Chapter 1018: Zhang Xuan Invincible (Part 2)

Deputy Hall Master Ming Zhen, an early-stage Seven-Star Poison Master with cultivation at early Saint 2-dan, launched a full-force attack. A heaven-descending power shattered the surrounding courtyard walls into dust.

Seeing him make a move, the other two deputy hall masters also charged forward without hesitation. Like Ming Zhen, both were at the early Saint 2-dan level, possessing astonishing combat power. As the three masters cooperated, their surging power, like a rising tide, enveloped all directions, making it impossible to resist.

"What's going on?"

As the courtyard walls collapsed and the combat energy scattered, Li Yuan and others, guarding outside, simultaneously turned their gazes. Upon seeing the scene, their bodies twitched, and their faces were filled with bewilderment.

Deputy Hall Master Ming had merely gone to confront Poison Master Sun. How did a simple confrontation escalate into a full-blown battle? Most importantly, for three deputy hall masters and all the elders to gang up on a single Half-Saint... wasn't that absolutely shameless?!

"It seems... Elder Huang is dead..." a trembling voice rang out.

Only then did Li Yuan and the others notice an old man lying prone on the ground, his head seemingly smashed into his neck by a powerful palm strike. Killed in one blow!

"They must have provoked Poison Master Sun, and he retaliated in anger..." Li Yuan's heart clenched as he continued to watch.

Under the siege of over 20 powerful individuals, Poison Master Sun felt immense pressure. He swung both fists, forcibly repelling two elders, then flipped his wrist. A long spear appeared in his right hand, and simultaneously, a long sword appeared in his left hand.

With a light thrust, the spear's glint, like a lightning bolt cleaving the night, shot straight towards an elder. In a single strike, it pierced his throat. Under the impact of the surging power, the elder's body was sent flying backward, landing a short distance away. As the spear pierced, the long sword in his left hand also executed a light slash, and a sword qi imbued with the will of the Heavenly Dao descended. Another elder on his left, caught off guard by his simultaneous use of two incredibly powerful weapons, felt a sudden chill at his neck. Before he could react, his head rolled to the ground, blood splattering profusely.

"He's killing people..."

Li Yuan and the others felt their bodies turn ice-cold and rigid. Each of these elders was a venerable figure; normally, even their respectful greetings might not earn them a second glance. Yet now, their bodies lay on the ground, just like anyone else's, profusely bleeding. The strong sense of shock made their throats tighten, and breathing became difficult.

"It seems... this Poison Master Sun has kept his eyes closed the whole time..." someone exclaimed.

Only then did Li Yuan and the others realize that "Sun Qiang," whom they had brought earlier, had kept his eyes tightly shut since the beginning of the fight, retaliating only against those who attacked him. With every spear strike, an elder's throat was pierced; with every sword swing, an elder died. He was like a harbinger of death; the numerous elders couldn't resist him at all.

"No, if this continues, all the elders will be killed by this guy..." Seeing the Poison Hall's elders dwindling, with ten more dead, Deputy Hall Master Ming could no longer hold back and cried out. If the siege continued like this, perhaps in less than ten breaths, all the Poison Hall's elders would die here! A Half-Saint, fighting against over twenty of their Saint-realm experts, not only wasn't at a disadvantage but had also killed more than ten in one go. What kind of monster was this?

"All elders, hear my command... retreat quickly! Deputy Hall Master Ming and I will deal with this guy..." Another deputy hall master also realized this and loudly instructed. There had been too many people, mostly their own companions, preventing even Saint 2-dan experts from fully unleashing their power. The immediate priority was to have everyone retreat quickly so that the three of them could coordinate more effectively and eliminate this individual.

"Yes!" The remaining elders, upon hearing the command, all breathed a sigh of relief. They hastily jumped out of the battle, their eyes wide with profound fear.

To be honest, this individual was far too bizarre. Not only did their most potent poisons have no effect, but his physical body and *zhengqi* were also incredibly powerful! He was like a human-shaped Saint Beast, utterly irresistible. Most critically, despite so many working together, he remained completely unharmed, while over a dozen of their own had been killed. What's more, he hadn't even opened his eyes throughout the entire ordeal! He was so strong without using his eyes; how terrifying would he be if he opened them? If they had known this, why would they have gotten involved? It was Deputy Hall Master Ming's student who caused the trouble; it had nothing to do with them. They were truly just unfortunate bystanders.

As soon as the others retreated, the three deputy hall masters immediately encircled him, circulating their *zhengqi* to its limits as they launched an attack on "Sun Qiang" in the center. The three Saint 2-dan masters attacked simultaneously, their combined power forming a colossal cage that confined the surrounding space.

Trapped in the middle, Zhang Xuan did not retreat. Instead, his fighting spirit intensified. With a sudden long cry, he thrust his long spear straight forward. The spear tip repeatedly struck the walls of the cage. The incredibly stable *qi* barrier developed cracks in the blink of an eye, and immediately after, a sword gleam shot straight out from a fissure. In the blink of an eye, the blockade was split in half. Deputy Hall Master Ming and the others simultaneously vomited blood, their eyes widening in fear.

