247: Not bad, you can even take a punch from me head-on.

Time slowly passed in the oppressive silence. The five members of the Black Fiend Squad stood like frozen statues, perfectly blending into the night, patiently awaiting the optimal moment for their ambush.

However, in this profound stillness, Yan Sen, the vice-captain of the squad and their most skilled in stealth and assassination, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill creep up his spine!

This was the instinctive intuition for danger that a killer, long accustomed to operating in the shadows, possessed!

He abruptly sensed that beside him, in the darkness that had previously been empty, an extremely unsettling aura had appeared!

The aura wasn't overwhelmingly powerful; instead, it carried a hint of condescending scrutiny and amusement, as if they were the prey being watched!

Yan Sen's scalp instantly prickled, and almost instinctively, he sharply turned his head to look behind him.

Not far behind them, on the thick branch of an ancient tree, a black-haired young man was sitting there, having appeared at some unknown time.

He casually swung his legs, one hand propping up his chin, his eyes, still bright in the darkness, quietly observing the five hunters who thought their concealment was flawless, with a hint of curiosity and playfulness.

Who else could it be but Jiang Donghua?!

"!!!"

Yan Sen's pupils suddenly constricted to pinpricks; the immense shock rendered him speechless!

Almost reflexively, he sharply elbowed Gao Quan, the captain closest to him, and the other squad members!

He had intended to shout a warning, but extreme shock and fear choked his voice in his throat!

The others, pushed by him, were initially puzzled, but then followed Yan Sen's terrified gaze and trembling finger.

The next second, all their muscles instantly tensed!

A cold chill shot from the soles of their feet straight to the top of their heads, as if their necks were wrapped by an icy venomous snake!

They had been discovered long ago!

When had the opponent gotten behind them? Were their proud stealth techniques mere child's play in his eyes?!

Gao Quan, the captain, had, after all, weathered many storms. He forcibly suppressed the tumultuous waves in his heart, his expression turning extremely grim.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, then pursed his lips and, with a tone that was outwardly fierce but inwardly weak, tried to regain some composure, coldly shouting,

"Hmph! A Six-Star Dou Ling like you dares to appear so brazenly before us!"

"Do you really think our Black Fiend Squad is incapable and can't take you down?!"

He deliberately pointed out Jiang Donghua's cultivation level, attempting to boost his own morale and that of his teammates, while also probing.

However, facing his stern shout and the five powerful auras instantly locked onto him, Jiang Donghua on the tree branch merely tilted his head slightly, a look of realization appearing on his face, and said calmly, in a tone that was chillingly placid,

"Oh, so you are the so-called Black Fiend Squad."

His tone made it sound as if he was merely confirming an insignificant triviality.

Then, he lightly jumped down from the branch, landing silently, brushed off non-existent dust from his body, and casually beckoned to the five individuals who were on high alert.

"Don't waste time."

"Come at me together."

These five understated words, however, carried an absolute self-confidence that disregarded everything and an overwhelming dominance, severely impacting the tense nerves of Gao Quan and the other four!

Jiang Donghua's casual beckoning, carrying a nearly humiliating disdain, instantly ignited the last vestiges of reason and fury in the hearts of the five Black Fiend Squad members!

They were, after all, renowned figures in the Inner Academy; when had they ever endured such provocation?

A fierce glint flashed in Gao Quan's eyes, and he roared,

"Arrogant! Go all out and take him down!"

Originally, they still harbored a trace of doubt, wondering if this might be a counter-ambush or some other trap, but now, thoroughly enraged by Jiang Donghua's attitude, they couldn't bother with such considerations!

"Never mind anything else! Go all out, and first take down this guy, the leader of this batch of New Students!"

Yan Sen also shrieked, his figure merging into the shadows like a ghost, assaulting Jiang Donghua from the flank!

The five were of one mind, almost simultaneously erupting into an attack!

Their coordination was seamless, clearly not their first time fighting together.

"Cracked Gold Claw!"

"Dark Fiend Palm!"

"Mountain Shattering Ram!"

" Silk winding technique!"

"Shadow Strike!"

Five streams of Dou Technique light, each of a different color but equally condensed and fierce, instantly erupted, launching a furious barrage at Jiang Donghua from five extremely tricky angles, accompanied by air-rending shrieks!

These Dou Techniques were all Profound Rank High-Grade Dou Techniques that they had used for many years and had already cultivated to perfection; their power was far beyond what those ordinary Senior Students before could compare to!

Before the Dou Techniques even arrived, the terrifying pressure and killing intent, combined, had already caused the ground around Jiang Donghua to slightly sink, and fallen leaves were instantly cleared away!

Facing this combined attack from the Inner Academy elites, far surpassing anything before, Jiang Donghua's gaze also became slightly more serious, but he still did not use more powerful cultivation methods or flames.

He merely settled his stance again, clenched his right fist, and a surge of crimson Dou Qi, even more vast and fierce than before, coiled around it like an enraged dragon!

Then, the man uttered the simplest phrase, yet one that had become his signature attack.

"Heavenly Stellar Overlord Fist!"

The punch flew!

Bang!!!

A colossal roar, far more muffled and louder than any previous collision, erupted like a thunderclap from the heavens in this forest clearing!

The crimson, overbearing fist energy slammed head-on into the five Profound Rank High-Grade Dou Techniques!

This time, there was no instantaneous annihilation like before, where things were destroyed like withered weeds!

The combined attack of the five Black Fiend Squad members indeed far surpassed that of the previous rabble!

The crimson fist energy and the five-colored Dou Technique lights fiercely eroded, squeezed, and exploded against each other!

The resulting energy shockwave spread wildly in all directions like a tsunami, snapping trees within dozens of meters and scraping away a layer of the ground!

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!

Under the violent energy backlash, Gao Quan, Yan Sen, and the other five all turned pale simultaneously, their bodies uncontrollably stumbling back over a dozen steps before they managed to stabilize themselves, their blood and Qi churning within them, and expressions of horror appearing on their faces!

The five of them, working together and unleashing their strongest Profound Rank High-Grade Dou Techniques, were still forced back by a single punch from the opponent?!

The power of this punch, even if it hadn't reached the level of a Di-rank Dou Technique, was absolutely a top-tier xuan-rank high-tier Dou Technique, and it had been cultivated to an unparalleled degree by the opponent!

Even more terrifying was the opponent's unfathomable Dou Qi reserves!

However, what made them even more frustrated was that Jiang Donghua, who had forced them back with one punch, stood rooted to the spot, not only without a trace of complacency on his face but instead with a rare slight frown, seemingly not entirely satisfied with the result.

He flexed his wrist, looked up at the five individuals whose faces were filled with horror, and spoke in a tone as if he had just finished warming up, with a hint of surprise and a touch of appreciation.

"Oh? No wonder you can form that Black Fiend Squad!"

"You're much stronger than those miscellaneous fish I encountered before."

"To actually be able to take a punch from this master and not fall, not bad."

These words were like an invisible slap, harshly striking the faces of Gao Quan and the other four!

The five of them, working together, were forced back by a single punch from the opponent, yet the opponent praised them in a tone like an elder commending a junior, saying they weren't bad?

And even said they could actually take a punch?!

Utter humiliation!

This was an unprecedented and profound humiliation!

The faces of Gao Quan and the other four instantly changed from horror to ashen, then from ashen to flushed red, as boundless rage and humiliation threatened to completely consume their reason!

"Bastard! I want you dead!"

Tu Meng was the first to lose his temper, roaring and about to charge forward again.

The dignity of the Black Fiend Squad had to be washed clean with blood today!

Even if the opponent was incredibly strong!