C9 Excellent Is Not Enough to Describe Me It Is Outstanding!

"What's happening!?"

The younger onlookers gasped in shock, while the elders, who had been seated, rose abruptly, their eyes fixed on Hu Jinhong's hand.

"Could Hu Nao's skin be so thick that it's capable of injuring someone?" someone wondered to themselves.

The exchange had been too quick; all anyone saw was Hu Jinhong's hand striking out and Hu Nao's loud shout, followed by Hu Jinhong's inexplicable injury. The cause was a mystery to them.

Hu Jinhong, however, understood that Hu Nao's shout had been infused with an extremely sharp breath, sharp as a sword, which had pierced through his right hand.

Snap, snap, snap.

Hu Jinhong promptly pressed several points on his right wrist with his left hand, sealing the acupoints to prevent too much blood loss. He then regarded Hu Nao with a stern expression, "They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I never expected that in the time we've been apart, cousin, you've undergone a complete transformation. You've advanced to the Fifth Heaven of Body Tempering and even mastered a skill akin to the Lion's Roar. Impressive indeed."

"However, that alone won't be enough to best me."

"Watch out!"

Hu Jinhong moved with the swiftness of a leopard, his left palm outstretched, fingers splayed, Qi emanating from his hand as he struck out at Hu Nao.

With his right hand injured, Hu Jinhong no longer underestimated Hu Nao. He employed the family's martial art, the Sky-Splitting Palm, channeling his Sixth Heaven Body Tempering cultivation to its peak. The resulting force was immensely powerful, capable of splitting metal and shattering stone.

The sound of the air being cleaved echoed throughout the hall.

"You'd better watch out too!"

Hu Nao was eager to test the true extent of his One Dragon and One Elephant strength. Facing Hu Jinhong's formidable palm, he didn't evade but instead countered with his own palms, meeting the attack head-on.

The onlookers in the meeting hall shook their heads at his boldness. A clash between a Fifth Heaven and a Sixth Heaven seemed foolhardy; they were certain Hu Nao would come out of it injured.

Amidst the schadenfreude-filled stares, a thunderous crash rang out as Hu Nao's palms met Hu Jinhong's left palm.

Whoosh!

Hu Jinhong stepped back, his eyes wide with shock, and the onlookers were even more astonished. How could this have happened?

Hu Nao's hand remained unscathed, and he stood his ground, grinning. "Sixth Heaven Body Tempering doesn't seem so impressive after all. You've wasted the strength of my palms. Come on, try to take one of my palms."

With his right hand tucked across his chest, Hu Nao ceased using it and instead thrust his left palm through the air.

Boom!

A surge of force erupted, barreling towards Hu Jinhong like a deluge breaking through a dam or a volcano's fiery outburst. Every table and chair in the council hall began to quake, and dust cascaded from the beams overhead.

Hu Jinhong's face paled. He hadn't anticipated the sheer terror of Hu Nao's palm. Even if his own right hand hadn't been injured, he doubted his palms could match such divine might.

He thought to dodge, but then reconsidered. He was supposed to be the one teaching Hu Nao a lesson. To back down now would be humiliating!

With no other option, he stiffened his neck and channeled all his energy into his left palm, swinging it with all his might.

Another thunderous crash echoed, but this time, Hu Jinhong stumbled back five steps before he could diffuse Hu Nao's palm force.

Meanwhile, Hu Nao advanced rather than retreated, stepping forward and challenging, "Again!"

In that moment, he resembled a playful, giggling kitten that had transformed into the king of beasts, a jungle tiger.

He was unstoppable, a force to be reckoned with.

This, this, this...

Hu Jinhong found himself in a predicament, at a loss for words.

The rest of the council hall attendees could only gape in disbelief. Hu Nao, the Patriarch's son, known for his frailty and subpar martial arts, not to mention his comically suggestive name, had been the family's laughingstock. When had he become so formidable?

Even the elders, who were a hundred times more powerful than Hu Nao, were visibly shaken. They recalled how, at Fifth Heaven of Body Tempering, they were often pummeled mercilessly by Sixth Heaven masters. Yet here was Hu Nao, turning the tables on a Sixth Heaven expert with ease.

Hu Bugui couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. "That boy is truly my son; he's got my flair."

As the head of the family, he was always mindful of the bigger picture, wary of any rash actions that might lead to Hu Nao seriously injuring Hu Jinhong and potentially fracturing the family unity. Such a situation would be a nightmare to resolve.

"Naonao, stop!" Hu Bugui commanded, sweeping his hand through the air. A powerful surge of spiritual energy burst forth, coalescing into a giant handprint that snatched Hu Nao from several meters away.

Telekinesis!

A mystical ability only a master of Spirit Speak could wield!

Among the middle-aged members of the Hu family, there were indeed Spirit Speak masters, but none possessed the effortless skill of Hu Bugui, who could casually perform telekinesis while seated, let alone on a living person as heavy as Hu Nao.

The entire hall, filled with hundreds of onlookers, stared at Hu Bugui in amazement, their eyes alight with fervor. Even Hu Bufan and Hu Bufan, who had initiated the challenge, wore expressions of grave respect, their eyes gleaming with envy at the display of Hu Bugui's martial prowess.

"Is this Spirit Speak?" Hu Nao, now standing beside Hu Bugui, gazed at his father with wide-eyed wonder, as though he were beholding a towering mountain.

