He hadn’t finished his sentence when he came to a stop.
It was because when that figure gradually became clearer to him, he had sunken into a state of disbelief.
“Xia… Xia Qingchen?”
There was no way that Zhao Tianyu would have predicted that the person who had surpassed the record of the phenomenal genius would be Xia Qingchen that he looked down upon!
He had thought that Xia Qingchen had been in the cultivation chamber on the outer zone, and after cultivating for a few days, he had left in a sorry state.
Little did he know that not only was this not the case, but Xia Qingchen had even cultivated in the central cultivation chamber for 100 days consecutively.
This… was impossible!
Given the central cultivation chamber’s terrifying fire qi, Xia Qingchen, a junior student, would have been incinerated into ashes if he were to cultivate in there for 100 days.
There must be a problem somewhere!
“Stop right there!” Zhao Tianyu stopped Xia Qingchen who had wanted to leave, letting out a cold bellow, “Speak up. How did you cheat?”
Other than cheating, Zhao Tianyu couldn’t think of a second possibility.
Xia Qingchen had just ended his training and was in a very good mood. He found it very strange to be yelled at all of a sudden.
“You’re talking to me?” Xia Qingchen pointed to himself.
Zhao Tianyu let out a cold laugh and pointed at the stone tablet. “Stop it with the acting! I do hold admiration for you. Not only had you cheated, but you even made it such that your results from the cheating reached an unattainable height, as if you fear that others won’t be able to find out!”
En?
What cheating? What results?
Xia Qingchen threw a glance at the stone tablet Zhao Tianyu was referring to. He saw that the first name on it was Yu Qingyang, and there was a 99 inscribed behind it.
“What rubbish are you talking about? Stop blocking the way!” Xia Qingchen frowned.
He didn’t have a good impression of Zhao Tianyu at all.
“Hmph! As a member of the martial pavilion, as well as your senior, I have a need to oversee the fairness at the Fire Lake!” Zhao Tianyu grabbed Xia Qingchen by the collar, tugged at him, and said, “Come with me to meet the martial pavilion’s upper echelons. Let them see what an ugly face you have.”
He wasn’t just speaking harshly but had even made a move?
Xia Qingchen’s gaze slowly turned cold, and he spoke up in a cold tone, “I would advise you to stop while you’re ahead. I’ve tolerated you for more than just once or twice.”
A person’s tolerance was limited, and this was the same for Xia Qingchen.
“You’re threatening me?” Zhao Tianyu spoke with contempt. “You’re just a toad trying to eat a swan’s flesh. So what if you’ve gotten together with Zhen Zhilan? This is the martial pavilion’s territory. I’d advise you to take a good look at yourself! Cheating at the Fire Lake… haha… you really have guts! Come with me!”
Saying that, he pulled Xia Qingchen strongly.
However, what that was beyond his expectations was that he didn’t manage to make Xia Qingchen, who he looked down upon, budge at all.
“En?” Zhao Tianyu was stunned for a moment, then he exerted force again. “Kid, you have some strength…”
He had just finished his words when Xia Qingchen suddenly put out his right fist, grabbing onto the wrist that was grabbing him by the collar.
“My strength is greater than you imagined it to be.” Xia Qingchen’s gaze had already turned icy cold.
His fingers locked onto Zhao Tianyu’s wrist, and he suddenly exerted force!
Kacha——
The slight sound of cracking rang out.
Zhao Tianyu let out an agonizing cry, and his hand that was holding onto Xia Qingchen’s collar naturally let go.
“You… you…” Zhao Tianyu was someone at the first fold-level of the medium constellation stage.
To think that he had been hurt by Xia Qingchen who was at the minor constellation stage?
“I told you that I’ve been tolerating you for a very long time,” Xia Qingchen said indifferently, lifting up one leg and kicking him, sending him flying.
Zhao Tianyu quickly scrambled up to his feet, feeling both surprised and enraged. “You b*stard! So what if you have some strength? You dare raise your hands against a senior student? Alright, I’ll teach you a lesson!” A fierce gleam shone in his eyes as he blamed the matter of his father being forced to kneel and humiliated, as well as the reason for his clan’s sorry plight, onto Xia Qingchen.
“I’ve wanted to kill you for a long time. Since you come knocking on the door yourself, then don’t blame me!” Zhao Tianyu let out a fierce bellow, and silver inner force flowed out from all over his body.
“Evil Tiger Biting Corpse!”
