The skies above Zhan Xi shifted and changed in an instant. Feng Wukang and Huo Zhongguang were joking when, in just a few breaths, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and a downpour began to lash down.

"Quite the weather we're having,"

Feng Zikang chuckled lightly and moved to the window. He pushed it open. A gust of wind, carrying the storm’s fury, swept in, soaking his clothes. He paid it no mind, only listening to a distant roar.

"Two bastards! Get out here!"

What followed was chaos—chickens scattering and dogs barking—mixed with the curses and pleas of men, and the cries of women.

"It begins!"

Feng Zikang’s eyes gleamed as he looked toward the village chief’s residence. He saw Liu Yue storm out, cursing loudly as he kicked through a wall. Without a word, Liu Yue struck viciously at Xiao Gouzi’s face.

The village chief and his wife were frantic with fear. The chief stomped his foot, shouting abuse at Xiao Gouzi, while his wife clung to Wang Shang’s leg, desperately begging him to spare their child’s life.

Wang Shang grew impatient. With a swift kick, he sent the village woman flying, chuckling coldly. He crossed his arms, watching his junior apprentice play with a small insect. What a rare, amusing sight—a mere mortal daring to challenge the authority of cultivators. It served as fine entertainment.

Seeing his mother sent flying, spitting blood as she tumbled into the muddy water, Xiao Gouzi let out a heartbreaking cry. His eyes blazed with fury, and he swung a punch directly at Liu Yue’s face, who stood in his way.

Liu Yue burst into laughter, completely disregarding the boy. He flicked his sleeve, intending to send this reckless little bastard eighteen zhang away!

"Boom!"

Who knew that this single punch carried the power to cleave mountains and shatter stone? Liu Yue was caught completely off guard. His sleeve-flick not only failed to deflect the fierce blow but was struck by Xiao Gouzi’s fist, rebounding and hitting Liu Yue squarely on the face!

Liu Yue cried out in pain, blood spattering from his nose. He staggered backward, tripped, and fell into the mud. A searing pain shot through his forearm and face, momentarily paralyzing him with shock.

A mortal. A mere mortal had actually managed to hurt and knock him down!

Xiao Gouzi paid no mind to the niceties. He knew nothing of forms or techniques; seeing Liu Yue fall, he immediately did what village boys did when fighting: he pounced, straddled Liu Yue’s head, and began raining heavy blows upon it from both sides.

"You’re asking to die!"

Wang Shang hadn't reacted at first, thinking his junior apprentice was merely teasing the child. After all, how could a master of the second layer of Qi Induction be felled by a mortal child? Seeing the current scene, he realized something was wrong and quickly moved to intervene. He drew his long sword from behind his back and brought it down in a cleave aimed at Xiao Gouzi’s head. The village chief cried out, covering his face, afraid to watch.

Xiao Gouzi, enjoying the brawl, was unprepared for the sneak attack. He couldn't dodge in time and could only raise his left arm. He violently pulled his body backward!

"Clang!"

Sparks flew as the long sword met Xiao Gouzi’s arm, emitting a deafening sound like metal striking metal!

Wang Shang’s face turned pale. Jolted by the force of the impact, he staggered back two steps, his expression one of utter astonishment. Xiao Gouzi stood frozen, seemingly just as bewildered that his arm hadn't been severed by the sharp blade!

Liu Yue lay on the ground, his face swollen like a pig’s head, staring in disbelief at the young man from the fishing village now sitting atop him. The village chief and his wife were also stunned. When did their son acquire such abilities?

"Good boy! You are also a cultivator? Where is your lineage? Speak quickly! Do you think our Mount Tai Sword Sect is easy to bully?"

Wang Shang, unsure of the boy’s true strength, immediately pulled out the authority of the Mount Tai Sword Sect like a tiger’s skin. He was convinced the child was a cultivator, otherwise, how could he be impervious to blades and take his sword strike head-on?

