Chapter 959: Unstoppable Zheng Yang (Part 2)

"What did you say?"

Upon hearing this, the combat masters behind Zhuo Qingfeng immediately became furious. Even Wu Tianqiong, Shen Pingchao, and others looked on in a daze. For such powerful combat masters to be battered and twisted out of shape right before their eyes, and then mocked as worthless trash... even witnessing it felt like a dream.

"I thought these so-called combat masters were something special, but they don't seem like much!" Zheng Yang held his spear in one hand, his other hand clasped behind his back, his expression nonchalant. He had long heard about the profession of combat masters and expected them to be formidable, but seeing them in person was quite disappointing.

"What audacity!" Seeing this unknown individual speak so unrestrainedly and arrogantly, Wu Xu shouted loudly, stepping forward. "Do you dare to spar with me?" At this moment, Wu Xu had already reached the Half-Saint realm, and although only in the early stage, his cultivation was as profound as a river, making it difficult for even typical Half-Saint peak cultivators to contend with him.

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Zheng Yang raised an eyebrow, and his spear seemed to come alive as he lifted it.

"Very well, I'll suppress my cultivation to spar with you!" Wu Xu nodded, drawing his sword. Its gleam flickered like a spiritual snake. In over three months, not only had his cultivation increased, but his comprehension and understanding of swordsmanship had also deepened significantly, making him far stronger than when he was in the Crimson Glow Fruit Valley.

"No need, just an early-stage Half-Saint... Watch me break through with one strike!" With a faint smile, Zheng Yang stepped forward, the ground beneath his feet seemingly shortening by half, bringing him before Wu Xu in a single stride. His spear, like a dragon, struck with a glorious aura.

"You're asking for death!" Seeing his opponent's straightforward move, which aimed for a head-on clash, Wu Xu's face darkened. No matter what, he was a Half-Saint combat master, virtually invincible at his level... For someone of lower strength, it would be difficult to win even by trickery, let alone a direct confrontation. Wasn't this just seeking death?

With a soft shout, Wu Xu's long sword, without any fancy moves, stabbed directly towards the tip of his opponent's spear. At the same moment, the true qi within him surged forth like a bursting dam. Since the opponent chose a head-on clash, he would use the powerful might of a combat master to show them how laughable such an action was.

The long sword and spear clashed. Wu Xu was just thinking that his opponent would surely be unable to withstand his profound true qi and would be crushed on the spot when he suddenly felt an even more immense power surging towards him. The river of true qi within him seemed to have instantly encountered a tsunami; they were simply not on the same level.

Thump, thump, thump, thump! His face flushed, Wu Xu continuously retreated seven or eight steps, his feet thudding against the ground. Cold sweat poured down his forehead, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.

"Just with true qi and physical strength, he's stronger than Wu Xu, who is a level higher... How does this guy cultivate?" Zhuo Qingfeng and the others on the side also widened their eyes, startled. Combat masters of the same level are at the pinnacle in terms of both physical body and true qi... For this sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy to be able to force Wu Xu back across levels... it was simply too terrifying.

"Let's continue!" Having repelled Wu Xu, a surge of heroism rose in Zheng Yang's heart. With a long cry, he stepped forward again. At the same moment, his spear repeatedly tapped, each strike blocking all directions Wu Xu could use to defend or retreat.

"What fast spear techniques, what profound combat skills..." Zhuo Qingfeng's pupils contracted once more. If the opponent had only relied on brute force, there wouldn't have been much to fear. After all, sheer strength isn't the sole criterion for winning a fight. Just like in the earlier sparring matches, none of the Hongyuan Academy students were particularly strong, yet their own combat masters were no match. Great brute strength could be compensated for with combat skills, finding the opponent's weaknesses and defeating them... He had thought Wu Xu would have a chance, but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that the opponent's understanding of combat and control over his moves would be equally formidable. This spear thrust clearly exploited the flaws in Wu Xu's movements, locking down the surrounding area with the fastest speed. This way, even the strongest martial arts couldn't be unleashed. Strong in power, profound in martial skill comprehension... Where did this guy come from? Too terrifying!

Thump, thump, thump, thump! While his mind raced with these thoughts, Wu Xu in front was already in precarious straits. He stumbled back several steps, unable to bear it any longer. His long sword immediately flew from his grasp, tumbling several times in the air before sticking into the ground over ten meters away. He himself staggered and fell to the ground, the young opponent's spear resting on his neck, piercingly cold, as if it could pierce his throat at any moment. "I lost..." Wu Xu's entire body was stiff. He had thought that after breaking through to Half-Saint, very few at his level could defeat him. He never dreamed he would be easily defeated by a boy who was only at the early stage of the Silkworm Seal Realm, without even the strength to resist!

"Impressive... I'll spar with you!" Seeing his friend defeated so utterly, Lucheng could no longer hold back and stepped forward.

"Lucheng, you are no match!" Zhuo Qingfeng shook his head. With his discernment, he could easily see how terrifying this young man was. True qi, strength, speed, understanding of martial arts, comprehension of combat... all were impeccable, without a single flaw. Although Lucheng had broken through to Half-Saint very early and was the strongest among the group Zhuo Qingfeng led, compared to the opponent, he was still far inferior—there was simply no comparison.

