The Fierce Counterattack

With the Proficient Level Bloodthirsty Technique, and stared at by Zhuge Xiang's scarlet eyes, the seven previous-term disciples all felt a slight tremor in their hearts. They naturally knew the disciple who had just been defeated in a single move very well; his combat power might not have been the strongest among this term's disciples, but his defense capability was top-notch. With his defense, he had been heavily injured in a single move and lost even his combat power. If people like themselves went up, they believed it would not be much better, especially the other's terrifying attack. Once struck by the other's terrifying arrow, it would be nine deaths and a life of none.

"What? Didn't you clamor to collect twenty spirit stone coins from each person? With just this little strength?" Drawing the Hundred Refinements Bow, Zhuge Xiang stared at the seven previous-term disciples opposite him and said coldly. Battle, Zhuge Xiang did not fear; what of the Qi Cultivation Realm Seventh Layer? The stronger the strength, the more it meant experience and items.

To Zhuge Xiang's sonorous words, the seven previous-term disciples dared not reply casually. After all, the terrifying attack power of the Piercing Arrow just now had frightened them. However, as previous-term disciples, to be cowed by the clamoring of newly arrived disciples—if this got out, it would be too humiliating.

"Very well, I also want to test the genius of this term's disciples and see just how much strength you have. I'll accompany you for a spar." Pointed at by Zhuge Xiang's Hundred Refinements Bow, after a moment of silence, Zhan Bing, who had previously been amiable and wanted to persuade everyone, spoke up. As he spoke, he reached out and put on a pair of Steel Gloves.

Whoosh!!!

The bowstring pulled taut, and just as Zhan Bing spoke, Zhuge Xiang had already made his move. With a relaxation of his fingers, the Wolf Fang Arrow carried a sharp aura and shot straight toward Zhan Bing with extraordinary speed.

However, facing Zhuge Xiang's Wolf Fang Arrow, Zhan Bing merely flicked his body and dodged it. Stepping rapidly under his feet, he transformed into a ghostly shadow and rushed toward Zhuge Xiang, which was none other than Ghost Step, and furthermore, Ghost Step cultivated to the Mastery Level.

Although Hua Nongying's Ghost Step had also reached the Mastery Level, executing it with the cultivation of the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer and executing it with the cultivation of the Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer could not be mentioned in the same breath. No wonder he dared to make a move even knowing the power of Zhuge Xiang's archery; it turned out he relied on his Ghost Step being able to dodge Zhuge Xiang's attack.

"You've lost!" With Ghost Step, Zhan Bing appeared beside Zhuge Xiang like a phantom. His hands, wearing Steel Gloves, spread into a familiar posture, which was precisely the Clear Wave Palm.

Ghost Step coordinated with Clear Wave Palm; once Zhuge Xiang was entangled, with his own Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer cultivation, he would definitely secure a complete victory. Besides, for an archer to be closed in on by him, it could already be declared that he had lost.

Ding, movement speed decreased by 30%.

As Zhan Bing appeared before him, the mechanical system prompt resounded in Zhuge Xiang's mind, causing him to be secretly surprised. He hadn't expected the opponent to actually possess a magic tool that could reduce the target's movement speed. It looked like the opponent wanted to suppress the speed-boosting effect brought by his Bloodthirsty Technique.

His speed was affected; although it exceeded Zhuge Xiang's expectations, a trace of a smile appeared at the corners of Zhuge Xiang's mouth. "I've lost? You're too confident! I forgot to tell you, what I'm best at is actually close combat!"

Seeing Zhuge Xiang's smile, Zhan Bing already felt a sense of unease, but it was already too late. The Frost Headband activated, and Zhuge Xiang instantly suppressed the opponent's speed by 20%. Immediately, a loud explosion sounded from beneath his feet.

