"Family Head Yang, this really puts me in a difficult position!"
Yun Xiao retracted his sword after a miss, standing firm. However, his words caused the faces of Yang Dingshan and the other Yang Family Elders to feel somewhat flushed with heat.
Everyone knew that the Yang Family Head was a genuine Early Stage Seeking Origin Realm cultivator, yet during his fight with a Late Stage Qi Seeking Realm lower ranker, he dared not engage in direct combat. If this were to spread, the Yang Family's reputation would undoubtedly suffer greatly.
All of this was because the sword in Yun Xiao's hand was too sharp. Just after it had chipped away the Earth Covering Hammer at Earth Rank Middle Level, Yang Dingshan instinctively dared not block it head-on, providing Yun Xiao with the chance to mock him.
"No, that's not right!"
Coming slightly back to his senses, Yang Dingshan's complexion changed the next moment when he suddenly noticed that the young figure who spoke seemed to wobble slightly, immediately recalling something.
"Be careful!"
The sudden warning from Yang Dingshan puzzled everyone. And in his loud shout, he didn't specify who should be careful. Was the Family Head scared silly?
Crack!
But in the next moment, no one thought so anymore, particularly the Great Elder Yang Qiwu, whose head suddenly flew into the air. Perhaps in the final moments, his eyes revealed some understanding of what had happened?
As it turns out, when Yun Xiao had spoken earlier, he had already deployed a Shadow Clone Meridian Technique, leaving a decoy in place while his true body instantly moved behind Yang Qiwu.
With one swing of his sword, a head soared through the air.
Perhaps only Yang Dingshan, who had reached the Early Stage of the Seeking Origin Realm, could have detected the slightest tremble to recognize something was amiss and issue a warning.
However, with Yun Xiao's speed, and Yang Dingshan not specifying who to be cautious, it wasn't until Yang Qiwu's head soared and blood spurted from his neck that everyone understood Yun Xiao's target was the Great Elder of the Yang Family.
This Great Elder of the Yang Family was a true Peak of Qi Seeking Realm martial artist, and yet he couldn't block even one move from Yun Xiao. Although there were many tricky factors at play, such as the convincing Shadow Clone and the sharp Wooden Sword, such a scene still terrified the remaining Yang Family Elders.
Speaking of which, there were only eight elders in the Yang Family who had reached Late Stage of Qi Seeking Realm or above, and now five had already fallen to Yun Xiao's hand. The remaining three all possessed only Late Stage Qi Seeking Realm cultivation.
After witnessing Yun Xiao's formidable and fearsome methods, the remaining three Yang Family Elders had their faces filled with panic, afraid that at any moment they would end up just like the other elders, either turned to ashes, frozen into ice sculptures, or with heads striking the sky in a gruesome death.
"What kind of demon has our Family Head provoked this time?"
In this moment, the remaining Yang Family Elders started to harbor resentments towards Yang Dingshan, the Family Head, as the whole matter indeed stemmed from him.
Whether it was deciding to set up the martial arts challenge arena or seeking revenge after Yang Wanliu's defeat, in truth, Yun Xiao had not been in the wrong. All of these events stemmed from the pride and arrogance of Yang Dingshan as the Family Head.
If Yang Dingshan had not suddenly attacked after the arena battle or not tried to swiftly kill the youth named Xingchen, would the Yang Family have fallen into such dire straits?
Now even the Yang Family Great Elder Yang Qiwu had his head cut off; the mighty Yang Family, which not long ago had wiped out the Hu Family and dominated Ancient Moon City, feared that even if they could truly kill Xingchen, they would still face irreversible decline.
At this point, the three Yang Family Elders were all keeping their distance. Their last hope was that the Early Stage Seeking Origin Realm Family Head could kill that terrifying youth, which might give the Yang Family a chance to rise again.
In this outcome, the Yang Family Elders still had some confidence, after all the Family Head was a powerful Early Stage Seeking Origin Realm cultivator. No matter how formidable the youth was, there was a Great Rank dividing them.
For Cultivators on the Tenglong Continent with deeply rooted beliefs in Cultivation's hierarchy, there might be geniuses who could battle above their level, but those who could fight across ranks were incredibly rare; at least in their recollection, they had never even heard of such a thing.
"You little bastard, I want you dead!"
At this moment, Yang Family Head Yang Dingshan finally regained his composure, realizing to his fury that he had been outmaneuvered by that youngster. His anger was anything but trivial.
To be honest, Yang Dingshan was only momentarily frightened by the sharpness of Yun Xiao's Wooden Sword, and not because he, an Early Stage Seeking Origin Realm cultivator, had too many concerns about the youth before him.
As a Cultivator who had advanced from Qi Seeking Realm, Yang Dingshan was well aware of his own advantage: the crushing power of Meridian Qi. He resolved to avoid contact with the opponent's Wooden Sword, believing that would ensure his invincibility.
