Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Sneak Attack from Behind
"It seems no matter where I go, there’s always a group of idiots."
Ye Xuan’s gaze swept across the many senior students present as he spoke indifferently.
"What? Idiots?"
"Is he talking about us?"
"That country bumpkin, who does he think he is, talking like that?"
The senior students, who had been enjoying the show, all had their expressions change as they cursed furiously under their breath.
"Kid, are you coming up or not? Don’t tell me you took some forbidden Pill and now you’re too scared to show your strength." Cao He’s face was full of ridicule. "If that’s the case, then just obediently get the hell out of here. Our Profound Spirit Academy doesn’t accept lowly trash like you."
"Young Master Xuan, let me go up and deal with him." Ye Xuan didn’t move, but Chen Xing couldn’t hold back any longer. His body shot into the air, ready to charge forward.
"Let me." Ye Xuan grabbed Chen Xing. Chen Xing had only just broken through to First Layer Samurai. Although he was practicing a Cultivation Technique Ye Xuan had improved, his opponent was a genuine Second Layer Samurai. Chen Xing would be at a disadvantage if he went up.
"Well, I’m up here now. Are you done running your mouth?" Ye Xuan walked onto the training grounds and said with a smirk.
"You finally dared to come up. I hope your strength is as impressive as your mouth." Cao He gave a vicious smile and, without another word, his body suddenly moved.
WHOOSH!
Like a white crane spreading its wings, Cao He leaped into the air, instantly appearing before Ye Xuan. He raised his palm, shaping it like a beak, and jabbed at Ye Xuan like lightning. The Profound Qi at its tip spiraled, letting out a sharp whine.
"What a perfect ’White Crane Spreads its Wings’! Cao He has truly captured the essence of that move."
"Such dense Profound Qi and graceful movements. As expected of a senior student."
"Look at the Profound Qi on his palm, spiraling to concentrate all its power into a single point. The destructive force must be astonishing."
Both the senior students and the new freshmen gasped in amazement upon seeing the martial skill Cao He displayed.
"’White Crane Spreads its Wings’? With movements that ugly, ’Old Duck Climbs a Perch’ would be more like it."
Ye Xuan’s words made Cao He’s anger flare. "Kid, enough with the lip service! I’ll show you what real power is."
Cao He’s palm struck down abruptly, carrying a fierce and sharp gust of wind.
If this palm landed true, it would leave a bloody hole in Ye Xuan’s body.
The moment Cao He was about to hit him, Ye Xuan, who had been wearing a faint, cold smirk, finally moved. His hands were like lightning, suddenly blocking in front of his chest. His five fingers formed a claw and with a slight tremor, he immediately caught Cao He’s descending hands.
With a flick of his fingers, the spiraling energy formed by Cao He’s hands instantly crumbled and fell apart.
Just like that, Ye Xuan grabbed Cao He by the wrists and lifted him into mid-air.
"Hm?" Cao He’s gaze narrowed. ’This guy has immense strength! His hands are gripping my wrists so tightly I can’t even move.’
’But does he really think a little brute force is enough?’
"Break!"
Cao He suddenly roared. His legs, dangling in the air, kicked toward Ye Xuan’s chest like a spinning windmill.
CRACKLE! POP!
As his legs danced, terrifying Profound Qi formed vortices of energy. The air let out violent sonic booms. The air all around Cao He’s legs detonated, exploding out of nothing.
The terrifying kicks flew viciously toward Ye Xuan’s chest.
"What an exquisite leg technique! One move misses, and another begins. The transition is as smooth as flowing water, completely flawless."
"So powerful! That move, ’Golden Crane Stands on One Leg,’ has truly grasped the essence of the White Crane Divine Leg. The kicks are like a dream, like lightning, endlessly powerful."
"This kid has some skill, being able to block Cao He’s ’White Crane Spreads its Wings.’ But unfortunately for him, his luck has run out now."
Everyone’s gaze focused, and they exclaimed in shock, making no effort to hide their admiration for Cao He.
It had to be said, his set of moves was simply too perfect.
Yet, just as Cao He’s legs were about to strike Ye Xuan, Ye Xuan’s right leg—already lifted at some unknown moment—shot out like lightning.
This kick was as fast as a meteor, swift as a flash of lightning. In an instant, it pierced through the gale of force created by Cao He’s kicks, striking first despite being launched second, and slammed viciously into Cao He’s chest.
’Not good, retreat!’
Cao He’s pupils shrank, and he cried out in his mind. He could feel that if he continued his attack, he would definitely be the one to get hit first.
At this critical moment, retreating was his only option. But with his hands clamped firmly by Ye Xuan, how could he possibly retreat?
BANG!
A dull thud rang out. Cao He’s body, held in mid-air by Ye Xuan, shot out like a cannonball. He spat out a mouthful of blood as his body scraped along the ground for over ten meters before finally coming to a stop.
His robes were already torn to shreds, and there was a clear footprint on his chest. He was a complete mess.
In an instant, everyone was stunned, including Cao He, who had just been sent flying.
He, who had wanted to teach Ye Xuan a lesson, had been taught a lesson by Ye Xuan instead?
A dull pain throbbed in his chest, but what hurt even more was Cao He’s heart, his dignity. It had been utterly shattered by that single kick.
"You..."
He stared malevolently at Ye Xuan, his eyes filled with immense resentment.
