Chapter 58: Lin Dong: Why waste words with him? Just go for it!

"Holy crap, that bearded guy looks pretty formidable. Brother Lin Dong, do you want to go up and test his skills?"

Seeing that the Bearded Man had immediately asserted his dominance over everyone present the moment he appeared, the chatterbox Xiao Yan couldn't help but mutter a complaint.

However, the moment he spoke, Han Li's expression instantly darkened, and his feet instinctively shuffled back a few steps.

Although divine sense was isolated within the Void Sky Hall, every Nascent Soul expert present was a figure with extraordinary five senses.

Xiao Yan hadn't used divine sense transmission; he had said those words directly to his face. Wasn't he deliberately provoking the Bearded Man?

"Hmm?"

Sure enough, just as Han Li moved his feet, the Bearded Man's gaze snapped over violently.

"Kid, was it you just now who said you wanted to test my skills?"

With a flash, the Bearded Man appeared right in front of Xiao Yan. His speed was comparable to teleportation, nearly giving Xiao Yan a fright.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, although combat is prohibited here, these Nascent Soul old monsters are all dangerous individuals. You'd better admit your mistake and avoid provoking him."

Han Li transmitted his voice to Xiao Yan in secret, while simultaneously taking a few more imperceptible steps backward.

Xiao Yan could also see at this moment that this Bearded Man was extraordinary.

However, before coming here, he had already made his stance known in the group chat. If he backed down now, how could he maintain his reputation in the group in the future?

"Teacher, help me..."

While contacting Old Yao, Xiao Yan looked up at the Bearded Man, who stood two whole heads taller than him, and feigned composure: "Yes, I said those words."

"Good lad, you've got guts. In this Scattered Star Sea, it's been a long time since—"

"Brother Xiao, why waste words with him? Vermilion Bird Treasure Technique, Third Strike: Sky Splitter!"

Just as the Bearded Man's lips curled to say something more, Lin Dong's fist, enveloped in the phantom of a Vermilion Bird, came whistling toward him and slammed directly into his body.

"—BOOM!"

A wave of scorching air surged outward.

A brilliant golden armor automatically manifested around the Bearded Man's body, blocking the force of Lin Dong's punch.

The Vermilion Bird phantom exploded violently.

However, the Bearded Man seemed to have taken a heavy blow as well; his body was sent flying like a cannonball, carving a white streak hundreds of meters long through the air.

The entire venue fell silent instantly.

Ancestor Ji Yin and the others looked at each other, momentarily stunned.

Before the opening of the Void Sky Hall, anyone attempting to pass the trials, regardless of their cultivation level, was forbidden from fighting here. This was a rule established by the Dual Saints of the Star Palace back in the day.

No one expected that someone would actually dare to fight here today.

Moreover, the target of the attack was none other than the renowned Bearded Man of the Scattered Star Sea.

This caught everyone by surprise.

One must know that the Bearded Man's cultivation had already reached the mid-stage of Nascent Soul, and his practiced 'Heaven-Supporting Demonic Art' was known as the number one defensive technique in the Scattered Star Sea!

Even when facing a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, he could hold his own for a moment.

He was undoubtedly a top-tier demonic powerhouse.

"Who are these young people? Why do they look so unfamiliar?"

"This old man has never seen these juniors before..."

"They dare to attack the Bearded Man; could they have someone from the Star Palace backing them up?"

"Impossible. Combat is forbidden outside the hall before the Void Sky Hall opens. This was a rule personally established by the Dual Saints. If they were from the Star Palace, why would they break such a rule?"

The surrounding cultivators began to crowd around.

They whispered among themselves in the distance, everyone speculating on the identities of Xiao Yan's group.

At this moment, Xiao Yan and his companions had undoubtedly become the center of attention.

Watching the gazes being cast upon them, Han Li felt a deep sense of regret.

Since he began his cultivation journey, he had always been extremely low-profile. Unless forced by circumstances, he would never do anything dangerous.

Provoking a senior with higher cultivation was something he would never dare to do.

He never expected that because of Xiao Yan, he would directly become a 'celebrity' in the spotlight!

If he had known this fellow's style was so reckless, he would have sent private messages to Zhu Chen and Wang Lin in the group chat just now instead of speaking in the public channel!

"Kid, you're looking for death..."

The Bearded Man stood suspended in mid-air, his fists clenched tight. His entire body radiated a surging blood qi, looking like a newly awakened savage beast, his eyes filled with uncontrollable rage.

Although Lin Dong's punch hadn't injured him, it had caused him to lose face.

Even if it meant breaking the rules set by the Dual Saints, he was going to make these two ignorant brats pay the price today.

In the next instant.

The Bearded Man transformed into a streak of golden light and landed in front of Lin Dong. A glow erupted from his single arm, and with a deafening sound of breaking wind, he swung a heavy blow toward Lin Dong.

Lin Dong once again employed the Vermilion Bird Treasure Technique, attempting to use magic to break force. However, his cultivation was insufficient; even with the boost from the technique, he ultimately failed to withstand the Bearded Man's enraged strike and was sent flying.

At the critical moment, Zhu Chen reached out without hesitation, pressing his palm against Lin Dong's back to catch him.

"Get the hell out of my way!"

Seeing someone else intervene, an even more powerful aura erupted from the Bearded Man.

He stomped down with his right foot.

As the ground exploded, his fist, shrouded in brilliant golden light, tore through the void and smashed toward Lin Dong's face without hesitation.

"This guy is too strong..."

Lin Dong's pupils contracted violently.

Before the Bearded Man's fist even landed, he already felt a crushing pressure akin to a mountain.

The force of this punch was no different from a massive mountain crashing down.

It was simply not something he could withstand.

Just then, Zhu Chen suddenly grabbed Lin Dong by his clothes, pulling him behind him. Simultaneously, he stepped forward and swung his fist, colliding directly with the Bearded Man's incoming strike.

"—BOOM!"

The moment their fists collided, the entire Void Sky Hall seemed to shudder violently.

Golden light exploded at the point where their fists met.

Immediately following, a terrifying shockwave erupted from the center of their collision, forcing the surrounding cultivators to retreat.

Aside from a few Nascent Soul cultivators, everyone else was blown back hundreds of meters by the shockwave.

"You actually blocked my punch? How is that possible?"

The Bearded Man's eyes widened, revealing unprecedented shock.

He had used the full strength of his physical body for that punch and had even activated several layers of the Heaven-Supporting Demonic Art. The force contained within was enough to severely wound an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

He never expected this kid to be able to catch his punch so easily.

"Is this the power of the number one body-refining cultivator in the Scattered Star Sea? I see it's nothing special!"

Zhu Chen slowly raised his head, looking at the Bearded Man with a calm gaze. The five Divine Ring Grotto-heavens on his back began to manifest one by one.

Then, the strength in his fist suddenly surged, sending the Bearded Man—who was several times his size—flying thousands of meters away, straight into the stone pillar where Ancestor Ji Yin and the others were located.

...

(End of Chapter)