The Counterattack Begins

Body Refining Realm Fifth Level was enough to leave people stunned.

One had to know that every level represented a watershed.

Reaching Body Refining Realm Fourth Level was already the limit for a thirteen-year-old unless one possessed extraordinary talent. Crossing that threshold could be said to be as difficult as climbing to heaven. Even those large tribes had to rely on vast resources to push their geniuses into Body Refining Realm Fifth Level.

Without sufficient resources, it was simply impossible to have those geniuses enter Body Refining Realm Fifth Level.

Though Xu Hu possessed the martial cultivation of Body Refining Realm Fifth Level, in truth, while staying in the bandits' den, he had enjoyed exceptionally abundant resources.

As for a mid-sized tribe like the Yang family, its resources could hardly propel a genius to Body Refining Realm Fifth Level at such a young age.

Thus, even Body Refining Realm Fourth Level cultivators were treasures within the Yang family.

What they did not know was that Yang Chen had reached Body Refining Realm Fifth Level in such a short time entirely because of his control over resources.

What was control?

For the people of the Great Wilderness Hundred Clans, the same resources could only produce their ordinary effects in their hands.

But it was different in Yang Chen's hands.

Yang Chen could bring out tenfold, or even a hundredfold, their effects.

Therefore, no one could imagine that Yang Chen carried limitless possibilities within him.

Everyone was immersed in shock.

Unbelievable. Yang Chen had concealed his martial cultivation during the assessment just now. In a mid-sized tribe like the Yang family, he could rely on his talent to reach Body Refining Realm Fifth Level. If he were placed in a large tribe, wouldn't his martial cultivation be even more terrifying? Just how monstrous was this Yang Chen? I heard from the messenger that Yang Chen's reputation was not very good. Could it be that this boy had known how to hide himself since childhood? Third Master pondered inwardly from atop his horse.

The bandits' den was not as peaceful as a lineage, so anyone in the Bandit Gang who wanted to survive knew how to hide themselves, when to keep a low profile, and when to stand tall.

But that was the Bandit Gang, different from the outside world.

Yet Yang Chen had understood how to hide himself even within a tribe. If this boy truly grew up, his future would be boundless.

Yang Chen cannot be allowed to live. Layer upon layer of killing intent filled Third Master's tiger-like eyes as his mind churned with thoughts of how to kill Yang Chen.

Yang Jinhe was likewise stunned by Yang Chen's martial cultivation.

He could finally understand why Li Youyan valued Yang Chen so highly.

He was practically a hidden treasure of the Yang family.

At that thought, his resolve hardened further. If it had been earlier, he might still have regarded Yang Chen as dispensable. If Third Master had truly remained adamant, he might even have abandoned the boy for the sake of the Yang family.

But now, even at the risk of falling out with these bandits, he had to protect Yang Chen. At such a young age, he possessed such talent, and according to Second Master Yang, he was also highly accomplished in alchemy. This was absolutely a blessing for the Yang family.

At this moment, the battle continued.

Everyone watched the battle with rapt attention.

"A clash between Body Refining Realm Fifth Level cultivators really is spectacular!"

"I never imagined we would be able to witness such a fight here."

Many people had initially intended to flee at the sight of the bandits, but they had been forcibly drawn in by the clash between Xu Hu and Yang Chen.

Yang Caidie had never expected that Yang Chen's current cultivation was not as simple as what she had seen earlier. He had already reached Body Refining Realm Fifth Level.

She understood it more clearly than anyone else.

How long had her younger brother cultivated for?

People began cultivating when they were only three or four years old. What about her younger brother? He had only begun cultivating shortly before the Coming-of-Age Ceremony!

This cultivation speed...

Yang Chen, you must stay alive. I'm counting on marrying you. Yang Caidie's friends cried out inwardly.

Who would not want to marry a young man of exceptional talent?

Yang Chen possessed such strength at such a young age. Once he grew up, would he not be on the same level as the upper ranks of those large tribes? Marrying Yang Chen was practically the same as reserving a powerful expert from a large tribe in advance.

Yang Chen is definitely mine!

Mine!

Quite a few young women secretly made up their minds.

At this moment, the battle between Xu Hu and Yang Chen officially entered its crucial stage.

Fighting Xu Hu had indeed forced out Yang Chen's strongest current strength, even squeezing out his latent limits.

Yang Chen had to admit that Xu Hu was the strongest opponent he had encountered so far, someone Yang Heng and Yang Wu were simply not fit to compare with. In fighting him and enduring his barrage of chained attacks, Yang Chen had been caught off guard several times and nearly been struck.

"Yang Chen is still at a disadvantage against Xu Hu."

"I wonder whether Yang Chen can win."

"I doubt it. Xu Hu grew up in a bandits' den. Yang Chen is different. One was born with a golden key in his mouth, while the other crawled out from piles of corpses since childhood."

Many people did not think highly of Yang Chen.

But they had miscalculated one thing.

Whether in his previous life or this one, Yang Chen had never been born with a golden key in his mouth.

Yang Chen was still defending passively, but as the defense continued, his exchanges with Xu Hu increasingly left Xu Hu with no opening to exploit. Xu Hu had noticed this as well, and as the fight went on, his emotions became ever more apparent. Clearly, Xu Hu was growing anxious.

"Yang Chen, are you only capable of being a turtle hiding its head?" Xu Hu roared.

Yang Chen smiled faintly. "Defense is the best offense. Didn't you know that? Or should I teach you that lesson?"

"Yang Chen, you're courting death!" Xu Hu flew into a rage, having already developed the intent to kill Yang Chen.

Yet when he attacked, he found that Yang Chen's Ba Yun Fist gave him no chance to succeed at all.

When Yang Chen had first fought Xu Hu, even with the supreme martial skill Ba Yun Fist, it had been difficult for him to gain any advantage from Xu Hu. He lacked too much actual combat experience, but although that was true, Yang Chen had witnessed far too many battles in his previous life.

Those battles had taken root deep in his mind, giving Yang Chen an understanding of combat not much inferior to those with exceptionally rich practical experience.

What Yang Chen lacked was the opportunity for a true battle.

As long as that opportunity arrived, everything would naturally fall into place, like water flowing into a channel.

And now, Yang Chen felt as though his entire being had been elevated. His exchange with Xu Hu had allowed him to thoroughly digest all his previous understanding of battle. By this moment, he had completely assimilated it.

At this point, Yang Chen was exceptionally calm. "It seems it is time for my counterattack."