Because... I'm Strong Enough!

Shen Zhou's sudden outburst and forceful attitude drew the attention of many present.

Xu Liansheng, who had learned a harsh lesson before, instinctively stepped back, and as he recalled Shen Zhou's former 'tyrannical' ways, his cheek began to ache involuntarily.

In the crowd, Chu Tianqi stared intently at the Taixuan Sword in Shen Zhou's hand, saying with interest, "Earlier at the arena, I felt the Qin Family Divine Weapon could boost the wielder's strength, but unfortunately he didn't draw his sword that day. Today, I finally have a chance to see the true power of a Divine King's Weapon!"

The surrounding crowd had already retreated a wide circle, leaving the open space in front of the martial arts school as a battlefield, and then countless gazes focused on Yang Ming and Xu Tianqiao.

Yang Ming squinted his eyes. He sensed an ominous aura from Shen Zhou, so he didn't step forward immediately. Instead, he thought for a moment and looked at Xu Tianqiao, saying, "Brother Xu, it was this brat who caused the misunderstanding between our two families and stirred up all this trouble. Now that the culprit has shown himself, I'll leave the chance to kill this villain to your Xu family. What do you think?"

Xu Tianqiao was merely a hall master under the Xu family. To stand out and climb the ranks, he had stepped in for the direct-line Xu Liansheng.

Now that the opportunity was right before him, Xu Tianqiao's eyes sharpened, and he agreed, saying, "Fine, I'll take this favor. I'll set up a banquet to apologize to Hall Master Yang another day. Now then, boy, let's see what you're really made of!"

As his words fell, Xu Tianqiao stomped his foot on the ground. A thick surge of blood and qi erupted, tearing his shirt apart, revealing his robust body and solid muscles.

At that moment, Xu Tianqiao was like a humanoid beast.

Violent.

Dangerous.

A murderous aura pressed down!

Then Xu Tianqiao turned into a blur, charging at Shen Zhou in a deadly rush. "Boy, die!"

His fist came down like a mountain!

His force was like thunder!

With this punch, he was confident that even Yang Ming, at the same cultivation level, couldn't withstand it!

But this time, he was facing Shen Zhou.

Shen Zhou with a sword in hand!

The moment the sword was in his grasp, the trait was activated.

Xu Tianqiao's fist came crashing down, but it didn't hit Shen Zhou—it struck the blade of the Taixuan Sword instead. The former's yuan force was dense and his qi fierce, yet the Taixuan Sword blocking his path didn't even tremble.

"How is this possible!"

For an instant, Xu Tianqiao was dazed, as if the one standing across from him wasn't Shen Zhou, but a great mountain.

Shen Zhou stared at him expressionlessly and said coldly, "So much useless chatter. It's just a matter of two or three sword strikes, and you make it sound so dramatic. Fine, since you want to see my skill, then watch closely!"

As his words fell, Shen Zhou's sword vibrated, and a powerful force erupted, sending Xu Tianqiao staggering backward.

Before the latter could steady himself, Shen Zhou's eyes sharpened, and he raised his sword for a strike.

A crescent-shaped Sword Qi, like a ribbon of light, slashed toward Xu Tianqiao in a solid form.

Feeling the sharpness and danger of the Sword Qi, Xu Tianqiao's pupils contracted. Without time to think, he quickly condensed yuan force and raised a protective barrier before him.

The barrier had just formed when the Sword Qi arrived.

The moment the yuan force shield met the Sword Qi, it held for only an instant before shattering like a bubble.

Utterly fragile!

Stagger, stagger, stagger...

Xu Tianqiao couldn't withstand the impact of the Sword Qi, stumbling backward. His blood and qi churned, his face turned pale, and he exclaimed in shock, "That brat didn't even show any blood and qi before attacking, but how is he so powerful once he moves? Could the old rumor be true—that the Qin family's ancestral divine weapon can instantly boost the wielder's strength?"

Back then, at the Qin family arena, when someone drew the sword and another tried to snatch it, the story had spread widely.

But that incident was quickly suppressed by the Qin family, so few knew the details, and it couldn't be verified.

Yet now, this situation made Xu Tianqiao recall that rumor again, and he was starting to believe it.

While Xu Tianqiao was still stunned, Shen Zhou raised his hand again and struck out with another sword strike.

This time, the trait's power was even stronger, and the Sword Qi was more violent and fierce!

"Try blocking this if you can!" Shen Zhou shouted sharply.

This time, Xu Tianqiao didn't even have time to defend.

"Ah!"

The Sword Qi tore through the air, and a scream echoed down the street.

The Sword Qi nearly split the entire street's ground in two, a shocking sight.

And along with it, it severed an arm!

Looking closely, it was Xu Tianqiao's right arm.

"Pfft..."

When the Sword Qi dissipated, Xu Tianqiao suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and then collapsed unconscious.

Dead silence fell over the surroundings.

From start to finish, Shen Zhou had only struck twice.

Two sword strikes crippled a Transformation Yuan Fifth Realm expert—this was absolutely terrifying!

For a moment, everyone looked at Shen Zhou as if he were a monster.

Even Tan Tong and Dongfang Hongyu gaped, as if seeing him for the first time.

Pei Dahai stammered, his words barely coherent, "Th-this... is our little junior brother?"