As an early-stage Origin Seeking Realm powerhouse, not touching the opponent's weapon was really too easy. After all, even when facing ordinary Earth Rank bladed weapons, flesh and blood would try to avoid being cut by them as much as possible.
Sigh...
With a thought, Yang Dingshan's hands rhythmically moved, and then before him appeared rich Meridian Qi, which, after continuous changing, startlingly formed a huge Meridian Qi Hammer.
The shape of this Meridian Qi Hammer somewhat resembled the just-mentioned Earth Rank Middle Level weapon, Earth Covering Hammer; only its size was many times larger, and it wasn't physical but condensed from Meridian Qi.
In this way, it was absolutely impossible for Yun Xiao to shatter this sharp wooden sword with this Meridian Qi Hammer. It seemed Yang Dingshan was no pushover; he knew how to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.
Although this was only an insubstantial Meridian Qi Hammer, the power contained within it was hardly any less than that of the Earth Rank Middle Level weapon just before. If one's fleshly body were to be hit, it would still turn into a pile of flesh.
"Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique!"
With Yun Xiao's keen eye, a single glance was enough to discern the specifics of the giant Meridian Qi Hammer. Sensing the aura it emanated, he knew this was probably a Meridian Technique that had reached Earth Rank Middle Level.
Although it was somewhat strenuous for Yang Dingshan, in the initial stages of the Origin Seeking Realm, to use this Earth Rank Middle-Level Meridian Technique, he could indeed unleash its true power.
Moreover, during the slaughter of the Hu Family, it was with this Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique that Yang Dingshan hammered to death the Hu Family Head, who had reached the half-step Origin Seeking Realm, the father of Hu Ying'er.
In Yang Dingshan's view, even the Hu Family Head at the half-step Origin Seeking Realm couldn't withstand this Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique. So, what waves could a mere late-stage Qi Seeking Realm youngster make, regardless of his astonishing performance just now?
"Little bastard, you shall pay with your life for offending my Yang Family!"
With a sense of triumphant vendetta, Yang Dingshan's resentful voice rang out. Today's losses for the Yang Family were severe. Even if killing Yun Xiao was possible, regaining former glory was not going to happen in a short time.
"Humph, it's just an Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique, what can it do to me?"
But just as Yang Dingshan shouted, the young man across from him retorted with a cold snort, full of unmistakable disdain in his voice, which enraged the Yang Family Head.
"Blasphemy!"
Accompanied by Yang Dingshan's angry voice, the giant Meridian Qi Hammer finally smashed ruthlessly towards Yun Xiao's tiny frame. The disproportionate situation caused many of the Yang Family Elders to beam with delight.
These surviving Yang Family Elders knew all too well the prowess of the Family Head's Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Technique. Watching the youngster staying still, they awaited his defeat under the hammer, akin to the Hu Family Head, with broken sinews and bones.
However, just as several Yang Family Elders were gleefully anticipating, a glint of golden light suddenly burst out above the young man's head, followed closely by a small golden shield appearing above him.
"Does he think that such a tiny Meridian Qi Shield can block the Family Head's Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Qi Hammer? Isn't this too wildly imaginative?"
Watching this scene unfold, smiles deepened on the faces of the three Yang Family Elders, for compared to Yun Xiao's body, that small golden shield was certainly much smaller, seemingly insignificant under the massive Meridian Qi Hammer.
Clang!
Yet to everyone's astonishment, when the massive Meridian Qi Hammer slammed into the golden shield above Yun Xiao's head, a loud, deafening noise echoed out.
And then, a miraculous scene occurred - the disproportionate Meridian Qi Hammer and golden Meridian Qi Shield were at a stalemate. The seemingly mighty hammer could no longer press down even a millimeter further and did not cause even the slightest harm to Yun Xiao.
The scene at that moment was like an ant, using a special method to lift an elephant, or a tiny nail propping up a mountain; anyhow, such a strange situation was what unfolded before Yang Dingshan and several Yang Family Elders.
"Damn it, what Grade is that Meridian Qi Shield? What kind of Meridian Technique?"
Compared to the three dumbstruck Yang Family Elders, Family Head Yang Dingshan had come to a realization and couldn't help but curse inwardly.
You should know that this was a genuine clash of Meridian Techniques; for a middle-stage Qi Seeking Realm Cultivator to contend in Meridian Techniques with an early-stage Origin Seeking Realm powerhouse, the Grade of his Meridian Technique must be at least a Great Rank higher, right?
"Could it be... a truly Earth Rank Advanced Defensive Meridian Technique?"
At this moment, such an inconceivable thought sprang into Yang Dingshan's mind, but what he couldn't figure out was how a middle-stage Qi Seeking Realm Cultivator could successfully cultivate an Earth Rank Advanced Meridian Technique, and seemingly with utter proficiency.