"’You’ what? You kept calling me a lowly peasant, saying I wasn’t worthy of joining the Profound Spirit Academy. But now, you’re lying there, and I’m standing here. If I’m not worthy, then can you tell me, what does that make you?"
Ye Xuan said coldly. For someone like this, he felt no need for pity. Behind all that arrogant pride was nothing but a pathetic sense of inferiority.
Turning his head, Ye Xuan looked at the chief examiner and asked indifferently, "So, have I passed my assessment now?"
The chief examiner was taken aback. Just as he was about to speak, a low cry came from Chen Xing and the others in the distance, "Young Master Xuan, watch out!"
SWISH!
Behind Ye Xuan, Cao He suddenly lunged forward. His eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted with a vicious coldness, and he roared in fury, "You damn brat, I’m going to kill you!"
BUZZ!
Above his head, the spectral image of a soaring white crane suddenly appeared. The image rose up, transforming into a surge of immense power that lunged viciously toward Ye Xuan.
This was his martial soul, the White Crane Martial Soul.
To be so thoroughly suppressed by a freshman who hadn’t even officially enrolled yet, and in front of so many senior and new students, had caused Cao He’s dignity to instantly collapse. At this moment, his heart was filled with nothing but endless rage and hatred for Ye Xuan. A single thought spun madly in his mind: to strike Ye Xuan down right here and now.
"Hah. A sneak attack because you can’t win a fair fight. Is this the kind of trash the Profound Spirit Academy produces? How disgraceful."
Under everyone’s gaze, Ye Xuan’s expression remained unchanged. He spoke indifferently as he calmly turned, his right leg once again lashing out like lightning, with no fancy moves whatsoever.
"You’re courting death."
Cao He roared viciously. Ye Xuan was showing him such contempt, using the exact same move as before and not even bothering to release his martial soul.
’Does he really think I, Cao He, am that fragile? If he’s going to be that arrogant, then he can face the full force of my endless wrath!’
BOOM!
The Profound Qi of a Second Layer Spirit Martial Realm cultivator surged to its peak at this moment. Combined with his White Crane Martial Soul, it formed an unrivaled power that struck fiercely at Ye Xuan.
BANG!
The next moment, a scene that shocked everyone unfolded. Ye Xuan’s right leg, which seemed plain and unremarkable, appeared to contain some profound mystery as it instantly tore through the protective shield of Profound Qi in front of Cao He.
An aura of destruction instantly enveloped Cao He, chilling his heart to the core in an instant. It felt as if his very blood had frozen solid.
Without any suspense, Ye Xuan’s right leg landed on Cao He’s chest. A series of bone-cracking sounds rang out as Cao He sprayed a shower of blood, his body falling heavily to the ground like a kite with a broken string.
The White Crane Martial Soul above his head gave a sorrowful cry before quietly dissipating, vanishing without a trace.
Cao He let out a muffled grunt and spewed more blood, his face as white as a sheet, looking as if he would collapse at any moment.
Everyone’s gaze froze. They stared blankly at the scene before them, unable to believe their eyes.
Ye Xuan’s strength was actually this terrifying.
A senior student at the Second Layer of the Spirit Martial Realm couldn’t even withstand a single move from him.
Was this really how a new student was supposed to behave?
"Truly disappointing." Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ye Xuan shook his head lightly and looked at the chief examiner. "I’d like to ask, is this the entrance assessment for the Profound Spirit Academy?"
"Is this the quality of the Profound Spirit Academy’s senior students?"
"Trash that sneak attacks from behind, arrogant idiots!"
"I’m so disappointed."
Ye Xuan’s words struck everyone’s hearts like a drum, causing many of the senior students present to lower their heads in shame.
They wanted to argue, but the scene before them left no room for rebuttal.
Just moments ago, they had all been looking down on Ye Xuan with arrogant and disdainful gazes, lording their status as senior students over him.
Now, the freshman in their eyes had easily defeated Cao He, one of their own, leaving them all with grim faces, unable to say a word.
"Cao He." Another young man hurried to Cao He’s side and helped him up. After carefully examining him, his gaze instantly filled with a chilling coldness. "Sir, don’t you think you were a bit too ruthless?"
"Do I need to hold back against a coward who sneak attacks from behind?"
"You..."
"What? You’re not convinced?" Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes at him. "You were one of the ones calling me a ’lowly peasant’ just now, weren’t you? If you’re not convinced, feel free to come up here."
Hearing this, the young man’s face turned pale. He said no more and simply lowered his head.
His strength was on par with Cao He’s. Since Cao He had lost to Ye Xuan, it was clear he had no chance of winning either.
Just then, a cold, mocking voice rang out, reaching everyone’s ears. "You only beat Cao He. Beating a low-level student has made you this arrogant? Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’d already conquered the entire Profound Spirit Academy."
The crowd turned to see Yuan Shan with his arms crossed, a smirk on his face as he watched Ye Xuan. His eyes were filled with disdain and contempt.
"Alright, that’s enough. This is the assessment center for new students, not a place for you to pick fights."
The chief examiner of the assessment center suddenly spoke with impatience. He looked at Ye Xuan and said indifferently, "You’ve passed your assessment. But, young man, having a sharp edge is a good thing, but if it’s too sharp, you’re bound to cause great trouble. I suggest you tone it down a bit."
