The mocking voice had barely faded when several figures approached from another direction.

Ye Wushuang’s eyes narrowed. He turned to see several young men who had just walked up to him.

These men were dressed in fine, immaculate clothing. With his Divine Sense, Ye Wushuang could tell they all possessed the cultivation of the Qi Vortex Ninth Layer. They let their auras flare, making a brazen display of their power.

"Ye Wushuang!"

The men let his name roll off their tongues. Mocking, derisive smiles played on their lips as they scrutinized Ye Wushuang, their expressions like those one would use to look at a country bumpkin.

After a moment of sizing him up, a young man with thick brows stepped forward. He looked down condescendingly at Ye Wushuang and asked, "So, you must be Ye Wushuang?"

Hearing this, Ye Wushuang didn’t answer. He simply clasped one hand behind his back and watched them calmly.

Off to the side, the sturdy middle-aged man also watched in silence, studying Ye Wushuang from time to time. A peculiar glint shone in his eyes.

"Not talking?" The thick-browed youth frowned, clearly displeased with Ye Wushuang’s attitude. But instead of getting angry, he sneered. "Rumor has it that the ruthless Ye Wushuang possesses unparalleled Combat Power, that he swept through experts of the Qi Vortex Sixth and Seventh Layers with the strength of a mere Qi Vortex Third Layer, making quite a name for himself in the Endless Wilderness. I wonder if you’re really that strong?"

"You want to find out?" Ye Wushuang’s eyes narrowed as he finally spoke.

"Find out?"

The young men immediately broke into laughter. "With your pathetic strength, you want to provoke us? They say you’re arrogant, and it looks like they weren’t wrong. Still, we’re in a good mood today. We can ’grace’ you with a few pointers. The question is, can you even handle them?"

’Grace me with a few pointers?’

Hearing this, the corners of Ye Wushuang’s mouth curled up. He actually smiled.

"Let’s hope you can still smile later!"

The thick-browed youth’s gaze darkened. "One move to decide the winner," he said. "Do you dare?"

"One move?" Ye Wushuang looked at the thick-browed youth.

"That’s right. You’re only worth one move. I’ll even let you go first!" the thick-browed youth declared. He was at the Qi Vortex Ninth Layer; how could Ye Wushuang’s cultivation possibly compare? One move was all he was worth. One move was all it would take to defeat him and crush his arrogant spirit.

With that said, the thick-browed youth took a step back, readying himself.

However, Ye Wushuang just shook his head and uttered two words: "Not interested."

’These people are nothing but clowns. They want to challenge me, yet they carry this innate sense of superiority, as if they’re the strongest in the world. Their challenge is just an excuse to ’grace’ me with a few pointers, nothing more!’

’In their eyes, I’m only worth a single move. This isn’t a challenge; it’s a deliberate provocation. They’re just trying to get a rise out of me.’

’Every single word reeked of arrogance and conceit. They looked down on everyone.’

’He had considered acting, but his interest vanished in an instant. People like this weren’t worthy of his time.’

"What, you don’t dare?"

Seeing this, the thick-browed youth and his cronies stared at Ye Wushuang and began to taunt him mercilessly. "A moment ago, you wanted to find out for yourself, but now you’re scared? What kind of ruthless man are you? You’re nothing but a fraud with an undeserved reputation! A coward!"

Just a coward.

They sneered amongst themselves. Ye Wushuang’s reputation was clearly overblown. The legends made him sound like a god, but in reality, he was just a coward who didn’t even dare to face a single one of their moves.

Hearing this, Ye Wushuang’s expression turned cold. A frigid light flashed in his eyes as he prepared to step forward and grant their wish.

RUMBLE!

But then, something no one expected happened. A piercing beam of saber light abruptly flashed and fell from the sky, slashing down toward Ye Wushuang and the group.

The killing intent radiating from the saber light was astonishing. It seemed to split heaven and earth, tearing through the very air as it descended. The whistling Saber Gang howled like the wind, carrying with it a grim, murderous aura that would make anyone’s hair stand on end.

The power behind this strike held nothing back; it seemed intended to obliterate Ye Wushuang and everyone else present.

