Chapter 20: Counter Abuse
Chapter 20: Counter Abuse
“Cheng Lingyu, come out now!”
Cheng Zhaohua’s voice cut sharply through the air, determined to avenge his younger brother Cheng Zhaojun’s humiliation.
Cheng Lingyu’s sword-like brows furrowed as he approached the two brothers. “What do you want?”
Cheng Zhaohua mocked, “They say the Cheng family’s former waste became an overnight genius, even winning the Chongyang Martial Arts Festival. Let me verify this myself.”
Cheng Lingyu countered, “How? Fight me at my Ordinary Martial Realm – Eightfold level and you’ll lose. Use your True Martial Realm power and you’ll just shame yourself. Which will it be?”
“Such arrogance!” Cheng Zhaohua spat. “Clearly you need to learn your place.”
“Shamelessness makes one invincible. Just admit you’re here to bully me for your brother’s sake.”
“How dare you!”
“I’m Cheng blood. Aren’t you?” The retort left Cheng Zhaohua momentarily speechless.
Family Head Cheng Feng frowned but stayed silent. Jiang Bin watched coldly, making no move to stop the confrontation as flames danced around Cheng Zhaohua’s fists.
“Enough talk!” Cheng Zhaohua stomped forward, his energy wave forcing Cheng Lingyu back. The gap between them was obvious – an Ordinary Martial cultivator stood no chance against True Martial Realm – Second Level.
Cheng Lingyu retreated to the garden, his newly awakened Magic Eyes, First Realm of Insight revealing slowed movements in his opponent. Though Cheng Zhaohua’s techniques appeared sluggish, Cheng Lingyu’s untrained body couldn’t fully exploit this advantage yet.
“All you do is dodge!” Cheng Zhaohua taunted, fiery punches carving troughs in the air.
“All you do is bully!” Cheng Lingyu sidestepped with unfathomably mystical timing, sweat beading his brow. The Xuanhuo Sect disciple’s Channeling Stage cultivation gave overwhelming advantage, but the beginner’s insight allowed fleeting glimpses of flaws in every attack.
Cheng Yun watched stone-faced as the cousins clashed, knowing this humiliation might serve his own plans. Around them, crackling flames drowned out the gathered crowd’s murmurs.
Cheng Lingyu knew he couldn’t overpower his opponent, so he focused on evasion while plotting his next move.
Initially, Cheng Lingyu had no confidence and seemed destined to lose.
Yet the basic application of the Magic Eyes, First Realm of Insight proved unexpectedly miraculous, allowing him to see through every one of Cheng Zhaohua’s techniques and seize opportunities.
A direct clash was impossible, but by controlling the rhythm and striking precisely, Cheng Lingyu’s terrifying explosive power still threatened Cheng Zhaohua.
Focusing his mind, Cheng Lingyu’s eyes gleamed as an unusual aura enveloped him.
Pushing off his toes, he darted sideways, using Circular Motion to weave through the garden. A swirling airflow around him disrupted the force of Cheng Zhaohua’s punches.
Cheng Zhaohua intensified his attacks with Wave Shock, the violent tremors hurling Cheng Lingyu sideways and breaking his stance.
“With such pitiful strength, you think you can escape me?”
Using Wave Shock to disrupt evasion, the experienced Cheng Zhaohua quickly dominated the fight.
Cheng Lingyu inwardly sighed. Though simple, Wave Shock’s disruptive tremors made dodging nearly impossible.
“Now, fall!”
Cheng Zhaohua’s punch shook the void, his true essence erupting into flames that surged like fire serpents toward Cheng Lingyu.
Perfectly timed, the strike left no room for evasion.
Facing the incoming flames, Cheng Lingyu made a split-second decision.
Activating Thousand Layers of Snow, he divided his true energy into layers, stacking them a hundredfold to cushion the impact. Simultaneously, he thrust both fists forward, his true energy rippling like a dragon’s undulating body.
The resulting shockwave blasted Cheng Lingyu backward. Scorching energy pierced his arms but was weakened by the layered defense.
Cheng Lingyu’s fists glowed bronze—a change from merging with the active metal source, granting his physical body inhuman resilience.
