Chapter 873: You and I Are 9 Years Apart

Chapter 873 -871: You and I Are 9 Years Apart

For a moment, the atmosphere froze.

Xu Yang couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at Xuan Ningchen. This guy really stepped up when it counted, willing to take on the burden even if it meant embarrassing himself. Compared to him, Yang Yuan looked like nothing more than a leaping buffoon.

Du Ling took a deep breath, staring coldly at Xu Yang. “Xu Yang, do you dare to step outside and spar with me?”

Xuan Ningchen couldn’t help but look at Xu Yang as well. As a previous-generation disciple with cultivation at the Late Stage of Golden Immortal, Du Ling’s strength could not be underestimated. In Xuan Ningchen’s eyes, setting aside other factors and comparing him to the top ten of the Dragon and Tiger List, Du Ling’s strength would rank at least fourth. He was far beyond compare to Jiang Yue Long.

Xu Yang grinned. “Why go outside? Fifth Young Master, can we do it here?”

Xuan Ningchen’s pupils shrank, but a bright smile quickly filled his face. “Of course,” he said enthusiastically. “I’ll call someone over to reinforce the formations right now.”

Du Ling’s expression instantly darkened. Just a moment ago, Xuan Ningchen had told him not to cause a ruckus here. Yet the very next second, with a single word from Xu Yang, the Fifth Young Master eagerly agreed.

Damn it.

Du Ling cursed inwardly, knowing he couldn’t throw a fit, otherwise he would lose the high ground. However, since Xu Yang had accepted, things were easy. His eyes gleamed with a cold, terrifying sneer. He decided that since Xu Yang dared to accept, he would definitely make him suffer. Did he really think the Canglan River could be humiliated at will?

Beside them, Zhou Xiong remained silent as he watched Du Ling make his move. Although he also desperately wanted to humiliate Xu Yang, the Vajra Sect was not like the Canglan River. The latter’s reputation was already ruined in the streets, and they didn’t care anymore, but the Vajra Sect still cared about its face. Just having a previous-generation disciple take action was already unfair, let alone forcing a confrontation to humiliate him. It might feel good right now, but if word got out, there would be no benefit at all. However, since Du Ling had chosen to be the one to stick his neck out, Zhou Xiong was happy to sit back and relax.

In the back, Yang Yuan sneered inwardly. Today, he was determined to make Xu Yang make a fool of himself, and the Canglan River cultivator was truly the best possible tool for the job. He knew Du Ling’s strength clearly. No matter how strong Xu Yang was, even if he broke through to the Golden Immortal Realm, it was absolutely impossible for him to contend with the Late Stage of Golden Immortal.

After all, Du Ling was not an ordinary Late Stage of Golden Immortal cultivator. Among the previous-generation disciples, although he was not quite like the current Jiang Yue Long, he was still second to none. He had a profound foundation, astonishing combat prowess, and a master at the Golden Immortal Extreme Realm. His methods were beyond doubt. Against such an expert, how could Xu Yang possibly defend himself?

Everyone was greatly shocked when they saw Xu Yang accept on the spot.

“He actually dared to accept?”

“That’s Du Ling! What does he have to fight back with?”

“Hmph, what else could he do? They were roasting him over an open fire. If he didn’t agree, neither Du Ling nor Zhou Xiong would have let it go. There would inevitably be more trouble.”

“It was better to just accept it here. With the Fifth Young Master present, and being inside the Profound Wing Mansion, he’ll be humiliated and lose some face at most. If they went outside, that might not be the case. Furthermore, it would become known to everyone. Right before Hong Xiaoxing’s coming-of-age ceremony, that wouldn’t be a good thing.”

“That makes sense.”

Although Xuan Ningchen found it hard to believe, he had already warned him. Since Xu Yang still dared to accept, he inexplicably felt a lot more confident in him. He immediately called for the experts of the Profound Wing Mansion to reinforce the formations.

“Please.”

Xu Yang stepped into the formation.

Du Ling licked his lips, his face twisted in a ferocious grin. He was already thinking about how to humiliate and torture Xu Yang.

“May I ask how old you are?” Xu Yang stared at Du Ling and asked before the battle began.

Everyone looked puzzled.

Du Ling frowned slightly. “Twenty-nine.”

Xu Yang smiled faintly. “You are nine years older than me. In addition, your cultivation at the Late Stage of Golden Immortal is a full two minor realms higher than mine. But then again, cultivators from the Canglan River are all shameless anyway. It’s nothing new; I’ve already experienced it firsthand. Bullying the weak, thick-skinned, and shameless. I can’t think of any other words right now, but that’s enough.

“You’d better win. If you lose to me—heh—someone nine years older, two minor realms higher, and at the Golden Immortal Realm… If I were you, I would dig a hole and bury myself out of sheer shame. It would be too embarrassing to even speak of. You’d simply be unworthy of being a disciple of a top immortal sect, unworthy of being the direct disciple of a Golden Immortal Extreme Realm expert.”

As his voice fell, the entire area plunged into a dead silence. It was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. The crowd was dumbfounded. They felt as if they were hallucinating, their scalps tingling in shock. Even Zhou Xiong stood frozen like a wooden statue.

