Chapter 69: A Shocking Battle in the City (Part Five)

The New Moon Profound Palace disciples felt a surge of elation after Yun Che's words. Li Hao, his injuries stable, straightened up, clenching his fists. Looking at the pathetic, unconscious figure of Xuan Yu, he felt a sense of vindication he had never experienced before. His gratitude toward Yun Che was immense. He knew very well that without Yun Che, he might never have had the chance to settle scores with Xuan Yu, let alone settle them manifold.

Defeated in five moves: the first two were slaps, the next two left him with black eyes, and the final blow knocked him unconscious. This wasn't a spar; it was outright humiliation! It’s said one shouldn’t expose others' flaws or strike their face, yet Yun Che deliberately aimed for Xuan Yu's face. This wasn't because Yun Che was inherently cruel, but because Xuan Yu's malicious injury to Xia Yuanba had truly enraged him.

As disciples of the Profound Heart Sect, they were being mocked by New Moon Profound Palace disciples, whom they usually disdained. They lost face and were consumed by fury. One of them abruptly stood up and addressed Qin Wuyou: "Palace Master Qin, today marks your new appointment. Our Profound Heart Sect came with sincerity to congratulate you, and the disciples' spar was meant to add to the excitement. However, your palace's disciple acted with vicious cruelty, intentionally humiliating our Profound Heart Sect disciple with every move. May I ask, Palace Master Qin, is this how New Moon Profound Palace treats its guests?"

"Hahahaha..." Before Qin Wuyou could reply, Yun Che burst into laughter. "I genuinely wonder how thick-skinned one must be to utter such words. Your Profound Heart Sect's disciple, Xuan Yu, consecutively and maliciously injured two of our New Moon Profound Palace disciples—anyone who isn't blind could see it was pure malicious intent. During this time, he also sneered at and ridiculed our New Moon Profound Palace, and not a single person from your sect stopped him; instead, you all cheered and mocked. Is this what your Profound Heart Sect calls 'sincerity'? It’s nothing but a ridiculous joke!"

Qin Wuyou had been about to stand, but hearing Yun Che speak, he settled back into his seat, a slight smile on his face, unmoving as a mountain. Internally, he marveled, *This young lad...*

"You!!" The Profound Heart Sect member hadn't expected a mere Profound Palace disciple to dare directly point a finger and curse him, with words that struck such critical points that he was left speechless.

"Now I've merely injured one of your disciples, and you jump out to question our Palace Master Qin. So, where were you all when Xuan Yu was injuring our disciples before? Were your eyes all blind? Or... is this simply the usual conduct of your Profound Heart Sect?" Yun Che showed no sign of backing down, his words laced with venom.

For a long time, New Moon Profound Palace disciples had felt inferior to the Seven Sects. Even when suppressed by the Seven Sects, overtly and covertly, New Moon Profound Palace had to endure, unwilling to provoke conflict with any of them. Let alone disciples, even elders never dared to rebuke the Seven Sects in such a manner.

But Yun Che, a new disciple, only sixteen years old, was now fiercely scolding a Profound Heart Sect disciple directly in front of their chief elder, making that disciple tremble with rage. The faces of the other Profound Heart Sect members were also livid.

Satisfying! So incredibly satisfying... Watching the Profound Heart Sect's collective expressions, as if they had eaten excrement, the New Moon Profound Palace disciples felt so elated they could almost float. In this matter, New Moon Profound Palace was completely in the right; Xuan Yu's malicious injury was witnessed by all. Yet, even so, anyone other than Yun Che would never have dared to openly scold and mock the Profound Heart Sect like this. But Yun Che dared... He spoke the words they longed to say but didn't dare, and cursed the people they wished to curse but never would.

"Heh, truly a newborn calf not afraid of a tiger," murmured the middle-aged man from the outer branch of the Xiao Sect, who had accompanied Xiao Luocheng.

"His spirit is commendable, and his talent is decent. For New Moon Profound Palace to produce such a disciple is indeed rare," Xiao Luocheng said, holding his wine cup, his eyes slightly narrowed as he admired the subtle ripples in the wine, seemingly unconcerned with the events unfolding in the hall. "Unfortunately, he's a bit too arrogant and foolish. Daring to offend the Profound Heart Sect like this, does he think New Moon Profound Palace can truly protect him?"

On the New Moon Profound Palace side, the elders' expressions also shifted. Yun Che defeating Xuan Yu had indeed allowed New Moon Profound Palace to breathe a sigh of relief, and Yun Che's subsequent words were gratifying. However, they had also completely cornered the Profound Heart Sect. As one of New Moon City's Seven Sects, offending such a giant at sixteen years old... even New Moon Profound Palace might struggle to protect him.

The Profound Heart Sect's gazes toward Yun Che had grown darker. Yet, Yun Che seemed oblivious, turning slightly to survey the entire hall, proclaiming proudly: "Our New Moon Profound Palace was established by the Imperial Family. Our resources and heritage naturally cannot compare to the major sects present here. However, my New Moon Profound Palace disciples will never consider themselves inferior to anyone, nor will we tolerate bullying! Those who humiliate others will be humiliated in return! Xuan Yu of the Profound Heart Sect maliciously injured my senior and junior brothers in plain sight. As a New Moon Profound Palace disciple, I have no reason to be polite to him. Otherwise, wouldn't New Moon City mock our disciples as a bunch of cowards who suffer bullying and can only swallow their anger? If you are displeased or unconvinced, feel free to come up and offer guidance. I've heard that New Moon City's Seven Sects are full of talented individuals. As an ordinary disciple of New Moon Profound Palace, I'm very curious... how many of you will it take to make me... leave this place!"

