Chapter 1462: Professional and Low-Key

The power that appeared in the hall showed no mercy; if he did not dodge, he would likely be killed on the spot.

Knowing there was no time to delay, Zhang Jiuxiao took a deep breath and swiftly retreated.

Bang!

His back slammed into the door, and only then did he realize that the door he had opened earlier was now shut, covered in seals. Despite his full strength as an early-stage Void Cave realm cultivator, he could not damage it at all.

“Damn it…”

His face turned ashen. Knowing it was too late to dodge, he flipped his wrist and struck out with a palm.

Boom!

The roaring palm wind collided with the incoming palm strike.

Crack!

A sweetness rose in his throat. Zhang Jiuxiao felt a tightness in his chest; the injuries from the previous lightning tribulation that had not yet healed tore open, and a searing pain spread across his body.

“Early-stage Void Cave realm?”

However, after that single exchange, he also discerned the strength of his attacker—also early-stage Void Cave realm, the same as his.

“Hmph!”

With equal strength, there was nothing to fear. He coiled his body, stamped the ground, and shot into the air, simultaneously striking out with repeated palm blows.

Whoosh!

The air filled with palm wind; a torrent of mighty power descended like a storm, squeezing the air into a series of explosions.

Although he had just reached the Void Cave realm, in the blood pool his primordial spirit had experienced the peak of the Entering Void realm and even attempted to break through, so it was not unfamiliar. The power of the Void Cave realm roiled and surged in his palm, unleashed instantly without any awkwardness.

Boom, boom, boom!

His reaction was swift, but his attacker moved even faster, blocking all his attacks without taking any damage.

However, while in midair, Zhang Jiuxiao finally got a clear look at his attacker.

The man wore loose robes that concealed his build, and a special mask on his face that even divine sense could not penetrate, giving him an eerie appearance.

“Who are you? Why are you in the Grand Elder’s residence?”

Raising an eyebrow, Zhang Jiuxiao narrowed his eyes.

Whoosh!

The other did not answer; he swayed and attacked again with a palm strike.

The opponent’s palm force was soft and seemed weak, but Zhang Jiuxiao felt a strong sense of crisis from within.

Knowing he had encountered his first strong opponent since breaking through, he stopped asking questions. His brows rose, and he charged forward to meet the attack.

Although his talent was mediocre in Zhang Xuan’s eyes, he had been the most famous number-one genius in the Qingyuan Empire, excelling in combat, auxiliary studies, and teaching alike.

Now, having received one-on-one instruction from Zhang Xuan, his understanding and adaptability in battle had reached an extremely high level.

In the blink of an eye, he exchanged seven or eight moves with the masked man. Though every move was perilous, he managed to narrowly evade each time at the critical moment.

While he faced danger, the masked man fared no better. Despite being at the same cultivation level, and even though Zhang Jiuxiao had just broken through and was injured, he had received personal guidance from Zhang Xuan, giving him a peak-level understanding and grasp of combat. After a few moves, the masked man gradually began to falter.

“Hey!”

Knowing he would lose after a few more moves, the masked man suddenly let out a sharp cry. A powerful aura surged from within his body, and his figure flickered like a ghost, appearing before Zhang Jiuxiao and striking down with a palm.

Bang!

Caught off guard, Zhang Jiuxiao was sent flying backward, his back slamming into the wall again, his face pale.

“Bloodline power—you’re from the Zhang family?”

Though injured, he now recognized the other’s identity.

What had just been used was the Zhang family’s bloodline power!

“Whoosh!”

The masked man still did not answer. He leaped again, and time seemed to slow around his movements. Zhang Jiuxiao saw the figure flicker once more, was struck again, and could not help spitting out a mouthful of blood!

The Zhang family’s bloodline power allowed one to break free from the constraints of time and become faster. To an outsider, it seemed as if one’s own movements had slowed, unable to keep up with the opponent’s rhythm.

“No good—if this continues, he’ll kill me…”

After taking several more palm strikes, feeling his insides churning and on the verge of collapse, Zhang Jiuxiao’s eyes turned red.

He had come to see the Grand Elder, but instead of meeting him, he encountered a masked man whose every move was deadly. If this continued, he would surely die in a few more moves!

“Forget it…”

Knowing this was no time to hide his strength, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

His bloodline began to circulate, and in an instant, the surroundings seemed to slow down before his eyes.

The Zhang family’s bloodline power!

He had been unable to use it before, but now that his bloodline had become purer, it was very easy to employ.

As the surroundings slowed, the masked man’s charging figure came into view, and the previously invisible traces became exceptionally clear.

“Hmph!”

His brows rose, and with a shift of his feet, he appeared before the masked man in an instant and kicked out.

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

Kicks, palms, fists, fingers… all kinds of attacks rained down like a storm. The masked man, clearly not expecting his opponent to be faster than him, was struck before he could react.

He spat blood in midair, his body flying backward until his back hit the wall, trembling incessantly.

“Die…”

Knowing that activating the bloodline had a time limit, Zhang Jiuxiao showed no mercy. He charged forward again, unleashing a flurry of attacks.

The other wanted him dead… so he would not be polite either!

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

Cracks appeared in the wall as all the attacks landed on the masked man, battering his body until it seemed about to burst. Just as Zhang Jiuxiao was about to deliver a killing blow, the masked man’s body suddenly seethed with power that soared into the sky.

The next moment, Zhang Jiuxiao felt his body locked by a powerful force, unable to move.

“What… level of strength is this?”

His pupils contracted.

He was already at the early-stage Void Cave realm, yet he had no power to resist this force. This meant the one exerting it was at least at the ninth level of the Holy Domain, or even higher!

Such a person was among the peak existences in the family. Why would they wear a mask to kill him?

“Stop now.”

Just as he was wondering, the masked man’s voice rang out. Then his power surged rapidly, reaching a level Zhang Jiuxiao dared not even imagine in the blink of an eye.

“That voice…”

Zhang Jiuxiao quickly looked up and saw the mask shatter, revealing a familiar face.

“Grand Elder, you…”

Zhang Jiuxiao stood frozen.

He never expected that the one who had been trying to kill him with every move was actually the Grand Elder!

“Your bloodline is purer than mine… Zhang Jiuxiao, how did you do it?”

The Grand Elder looked at him.

“Just now… were you testing me?” His body stiffened, and cold sweat broke out on Zhang Jiuxiao’s back.

He hadn’t expected that the masked attack was meant to force him to reveal his bloodline power. His teacher had told him to keep a low profile and hide it, but how much time had passed?

And he had already been discovered!

His teacher was a Heaven-acknowledged master, and no one had found out for so long… Compared to that, when it came to keeping a low profile, he was truly the most professional. Compared to him, Zhang Jiuxiao was far too lacking!