"Just because you've barely stepped into the realm of the Grand Master, you already think so highly of yourself?"

Ling Chen's robe fluttered without wind, the True Qi inside his body swirling violently. He had only absorbed a part of Mr. Wu's True Qi; the majority still resided in his meridians, rushing about chaotically. The True Qi from Mr. Wu was filled with a sinister, hostile energy that affected Ling Chen. The impure, malevolent qi within it caused a murderous glint to appear in Ling Chen's eyes, and his entire aura began to change. The current Ling Chen exuded an unstable aura, as if on the brink of succumbing to a demonic deviation.

"Still daring to spout such nonsense in front of me? Prepare to die!" Longyang bellowed, channeling all his True Qi into the sword in his hand before swinging it out in a slash.

"Seeing Dragon in the Field."

Ling Chen's expression remained unchanged as he directly countered with a sweeping sword strike.

Their Sword Energies collided, releasing an Energy Ripple that spread out between Ling Chen and Longyang.

"BOOM!"

Longyang was sent flying backward, crashing into a large tree tens of meters away. A mouthful of fresh blood spewed from his mouth as he fell to the ground, his hair disheveled.

Ling Chen only took half a step back before steadying himself. A faintly sinister smile appeared on his lips as he stared at Longyang and said, "You think you can compete with me? You truly don't know your own limits."

"You!" Longyang felt like his lungs would explode from rage. In his eyes, Ling Chen was a mere upstart, a minor character he had never taken seriously. And now, this man dared to look down on him.

The remaining two men in black looked on in astonishment, finding the scene utterly unbelievable.

"Brother Longyang is a Genius Disciple of the Divine Intent Sect! His Cultivation already reached the peak of the Ninth-level Martial Master, making him a sensation among the younger generation; his Cultivation is unfathomably deep. Now that he's consumed a pill and broken through to become a Grand Master, his strength has greatly increased. How could he possibly be defeated by a single blow from Ling Chen?"

"Damn it, is this Ling Chen truly only at the Martial Artist Seventh Realm of Cultivation?"

They didn't know Ling Chen's actual strength, but they were very clear about Longyang's. After Longyang's Cultivation reached the Great Master level, he could contend with an ordinary Third Level Great Master. However, the reality was that Longyang was defeated by a single sword strike from Ling Chen. This was truly too exaggerated.

Longyang was furious. He leaped up from the ground, shouting, "Ling Chen, you little beast! You've succeeded in infuriating me! Today, either you die, or I perish!"

Spreading his legs slightly, Longyang adopted a horse stance. He raised his head, took a deep breath, and the True Qi in his abdomen swelled. With a stomp that cracked the ground beneath him, Longyang stared at Ling Chen as if looking at a dead man. Gripping his Treasure Sword in a reverse hold, he fiercely stabbed it into the earth and roared, "One Sword Breaks the Sky!"

"Huh?" As Longyang drove his sword into the ground, Ling Chen raised an eyebrow, sensing a vast and ferocious sword qi brewing beneath the earth. Once it erupted, its power would be enough to threaten him. I didn't expect this Longyang to actually have a few tricks up his sleeve.

His figure flickered continuously as Ling Chen instantly created three True Qi afterimages.

In an instant, the earth cracked open. Waist-thick pillars of sword qi erupted from the ground, effortlessly piercing the True Qi afterimages and erratically chasing Ling Chen's true body. Relying on his Mind's Eye, Ling Chen continuously evaded the pillars of sword qi.

How is that possible? How did he know where the sword qi would erupt? Longyang's eyes widened. This strike had unleashed his full power—even he himself couldn't have dodged it! He had been so sure Ling Chen wouldn't be able to avoid it, yet it hadn't even grazed a hair on him.

"You've played around enough. It's time for this to end!" With a thunderous shout, Ling Chen soared into the air. The Cloud-hidden Sword in his hand erupted with sword qi, and a sharp, formidable aura gathered around him. Ling Chen suddenly slashed out with the Cloud-hidden Sword. The sword qi swelled rapidly in the wind, transforming into a beam of sword qi over a hundred meters long that crushed the air as it shot forward destructively.

Longyang's expression changed drastically. He retreated explosively; he knew he absolutely couldn't block this strike. He instantly flashed behind the two men in black. A flicker of cunning resolve crossed Longyang's eyes before he suddenly slapped their backs, pushing them forward, while he himself used the momentum to shoot backward rapidly.

"Longyang, you despicable scoundrel! AHH!" Their miserable screams echoed as the two men in black, pushed before Ling Chen, were instantly slain. There was no doubt about the outcome.

However, in the moment Ling Chen killed those two, Longyang had already leaped onto his mount, galloping madly towards the edge of the forest.

Seeing Longyang attempting to flee, Ling Chen immediately gave chase. He leaped onto one of the mounts that had belonged to the men in black and pursued him fiercely. One pursued, the other fled. Though only a few hundred meters separated them, they maintained this distance as they raced out of the mountain forest and into a stretch of wilderness, the chase continuing for nearly twenty miles.

Damn it, I can't shake this guy off! Longyang glanced back. He could still vaguely make out Ling Chen's figure. That little beast still hasn't given up on hunting me down!

Damn it! When this horse can't run anymore, I'm finished!

Longyang's expression was unsettled. He shook his head. No, I can't die in a place like this! As long as I return safely to the Divine Intent Sect and report what happened here to Master, he definitely won't stand idly by. He'll personally take action and eliminate Ling Chen, that menace! But if I die here, it's all over.

Longyang didn't believe he could defeat Ling Chen. As time wore on, he grew increasingly anxious. But in this desolate wilderness, where could he possibly escape?

Just then, his gaze suddenly fell upon an area ahead. There, he saw over a dozen figures, and judging by their attire, they were all people of the Martial World.

Excellent! Those are people from the Shocking Death Sect! I'm saved this time! Seeing the people from the Shocking Death Sect, Longyang was instantly overjoyed. I know Ling Chen is an enemy of the Shocking Death Sect. The enemy of my enemy is my friend! These people from the Shocking Death Sect will definitely be able to save my life!

At the head of the Shocking Death Sect group was, impressively, a Great Master Level Powerhouse—and a Third Level Great Master at that.

Longyang sped towards this Great Master Level Powerhouse. The man's attire was quite distinctive; judging by his clothing, he had to be a Protector of the Shocking Death Sect.

"Protector, please save my life! I will definitely reward you handsomely!" Longyang quickly shouted.

Hearing this, the Protector from the Shocking Death Sect furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, apparently not intending to interfere.

"The one chasing me is Ling Chen!" Longyang yelled at the top of his lungs. "The very same Ling Chen who killed Wang Yan, your Shocking Death Sect's foremost genius, and threw your sect into utter turmoil! Don't you want to kill this brat to avenge yourselves and wipe away the shame?"

"What, Ling Chen?"

The Protector of the Shocking Death Sect, who had initially been frowning, underwent a dramatic change in expression. The next moment, a chilling murderous intent surged forth from his eyes.