"Captain..." Lucheng was full of anxiety. The opponent had come right to their doorstep, sweeping away all the prestige of their combat masters. If they didn't teach him a lesson, how could they face anyone in the future?

"I'll do it myself then..." Shaking his head, Zhuo Qingfeng stepped forward, looking at Zheng Yang not far away. "I won't bully you; I'll suppress my cultivation to match yours!" Whoosh! Having said that, the aura within Zhuo Qingfeng's body rapidly contracted, changing from his previous Saint Realm Second Layer to the early stage of the Silkworm Seal Realm. Although his cultivation was suppressed, his understanding of martial arts, combat experience, and reaction speed remained unchanged. It could be said that even at the early stage of the Silkworm Seal Realm, his true combat power was more formidable than Lucheng's Half-Saint stage.

"Let's begin!" Zheng Yang nodded, wasting no words. He raised his spear, and in an instant, his entire being seemed to become the spear itself, and the spear became him. The profoundest state of man and spear united—man and spear as one!

Zhuo Qingfeng's expression was solemn. He drew a long sword and pointed it forward. Knowing his opponent's formidable skill, his figure flickered, and he made the first move. His footwork was incredibly intricate, appearing as if he were treading a special path. He seemed to be right in front, yet if one were to attack, they would find him far away, completely out of reach.

"It's a formation... Combat Master Zhuo is integrating footwork with a formation; his advance is also the process of setting up a formation!" Wu Tianqiong's pupils constricted. Although combat masters don't cultivate auxiliary skills, they can incorporate many auxiliary techniques into combat to enhance their fighting power. Just like the move Zhuo Qingfeng was currently executing. Effectively combining footwork and formation would disorient the opponent, making it impossible to determine the most accurate attack point.

"This move is terrifying. Even I can't counter it; I'd only be able to temporarily evade. Let's see how this young man fights it..." Shen Pingchao nodded. The move Combat Master Zhuo used was unfathomably strange. Even without suppressing his cultivation, it would be difficult to grasp. If the opponent, being in the Silkworm Seal Realm, failed to respond properly, they would instantly be defeated.

"Hmph!" Zheng Yang, seemingly having seen through his intention, let out a soft snort. Instead of dodging, he thrust his spear forcefully towards the ground. Swish! A glorious spear light shot forth, and a huge crack, dozens of meters long, immediately appeared on the ground. At the same time, the spear tip flicked upward, sending shattered stones tumbling and dust flying.

"Using... shattered stones to break a formation? Impressive!" Seeing this, Wu Tianqiong's eyes lit up. Just a moment ago, he had been wondering how the opponent would respond. Then he saw this move, and his heart immediately filled with excitement. Zhuo Qingfeng used his legs to set up a formation, making his figure elusive and imperceptible, even more terrifying than an illusion. The opponent, instead of attacking him directly, thrust his spear into the ground, causing dust to fly everywhere... This was equivalent to enveloping the surroundings in dust. No matter what formation or leg technique it was, if the dust could settle on it, it was real; if not, it was fake! In other words, a single move had broken his leg technique.

Whoosh! Amidst exclamations of awe, the young man had already pinpointed Combat Master Zhuo's exact location. His spear pierced through the air, coming straight before him.

"Hmph!" Seeing his leg technique broken so quickly, Zhuo Qingfeng's face darkened. He raised his long sword and thrust it forward. Clang, clang, clang! The sword light clashed with the spear tip. A suffocating sensation in his chest, Zhuo Qingfeng reeled back several steps, his heart filled with dread. At the same cultivation level, his true qi power was vastly inferior to his opponent's. Especially the purity of the true qi; the difference was like heaven and earth, incomparable. To be able to teach a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy to be so powerful, how formidable must his teacher be?

Swish, swish, swish! He swung his long sword several times to dispel the force of the opponent's attack, then charged forward again. However, the opponent seemed to have discerned the flaws in his attacks, and his spear was relentless, one strike faster than the last. After eight consecutive spear strikes, Zhuo Qingfeng's face turned pale, and he was already breathing with some difficulty. The opponent's true qi was too powerful, suppressing him so completely that he couldn't resist. If his own cultivation hadn't already reached the Saint Realm Second Layer, granting him swift reaction speed and greater physical agility, he might already be severely wounded by now.

"Stop, there's no need to continue... I'm no match!" Jumping back a step, Zhuo Qingfeng exited the fight, waving his hand at the young man before him. Although he didn't want to admit it, facts were facts. Even if he fought personally, he was no match for this young man. The opponent's understanding of martial arts, combat experience, and even strength were more than twice his own. Such a powerful individual, once entering the Combat Master Hall, would at least be a Chiliarch, or even... a Vice Commander! He hadn't expected to find such a genius here!

"Are you also a student of Hongyuan Academy? May I ask who your teacher is, and are you interested in joining our Combat Master Hall?" Unable to hold back, Zhuo Qingfeng asked.

"I am not a student of Hongyuan Academy..." Putting away his spear, Zheng Yang clasped his hands behind his back and looked over calmly. "However, my teacher is Zhang Xuan!"