Alarms blared in their minds. The expressions on the faces of the thick-browed youth and his companions changed drastically as they immediately shot backward in retreat.

Ye Wushuang’s gaze also darkened as he dodged out of the way.

BOOM!

The four-to-five-meter long blade of light slammed into the ground, carving out a massive crater. A potent Saber Intent, swirling like a tornado, kicked up a cloud of dust that blotted out the sky.

The thick-browed youth and his companions were caught in the shockwave, thrown about and left in a wretched state. Their faces were masks of pure terror. That strike... it was truly horrifying.

"Hahaha, I’ve finally mastered the Overlapping Waves Saber Technique!" A wild, booming laugh echoed from within Fengtian Peak.

RUMBLE!

A wildly domineering figure, carrying a long, dark-red saber, strode out from Fengtian Peak. His disheveled hair flew about as he landed before the group. Ignoring everyone, he threw his head back and laughed, the very picture of unbridled arrogance.

"It’s Kuang Lang!"

Seeing this man, the faces of the thick-browed youth and his companions paled, a hint of fear in their eyes.

Kuang Lang. Qi Vortex Ninth Layer. He walked the path of the saber, and his strength was immense. Now that he had cultivated a Low-Grade Spirit-Level Combat Skill, the Overlapping Waves Saber Technique, his power was even more terrifying.

"They said Kuang Lang spent all his Contribution Points to ask the Sect for permission to enter Fengtian Peak and comprehend the Low-Grade Spirit-Level Combat Skill, the Overlapping Waves Saber Technique. I can’t believe it was true!"

"Yeah, he’s gotten even stronger. I’m afraid even if we all attacked him together, we’d be no match for him!" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"The moment he breaks through to the True Essence realm, he’ll be counted among the ranks of the super-geniuses!"

The thick-browed youth and his group eyed Kuang Lang with apprehension, taking a few more steps back.

Hearing them, a look of disdain crossed Kuang Lang’s face. ’Them, together? I could annihilate them all within ten moves!’

However, as if sensing something, Kuang Lang suddenly whipped his head around. His gaze locked onto Ye Wushuang, and a derisive smile spread across his face. "Your speed isn’t half-bad," he said. "To actually dodge my strike without getting a single scratch!"

Indeed, not a single speck of dust stained Ye Wushuang’s clothes, nor were they even wrinkled. It was a stark contrast to the wretched state of the thick-browed youth and his companions.

But at that moment, his expression was utterly frigid.

"You’re shameless," Ye Wushuang said, his voice cold as he stared at Kuang Lang. To test his new Saber Technique, Kuang Lang had gambled with their lives, treating them as if they were worthless weeds.

"Shameless?" Kuang Lang swept a cold, disdainful gaze over Ye Wushuang. "That strike was just a test of your reflexes. If I had used my full strength, do you think you’d still be alive?"

’If they hadn’t dodged so quickly, that last strike would have sliced them in two. And this guy has the gall to call it a ’test of his reflexes.’ How shameless!’

"So, I suppose I should thank you?" Ye Wushuang’s eyes grew even colder, a frigid glint shooting from them. He took a step forward, and a dense, murderous Saber Intent began to spread through the air. "To show my gratitude, I’ll return the favor with a strike of my own!"

As the cold words left his lips, a brilliant beam of saber light erupted from Ye Wushuang’s body. A tidal wave of killing intent surged forth, stunning the thick-browed youth and his friends who were watching from the side.

’Ye Wushuang’s saber... it’s so cold!’

Kuang Lang’s expression darkened as well, and he raised his saber in a defensive stance.

However, before he could fully raise his weapon, the brilliant saber light vanished into the void, only to reappear right in front of him an instant later.

Kuang Lang’s expression changed dramatically. It was too late to launch his own attack; all he could do was hold his saber horizontally across his chest to defend himself.

BANG!

The saber light was impossibly fast. In a flash, it carried its whistling Saber Gang and slammed directly into the dark-red saber, sending Kuang Lang flying backward.

Kuang Lang’s body tumbled through the air several times before landing and skidding for more than ten meters. Before he could even push himself up, he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.

In a single strike, the man who had seemed invincible in the eyes of the thick-browed youth... was defeated.