Who Agrees, Who Opposes

"Ah!"

A scream burst from Feng Xiaoman's mouth. She clutched her face and rolled on the ground, blood streaming from between her fingers, a clear shoeprint visible on her twisted features.

It hurt just looking at it!

The surroundings fell deathly silent. The crowd that had been clamoring moments ago stared blankly at Feng Xiaoman, who had hit the ground in the blink of an eye.

What had happened?

Lin Changkong looked at Feng Xiaoman and sneered. "As expected of someone with connections. You actually managed to catch my kick with your face. Impressive."

Feng Xiaoman trembled with rage, her eyes reddening.

"You—you have no shame! You launched a sneak attack!"

Zhang Dali also said, "You're utterly shameless! Using such underhanded tricks and sneak attacks against a girl—do you have no shame at all?"

"Exactly! What kind of skill is a sneak attack? If you've got guts, fight head-on!"

"You petty rat, you only know how to pull these sneaky, thieving little tricks. I look down on you."

"Shameless to the extreme! You've thrown your face away entirely!"

The others finally came to their senses and immediately joined in the scolding.

Lin Changkong remained perfectly calm. The corner of his mouth curled back as he said, "A sneak attack? I asked her just now whether she needed to prepare. She said that cultivators had to face all manner of sudden situations, so why would preparation be necessary.

Since that was the case, how was it a sneak attack?

She said with her own mouth that she didn't need to prepare, and now she's claiming I ambushed her. And you're all backing her up? What, she has no shame, so you've all decided to have no shame too?"

Zhang Dali and those who had chimed in wore ugly expressions, unable to think of a rebuttal for the moment.

After several seconds of silence, Zhang Dali snorted coldly. "No matter what, winning that way was dishonorable. I look down on you. If you have the guts, fight me openly and fairly. Do you dare?"

Lin Changkong chuckled. "Do you need to prepare?"

Zhang Dali immediately took two steps back, afraid Lin Changkong might suddenly attack. Yet he put on a fearless expression and said, "I'm ready already. Take this!"

He assumed a stance, spiritual energy bursting from his body, far stronger than Feng Xiaoman's had been moments ago.

"Qi Gathering Second Level!"

Someone cried out in alarm, immediately recognizing that Zhang Dali was indeed stronger than Feng Xiaoman—and not just by a little, but by an entire minor level.

Among the new disciples who had entered the Qi Gathering Realm, the vast majority were at the Qi Gathering First Level. Those at the Qi Gathering Second Level were undoubtedly elites, while those at the Qi Gathering Third Level could be counted on one hand.

Thus, when Zhang Dali revealed this move, it naturally drew countless gasps and envious looks.

Zhang Dali discreetly glanced toward Luo Qingyi. The only reason he had insisted on stepping forward was to take this chance to display his strength and show Luo Qingyi that he possessed talent.

This way, perhaps he would have a better chance of winning Luo Qingyi's favor in the future. Perhaps he might even become an inner disciple personally taught by an elder.

And Luo Qingyi did indeed give him another look. Especially since Zhang Dali had acted to curry favor with her, it naturally pleased her.

Thus, Luo Qingyi said, "Not bad. At such a young age, you have already entered the Qi Gathering Second Level. Your talent is excellent, and your future is promising. Unlike certain people, whose talent is lacking and who only know how to use despicable tricks. They are destined never to achieve such heights in this lifetime."

Zhang Dali was overjoyed. "Elder Luo flatters me. I merely could not stand his arrogant and overbearing behavior, so I sought justice for Miss Feng. This is only what I should do."

After saying that, he looked at Lin Changkong again, his gaze vicious.

"Today, I'll teach you a lesson, so you'll know how to conduct yourself in the future."

"Mountain Splitting Fist!"

Zhang Dali shouted coldly and charged straight at Lin Changkong. His fist shot out, spiritual energy gathering around it as the compressed air exploded.

The instant he attacked, Lin Changkong moved as well—but he was faster, and his power was fiercer!

