Chapter 18: Losing Composure So Quickly?
The sun gradually rose, the morning light cool and the breeze as gentle as ever, yet an eerie atmosphere pervaded the air.
At the Jiang family plaza, everyone wore different expressions, but all eyes were fixed on the young man standing in the center.
No one dared to believe their ears, suspecting they had misheard. How could such words have come from his mouth?
Jiang Xuehan’s face was filled with worry, yet he chose to trust Qin Liang and remained still.
“What’s going on? He just detected his Dao root and is likely only beginning spiritual refinement. This is far too rash.”
Among the Jiang family, some doubted Qin Liang’s sanity, suspecting he was courting death.
They knew the opposing Wang and Feng families were ruthless; even those with three or four times spiritual refinements were no match. How could Qin Liang possibly stand against them?
“Xiao Liang, come back quickly,” Jiang Hai urgently transmitted his voice quietly.
Qin Liang remained unmoved, merely gazing at the warriors from the Wang and Feng families, standing tall and upright, his eyes sharp as lightning.
Li Qiumei intercepted Jiang Hai, saying, “Xiao Liang isn’t impulsive; he’s probably trying to buy time.”
She hoped Qin Liang could delay until Li Hongcai emerged from seclusion.
As for safety, she cared little. If anything happened, let the patriarch deal with the Wang and Feng families. Regarding Jiang Xuehan’s marriage, she would ultimately stand with her nephew.
“But...” Jiang Hai was anxious yet helpless.
The faces of the Wang and Feng clans darkened; being provoked by a boy who had only just detected his Dao root was a clear insult.
Wang Jingrou had been astonished since seeing Qin Liang, and now felt a foreboding sense of doom. Last night, she had sent the Blue Wolf on a night raid, yet the enemy was still alive and well. Where was the Blue Wolf? Why hadn’t it returned overnight?
“Since you seek death, I shall grant it to you.”
Recalling the humiliation at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, Wang Jingrou’s resentment burned fiercely as she stepped into the arena.
Many changed their expressions; the third young lady of the Wang family was a four-times spiritual refiner. How could Qin Liang possibly deal with her?
“What did you do to Xiao Qing?” she demanded immediately, stunning many who sensed a hidden story between the two.
“Xiao Qing?” Qin Liang frowned but quickly understood—the Blue Wolf was sent by Wang Jingrou. He replied casually, “I ate it. The taste was quite good. You didn’t get to try it—that’s a pity.”
“What... how dare you?” Wang Jingrou’s fury exploded.
The Blue Wolf had accompanied her for two years. Now it was dead, and she hadn’t even seen its body. Her heart felt torn apart.
She could not believe Qin Liang was that powerful, assuming the wolf had simply fallen into a trap.
“It wanted to eat me, so I ate it. What’s wrong with that?” Qin Liang’s expression remained calm, utterly indifferent.
“Who do you think you are? How dare you compare yourself to Xiao Qing?”
She drew her long sword and swiftly lunged at Qin Liang, coldly declaring, “Today, you shall die with it.”
Qin Liang was speechless at such words; she was human yet could say such things.
Since reconciliation was impossible, there was only one choice: battle.
“Xiao Liang...”
“Lord Qin...”
As the sharp sword tip neared, many gasped in alarm, fearing he would be slain on the spot.
But before they finished speaking, Qin Liang stepped forward, his feet stirring the wind as if walking on air. In an instant, he left his original position and appeared beside Wang Jingrou, delivering a powerful punch.
“So fast...” Wang Jingrou was stunned; he was even stronger than at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.
Many in the Jiang family did not know Qin Liang’s true strength, but Wang Jingrou had once clashed briefly with him and guessed him to be a three-times spiritual refiner, which was why she sent the Blue Wolf on a night raid.
Now it seemed Qin Liang had progressed further—his cultivation speed was truly astonishing.
Bang!
The force of the punch swept Wang Jingrou aside, sending her tumbling across the ground.
“Third sister...” Wang Botao grew tense.
The once delicate young lady now looked quite disheveled and even more enraged.
“Qin Liang... I will kill you...”
