood seeped from his sleeve, marking the gravity of the encounter.

“Thud...”

Woo Zhengyang's body fell at the cave entrance, his head hitting the rock wall with a dull thud, and he passed out with a groan. Afterward, the entire cave fell silent, everyone staring at Woo Zhengyang in utter disbelief, mouths agape.

Was this the same Woo Zhengyang who was usually quiet and somewhat underestimated by the other disciples? Was this the same Woo Zhengyang who, after bringing back the redwood fruit yesterday, everyone assumed would be expelled from the mountain?

In the time it takes for incense to burn, everyone's assumptions were completely overturned. Especially at the end, when Woo Zhengyang suddenly unleashed his Origin Genuine Qi, sending Yue Liqing's arm flying and leaving everyone breathless, their minds momentarily frozen.

If there was anyone in the cave who remained relatively clear-headed, it was Woo Zhengyang himself. This transformation should have been shocking or even delightful to him, yet he felt it was only natural. Moreover, Woo Zhengyang realized that after the mysterious vortex appeared last night, the biggest change seemed to be in his thinking ability.

At this moment, Woo Zhengyang felt proud yet calm, not arrogant enough to dismiss everything. He was fully aware of the consequences he would face after confronting Yue Liqing, but he didn't hesitate, as if a belief was guiding him.

After unleashing his Origin Genuine Qi, Woo Zhengyang suddenly understood how to face the consequences of this battle; it was all clear to him. Glancing at the still-stunned crowd, Woo Zhengyang headed straight for the cave. As he passed by Yue Liqing, he stepped right over him without hesitation.

Since it was already a do-or-die situation, there was no need to pretend. If he could, Woo Zhengyang would have liked to stomp him out completely to eliminate future threats, but unfortunately, that wasn't an option right now.

Yue Liqing, who had just recently lost consciousness, was jolted awake by the pain of his broken arm being stepped on again, cold sweat streaming down his face. His cries of pain finally snapped the crowd back to reality, only to realize that Woo Zhengyang was already gone...

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