THUMP!

As the old, comatose body, charred to a crisp, slammed onto the ground, everyone present felt their eyes twitch violently, their faces spasming uncontrollably. They could all sense that the meridians, flesh, and blood within that aged body had been utterly destroyed!

An eerie silence instantly descended upon the main battle stage. It was deathly quiet, with only the faint rustle of wind through the leaves becoming audible. The entire sequence—from the combined assault by the Fourth Elder and Fifth Elder of the Celestial Group, two SS+ Level Powerhouses, on our own Young Master Chen, to his instantaneous counterattack, trapping one with the Minor Chi Snake Sword Formation and crippling the other—seemed long in the telling but had happened in the blink of an eye.

And in that mere blink of an eye, a young man in his twenties, who looked wet behind the ears, had displayed such a terrifying and astonishing side. Crippling one SS+ Level Powerhouse and trapping another—what kind of monstrous power was this!?

Even the Bald Second Elder of the Celestial Group, a legitimate SSS-Level Powerhouse seated on the high platform not far away, knew full well that not even he could accomplish such a feat. What did this imply?

The eerie silence persisted, as expected. No one dared to breathe too loudly or utter a word to break the stillness. Even the few SSS-Level Powerhouses from the Four Departments of Capital City on the high platform were completely stunned by Chen Fei's display, their aged eyes glinting with a mixture of shock and complexity.

While they were in this state, the shock among the younger elites from the Four Departments of Capital City surrounding the battle stage was even more profound. They were all utterly horrified, their terrified gazes fixed on the unconscious figure on the collapsed stage and on Chen Fei, who stood on a massive, shattered rock with the corner of his mouth curled into a mocking smirk. A bone-deep chill gradually crept into their hearts.

Because only now did they truly feel... just how terrifying this young man was!

「...」

"No way, is this for real...? He crippled a Celestial Group Elder!?"

"This... this... this..."

"It looks like something huge just happened. How dare he do that? And to think he has such terrifying strength!?"

"I remember Yii Xiao, the Fifth Elder of the Celestial Group, reached the SS+ Level years ago. But now... could it be that this kid has already reached that realm!?"

"You're saying... HISS! How is that possible!?"

Amidst the fearful and astonished murmurs, many people stared blankly at the crippled figure on the stage. Even though they had seen it with their own eyes, they still found it difficult to believe. A dignified Elder of the Celestial Group, an SS+ Rank Powerhouse, had been truly crippled right before them.

This was simply...

And beyond that fact, the implications of such an act were terrifying to contemplate! For him to actually dare to do this... wasn't he afraid of the Celestial Group declaring all-out war on him? After all, this was the Celestial Group! Even in the hierarchy of the most privileged departments in Capital City, they still held a firm grip on the number two position. How terrifying was that!? How could an organization of that caliber tolerate such a blatant provocation?

GULP. Everyone present couldn't help but swallow nervously. Even the most oblivious among them probably realized it now. A major incident is about to unfold!?

"You little bastard, you have some nerve!"

Just then, the scene they had all been anticipating finally occurred. After a long moment, a furious roar, saturated with a crazed killing intent, thundered across the heavens and the earth.

With a loud CRACK, the Bald Second Elder of the Celestial Group crushed the armrest of his chair into powder. His eyes turned bloodshot, his hair and beard bristling with rage. His aged face twisted into a ferocious snarl, and a terrifying murderous aura emanated from his body, pressing towards the main battle stage from dozens of meters away.

Clearly, even he hadn't expected that this little bastard, Chen Fei, would be so decisive and ruthless. To cripple a Celestial Group Elder in a single move, incinerating his meridians, flesh, and blood! That was one of their Celestial Group Elders! Moreover, Yii Xiao was an important member of his, the Bald Second Elder's, faction—a dignified SS+ Rank!

This loss was undoubtedly immense for him. The mere thought of it was enough to send him into a towering rage.

BOOM!

Consumed by his fury, he could barely contain his murderous intent. He looked as if he was about to charge toward the main battle stage, but just at that moment, Zheng Weiguo stepped in to stop him.

"Elder Xiuu, what do you think you're doing!?" Zheng Weiguo demanded, his expression incredibly grave as he stared intently at the other man.

"What am I doing!?" The Bald Second Elder of the Celestial Group's chest heaved violently, his face contorted in extreme anger. He gnashed his teeth and snarled, "Zheng Weiguo, you have the gall to ask me what I'm doing!? Are you blind? Didn't you see what that kid did!?"

