Chapter 26: A Single Strike

Cao Yun shook his head helplessly. Judging by Senior Brother Huo’s posture, it seemed he would not let the matter rest without a decisive outcome.

"Then I shall accept your guidance, Senior Brother Huo." Cao Yun’s gaze sharpened, his tone firm. He knew all too well that people like this only relented once they were thoroughly defeated; otherwise, they would remain a persistent nuisance.

"Refreshing! Truly refreshing!" Senior Brother Huo shouted as if invigorated by a stimulant, then turned and charged into the Martial Arts Hall.

Wu Jiao looked at Cao Yun’s retreating back, shook his head slightly, and whispered in his ear, "Junior Brother Cao, just teach him a lesson; don’t actually kill him." Wu Jiao was well aware of Cao Yun’s strength. This was a man who, even at the first or second level of Qi Refining, could kill opponents stronger than himself—a genuine god of slaughter. While Junior Brother Huo had some combat talent, he was far from being in the same league as a true killer.

Cao Yun nodded slightly and stepped into the hall. Inside, various platforms of different sizes were arranged in an orderly fashion.

The young man surnamed Huo was already standing on one of the platforms, nodding at Cao Yun with a provocative smirk.

With a flicker of movement, Cao Yun transformed into a streak of light and instantly appeared before the young man. This display of footwork startled Huo, proving that Cao Yun’s reputation was well-earned.

The youth then said, "Junior Brother Cao, are you ready? Let us begin."

By now, a crowd had gathered around the platform.

"Who is this junior brother? Is he a new arrival? Poor guy, being targeted by Senior Brother Huo as soon as he steps in," someone remarked.

"That’s not right," another noted in surprise. "This junior brother is at the seventh level of Qi Refining, and it looks like he’s at the peak of it."

"So what if he’s at the seventh level? Senior Brother Huo is at the ninth level. Even tenth-level seniors aren't necessarily a match for him," someone retorted.

"True, who doesn't know that Senior Brother Huo is the best combatant in our Myriad Demon Pavilion?" another chimed in.

The area beneath the platform was rowdy, with more people flocking over. Ignoring the noise, Cao Yun simply nodded and said, "Come, Senior Brother Huo."

Feeling slighted, the young man roared, slapped his storage pouch, and produced two fiery-red hooks.

"Go!" he bellowed.

The two hooks cut through the air with ferocious momentum, lunging straight at Cao Yun. Yet, facing this swift strike, Cao Yun remained unhurried, not even bothering to manifest a Golden Light Shield.

The moment the hooks were about to strike, his figure flickered like a phantom. When he reappeared, he was standing directly in front of the youth.

With a thunderous boom, the two hooks smashed heavily onto the platform, sending dust flying. Simultaneously, the youth was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string. A charred, blackened mark was left on his chest, and beneath his torn robes, a glinting golden inner armor was barely visible.

"Ugh!" A mouthful of blood sprayed out. The youth turned deathly pale, the agony in his chest so intense he could barely breathe, let alone speak. His eyes remained fixed on Cao Yun, filled with confusion and shock; he had no idea what had just happened.

The audience below fell into a deathly silence. Many regretted not having kept their spiritual senses active, having missed the thrilling moment.

Those who had kept their senses active gulped in secret. They had clearly captured the moment Cao Yun flashed like lightning before Senior Brother Huo and unleashed a Fireball Technique at point-blank range, the power of which was terrifying.

The perfect combination of that physical impact and the Fireball Technique was chilling. This was no mere sparring match; it was clearly an attempt to kill Senior Brother Huo in one strike.

In truth, Cao Yun just wanted to end the trouble quickly. After stepping onto the platform, he noticed the youth hadn't activated his Golden Light Shield, so he decisively utilized the Wind-Riding Technique combined with mortal footwork, supplemented by the Fireball, to easily defeat the famed Senior Brother Huo.

"Wait... isn't this Cao Yun from the Myriad Demon Forest?" someone suddenly exclaimed from the crowd.

"What? This is Cao Yun? I heard he was only at the second level of Qi Refining?" another asked, puzzled.

"Second level? You're mistaken, it's the third level! I even hired him to help me kill a Four-Eyed Spirit Fox before!" another corrected.

"Could this really be the Cao Yun from the Myriad Demon Forest who can kill beasts above his level?" Murmurs of awe rippled through the crowd.

"No wonder he could defeat Senior Brother Huo! It’s Senior Brother Cao! I told you all, Senior Brother Cao would enter the sect within a month or two. See? I was right!"

"You idiot, when did you say that? Who heard you? Stop embarrassing yourself."

Wu Jiao, watching from below, shook his head. He knew Junior Brother Huo was no match for Cao Yun, but he hadn't expected him to be so vulnerable. He couldn't help but worry about the upcoming Myriad Demon Forest Martial Arts Tournament in half a month.

Amidst the clamorous discussion, Cao Yun walked off the platform and approached Wu Jiao. "Let's go, Brother Wu. Take me to see the rest of the place."

Wu Jiao nodded helplessly and, amidst the chatter of the crowd, led Cao Yun out of the Martial Arts Hall.

The moment they stepped out, the hall erupted in chaos, with arguments escalating into the clashing of magical treasures and the whistling of spells.

Seeing this, Cao Yun couldn't help but admire the internal culture of the Myriad Demon Pavilion. It was no wonder Dai Wuyai had sought him out for the tournament.

"Tell me about the other three participants for the Myriad Demon Forest tournament," Cao Yun said to Wu Jiao.

Wu Jiao nodded. "Besides Junior Brother Huo Qingyun, there is Junior Brother Liu Biehe and Junior Sister Wan Fangyi. Both Liu and Wan are at the eighth level of Qi Refining. All three of them are exactly thirty years old this year; if the tournament were held next year, they wouldn't be eligible to participate."

"Brother Wu, can't a forty-year-old disciple pose as a thirty-year-old? Cultivators maintain their youth; how can age be easily determined?" Cao Yun asked, puzzled.

"You may not know, Junior Brother, but once a cultivator reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, they generally utilize bone-observation techniques. A person's appearance can be faked, but their skeletal structure cannot," Wu Jiao explained slowly.

"I see. No wonder everyone follows the rules so strictly; it’s nothing like the style of the Demonic Path. I suppose Senior Brother Dai has bestowed Essence Pills upon these three as well?" Cao Yun asked, a sudden realization dawning on him.

"You guessed correctly, Brother Cao. But whether this is a blessing or a curse remains to be seen," Wu Jiao sighed, shaking his head slightly.

Cao Yun understood the gravity of Wu Jiao's words and said no more, continuing to stroll along with him.