Although Wang Shang was a disciple of the third layer of Qi Induction and had not yet mastered artifact manipulation techniques, his martial arts were profound. After all, the Mount Tai Sword Sect specialized in entering the Dao through the sword; those who transitioned from the Houtian realm to the Xiantian realm could be accepted into the sect to study the way of the sword. Being able to draw sword energy into the body was a mark of a high-ranking disciple. Thus, even without focusing on divine abilities, their foundation was formidable; they were skilled in Xiantian martial arts, capable of handling a thousand or eight hundred ordinary men. How could he be defeated by a mere child?

"Hahahaha!"

Xiao Gouzi finally registered what had happened and erupted in booming laughter, overjoyed. He patted his arm, which was completely unscathed. Wang Shang’s fierce sword strike had only left a faint white mark on his limb.

"Xiao Gouzi!" The village chief and his wife were both shocked and delighted. After being away for so long, their son had gained such prowess. Yet, having struck an immortal master, he had courted disaster. The elderly couple felt a swirling mix of joy and worry.

Xiao Gouzi paid them no mind. His mind was still reeling, as if walking on clouds. He had obtained such formidable power—enough to beat the swaggering immortal into the mud, and even the fierce, bearded immortal with the sword could not harm him! He felt intensely proud, utterly exhilarated!

Seeing that the boy wouldn't answer and his junior apprentice was still struggling in the muck, Wang Shang became enraged. He ceased questioning, stilled his mind and breath, unleashed a set of Mount Tai Sword Techniques, and struck at Xiao Gouzi with full force.

Xiao Gouzi was still overconfident, holding Liu Yue’s throat with one hand while attempting to block the incoming strike with the other. However, Wang Shang deftly moved his blade, drawing a shallow cut across Xiao Gouzi’s arm. Only then did Xiao Gouzi gasp, realizing the opponent was fighting with everything he had. Although his body was tough, it couldn't entirely resist a full-power attack. He rolled aside, evading the relentless assault.

Wang Shang naturally refused to relent and continued his pursuit. After a few exchanges, he realized that the boy only possessed immense strength and a body as hard as steel; he knew no other combat skills. This suggested he wasn't a disciple of the cultivation world but someone who had consumed a rare heavenly treasure, causing a sudden leap in power.

"Where did this desolate village find such a treasure!"

Wang Shang was both furious and jealous. His attacks grew increasingly ruthless; he intended to take the child’s life!

At this moment, Liu Yue, his shock finally receding, scrambled up from the mud, his face resembling a pig’s head. He spat onto the ground and roared through clenched, damaged teeth, "Unc... Uncle! Beat him... beat him into filth!"

He had come intending to display his might by crushing a monstrous beast, not to suffer such humiliation at the hands of a mere mortal! The boy’s punches were heavy and devastating; Liu Yue’s head still throbbed, his teeth felt loose, and his mouth was full of blood. He was consumed by murderous hatred.

Watching from a distance, Feng Zikang smiled faintly and sighed, "It’s a pity that this method of gathering xueqi (blood essence) can only be used once in a lifetime, and it requires the user's cultivation to be infinitely higher than the recipient's. Otherwise, many experts could be created instantly. It is quite useful for breaking strongholds."

This technique was actually another application of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Great Law, but applied to others, it came with far more restrictions. The recipient suffered agonizing pain, their vital essence was depleted, and their lifespan drastically shortened. Furthermore, a vast disparity in strength was necessary for its use. With Feng Zikang's current cultivation, he could only apply it to ordinary mortals, perhaps low-level Houtian martial artists at best; as for Xiantian martial artists or cultivators in the Qi Induction stage, he couldn't even contemplate it.

By now, Wang Shang and Xiao Gouzi were engaged in a fight where Wang Shang was constantly retreating while attacking. His mastery of swordplay began to overwhelm Xiao Gouzi, gaining him the upper hand as the boy became dazzled and disoriented. But as Xiao Gouzi grew increasingly familiar with the power surging within him, he began to charge forward recklessly, unconcerned about minor injuries. He was willing to endure a few cuts on his arms just to land a few blows in return.

