Chapter 63: Begin?

The sect masters and Qin Wuyou found themselves once again rendered speechless by Yun Che and Retsu's extraordinary attire. The rumor they had once heard, of an Emperor-ranked cultivator wearing a black outfit and wielding a giant sword at a wedding in Floating Cloud City, briefly crossed their minds. Yet, upon closer inspection, it was impossible to equate Yun Che with that enigmatic figure. The descriptions might have been eerily similar, but the differences were stark—Yun Che was a Nascent Profound Realm cultivator, and his imposing large sword was unmistakable.

Each of the seven sects had sent five representatives, while Yun Che and Retsu stood as the sole representatives of the New Moon Profound Palace. Thanks to Qin Wuyou's intervention, the customary challenge system had been replaced with a battle royale format. This was a measure to prevent the stronger sects from bullying those with lower cultivation. Under this new arrangement, the first eight representatives would enter the arena, battling until only one remained. This process would repeat for five rounds. However, Yun Che foresaw the possibility of all seven sects ganging up on him and Retsu from the outset.

Even after witnessing their extraordinary transformation, doubts still lingered among the audience as to why the New Moon Profound Palace had sent only two representatives, both at the peak of the Nascent Profound Realm. The sect masters suspected that they might be concealing some cultivation-suppressing treasures and promptly requested their elders to investigate. To their surprise, both Yun Che and Retsu were found to be 'clean,' with no such treasures on their persons.

Within Yun Che's inner world, Jasmine couldn't help but comment on the subtle tension in the air. "This atmosphere is indeed quite subtle. It seems like this princess will soon have a good show to watch."

Yun Che wore a smug grin as he replied, "Of course, I never planned on being merciful to them. If those sects are planning to destroy us, then there's nothing wrong with being the villain, right?"

Jasmine noticed the difference in his sword and inquired, "By the way, you don't seem to be carrying Zangetsu with you. Have you chosen another spirit for this battle?"

Yun Che nodded, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Yeah, Zangetsu is a unique Zanpakuto spirit that doesn't require an asauchi. That's why I chose another one for this battle. Besides, we need to keep the surprise until the end."

Jasmine raised an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the term. "Asauchi?"

Yun Che clarified, "Oh, sorry. It means the sealed form. All Zanpakutos have their own sealed form, typically taking the shape of a normal katana sword. However, Zangetsu is different. Due to his unique nature, he remains in his permanent Shikai form." Jasmine absorbed the new information, intrigued by the intricacies of Yun Che's world.

"So the one you're holding right now is a katana sword? The shape is quite different from any sword I've seen." She observed the Zanpakuto on his waist. It felt no different than an ordinary sword compared to a Shikai form.

"Yeah, compared to this one, Retsu's asauchi is longer than mine," Yun Che remarked with a playful smirk, pointing to the asauchi resting on Retsu's shoulder. However, before he could continue his conversation with Jasmine, their attention was abruptly diverted by an announcement that rang through the palace.

"Each representative for the first round, please enter the stage," the announcer's voice echoed, demanding their immediate attention.

Yun Che turned to Retsu, holding her smooth hand, and asked, "So, Retsu, do you want to go first? Or should I?"

The intimate gesture earned him not only the envious gaze of the audience but also a jealous look from Cang Yue.

"Giggle You can go first, young master. I want to see how you handle them before I join the fray," Retsu playfully replied, her eyes filled with intrigue. She wanted to gauge Yun Che's approach first—if he played nice, she would follow suit, but if he showed no mercy, she would follow suit in kind.

"Let's enjoy this, Retsu," Yun Che said with a warm smile, releasing her hand before gracefully leaping onto the stage.

As the representatives from each sect made their way to the stage, Yun Che couldn't help but notice that they had severely underestimated him. They had dispatched disciples at the first and second levels of the True Profound Realm to face him, some of them even rivaling Yuanba in size. The stage itself was quite large, a testament to the preparation for martial artists capable of executing large-scale techniques—something that didn't bother Yun Che in the least.

