"Liu Chun, what on earth are you trying to do?" Instructor Lei Long demanded angrily.

"What am I trying to do? I merely want to test his abilities, that's all. Heh heh," the sallow-faced man holding the Black Long Saber retorted with a cold laugh.

As soon as his voice faded, he began advancing toward Chen Fei.

"You want to test me?" However, upon hearing this, Chen Fei just smiled faintly, his lips curling into a disdainful smirk. Although he considered this Liu Chun to be much stronger than Luo Gang, truly at the level of a First-Class Ancient Warrior, the problem was that his own Cultivation Level had already reached the Peak of Qi Refining Third Layer! At this level, he truly didn't see Liu Chun as a threat.

"A test? My apologies, I seem to have misspoken. How could it be a test against a wet-behind-the-ears brat like you? This is a lesson! Which hand did you use to injure my nephew? Since you don't want it anymore, I'll help you by chopping it off!" Liu Chun's eyes revealed a ferocious glint as he spoke with chilling, murderous intent.

"Oh? By the sound of it, you want to take one of my hands?" A frigid gleam flashed in Chen Fei's dark eyes. He suddenly struck a strange pose, the corner of his mouth hooking upward as he said coldly, "In that case, then let's make this a battle to the death?"

"You actually know of this custom?" Now it was Liu Chun's turn to be surprised. He hadn't expected Chen Fei to know of the ancient 'rite of combat' of the Ancient Martial Artists. This so-called 'rite of combat' was a custom within the Circle of Ancient Martial Arts for issuing a challenge to the death. Once accepted, the fight was to be without quarter, and no uninvolved parties could use any pretext to trouble the victor later.

As the current Sect Leader of the Drifting Snow Sect—a well-respected second-tier sect in the Circle of Ancient Martial Arts—Liu Chun was of course familiar with this etiquette. He just never imagined Chen Fei would dare invoke it against him.

"Hmph! Such arrogance at such a young age. Do you really think that defeating some piece of trash means you can be insolent before me, Liu Chun? Fine! In that case, today, it is a battle to the death!" Liu Chun, infuriated by Chen Fei's haughty attitude, immediately assumed the same stance and snorted coldly.

"Take this!"

WHOOSH!

In the next moment, before anyone could react, he struck. His saber, gleaming like a demonic black light, whistled toward Chen Fei's waist in a brutal horizontal cleave. The attack was executed without the slightest hesitation, and its astonishing speed seemed to whip up a storm. It was an extreme display of power that caused everyone present to turn pale with shock.

"So... so terrifying," Luo Gang stammered incredulously, his heart racing.

He had only recently joined the Branch of Flying Leopard, so he'd never had the chance to witness the power of a First-Class Ancient Warrior! But now, seeing Liu Chun's impossibly swift strike, he felt his entire back soak with cold sweat as a chill shot up his spine.

He knew for certain he couldn't block that saber! There was absolutely no way!

It wasn't just him. Even Instructor Lei Long, once hailed as a King of Soldiers, couldn't hide the alarm in his authoritative eyes. At my peak, I might have been stronger than him and could have blocked that strike, he thought. But now, that saber is like a demonic blade—inescapable! It's too fast, too sharp!

"Liu Chun, stop! In my capacity as Deputy Instructor of Flying Leopard, I order you to stop! Disobey, and you will be charged with defying orders!" he couldn't help but roar. He couldn't bear to see such a promising young man like Chen Fei fall here, killed on the grounds of the Flying Leopard Base!

"My apologies, Instructor Lei Long, but it is not I, Liu Chun, who is defying orders! This is a private matter within our Circle of Ancient Martial Arts. It has nothing to do with Flying Leopard!" Liu Chun retorted, showing no deference. His expression grew even fiercer, twisting into a sinister smirk. With the 'rite of combat' as a pretext, he had no fear of repercussions. After all, this tradition has been honored in the Circle of Ancient Martial Arts for hundreds of years. Who would dare challenge it?

"Do you really think a few minor achievements make you someone special? That you can be arrogant and conceited? Don't be so naive. It's not good to live in your own little dream world. Very well, let me, Liu Chun, teach you a lesson today! I will make a young whelp like you understand what hierarchy means!" Liu Chun roared, chopping down with an imposing posture.

"Heh heh."

Chen Fei only responded with a cold laugh, a mocking sneer curving his lips. In his opinion, Liu Chun's saber technique was passably exquisite. The speed and variations in this particular strike would even force an ordinary First-Class Ancient Warrior to go all out. The problem was, for him, it was still far too weak. It posed no real challenge; every move was perfectly within his control, as easy as playing a game.

"Get lost!"

In the next instant, he clenched his hand into a fist. Deftly dodging the strike, his right fist shot out like a cannonball and slammed heavily onto his opponent's shoulder. Liu Chun's expression changed dramatically; he felt as if his shoulder had been struck by a massive boulder! It feels like the bone has been shattered!

