13: A thrilling "counterattack"

Lin Ye's "victim" act instantly turned Zhao Tian's face the color of a pig's liver!

What a tremendous humiliation!

This was simply the greatest humiliation under heaven!

He, Zhao Tian, a venerable old Disciple at the third level of the Qi Refinement Stage, who had lorded over the Outer Sect for three whole years, today, in front of so many people, actually suffered such a great hidden loss at the hands of a universally acknowledged good-for-nothing!

What he found most unacceptable was the other party's "blank and innocent" expression, as if to say: you bumped into me yourself, you couldn't stand steadily yourself, what does that have to do with me?

This was a hundred times more unbearable than a direct slap to his face!

The surrounding air seemed to solidify.

The dozens of Outer Sect Disciples watching were all as if struck by a body-fixing spell, their mouths slightly agape, their eyes dull, their brains almost coming to a halt. They replayed the incredible scene they had just witnessed over and over in their minds, trying to comprehend this sight that completely overturned their common understanding.

"Am... am I seeing things?"

"Senior Brother Zhao... was... was knocked back?"

"That Lin Ye, he... how is he like a wooden stake, not moving an inch?"

After a brief silence, an irrepressible murmur of whispers, like a lit fuse, quickly spread through the crowd. The gazes directed at Zhao Tian also quietly shifted from awe to surprise, strangeness, and even a hint of faint ridicule.

These gazes, like red-hot steel needles, fiercely pierced into Zhao Tian's heart, which was already contorted by shame and indignation!

"Ahhhhh—!"

Zhao Tian's sanity completely collapsed at this moment.

He felt a burning pain on his face, as if an invisible giant hand had slapped him dozens of times in public. The sharp pain from his shoulder constantly reminded him of that embarrassing scene just now.

All his doubts and calculations vanished in an instant, replaced by a volcanic eruption of towering rage, capable of incinerating everything!

He no longer thought about why Lin Ye could stand so steadily, nor did he ponder any hidden trickery. Now, only one thought remained in his mind—

Kill him!

No! He would cripple him in front of everyone, trample him underfoot, and in the most brutal and direct way, reclaim his lost dignity, bit by bit!

"Little Bastard! You're courting death!!!"

A furious roar, filled with savagery and killing intent, erupted from the depths of Zhao Tian's throat!

His already somewhat sinister face was now twisted like a fiend due to anger. The spiritual energy within his body surged without reservation, and an Aura belonging to a third-level Qi Refining practitioner exploded, stirring up dust all around!

No sooner said than done!

Zhao Tian stomped his right foot on the ground, and like an arrow leaving the bowstring, he charged towards Lin Ye, who was close at hand!

His right fist was tightly clenched, his knuckles cracking, a faint white spiritual energy glow entwined around it, carrying a piercing shriek that tore through the air, without the slightest reservation, directly smashing towards Lin Ye's face!

This punch was both fast and ruthless!

He wanted to smash Lin Ye's "innocent" face, which he found utterly disgusting, in front of everyone!

"Ah!"

Gasps of alarm erupted from the crowd.

No one expected Zhao Tian to suddenly strike with such viciousness! This was no longer ordinary bullying; if this punch landed, with Lin Ye's frail physique, even if he didn't die, he would end up severely injured and disfigured!

Facing this sudden, murderous punch, Lin Ye's reaction perfectly demonstrated what "panic" meant.

The blood drained completely from his face with a "whoosh," and his dark pupils, constricted sharply due to extreme fear, reflected the rapidly enlarging fist in his vision.

He seemed to be scared stiff, his body rigid, even forgetting to dodge.

Just as the punch's wind was already stinging his skin, and everyone thought he was about to bleed on the spot, he seemed to awaken from a dream, letting out a high-pitched shriek.

"No!"

His body made the most instinctive and clumsy reaction a normal person would make when facing danger—he flailed his arms wildly, trying to cover his face.

His movements were chaotic, weak, and full of desperate struggle, looking so ridiculous, so overconfident.

However, amidst these seemingly ridiculous, wild flailing movements, his right hand, which had just left a half-inch deep palm print on the bluestone, met Zhao Tian's irresistible iron fist at an extremely tricky angle, seemingly softly.

This palm strike, from the outside, appeared light and airy, not raising the slightest gust of wind, not even causing his sleeve to flutter.

But within that seemingly slender palm, a condensed, scorching Coiling Force, full of explosive power, was quietly gathering, like volcanic lava about to erupt!

The Minor Achievement of Iron Sand Palm, at this moment, finally revealed its ferocious fangs!

Fist and palm, met!

Time, in this instant, seemed to be pressed into slow motion.

Everyone clearly saw Zhao Tian's spiritual energy-wrapped iron fist and Lin Ye's seemingly weak hand collide solidly!

There was no earth-shattering roar.

Only an extremely strange, muffled "hiss" like a wet cloth slapping a red-hot iron!

Immediately after, a scene that everyone would never forget appeared!

The moment the fist and palm met, Zhao Tian's ferocious and violent face suddenly froze!

His pupils dilated to the extreme in an instant!

His expression, from a cruel sneer, instantly transformed into extreme bewilderment, then unbelievable horror, and finally, uncontrollable, heart-wrenching pain!

"Crack!!!"

A clear, bone-shattering sound, chilling everyone's scalp, distinctly reached the ears of every person present!