Landing unsteadily, he staggered back, face flushed from surging blood.
Cheng Zhaohua stared in disbelief. “You blocked my strike?”
Cheng Lingyu sneered, “Not enough? Should I let you tie my limbs first?”
The taunt enraged Cheng Zhaohua.
“Silence!”
He lunged forward, fists blazing like fireballs with a terrifying aura.
Cheng Lingyu defended desperately, using his Insight to narrowly evade each strike.
Spectators marveled—despite being at the Ordinary Martial Realm – Eightfold against Cheng Zhaohua’s True Martial Second Stage, Cheng Lingyu lasted a hundred exchanges without falling.
Cheng Yun allowed a faint smile. Though his son couldn’t win, this performance proved his talent.
Cheng Zhaohua seethed. He’d expected an easy victory, not this humiliation. If he failed today, his reputation would crumble.
Meanwhile, Cheng Lingyu reached peak focus, his eyes spotting flaws in Cheng Zhaohua’s techniques, ready to counter.
Having never attacked first, Cheng Lingyu lulled Cheng Zhaohua into complacency, leaving him unprepared for retaliation.
This was a deliberate illusion Cheng Lingyu had crafted all along, aiming to catch enemies off guard at the critical moment.
Now, the timing had finally come. Spotting the flaw in Cheng Zhaojun’s tiger technique, Cheng Lingyu gathered all his strength into his right foot. In that instant, he unleashed over four thousand times his explosive power, kicking Cheng Zhaohua’s left calf and sending him flying.
Cheng Lingyu immediately lunged forward, fists streaking like meteors. Each punch erupted with over four thousand times explosive force, making the void tremble and filling the air with deafening cracks.
Cheng Zhaohua let out a furious roar. He never imagined Cheng Lingyu would ambush him so suddenly. That kick’s savage power had shattered his leg bone outright.
Cheng Lingyu’s fists then pummeled down like falling stars, each strike heavy as mountains. Cheng Zhaohua’s arms went numb under the assault, leaving him gasping for breath.
“This… How… How is this possible?”
The spectators stood frozen, stunned by the abrupt reversal.
With a growl, Cheng Lingyu hammered out a hundred punches carrying crushing force. Cheng Zhaohua’s arms snapped under the barrage.
Jiang Bin abruptly rose from his seat in the hall and materialized in the garden.
Simultaneously, Cheng Yun yanked his son aside, narrowly evading Jiang Bin’s retaliation and leaving the man seething helplessly.
Cheng Zhaojun gaped at the scene, unable to believe his eyes. His elder brother—a Second Stage Spirit Martial cultivator—had nearly been beaten to death by Cheng Lingyu. It defied reason.
The Cheng family experts exchanged shocked glances. Family head Cheng Feng’s face darkened, his wariness toward Cheng Lingyu sharpening. This threat couldn’t be permitted to grow unchecked.
Humiliation scorched Cheng Zhaohua. He’d meant to defend his brother’s honor, only to be publicly humiliated. This disgrace would haunt him forever.
Without gloating, Cheng Yun led his son away. Too ashamed to remain, Cheng Zhaohua immediately left the Cheng residence with Cheng Zhaojun, retreating to the Xuanhuo Sect.
As the storm subsided, Cheng Lingyu’s name once again shook Shiyang Town. Father and son’s status within the Cheng family soared.
“You’ve avenged yourself today,” Cheng Yun cautioned, “but you’ve made mortal enemies of Cheng Zhaohua’s brothers and the Xuanhuo Sect. Stay vigilant.”
“I’ve prepared for this,” Cheng Lingyu replied. “That battle taught me much. I’ll begin closed-door cultivation at once.”
He chose the deserted Wushan mining area for solitude. The nine Mine Sources around Shiyang Town had fused into his body. Starting anew from the Ordinary Martial Realm’s First Level, he would rebuild himself flawlessly.
Two active metal sources dwelled within him: the black gold source and a mysterious silver source. Each split into nine strands that merged seamlessly through refinement.
Clearing his mind, Cheng Lingyu employed Thousand Layers of Snow to temper his Physical Body. From the First Level onward, he pursued perfection with merciless precision.