Xiao Yun had been arrogant and domineering since childhood, and he was deeply favored by the reigning emperor, Xiao Zhengshan. He could practically do as he pleased in the Capital City. When had he ever suffered such contempt?
Now, a "lowly prisoner" in his eyes had challenged him in public, and he instantly felt utterly humiliated.
"Do you think you're worthy of speaking to this Heir Apparent?"
Xiao Yun's face darkened, and murderous intent gleamed in his eyes.
"Know what's good for you and cooperate. Once President Du has cooled off, this Heir Apparent might even spare your worthless life.
"If you still don't know when to quit, death is your only way out."
"I've been ready to die for a long time. Go ahead."
Zhang Yu's tone was calm, almost indifferent.
That utter disregard finally ignited Xiao Yun's fury.
He no longer cared about acting like an Heir Apparent. He barked, "Seize him! Dead or alive, I don't care!"
The two imposing guards were deeply wary of Zhang Yu, but their master had given a strict order. They dared not disobey.
They exchanged a glance, a cruel glint flashing in their eyes. With a simultaneous clang, they drew the sabers at their waists, one on either side, and prepared to rush into the cell and seize Zhang Yu by force!
Both guards were Eighth Rank martial artists, more than capable fighters anywhere in the Capital City.
Now that they attacked with all their might, their momentum was fierce, and the glint of their blades lit up the dim cell.
Xiao Sheng watched from the side, his heart pounding.
He knew Zhang Yu was formidable, but he had never actually seen him fight. Seeing two Eighth Rank experts attack at once, he couldn't help holding his breath for Zhang Yu.
Yet in the face of their fierce pincer attack, Zhang Yu remained seated cross-legged on the bed, utterly motionless. He didn't even raise an eyelid.
Just as the guards' blades were about to reach the bars and they were about to burst into the cell—
"Kneel."
A sharp command rang out.
No earth-shattering aura erupted, and no dazzling techniques clashed.
But the instant those two simple words were spoken, the two aggressive Eighth Rank guards felt an irresistible, terrifying pressure crash down on their shoulders like a mountain thousands of feet high collapsing.
It was not merely the force of physical pressure. It was an absolute crushing of their life essence and martial will.
Their Internal energy seemed to freeze. The blood surging through their meridians stopped dead, and their minds went blank, leaving nothing but boundless fear and a sense of their own insignificance.
This was the might of Soul Power.
Martial artists and cultivators of the arts across the land did not cultivate the soul before reaching the Land Immortal realm.
Zhang Yu, however, had cultivated his soul for three years.
Forget two mere Eighth Rank fighters—even Innate Masters and Grandmasters could not fully escape Zhang Yu's soul attacks.
"Thud! Thud!"
Two muffled thumps sounded almost simultaneously.
As Xiao Yun, Xiao Sheng, and all the attendants and jailers watched in utter horror, the two powerful Eighth Rank guards actually dropped to their knees on the cold, hard stone floor without hesitation, as if they had heard an imperial decree.
The sound of their knees striking the floor rang especially harshly through the deathly silent cell.
Their faces were deathly pale. They struggled with all their might to get up, but it felt as though an invisible mountain weighed them down. They couldn't even move a finger.
They looked at Zhang Yu with boundless terror and disbelief, as if they were gazing upon a god—or staring into the abyss.
How was this possible?
It was beyond anything they could comprehend.
They were Eighth Rank martial artists. Even against a Ninth Rank fighter or an Innate Master, a sharp command alone could never make them kneel helplessly without the slightest chance to resist.
Unless... unless their opponent was... a Grandmaster?
But how could that be?
The young man before them looked barely over twenty. How could he possibly be the legendary Martial Arts Grandmaster?
Across the entire Wei Kingdom, only three Grandmasters were publicly known. Each was an old monster who had been famous for decades and commanded awe across the land.
An illusion?
Or some kind of profound Demonic Arts?
The two guards weren't the only ones stunned. Xiao Sheng was completely dumbfounded too, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
He knew Zhang Yu was powerful—a Ninth Rank expert—but... but this was simply outrageous!
One command to "kneel," and two Eighth Rank experts had actually knelt?
Was this some kind of damned act?
But the guards' deathly pale faces and trembling bodies, shaking like leaves in a storm, made it clear they weren't pretending.
The vicious grin and fury on Xiao Yun's face froze instantly. He looked like a duck being strangled, his eyes wide as he stared at his two trusted guards, kneeling helplessly on the ground.
Then he whipped around to look at Zhang Yu, still calm inside the cell. His mind went blank, and for a moment, he couldn't react.
"How could this be... How did this happen..."
Xiao Yun muttered to himself. His arrogance vanished in an instant, replaced by shock and confusion.
He couldn't understand what he was seeing. It completely overturned everything he knew about martial arts.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Xiao Yun suddenly came to his senses. His face flushed red and pale by turns, shame, fear, and disbelief twisting together.
"No wonder you came from Marquis Yong'an's Estate. You really do have some sinister tricks.
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