In just half a year, he could already crush a Dark Energy master like this? Such progress was simply unheard of!

Gratitude and worry intertwined in his heart.

He was moved that Yang Jing had braved such danger to save him, but worried that his junior brother would surely draw a frenzied siege from the Flying Horse Thieves, putting him in even greater peril.

He opened his mouth, wanting to tell Yang Jing to leave him behind and escape alone, but the powerful gust of wind from Yang Jing’s mad dash forced the words back down his throat.

Meanwhile, Li Qianxiong was leading the bearded man and his other subordinates in hot pursuit.

When he saw the one-eyed man lying motionless on the ground, his fate uncertain, his pupils suddenly contracted, and the viciousness on his face intensified.

"Who is this person?"

Li Qianxiong asked in a low voice, a trace of imperceptible shock in his tone.

There were only a handful of top-tier experts at the Peak of Dark Energy in Yuhe County; he could count them with his eyes closed, yet he had never seen a character like this.

To have such speed while carrying someone, and to heavily injure the one-eyed man with a single punch—this level of strength was far beyond that of an ordinary expert at the Peak of Dark Energy.

"Boss, who cares who he is! He dared to kill and rescue someone on our turf. We must make sure he dies without a burial place!" the bearded man said through gritted teeth.

Li Qianxiong snorted coldly, then pushed off the ground with explosive force. His figure sped up, his Dark Energy circulating to its absolute limit.

"So what if he’s strong? In front of me, Li Qianxiong, he will still have to grovel!"

He refused to believe that in all of Yuhe County, there was anyone below the Huajin realm who could stop him.

...

Yang Jing charged forward, his Raging Waves Leg Technique leaving a trail of shallow footprints on the ground.

The Flying Horse Thieves along the path were fierce and unafraid of death, but they couldn’t stop him at all.

Mingjin Martial Artists were sent flying the moment they made contact. Even another Dark Energy leader who tried to surround him was blasted away by a single punch, completely unable to get close.

In just a few breaths, he had already rushed to the foot of the stockade’s fence, only a step away from escaping.

As long as he got over this fence and into the mountain forest outside, he was fully confident he could shake off these Flying Horse Thieves, relying on the speed of his Raging Waves Leg Technique.

Just as he was about to leap, a furious roar like a clap of thunder exploded behind him.

"Where do you think you’re going!"

Yang Jing whipped his head around to see Li Qianxiong, like a charging black bear, chasing after him with an immense aura. He was now less than ten zhang away.

His opponent’s speed was even faster than he had anticipated. Clearly, the moments he’d been delayed by the other bandits had allowed the man to close the distance.

If he were to leap now, he would become a living target in mid-air, sure to be struck by Li Qianxiong’s incomparably fierce palm technique.

Yang Jing’s eyes narrowed, but a surge of fighting spirit suddenly welled up within him.

’Since I began my cultivation, I’ve progressed from an ordinary person to the Inner Strength realm, then broken through to Mingjin and Dark Energy. Now, both my Mountain-Shattering Fist and Raging Waves Leg Technique have reached the Dark Energy realm, just a step away from the peak. I’m already among the top experts in Yuhe County.’

’Looking at all of Yuhe County, besides those few old monsters in the Huajin realm who could definitely suppress me, who else could possibly match me in a fight?’

’Since I’ve embarked on the path of a Martial Artist, how can I fear a battle?’

’When my strength was lacking, I had to act with caution.’

’Now that I’ve come this far, why should I keep cowering?!’

’Li Qianxiong is strong, but in the end, he hasn’t reached the Huajin realm either.’

’This is a perfect opportunity to test my own mettle!’

Instead of retreating, Yang Jing advanced. To the astonishment of the surrounding Flying Horse Thieves, he suddenly spun around and charged toward Li Qianxiong.

The Dark Energy cultivated from his two martial arts surged into his right fist without reservation. The fist intent of his Mountain-Shattering Fist condensed to its peak, as if an invisible mountain was forming at his knuckles. With the imposing momentum of a mountain, he ruthlessly smashed it toward Li Qianxiong!

"You’re courting death!"

Seeing that Yang Jing actually dared to meet his attack head-on, a ferocious light exploded in Li Qianxiong’s eyes. With a furious roar, the muscles in his right arm bulged. As he infused it with Dark Energy, his palm began to glow with a faint, earthy-yellow halo—this was his renowned Mountain-Splitting Palm!

As the palm struck, the air seemed to compress, letting out a muffled BOOM. It carried the power to shatter stone tablets as it met Yang Jing’s fist head-on!

For the instant the fist and palm met, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

The next moment, a terrifying shockwave exploded outward from the two of them. The surrounding dust was kicked up, and several half-man-high weeds snapped in two.

Li Qianxiong felt a violent yet condensed force transmit from his opponent’s fist. It was like a red-hot iron awl, viciously stabbing into his own Palm Force.

The Mountain-Splitting Palm force he took so much pride in was actually being steadily beaten back by this power.

The stalemate lasted for less than a breath before his Inner Strength was crushed. The immense force surged up his arm, causing his blood to roil and his right arm to go numb.

’How is this possible?’

Li Qianxiong’s heart was thrown into turmoil, and the ferocity on his face was instantly replaced by disbelief.

’My Mountain-Splitting Palm has already been cultivated to the Peak of Dark Energy, and its Palm Force is incomparably fierce. I’ve also cultivated Life-Chasing Fist and Iron Cloth Shirt, both to the Peak of Mingjin.’

’An ordinary expert at the Peak of Dark Energy wouldn’t last ten moves against me. How could a kid this young possess such profound Inner Strength?’

Before he could react, his feet had already slid backward involuntarily. Each step left a deep imprint on the ground as he stumbled back three or four paces before barely managing to stabilize himself. A sweet taste rose in his throat; the impact had nearly caused him to vomit blood.

Meanwhile, Yang Jing used the recoil from the collision to launch himself into the air. Like an agile hawk, he carved an arc through the sky, clearing the two-zhang-plus-high fence and landing steadily outside the stockade.

The Flying Horse Thieves inside the stockade stared, dumbfounded. When they finally reacted, someone immediately shouted, "The Boss is mighty! He sent that kid flying!"

Li Qianxiong’s expression, however, was as dark as a thundercloud. Where was there even a hint of the pride that came with being "mighty"?