Chapter 434: Bai Chen's Collapse

Since passing the assessment to become a three-star master seven years ago and becoming an elder of the Master Hall, he had enjoyed high status and respect wherever he went; even the Xuan Royal Family had to show him courtesy and treat him as an honored guest.

If he encountered a two-star master who dared to show slight negligence, he would scold them, and the other party wouldn't even dare to breathe loudly.

But this fellow, on the contrary, actually told him to... get lost!

Bai Chen's eyes narrowed.

Are you out of your mind? Absolutely unforgivable!

Boom!

His aura ignited instantly.

Masters, possessing the mindset of the Mingli realm and being adept at guidance, familiar with various techniques and martial skills, were the strongest among peers of the same level.

Among the same supreme pinnacle, Bai Chen's strength was definitely outstanding; even if he didn't rank on the Qingye List, he undoubtedly stood at the very peak of the entire Xuan Kingdom.

Such a strong man, insulted by a mere two-star master, how could he endure it? His face turned iron-gray, and the power of supreme pinnacle spread like raging waves toward the young man not far away.

Crack! Crack!

The stone steps on the ground, unable to bear the pressure, developed cracks.

“So you were scared by this guy into hiding in the Master Hall and not daring to go out?”

Witnessing this scene, Luo Qianhong shook her head.

She had thought the master who scared the Crown Prince, the top of the Talented List, into not daring to leave the hall was formidable, but it turned out he was such a blockhead.

Not only did he barge in openly to cause trouble, but he also spoke disrespectfully to a three-star master—this could no longer be described as foolish.

This wasn't a small kingdom like Tianwu, where a two-star master could throw his weight around. Here, even a three-star initial stage master had to lie low; even a tiger had to crouch!

With so many rules in the Master Hall, picking any two would be enough to keep him from raising his head again.

“I misjudged him too...” Ding Mu's face showed embarrassment.

Back then, Zhang Xuan had used a magical artifact to kill Liang Qingming and Lin Long on the spot, which frightened him, so he turned and fled. He had thought the other party would invite that Master Yang to pursue him, but instead he came alone...

If Master Yang were here, he might have to be cautious, but a two-star master, in his eyes, really didn't amount to much.

Not that masters were worthless, but a two-star master was immensely powerful in a first-class kingdom, yet in the eyes of the king of a titled kingdom... he truly wasn't taken seriously.

“Not seeking resolution through the Master Hall but charging here to make a spectacle—that is unwise; lacking status yet daring to talk back to a three-star master—that is disrespectful; as a subject of a subordinate kingdom, being rude to the sovereign—that is disloyal. Unwise, disrespectful, disloyal—with these three alone, his master qualification can be revoked!”

Luo Qianhong shook her head, her contempt growing stronger.

“He has angered Master Bai; I'm afraid he won't have a good outcome today, even without the revocation.”

Nodding, Ding Mu's lips curled.

“Naturally!”

With hands behind his back, Luo Qianhong's gaze carried authority and bearing: “Not only should he be taught a lesson, but from today onward, we must also thoroughly rectify the Master Halls in these first-class kingdoms. Otherwise, any riffraff can become a master—where is the dignity?”

“Indeed, a thorough rectification is needed!”

Nodding again, Ding Mu was about to continue when his eyes lit up: “Look, Master Bai is making his move...”

Where his gaze fell, Bai Chen's five fingers spread open, and he grabbed at Zhang Xuan with a whoosh.

As the saying goes, an expert reveals their skill at the first move. The power of supreme pinnacle was like a gale; under the pressure of his aura, before he even reached the target, the surrounding stone steps shattered piece by piece.

“Bai Chen's [Great Prajna Hand] is a ghost-level martial skill, fierce and violent, full of power. Back when he was still at the late stage of supreme, a pinnacle-level Zhoutian was subdued with a single palm, unable to resist. This guy is about to be in trouble!”

Luo Qianhong commented.

This troublemaking master, though his aura seemed astonishing and somewhat similar to supreme pinnacle, in reality, as a three-star pinnacle master, she could see at a glance that his true strength was only at the initial supreme stage.

Even if he had luckily obtained some technique to increase his physical strength... so what?

The physical body was still just the physical body, mere brute force. Unable to execute powerful martial skills, he was far inferior to true experts.

While the two were commenting on the battle, evaluating martial skills and strength, on the other side, Bai Chen's palm had already reached Zhang Xuan.

“Hmph!”

Unexpected that a dignified master would attack without asking anything, Zhang Xuan's face darkened. He snorted lightly, and patterns emerged in his eyes.

In an instant, the opponent's attack seemed to slow down; the flaws and defects in the moves were like enlarged black holes, clearly visible.

Seeing these loopholes, Zhang Xuan sidestepped slightly and kicked toward one of them.

“What?”

Bai Chen, intending to cripple the two-star master who came to cause trouble and shut him up, turned pale at the sight of the kick.

