476: Chapter 476 Showdown with Ximen

[Ximen Huan's expression changed. He stared at Chen Biao, his lips twitching, but no words came out.]

[The expressions of the two Golden Core guards behind him also darkened.]

[He had brought people specifically today—two Golden Cores, which in his eyes was already enough.]

[But standing opposite them was a Nascent Soul.]

[He glanced at you, then at Chen Biao, his face turning pale and then flushed.]

[You stood there, watching Ximen Huan's struggle to lash out while not daring to do so, saying nothing.]

[The Ximen Family naturally had Soul Transformation experts.]

[But those were clan elders, not lackeys who would fight for him on the street.]

[Asking them to step in over a Junior's jealousy?]

[It would be a laughingstock if word got out.]

[Moreover, this was Wuji Immortal City, not the Ximen Family's backyard.]

[It wasn't that people from the Immortal Sect couldn't come, but they didn't dare to come casually.]

[If they actually bullied the weak and word reached the Sect, the entire Ximen Family would lose face.]

[What's more—]

[While the Wuji Immortal Sect was united against outsiders, it was a different story internally.]

[Inside the Sect, various families and peak factions were polite on the surface, but who wasn't watching everyone else in secret?]

[If the Ximen Family broke the rules, plenty of people would be waiting to trample on them.]

[Ximen Huan's face alternated between pale and flushed as he stood there without moving.]

[The two Golden Core guards didn't move either.]

[The hall fell silent for a few seconds.]

[After a moment, Ximen Huan bit his teeth and pointed at you:]

["You with the surname Qin, I won't bully you. Do you have the guts to make a bet with me?"]

["Fine, set the terms," you said calmly.]

[Ximen Huan smiled, as if he had been waiting for those words for a long time:]

["Fight one of my men. If you lose, cut off one of your own arms and never step into Wuji Immortal City again."]

[Chen Biao took a step forward:]

["Bullshit! My young brother here is only at the Late Stage of Qi Refining. You call this not bullying?"]

[Ximen Huan waved his hand:]

["Don't be in such a hurry. I said I won't bully him, so I won't."]

[He paused:]

["I'll also send out someone at the Late Stage of Qi Refining. Fair, right?"]

[You looked at him and asked:]

["And will the person cutting off their arm be you, or him?"]

[Ximen Huan was amused:]

["Nonsense, whoever loses cuts it."]

[Chen Biao's face darkened:]

["Stop playing tricks."]

[You weren't in a hurry.]

[Looking at him, you suddenly had an idea.]

[You raised your hand and pointed at Ximen Huan:]

["I want to fight you."]

[Ximen Huan was stunned for a moment.]

[The surrounding people were also stunned.]

["Did I hear that right?" someone whispered. "A Late Stage Qi Refining fighting an Early Stage Foundation Establishment?"]

["It's not impossible, aren't those Prodigies like that?"]

["Are you kidding me? How old is he? Eighteen? Still at the Late Stage of Qi Refining at eighteen, and you're telling me he's a Prodigy?"]

["That's true... I heard those Prodigies in the Immortal Sect are already at the Golden Core stage by eighteen."]

["Late Stage Qi Refining at eighteen... he really is quite useless. Even if he gets into the Sect, he'd just be a handyman."]

[Ximen Huan snapped back to his senses.]

[He threw his head back and laughed, his shoulders shaking.]

[Though he wasn't some incredible Genius of the Ximen Family, he was at least at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment.]

[Fighting a Late Stage Qi Refining?]

[It was like child's play.]

["You said it yourself?"]

[He looked at you, his eyes narrowing as he smiled:]

["Life or death doesn't matter. Let's go to the Douling Platform."]

[With that, he turned and left.]

[You followed him.]

[Behind you, a crowd followed—Chen Biao, the Yu Siblings, and all those who were watching the commotion just now surged out.]

[Yu Hong quickened his pace, leaned in close, and lowered his voice:]

["Are you stupid? You're only at Qi Refining, and he's at Foundation Establishment! You're going to fight him?"]

["Exactly, it's practically seeking death. If you win, I... I'll even become your Dao Companion," Yu Ji added from the side.]