As the third young lady of the Wang family, she had never been humiliated like this. She felt utterly disgraced.
Just as she struggled to rise and continue the attack, her speed was too slow.
Qin Liang was already close, delivering a backhand strike.
Smack!
The sharp slap echoed, followed by the muffled thud of Wang Jingrou falling to the ground. The Jiang family stood dumbfounded, the scene surreal and unreal.
Their hearts shook—when had a four-times spiritual refiner become so weak?
“Qin Liang, I will kill you...”
Wang Jingrou seethed with anger but despairingly realized she was powerless to fight back.
Slap, slap, slap...
The sound of slaps continued as Qin Liang struck more than ten times, thoroughly enjoying himself.
“Stop!”
A leader elder from the Wang family shouted sharply. At the same time, Wang Botao dashed forward, attempting a side attack on Qin Liang.
“Already losing your composure?” Qin Liang’s tone was laced with mockery.
They had earlier said winning or losing was normal, yet now they couldn’t sit still. The slap in the face was swift indeed. Moreover, Wang Botao tried a sneak attack—did he think Qin Liang was a fool?
“Hmph!”
Qin Liang snorted coldly, secretly activating the secret technique “Berserk Beast Body,” first stage: Blue Wolf Frenzy.
A faint wolf’s howl echoed inside him.
Qin Liang’s strength surged instantly; a three-meter-tall blue wolf phantom appeared around him. Veins bulged on his body; a fierce aura poured out like a torrential flood toward the sneaking Wang Botao.
Many Jiang family members held their breath, as if witnessing Qin Liang’s imminent demise.
In the next moment, Qin Liang twisted his body, the wind at his feet intensifying, and in an instant, he was before Wang Botao. He reached out swiftly, grasping his neck and slamming him forcefully to the ground.
Crack!
The stone tiles cracked. Wang Botao coughed up blood, his pupils abruptly shrinking.
“Scoundrel, don’t get arrogant!”
Elsewhere, Feng Yuan also lost his composure, having realized Qin Liang was no ordinary youth.
Wang Botao, a five-times spiritual refiner, could not land a sneak attack. Feng Yuan himself was uncertain but hoped to join forces to defeat Qin Liang. He cared little what the Jiang family thought.
“Despicable and shameless!” The Jiang family cursed loudly.
Yet no one on their side could match the two; disciples with four or five times spiritual refinements were already injured.
“Coming again?”
Qin Liang’s senses were sharp; he detected an approaching threat but showed no change in expression.
He used the Wind Walk step, stirring a hurricane in the arena, his movements unpredictable. He intercepted Feng Yuan midair, unleashing the Seven Star Fist with five layers of dark energy.
The pale and gaunt youth coughed blood, his face wan and ashen, even more shocking.
Everyone was horrified and bewildered. The once unnoticed youth of the Jiang family possessed such formidable strength? Two five-times spiritual refiners working together still could not defeat him—his power was extraordinary.
“Five layers of dark energy...”
Jiang Hai recognized Qin Liang’s fist technique, his eyes shining with excitement, emotions unsteady.
He knew this meant a genius was rising within the Jiang family, one whose future achievements might surpass even the patriarch.
Boom, boom...
The thuds continued as Wang Botao and Feng Yuan were thoroughly overwhelmed by Qin Liang, utterly powerless to resist.
As for Wang Jingrou, her meridians had long been crippled by Qin Liang’s dark energy, and she lay dying in a corner.
“How dare you harm our young master?”
The two elders from the Wang and Feng families wore thunderous expressions. They never imagined things would escalate like this. They could no longer sit idly by; otherwise, they would have no way to explain themselves upon returning.
“A useless young master. If you want him back, take him,” Qin Liang casually tore off the qiankun pouches from the three, then kicked them out of the arena.
When they fell into the elders’ hands, their meridians were thoroughly destroyed, their bones broken or fractured.
“Qin Liang, how dare you...” The two elders’ fury reached its peak.
Qin Liang paid them no mind, speaking carelessly, “It’s inevitable that young ones get injured when sparring. Elders like you shouldn’t interfere. You should remain as calm as before!”