His Great Prajna Hand was immensely powerful; under the pressure of its aura, it left no room for evasion, and even peers found it hard to resist. But no matter how strong something was, it couldn't be without flaws. This kick was aimed precisely at the center where the aura converged. If hit, even though the kick's power was far inferior, he would instantly suffer backlash from the force and be severely injured.

Having used this ultimate move many times, yet having its weakness seen through at a glance, Bai Chen was so frustrated he wanted to vomit blood.

At this moment, he could no longer continue the attack, because if he committed fully, not only would he fail to harm the opponent, but he might be crippled by the kick. He hurriedly raised his arm and leaped backward, exerting force from his legs.

He had no choice but to dodge; he wanted to live.

Having forcibly withdrawn his power mid-attack and leaped back, the turbulent true energy in his body caused a sweet taste in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Damn it!”

Before even engaging the opponent, he had already spat blood. Bai Chen's eyes turned red.

Since becoming a master, his insight and knowledge had greatly increased; when had he ever suffered such a huge setback?

“Get down!”

He roared again, extending both hands simultaneously, fists like wind, fist force like blades.

Ghost-level martial skill, Clear Wind Chain Fist!

Although this move's individual attack power was inferior to the Great Prajna Hand, attacking with both hands at once made it fast and covered a large defensive area, with few obvious loopholes or flaws. It should easily defeat the opponent.

With a ferocious expression, amidst his roar, his fists still hadn't landed on the young man when he saw the other party extend a foot again.

Seeing the position of the foot, Bai Chen spat blood again, almost crying, and hastily retreated.

Clear Wind Chain Fist was a very famous martial skill in the Master Hall, said to have been created by a four-star master. It was fast and had few flaws. Even when fighting against the hall master Luo Qianhong, one could only endure it head-on with no other option. But this guy, again, kicked right at the flaw...

If he were actually hit, it would be worse than before; he would be lucky to survive, let alone avoid severe injury.

Two consecutive kicks... Was this guy really that perceptive, or was it just coincidence?

“I don't believe it!”

Roaring again, he flipped his wrist, and a long blade appeared in his palm. With a sweep of saber energy, he quickly conjured patterns of blade flowers.

Ghost-level martial skill, Li Shang Saber!

Li Shang's sixty-four saber forms, each one sorrowful; once the move was executed, it was continuous. Unless one had a stronger weapon and technique to counter, it was impossible to block such a fast saber technique.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The saber wind swept. Bai Chen felt that the opponent could no longer break it, but then he saw another foot come through the gaps in the saber technique, heading straight for his vital point.

“I... pfft!”

Hastily withdrawing the saber, he retreated again in a fluster. The rapid change in technique caused his face to flush, and he spat blood.

Having used three moves—palm, fist, and saber—all ghost-level martial skills, not only did he fail to injure the opponent, but he also ended up hurting himself. Bai Chen was going mad.

Wasn't this guy just a two-star master?

Seeing the flaws in a supreme pinnacle expert's martial skills at a glance...

Since when were two-star masters this formidable?

If they were all like this, what did that make him, a three-star?

While Bai Chen grew more frustrated and on the verge of madness, the onlookers were also exchanging glances, all looking bewildered.

Both were supreme pinnacle experts and masters; their exchange was very fast. Often, as soon as a move was made, they could see the opponent's attack direction and judge whether continuing would result in injury, then make a preemptive prediction.

In other words... in the eyes of the crowd, the imposing Master Bai, who had loudly declared he would teach this outsider a lesson, would jump back as soon as the other party lifted his leg, jump back again, and then spit blood on cue...

Were you performing acrobatics here?

How did he seem even more unreliable than the guy who came to cause trouble for Crown Prince Ding Mu?

“Is Master Bai... dancing?”

“Seems... yes!”

Someone in the crowd blurted out.

The young man stepped forward; as soon as he lifted his foot, Master Bai jumped; lift foot, jump—like a puppy being teased, or a dancing couple, advancing and retreating... occasionally spitting blood for effect...

Weren't you furious and intent on killing?

Just breaking into a dance seems a bit off, doesn't it?

You can't do this...

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Hearing these words and seeing the strange looks from the crowd, Bai Chen nearly choked and fainted on the spot.

Dance... dance your sister!

You're the one dancing, your whole family dances!

I'm fighting him; my moves are completely suppressed, unable to execute them...

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. A dignified three-star master, a legendary figure who shook the Xuan Kingdom, even if he won, would become a laughingstock and be laughed to death.

“I will never rest until you're dead...”

With a roar, he swung the long blade again. Blade light flickered, forming a curtain of light around him.

Such a fast saber technique, such speed—it could be described as watertight.

Just as he thought the opponent had no way out, he looked down and saw another foot slowly extending, again slipping through the gaps in the saber technique.

“Damn!”

What kind of monster is this?

Every move I make, you see the flaw; every move, you see the flaw...

Have you studied all the martial skills I've practiced, or do you know them all?

Is this fun?

Can we just have a proper fight, you throw a punch, I deliver a palm?

Always attacking my weaknesses without any mercy—is that really okay?

Bai Chen cried.