[You looked at Yu Ji with a smile: "You said it."]

[Since Yu Ji knew you were aware she was a woman, she simply stopped hiding it.]

[Chen Biao suddenly remembered something, pulled out a stack of Talismans from his robe, and stuffed them into your hand:]

["Young brother, take these. These substitute talismans, fire phoenix talismans, flame explosion talismans, thunder curse talismans... they'll be more than he can handle."]

[You glanced down and pushed them back to him:]

["Thanks, I have my own."]

[Chen Biao was stunned for a moment before realizing—right, you're someone who spends a hundred thousand Spirit Stones on a whim; how could you be short of a few Talismans?]

[Despite that, the three of them still walked beside you, nagging incessantly, repeating the same things over and over:]

["Are you really sure?"]

["Don't try to be a hero."]

["How about we just run?"]

[You ignored them.]

[Soon, a plaza appeared before your eyes.]

[The plaza was huge, with ten stone platforms scattered around. They weren't high, but were a hundred zhang in diameter, with grooves embedded in the edges for placing Spirit Stones.]

[This was the Douling Platform.]

[Specifically used by city residents to resolve disputes.]

[Once you stepped on, embedded the Spirit Stones, and the Formation was activated, the outside would not be affected.]

[Once on the platform, life or death didn't matter.]

[Ximen Huan stepped onto the Douling Platform in a few strides, turned to look at you, and smiled smugly.]

[He beckoned you with a finger:]

["Come."]

[You smiled, kicked off the ground, and also stepped onto the platform.]

[Ximen Huan waved his hand, and ten Spirit Stones flew out, landing precisely in the grooves at the four corners of the platform.]

[Buzz—]

[A light barrier rose from the edges of the platform, enveloping the entire Douling Platform.]

[Without waiting for you to prepare, Ximen Huan had already made his move.]

[He raised his hand, and a Flying Sword shot out from his sleeve, its blade glowing with green light as it whistled toward your chest.]

[The Flying Sword was so fast it was only a blur, reaching you in the blink of an eye—]

[Slash!]

[The tip of the sword pierced through your chest and emerged from your back.]

[Below the platform, a commotion broke out.]

["That's it?"]

["I thought I'd see an upset, but it's over already?"]

["Boring, so boring."]

["A Qi Refining fighting a Foundation Establishment; there was never any suspense."]

[But on the platform, the smile on Ximen Huan's face froze.]

[The "you" that had been pierced by the Flying Sword was gradually fading away.]

[It was an afterimage.]

[You stood ten zhang away with a smile on your face, looking at Ximen Huan as if playing with a child.]

[You had just used the Subtle Steps of Ling Bo, which those low-level Cultivators couldn't see clearly at all.]

["A martial arts movement technique?"]

[Ximen Huan's voice changed.]

[He stared at you, feeling a slight chill down his spine.]

[Practicing martial arts before cultivation? What kind of path was this?]

[But he quickly steadied himself.]

[The advantage of martial arts was close combat, while his advantage was long-range.]

[He just needed to keep his distance from you.]

[Furthermore, he was a member of the Ximen Family and didn't lack other methods.]

[He bit his teeth and waved his hand—]

[Whoosh.]

[A hundred Talismans flew out from his sleeve, suspended in mid-air and surrounding him.]

[Lightning crackled on every Talisman, popping and snapping, illuminating the entire Douling Platform with brilliant light.]

[thunder curse talisman.]

[A hundred of them.]

[Someone below the platform gasped:]

["Holy crap..."]

["A hundred thunder curse talismans? How many Spirit Stones must that cost?"]

["The Ximen Family is truly wealthy."]

["That kid is finished. No matter how fast a martial arts movement technique is, can it be faster than a hundred thunder curse talismans exploding together?"]

["Exactly, the Douling Platform is only a hundred zhang wide; a hundred thunder curse talismans are enough to cover it completely."]

["This kid is done for, he's dead meat."]

[Chen Biao stood below the platform, his expression changing.]

[He turned his head and saw Yu Hong and Yu Ji also frowning.]