Luo Wei, who was following not far behind, swallowed hard and was secretly shocked.
"Jiang Junior Brother has indeed made significant progress. His speed is so fast that even as a bystander, I can barely keep up," he thought to himself.
"Facing him as an opponent, how many people could react in time?"
Watching as Jiang Heng swiftly dispatched three people, gathered the spoils, and returned, Luo Wei only came back to his senses, marveling, "Jiang Junior Brother, your strength..."
However, Jiang Heng raised his hand, halting Luo Wei from saying more, and looked to the other side with a somewhat amused expression.
"It seems like there's more prey coming our way," he said.
He finished speaking, and in a flash, his figure disappeared again, becoming like a streak of light as he darted towards a distant location.
Soon, he arrived at the source of the disturbance.
"Oh? It turns out to be several senior brothers!"
Appearing before Jiang Heng were three disciples of the Dalu Sect. The one in the lead was named Wu, and among the current core disciples of the Dalu Sect, they were of the highest seniority and, of course, top-tier in terms of strength.
Senior Brother Wu glanced at Jiang Heng and then at Luo Wei, asking in surprise, "We were passing by, and we heard some commotion. Have you already dealt with the enemies?"
Jiang Heng nodded, and Luo Wei had arrived by his side as well.
After a brief exchange of greetings, Senior Brother Luo suggested, "Do you want to join us?"
Jiang Heng was about to speak, but Luo Wei preempted him, saying, "Senior Brother Wu, Jiang Junior Brother's strength far surpasses ours. Maybe he should lead a separate team, and we can form another group."
He looked at Jiang Heng and explained, "Jiang Junior Brother, don't misunderstand. From past experience, when too many people form a team, the hunting efficiency per person tends to decrease. So, maintaining a balanced strength is the most important."
Senior Brother Wu now spoke in amazement, "There are indeed such unwritten rules, but Jiang Junior Brother's strength..."
The two disciples behind Senior Brother Wu also looked at Jiang Heng with doubtful eyes, finding it hard to believe that this youngest junior brother, as described by Luo Wei, seemed to be the strongest among them all.
Luo Wei gave a wry smile and was about to vouch for Jiang Heng, but Jiang Heng raised his hand to stop him.
"I think Senior Brother Luo has a point. If everyone stays with me, there won't be much opportunity to take action, resulting in a waste of strength. So, those who feel their strength isn't enough can follow me, and I'll protect you."
The three of them furrowed their brows upon hearing Jiang Heng's words, finding them somewhat arrogant.
But Jiang Heng, as if not noticing their expressions, continued, "Of course, you might not entirely trust my strength. In that case..."
With a slight smile on his lips, Jiang Heng's figure suddenly vanished from where he stood.
In the next moment, he reappeared in the middle of the three men. He still wore a gentle smile on his face as he spoke in a soft, eerie tone, "Can you believe me now?"
Jiang Heng had never been one to play coy. He preferred to demonstrate his power on the spot.
Sure enough, as his voice rang out among the three, they shivered and instinctively moved away from him.
"Jiang Junior Brother..."
Senior Brother Wu looked at Jiang Heng in disbelief.
While speed alone didn't necessarily reflect one's overall strength, being so fast that it exceeded others' reaction capabilities was a different matter altogether.
No matter what other aspects Jiang Heng had, just this terrifying speed alone could already place him among the top-tier experts.
And he was only 16 years old. Not long ago, he had advanced to the True Transmission stage with a pre-natal realm cultivation, defying all expectations.
Luo Wei took another step forward.
"In fact, Junior Brother Jiang not only possesses astonishing speed, but his explosive power and defense are equally terrifying. So, in terms of strength, he can be considered at the pinnacle of this martial arts competition," Luo Wei remarked, shifting his gaze towards the other two junior brothers and suggesting, "Junior Brothers Li and Lin, you recently ascended to the True Transmission stage, and your cultivation is relatively shallow. If you seek stability, you might consider following Junior Brother Jiang."
"As for Senior Brother Wu and me, we can form a separate team for hunting."
"What are your thoughts on this?"
Luo Wei also had his own aspirations, hoping to make a mark in this martial arts competition.
However, being with Jiang Heng meant having no opportunity to act at all, instead becoming a protected weakling.
On the other hand, only someone like Senior Brother Wu, who was stronger but not overwhelmingly so, was the best choice for teaming up.
That's why Luo Wei proposed to reorganize the teams.
As for Senior Brother Wu and the others,
Seeing Jiang Heng's performance, even if they found it hard to believe, they had to admit that Jiang Heng's strength was sufficient to lead a team alone.
After a brief exchange, they all agreed to this grouping.
After all, the martial arts competition was about the overall score of the sect, and Luo Wei's proposal was indeed the most reasonable solution.
After the teams were reorganized, Senior Brother Wu and Luo Wei left together.
Jiang Heng, on the other hand, led Junior Brothers Li and Lin, heading in a different direction.
...
The three of them leisurely walked along the mountain path.
"Junior Brother Jiang, is this really okay?" Li Chen, a sturdy short-haired youth who followed behind Jiang Heng, hesitated and said.
Lin Feibai, beside him, smiled bitterly, "Junior Brother Jiang, shouldn't we be a little more cautious?"
Both of them were powerful cultivators at the Spirit Sea Realm and were top-tier True Transmission disciples of a prestigious sect. Naturally, they weren't timid or faint-hearted individuals.
However, in this united martial arts competition, there were countless formidable individuals, and during the first one or two days, they had experienced setbacks.
If it weren't for encountering Senior Brother Wu, they probably wouldn't have survived for more than a few days.
Now, seeing Jiang Heng walking boldly in the middle of the road, they felt a bit too complacent and careless.
"Don't worry!"
"Senior Brothers! With my strength, there's no need to fear anyone."
Seeing Jiang Heng wave his hand nonchalantly, the two exchanged a glance and suddenly felt like they had boarded a thief's ship, regretting it.
"Never mind! Even if we encounter some experts, the three of us can take them on together, and we might be able to protect ourselves."
They sighed in their hearts.
...
In the Tianyuan Dynasty, a hundred miles to the east of the imperial city, Xianfu City, stands a towering and precipitous mountain peak surrounded by auspicious clouds.
On the steep cliff face, four large characters are inscribed: "Tianyuan Sacred Mountain."
Each stroke and character is over ten meters thick.
The strokes, however, are sharp and powerful, showcasing the calligraphic skill of the person who wrote them.
As a result, even people tens of miles away can clearly see these four characters, flowing gracefully on the hundred-mile high cliff.
This is the most sacred place of the Tianyuan Dynasty, the residence of the Tianyuan Sacred Land.
The shape of Tianyuan Sacred Mountain is quite peculiar. One side is a straight, thousand-foot-high cliff, while the other sides present picturesque scenery of mountains and rivers.
It's like a towering mountain that once rose into the sky, split in half by a giant's strike, leaving only one side.