He threw the same punch straight toward Zhang Dali's fist.

Bang!

The two fists collided. The smile on Zhang Dali's face instantly froze as he felt an enormous force descend from nowhere, suppressing his spiritual energy in an instant.

At the same time, searing pain shot through his fist. His body staggered, and he stumbled backward.

Lin Changkong pressed in, kicking toward his crotch.

Though Zhang Dali was at the Qi Gathering Second Level, he had been piled up with all kinds of resources since childhood. He had practically no real combat experience, and he usually carried himself like some young master, always being fawned over.

How could he ever have seen such vicious moves as kicking the crotch and gouging the eyes?

Before he could even react, Lin Changkong's instep had already landed on his groin.

"Ah!"

A scream rang out. Zhang Dali's legs clamped together, his body bent over as he shook violently.

Lin Changkong took advantage of the momentum to grab his head and force it down. At the same time, he pushed off the ground and drove his knee up, smashing it straight into Zhang Dali's face.

Another muffled impact rang out. Zhang Dali's nose twisted crooked, and blood sprayed madly from it.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!—

Lin Changkong did not pause in the slightest. With his knee aimed at Zhang Dali's face, he struck seven or eight times in succession. Zhang Dali could no longer remain standing and crumpled down like a puddle of mud.

By then, his entire face had been smashed bloody, in an even more miserable state than Feng Xiaoman's.

From beginning to end, the battle had taken less than five breaths!

Lin Changkong's attacks were fast and ruthless. There was not a single unnecessary word, nor a single unnecessary movement.

It all flowed in one breath, flawless to the extreme!

In an instant, the entire square fell silent.

Everyone stared at Zhang Dali, who had been swaggering arrogantly just moments ago, earning their envy and even Luo Qingyi's praise, only to be beaten half to death by Lin Changkong in the blink of an eye and left lying on the ground, barely conscious.

Their minds went numb.

That was it?

Wasn't that too fast?

That was the fucking Qi Gathering Second Level!

No one knew how many people felt their mouths go dry, swallowing instinctively.

After looking at the fallen Zhang Dali, then at Lin Changkong, who wore a bright smile on his face, quite a few people took several steps back.

This guy was far too savage.

Luo Qingyi's expression had also turned extremely ugly, and the way she looked at Lin Changkong was filled with shock.

She knew that Gong Lian and Gong Cheng had had their legs broken by Lin Changkong yesterday. But because Gong Cheng and Gong Lian had only been at the Body Refining Ninth Level, and Liu Qing had been beaten so badly by Lin Changkong that her face was unrecognizable—

She had subconsciously assumed that Lin Changkong had not entered the Qi Gathering Realm at all. Feng Xiaoman's loss had been entirely because she had been too careless, while Lin Changkong's attack had come too suddenly.

But Zhang Dali had been prepared, and he had even attacked first.

Yet he had been beaten into this state in the blink of an eye. Moreover, Lin Changkong had not used any spiritual energy at all. Without spiritual energy, how could he possibly have beaten a Qi Gathering Second Level Zhang Dali so savagely?

Amid countless horrified gazes, Lin Changkong looked at Zhang Dali, who was lying on the ground gasping for breath, and said, "Weren't you going to teach me how to conduct myself? But looking at you now, you seem more like a dog."

Zhang Dali sucked in breaths from the pain. As his mind cleared slightly, he touched his face, and rage surged through him like the Three Corpse Gods leaping in fury.

He had been taken down in an instant too!

"You, you..."

"What? Are you going to say I launched a sneak attack again?" Lin Changkong sneered.

Zhang Dali's face twitched, but he had no idea how to refute him. Feng Xiaoman could claim she had not been prepared, but he had been prepared and had attacked first.

What sneak attack was there to talk about?

Lin Changkong shook his head. His gaze swept one by one across everyone who had stood up to oppose him, and he smiled. "Now then, I say all of you are trash. Who agrees, who opposes?"