A few of the disciples began to taunt him, their arrogance palpable. "To send an ant to this banquet—just who do you think you are?"

Another boasted, "I can't believe my first match is against someone beneath me. Will I be considered a bully if I win?"

"You know," a third chimed in, "let's take care of that ant first before we face the others."

"Yeah, I want to fight that woman as soon as possible," agreed another. It seemed they all shared the common desire to deal with Yun Che and Retsu's supposed weakness.

The announcer's voice interrupted the exchange, declaring, "Representative, you may begin if you're ready," signaling the start of the battle.

However, to the surprise of the banquet audience, none of the representatives from the seven sects made a move. They seemed to have collectively lost interest in the impending fight.

One of the disciples from the Iron Spear Clan suggested, "You know what? Let the three of us handle that New Moon Profound Palace ant. It'll be a great warm-up before our real matches." The representatives from the Profound Heart Sect and the Cloudy Sun Sect slowly nodded in agreement.

The representative from the Xiao Clan, though initially uninterested, suddenly spoke up, "Then what are we waiting for? Hmph, this senior isn't going to soil his hands with the blood of a weakling." Despite his initial disdain for the event, the allure of the post-banquet activities had convinced him to participate for the sake of fun.

The representative from the Iron Spear Clan, the Profound Heart Sect, and the Cloudy Sun Sect boldly stepped in front of Yun Che, forming an intimidating blockade as they cast dark glares at him. Their sudden alliance to confront Yun Che didn't go unnoticed by Qin Wuyou, who, watching from above, couldn't hide his shock and anger.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his voice filled with fury, directed at the sect heads.

"Sect Master Qin, you stipulated that all seven disciples could engage in battle with each other, but you never mentioned alliances in the arena," Fen Ju, the sect master of the Burning Heaven Clan, retorted confidently.

"You..." Qin Wuyou seethed, his frustration boiling over.

"Exactly," Xiao Tiannan, the Xiao Sect sect master, chimed in, his tone dripping with smugness. "As you said, anything that happens in the arena is none of our concern. We've even sworn an oath. You're familiar with heavenly retribution, I trust?"

Qin Wuyou clenched his fists, his face reddening with anger, but he ultimately bit back his retort, choosing instead to place his trust in Yun Che. The disciples and elders in the surrounding area shared a similar sentiment. With this being a free battle, interference was impossible. However, among the onlookers, Murong Ye secretly harbored a desire to see Yun Che humiliated.

Cang Yue couldn't help but look on with worry, but Yuanba reassured her. She didn't want to witness Yun Che being beaten in front of her eyes.

"Hey, ant, you'd be wise to tuck your tail and run back to your feeble sect. We don't have time to deal with someone weaker like you," the disciple from the Profound Heart Sect taunted.

"I'm feeling merciful today and don't want to bully you," another from the Cloudy Sun Sect added, losing interest in Yun Che.

"You guys take care of him; I'll just watch," the representative from the Iron Spear Clan declared, his enthusiasm waning.

Yun Che didn't respond with words; instead, he grinned at them as if their threats were nothing more than a joke.

"Small fries, do you always talk so much before a fight? These are the kinds of battles I hate the most—full of pointless bluster instead of action. But, then again, I suppose that's what I should expect from small fries like you—full of hot air," Yun Che taunted, mimicking the motion of digging his ear dismissively.

The three disciples who had blocked him were momentarily stunned before erupting in anger, their disdainful gazes intensifying.

"What did you just say? Are you so scared that it's making you delusional? Hahaha! Let me teach you a lesson or two, little ant. If you don't want to run away, prepare to face my extreme methods," the disciple from the Profound Heart Sect sneered, his aura surging to the second level of the True Profound Realm.