This put Wang Shang in a bind. It was like the saying: the one wearing shoes cannot defeat the one who is barefoot. The child’s punches were heavy, and Wang Shang took two direct hits to the chest. The bone-deep pain nearly knocked the air from his lungs, forcing him to focus heavily on defense while continually falling back.

Liu Yue was filled with resentment. Forgetting all about his dignity, he snatched up his sharp sword, and the two of them began to surround and attack Xiao Gouzi. However, Xiao Gouzi had found his momentum. Determined to teach these two a lesson, he showed no fear. His fists whistled through the air with even greater force, pushing them into a desperate flurry. Both men ended up taking several blows to the head and body, leaving them bruised and swollen.

By this time, the villagers had been roused by the noise. Some came to cheer, others to jeer. They disliked these "immortals" intensely, but out of fear of their power, they had only dared to mutter their anger in private. Now, seeing Xiao Gouzi holding his own against them, even gaining a slight advantage, they naturally rushed to add their support!

Wang Shang and Liu Yue’s faces were ashen with shame and fury. They were determined to kill the boy, but every attempt to land a killing blow failed.

"Junior Apprentice Brother, this mortal’s vitality is limited. Don't you think this child can’t last much longer? You must save—" Huo Zhongguang hadn't fully understood Feng Zikang's earlier assurance that the boy wouldn't die. Now, seeing Xiao Gouzi gaining the advantage, he worried that once the time limit for the xueqi accumulation passed, the two attackers would immediately kill the boy, and perhaps the villagers would suffer collateral damage.

"No need to rush," Feng Zikang smiled and shook his head. "Within the span of a single breath, a change is certain!"

At this moment, Wang Shang and Liu Yue were becoming increasingly disheartened. If they hadn't sensed a slight, almost imperceptible wavering in the boy's strength, they wouldn't have continued to press their advantage. Just as the three were locked in fierce combat, a massive clap of thunder shook the air. A flash of lightning illuminated the sea, and a monstrous beast with enormous double fins lumbered onto the shore!

The first to spot the monster was Niu Qie, who bore a deadly grudge against it. Seeing the colossal beast beach itself, she let out a piercing scream. When the villagers looked back, they cried out in unison and scattered in a frenzy! While they feared the immortals, those were humanoid; this beast was colossal and terrifying, triggering a primal fear. A single glance at its grotesque form made their limbs weak. Fleeing for their lives was paramount as the beast charged toward the center of the village.

"Uncle! Uncle! Get rid of that monster!"

Liu Yue still felt residual terror from his previous encounter. Wang Shang frowned bitterly. Being knowledgeable, he recognized the creature as a Whale Shark (Jing Sha), though currently incomplete—it only possessed two fins and hadn't fully transformed into a demon. While difficult to handle, with his third layer of Qi Induction strength and experience, he could slowly wear it down and slay it. The problem was that he and Liu Yue were currently tied up in a deadly duel with a child who fought with impossible power. What were they to do?

Xiao Gouzi glanced back, recognized the creature that often plagued his village, let out a roar, glanced scornfully at the two men, and charged forward.

"Junior Apprentice Brother, how did you know this monster would come?" Huo Zhongguang felt a surge of admiration and asked Feng Zikang. It wasn't a special date or time, so why the monster's sudden appearance?

"It’s simple," Feng Zikang said, pointing at Liu Yue. "Whether human, demon, or beast, they all hold grudges."

His formless Heavenly Demon avatar was monitoring the area. Feng Zikang had long detected the rapid approach of the double-finned Whale Shark. After a moment of thought, he deduced that the creature was coming for Liu Yue. When Liu Yue first wounded the giant beast during his initial visit to the fishing village, it held the memory. Now, sensing Liu Yue’s aura, it had swum rapidly from hundreds of li away seeking revenge.

Unfortunately for the Whale Shark, it had encountered Xiao Gouzi, who was destined to become a hero tonight.

Under the electric light, Xiao Gouzi’s small frame stood tall and unwavering. He exhaled, threw a punch, and the rain scattered, accompanied by an indistinct sound of wind and thunder.

He looked like a god descending!