As a genuine First-Class Ancient Warrior, Liu Chun possessed Dark Energy that formed a protective layer around his body. Even a bullet from a common firearm might not be able to pierce his flesh and shatter his bones! But now, this young man he had looked down upon had done it in a direct confrontation. How could I not be shocked?

"What? Captain Liu's bone... is broken?"

"Impossible! Captain Liu is a First-Class Ancient Warrior! How... how could this happen?"

"He must have been careless. I have to admit, for that young man to defeat Luo Gang so easily, he must have the strength of a First-Class Ancient Warrior himself. Their power levels must be about the same! If one of them gets careless, they're bound to lose!"

The scene descended into chaos as everyone stared in utter shock. It was only now that they truly understood how terrifying Chen Fei's strength was. Liu Chun was one of only seven captains in the Branch of Flying Leopard, a genuine First-Class Ancient Warrior who had been famous for over a decade! For him to be injured by a young man—his bones seemingly broken—was simply unbelievable.

"You're courting death!"

When Liu Chun realized he had suffered such a major loss at Chen Fei's hands, a furious rage swelled within him. He felt utterly humiliated. His face contorted with fury, his gaze turned icy, and the Black Long Saber in his hand transformed into a sweeping reverse arc. A terrifying blade of light, like an eruption of black demonic energy, tore through the air, making everyone's scalp tingle! This was the Drifting Snow Sect's ultimate saber technique: the Drifting Snow Blade! It was also his strongest move!

CLANG!

But in the next moment, the smug, victorious expression on Liu Chun's face froze solid. He saw only a flash of a fist, then an immense force crashed against his weapon, wrenching the Black Long Saber from his grasp. The blade went flying and, struck by the force of Chen Fei's punch, broke cleanly in two.

SNAP!

This is impossible! Liu Chun's expression was frozen in shock, a chill creeping up his spine. He had never imagined that a man barely in his twenties could shatter the Drifting Snow Sect's ultimate technique, the Drifting Snow Blade! And in such an unbelievable manner—with pure, brute force!

Yet, even now, he refused to admit defeat. His gaze turned colder, his expression more sinister. His hands blurred into elusive palm shadows, striking toward Chen Fei's chest. The movements were swift and powerful, catching everyone by surprise. We only knew he used a saber! Who knew he also had such a formidable palm technique?

"Still resisting?"

However, Chen Fei was not the least bit impressed. His eyes narrowed, and he lunged forward, unleashing his Xingyi Fist with the unbridled fury of a tiger descending a mountain. A phantom roar, like a tiger's cry shaking the forest, echoed through the air, stunning Liu Chun for a fraction of a second!

Although my mastery of Xingyi Fist is poor, my cultivation technique is simply too advanced! The Spiritual Energy in my body provides a massive boost to my martial arts, even allowing for unexpected variations.

BANG!

Seizing that moment of distraction, Chen Fei smashed Liu Chun's attacking wrist with one fist, then slammed a vicious kick into his waist, sending him flying through the air!

Everyone present paled, a flicker of fear in their eyes. This included Instructor Lei Long, who had once been a powerhouse at the King of Soldiers level. The entire exchange, from the first move until Liu Chun was defeated despite using his ultimate technique, all happened in the blink of an eye.

In the blink of an eye, a young man in his twenties had casually defeated and sent flying one of the seven great captains of the Branch of Flying Leopard! What kind of terrifying strength was this?

Even to the superhuman members of Flying Leopard, the implication was crystal clear: Chen Fei's strength was so overwhelming that he could utterly dominate Liu Chun, leaving him leagues behind.

Damn it, are we dreaming? Liu Chun is a genuine First-Class Ancient Warrior! For Chen Fei to defeat him so easily... what does that even mean?

A deathly silence fell over the training ground. No one dared to breathe too loudly, let alone speak.

"I seem to recall you wanted one of my hands," Chen Fei said calmly, stepping on the wrist of the downed Liu Chun. A faint, cold smile played on his lips.

"No, I—Listen to my explanation..." Liu Chun began, his face pale and his body wracked with chills.

"An explanation? I don't think one is necessary." Chen Fei had no intention of giving him the chance. A sharp glint flashed in his dark eyes as he lifted his foot and stomped down viciously on Liu Chun's wrist.

SNAP!

The sound of bone breaking was sickeningly clear.

HISS!

Liu Chun sucked in a sharp breath, excruciating pain shooting up from his shattered wrist. Yet, he dared not utter another word of protest or argument. Chen Fei's strength was simply too terrifying. Even a First-Class Ancient Warrior like him couldn't help but feel his heart pound with fear as he began to tremble.

In the Circle of Ancient Martial Arts, the strong are revered. This was that reverence, made manifest.

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