Another Single Punch

"What did you say?!"

As expected, Xiao Qian's casual remark sent the blood rushing straight to Nalan Yanran's head. Her face instantly flushed crimson, and flames of fury filled her eyes.

"You bastard! Who do you think you are, speaking to Junior Sister Yanran like that?!" The young man, who had been unable to find an opportunity to show off, finally seized his chance. He strode forward and unleashed a barrage of angry rebukes at Xiao Qian. "A petty little clan, gazing at the sky from the bottom of a well! Do you really think you can scare anyone by making up some nonsense about dozens of stages of Dou Qi? Utterly laughable!"

His words landed like a shell fired indiscriminately into a crowd, leaving the faces of everyone in the Xiao Clan exceedingly grim.

At this, Xiao Xun'er's lovely face turned cold. A chill flashed through her eyes, and she looked ready to teach him a lesson.

But Xiao Qian gently took her small hand, applying a little pressure to hold her back and signal that she should not act rashly.

Then he slowly rose and faced the young man and Nalan Yanran, wearing a smile of utter contempt. "The two of you are nothing but a joke in my eyes."

"You!" The young man flew into a rage, trembling all over. Ignoring Ge Ye's meaningful looks from the side, he stepped forward and shouted, "Do you dare fight me?!"

Xiao Qian looked him up and down with undisguised disdain, then shook his head slightly. "A five-star Dou Zhe. With that paltry strength, you aren't qualified to challenge me."

The young man was so incensed that he almost found it funny. "Ha, hahaha! Here I am getting angry with an idiot. What a waste of my time!"

Nalan Yanran watched Xiao Qian strangely from the side, privately wondering where he found the confidence to make such outrageous claims.

Although she had secretly been instructed to observe Xiao Qian carefully and invite him to join the Misty Cloud Sect, she did not actually think much of him.

Just as the young man had said, cultivating dozens of stages of Dou Qi was nothing but an absurd joke in the eyes of people outside Wutan City.

"Uncle Xiao, if we simply let them leave after what happened today, the Xiao Clan's dignity will have been trampled into the mud. May I handle things from here?" Xiao Qian raised his head and called out in a clear, ringing voice.

Xiao Zhan had already turned around. He regarded Xiao Qian with a peculiar look, then exchanged glances with the three elders and nodded slightly. "Do as you see fit."

In the hall, blazing anticipation immediately lit up the younger generation's eyes.

Although the greatest humiliation of Xiao Yan's broken engagement had fallen mainly upon Xiao Yan and his father and had no direct connection to them, this was still a matter concerning the Xiao Clan. Their clan's dignity had been severely damaged, and they, too, felt disgraced.

But if Xiao Qian was going to act, they could barely hold back three great bursts of laughter.

In their eyes, what did a mere Dou Zhe amount to?

Only a Dou Shi could barely last a few exchanges against a monster like Xiao Qian!

"Both of you, come here and take a punch from me."

Xiao Qian strode steadily out of the hall. His steps were firm and powerful, each one seeming to tread upon everyone's heartstrings.

He stopped in the square before the hall, standing straight as a pine as an invisible aura spread from him.

"Arrogant! Ridiculous!"

The young man eagerly walked over and stopped ten feet in front of him, then turned to Nalan Yanran and Ge Ye. "Martial Uncle Ge, Junior Sister Yanran, this brat doesn't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth runs. Let me teach him a lesson on Junior Sister's behalf, and show the people of this backwater how powerful our Misty Cloud Sect is!"

Ge Ye first stole a glance at Xiao Xun'er. Seeing her calm expression and apparent lack of intention to intervene, he finally nodded slightly.

Naturally, Nalan Yanran would not participate in a two-against-one fight. She merely stood aside and watched the scene with a cold expression.

"Brat, sticking your neck out often ends with you dropping a rock on your own foot. Today, I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget."

The young man smiled coldly as wind-attribute Dou Qi surged from his entire body. He had no intention of warming up; his very first attack carried his full strength. Clearly, he meant to defeat Xiao Qian swiftly with the crushing force of a thunderbolt and show him the might of a Misty Cloud Sect disciple.

"One punch, is it? Then take one from me, too!" the young man roared, launching his fist. Fierce wind blades whirled around it, rapidly gathering into the shape of a Wind Vortex that howled toward Xiao Qian. Its formidable force seemed ready to swallow him whole.

"That power must be at least a Mystic Rank Dou Technique. As expected of a disciple from the Misty Cloud Sect..." The Great Elder could not help sighing softly at the sight, a trace of worry flashing through his eyes.

Xiao Zhan nodded slightly, his expression grave. "None of the clan's youngsters is a match for him."

Instinctively, he had not counted Xiao Qian among the clan's ordinary disciples. After all, Xiao Qian's performance had always set him apart.