Yun Che stood his ground, his shihakushou fluttering dramatically in the air, an embodiment of unruffled confidence in the face of these arrogant opponents. "If you want a show, we'll be happy to oblige."

The disciple from the Profound Heart Sect inched closer, his cocky demeanor slowly giving way to unease.

"Since you refused to heed my warning, you have only yourself to blame for what's about to happen..." he began to retort, but he never got the chance.

In the blink of an eye, Yun Che was right in front of him. With lightning speed, he raised his fist and, in a swift and brutal motion, delivered a devastating punch directly to the disciple's face. The impact was seismic, and the disciple was sent hurtling through the air. He crashed with bone-shattering force into the opposite wall of the arena.

The entire wall crumbled under the force of the impact, leaving the audience, disciples, and sect masters stunned and speechless. The same people who had belittled and insulted Yun Che just moments ago were now left utterly humiliated.

Yun Che's punch had shattered their arrogance and their pride, replacing it with shocked silence. The sensation he felt was akin to delivering a resounding slap in the face, only this time, it was a punch. Thanks to his breakthrough to the second level of the Great Way of the Buddha, his fist held an extraordinary power that transcended conventional cultivation levels.

"BRAZEN!" Sect Master Xuan of the Profound Heart Sect erupted, his face flushed with anger.

"Sect Master Xuan, let's not forget your own words. You did say that anything can happen in the arena. Are you willing to lose face in front of our esteemed guests?" Qin Wuyou, the Palace Master of the New Moon Profound Palace, retorted with a smug smile.

"You..." Sect Master Xuan was left speechless. He never anticipated that Yun Che possessed the strength to deliver such a devastating punch. The other sect masters, too, were left in awe. This young man was far stronger than they had ever imagined.

As the audience were gaping, the other two who was insulting him suddenly turn white. "You…. You're doing this. Aren't you afraid of the power behind us? Do you even know who we are?" He asked as if he wanted to flaut their sect powers.

Yun Che sweatdropped as these guys really flaunt their sect powers? So, if they heavily injured him, no one bats an eye. If he lays a weak punch then everyone loses their minds. What kind of logic is that?

Yun Che stood there, his confidence unshaken, as he addressed his fallen opponents. "You see, your sect master did say that anything can happen in this arena, right? Well, as long as we're in the arena, I can do whatever I want. Besides, you weaklings aren't even worth remembering."

Infuriated by their comrade's humiliation, one of the remaining two disciples cried out, "Let's defeat him! Unleash your Profound Arts on him. He may be strong, but if we attack him together, he's nothing!"

"Yeah," agreed the other, "for a Peak Nascent like him, he's surprisingly strong. But facing both of us at once, he won't stand a chance."

They began to channel their profound arts, intending to launch an attack on Yun Che. However, before they could even move half the distance toward him, Yun Che was already upon them.

"You guys are really full of shit," Yun Che remarked, his fist cracking audibly as he delivered a straight punch to the disciple from the Iron Spear Clan. Just like before, the punch sent him hurtling through the air, crashing into the opposite wall. Without missing a beat, Yun Che turned to the next disciple, who stood there in stunned disbelief.

"Surprise attack!" Yun Che moved swiftly, reaching the next disciple and mimicking a move he had once seen in a YouTube video.

The punch struck the disciple in the gut, causing him to cry out in agony as he, too, was sent flying into the wall. The audience watched in astonishment as Yun Che's lightning-fast strikes left a trail of destruction in their wake.

As Yun Che defeated all three opponents with nothing but his fists, the audience's reaction was a symphony of shock, disbelief, and awe. The once rowdy and taunting crowd had fallen into stunned silence. Gasps and whispers spread like wildfire through the spectators as they witnessed the incredible display of power. Eyes widened with disbelief, and jaws dropped as Yun Che dispatched his adversaries with ease. Some audience members rubbed their eyes, thinking they might be witnessing an illusion, while others pinched themselves to ensure they weren't in a dream. The expressions of the sect masters ranged from utter astonishment to begrudging respect, their faces revealing that they had underestimated Yun Che's strength.

