Yang Wei rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
He was trying to recall who this "Wang Hao" was.
Wang Hao, Wang Hao, Wang Hao... that name rings a bell. Hmm, probably not. Anyway, how dare he accuse me of something I didn't do? Such irredeemable scum. I've seen too much of his kind in the martial world and it's quite off-putting.
Then, Yang Wei placed a hand on the small cut across his outer robes.
Well, I just shut down my mana completely. It'll take a bit to start it up again. So, for now, my magical enhancements to physical abilities are out. In other words, I should approach this carefully.
Yang Wei slowly raised his arms.
Wang Zhang, never one to be too relaxed, had already taken his movement as an attack and was all set to strike him down.
However, Yang Wei surprised him by clenching his fist in the palm of his other hand, bowing his head, and adopting an innocent demeanor. "Senior Brother, I don't know this Wang Hao you speak of," Yang Wei spoke with sham innocence. "Surely, you don't think someone as sweet as I, Yang Wei, would do anything to harm him, right?"
Eyes closed, cheeks puffed and pearly white teeth on full display, a smile so sweet you'd think Yang Wei was an angel— clearly, he wasn't.
Wang Zhang, utterly confused, stammered, "W... What?"
Then, Yang Wei opened an eye, glanced at Wang Zhang, and closed it again.
That should buy me some time… he thought mischievously.
Maintaining his sugary facade, he added, "Please, Senior Brother, I know I'm not as strong as you, but don't bully me for that."
The onlooking disciples whispered among themselves about Wang Zhang's behavior, casting judgment on the senior cultivator.
"Who knew Senior Brother Zhang can act in such a manner, it's a little shameful…"
"A little shameful? It's so shameful."
"Especially since he's the father of Wang Xia, he's just disgracing her by picking on disciples of her generation."
"It's even a disgrace to Grand Elder Wang Lin, and honestly, even the great Grandmaster Lin Feng."
"Truly, Senior Brother Zhang has no shame."
"Who's to say we won't be his next targets?"
Wang Zhang grew angrier at Yang Wei's innocent act.
He couldn't contain his frustration.
Yang Wei... as per Junior Sister Meiyan, he managed to stay in the sect thanks to favors from the Mu Clan, and worse, they've successfully concealed his true identity. That's why these disciples are oblivious to the fact that he's a ruthless blood scorpion, a complete demon! He brutalized numerous senior cultivators of our sect, yet he shamelessly plays innocent, making me look like the villain.
"You filthy piece of trash!"
Wang Zhang spoke his mind.
With a horizontal stroke of his jian, he swiftly closed the distance between them, vanishing and reappearing in front of Yang Wei.
Instantly, Yang Wei's sweet smile transformed into a serious expression as he evaded Wang Zhang's diagonal slash by tilting his neck. Moving his hand along the jian's path, he conjured a spark of red energy, deflecting the blade from Wang Zhang's grasp.
Hm, my mana's not fully awakened… Yang Wei thought calmly.
Seizing the opportunity, Wang Zhang aimed a Bone-breaking Fist for Yang Wei's throat.
Even so, Yang Wei was quick on his feet.
He redirected Wang Zhang's fist with his right hand, pushing it upwards.
Swiftly retreating three meters, Yang Wei observed a small boulder shattering to pieces from the shockwave of Wang Zhang's technique.
He realized that could've been him if he hadn't been cautious enough.
Meanwhile,
All the disciples were thoroughly surprised.
Some of them were already on their knees.
Others painfully clenched their chests as they coughed up blood.
They were wounded by the spiritual pressure of Wang Zhang's first level Core Formation strength.
"What?!"
"How was he able to do that?!"
"Under the intense pressure of Senior Brother Zhang's attack, he… *cough cough*"
"He clearly hasn't reached Spirit Gathering and yet he's able to withstand it so easily, Nghk! There… There's not a scratch on him. How's that even possible?"
"Maybe he has some special physicality, or it's some secret technique he's cultivating!"