"Who knows whether offending the Misty Cloud Sect this time will bring fortune or disaster..." the Great Elder sighed quietly, his brows tightly knitted.

Xiao Zhan shook his head. "It hardly counts as offending them. This is merely a spar between youngsters. Xiao Qian is only trying to win back a little dignity for us."

"A Mystic Rank Dou Technique?"

Yet Xiao Qian remained unhurried and calm, as though the biting wind rushing toward his face placed no pressure on him whatsoever.

He drew his foot back slightly, then stamped hard against the ground. Dou Qi from the eight dantians within his body poured out like a surging tide and gathered in his fist. Immediately afterward, he hurled a punch with a roar, its wind shaking the heavens.

"What?!" Ge Ye was the first to notice something amiss. He cried out involuntarily, "That's impossible!"

Nalan Yanran's perception was slightly less keen. Puzzled, she asked, "Martial Uncle Ge Ye, what's wrong?"

Bang!

At that very moment, their fists collided violently with a tremendous crash, like an exploding thunderclap.

"He hasn't reached the Dou Zhe realm, but the intensity of his Dou Qi rivals a Six-Star Dou Zhe!" Before Ge Ye had finished speaking, and before Nalan Yanran could react in shock, everyone saw the young Misty Cloud Sect disciple's face abruptly turn scarlet, like a thoroughly cooked shrimp.

He held out for only an instant before flying backward like a cannonball, blood spraying wildly from his mouth.

"You... you... impossible!" Ge Ye caught him in time, but blood had already stained his chest red. He raised a trembling hand and pointed at Xiao Qian with utter disbelief, his gaze resembling that of someone who had seen a terrifying Ancient Ferocious Beast.

"So much for a Misty Cloud Sect disciple." Xiao Qian withdrew his fist and casually shook his hand, looking perfectly relaxed. His voice dripped with disdain. "That didn't even count as a warm-up. Trash."

"Pfft." The young man could endure no more. He spat out another mouthful of blood and lost consciousness completely.

For a moment, the scene fell so silent that not even a crow could be heard. Everyone was struck speechless by the sudden outcome.

Only Ge Ye and Nalan Yanran wore exceedingly ugly expressions.

Within the Jia Ma Empire, when had a Misty Cloud Sect disciple ever suffered such a crushing defeat? This was an outrageous humiliation.

"I thought you dared act so recklessly because the Misty Cloud Sect really was powerful enough to cover the sky with one hand. But this is all you've got?" Xiao Qian turned his gaze toward them, his mockery growing sharper.

Xiao Zhan's face twitched slightly. Although he was secretly delighted, he knew he could not let Xiao Qian keep talking, or the Misty Cloud Sect might truly lash out in humiliation.

He hastily smoothed things over. "It was merely a fortunate victory in one bout. Deacon Ge Ye, please don't take it to heart."

"Rest assured, Xiao Clan Chief. One disciple does not represent our Misty Cloud Sect. Among the new generation of disciples, he is only average." Ge Ye took the offered way out, trying to recover a little dignity.

Ordinarily, both sides should have exchanged a few modest remarks, shown each other some courtesy, and let the matter end there.

But Xiao Qian was not satisfied.

"Only average? Then your sect master's disciple must be the best, surely?" He extended a hand toward Nalan Yanran and beckoned with his fingers, his tone provocative. "Come fight."

At his words, Nalan Yanran's slender hand tightened slightly. Not a trace of underestimation remained in her gaze as she looked at Xiao Qian.

She drew a deep breath and said slowly, "It seems the rumors that you've cultivated dozens of stages of Dou Qi are true..."

As she spoke, she slowly stepped forward and tightened the belt at her waist. The movement further accentuated her slender, willow-like waist and graceful figure.

"I admit that the intensity of your Dou Qi exceeds mine, but Dou Qi isn't the only factor that determines victory in a fight."

Nalan Yanran lightly brushed her Storage Ring, and the Emerald Long Sword instantly appeared in her hand. A faint, cold gleam radiated from its blade, as though declaring its extraordinary nature.

"I, Nalan Yanran, came here today to break off the engagement. Whatever happens to me in the future will be of my own making. But my teacher's good name and my sect's reputation are not things anyone may insult!"

At that moment, the girl in the square was like a proud plum blossom blooming in a bitter wind. Her peerless bearing left many of those present dazzled.

"No wonder Sect Master Yun Yun chose her..."

Ge Ye murmured softly and sighed inwardly. Now, he only hoped Nalan Yanran would not lose the coming fight as well. Otherwise, the Misty Cloud Sect would truly have nowhere left to hide its face.

They had come to break off the engagement with such absolute conviction, scorning her betrothed as trash, only to be defeated themselves by a young man from the Xiao Clan. If word of this spread, their reputation would be utterly ruined. They might even become the laughingstock of the Jia Ma Empire, just like Xiao Yan.