C41 To Heavily Injure Him

The biting wind howled with ferocious strength, halting Zhang Mingliang's advance, rendering him unable to move forward even an inch.

Suddenly, the tempest before him dissipated into nothingness.

Simultaneously, his vision blurred, and Lin Xuan's figure materialized before him.

"Wind Palm!"

It was the same technique, its formidable power undiminished.

Yet, in this instant, Zhang Mingliang was hard-pressed to defend.

His only recourse was a reflexive attempt to block.

But Lin Xuan was quicker still. He sidestepped Zhang's arm and struck him squarely in the chest.

Boom!

Zhang Mingliang felt as though a boulder had smashed into his chest, the pain unbearable.

Unable to contain it, he coughed up blood and was hurled dozens of meters like a rag doll.

He hit the ground with a thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Now, Zhang Mingliang lay there, his breaths shallow, blood spilling from his lips. His chest was visibly sunken in—he had sustained grave injuries.

The onlookers were struck by a profound silence at the sight.

Faces frozen in shock, their eyes betrayed a collective disbelief.

Several moments passed before anyone could process what had happened.

Then, the crowd erupted into a frenzy.

"Am I dreaming?"

"Zhang Mingliang, the Outer Sect expert at the Qi Gathering Stage, defeated just like that?"

"This is too surreal, isn't it?"

"To overcome a major realm from the Enlightenment Stage and defeat someone at the Qi Gathering Stage... Isn't he incredibly powerful?"

"He's nothing short of the Outer Sect's foremost prodigy!"

The crowd buzzed with animated discussions and exclamations of astonishment.

Their eyes remained locked on Lin Xuan, now awash with boundless shock and incredulity.

Before the fight, they had all but written Lin Xuan off as a certain loser.

Yet, Lin Xuan had effortlessly evaded Zhang Mingliang's frenzied onslaught with his agile techniques.

They had doubted Lin Xuan, some even predicting he would sustain serious injuries. However, Lin Xuan emerged unscathed, while Zhang Mingliang was the one left grievously wounded.

Such a stark contrast was hard for them to fathom.

In that moment, they all felt as though they were living a dream.

The scene was beyond belief.

He had not only defeated someone at the Qi Gathering Stage but had also left him gravely injured.

Such a feat was usually reserved for the elite prodigies of the three sects when they reached the Enlightenment Stage—and even they weren't as decisive as Lin Xuan.

For four or five years, no one had come close to replicating it.

Yet now, the impossible had happened once more. A novice disciple, just three days into the beginner level, had accomplished this!

Their shock was immeasurable.

Meanwhile, Zhang Mingliang's lackeys were petrified.

Despite their boss lying there critically wounded, none dared to step forward to assist him.

Frozen in place, they were the picture of terror, unable to fathom the outcome before them.

Lin Xuan was unscathed, while Zhang Mingliang had sustained serious injuries.

Among the onlookers, Zhang Tao's heart quaked with fear. The extent of Lin Xuan's talent had surpassed his wildest expectations, proving even more formidable than he'd imagined.

His own cousin, who had spent years in the Drifting Cloud Sect and advanced to the Qi Gathering Stage, was no match for Lin Xuan.

His movements were sluggish compared to Lin Xuan's.

In a direct clash, he had been left severely wounded by Lin Xuan, a thought that sent shivers down Zhang Tao's spine.

Lin Xuan was shaping up to be a fearsome contender, potentially ranking among the top three Core Disciples.

What did this signify?

The current Sect Master, Head Elder, and Grand Elder were the mightiest in the sect and the most formidable in Cangyuan Country. They had been the top three Core Disciples in their time.

With this realization, Zhang Tao's shock deepened, his face etched with even greater fear and regret.

Lin Xuan's extraordinary talent hinted at boundless potential.

He was a top-tier genius beyond their capacity to provoke.

His entire family couldn't risk crossing him!

Once Lin Xuan came into his own, even the slightest achievement would empower him to obliterate their entire lineage with a mere gesture.

And the so-called powerful family backing him? Should they learn of his transgression against Lin Xuan, they would surely surrender him at the first opportunity.

Moreover, they would likely strip his father of the family headship in a desperate plea for Lin Xuan's mercy, wouldn't they?

As these thoughts flooded his mind, Zhang Tao was consumed by regret.

Why had he been so impulsive? Why did he feel the need to challenge Lin Xuan over a trivial matter of pride?

If his actions brought trouble to his family and father, he would bear a terrible burden of guilt.

Without hesitation, Zhang Tao pushed aside his fear and approached Lin Xuan.

Pride was no longer a concern for him.

He was determined to seek Lin Xuan's forgiveness, ready to endure any humiliation that might come with it.

All he wanted was to settle their differences.

Otherwise, he would be branded the family's villain.

Moreover, without his family's backing, what significance did he hold?

His reputation would be nonexistent.

Meanwhile, Lin Xuan was unaware that his actions had taken everyone by surprise.

Watching his attribute panel surge, he nodded contentedly.

He then made his way over to Zhang Mingliang, who lay crumpled on the ground nearby.

It was time to reclaim his wager.

Lin Xuan felt no stir of emotion at Zhang Mingliang's pitiful state.

After all, Zhang Mingliang had shown him no mercy earlier.

In fact, Zhang Mingliang had intensified his attacks.

Lin Xuan saw no reason to extend courtesy to such an individual.

He swiftly inflicted a severe injury on Zhang Mingliang.

However, he stopped short of damaging Zhang Mingliang's heart.

A single palm strike from him could have easily shattered it.

Within the Drifting Cloud Sect, it was permissible for disciples to spar with one another.

Yet, taking a life was forbidden and met with harsh consequences.

The Drifting Cloud Sect, unlike the Demon Force, valued fair competition.

This was the reason Lin Xuan refrained from killing Zhang Mingliang.

Besides, their dispute was minor, not a vendetta worthy of death.

Under the watchful eyes of all those gathered, Lin Xuan coolly approached the fallen Zhang Mingliang and inquired:

"Zhang Mingliang, where are my spoils of victory? Hand them over, will you?"

Seeing Lin Xuan draw near, Zhang Mingliang couldn't suppress a couple of coughs, expelling a mouthful of fresh blood.

A flicker of fear crossed his eyes.

Even with Lin Xuan at the Enlightenment Stage, he had the power to effortlessly overpower anyone. It was no wonder fear took hold of him.

So, Zhang Mingliang, gritting his teeth against the intense pain, reached for the Storage Ring.

Three thumb-sized stones, glowing softly, tumbled out and came to rest before Lin Xuan.