Xiao Ziyang's gaze fixed firmly on Ye Yunfei, gradually turning grave. It was clear he had finally begun to take Ye Yunfei seriously, treating him as an equal opponent.
Whoosh!
Ye Yunfei had no intention of wasting words. He charged forward directly. With the tenfold speed boost of the Heavenly Shadow Robe, Ye Yunfei's speed was incredibly fast. He instantly closed the distance and appeared before Xiao Ziyang.
"Well met!" Xiao Ziyang boomed in a deep voice.
Boom!
Spiritual Power surged forth like a blue tidal wave, shaking the surrounding space. Instantly, vast amounts of blue Spiritual Power condensed into a gigantic palm, surrounded by countless ocean storms. This giant azure palm locked onto Ye Yunfei and swatted towards him.
"That's the Xiao Clan's Heaven-Sea Divine Palm!" Someone immediately cried out in shock.
The three great clans of the Central Continent each possessed their own hereditary techniques.
As the giant blue palm advanced, the sound of crashing tides and storming waves filled the world, as if a raging sea were in revolt.
"Can Ye Yunfei withstand it?"
Deep within Hudao Academy, Xie Changkong, the six Guardian Elders, Dean Shangguan, Dean Zhou, and the others were watching intently, somewhat worried. After all, the Heaven-Sea Divine Palm was a famously powerful advanced martial technique within the Central Continent.
"If Ye Yunfei cannot hold out, we will intervene immediately," Xie Changkong stated.
At this moment...
Rumble...
Ye Yunfei's body shook as he unleashed his full, formidable physical power.
Boom!
Ye Yunfei threw both fists simultaneously, executing the first five forms of the True Demon Slaughter God Fist. They shot forward like bolts of lightning. Dozens of strands of Profound Earth Heavy Qi materialized around his fists.
Each punch landed like a beating drum, the ensuing shockwaves causing the heavens and earth to thunder.
After a few exchanges, the giant blue palm was shattered by a single punch from Ye Yunfei. Xiao Ziyang was forced back over a dozen steps, his expression extremely grim.
"Roar...!"
Angry and humiliated, Xiao Ziyang let out a furious roar.
Boom!
Another giant azure palm materialized, smashing towards Ye Yunfei. This patch of sky and land became awash with rolling waves and raging Spiritual Power that surged towards Ye Yunfei like a world-ending tornado.
Swoosh!
A slender, elongated blue scimitar, shimmering with cold light, appeared in Xiao Ziyang's right hand. His body moved like a fish through the sea, following a bizarre trajectory as he charged at Ye Yunfei.
"Master, we'll help you," Hu Miao's voice sounded in his mind.
The next moment.
Hu Miao and Huang Shang acted together—one employing illusion arts, the other employing ghost arts.
Ye Yunfei also unleashed his Heavenly Soul Sword. A small sword attack shot into the depths of Xiao Ziyang's Soul Sea.
Immediately, Xiao Ziyang's face changed drastically. Though his techniques were advanced, Soul Power was his weakness.
Realizing the peril, Xiao Ziyang's expression changed dramatically, and he desperately tried to retreat.
Boom!
Ye Yunfei's movements were blisteringly fast. A punch sent Xiao Ziyang flying high through the air, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Whoosh!
Before Xiao Ziyang could even stabilize himself, Ye Yunfei, moving like a phantom, had already pursued him.
Boom! Boom...!
Subsequently, Ye Yunfei launched a series of attacks, striking Xiao Ziyang repeatedly and sending him flying like a ball bouncing through the air.
Xiao Ziyang bellowed in rage, unleashing various secret techniques and ultimate moves. Sadly, it was useless. He was simply no match for Ye Yunfei.
After a few more moves, Xiao Ziyang's body was already covered in wounds and dripping with blood.
Though Ye Yunfei still couldn't instantly defeat a Mid Stage Mystic Liquid Realm expert, achieving victory was relatively easy.
"Ye Yunfei's combat power is already approaching the Late Stage Mystic Liquid Realm!"
Deep within Hudao Academy, the high-level figures—Xie Changkong, the six Guardian Elders, Dean Shangguan, Dean Zhou—were each thoroughly shocked. A freshman who had only entered the academy for a few months possessing such combat power was utterly astonishing.
"His combat power lies primarily in his physical strength," Xie Changkong could not help but sigh. "To have honed physical strength to such a level... I doubt there are more than a few individuals across the entire Tianxuan Continent capable of it!"
"Xiao Ziyang is injured!"
Many students in the vicinity cried out in alarm.
Xiao Ziyang was ranked fourth on the Academy-Wide Hidden Dragon Stele!