A Half-Saint had easily shattered the cage created by their three Saint 2-dan experts. This level of power was beyond imagination. Even more importantly, the opponent's *zhengqi* seemed inexhaustible! Such ferocious power, unleashed repeatedly, yet he remained full of vigor, as if expending no energy at all! How did he do it?

"Heaven, Earth, and Man Triple Formation!" With a low roar, Deputy Hall Master Ming's figure flickered, taking up a good position. Hearing his words, the other two deputy hall masters simultaneously nodded, taking their positions. The Heaven, Earth, and Man Triple Formation! This formation could exponentially increase their combined strength, allowing them to kill even peak Saint 2-dan experts if they coordinated effectively. Once the three took their positions, their surging *zhengqi* connected, forming an iron ring.

Seemingly aware of the danger, Zhang Xuan took a step back. He flipped his wrist, putting his long spear into a storage ring, yet his eyes remained closed.

"Attack!"

Empowered by the formation, the three deputy hall masters' aura intensified dramatically. They attacked simultaneously, sending waves of sword qi piercing inward. However, before the sword gleams could reach "Sun Qiang," he suddenly recoiled, then delivered three consecutive kicks in the air. These three kicks seemed patternless, yet each one precisely intercepted their advancing steps, instantly disrupting their attack rhythm.

"He... broke the Heaven, Earth, and Man Triple Formation?" The remaining elders, seeing this scene, all had their pupils contract. His three kicks, seemingly without rhyme or reason, actually disrupted the formation's rhythm, neutralizing the Heaven, Earth, and Man Triple Formation in an instant! To break such a powerful formation with mere kicks, could it be that this individual also possessed profound knowledge of formations? His immense strength was one thing, but to also have such profound understanding of formations... How could they possibly fight him?

While they were still in shock, "Sun Qiang," who was surrounded in the middle, swept his long sword, severing Deputy Hall Master Ming's arm along with his shoulder. Blood immediately gushed out.

"Ah..." With a tragic cry, Deputy Hall Master Ming retreated repeatedly, his face pale, completely losing his combat ability. He couldn't understand how three Saint 2-dan experts, working together in a formation, couldn't even stop a Half-Saint.

With the formation broken, and their combined efforts no longer formidable, Zhang Xuan advanced once more. His long sword flashed, forcing the two remaining deputy hall masters into a continuous retreat, utterly unable to resist.

"Wait... haven't you noticed? This Sun Qiang, he attacks whoever attacks him... as long as you stop attacking, he won't continue to pursue..." An elder suddenly said.

"Now that you mention it... that's true!" Another elder nodded. Upon hearing this, they all recalled that while Sun Qiang's combat prowess was terrifying, he didn't attack indiscriminately. Instead, he simply retaliated against whoever attacked him! It was as if he was automatically counter-attacking.

"Deputy Hall Master Qian, Deputy Hall Master Sun, don't attack him, and perhaps he won't retaliate..." Realizing this, he could no longer hold back and quickly shouted it out.

"Don't attack?" Hearing the shout, the two remaining deputy hall masters recalled the preceding battle. Their eyebrows shot up, and they simultaneously leaped backward. As soon as they left, they saw the opponent's sword qi slice past their necks and stop. That guy once again sat cross-legged on the ground, no longer paying them any mind.

"This..." Seeing that the opponent no longer attacked, the two finally breathed a sigh of relief, sweat dripping from their foreheads. If that elder hadn't discovered the trick just now, they would likely have been killed if they continued. A Half-Saint had single-handedly killed over a dozen peak Saint 1-dan experts and forced three Saint 2-dan experts into breathlessness... Where did Elder Xu find such a monster?

"He... seems to have fallen into a state of cultivation. He's not actively attacking, but rather reacting instinctively to danger..." With the battle paused, everyone's minds grew active. One of the deputy hall masters spoke.

"This..." Hearing his explanation, everyone was stunned, then realized. He was right. "Sun Qiang" had been sitting still on the ground the entire time; it was only their attacks that had forced him to retaliate. Furthermore, he consistently retaliated against whoever attacked him. Those who tried to kill him were slain, while they themselves had been spared only because they had held back.

"Unconscious counter-attacks are already this powerful... how strong would he be if he was conscious?" An elder, shrinking his neck, said.

Everyone fell silent. Unconscious counter-attacks were merely the body's instinctive reactions to combat; in such a state, combat power was limited. Even so, he had left all the elders and deputy hall masters of their entire Poison Hall breathless and on the verge of annihilation. If this Sun Qiang were to truly awaken from his cultivation, wouldn't he be even more terrifying? Who in the Poison Hall could stop him then?

"Quickly, go invite Elder Xu..." Unable to hold back any longer, a deputy hall master loudly commanded.

"Elder Xu seems to have gone to see the Hall Master..." someone replied.

"Then invite the Hall Master as well..." This deputy hall master gritted his teeth, turned to look at the elders lying dead on the ground, and tears flowed. What kind of situation was this! When had their Poison Hall ever suffered such great humiliation?