All of them were stunned by his stamina.
Yang Wei's eyes went side to side, noting some of the disciples on the ground.
I understand now what they're saying. Every other time when my mana was at full function, I didn't feel any pressure from these cultivators when they went all out. Just from Mu Lingxi...
Yang Wei proudly flung the hem of his robes backwards, placing his arms behind his back with a satisfied smile. "My profound insights are like my fashion sense - ahead of their time," he proclaimed, closing his eyes dramatically. "Don't be surprised. It's expected from a future Core Disciple of the sect."
Amazement flickered in the eyes of the disciples.
Some still nursed their injuries.
"He's indeed, a rising star in our sect, like a dragon soaring among mortals!"
"The heavens smile upon our sect, gifting us with a talent like you."
"Surely, he's the Young Master of an impressive family, there's no other explanation for this level of excellence."
"I've never heard of a disciple who can handle the pressure of a cultivator two realms above them!"
"He's amazing!"
"He must be one of the new Outer Sect disciples! What's his name again?"
"I think he said it was Yang Wei."
Watching from a safe distance behind a large boulder, Wu Fengtian spoke to no one in particular.
"This guy again. I'm not surprised. He brutalized the Young Master who's at the first level of Spirit Gathering while only cultivating the Vital Qi Practice."
After that, Wu Fengtian slapped on ten more protective talismans - papers with a bunch of arrays scribbled on them. They aren't top-notch for defense, but if one was a cultivator like Wu Fengtian, who valued every bit of their short life. Then, they'd stack at least 500 of these protective talismans, much like having a safety net.
Meanwhile,
Yang Wei reveled in the attention.
He cleared his throat and encouraged more praise.
"Yes, yes, praise me more. After all, even the heavens tremble before my indomitable will, for I, a mere Outer Sect disciple, stand unyielding against the storm of my senior's superior aura."
He spoke like it was some big accomplishment for him. But really, it wasn't. After all, he could effortlessly handle what might be called ten times the pressure of Wang Zhang's first level Core Formation strength during his fight with Mu Lingxi.
Infuriated by this display, Wang Zhang shouted, "Yang Wei!"
"Hm?" Yang Wei casually replied.
Wang Zhang was so irritated. It seemed like Yang Wei was trying to make him appear foolish in front of his juniors, and he was doing a good job. Yang Wei's rotten expression easily got under Wang Zhang's skin and messed with his composure.
He immediately absorbed dragon vein Qi, shaping it into a bright blue sword made entirely of energy.
It was called a dragon sword.
This mystically glowing blue sword was the third realm power of Dragon Vein Cultivation known as the Dragon Sword Formation.
"You're an absolutely spoiled brat, no manners whatsoever! I have a daughter your age, and you think you can act all high and mighty around me? It seems your parents failed to bring you up properly. Today, I, Wang Zhang, will teach you a lesson in respect!"
WOOOSSH!
He launched the dragon sword at high speed, aiming for Yang Wei's chest.
SWISSH!!
Out of nowhere, a woman danced into the scene, displaying the grace of a true martial artist. With two fingers, she gently held the sword's tip and, with a small flick, shattered it into bits of energy.
"Some... Someone blocked the attack?!"
"Who?!"
Every disciple around was eager to see who could've easily dispersed Wang Zhang's dragon sword.
The moment they laid eyes on the woman's hefty backside, recognition struck. The distinctive round, uplifted buttocks belonged to none other than Liu Yan, a top-tier beauty in the sect and arguably the number one, given her figure.
"THAT BACKSIDE..."
"IT HAS TO BE HER!!"
The disciples, astounded, were certain of the owner of this well-shaped cheeks.
"BIG SISTER LIU!"
In the sect, there was only one other woman that matched her beauty, she was popularly known as the Big-Butt Grandma. Even so, she only came around every 10 to 15 years, making the sight of her immaculate behind that much special.
Chapter 42 Preview: "This Junior Disciple is Arrogant, but Big Sister Liu Yan Will Protect Him."