Chapter 58: Shock

Chapter 58: Shock

"Kid, who the hell do you think you are? Dare to curse again? Believe me, I’ll beat you to a pulp!" Murong Wushuang couldn’t take it anymore, rolling up his sleeves as he prepared to charge forward and teach Ning Hengqing a lesson.

Ning Xiaochuan stopped him, saying, "Let me handle this myself."

Seeing this, Ning Hengqing laughed even more arrogantly. "That’s more like it! Ning the Sickly, keep your dog on a leash."

"You bastard! Believe me, I’ll knock your teeth out!" Murong Wushuang fumed.

Ning Hengqing also grew furious, Profound Qi gathering in his palm. "Where did this lowly trash come from, daring to insult me? Today, I’ll cut out your tongue and sell you off as a slave!"

"Whoosh—"

The Profound Qi condensed into a Profound Qi Sword, materializing in Ning Hengqing’s hand.

"Ning Hengqing actually cultivated the Profound Qi Sword! His Ninth Level of Profound Qi is top-tier—he has at least a seventy percent chance of entering the Emperor's Martial Palace." Many martial artists nearby looked on with envy and admiration.

Reaching the Ninth Level of Profound Qi at such a young age and mastering the Profound Qi Sword was already an extraordinary feat.

Ning Hengqing naturally felt quite proud, but his eyes darkened as he swung the sword toward Murong Wushuang, dragging a long arc of sword energy behind him.

The sword energy surged like a white wave!

Ning Xiaochuan’s expression darkened. Ning Hengqing was truly ruthless—if Murong Wushuang were just an ordinary person without martial cultivation, wouldn’t he have been cleaved in half by that strike?

Ning Xiaochuan took a slight step forward, leaving behind an afterimage. Over a dozen streaks of Lightning gathered in his palm as he shattered the Profound Qi Sword with a single strike, his palm imprint landing squarely on Ning Hengqing’s chest.

"Boom!"

Ning Hengqing was sent flying, crashing into a wall before collapsing like a dead dog. His body was charred black from the Lightning, his chest a bloody mess as he lay on the ground, barely breathing.

Silence.

A terrifying silence!

The geniuses of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House were so shocked they could barely breathe.

This… this was really Ning the Sickly?

The same person mocked as a weakling for over a decade had just sent Ning Hengqing, a Ninth Level Profound Qi expert, flying like a dead dog with a single palm strike. His martial prowess was terrifying! He was undoubtedly a peerless genius among the younger generation!

Ning Meier also stared at Ning Xiaochuan in disbelief. She couldn’t believe her eyes—he… he had actually reached the Divine Body Realm, surpassing her in cultivation!

She had once looked down on him, thinking herself superior. Now, she realized how laughable she had been.

Ning Xiaochuan retracted his palm, absorbing all the Lightning back into his body.

Murong Wushuang walked over with a grin, squatting down to look at the charred Ning Hengqing. In one hand, he held a brick, while the other stretched out. "Shake on it?"

Ning Hengqing struggled to lift his head, staring in shock at the familiar yet unfamiliar young man in the distance. Then, he glanced at the brick in Murong Wushuang’s other hand and let out a bitter laugh—uglier than if his father had just died. "We… we must shake on it."

Just as he extended his hand— "Thwack!"

Murong Wushuang slammed the brick down, knocking Ning Hengqing out cold. "This kind of trash deserves a beating—no need to show him any courtesy."

The geniuses of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House stared blankly at Ning Xiaochuan, momentarily too stunned to even help Ning Hengqing up from the ground.

Clack! Clack!

In the distance, an ornate carriage approached.

Seated atop it, Xiao Li spotted Ning Xiaochuan standing among the crowd from afar, his eyes instantly blazing with fury. "Ning Xiaochuan, I want you dead!"

Two months ago, Xiao Li had nearly died at Ning Xiaochuan’s hands, leaving him seething with hatred. A surge of formidable Profound Qi erupted from his body.

