Hm?
When he saw Xiao Lin’s casual slap coming his way, Mu Hong’s face turned pale.
’This kid wants to slap my left cheek?’
’How arrogant!’
Furious, Mu Hong channeled his Great Wilderness Technique, concentrating all his power into his fist as he smashed it toward Xiao Lin.
In that moment, he wanted to kill Xiao Lin.
But the instant his fist touched Xiao Lin’s palm, its power vanished, disappearing without a trace, like mud sinking into the ocean.
SLAP!
Xiao Lin slapped Mu Hong across the face.
Instantly, Mu Hong was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the tournament stage and smashing a large crater into it.
PTHOO!
Mu Hong spat out a mouthful of dark blood. His left cheek stung, already swelling up.
Xiao Lin asked in surprise, "Aren’t you supposed to be strong? I wasn’t even trying, so how did you go down already?"
"Not even trying?"
The corners of everyone’s mouths in the audience twitched violently.
You made the guy cough up blood.
And you call that ’not even trying’?
Following that, silence fell upon the area.
A dead silence!
Mu Hong, ranked third among the Celestial Gate Five Tigers and one of the top geniuses of the Western Profound Domain, had been knocked to the ground in a single move.
’What level is that guy at?’
"Is that kid really only fifteen?"
"He looks it. At least he’s older than those other two kids. It’s probably not some old monster in disguise—a wolf in sheep’s clothing."
"Three prodigies from one family... Heavens, is there really such a powerful family in the Northern Profound Domain?"
"Three prodigies? They have over a hundred young disciples."
"They can’t all be prodigies, can they?"
The crowd looked toward the Xiao Family with strange expressions.
Xiao Lin looked at Mu Hong, who was spitting blood on the ground, and said with dissatisfaction, "Hurry up and get back on your feet! Brother Lang told me to beat you into a pig’s head. If I fail my mission, he’ll chew me out. Can’t you just cooperate?"
Hearing this, Mu Hong felt his Dao Heart about to shatter.
’Is there any greater humiliation than this?’
’You want to beat me into a pig’s head, and you expect me to cooperate? Do you take me for a fucking idiot?’
A warrior can be killed, but not humiliated!
Mu Hong struggled back to his feet and charged furiously at Xiao Lin. "I’ll fight you to the death!"
"That’s more like it. A true man should die in the heat of a charge. But don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you. I’ll just beat you into a pig’s head; I won’t actually kill you."
Xiao Lin swung his arm in a wide arc and delivered a backhand.
This time, it was aimed at Mu Hong’s right cheek.
Afraid of killing Mu Hong, he only used thirty percent of his strength this time.
SLAP!
A resounding slap echoed as Mu Hong was sent flying once again.
PTHOO!
Mu Hong sprayed a mouthful of fresh blood and pointed a trembling, furious finger at Xiao Lin. "Y-you... you said you’d go easy!"
THUD!
Mu Hong collapsed to the ground, his condition unknown.
’Am I in trouble?’
Xiao Lin looked at Mu Hong in terror. "Hey, wake up! I... I... I really didn’t use much force!"
Finally, Xiao Lin was so panicked he started to cry.
He had been afraid of killing Mu Hong, so he had reduced his power to thirty percent.
Who would have thought Mu Hong couldn’t take a hit?
"Senior Brother..."
Ye Chuan cried out in alarm.
THUMP!
A young man landed beside Mu Hong. After checking his body, he announced with a dark expression, "Mu Hong’s internal organs have been shattered."
What?
Everyone present was stunned.
Two slaps... and his internal organs were shattered?
Just how much force was behind that?
The young man continued in a low voice, "Furthermore, every bone in Mu Hong’s body has been completely shattered."
Hiss...
Everyone present sucked in a cold breath.
Those two slaps actually possessed such terrifying power?
So brutal!
In an instant, all eyes turned to Xiao Lin in unison, filled with shock.
Just what level of power did this kid possess?