Explosive Steps, like a blood-red shadow, had a movement speed that was not a bit inferior to a fiercely shot arrow. The Hundred Refinements Bow was put away, Zhuge Xiang's Blood Refinement Saber appeared in his hand, and he slashed fiercely down upon Zhan Bing's body.

Fresh blood splattered, and Zhan Bing only felt a blur before his eyes, followed by a sharp pain in his chest. A great force surged over, and his body was involuntarily blasted flying. Two ribs across his chest were directly snapped by the Blood Refinement Saber, and as he landed on the ground, it was clear he no longer possessed any fighting strength.

Hiss...

Zhuge Xiang's decisiveness and ruthlessness caused the remaining six previous-term disciples to wear expressions of terror and look at each other in dismay. Were these still newcomers? What on earth was this fellow? Clearly he was only at the cultivation of the Qi Cultivation Realm Fourth Layer, yet two Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer disciples had gone up and been almost entirely killed in seconds by him. Was this truly a newly arrived disciple?

He's become even stronger... A Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer disciple had been easily defeated by him. Lu Yuling's captivating eyes carried a strange radiance as she muttered inwardly. How much time had passed? Zhuge Xiang's growth speed made her feel shocked. No matter how dazzling a genius was, compared to Zhuge Xiang, they all appeared completely eclipsed.

"Who else?!" After even Zhan Bing hurriedly conceded defeat, Zhuge Xiang raised his Blood Refinement Saber, the blade pointing directly at the opponent's six Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer disciples, and said coldly. Blood-red Qi Energy surged and rolled, filled with thick battle intent.

Pointed at by Zhuge Xiang's blade, these few disciples uniformly retreated half a step. Where was this a newly arrived disciple? To be able to instantly defeat a Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer disciple—even those few geniuses of this term who could be counted on one hand probably might not necessarily be able to achieve it! Whether it was long-range bow attacks or close-range combat attacks, both were so fierce; could the geniuses of this term really be this terrifying?

"We admit that your strength is very strong, and none of us present today are your match. But after all, we have cultivated in Asura Headquarters a year longer than you. The top few genius disciples of our term have not yet appeared; just you wait, they will come looking for you. The unspoken rules of the Asura Sect are not something an individual like you can break." Pointed at by Zhuge Xiang's blade, no one accepted the challenge. Having taken out medicinal pills, crushed them, and sprinkled them onto his wounds to simply treat them, Zhan Bing stood up with difficulty and said to Zhuge Xiang.

"That's right, once you encounter Zhang Kuang and the others, you're bound to lose." On the other side, the disciple holding the Wolf Fang Club also stood up. As a Qi Cultivation Realm Sixth Layer disciple, he had been defeated without even managing to get close to the opponent, which made him feel extremely aggrieved. Therefore, he could only pin his hopes on those top geniuses. New disciples needed to have their arrogance trimmed and be made to tuck their tails between their legs to live; this was an unspoken rule of the Asura Sect that hadn't changed for decades.

"Oh? Is that so? There are even stronger ones? That's just great. Instead of waiting for them to come find me, I'll go challenge them right now." The Bloodthirsty Technique deactivated, Zhuge Xiang put away the Blood Refinement Saber and turned to leave. From start to finish, Zhuge Xiang had remained standing on the Rope Bridge.

"Wha—what... Did I hear wrong?" Zhuge Xiang's words and his decisively turning back made everyone behind him widen their eyes, even those two thousand new disciples included. Zhuge Xiang's strength was even stronger than what he had displayed at the Grand Tournament, but who knew what realm the top geniuses of the previous term had reached? He actually didn't even think about it and went directly to challenge them?

"A lunatic... This lunatic..." Zhan Bing and the others widened their eyes one by one, calling out exasperatedly. Dragging out top geniuses like Zhang Kuang was originally meant to put pressure on him, but looking at his appearance, where did he feel any pressure? Instead, his battle intent was even more soaring. Such a fellow was courting death and was completely a lunatic!

