Chapter 455 - 454: Provocation
In the Golden Summit Hall, the flames of battle burned.
Qin Ya stood silently on the arena stage, his white robes unstained by a single speck of dust. A sudden gale whipped through the air, making his clothes flap and rustle, sweeping the bangs from his forehead. And just like that, a green-robed old man appeared before him!
The old man held a long spear and wore a Jade Crown. His posture was quite straight and tall.
Seeing this man, Qin Ya’s expression turned a little strange. He said, "Old sir, if I recall correctly, the spots for the Void Mausoleum are only for those under sixty years of age..."
"Haha, Elder Qin! Don’t be fooled by my appearance. I’m actually only fifty-eight, not yet sixty. So, I am indeed qualified."
The green-robed old man added, a bit sheepishly, "It’s just that I was a late bloomer. I only had my breakthrough after turning fifty, and my Cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds since. It’s a bit embarrassing, really."
"Not at all, old sir. Please, let’s begin."
As the words fell, a long spear appeared in Qin Ya’s hand. Its entire body was a profound black that seemed to absorb all light, and it radiated an aura of slaughter!
It was... the Spiritual Artifact, Breaking Army!
"What a coincidence. I happen to use a spear as well. Let’s have a little spar."
"A fine spear!"
The green-robed old man praised it in a low voice. Then, his figure flashed, and the long spear in his hand suddenly thrust out, creating what looked like tragically beautiful winter plums blooming in the air—a magnificent sight.
The corner of Qin Ya’s mouth twitched upward slightly as he praised, "Not a bad Spear Technique."
Then, Breaking Army swept out, tracing a profound trajectory through the air like a stroke of divine inspiration. It landed perfectly on the tip of the old man’s spear. In an instant, the winter plums shattered.
"Such Spear Technique... Incredible!"
The green-robed old man’s pupils constricted. Though Qin Ya had only made a single thrust, it had ingeniously cut off all his avenues of advance and retreat. The depth of his Spear Technique was plain to see. ’In all my decades,’ he thought, ’I’ve never seen anything like it.’
"Today, we shall compete in Spear Technique alone!"
The old man laughed heartily and thrust out with his spear again and again. The air seemed to transform into a bitter winter, with proud winter plums blooming on every branch.
"As you wish."
When it came to Spear Technique, Qin Ya had never feared anyone. The art he had painstakingly honed in his past life was now being unleashed to its fullest extent. Simple moves like pointing, thrusting, deflecting, sweeping, chopping, and lifting were combined in his hands, flowing together as smoothly as moving clouds and flowing water.
In just a few breaths’ time, the old man felt a terrifying pressure. The Spear Technique he had studied for decades was like flimsy paper before this young man, unable to withstand a single blow. After just a few exchanges, he was already at a disadvantage.
’HISS... This boy’s Spear Technique is terrifying. I’ve fought on battlefields across nations and experienced a thousand battles. I thought my Spear Technique had reached its peak, but before this young man, it’s utterly useless. This boy... he’s absolutely monstrous!!’
CLANG! The long spear was knocked from the old man’s hands, and the tip of Qin Ya’s spear was already resting on his chest. A little more force was all it would take to end his life.
"Old sir. How about it?"
"The Elder is truly formidable. I admit defeat."
The green-robed old man laughed, then circulated his True Essence to pull his spear back into his hand. With a flash of movement, he leaped off the stage. But Qin Ya clearly saw the old man walk straight over to Feng Ba and receive a medicine bottle.
That was a bottle of... Ninth-Grade Elixirs!
Qin Ya’s face instantly darkened. ’This disrespectful old coot...’
From a distance, within the crowd, Feng Ba gazed at Qin Ya. A hint of mockery showed in his narrow eyes as he whispered, "Qin Ya, let’s see how long you can last."
Then, with a WHOOSH, another figure flew onto the stage.
"Brother Qin, I’ve come to challenge you!" the man announced loudly.
Qin Ya gave the man a cold look. He knew this person was likely another one challenging him for the Elixirs. His expression remained grim as he declared in a cold voice, "Whoever comes onto this stage from now on will be responsible for the consequences!"
"Heh, no need for Brother Qin to worry about that."
The man gave a cold smirk. He drew the longsword from his waist and was just about to attack when Qin Ya’s figure vanished from before his eyes. The next time he saw him, a black spear was already striking him squarely in the chest.
BOOM! A massive force struck him. With a CRACK, CRACK, his sternum shattered. He spat out several mouthfuls of blood as his body was sent flying off the stage.
"HISS... One move."
"Defeated in a single move. He really is formidable."
"So strong! A Celestial Human Martial Artist was completely helpless against him."
At that moment, Feng Ba suddenly appeared before the downed Martial Artist. He took out a pill and gave it to him to swallow, saying, "Take it. This bottle of Ninth-Grade Elixirs is yours."
Seeing this, the eyes of the crowd grew even more fervent.
A bottle of Ninth-Grade Elixirs was worth at least a thousand Points on the Golden List. Now, all they had to do was go up and fight—and they’d get it whether they won or lost. What a bargain!
"Haha, Qin Ya, I’ll challenge you too!"
Another Martial Artist charged up, his attitude arrogant. But he was met with Qin Ya’s cold smile. Immediately, endless Thunder Spears materialized and, in the next instant, shot out from the void.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Thunder Spears flickered with berserk power, and a look of terror appeared on the challenger’s face. He circulated his True Essence and activated a Pseudo-Spiritual Artifact on his body, which formed a protective barrier of light. But in an instant, the barrier was blasted to pieces, and he was sent flying backward off the stage, spitting several mouthfuls of blood, his entire body charred black.
One move. Another one-move victory.
Feng Ba and the others’ pupils contracted. They were genuinely shocked.
"Hmph, I don’t believe it." Feng Ba snorted coldly, walked up again, and took out a pill for the injured man to swallow. He also gave him a bottle of Ninth-Grade Elixirs.
Seeing this, the crowd began to hesitate.
After all, as good as the Elixirs were, their lives were more important.
If you’re dead, no amount of Elixirs will do you any good.
Seeing the crowd’s hesitation, Feng Ba said coldly, "What are you all afraid of? This is the Golden Summit Hall! The Palace Master and Elders are here. Do you really think he’d dare to kill someone?"
Hearing this, everyone’s eyes lit up.
That was true. This was the Golden Summit Hall, the most sacred place in Kunyun Palace. Killing someone openly here was the greatest taboo. Even if Qin Ya was an Elder, he probably wouldn’t dare to act so recklessly. But even so, they were still hesitant.
You have to remember, even a cornered rabbit will bite.
What’s more, Qin Ya was a peerless prodigy. If he got truly enraged from being schemed against like this and lashed out with a heavy hand, wouldn’t they just be out of luck?
"You all... What are you still hesitating for?"
Just then, an indifferent voice rang out.
Standing amidst the lingering static, Qin Ya took out a large stack of golden papers and said coldly, "These are the letters of challenge you delivered yourselves. What’s wrong? Getting timid now? Scared? Hah. Ridiculous. And you call yourselves geniuses of Kunyun Palace?"
It was a provocation, an extremely blatant one.
Instead of using this opportunity to resolve the siege, the guy was fanning the flames, stoking the discontent in everyone’s hearts.
This madman!
That was the only thought in the minds of the crowd.
"Ha, interesting. I’ll exchange a couple of moves with you."
At this moment, a young man leaped onto the high stage. His True Essence erupted, and his long saber swept out horizontally. But Qin Ya’s figure flickered and vanished, and a spear suddenly swept out in its place.
BOOM! The young man was instantly sent flying.
Hiss... So he was a powerful madman!