“How did he dare?”

“He’s a madman.”

“To spout such arrogant, humiliating words right to Du Ling’s face… Look at Du Ling! His eyes are completely red.”

“This is destroying someone’s spirit before even taking their life! Isn’t he just asking for trouble?”

“He’s arrogant, but what he said is the truth. A nine-year difference—nine whole years of cultivation! And a two-minor-realm gap. Tsk tsk.”

Xuan Ningchen couldn’t help but sweat on Xu Yang’s behalf, yet a brilliant light burst from his eyes.

“As expected of Mr. Xu,” Xuan Ningchen whispered in awe. “He’s too domineering. If I had even half of Mr. Xu’s aura, I wouldn’t be known as just a playboy.”

“You little bastard!” Du Ling roared in absolute fury. “Today, I’m going to rip your filthy mouth off and shove it right up your ass!”

His aura became chaotic and unbalanced, surging forward like a raging, erupting tide of fire. It felt like the explosion of a volcano that had been accumulating pressure for a billion years, shaking the heavens and the earth. Even the reinforced formations trembled violently under the force. Standing outside the formation, everyone’s faces turned deathly pale as their minds went blank in fear.

BOOM!

Du Ling sprang forward like a wild beast. His terrifying oppressive might shattered the entire floor of the martial arts arena, causing it to cave in by several feet. Hundreds of feet of space twisted as if it were about to tear apart, tangling together like tightly woven ropes in a soul-chilling display.

He was furious to the extreme. Right now, only one thought remained in his mind: grab Xu Yang, beat and humiliate him, smash his limbs, tear his mouth open, and break his spine…

“Get on your fucking knees!”

RUMBLE!

The heavens shook and the earth shattered as a tide of fury blotted out the sky. With an uncontainable, boundless momentum and seething with killing intent, Du Ling suddenly summoned an azure stone staff into his hands. With a single strike, the staff smashed through space. Accompanied by a Fierce Roar that no one dared to look directly at, it appeared right above Xu Yang’s head.

The terrifying strike made even Zhou Xiong pale in shock. Even he couldn’t guarantee that he could easily block such an attack.

BAM!

Xu Yang curled his hand and firmly caught the massive staff. His body trembled slightly as large swathes of energy cascaded from his palm. Immediately following that, he stood as steady as a mountain. Raising his head to face the terrifyingly ferocious Du Ling, he grinned. “A mere mongrel from the Canglan River dares to yap in front of me?

“Make me kneel? Even if you cultivated for another hundred thousand years, you still wouldn’t have the qualifications. Get the hell out of my face.”

His overbearing words echoed through the heavens and the earth, spreading across the entire Profound Wing Mansion and alarming countless hidden experts. Cultivators of the Profound Wing Army watched the scene in the courtyard from afar, their eyes radiating brilliant light as they sighed in absolute shock.

“What a formidable Xu Yang of the Northern Region.”

“So overbearing, but I like it.”

“This is how a young man should be! This kid is perfect for our army.”

“Army Commander, recruit him, and then you can step down.”

The Army Commander, who was observing from the shadows, immediately turned black in the face. The void churned, and a massive hand descended silently, wrapping around the cultivator who had spoken such insolent words and slamming him ruthlessly onto the ground.

“Go down and cool your head for a while,” the commander muttered.

After doing this, the Army Commander looked back at Xu Yang, his eyes flashing with extraordinary splendor.

BOOM!

Xu Yang exerted all his strength. His muscles bulged, his veins popped, and his hand suddenly pushed upward. The stone staff hummed violently and was forcefully thrown back. Du Ling’s body swayed as he was sent flying into the sky.

“How is this possible?” His eyes were filled with absolute horror.

SWISH!

Before anyone could snap out of their daze, Xu Yang shot into the sky. Boundless black flames erupted from his body, covering the ground and surging fiercely upward.

Dressed in black, he was bathed in the firelight. A murderous aura pervaded the air, making him look as if he had just walked out of Asura Hell. The Daluo Saber was in his grip, ringing out with a metallic clang. Its brilliant saber light left an indelible rift between heaven and earth.

ROAR!

A White Tiger roared, shattering the surrounding wilderness. The wind swept away the scattered clouds as tiger fiend energy pierced the sky.

The perfected Wind Tribulation Tiger Slaughter Saber slashed directly toward Du Ling.

Du Ling felt a chill run through his entire body. He instantly sobered up. How could Xu Yang be this strong?

But the incoming blade gave him no time to think. He hastily mobilized his immortal essence and swung the stone staff in his hands. His pair of scarlet eyes abruptly turned emerald green, resembling two pools of glowing green springs. It was eerie and terrifying.

“North Nether Sea-Swallowing Staff!”

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH!!!

Endless, dense shadows of the staff tumbled and intertwined, transforming into a majestic vortex. Like the eye of the ocean, it met the Wind Tribulation Tiger Slaughter Saber head-on. At the same time, the vortex spun in reverse and contracted, erupting with an endless, devouring suction force.