If he had used his full strength, wouldn’t a single slap have turned Mu Hong into meat paste?
Shi Lei said in horror, "Brother Liu, this person..."
"He could crush me!" Liu Wuxie answered, his voice strained.
Shi Lei said, astonished, "That’s impossible!"
Liu Wuxie shook his head. "If he used his full power, a single slap from him could kill a Tier Four Great Demon, or even a Demon King."
Hiss...
Shi Lei sucked in a sharp, cold breath.
A Tier Four Demon King... that’s an existence comparable to the Half-Step Martial Monarch Level.
Doesn’t that mean Xiao Lin is even stronger than a Half-Step Martial Monarch?
Liu Wuxie sighed with emotion. "This is a true genius. To possess strength on par with a Martial Monarch at the age of fifteen... just thinking about it is terrifying."
A genius of this caliber would rank among the very top even in the Central Profound Domain, a place teeming with experts and crawling with monstrous talents.
"He’s that strong?"
Shi Lei’s eyes lit up.
Just as he was about to go forward and befriend Xiao Lin, a terrifying aura enveloped the entire arena.
"A Martial King... This is the aura of a Martial King."
"Look, Elder Duan is furious!"
"Is Elder Duan going to kill Xiao Lin?"
"Kill him? No way. Xiao Lin and Mu Hong were in a fair match, and Xiao Lin even held back."
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Duan Shuiliu leaped onto the stage.
The young man from before said with a tremor in his voice, "Elder Duan, Mu Hong... he’s not dead."
"Not dead?"
A hint of pleasant surprise appeared on Duan Shuiliu’s face. He quickly took out a Healing Elixir and fed it to Mu Hong.
Then, he examined him carefully once more.
His face turned ashen, and his pupils constricted.
Although Mu Hong wasn’t dead, he was severely injured. Even with the help of the Healing Elixir, it would take two or three years for him to fully recover.
"Elder Duan, I... am I crippled?" Mu Hong had woken from his unconscious state.
Duan Shuiliu shook his head. "No. Rest for now. Leave the rest to me. I will avenge you."
"You wretched creature, look what you’ve done!"
Duan Shuiliu’s murderous gaze locked onto Xiao Lin.
"I held back!" Xiao Lin said, feeling wronged.
Duan Shuiliu paid him no mind, growing even more furious. "You wretched creature! To be so vicious and merciless at such a young age, humiliating Mu Hong in every way possible... Won’t you become even more malevolent when you’re older? Today, I shall eliminate a menace like you!"
BOOM!
Duan Shuiliu unleashed the terrifying might of a Martial King.
"Duan Shuiliu, what do you think you’re doing?"
Bai Yun hurriedly swept onto the stage. "Today’s martial gathering is a fair competition! Life and death are decided by fate. I will not tolerate you protecting your own here."
"Are you trying to stop me?"
Duan Shuiliu stared at Bai Yun, his face cold as ice.
Bai Yun said coolly, "I am trying to stop you. You yourself said beforehand that no one was allowed to protect their own. Are you going to go back on your word now?"
Duan Shuiliu’s expression stiffened.
He had said not to protect one’s own because he was confident in Mu Hong’s strength to crush anyone from the Northern Profound Domain.
But who could have known that Mu Hong would be beaten to the brink of death?
As a Super Sect from the Western Profound Domain, when had a disciple of their Celestial Tiger Sect ever suffered such a grievance?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
Duan Shuiliu roared, "Get out of my way! I am determined to kill this boy. If you don’t move, I’ll kill you too."
What?
Bai Yun’s face was a mask of shock.
Duan Shuiliu was actually being so tyrannical that he’d disregard even him, an Elder of the Celestial Sea Sect.
If word of this got out, how could he, Bai Yun, ever show his face in public again?
However, just as he was about to issue a harsh retort, Lingyunzi suddenly stood up from the crowd and said icily, "Bai Yun, I advise you to stay out of other people’s business. Otherwise, not even Mo Taishang will be able to protect you."