One Stomp Shook the World . . .
"Boss…" Han Bingxue's eyes glistened with emotion. "My admiration for you flows like an endless river… never-ending. Senior Brother, please accept my reverence. You are my lifelong leader, and I will never abandon you…"
"Get away!" Cha Eun Xiao scolded with a chuckle. "It's time! Let's head to the Town of Cha."
Once they departed the small town, Cha Eun Xiao gradually increased their speed.
This was his rebirth personality. When he hesitated, he slowed down to contemplate, but once he decided, he acted promptly, without wasting any time. No more second-guessing. No more delays. He acted immediately and faced challenges head-on.
Han Bingxue was somewhat taken aback by Cha Eun Xiao's increasing speed.
"Weren't you hesitating just now? Why are you so decisive and fast now…" he pondered. "Boss is indeed my boss."
However, Han Bingxue was unaware that Cha Eun Xiao's rebirth had brought about significant changes in his personality. He no longer acted recklessly but instead adopted a cautious approach influenced by his experiences with Zuo Wuji. He would consider every aspect before making decisions and then execute them with full power and speed.
"Boss, what about your sleeping issue?" Han Bingxue inquired cautiously.
"It's fine," Cha Eun Xiao replied joyfully.
Han Bingxue rolled his eyes, his voice trailing off. What more could he say? They were doing what needed to be done.
On the road, they observed numerous horsemen riding in the distance, all moving in the same direction.
"It appears they are heading towards the Town of Cha, where we are also headed. Could something be amiss in Cha Clan?" Han Bingxue commented, noticing Cha Eun Xiao gazing into the distance.
"Even if something were happening in Cha Clan, it wouldn't typically draw this many people to the Town of Cha at once," Cha Eun Xiao mused. "After all, Cha Clan is just a local force. What could they possess that would attract so much attention? Have serious events occurred during the days I was absent?"
Han Bingxue laughed and suggested, "There's no need to speculate. Let's stop someone and ask."
As they were speaking, a cacophony of hooves pounded like thunder in the distance as a group of riders, at least a hundred strong, charged towards them. They were dressed in black suits and roared forward like a formidable oncoming storm, leaving a vast cloud of dust in their wake.
"This is a display of immense arrogance!" Han Bingxue chuckled. "There are actually people, aside from us, who dare to act so arrogantly in the Qing-Yun Realm! They must hold an exceptionally high opinion of themselves!"
Cha Eun Xiao didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. Han Bingxue had evidently labeled these riders before even encountering them. Was he deluding himself? Perhaps.
"Well, even I, Cha Eun Xiao, was never this arrogant and domineering, even in my previous life. How could these young lads act in such a manner? It's prudent to teach them a lesson…" he thought.
Excessive arrogance could easily lead to trouble, and it was wise to keep it in check. As the riders rapidly closed in on them, Cha Eun Xiao prepared to confront them.
Han Bingxue patiently waited until the right moment arrived, and then he dramatically let out a shout. His attire, as pure as the driven snow, perfectly matched his white-as-snow sword and the air of an icy monolith he exuded. In three swift strides, he positioned himself in the middle of the road, effectively blocking the path of the approaching riders.
- Clang! -
His sword struck the ground, and he firmly gripped its hilt. Han Bingxue raised his head slightly, squinting at the oncoming riders. He showed no intention of avoiding or fleeing from their path.
To those observing, his image transformed into that of a towering ice mountain that rapidly ascended towards the heavens. His presence was as chilly and aloof as the snow-covered peaks, an aura that commanded respect.
The once verdant mountains were now draped in white, and an air of terror hung in the surroundings.
The approaching riders, who appeared far from ordinary, saw Han Bingxue and heard the shout from their lead rider, "Who is this? How dare you obstruct Huang Clan's riders! Step aside!"
Even as their leader shouted, the entire group continued their advance. Their apparent confidence in their clan's might suggested that they paid little heed to Han Bingxue's actions. This indicated that they were woefully ignorant.
Unfazed, Han Bingxue smiled coldly and retorted, "I have transformed these mountains, planted these trees, and I am the lord of this road. I have laid low those who met their end on this path! If anyone wishes to pass me, they must offer sufficient tribute to gain my favor!"
His words were reminiscent of a bandit's demands.
Cha Eun Xiao found it so comical that he was nearly overwhelmed with laughter. Han Bingxue had unintentionally shattered the mysterious and profound image he had initially cultivated for himself.
When he first appeared, he was like crystalline ice in the world, a source of terror in the universe, an extraordinary presence in the realm. However, his current demeanor defied easy description because it was always a challenge to characterize a clown!
Nevertheless, Han Bingxue's ensuing actions were far from what one would expect from a clown. In fact, it was absolutely astounding!
After uttering those seemingly ludicrous words that may have left him embarrassed, he raised his right foot and delivered a mighty stomp to the ground.
- Boom! -
The earth shook and quaked within a thousand meters of his location. The ground cracked asunder, and massive plumes of dust spiraled into the sky. The result was a pit, hundreds of meters wide, hundreds of meters long, and dozens of meters deep. It had the appearance of a massive abyss that loomed in the midst of the fractured landscape.
It was a dark and daunting chasm, with billows of dust enveloping it.
One stomp, and pandemonium ensued!
The riders, no longer bearing an air of arrogance, tumbled into the colossal pit. Their initial exuberance turned to despair within seconds.
In the span of a breath, they had gone from being confident and domineering to plummeting into the pit.
The transformation was nothing short of dramatic, and it was a pit of tragic proportions.
"Who did this?"
"What just happened?"
"Who is responsible? How dare you deceive us like this…"
An uproar swept through the trapped riders.
With a cold smile, Han Bingxue flicked his sleeves lightly. A surge of ferocious Qi, icy and tempestuous as a hurricane, swept forth. The billowing dust that clouded the sky dissipated in an instant, leaving behind a landscape glistening with frost and ice.
"Get out!" Han Bingxue harrumphed, and his aura surged.
For an entire month leading up to this encounter, Xuan Bing had been by their side. Han Bingxue hadn't had the chance to bask in the spotlight. Now, finally, it was his time to shine, and he intended to make the most of it.