"Ancient Martial Arts... Innate!?"

The sound of sharp intakes of breath echoed across the second floor of Tian Kui Pavilion, shock and disbelief evident on every face.

They had speculated before, but to have it laid out in the open, confirmed by someone with the authority of Zhan Hu, was another matter entirely. Even after the public declaration, they couldn't conceal their shock, finding it all incredibly difficult to believe.

After all, this was an Innate Ancient Martial Artist. How many of those existed in the entire Martial Forest? This was no joke.

Furthermore, how old was he? Twenty-six or twenty-seven at most? The very thought was hard to swallow.

"He's really an Innate Ancient Martial Artist?" someone murmured, dazed, their expression strange. The crowd's eyes converged on Chen Fei, frozen and unable to look away.

One had to understand that a super expert of that caliber, even one at the initial Innate Early Stage, was considered part of the absolute upper echelon within the Lingnan Mountains, and indeed the entire Martial Forest. Even for powerhouse organizations like the Four Great Hidden Sects, the number of Innate Experts they possessed could be counted on one hand. Moreover, those were typically old masters in their seventies or eighties, or the truly outstanding disciples from a previous generation or the one before that. Only they had a chance of reaching such a level.

But now, here was Chen Fei, a young man in his twenties—even three or four years younger than Zhan Hu—who had already stepped into the Innate realm?

Never mind the onlookers; even prodigiously talented heirs of the Four Great Hidden Sects like Zhan Hu and Bai Bin couldn't wrap their minds around it. They felt a wave of dizziness, their temples throbbing with a pulsing ache.

What in the world is this guy's background? The question churned in Zhan Hu's mind. His palms were already slick with sweat, his gaze flickering with uncertainty.

Only now did he realize that the man's earlier words had not been in jest. If this person had been born a decade earlier, it might have been their Huadao Fort that suffered a fatal incident, forcing them to miss this grand event for years to come.

"Brother..." Even the formerly arrogant Zhan Lingfeng was pale with fright, shivering behind Zhan Hu as he spoke. An Innate Ancient Martial Artist was an existence of which even their Blade Forge of Evil Dragon Pool had precious few.

"Shut up!" Zhan Hu snapped. The sharp rebuke made Zhan Lingfeng tremble violently, and he immediately clamped his mouth shut. A strange glint appeared in Zhan Hu's fierce eyes as he stared at Chen Fei, his voice low and deep. "Since Your Excellency has already reached that realm, isn't it a bit inappropriate to bully those weaker than you? It also goes against the rules established by our Four Great Hidden Sects, does it not?"

He deliberately emphasized the words "Four Great Hidden Sects" and "rules," a clear message to Chen Fei that in the Lingnan Mountains, they were the ones who called the shots. Even an Innate expert couldn't act so recklessly here.

"Rules?" Chen Fei wasn't having any of it. He began walking toward them again, his expression cool. "Sorry, I don't know anything about your rules. Besides, what do they have to do with me?"

He had come today to stir up trouble and establish his dominance; he had no patience for pointless chatter. Moreover, he hadn't expected his opponent to dodge that punch at such close range. It ignited a competitive spark in him, making him want to try again.

"You still want to fight?" Seeing this, even someone as ferocious as Zhan Hu couldn't help but let his expression change, and he took an involuntary step back.

Witnessing this scene, many in the crowd secretly clicked their tongues in astonishment. To see a man as notoriously fierce as Zhan Hu actually retreat was a rare sight indeed.

"Hmph! How audacious! Do you really think my Huadao Fort is afraid of you?"

Just then, a hoarse, grating snort cut through the air. A dark figure shot out into everyone's view, accompanied by a hair-raising aura. An ancient, withered palm materialized above Chen Fei's head, strands of black energy writhing across it as it pressed down viciously.

Everyone's expression changed instantly. The aura and the sudden appearance of the dark figure were terrifying, clearly belonging to a master who had reached the Innate realm. The palm aimed for Chen Fei's head, seemingly intending to crush it.

"Ancestor Yuann," Bai Bin muttered, his face draining of color.

The wielder of that withered palm was none other than one of the four Innate Ancestors of the Blade Forge of Evil Dragon Pool—Yuann Liegang, an Ancient Martial Artist at the peak of the Innate Early Stage!

At the appearance of such a major figure, the other guests in the pavilion shrank back in fear and reverence. Only the Zhan brothers and Du Xincheng, the Half-Step Innate Elder from Huadao Fort, showed faces full of joy as they drew closer.

"Ancestor, kill him," Zhan Lingfeng snarled through gritted teeth, his face a mask of venomous fury. The kick from Chen Fei had left his body aching, and even speaking sent a jolt of pain through his face. His rage was boiling over, impossible to suppress.

