Chapter 5: Solemnity

After his harsh words, Zhou Jian turned his head, wearing a sycophantic smile as he looked at Zhao Heilong.
“Boss Heilong, it’s a real honor that you’re willing to come in person. Please help me cripple this bastard—I promise you’ll be handsomely rewarded.”
Zhao Heilong’s face broke into a satisfied smile as he replied,
“Don’t worry. From today on, this kid will never walk again.”
“Excellent, excellent!”
Zhou Jian nodded in approval, reminding them,
“This bastard is strong—be careful when you make your move.”
Heilong chuckled nonchalantly, “Relax. Every member of Heilong Hall is a master. Dealing with small fry like him is a piece of cake.”
With that, he cast his gaze toward a burly man at his side.
“Zhang Qing, go ahead!”
“Yes!”
The man named Zhang Qing answered in a deep voice and strode toward Xu Yang.
“Wait!”
Just then, Xu Yang raised his hand to stop Zhang Qing.
Zhang Qing sneered, his face full of contempt.
“Now you’re scared? Too late!”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Xu Yang shook his head, turning his gaze to Zhao Heilong.
“He’s no match for me. Frankly, you might as well all come at once.”
His words made Zhao Heilong’s face darken. He sneered,
“Kid, you’re at death’s door and still dare to brag! Zhang Qing, get him!”
“Yes!”
With a roar, Zhang Qing lunged at Xu Yang.
Towering nearly two meters tall, Zhang Qing’s physique was massive, his arms bulging with muscle.
He charged at Xu Yang with a fierce aura.
The bystanders watching wore expressions of concern.
To them, the slender Xu Yang stood no chance against such a formidable opponent.
Yet in the next moment, their vision blurred.
Xu Yang’s figure moved like a phantom—within the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Zhang Qing.
He grabbed Zhang Qing’s wrist and applied a slight force.
Crunch!
A sharp sound of bone snapping echoed in everyone’s ears.

“Aah!”
Zhang Qing’s thick arm was twisted by Xu Yang into an impossible angle; his face contorted with agony, and he screamed wretchedly.
But it wasn’t over yet—Xu Yang raised his fist and drove it into Zhang Qing’s ribs.
Thud!
With a muffled impact, a deep dent formed in Zhang Qing’s ribcage. Blood gushed from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground.
All this happened in the span of a few seconds.
Seeing Zhang Qing lying on the ground, coughing up blood, everyone was dumbstruck.
Zhao Heilong, whose expression had been calm, froze for five seconds before his face turned livid. He roared,
“What are you idiots standing around for? Get him!”
“Yes!”
His henchmen responded, drawing machetes from their belts and rushing at Xu Yang.
Swish! Swish!
Swish! Swish!
The sound of blades slicing through air filled the space. In an instant, a storm of cold steel enveloped Xu Yang.
Yet Xu Yang remained unperturbed, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
In that moment, his senses were sharpened to their limits.
Even surrounded by so many attackers, he could see every movement clearly.
When the blades were less than twenty centimeters away, Xu Yang finally sprang into action.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
His movements were like lightning, his fists swift and fierce.
In a single instant, he unleashed a dozen punishing blows, each one powerful and relentless.
The henchmen attacking him were knocked back as if struck by shockwaves, sent flying outward from Xu Yang at the center.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
They landed seven or eight meters away, crashing heavily to the ground and rolling in agony, howling in pain.
Seeing this, the bystanders were stupefied.
They could never have imagined that Xu Yang alone could defeat so many opponents with such ease.
Zhou Jian, once arrogant, shivered involuntarily.
Just hours ago, Xu Yang had seemed so weak!
Now he was terrifyingly strong—what had happened?
Shocked, Zhou Jian’s legs began to tremble uncontrollably.
Zhao Heilong’s face was ashen as he looked upon his battered men lying on the ground.

At last, he realized that this Xu Yang was far from ordinary.
But as the leader of his gang, his surprise was brief—he quickly regained composure.
Swish!
He threw aside his coat, drawing a gleaming machete from within. Holding it in one hand, Zhao Heilong strode toward Xu Yang.
“Kid, I underestimated you—you’re strong.”
“But you shouldn’t have hurt my men. Today, I’ll show you that there’s always someone stronger, always another sky above!”
His tone was chilling; his triangular eyes flashed with sharp light.
A murderous aura radiated from him, making the surrounding air tense.
The bystanders instinctively shuddered.
Feeling Zhao Heilong’s killing intent, Xu Yang’s expression grew solemn.
He realized that Heilong’s fighting strength surpassed all the others combined.
More importantly, this man had killed before—the aura emanating from him made Xu Yang’s scalp prickle.
Under the pressure of that murderous intent, the mysterious energy within Xu Yang began to circulate on its own.
A faint yet pure force flowed through his meridians.
Instantly, his mind steadied, and his eyes gleamed with a strange light.
It was the burning passion of battle.
“Watch the blade!”
With a shout, Zhao Heilong swung his machete at Xu Yang.
A flash of blade, like a rainbow, aimed straight for Xu Yang’s chest.
Though not a cultivator, Zhao Heilong’s combat experience was evident—his attacks were swift and decisive, targeting vital spots.
Xu Yang, unarmed, couldn’t risk meeting the blade head-on; he shifted his body to dodge the strike.
Missing his mark, Zhao Heilong twisted his wrist—his machete traced a fierce arc through the air, slashing at Xu Yang once more.
Xu Yang moved quickly, evading the edge.
Zhao Heilong pressed his advantage, his blade dancing as he repeatedly slashed at Xu Yang.
Step after step, Xu Yang kept moving, dodging the relentless assault.
But in a moment of carelessness, he stepped on a fallen henchman’s body.
Instantly, he lost his balance and fell backward.
Seizing the brief opening, Zhao Heilong shouted and brought his blade down in a powerful strike, aiming straight for Xu Yang’s head.