Women in the crowd couldn't help but swoon at the display of his prowess, finding themselves inexplicably drawn to the confident and powerful figure in the arena. The men, on the other hand, were left humbled and awestruck, silently acknowledging Yun Che's exceptional skill. It was a moment that would be talked about for generations to come—a Peak Nascent cultivator defeating True Profound Realm disciples with his bare fists. Yun Che's performance had not only shattered the arrogance of his opponents but had also earned him the admiration and respect of everyone present.

"Now then," Yun Che declared, his gaze fixed upon the remaining four disciples who stood at the edge of the arena, their faces etched with a mixture of dread and determination.

"You…you…you…" the disciples stammered, their fear palpable. They knew they couldn't back down now without losing face.

"Alright, alright. I won't use my fists. Come on, then. I don't have all day," Yun Che said, nonchalantly placing his hands behind his back. He was offering them a handicap, a chance to make a move.

"You…Then, let us show you the Xiao Sect's strongest technique," the disciple from the Xiao Sect, the largest of them all, announced with a determined glint in his eyes. Being as big as Yuanba, he focused his profound energy into his fist, preparing for an attack.

"I'm going to use the pinnacle technique of my sect against you—the Fleeting Strike," he declared, his stance firm. Yun Che just looked at him with contempt.

"When you're hit, an ant like you will not survive this. Your chances of survival are zero!!!!" With these words, the Xiao Sect disciple charged forward, and the other three disciples followed suit, preparing to unleash their profound arts.

"Collier (neck)," Yun Che declared, and in an instant, he appeared before the Xiao Sect disciple, his leg executing a precise, horizontal kick aimed at the neck. He had promised not to use his fists, but his legs were fair game.

"Huarrghh!" The disciple crumpled to the ground, Yun Che's kick striking with brutal force and creating a visible crater in the arena. The other onlookers gasped in astonishment as the elite from the Xiao Sect was taken down with a single kick.

"You called me an ant, didn't you?" Yun Che asked with a stern expression.

"Why you?!?" Another disciple, who had been behind Yun Che, attempted to launch a surprise attack. But Yun Che remained unfazed, swiftly turning to evade the attack.

"Epaule (Shoulder)," Yun Che announced, and his kick was unleashed vertically, striking the attacker's shoulder with devastating force, shattering it instantly. The disciple crumpled to the ground, face down. "Did you think you could bully me with numbers?"

The two remaining disciples, who had been gaping at the spectacle, finally decided to take action. However, before they could react, Yun Che had already moved to their side.

"Côtelette (Rib)," he said, and a frontal kick landed squarely on one disciple's ribs, causing him to cry out in pain. But Yun Che wasn't showing any mercy.

"Selle (Lower Back)," Yun Che flashed step to the next disciple, delivering a powerful lower back kick that shattered the disciple's spine. The two disciples collided with each other, their bodies contorted in agony. Yun Che didn't stop there; once he started his combo, he showed no mercy, no matter what.

"Poitrine (Chest)," Yun Che announced as he flashed above the colliding disciples, descending upon them with a devastating kick aimed at both of their chests simultaneously.

The impact of his kick sent the two disciples crashing down onto the arena stage, creating a shockwave that rippled across the floor. Seizing the opportunity while they were still caught in the rebound effect, Yun Che moved swiftly beside them.

"Gigot (Legs)!!" he shouted, and with lightning speed, he unleashed a powerful horizontal kick that struck both of them in the legs, sending them hurtling through the air towards the arena's wall. The audience watched in disbelief as the two disciples slammed into the wall with bone-shattering force.

Gasps of shock and awe swept through the onlookers, while the disciples from the various sects clenched their fists in frustration. The sect masters were seething with anger as they witnessed this junior systematically crippling their elite disciples one by one. In one single combo, Yun Che had shattered their shoulders, ribs, spines, chests, and legs, leaving no room for mercy from the very beginning.

