The delegations of the six sacred palaces stirred uneasily. Not only were Chi Wuxia’s words aimed at Lu Yun, but they also targeted every sacred palace disciple present.

  Qiu Luoyu had foiled Chi Wuxia’s challenge of Wen Jian in the Tomb of Heaven and Earth. Regardless, everyone knew that if it hadn’t been for the wandering cultivator, Wen Jian would’ve been dead without a doubt that day.

  Wen Jian was the personal disciple of the Inception monarch, so many times stronger than Luo Chen—who Lu Yun had defeated in front of the sacred prince palace. None of the monarch’s personal disciples nursed the desire to be the Inception prince, which was why they had been nowhere to be found when the mob besieged Lu Yun’s doors.

  Now that someone stronger than Wen Jian was here to challenge Lu Yun, even those who’d personally witnessed Lu Yun’s strength grew a little nervous. They’d all witnessed Lu Yun’s fight with Jin Gushen, but here, Chi Wuxia said that he would use only thirty percent of his strength.

  ……


  Lu Yun didn’t care what the others thought; he walked up to his new opponent and flashed a broad grin. Chi Wuxia blinked, but before he could respond with anything, Lu Yun raised his right hand.

  Smack!

  A crisp slap sounded out as Chi Wuxia flew backwards, crashing heavily into the ground thirty meters away, his left cheek painfully swollen.

  Jaws dropped around the arena.

  Chi Wuxia struggled to a seated position and held his cheek, staring dumbly at Lu Yun. He had no idea what’d just happened.

  “Eh? What are you doing, senior brother Chi? Are you letting your junior get a hit in?” Lu Yun exclaimed with surprise. “I was just probing you, why didn’t you dodge? Thankfully I didn’t hit hard, or your head would’ve been smashed open.”


  “You little bastard!” Chi Wuxia flew into a rage. He leapt to his feet and charged Lu Yun, releasing a dark gray flame from his body that formed a humanoid figure behind him. This was plainly a great combat art, but he kept himself in check and used only thirty percent of his power.

  When he reached his opponent, Lu Yun raised his right hand again.

  Smack!

  Chi Wuxia tumbled to the ground after arcing through the air, his great combat art dispersed as well.

  “Eh? What’s this, senior brother? Are you letting your junior get a second hit in?” Lu Yun goggled with incredulity.

  The crowd rustled with uncertainty. Two face slaps that’d sent Chi Wuxia flying… Was he really going easy on Lu Yun?

  “Wuxia! Use your full strength!” a frowning Nirvana princess suddenly called out from her delegation. Though Chi Wuxia was fighting for the nine divine sects, he was still her son.

  Eyes bloodshot with rage, Chi Wuxia crawled up from the ground. The dark gray flame burned so hotly that it was almost a deep amethyst.

  “I’ve underestimated you, prince of Inception Palace.” He was immune to face slaps after the barrage of abuse outside the Tomb of Heaven and Earth. Chi Wuxia had treated that as mental tempering, which was the same perspective that he took now. This would hone his mental fortitude, and all be negated as long as he defeated and then viciously humiliated his opponent.

  Dark amethyst flames danced around him as he propelled his strength to its utmost. However, he still kept his word and used only thirty percent of it.

  Step by measured step, Chi Wuxia approached Lu Yun. He raised his right hand and slammed it across Lu Yun’s face. The epitome of speed—even the chaos currents over the arena rang with an explosive pop.

  Smack!

  The sound of hand connecting with face echoed in the void as a figure shot out parallel to the ground and crashed in a cloud of dust.

  “Chi Wuxia also slapped the Inception prince?” It’d happened too quickly for some to get a good look. How had a proper battle to the death turned into one of slapping each other?

  “No, the Inception prince is still standing right where he was!”


  “Then the one sent flying…”


  The crowd focused their gazes and saw Chi Wuxia sprawled on the ground, struggling to get up. His right cheek was grotesquely swollen now, as if a large bun had been stuffed inside.

  “Senior brother Chi, not only do you use only thirty percent of your strength, but you let me get three hits in and take my moves with your face. You’re the strongest expert of the nine divine sects alright! Your magnanimity is as great as the chaos sea. This junior brother stands in awe and veneration!” Lu Yun raised a cupped fist salute with utmost seriousness.

  His words left people spinning with confusion. Had Chi Wuxia really given these three moves to the Inception prince and even used his face as a target dummy?

  “AhhhHHHH!!” A beet red Chi Wuxia sprang up from the ground, his previously resolute will entirely shattered. Slapping him thrice and then saying that he’d used his face to take the brat’s attacks?! Was this an insult??

  Chi Wuxia’s composure was completely destroyed. This was death via words instead of a physical offensive!

  Whoosh!

  Blazing like an amethyst colored bonfire, every inch of Chi Wuxia’s skin and every strand of his hair burned savagely.

  “Die!!” In the full throes of fury, he was using all of his strength—a power so formidable that it instantly made the arena transform itself into a world again. Before even the notion of an eye blink occurred, Chi Wuxia had swooped down on Lu Yun in the shape of an amethyst bird.

  A nirvana phoenix!

  He was the son of the Nirvana princess; she and Wei Yuan were both nirvana phoenixes. Having inherited her bloodline, that gave Chi Wuxia the ability to transform into one. The great combat art of that race and the method beyond the chaos that he controlled began to meld together, forming a brand new combat art.

  Surging amethyst flames threatened to swallow Lu Yun and his patch of the ground whole. However…


  Smack!!

  Another face slap rang out, breaking Chi Wuxia’s combat art and sending him flying back out in human form. Thus spelled his perfect defeat.

  It was so quiet around the Inception Spiritrial Arena that a pin drop would be deafening. Everyone gaped at Chi Wuxia in the arena. Another slap? But Chi Wuxia had exerted all of his strength just now!

  What kind of monster was this Inception prince?

  “Senior brother Chi, you used your full strength in the end, didn’t you?” Lu Yun walked over while Chi Wuxia was still struggling on the ground and looked loftily down at him. “How come Jin Gushen could match me in battle and barely lose, but you only use your face as a shield?”


  Lu Yun frowned with deep thought. “Is thick skin your strongest defense? My hand is a bit sore, so you haven’t really lost, senior brother.”