Zhang Yang was also looking up at Chu Yuntian, his head held high. In this posture, he clearly looked like an inexperienced scion from a prominent family, brimming with self-satisfaction, yet possessing an alarmingly shallow depth of social exposure and experience, coupled with an air of supreme arrogance.

People like this, when walking the mortal realms, often sought out and felt compelled to intervene in any perceived injustice. If they encountered someone committing villainy, especially if the perpetrator belonged to the Demonic Path, they would eagerly step forward to exterminate the evil and uphold righteousness—a favorite pastime of these green, inexperienced disciples of noble houses.

Based on his overall demeanor, Chu Yuntian had already pegged Zhang Yang as exactly this sort of individual. With this assessment in mind, Chu Yuntian naturally looked down on Zhang Yang a little more, treating him as nothing more than an arrogant fool courting death.

Yet, despite the condescension, Chu Yuntian maintained necessary vigilance. Those of the Demonic Path were cunning wolves; even when facing a seemingly harmless lamb, they would still calculate every angle.

“Chu Yuntian, you know your crimes are heinous! To cultivate such wicked arts, even using human blood for your practice!

Since this Young Master has encountered you today, I am bound to subdue you!” Zhang Yang declared, his gaze seemingly dismissing Chu Yuntian entirely. Below, Zhui Feng let out two perfectly timed neighs, the synchronization between man and steed growing ever more seamless.

“Hahaha!” Chu Yuntian suddenly burst into laughter, even giving Zhang Yang a slight shake of his head. He was internally musing over how astonished this arrogant youth would be if he ever learned the true extent of Chu Yuntian’s power.

Now, he felt no need to rush; if the Huang family dared to send someone like this to deal with him, he would simply eradicate their entire lineage afterward. That suited his long-held intentions anyway.

As for the young man before him, he glanced again at the Spirit Beast Sky Horse below. He knew well that a Spirit Beast bonded to its master shared a deep connection.

If he captured the young man, the Sky Horse would not easily abandon him, giving him the opportunity to strike and secure some of its vital essence blood. After all, Spirit Beast essence blood was a precious commodity; the more precious things one possessed, the better.

“You dare laugh? Today, this Young Master shall enforce Heaven’s will and take the life of you demonic fiend!” Zhang Yang threw a punch, attacking with immediate fervor, a slight hint of manufactured anger playing across his face, as if genuinely provoked by Chu Yuntian’s attitude.

Zhang Yang’s speed was startling; he closed the distance instantly, arriving before Chu Yuntian. Chu Yuntian flinched inwardly and instinctively raised his arm.

“Bang!” Zhang Yang’s fist slammed into Chu Yuntian’s arm. Zhang Yang rapidly retreated three steps, his face a mask of 'shocked disbelief.' Chu Yuntian, caught partially unprepared by the impact, also staggered back a single step, his own expression mirroring astonishment.

The difference was that Zhang Yang’s emotion was feigned; he was already aware of Chu Yuntian’s strength and was merely putting on a show. Chu Yuntian, however, was genuinely stunned.

This initial clash immediately revealed Zhang Yang’s true power level to him. “Early Fourth Layer!” Chu Yuntian breathed out the words softly.

Early Fourth Layer. The youth he had presumed arrogant was actually a Fourth Layer expert.

This realization not only startled him but was also difficult for him to accept. It completely shattered his preconceived notions.

How could someone reach the Fourth Layer in their early twenties? As for Zhang Yang’s age, he had confirmed it moments ago; it was certainly his actual age.

Early twenties. A Fourth Layer expert.

He suddenly recalled Zhang Yang’s earlier claim about being a genius rarely seen in ten millennia; perhaps that claim held truth. At this age and with this cultivation, Zhang Yang truly was a once-in-ten-thousand-years phenomenon.

“Who exactly are you?” Chu Yuntian’s attitude shifted entirely, his earlier disdain vanishing. While his cultivation was slightly lower than his own, a Fourth Layer expert was not so easily dispatched.

More importantly, Zhang Yang’s youth was what provided the deepest shock. “Mid Fourth Layer?

How unlucky is this Young Master?” Zhang Yang did not answer Chu Yuntian’s question but instead wore a look of bitter regret and unwillingness. Yet, there was no fear in his expression.

This portrayal was perfectly apt; he was performing the role of a scion encountering an opponent stronger than himself, exactly how such a person should react. “No matter who you are, you die today!” A cold glint flashed in Chu Yuntian’s eyes.

His hands instantly flushed blood-red, and the air seemed to thicken with a metallic, sanguine scent. Zhang Yang’s strength astonished him, but it didn't induce fear.

Instead, Chu Yuntian’s heart now swelled with intense jealousy toward Zhang Yang. At Zhang Yang’s age, Chu Yuntian hadn't even broken through to the Third Layer, yet this young man was already at the Early Fourth Layer—a cultivation speed vastly superior to his own.

Furthermore, the emergence of such a brilliant talent in the Righteous Path was terrible news for the Demonic Path. A Fourth Layer expert at twenty years old—Chu Yuntian struggled to imagine what level Zhang Yang might reach by sixty, perhaps even breaking into the Fifth Layer.

If the Righteous Path possessed a Fifth Layer master, the Demonic Path would be suppressed even more severely. “Trying to kill me?

You lack the skill!” Zhang Yang roared, drawing a long sword from his back and unleashing a torrent of sword energy that sliced across the sky toward Chu Yuntian. This was the Cold Spring Sword.