CLANG!

The next moment, a sound like clashing steel rang out, causing everyone's eardrums to vibrate violently. A wave of dizziness and sharp pain washed over them, and they instinctively clapped their hands over their ears to block the noise.

However, some were able to withstand the sonic assault. They looked up to see Chen Fei slowly lowering his raised hand, his expression indifferent. He stood firm, not having moved an inch from his spot.

As for the dark figure they called Ancestor Yuann, he had already flickered away, reappearing in the next instant before Zhan Hu and the others. His chillingly sinister gaze was fixed on Chen Fei. He hadn't expected the young man to so calmly receive a palm strike from him, Yuann Liegang.

"Are you one of Flying Leopard's men?" Ancestor Yuann Liegang asked, a faint black aura radiating from his body. His eyes, like wrinkled layers of withered bark, held a hint of surprise and coldness.

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself before you start asking questions?" Chen Fei retorted, giving him no face at all.

A stir went through the crowd. They stared in unison, their faces filled with astonishment.

This was Ancestor Yuann Liegang, not Zhan Hu. He was a true Innate Ancient Martial Artist, rumored to be at the peak of the Innate Early Stage! Such a powerful figure was a rarity even in the entire Lingnan Mountains, let alone within the Four Great Hidden Sects. Yet this junior, Chen Fei, dared to speak to him with such a tone. Even if he had also just entered the Innate realm, wasn't that a bit too arrogant?

"Hmph!"

As expected, Ancestor Yuann Liegang snorted, and his withered face visibly darkened. He couldn't believe Chen Fei would dare to be so presumptuous, to act so high and mighty in his presence. Did he really think he was some great character? An Innate Ancient Martial Artist so young was certainly astounding, but in his eyes, he was merely someone who would be slightly troublesome to kill.

After all, Yuann Liegang had been in this realm for over twenty years. The power he had accumulated in that time was anything but trivial.

"Yuann Liegang, do you really think Flying Leopard is easy to bully?" Just then, another chilling voice cut in. A portly man with a round face, appearing to be in his forties, strode onto the second floor of Tian Kui Pavilion. His expression was grim as he faced Ancestor Yuann Liegang and spoke with a sharp tone.

The aura emanating from this newcomer was also terrifying. It made many present feel an oppressive weight, making it hard to breathe. A look of shock entered their eyes as they stared at him.

"Isn't that Wang Dashan? Flying Leopard's Hatchet Man, the Smiling Demon! Has he... also broken through to the Innate realm?" someone who recognized Wang Dashan exclaimed in disbelief.

Wang Dashan's reputation in the martial world was formidable. When he lost control, he was utterly merciless, killing without blinking an eye. Many people made a point to walk the other way when they saw him. To think that even a man like him had successfully broken through to the Innate realm was truly unexpected.

"Wang Dashan, it seems it's your people from Flying Leopard who are breaking the rules now." Even Yuann Liegang couldn't help but let his eyes narrow at the sight of the newcomer, his expression turning ugly. After a long, tense silence, he finally spoke, his voice menacing.

It wasn't that he was afraid. But now Wang Dashan was an Innate Ancient Martial Artist, and so was Chen Fei. In a two-on-one fight, he held no advantage.

"Rules?" Wang Dashan sneered, staring coldly at him. "That's a funny word coming from you. If your Huadao Fort had cared about rules back then, would our men have died?"

"Back then? Heh." Ancestor Yuann Liegang let out a chilly laugh, sarcasm spreading across his old face. "Since you brought up the past... was the lesson Flying Leopard learned back then not harsh enough? Kid, get one thing straight. The Lingnan Mountains are the territory of us Ancient Martial Artists. We don't welcome lackeys like you."

His words caused an immediate uproar.

Wang Dashan's gaze turned vicious. "Watch your mouth, old bastard," he said, his tone like ice. "You'll be held accountable for words like that."

"Accountable? What a joke!" Yuann Liegang scoffed, his gaze sweeping over Wang Dashan and Chen Fei. "Don't think that just because you got lucky and broke through to the Innate Early Stage, you can stand on equal footing with me, Yuann Liegang. Let me tell you the truth: at your current level, you're at the lowest rung of the Innate Early Stage. What does that even count for?"

As he spoke, a terrifying, heart-stopping aura began to radiate from his stooped, ancient frame. Everyone who felt it was seized by a violent shiver, their hearts pounding in their chests as their hair stood on end.

Clearly, as an Ancient Martial Artist at the peak of the Innate Early Stage, Yuann Liegang had every right to talk tough. The others present found it difficult just to withstand his aura, let alone actually fight him.

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