Even Lu Yuling and Hua Nongying, who were quite familiar with Zhuge Xiang, opened their eyes wide. Although during those few days of fleeing in the Endless Mountain Range everyone knew Zhuge Xiang was a battle maniac and possessed fierce strength, to go and challenge the top geniuses of the previous term right upon arriving at Asura Headquarters—this behavior was indeed a bit crazy, right?

"He had the courage when facing the Two-Star Demonic Beast; having such actions now is normal." Ji Wuxue's eyes carried admiration. Previously, having been defeated by Zhuge Xiang, he had still felt unconvinced, but now Ji Wuxue was truly convinced—not just by the combat power, but by Zhuge Xiang's courage to fear no one.

"At that time with the Two-Star Demonic Beast, everyone joined forces, and moreover it was a narrow escape of nine deaths before we successfully killed it. But now, he's going to challenge the previous term's top geniuses; he can only fight single-handedly, right? Can he really succeed?" Hearing Ji Wuxue's words, Hua Nongying shook her head, her expression carrying doubt.

"Alright, as for what the exact situation is, won't we know once we go take a look?" Lu Yuling's face still bore a cold and detached expression as she smiled indifferently. Her white skirt fluttered slightly, and she followed after him.

Following Lu Yuling's action, Hua Nongying and the others looked at each other in dismay. Including Niu Geng and the others, they all nodded and followed along. Regardless of whether Zhuge Xiang could succeed or not, people like themselves ought to go cheer him on; they couldn't weaken the reputation of this term's disciples, could they?

"Let's go! We're all going..." With Zhuge Xiang taking the lead, several top-ranked geniuses had all gone. The disciples, who were already feeling angry because of the so-called unspoken rules, likewise shouted out loudly. Except for a small portion of people who didn't want to stir up trouble, out of the two thousand-plus disciples, about fifteen hundred followed behind Zhuge Xiang and walked out of the Green Bamboo Peak Rope Bridge.

"Mad, they're all mad..." Watching over fifteen hundred disciples walk out shouting in unison, Zhan Bing and the others were struck dumb, their mouths only mechanically uttering those words.

Over fifteen hundred disciples walked past shouting loudly. As long as they weren't blind, anyone could see such a group. Walking all the way, all the Asura Sect disciples were attracted by them.

"These people should be the new disciples who just arrived today, right? What do they want to do?"

"Looking at their appearance, they seem to be heading to the neighboring Green Willow Peak. Interesting, let's follow and take a look."

"They just arrived at headquarters and are already causing a commotion with such great momentum? This term's disciples are somewhat interesting."

Regardless of what kind of views they held toward the grandiose passage of these fifteen hundred-plus disciples, at least in the face of such a situation, almost all the disciples who saw it grew interested and curiously followed along, among whom there was no lack of Qi Cultivation Realm Eighth and Ninth Layer, or even Body Tempering Realm disciples.

Zhuge Xiang marched at the very front, walking straight toward Green Willow Peak, where the previous-term disciples resided. Over fifteen hundred new disciples charging over naturally alerted the Green Willow Peak disciples as well. The majority of them came out to meet them, with the lowest cultivation level being above the Qi Cultivation Realm Third Layer. Although no more than a thousand-odd disciples emerged, their momentum was even stronger than that of Zhuge Xiang and his group of fifteen hundred-plus disciples.

"You new disciples, what are you doing coming to Green Willow Peak?" A leading Qi Cultivation Realm Seventh Layer disciple walked out and shouted in a deep voice. The cultivation of the Qi Cultivation Realm Seventh Layer clearly marked him as a top-tier existence among the previous-term disciples.

Zhuge Xiang ignored the other's powerful aura, walked directly forward, and raised his Blood Refinement Saber. Pointing the blade straight at the opponent, he spoke coldly, "Nothing much. We just arrived at Asura Headquarters and feel that you previous-term disciples are a bit too arrogant, so we came over to dampen your arrogance."