At the back of the crowd, only Qin Mingyue's eyes blazed with startling light. She stared fixedly at the Taixuan Sword in Shen Zhou's hand, her expression fervent and wild, but she quickly lowered her head, hiding her gaze and thoughts completely.

"Th-this... this..."

Watching Xu Tianqiao, arm severed and unconscious, Xu Liansheng couldn't even form a complete sentence.

He had sought out Xu Tianqiao to back him up, to vent his anger, but the result... the man couldn't even withstand two sword strikes?

Then, Xu Liansheng turned furiously to Shen Zhou and said, "Shen Zhou, you've repeatedly provoked my Xu family, and now you've crippled our martial hall's master. My family will never let this go with you!"

Shen Zhou's gaze turned cold. He stepped forward, the tip of his sword slanting toward the former, and said, "Have you forgotten what happened last time you threatened me? Or do you want to end up like him, armless on the ground?"

Xu Liansheng stumbled back in fear, his bluster hollow. "Y-you... you wouldn't dare! I'm a direct descendant of the Xu family. We have the Heavenly Venerate Ancestor. If you touch me, even the Qin family can't protect you!"

"Heh... Heavenly Venerate? Is 'Heavenly Venerate' such a big deal?"

Shen Zhou's words made countless people's eyelids twitch.

Was this guy insane? He wasn't even afraid of a 'Celestial Firmament' expert.

Or could the Qin family's ancestral divine weapon let him unleash 'Celestial Firmament Realm' power too?

"If one 'Celestial Firmament' isn't enough, what about two 'Celestial Firmament' realm experts?"

Seeing Shen Zhou's overwhelming momentum, trampling family honor underfoot, Yang Ming finally found his chance to step forward, leveraging the families' prestige. "Shen Zhou, don't think you can run wild just because you rely on the Qin family's ancestral divine weapon. The power of a 'Celestial Firmament' realm expert is beyond your imagination, and the prestige of these families is not yours to challenge. If you know what's good for you, you'd better..."

Before Yang Ming could finish, Shen Zhou's figure flickered, and he kicked the former flying.

Yang Ming didn't even have time to react before he slammed into the wall of a roadside martial hall. The wall burst open in a large hole, dust flying, and no one crawled out for a long time.

Shen Zhou stood still, coldly glancing at the hole. "I hadn't even come for you yet, and you dare use 'Celestial Firmament' and 'family' names to pressure me? Truly clueless about life and death!"

"..."

The crowd's breath caught.

Good grief.

This Shen guy was too reckless.

He'd just thoroughly offended the Xu family, and now the Yang family too—was he really not afraid at all?

After today, the Qin family probably couldn't even hold onto second-rate family status.

By this point, the onlookers thought it was over.

But unexpectedly, just as Xu Liansheng, daring not to say another word, was about to carry Xu Tianqiao away and slip off, Shen Zhou suddenly called him back.

"Hold it..."

Xu Liansheng thought Shen Zhou was really going to kill him. He jolted in terror, nearly falling to his knees, and turned back in panic. "D-don't come near me! I swear, I'll never trouble you again. Let me go..."

Seeing Xu Liansheng beg for mercy, Shen Zhou suddenly remembered something and smiled. "Letting you go is simple, but you need to trade something for your life and his. Understand?"

At this sight, Xu Liansheng recalled the last time he was robbed. Realization dawned, and he quickly pulled out everything he had.

About thirty or forty gold leaves, and the rest were some bottles and jars of pills.

Shen Zhou rummaged through them, found no secret manuals or techniques, and looked disappointed. "That's it? What about the second half of the 'Wild Desart Art'?"

Seeing Shen Zhou's face darken, Xu Liansheng panicked and hurriedly said, "The 'Wild Desart Art' is our Xu family's clan-guarding technique. I only have permission to cultivate the first half... but I can get the second half's oral formula. You just need to give me time."

Shen Zhou paused, then said, "Fine. Next time we meet, you'll give it to me. If you don't, I'll come get it myself. And when that happens, don't blame me for not giving you a chance!"

With that, Shen Zhou waved his hand and actually let Xu Liansheng go.

The latter could hardly believe it.

Wasn't he afraid I'd trick him?

Shen Zhou then turned to the Yang family, who were also in a panic.

When he asked Yang Ming, barely clinging to life, what clan-guarding technique he could offer in exchange for his life, Yang Ming shook his head in frustration, saying he was only a branch member of the Yang family and unqualified to learn such a technique. Without mercy, Shen Zhou struck, destroying Yang Ming's Qi Sea and Dantian, rendering him completely crippled.

With that, it was finally over.

The Xu and Yang families had come in a fury, but left with heavy casualties, leaving the onlookers sighing in regret.

After this battle, Shen Zhou's name, along with the title 'Qin Family Sword Drawer,' would spread through Flying Bird City at lightning speed.

From now on, he would no longer be a nobody.

On Martial Hall Street, after everyone had dispersed, Pei Dahai and Tan Tong immediately gathered around.

Pei Dahai's face was grim. "Junior Brother Shen Zhou, even though today wasn't your fault, you handled it a bit rashly."

Shen Zhou chuckled lightly. "Senior Brother Dahai, I gave them a chance to reason things out. They didn't want it, so you can't blame me. When I stop being reasonable, sorry—even the emperor comes under my blade!"

Pei Dahai was stunned. "Aren't you afraid the Xu and Yang families will retaliate?"

"Not afraid."

"Why?"

"Because... I'm strong enough!"