A Fourth Layer master could utilize a Divine Weapon to ignite potent sword energy or blade flashes for ranged attacks, akin to projecting inner force externally. Amplified by the Divine Weapon, such sword energy attacks possessed significantly greater destructive power than plain inner force projection.

However, this kind of offense was extremely draining on inner force, so it was rarely used as an opener. Zhang Yang’s action further cemented the image of an inexperienced scion who lacked practical combat sense.

The sword energy trailed a bright light as it passed through Chu Yuntian’s body and vanished into the distance. Chu Yuntian had been prepared, so the sword energy naturally did not connect.

However, as the flash passed, his eyes narrowed sharply again. “Cold Spring Sword!” Chu Yuntian exclaimed, recognizing the Divine Weapon in Zhang Yang’s hand—one of the top ten ranked artifacts on the Divine Weapon Ledger.

“That’s right. To die beneath this sword is a fitting end for a Fourth Layer expert like yourself!” Zhang Yang cried out, merging his body and sword into one.

In an instant, only the blinding afterimages of his swordplay remained on the rooftop. Chu Yuntian’s face was now flushed deep red as he continuously dodged and parried...

They’re fighting! They’ve actually started fighting!” At the Huang family villa, those present listened with taut nerves to the reports coming from the front lines.

The observers were positioned far away, relying on high-powered binoculars, and could only vaguely distinguish two moving figures. Once Zhang Yang moved, his speed was immense, as was Chu Yuntian’s.

Eventually, even the silhouettes blurred beyond recognition. Every member of the Huang family grew anxious.

Huang Jing unconsciously clenched her hands, completely unaware that her palms were slick with sweat. The fight had begun; the final outcome would soon be known.

If Zhang Yang won and struck down the demon, the Huang family would be saved from the peril of annihilation. If Zhang Yang failed, or if the demon survived, the Huang family faced utter ruin.

Especially those of them gathered in Hangcheng today—perhaps not one would escape, given the ruthlessness of Demonic Path experts, which far exceeded their ordinary imagination. “Ah!

Someone is falling! It’s, it’s Mr.

Zhang!” The individual responsible for receiving the information suddenly cried out in alarm. At his shout, everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats.

Zhang Yang was falling from the upper floor—this was surely bad news. “Wait!

Mr. Zhang didn't fall; he jumped down himself!

The side just sent a new explanation!” The man had barely finished speaking before he urgently corrected himself, adjusting the headset through which he received the latest updates. Zhang Yang had indeed leaped from the roof.

Chu Yuntian had drawn his weapon, the Flame Saber. The two Divine Weapons from the Ledger, one chilling and one fiery, finally clashed.

In this first exchange, neither gained an advantage, though Zhang Yang suffered slightly due to his comparatively shallower inner force reserves. After displaying shock at Chu Yuntian’s Divine Weapon, Zhang Yang then proactively jumped down.

His action appeared more like a display of shattered confidence and an attempt to retreat. Seeing Zhang Yang try to disengage, Chu Yuntian naturally would not let him escape and followed suit, leaping down as well.

The two then engaged in fierce combat within the villa gardens. Struck by the sheer power of their energies, the flowers and trees in the garden were instantly ravaged.

Zhui Feng would occasionally leap in to lend support to Zhang Yang. For a time, Zhang Yang managed to fight Chu Yuntian to a standstill.

At least temporarily, no decisive victor could be seen. However, Chu Yuntian knew his own foundation was slightly superior; if the battle continued, he would surely gain the upper hand and ultimately triumph.

“Ah!” After battling fiercely for over ten minutes, Zhang Yang was carelessly grazed on the arm by Chu Yuntian’s inner force. His entire arm instantly went slack.

Seeing Zhang Yang 'wounded,' Chu Yuntian’s offensive abruptly intensified. He had been searching for an opening, and his opponent’s injury was the perfect opportunity.

As his assault grew fiercer, Zhang Yang’s parries seemed weaker. While the clashes between the Flame Saber and Cold Spring Sword, both Divine Weapons, momentarily neutralized each other, Chu Yuntian possessed deeper inner strength and poured in more energy.

Each impact caused Zhang Yang’s arm to go numb, which, over time, would certainly lead to injury. Chu Yuntian was currently exploiting this tiny advantage.

Zhui Feng cried out in distress, seemingly worried about its master, and kept circling. Chu Yuntian, who had been watching Zhui Feng, felt a degree of reassurance.

His guess seemed correct: as long as he contained this young man, the Spirit Beast Sky Horse would not flee alone. This young man had to die, and the Spirit Beast Sky Horse could not be spared either.

Spirit Beasts were intelligent, and the Sky Horse, being one of the fastest, would not simply run off. If it escaped, it might return to this young man’s elders, leading them to hunt Chu Yuntian down.

Chu Yuntian was confident in his superb stealth abilities, but he had no desire to be tracked by a Spirit Beast. Everyone knew that a Spirit Beast’s tracking capabilities far surpassed those of humans.

“Bang!” Zhang Yang endured another direct clash with Chu Yuntian. This time, Zhang Yang staggered back four or five steps, his face flushed crimson, his palm slightly reddened.

Chu Yuntian felt a slight surge of delight. Zhang Yang had been poisoned by his Blood Toxin.

The Blood Transformation Art was a Demonic Skill, and its advantage wasn't limited to rapid cultivation speed; its application also carried a residual blood poison. The blood poison wasn't instantly fatal—most spiritual medicines or antidotes could counteract it—but being poisoned would certainly impede movement, and that was the critical factor.

(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to cast recommendation votes and monthly tickets.

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