These words caused a violent stir among everyone in the hall!

If his previous statements were impassioned declarations, his final sentence was utter arrogance! And it was arrogant to the extreme! Because the implied meaning was a challenge — and contempt — from a mere ordinary New Moon Profound Palace disciple to the Seven Sects!

"What an absolute fool!" Murong Ye sneered, scoffing.

"Even though Junior Brother Yun just caused a huge sensation, this is too arrogant and reckless..." This was the thought in the minds of most New Moon Profound Palace disciples. Especially those who had resided in New Moon City for a long time, they clearly understood the astonishing power of the Seven Sects. Although Yun Che had defeated Xuan Yu, with his first-level Nascent Profound Realm cultivation, any of the young geniuses from the Seven Sects could easily crush him. His words weren't just inviting mockery, but also... inviting humiliation.

"This, this, this..." Sikong Han's face was filled with anxiety. He shifted his body, itching to stand up and call out to Yun Che, but in such a situation, he found himself unable to utter words of prevention.

"It seems calling him foolish was giving him too much credit... He's simply an idiot." Xiao Luocheng put down his wine cup and laughed scornfully. Reaching the first level of the Nascent Profound Realm at sixteen was indeed good talent; even within the Seven Sects, it would be considered upper-tier. But to be so arrogant based on that alone, in his eyes, was like a clown putting on a show.

Xiao Luocheng, also sixteen and hailed as the top young talent in New Moon City, had already reached the tenth level of the Nascent Profound Realm! He surpassed Yun Che by almost an entire major realm! From his perspective, Yun Che's current stance and words indeed appeared like a powerful expert viewing an arrogant clown.

"Hahahahaha! You're making me laugh! A first-level Nascent Profound Realm good-for-nothing, who only managed to defeat Xuan Yu of the Profound Heart Sect by luck using a movement profound skill, actually dares to be this arrogant! You truly don't know your place! Let this old man teach you a lesson!"

Amidst a mocking voice, a person leaped high and landed in front of Yun Che, a young face looking at him with provocation and disdain. As he appeared, many from the New Moon Profound Palace side immediately called out his name.

"It's Yan Ming from Cloud-Sun Sect! They say his talent ranks among the top five of the Cloud-Sun Sect's younger generation! He's only sixteen, yet he's already at the third level of the Nascent Profound Realm, and his Blazing Sun Art has already reached minor completion!"

Yan Ming raised his palm, and with a "poof," a cluster of red flames, over half a foot high, flared up from his palm. "Yan Ming, disciple of the Cloud-Sun Sect, sixteen years and seven months. Remember this master's name, because this master will soon teach you how to behave!"

"Heh, really?" Facing Yan Ming, who immediately displayed his fire profound art, Yun Che showed no fear, retorting with a cold smile: "I'm afraid it's you who will end up learning how to behave."

At the same time, he muttered inwardly: *Playing with fire in front of me? You'll die without even knowing how!*

"It seems all you have left is your sharp tongue. Heh, go on and properly display your movement profound skill from before, because only it can let you last a bit longer. Come on, run around with my flames, let everyone admire your graceful figure scurrying away with your head in your hands, hahahaha... Cloud-Sun Chains!!"

Amidst his wild laughter, Yan Ming's hands suddenly flung out. Instantly, a scorching heatwave spread, and two streams of fiery profound energy, as thick as arms, shot forth from his palms. Like two vicious chains, they crossed several meters, coiling around Yun Che's body.

"Cloud-Sun Chains! It's actually the Cloud-Sun Sect's signature skill, Cloud-Sun Chains! This Yan Ming is only at the third level of the Nascent Profound Realm, yet he can use such a terrifying fire profound skill! It's simply unbelievable!" exclaimed an elder from Class Two of New Moon Profound Palace.

"Cloud-Sun Chains of this level would be difficult for even a sixth-level Nascent Profound Realm practitioner to parry. Yun Che this time... I hope his movement profound skill can prevent him from being critically injured, sigh." Another elder sighed.

"To deal with an arrogant kid at the first level of the Nascent Profound Realm, he's using Cloud-Sun Chains. It's like using an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken," a new eighteen-year-old disciple from Cloud-Sun Sect muttered, pursing his lips.

The two Cloud-Sun Chains were like two viciously dancing fire dragons, emanating suffocating heat. Yun Che quickly dodged, shifting three positions to the side, but the two Cloud-Sun Chains seemed to have eyes, suddenly changing direction and coiling around Yun Che at an even faster speed. Yun Che seemed to have nowhere left to evade and actually reached out directly, grabbing toward the Cloud-Sun Chains.

"What the hell! Does he not want his hands anymore?"

"Tsk, he's probably scared stiff and panicked. Now, unless Yan Ming lets him off the hook, his hand's meridians will be burned through, and his hand will be completely crippled for life."

Seeing Yun Che's action, Yan Ming burst into internal laughter: *He's actually reaching out with his right hand to grab my Cloud-Sun Chains? Hahahaha, you brought this upon yourself. Everyone can see it clearly; if your hand is crippled, it's entirely your fault!*

Many people from New Moon Profound Palace had already cried out in alarm, but in that fleeting moment, no one could react. Yun Che's hand had already firmly grasped Yan Ming's two Cloud-Sun Chains...

The people of New Moon Profound Palace collectively held their breath at that moment; some women even closed their eyes, unable to bear the sight that was to follow. However, no scorching sound rang out, no black smoke billowed from Yun Che's palm, nor did the flames instantly spread over his entire hand. The moment they were grasped by Yun Che's palm, the Cloud-Sun Chains broke directly in his hands, like two strands of noodles that could be pulled apart.