"Hmph..." Feeling the terrifying aura wash over him, Zheng Weiguo let out a muffled grunt. Yet his body remained planted firmly in front of the elder. He retorted coldly, "I have no gall? I'm blind? Fine. Then, Elder Xiuu, I'd like to ask you what *you* were doing just now!? Two venerable Celestial Group Elders were shameless enough to bully the young and outnumber their opponent, ganging up on a man in his twenties! And now you, Elder Xiuu, want to step in personally!?"

"When did the Celestial Group become so shameless?" Zheng Weiguo questioned sharply.

"What did you say!? Zheng Weiguo, you..." The Bald Second Elder of the Celestial Group's face stiffened with rage, but he was at a loss for words.

Indeed, two of our Celestial Group Elders, two SS+ Level Powerhouses, ganged up on a young man... that was already disgraceful and shameless enough. And now I, an SSS-Rank, want to step in personally? How could I possibly justify that? But if I don't, how can I possibly contain this rage!? Besides, one of our Celestial Group Elders was just crippled in front of everyone. This isn't a joke; it's a matter of face and a significant loss! To suddenly lose such a key general from my faction... I just can't swallow this!

At this thought, the ferocious glint in his old eyes grew more pronounced. He turned his head and stared fixedly at Kou Bin. "Group Leader Kou, are you just going to stand by and watch?"

On the high platform, a complex look flickered in Kou Bin's eyes. After a long hesitation, he finally shook his head. "Elder Xiuu, I also think... you shouldn't be rash." In fact, even setting aside some of the special factors swaying his decision, he really couldn't bring himself to go after Chen Fei in front of everyone like this. After all, if your skills are inferior, who can you blame?

"Fine, fine, fine... Kou Bin, Zheng Weiguo, you're both doing great. You little bastard, I will make you regret this," the Bald Second Elder of the Celestial Group snarled, his face ferocious. His eyes, filled with immense coldness, shot a death glare at Chen Fei. Then, he rose from his seat in a fury and disappeared within a few breaths.

In response to all this, Chen Fei merely let out a cold sneer. He calmly clapped his hands, his icy gaze turning toward the Minor Chi Snake Sword Formation.

At that moment, under the relentless assault from the Fourth Elder trapped within, the Minor Chi Snake Sword Formation was already beginning to waver. The Fourth Elder was, after all, a super-powerhouse half a step into the SSS-Level. Unlike a nobody like Yii Xiao, his Combat Power was not to be underestimated.

The Minor Chi Snake Sword Formation, a somewhat 'outdated' technique, was indeed no longer sufficient to deal with such an opponent. But having held out for this long was enough.

"Let's see if you can take this move of mine," Chen Fei said with a slight smile before making his move again.

His pitch-black, glass-like eyes glinted with a bone-chilling cold as a terrifying aura surged from his body. In the next instant, with a flick of his finger, wisps of flame shot out from his body and spiraled into the air. Simultaneously, his hands blurred, forming a strange seal in front of his chest. "Scarlet Flame Lamp!"

The moment he spoke, thick, scorching, searing tendrils of flame erupted from the ground around him, madly surging from his body. They condensed into a lamp with a flickering flame that slowly descended.

This was just something he had casually concocted, not even unleashing half the power of a secret, unteachable technique from a powerful, reclusive family in the Cultivation World, used by those at the Mid Stage of Qi Refining. Yet, this item was enough to stun the high-level leaders and young elites from the Four Departments of Capital City, causing terror to flood their eyes.

BOOM!

A muffled, booming sound eerily echoed in everyone's ears. That searing hot power locked firmly onto the Fourth Elder within the sword formation. It hung unsettlingly above his head like a time bomb, slowly descending. His expression instantly changed, and he was filled with horror as he felt its terrifying power.

"No! What is this..." he couldn't help but scream in terror, his body scrambling back desperately, trying to escape. But it was useless.

Because he suddenly discovered he couldn't move...

I... I can't move!?

HISS!

In that instant, the entire scene, including the Elders and powerhouses on the high platform, fell into a sudden silence. Countless gazes, filled with utter shock, were fixed on the eerie flaming lamp suspended above the Fourth Elder's head. The sound of sharp intakes of breath filled the air. Then, a deafening roar erupted!

RUMBLE...

A terrifying fiery light exploded like a missile, washing over the ruined main battle stage like a tidal wave. After a long moment... a horrifying, pitch-black crater was revealed.

The Fourth Elder of the Celestial Group lay within, drenched in his own blood, clearly severely wounded by this horrifying technique.

In that instant, the entire training ground fell silent once more, the only sound being the chaotic, ragged breaths of the onlookers.

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