Chapter 113: Yang Shi

“Mom always said: one must be modest and not too flamboyant…” Upon hearing this, Zhang Tong could no longer contain himself. Suddenly, with a ‘pfft,’ he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his eyes rolling back as fury overwhelmed him, and he fainted straight away.

“Mom said that for a cunning scoundrel like Zhang Tong, no mercy should be shown…” Yun Fan frowned deeply, pondering for a moment before settling on a rather fitting justification for himself. Although he knew his mother had never actually said such words, his hatred for Zhang Tong ran deep—after all, Zhang Tong had insulted his mother. Whether his mother truly said it or not no longer mattered; what mattered was making Zhang Tong regret uttering those words.

The onlookers were utterly speechless. Many cast strange glances at Yun Fan, wondering where this fellow had suddenly appeared from. Judging by his earlier actions, he was undoubtedly a master among masters. Yet, why had he appeared so mediocre during the “Ten Trials of Qingchi”? None of them believed his nonsense about “being modest and not flamboyant.”

Yang Shi glanced at Yun Fan before turning to Yang Fengge with a questioning look. Yet Yang Fengge remained indifferent, as if nothing in this world could truly captivate him. He looked through the scene as though it were invisible, his gaze quietly fixed on the distant horizon.

Yang Shi sighed helplessly. Zhang Tong had already declared his allegiance to Yang Yu, thus becoming part of the Yang family. Now that Zhang Tong was brutally beaten, it was a blatant challenge to the prestige of the Yang clan. If they did not intervene now, it would not only damage the reputation of the Qingchi Yang family but also sow doubt among those wishing to pledge loyalty. What puzzled Yang Shi, however, was why ‘he’ had yet to take action amid this fierce competition, when many were vying for this enigmatic and unpredictable fortune.

Suddenly, a shadow darted through the crowd like a ghost, moving so fast that those with weaker cultivation could barely discern his figure. In an instant, the figure appeared before Yang Yu and Che Wuyou, not waiting for them to react. Before either could respond, the shadow struck out two slaps with a crisp ‘pa, pa’…

The figure exuded confidence. After delivering the two slaps, he didn’t glance at them but suddenly straightened his posture and lunged at Yun Fan’s back with the ferocity of a tiger capturing a rabbit.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Yun Fan immediately turned, launching a fierce counterattack. The sheer force of his blows caused the onlookers to squint slightly. Both combatants revealed their true strength the moment their palms met. Each strike was stronger and faster than the last…

After three devastating palm clashes, an intense, invisible wall of energy seemed to materialize before them. Waves of force, like a giant spring, instantly rebounded against the two, sending them flying uncontrollably…

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Four figures crashed to the ground one after another, rolling in different directions. Che Wuyou, observing the massive disturbance created by the two, then glancing at Yang Shi who had rolled slightly and quickly regained his footing, couldn’t help but narrow his eyes in silent respect. “So strong… this must be the Yang family’s strongest. Even Yang Fengge, who’s been silent until now, can’t be much different…”

Among all the youths Che Wuyou had met, he had never encountered such formidable talent. He found himself quietly comparing Yang Shi to his own elder brother, Che Yeming. Though unwilling, he had to admit that the gap at their ages was likely significant.

Yet, the most astonishing was Yun Fan—a seemingly disorganized speaker, outwardly ordinary in every way, even of humble origin, who had fully withstood Yang Shi’s earth-shaking assault. It was unclear whether he was genuinely somewhat foolish or merely playing the part of a docile pig to lure out the tiger. If the latter, his temperament was far beyond what the word ‘terrifying’ could convey.

“What? Even Yang Shi couldn’t take down this Yun Fan?” After the shock subsided, whispers rippled through the crowd. Yun Fan’s impact was simply overwhelming. Could he be the biggest dark horse in this trial of the Tower of Ascension? Would he return in this unexpected manner?

“Junior Brother Palm Master, what do you make of Yun Fan? It seems he deliberately concealed his strength. Even Yang Shi suffered a hidden loss,” Mu Chen said, turning to Li Muqiu. “With his level of power, I doubt anyone will dare challenge him for anything anymore.”

“Hmm… Judging from the palm force fluctuations just now, both of them should be in the late stage of Foundation Establishment. Along with Yang Fengge, that girl from the Ye family, and our precious one, there are now five youths at late Foundation Establishment—far more impressive than our lineup in the Tower of Ascension trial that year!” Li Muqiu remarked with a touch of admiration, then added with interest, “It’s rare indeed that besides Yang Fengge, the Yang family has such outstanding talent. But the most surprising is still Yun Fan. This boy is quite remarkable—he must be blessed with great fortune. Even the first level of the Tower of Ascension offers such opportunity. Truly enviable. If possible, Second Brother, we should ask the Wu family to help calculate his fate and see what lies ahead for him.”

“Yes, we should let the Wu family help with the calculations. This time, Qingchi has produced so many prodigies—it’s hard to say whether this is a blessing or a curse. But regardless, I hope more people destined to face tribulations emerge this time. Only then can the Qingchi Sword Sect’s legacy endure for generations,” Mu Chen said, recalling the vague words of the Wu family patriarch last time, a trace of worry creeping into his expression.

“Second Brother, you worry too much. The saying ‘chaos is coming, monsters abound’ has been around for centuries, yet there has been no sign of chaos during all that time,” Li Muqiu said, glancing at Mu Chen. “Although we cultivators have a vague premonition, such feelings are mysterious and not always accurate. Besides, if that great calamity truly arrives, the Qingchi Sword Sect has withstood countless tribulations without fading. Perhaps this calamity is exactly the opportunity for us to rise, even to replace the Sacred Ground…”

Upon hearing this, Mu Chen’s eyes suddenly gleamed with brilliance—it had been just like this ten thousand years ago. But then his expression darkened, and after cautiously surveying the surroundings, he said, “Junior Brother Palm Master, please be careful. The Sacred Ground harbors those versed in profound mysteries who might steal secrets from a thousand miles away. Such discussions are best kept to ourselves for now.”