Now, he was being pummeled with barely any chance to retaliate.
"The Xiao Sect leader has lost too!"
The Xiao Sect members were ashen-faced, all hope drained.
At that moment.
High in the air, Ye Yunfei and Xiao Ziyang faced each other.
Ye Yunfei wore an indifferent expression, his hands clasped behind his back.
Xiao Ziyang's clothes were tattered, his body covered in blood.
"Impossible!"
Shockwaves roiled within Xiao Ziyang's heart. He could not accept this.
Stained with blood, he stood unsteadily in mid-air, gazing at Ye Yunfei with a mixture of unwillingness and terror.
"Ye Yunfei, just you wait! I will definitely avenge this grievance!" Xiao Ziyang shot Ye Yunfei a venomous glare, then turned and actually intended to leave. He knew that continuing to fight would not make him Ye Yunfei's victor.
"You come to provoke me, get beaten, and then think you can just pat your backside and leave? Did you ask for my permission?" Ye Yunfei spoke up in a faint, mocking tone.
Xiao Ziyang's steps halted.
"Ye Yunfei, what do you want?!" Xiao Ziyang's face twisted into a savage expression.
Whoosh!
With a single step, Ye Yunfei crossed the sky and arrived before Xiao Ziyang.
Boom!
A fist, carrying terrifying power, rapidly enlarged like a millstone as it blasted towards Xiao Ziyang's dantian.
"Ye Yunfei, you dare try to cripple me?! I'll fight you with everything I've got!" Xiao Ziyang shouted, a mix of shock and fury.
Boom...
A giant blue Spiritual Power palm coalesced in front of him, pushing towards Ye Yunfei.
Ye Yunfei's punch struck out, directly shattering that Spiritual Power palm into pieces.
Puh!
Xiao Ziyang was already injured. This exertion aggravated his wounds, and he sprayed a mouthful of blood.
Rumble...
Ye Yunfei's hands simultaneously enlarged, transforming in an instant into a pair of enormous palms, each as large as a small field.
Then, the two giant hands reached out to grab Xiao Ziyang.
Boom! Boom...!
Panicked, Xiao Ziyang punched and kicked wildly, stirring heaven and earth.
It was useless.
Ye Yunfei closed his giant hands together, forcibly capturing Xiao Ziyang between his palms, immobilizing him completely.
"Xiao Ziyang has been captured by Ye Yunfei!"
At this moment, the surrounding students erupted into a frenzy.
Within Hudao Academy, the famously renowned Xiao Ziyang—founder of the Xiao Sect, ranked fourth on the Academy-Wide Hidden Dragon Stele, a peerless genius—was now held captive like a chick.
"Let me go!" Xiao Ziyang struggled desperately, roared in anger and humiliation.
"I don't care about your background. Dare to provoke me, and you must pay the price," Ye Yunfei remained unmoved, sneering coldly.
"Ye Yunfei, release Young Master Xiao Ziyang immediately!"
"Young Master Xiao Ziyang is the beloved grandson of our Xiao Clan's Great Elder! His status is noble. You cannot profane it!"
"Ye Yunfei, release Young Master Xiao Ziyang at once! Otherwise, you will incur the wrath of our entire Xiao Clan!"
...
Many students now directed their furious shouts towards Ye Yunfei.
These students were all from the Xiao Clan. Each intake of Hudao Academy accepted a portion of students from the top-tier forces of the Central Continent.
"Noisy chatter!"
A fierce glint flashed in Ye Yunfei's eyes as he unleashed the Heavenly Soul Sword.
Arghh! Aah...!
Immediately, all those Xiao Clan descendants who had shouted at Ye Yunfei were sent tumbling backwards, crying out in agony. Some of the weaker ones fainted outright.
"So terrifying!"
The other students were all so frightened their faces paled, subdued by Ye Yunfei's fierce aura. No one dared utter another sound.
Everyone's gaze focused on Ye Yunfei, watching to see how he would deal with Xiao Ziyang.
Right at this moment.
"How dare you, you lowly thief! How dare you treat a descendant of my Xiao Clan in this manner!"
A furious roar echoed from afar.
Then.
Rumble...!
The entire sky and land began to tremble violently, shaking and rocking.
A vast and mighty Spiritual Power pressure blanketed the heavens and bore down upon Hudao Academy, crushing its way in.
"They've come!"
At that moment, the complexions of all the high-level figures deep within Hudao Academy darkened.
Then.
Xie Changkong, the six Guardian Elders, Dean Shangguan, Dean Zhou, and numerous other regular Elders all soared into the sky.