Zhi An curled his lip, tapping his sword sheath against the ground.
"Anyone itching for a beating, step forward. I went three days without food getting here, so make it quick."
The clearing fell deathly silent. Even the sound of breathing dropped to a hush. No one wanted to take him up on it.
Zhi An rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue.
"No one? Then I'll pick."
"You, and you!"
He pointed his sheath at random. The crowd erupted, and the two men he had singled out froze.
Tang Xiao and Yu Yuanzhen stared in disbelief, both pointing at themselves.
"Me?"
"Me?"
Zhi An tilted his head and gave the two Titled Douluo a mocking look.
"Obviously. You two were shouting the loudest. Who else would I pick?"
Yu Yuanzhen's face turned black as the bottom of a pot. His beard trembled with rage.
"Boy! Did your family never teach you to respect your elders?"
Zhi An scoffed. The Soul-Calming Sword sprang half an inch from its sheath with a clear ring.
"Respect my elders? When you were shouting about killing people, why didn't you think about protecting your juniors?"
Tang Xiao's face went purple. His fists creaked as he clenched them, rage shooting straight to the crown of his head.
"Arrogant brat! Let me see what a yellow-mouthed child like you can do!"
Zhi An tilted his head, looking down his nose at him. Impatience tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Enough talk. I've been hungry for three days. Beat me, and you can go in. Lose, and get the hell out."
"Outrageous!"
Both men finally snapped. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon possessed Yu Yuanzhen, and Dragon Transformation instantly covered his body in scales.
Blinding arcs of lightning crackled around the Clear Sky Hammer in Tang Xiao's