128. Qi Fei Makes a Move

Qi Fei’s technique, as subtle as threads and as fluid as silk, effortlessly neutralized the burly man’s martial prowess. It was no wonder the onlookers were left in complete shock. In this small corner of Yunshan City, such a brilliant and exceptionally talented young man had never been seen before. Consequently, the gaze they cast upon Qi Fei now carried a trace of fear alongside their admiration—a sentiment shared by all the Innate-level martial artists who had come to celebrate Ma Lianliang’s birthday. This, after all, was how a "shield" was meant to be used: until the nature of this strange turn of events was fully understood, it was best to observe and wait.

Because these warriors had all struggled to reach the Innate realm and were accustomed to lives of comfort, pampered by the flattery of ordinary people, they saw no reason to place themselves in danger just to appease others. Thus, the dozens of formidable Innate warriors who had arrived with such aggressive intent now stood frozen after witnessing Qi Fei’s single strike, as if thoroughly cowed by his martial arts.

Of course, their hesitation was directly linked to Qi Fei defeating an Innate master in one move. No matter how bizarre or unfathomable one’s techniques might be, if they lacked sufficient power—or if an ordinary warrior could easily shrug them off—they would never induce such panic. The reality was clear: had Qi Fei failed to defeat his opponent instantly, or had he become entangled in a prolonged struggle, the effect would have been lost. It was the combination of the strange nature of his style and the sheer power required to fell an Innate master in one stroke that kept them at bay. Little did they know, Qi Fei had only employed the Bagua Palm, a technique he considered low-level and one he had not used in a long time.

Seeming oblivious to the fact that his actions had deeply intimidated the crowd behind Ma Lianliang, Qi Fei merely shook his head and sighed as his opponent collapsed. "Alas, I said it before: someone like you trying to trade blows with me is simply futile." Though his words sounded like a lament for his opponent’s weakness, everyone could sense the underlying mockery directed at Ma Lianliang.

Earlier, such words might have been dismissed as a fool’s errand, but after the recent display, even the onlookers felt his arrogance was justified. After all, for someone capable of defeating an Innate master in a single strike, a little bit of swagger was only natural. Initially, they had all assumed that at twenty-one or twenty-two, the boy’s talent, however rare, would be limited by his age, and his strength could not possibly be that great.

But with the hard truth laid bare, they were forced to reconsider. The world was vast and full of wonders; a mere youth possessed such terrifying force. They now agreed that this boy was not just strong—he was outrageously so, a figure to be looked up to by countless warriors. With this realization, their focus shifted from how Ma Lianliang might punish the youth to how the older man could possibly handle such a challenger. They wondered if Ma Lianliang could withstand this challenge at all, or if the mantle of Yunshan City’s greatest master was about to change hands. One wrong move, and the power structure of the city, stable for decades, could be shattered.

If the crowd had once viewed Ma Lianliang as an absolute authority, the fear now radiating from his own contingent of Innate warriors eroded that advantage. Faced with this crisis, Ma Lianliang could only furrow his brows, unable to utter a word of rebuttal. This strange sight only deepened the perception that even he had begun to fear Qi Fei.

"Master," Qi Fei chuckled, "I thought someone said we would pay the price for our words. What’s wrong? Does that no longer count?"

As the crowd remained immersed in the eerie atmosphere, Qi Fei spoke up. Beside him, Tong He continued to drink and eat, his nose tilted in the air with arrogant disdain. "Indeed, disciple. Since they are too cowardly to admit it, perhaps we should teach them a lesson in how to behave?"

Though Tong He did not address Ma Lianliang directly, his sidelong glance clearly included the city’s top master. Even a clay figurine has a spark of anger, and after being ignored repeatedly, Ma Lianliang could remain silent no longer. With his white hair bristling, he roared, finally looking toward his followers. "Bring me my Five-Tiger Severing Saber! I refuse to believe that a mere child of twenty can escape my grasp!"

Ma Lianliang’s fury was evident, yet Tong He only responded with a casual, impatient mutter. "How troublesome. With all that shouting, how is an old man supposed to eat? ...Well, kid, draw that piece of junk you call a saber and show this old man that his so-called Five-Tiger Severing Saber is nothing but empty talk."

"Empty talk? Very well! I, Ma Lianliang, have dominated Yunshan City for sixty years. Today, I am eager to see just what kind of remarkable existence dares to call my family’s secret art empty talk." Ma Lianliang snatched his saber from a servant. With the blade in hand, his hesitation vanished, and he once again embodied the image of the city’s peerless master. It was no coincidence that he held this position; the sheer heroic aura he projected made it clear why he could face nine Innate masters simultaneously without faltering.

As a master at the fourth level of the Innate realm, he was no ordinary opponent. Qi Fei noticed that once Ma Lianliang gripped the weapon, his presence underwent a qualitative shift. A river-like, overwhelming aura surged from the blade toward him. It was a pressure so potent that upon touching him, Qi Fei felt as though he were a mud ox sinking into the sea. When he tried to move, he felt as if his limbs were bound by invisible restraints. There was no doubt: if he allowed this aura to envelop him, his strength would be severely hampered.

Yet, Qi Fei was ecstatic. He felt his soul humming and his own Hanpo Saber vibrating with excitement. Merely from this sliver of aura, he knew Ma Lianliang was worth fighting seriously. A fourth-level Innate master was, indeed, entirely different from those he had faced before.