After being taken to the Emperor's Martial Palace by experts from the Dragon Elephant Divine Martial Battalion, Xiao Li had his injuries treated. Surviving the ordeal, his cultivation advanced further, and he caught the attention of a high-ranking figure in the Emperor's Martial Palace, who took him in as a disciple, allowing him to bypass the usual entry requirements to train there.

The dean of the Diamond Martial Academy within the Emperor's Martial Palace even hailed him as a once-in-a-century prodigy, his talent comparable to that of the Cloud Marquis, Yue Wuyang, in his prime.

Once word spread from the Emperor's Martial Palace, Xiao Li’s name had resounded throughout the Imperial City over the past two months. Many had heard of him—the only genius of this generation to be exceptionally admitted into the Emperor's Martial Palace. Numerous major factions sought to recruit him.

Naturally, Xiao Li’s status and influence soared, making him one of the most prominent figures of this generation.

Ignoring Ning Hengqing, who had been knocked unconscious by Murong Wushuang, Ning Xiaochuan was about to leave when a familiar voice rang out from afar— "Ning Xiaochuan, I want you dead!"

Whoosh!

From the distant carriage, Xiao Li kicked off violently, his body soaring into the air. A deafening beastly roar erupted from within him, sending over a dozen young geniuses in his path flying backward. He struck out with a palm toward Ning Xiaochuan.

Two guards accompanying Yu Qianqian rushed forward, shouting, "Step back now, or face death!"

Both guards were at the First Level of the Divine Body Realm, formidable martial experts who held considerable status in the Great Golden Roc Prince's Manor.

But Xiao Li had eyes only for Ning Xiaochuan. "Get out of my way! Gluttonous Claw!"

Roar!

His palm lashed out, manifesting a massive beast claw five meters long, sending both Divine Body Realm guards flying.

"Who is this guy? So young, yet so powerful—he knocked out two Divine Body Realm guards with a single strike. With strength like that, he’ll probably rank among the top ten in this year’s Emperor's Martial Palace."

"You don’t know him? That’s Xiao Li. Rumor has it he’s become the disciple of a high-ranking figure in the Emperor's Martial Palace. His talent is terrifying—few of this generation’s geniuses can match him."

...

Xiao Li attacked ruthlessly, condensing a massive Profound Qi Sword and slashing toward Ning Xiaochuan with overwhelming force.

Swoosh!

The sword energy surged like a tidal wave!

"You’re still alive?" Ning Xiaochuan’s eyes darkened. Clapping his palms together, he also condensed a Profound Qi Sword, lightning crackling along its edge, and met the strike head-on.

Boom!

The two swords collided, unleashing rolling waves of sword energy.

The stone pavement beneath them cracked like a spiderweb.

A deadlock!

Xiao Li landed on the ground, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes. "I didn’t expect you to have also broken through to the Divine Body Realm. What a pity—I’ve already reached the peak of the First Level of the Divine Body Realm and mastered my first Innate Divine Ability to Great Perfection. I’m on the verge of breaking through to the second level of the Divine Body Realm. Today, you will die!"

Boom!

Xiao Li crushed the Profound Qi Sword in his hand, shattering it into eighteen razor-sharp fragments that shot toward Ning Xiaochuan like streaks of sword light.

Ning Xiaochuan spread his hands, and countless bolts of lightning erupted from his body, forming a Lightning Shield around him. The sword fragments struck the shield and instantly dissipated into wisps of smoke.

"Another strike!"

Nine Profound Qi Swords materialized around Xiao Li, orbiting his body before merging into a single blade. It pierced through the Lightning Shield, aiming straight for Ning Xiaochuan’s heart.

From Ning Xiaochuan’s chest erupted an overwhelming sword intent, radiating a Majestic Aura of a Ruler that shattered the Profound Qi Sword and sent Xiao Li staggering backward.

