The short-haired young man furrowed his brow, seemingly surprised that anyone could be more arrogant than he was.
He looked at Liu Chu in surprise. After examining him closely, his eyes flickered as if he had noticed something unusual, and his hands, which had been clasped behind his back, unconsciously dropped to his sides.
"Looks like I've found an opponent, but you're talking far too big!"
The short-haired young man grew more serious, though his expression remained arrogant. "Defeat me in one move? I'd like to see what you're capable of, making such a ridiculous boast!"
"Then watch closely!"
As soon as Liu Chu finished speaking, he shot forward like a ferocious tiger breaking free of its cage, unleashing a thunderous roar as he moved too fast for the eye to follow.
Whoosh!
The short-haired young man saw only a blur. A fierce gust struck his face, accompanied by an overwhelming sense of danger.
"What speed... No!"
The short-haired young man's heart tightened. Every hair on his body stood on end as a wave of icy dread washed over him.
His opponent was so fast that he could barely react. In that instant, he understood how terrifying the man before him was!
But with so little time, he had no chance to respond. A hand-blade swept in with a howl of cold wind, flashing down like a streak of light.
The short-haired young man managed only to raise an arm to block, but he still couldn't stop the blow.
Liu Chu's hand-blade seemed as swift as thunder, but it concealed subtle changes, its path difficult to read. As the short-haired young man lifted his arm to block, Liu Chu had already shifted the strike's trajectory.
Pfft!
White light enveloped the force behind Liu Chu's hand-blade. It carried the weight of a thousand jun as it slipped past the short-haired young man's guard in an instant and slammed into his lower right ribs.
The violent force burst forth. A crisp crack rang out as his ribs snapped, and the short-haired young man spat blood as he was hurled through the air.
Boom!
His body traced an arc across the sky before crashing heavily to the ground.
"What a useless fool!"
Liu Chu glanced at the short-haired young man, who was still trying to get back up, and shook his head. "Arrogance takes skill. Too bad... you don't have any!"
"You... blegh!"
Those cutting words struck home. The short-haired young man's already churning blood surged violently upward, and rage overwhelmed him. He spat out another mouthful of blood, his face white as paper!
"Apprentice!"
The middle-aged scholar hurried forward to examine his injuries.
After checking the short-haired young man, the middle-aged scholar found that he had only broken ribs and shaken internal organs, with no serious injuries. He let out a long breath of relief.
But when he looked at Liu Chu, his face suddenly darkened. He sprang to his feet and shouted, "You villain! How could you be so ruthless as to cripple my beloved apprentice?!"
Whoosh!
His figure blurred as he abruptly attacked Liu Chu!
He struck with a palm, his blood vitality surging as his tendons and bones roared. Terrifying power gathered in his hand, and the force of his palm compressed the air until it wailed.
"A Bone Refining Realm expert!"
Liu Chu hadn't expected a dignified Bone Refining expert to bully someone weaker. After his apprentice had lost the match, the man had suddenly launched a killing blow at him!
"Stop!"
Yang Wenhuai finally reacted. His eyes bulging with fury, he hurried toward them, trying to stop the middle-aged scholar's attack.
Unfortunately, he hadn't expected the middle-aged scholar to be so shameless—to use his Bone Refining Realm cultivation to attack someone of the younger generation!
Caught off guard, Yang Wenhuai reacted a moment too late. He couldn't get there in time.
Whoosh!
The Bone Refining expert's sudden attack sent a fierce gust howling through the air. His powerful palm strike pierced the air with a thunderous whistle and engulfed Liu Chu.
As the palm came down, power far beyond that of a Tendon Refining martial artist surged toward him!
Liu Chu didn't dare take it lightly. His Blood Vitality roared through his body and gathered in his arm. He clenched his fist and abruptly threw a punch to meet the attack.
His perfected Combat Technique unleashed terrifying force, shattering the air. The air churned like roaring dragons and tigers as his punch slammed into the middle-aged scholar's palm.
Boom—
A dull collision thundered out, and terrifying force swept in every direction.
Thud, thud, thud!
Liu Chu staggered back several steps.
"Die!"
The middle-aged scholar still wasn't finished. He struck again with his palm, its force surging like a raging sea as it pressed down on Liu Chu.
But now a figure stood in front of Liu Chu.
"Gu Hualong, you truly are a treacherous snake!"
Yang Wenhuai shouted as he stepped between them, using his Combat Technique to battle the middle-aged scholar, Gu Hualong.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two blurred figures clashed fiercely. In the blink of an eye, they exchanged several blows, their gusting force sweeping in every direction as dull impacts rang out one after another.
In an instant, they parted.
Gu Hualong's face was ashen, his expression shifting as his sinister eyes darted toward Liu Chu.
"Leave. I won't see you out."
Yang Wenhuai gave a cold snort, waved his sleeve, and ordered them away.
Gu Hualong's expression suddenly settled. Without a word, he grabbed the short-haired young man off the ground and turned to leave.
"Don't come back. You're not welcome here!"
Yang Wenhuai watched Gu Hualong's departing figure and added coldly.
Gu Hualong paused, but said nothing and continued on his way.
"Gu Hualong..."
Liu Chu watched Gu Hualong's retreating figure, his eyes glinting, though he kept his thoughts hidden.
"Hahaha! I can't believe Junior Brother Liu Chu defeated that arrogant fool and sent them slinking away!"
"Junior Brother Liu Chu has cultivated his Combat Technique to such a level? He defeated a Tendon Refining martial artist in one move!"
"Has Junior Brother Liu Chu already broken through to the Eighth Grade Tendon Refining Realm?"
"That arrogant fool didn't know his place. Seeing him beaten in one move and vomiting blood was so satisfying!"
Seeing Gu Hualong and his apprentice slink away, the martial arts school disciples let out a long-awaited breath of relief and cheered.
Many surrounded Liu Chu, eagerly asking him questions.
Liu Chu had defeated a Tendon Refining martial artist in one move, leaving them stunned and restoring the school's honor.
His formidable strength had shocked everyone. Some wanted to learn about his cultivation, while others hoped to build a connection with him.
"He's already grown this strong..."
In the crowd, Gu Heng and Xu Liyuan watched Liu Chu surrounded by people, their expressions complicated and their hearts a jumble.
Both of them had once been defeated by Liu Chu in three moves. They had even hoped to surpass him, but now they no longer had the slightest thought of catching up. They were thoroughly convinced!
"Junior Brother Liu Chu has broken through to Tendon Refining. He's even stronger now..."
Luo Qingyue bit her lip, her feelings complicated.
Although she had sparred with Liu Chu many times over the past few days and knew he was strong, his fearsome performance today was still beyond her expectations!
The short-haired young man, who had been defeated by her with one hand, was already a master among Tendon Refining martial artists. Yet he hadn't lasted a single move against Liu Chu!
Didn't that mean she wouldn't last a move against Liu Chu either?
"Alas, I used to be able to exchange a few moves with Junior Brother Liu Chu, but now I can't even take one. The gap between us keeps growing..."
A bitter sense of helplessness welled up in Luo Qingyue's heart.
Although she had once defeated someone of a higher realm, she was still young and had already reached the Eighth Grade Tendon Refining Realm. She could be considered talented.
But before a genius like Liu Chu, she seemed to fade into the shadows!
"Liu Chu, come with me to the study!"
Suddenly, Yang Wenhuai called Liu Chu, who was surrounded by the others, over to the study.
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