The audience watched in stunned silence as Yun Che dispatched these disciples with incredible precision and ruthless efficiency. The sect masters, who had been arrogant and dismissive, were now gritting their teeth in frustration, witnessing their elites being defeated one after another. Yun Che had shown that he was a force to be reckoned with, even without drawing his weapon.

"You son of a bitch," the Xiao Sect disciple seethed as he struggled to stand. Yun Che had held back with his previous attacks, reserving his best for this moment. With a determined look, the disciple declared, "Take this FLEETING STRIKE!"

However, he never saw Yun Che in front of him because...

Yun Che had already leaped into the air, and before the disciple could react, Yun Che appeared right behind him. In a swift and deadly motion, Yun Che unleashed his "Mouton Shot (Sheep Shot)."

Time seemed to slow as Yun Che delivered a flurry of high-speed, powerful kicks to the Xiao Clan disciple. To the surrounding audience, it appeared as if he had executed only a single kick. However, in reality, Yun Che had unleashed a relentless barrage of kicks at lightning speed. Before the Xiao Sect disciple could react, Yun Che delivered a final, devastating straight kick that sent his opponent hurtling toward the opposite wall. The sheer force behind the kick was unimaginable. As the disciple crashed into the wall, it shattered upon impact, and the destruction rippled through the palace, causing walls after walls to crumble like fragile paper.

The sheer power behind Yun Che's kick shattered bone and crippled the disciple in one fell swoop. The audience was left speechless, once again gaping in astonishment. Earlier, Yun Che had pummeled three disciples with his fists and incapacitated the remaining four with his legs. They might have been low-level elites, but Yun Che's ruthlessness had taken them down without mercy.

"Hmph, looks like he won't be needing any desserts," Yun Che remarked calmly as his eyes unwavering as he surveyed the aftermath of his powerful assault.

The entire arena remained in stunned silence for a moment before a thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd.

"Young master, nice work!!!" Retsu's voice rang out, her cheering from the sidelines cutting through the clamor of the spectators. She couldn't wait to unleash her own devastating performance against these arrogant opponents.

The audience gradually caught on, and soon the disciples of the New Moon Profound Palace joined in, their cheers echoing loudly in support of Yun Che. He had just delivered an awe-inspiring display, defeating seven True Profound Realm cultivators with remarkable ease, all in one swift motion. Even Cang Yue and Yuanba, who had been initially worried about Yun Che's well-being, were now left in shock by his incredible prowess.

"Yun Che, who are you actually?" Cang Yue couldn't help but murmur quietly to herself, her eyes filled with amazement. She never seen him fought before and those high level missions are mere flukes to him.

"Boss, that was awesome!!!!" Yuanba exclaimed at the top of his lungs, his excitement palpable.

"Young master, what was that move just now?" Retsu and Jasmine's voices echoed in his ears, both filled with curiosity.

Yun Che nonchalantly replied, "Well, that's the Black Leg Style." His response earned perplexed glances from both Retsu and Jasmine. Yun Che, or rather, Yuuki, had been a fan of the anime One Piece in his previous life. Utilizing the System's ability to analyze memories, he had requested to scan and recreate Sanji's martial arts style based on his recollections. Using his past-life memories, moves, and a few System points, he had managed to develop the initial stage of this fighting style. It was a leg-based combat style he had devised during a training session three weeks ago when he realized the potency of his leg strikes. As his mastery of the Great Way of the Buddha increased, so did his strength, prompting him to create a leg-based combat style as an alternative to using his fists or Zanpakuto. He needed this versatility in case he couldn't rely on his sword. This impressive display was just a glimpse of what he was capable of.

Yun Che glanced at the irate sect masters before turning his attention back to Retsu with a grin. "Your turn, Retsu. Next up is round 2."