The swords in the hands of nearby warriors trembled as if trying to fly out of their sheaths, startling them into gripping their hilts and retreating hastily.

"Lightning Divine Beast!"

Roar!

Within a ten-meter radius around Ning Xiaochuan, countless bolts of lightning roared and converged into a massive electric sphere one meter in diameter.

A beastly claw formed of lightning stretched out from within!

"Gluttonous Claw!"

Unwilling to be outdone, Xiao Li channeled all his Martial Arts Profound Qi, condensing it into a seven-meter-long claw that slammed forward.

Boom!

The claws of the Lightning Divine Beast and the Gluttonous Claw collided, unleashing a devastating force.

Both combatants were forced back.

Yu Qianqian, furious, stepped out of her ancient carriage and said coldly, "Does the Golden Roc Auction House’s guard commander still want his job? This auction house has turned into an arena!"

Xue Zhentian, the guard commander of the Golden Roc Auction House, paled in terror and immediately led a group of martial experts to surround Ning Xiaochuan and Xiao Li.

"Your Highness, shall we drag these two away and execute them?" Xue Zhentian asked for instructions.

Yu Qianqian replied, "Do you believe I won’t execute you first?"

Xue Zhentian dropped to one knee, sweat pouring down his body.

Yu Qianqian had naturally heard of Xiao Li’s name and knew he was a disciple of a prominent figure from the Emperor's Martial Palace. Though her status was lofty, she couldn’t afford to offend such a figure, nor could she actually have Xiao Li executed.

The Emperor's Martial Palace stood above even the imperial court—this was why Yu Qianqian hesitated, and why all talented youths fought tooth and nail to enter it.

Xiao Li, too, dared not challenge the Great Golden Roc King’s Manor outright, lest he court death. Seizing an opportunity to save face, he bowed respectfully to Yu Qianqian. "So Your Highness is present here. This humble one, Xiao Li, had no intention of offending you and is deeply remorseful. I beg for your forgiveness."

Yu Qianqian snorted. "The Golden Roc Auction House is not a place where you can cause trouble as you please. Get lost! I won’t hold you accountable today."

"Yes!"

Xiao Li turned and cast a cold glare at Ning Xiaochuan, grinning viciously. "If you have the guts, come to the Emperor's Martial Palace. We’ll settle this there."

"Anytime!" Ning Xiaochuan said indifferently.

"In three days, I will surely break through to the second level of the Divine Body Realm. If you dare come to the Emperor's Martial Palace, I won’t hesitate to end your life," Xiao Li laughed.

Xiao Li drove away!

"Boom!"

The Golden Roc Auction House erupted in excitement, boiling over! Many eyes were fixed on Ning Xiaochuan, murmuring and speculating about his identity.

"To fight Xiao Li to a standstill—this young man must have an extraordinary background, and his talent is likely once-in-a-century!"

The geniuses of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House were utterly stunned!

They had witnessed the battle between Ning Xiaochuan and Xiao Li clearly. Ning Xiaochuan’s cultivation was on par with Xiao Li’s—a true young powerhouse. Compared to him, they were like heaven and earth.

Ning Meier gracefully approached, her jade fingers lightly smoothing her hair as she gave Ning Xiaochuan a charming, expectant look. "Xiaochuan, your martial prowess is so impressive. May I come to you for sword practice in the future?"

Her movements were elegant, fully displaying her feminine allure, confident that her charm would captivate this prodigious young man.

"Xiaochuan, let’s head into the auction house! I’ve already reserved a mid-tier auction hall specifically for the Blood Toad Pill."

Yu Qianqian stepped down from the carriage, taking Ning Xiaochuan’s wrist and pulling him toward the auction house.

Seeing Ning Meier deliberately approach Ning Xiaochuan had displeased her. So, she intentionally leaned closer to him, putting on a show of intimacy for Ning Meier to see.