His fists were like two ferocious tigers that were let out of their cages, striking straight for Xia Qingchen’s critical points.
His inner force extended out three feet beyond his fists, radiating out from his body.
This was the sign of having reached the medium constellation stage—to be releasing the inner force!
Xia Qingchen’s gaze turned cold. Not only did he not retreat, but he even took a step forward. “Barbaric Elephant Gallops in the Wild!”
After devoting hard work in his training for three months and ten days…
He had completely pushed his cultivation to the peak of the ninth radiance-level of the minor constellation stage. He had cleared all of the major and minor meridians in his body and cultivated the [Light-Dark Heaven Heart] to an extreme.
Right now, his inner force was so powerful that it could match someone at the first fold-level of the medium constellation stage.
In addition to the second form of the [Four-Forms Ancient Scroll] that he had great mastery over, he was naturally a notch over everyone else!
Bang clash——
Two heavy stifled sounds rang out in succession.
The first one was the sound of both their fists colliding.
The second one was the sound of a figure smashing heavily into the ground.
Waaa——
The one dropped to the ground spurted a mouthful of fresh blood, staring with shocked eyes. “You… attained a breakthrough to the medium constellation stage?”
But how was that possible?
Six months ago, Xia Qingchen had still been a good-for-nothing who couldn’t even pass the examinations for the martial pavilion and had fainted during the examinations.
And now, he had broken through from the third radiance-level of the minor constellation stage to the medium constellation stage!
It was almost at a rate of attaining a breakthrough each month!
Such a rapid rate of improvement was something that even the phenomenal genius Yu Qingyang back then couldn’t match up to.
But how was this possible?
Xia Qingchen drew back his fists, walked over, and sent him flying with a kick. He then performed an entire set of [Traversing Snow, Flowering Plum] on him.
Zhao Tianyu, who was already spurting blood to begin with, was dealt with serious injuries and fell unconscious.
It was only then did Xia Qingchen stop.
“Gods are not to be humiliated!” Xia Qingchen threw a cold glance at him.
Given what this person had done previously, it wouldn’t be any surprise for Xia Qingchen to kill him.
He was considered to be benevolent to have left him with his life.
Clap clap——
An applause rang out. It was Shen Jinghong who was standing at the stairs, wearing an astonished expression.
He had been coming here every day for the past half a month, checking to see if Xia Qingchen had come out from his training.
Moreover, he happened to come across the scene at which Xia Qingchen and Zhao Tianyu fought.
Xia Qingchen’s superb martial skills caused Shen Jinghong to feel very shocked.
Xia Qingchen’s head started to ache when he saw who this person was. Three months had passed, but this guy still hadn’t given up.
“Congratulations, Teacher, for having broken Yu Qingyang’s record!” Shen Jinghong threw a glance at the stone tablet, having a strong feeling of surprise in his eyes.
Only a superb character like him could surpass even Yu Qingyang!
Xia Qingchen threw a glance at the name on the stone tablet and said, shaking his head, “This is a record he had left when he was 12 years old. I only surpassed it when I’m 17.”
According to his body’s memories, Yu Qingyang was a child prodigy.
He had started practicing cultivation art at the age of three. When he was 12, he had already attained a breakthrough to the medium constellation stage, becoming a godly chosen that shook the world.
“Teacher is being too humble.” Shen Jinghong said sincerely.
After a slight pause, he then said, “Does Teacher have time to come to the martial pavilion’s Peony Garden to guide our training?”
He had been waiting for this moment for far too long.
Xia Qingchen frowned. To be honest, he didn’t wish to get involved in this, but since he had given his agreement earlier, he could only agree. “When is it?”
“Tomorrow! It’ll be tomorrow!” Shen Jinghong said happily.
Xia Qingchen nodded. “Alright.”
After saying that, he walked down the stairs by himself, returning to the Xia Manor to visit his father and Grudgy, whom he hadn’t seen for the past three months.
During these three months, his father’s cultivation had attained another breakthrough, reaching the third vortex-level of the major constellation stage.
Grudgy had also improved at an amazing rate, reaching the ninth radiance-level of the minor constellation stage, almost catching up to Xia Qingchen’s progress.
Moreover, he had also been practicing the movement-type and teeth-type martial skills well.
“Master Cheng, I heard that you’ll be attending a martial exchange meet tomorrow? Can you bring me along?” Grudgy rubbed his palms together. “I, Grudgy, am also a top-notch expert after all. I should also be showing my face to others and spread my name out there.”