The Super Master Song! . . .
Song Jue had been veiling his true power for an extended duration, not due to reluctance but due to his incapacity. It had taken the intervention of a secretive, formidable figure to restore his strength fully. In the face of the forthcoming battle, his heart churned with emotions that only fellow cultivators of his caliber could comprehend.
An opportunity to showcase his true prowess had materialized, a prospect he had long yearned for. His initial remarks were but a prelude, intentionally delivered with an air of nonchalance to heighten the dramatic effect. It was his chance to exhibit the prowess of a peerless master.
Unbeknownst to those ignorant of martial arts, his performance was undeniably impressive, projecting the image of an immensely potent cultivator. Cha Eun Xiao, however, was not easily swayed. He found the display rather pretentious and slightly irritating. Cha Eun Xiao believed himself to be the preeminent figure present, but Song Jue's theatrics diminished that perception.
To add a further layer of ostentation to the grand spectacle, Song Jue declared, "Pacing the Void!" The leader among the black-clad assailants was reduced to stunned silence. He, unlike many, comprehended the gravity of this particular martial skill. Pacing the Void was a technique so advanced that even most Sky Origin Stage cultivators would struggle to master it.
What perturbed him most was the knowledge that the individual now traversing the skies was none other than the steward of the House of Cha, Song Jue. His realization was shared by the other attackers, casting a shadow of fear across their hearts.
This unforeseen revelation shattered their confidence. Attempting to abduct a resident of such a well-protected household, safeguarded by formidable masters like Cha Eun Xiao, proved folly. The futility of their mission was inescapable.
Despite their bafflement, one of the assailants queried hesitantly, "You... You are the steward... Steward Song?" An undertone of hope laced his voice, praying for a negation.
Hopeful conjectures, however improbable, clung to their minds. Perhaps this was an uncanny resemblance, a perfect doppelganger from another realm, albeit identical to Song Jue. They clung to the thin thread of possibility.
Song Jue responded assertively, his gaze unwavering. "Who else would I be?" The enigmatic nature of the encounter left no room for doubt.
In quiet despair, the seven assailants glanced at one another, their countenances reflecting the depths of their apprehension. The three wounded men, now feeling weaker than ever, confronted their plight.
The remaining four, unscathed but bearing complex emotions, exchanged glances. They harbored the disquieting realization that they had initiated this ill-fated endeavor.
One of them voiced the most audacious inquiry. "How daring are we to trespass upon this house?" Song Jue, his stance exuding the air of an unassailable master, looked down upon them with condescension.
He affected an air of nonchalance, his tone one of reproach. "Indeed, your temerity knows no bounds. It has been years since I last unleashed my full might. Yet, you audacious rodents trespassed upon my domain, seeking to abduct one of us. The absurdity of this world bewilders me. Rats invading my house, trying to abduct one of my kin. Truly, the world has taken an unfathomable turn."
Before them stood Song Jue, a staggeringly powerful cultivator, bearing the moniker "Steward Song." His presence alone sent shivers down their spines, heightened by the unknown strength of Cha Eun Xiao, whose formidable potential lay concealed, waiting to be unleashed. They sensed that their chances of survival were now vanishingly slim.
The leader of the assailants, aware of the dire situation, surrendered to the inevitable. His despondent tone conveyed their complete vulnerability, as he said, "Fine. We are in a predicament. Do as you wish with us. Kill us or whatever."
As he spoke, his nimble fingers produced an array of peculiar sounds. However, the four remaining men reacted before he could complete his sentence, bolting in separate directions. They shared a common, desperate objective—inform Second Prince of the dire circumstances they had encountered. Only one of them needed to return, leaving room for potential negotiations, since there was no concrete evidence linking them to the Second Prince's orders.
However, the stark disparity between intentions and reality became swiftly apparent. Cha Eun Xiao, with a disdainful snort, raised his right hand, releasing two ice-cold beams of light akin to lightning. The two men who had launched into the air suddenly found their bodies growing lethargic, losing control, and plummeted to the ground with a resounding crash. Struck in their dantians by these flying needles, they could no longer harness their energy to stand or flee. These needles, though ordinary, carried a chilling qi that caused both men to turn pallid, gazing at Cha Eun Xiao with a mixture of awe and horror.
They were witnessing a profound transformation in the once-foppish, apparently unremarkable young lord. As their eyes traveled from Song Jue to Cha Eun Xiao, it seemed they were viewing a deity of battle, a being invulnerable and omnipotent. Cha Eun Xiao's demeanor exuded an air of invincibility.
Cha Eun Xiao approached one of the incapacitated men, his foot descending onto the man's chest, and addressed him with a cold dispassion, "Did you truly believe you could enter and exit as you pleased?" A forceful push of his foot elicited a scream, as the man coughed up blood.
Meanwhile, Song Jue displayed a lack of hesitation, responding with devastating power to the other two fugitives. His hand, summoned with incredible speed, materialized a glowing cyan palm, which transformed into a sprinting tiger, racing to intercept one of the escapees. The impact was catastrophic, the force of the strike far greater than Song Jue had intended. The unfortunate man, unable to withstand the energy unleashed upon him, found his body exploding into a gruesome shower of flesh and blood upon contact with the ground.