With another wave of his hand, Hu Bugui brought Hu Jinhong to his side. Rising to his feet, he grasped Hu Nao's right hand and Hu Jinhong's left, bringing their palms together. Casting a meaningful glance at the other middle-aged men with 'no' in their names, he spoke with deep significance, "You are brothers sharing the same surname. When sparring, the goal should be to learn, not to prove who is superior."

Hu Nao caught his father's drift and chuckled—not with the arrogance of a victor, but with genuine respect and humility. He addressed Hu Jinhong, "Cousin, your skills surpass mine, with greater explosive power and agility swift as the wind. I truly admire you."

Father and son had extended every courtesy to Hu Jinhong, who was as honest and proud as they come. Recognizing their goodwill, he too cracked a smile, though his cheeks flushed with a hint of embarrassment. "Exactly, it's embarrassing for me. I'm at a higher level, and I thought I'd teach you a lesson, but you had me retreating at every turn, even leaving me with a few bruises... Ouch, that really smarts."

Hu Bugui retrieved a porcelain bottle from his inner pocket, tipped out a pill, and offered it to Hu Jinhong with a teasing tone. "I anticipated that tonight's family meeting wouldn't go smoothly. I had the foresight to prepare a Rejuvenation Pill. Take it, and your wounds will heal by tomorrow."

The Rejuvenation Pill was renowned as a panacea, capable of not only healing injuries but also nourishing the body and enhancing one's cultivation level. Hu Jinhong recognized the pill's value and, after accepting it, he expressed his gratitude and withdrew.

Hu Bufan stepped forward, bowing slightly to Hu Bugui, "You've shown respect to my son, and I'll return the favor. I have no objections today."

Hu Bubai approached as well, "You ventured across the Dragon's Breath River in your youth and trained in the Southern Land. You must have gathered numerous rare treasures then, which you've used to transform your son. His martial prowess today is a testament to that. I take back my earlier words; you indeed have a knack for raising your son. Moreover, your skill in telekinesis is exceptional, and I must admit my inferiority. Therefore, I won't oppose your position as the family head. However, my defeat at your hands in the past still stings, and I can't easily let that go. Once we weather the storm brewing in Egluarsall, I will seek a resolution from you!"

"Well said, very well said!" At some point, a diminutive elder with white hair and a face etched with wrinkles had appeared in the hall, his back bent as if he were nearing his end. Yet, no one, not even Hu Bugui with his superior cultivation, had noticed his arrival. It was as though he had been invisible, only to materialize suddenly.

"Uncle Jiu!"

Upon seeing the elder, even Hu Bugui, the Hu family's patriarch, bowed with deep respect.

This elder was none other than Hu Binyu, the venerable teacher of martial arts to Nan Xi, and a senior of the Hu family whose cultivation was profound and inscrutable.

Hu Binyu nodded, his eyes twinkling as he surveyed the room. "We are one family; it's natural to have disagreements and conflicts, but we must never waver on fundamental principles. With Egluarsall on the brink of chaos, we cannot afford to be divided or hastily change our patriarch, as it would destabilize our family. This is my stance, and it is shared by the other elders."

"Yes!"

All those who bore old grudges against Hu Bugui and coveted the position of family Patriarch reined in their ambitions.

Hu Bugui's martial prowess was unmatched, and his strategic acumen peerless. He seemed invulnerable—except when it came to his son, Hu Nao.

But now, Hu Nao had shed his former frailty. He had even managed to fend off Hu Jinhong, who had reached the Sixth Heaven of Body Tempering, revealing astonishing potential.

With the family elders' support, who could now challenge Hu Bugui's status as Patriarch?

After addressing the important matters, Hu Binyu gestured to the younger members, "Come here. You all performed admirably tonight. Hu Xiangsi, you're open-hearted and measured, truly embodying the grace of a noble lady. Jinhong, you face formidable foes without fear, a true paragon of the Hu family men! As for Hu Nao..." He paused, scratching his head, seemingly at a loss for words.

Hu Nao, seeing the elder's discomfort, couldn't stand by idly. He chimed in, "Are you finding it hard to compliment me because I'm too exceptional? Oh no, 'exceptional' doesn't quite capture it—I am extraordinary! Are you perhaps considering a reward for me but are worried I might become arrogant? Is that why you're hesitating?"

"…"

Hu Binyu, caught between laughter and dismay, his face turning a shade of green, suddenly had an idea. He turned to Nan Xi, "From now on, you'll be the extraordinary Hu Nao's sister. You needn't obey his commands, nor indulge his whims. Your martial arts are strong; spend some time practicing with him."

"Yes," Nan Xi replied, smiling and nodding.

"…"

Hu Nao's face fell. This wasn't about practice; it was clear that Nan Xi was meant to give him a thrashing.

Experience does come with age.

Yet, inside, he was brimming with satisfaction and boundless enthusiasm.

The feeling of power was exhilarating.

Tonight, he had used his martial skills to help his father resolve a troublesome issue.

Now, he needed to redouble his efforts, elevate his realm, and take on that detestable Qin Feng.

At that moment, he found himself longing to see Pei Zhiyuan.

He was eager to share his elation with his fiancée, expressing to her, "I am no longer frail. Will you stay by my side for a lifetime?"