Battling Cheng Xiao Yuan

This pair of cousins continued their pleasant banter. How could the others not see that this was a deliberate challenge aimed at Ling Han?

The corners of Cheng Xiang's lips slightly lifted, and said loftily, "I forgot to mention, this cousin of mine just broke through to the Element Gathering Tier last year, and now he's about to achieve the peak of the first layer of Element Gathering Tier; it could even be said that he's an exceptional genius."

Meanwhile, Cheng Xiao Yuan smiled modestly, and said, "I only broke through to the Element Gathering Tier at twenty years old, so I can't really be considered any kind of exceptional genius. I am only one step ahead of most people."

When they heard him say this, the others seated at the banquet table all held shocked expressions.

Element Gathering Tier!

Although Cheng Xiang was in the ninth layer of Body Refining Tier and was only nineteen years old, to advance such a big step forward would need at least three, five years--or it may not even be achieved in a lifetime. Thus, Cheng Xiao Yuan was being overly modest. Someone who broke through to the Element Gathering Tier at twenty years old definitely deserved the name of a genius.

Of course, the praise of "exceptional genius" was a bit of an exaggeration. After all, Gray Cloud Town was still too small a place, so any person who displayed a slight bit of outstanding talent would be named as "genius".

The common knowledge of martial arts was that difference of tiers was a gap that was near impossible to breach during fight.

Everyone looked at Ling Han, wondering how was this guy going to solve the predicament he was currently facing.

If he accepted the challenge, then he would definitely lose. Cheng Xiao Yuan may even kill him--with an Elder from Stone Wolf Sect present, what did he dare not do? But if he did not accept the challenge, then the reputation he had worked so hard to build up would collapse. He was trapped between a rock and a hard place.

But if you compare the possible consequences of each decision, then one should understand that refusing the challenge was the wisest move to make. After all, accepting the challenge could possible result in death.

They wanted to shame him?

Ling Han's gaze focused on Cheng Xiang before switching to Cheng Xiao Yuan, and he couldn't help the corners of his lips lifting up in a smile. This scheme was quite well planned, but the Cheng Clan would never have imagined that he had already advanced into Element Gathering Tier, as well as the fact that his Five Element Origin Nuclei gifted him with incomparable power.

"All right, then let's spar for a bit," he said with a smile.

What, Ling Han actually agreed?

Not only did the others never think of such a thing happening, even Cheng Xiang and his cousin were shocked. But after a while, they both smiled coldly. Since this brat was looking for death, then let's give him a hand!

If Ling Dong Xing could not hold himself back from assisting his son, then Cheng Feng Lie too would take action to kill him too. This was what they hoped would happen. The script for tonight's show was to find an excuse to eliminate both Ling Dong Xing and Ling Han.

Even Ling Mu Yun could barely conceal the elation he felt. He too wanted nothing more than for Ling Han to die.

For clans of martial artists, spars during banquets were something quite common. They only needed to clear some space outside the living room and there was a ready-made battleground.

With the deliberate publicizing from Cheng Xiang, the news that Ling Han would be having a spar with Cheng Xiao Yuan spread to every table. Additionally, the individual strength of the two fighters, or at least the battle prowess of Cheng Xiao Yuan, was made known to everyone.

This was a battle with a conclusion that held absolutely no suspense. Could it be that Ling Han was too proud and arrogant to refuse the challenge?

The two fighters stepped into the courtyard outside the Main Hall. There was an empty space of about ten metres cleared out here. Although it was not really very wide, it was more than enough for the upcoming battle.

"You really are an idiot!" Cheng Xiao Yuan smiled coldly, killing intent exuding from him. He purposely lowered his voice and said, "I will slaughter you!"

"Oh?" Ling Han gave a snort, "You are really daydreaming!"

"Then die!" Cheng Xiao Yuan gave a loud laugh, his fist flying towards Ling Han. He had no need to use any kind of martial arts skill--he fully believed that, with the strength of a warrior at the peak of the first layer of Element Gathering Tier, he would be able to easily crush Ling Han.

There was a saying in martial arts which meant that enough strength would subdue ten rounds of battle. Under the pretext that there was too great a gulf between two fighters' respective strengths, there was absolute no need for any kind of martial arts techniques.

Ling Han held no fear as he too responded with a fist flying towards Cheng Xiao Yuan.

With everyone fixing their eyes on them, the two fists crashed into one another, and a powerful ripple suddenly erupted, radiating out in all directions. "Peng peng peng peng", a few of those who stood the closest suddenly collapsed.

Meanwhile, Ling Han and Cheng Xiao Yuan were still maintaining their previous stances, their two fists pushing against each other.

'What!'

Seeing such a scene, everyone was greatly shocked, their faces filled with utter disbelief. Some who had been eating immediately spat out what they had been eating, accidentally covering the faces of those who had been so unfortunate as to sit opposite. For a short moment, the scene was one of complete chaos.

Ling Han actually countered Cheng Xiao Yuan with a fist, and it even seemed like their power was evenly matched?

How could this be possible!

Cheng Xiao Yuan's arrogant expression had completely disappeared as he said, deeply frowning, "Element Gathering Tier?"

Ling Han smiled faintly, and said, "You're not the only one who can break through."

In truth, almost everyone had already guessed it, but when they heard Ling Han's confirmation, a new wave of shocked exclamations still emerged.

Previously, when Cheng Xiao Yuan broke through to the Element Gathering Tier at twenty years old, he was already praised as an exceptional genius, yet now, Ling Han was only sixteen years old!

Sixteen years old and in the Element Gathering Tier? Gods, this was crazy!

Everyone turned gazes full of incomprehension towards Ling Han. This guy was a publicly acclaimed trash just more than a month ago--how did he, in such a short time, reverse his fortunes?

"Brother Ling, you truly have a wonderful son!" Cheng Wen Kun said in an awe-inspiring tone, his voice failing to conceal his killing intent.

A sixteen-year-old boy who had already achieved the Element Gathering Tier was much too terrifying. He was even more talented than Ling Dong Xing had been years ago--in the past, he had always compared himself with Ling Dong Xing, but now matter how much effort he expended, the gulf between himself and Ling Dong Xing only became wider and wider... until the moment when Ling Dong Xing returned to Gray Cloud Town, his strength stagnated in the ninth layer of Element Gathering Tier. This was what finally gave him a chance to catch up to him.

But he had never imagined that Ling Han's talent was even more prominent!

He definitely could not allow this brat to live. Otherwise, perhaps in a few years' time, this brat could even possibly break through to Gushing Spring Tier, and at that moment, the Cheng Clan could only bow beneath the might of the Ling Clan.

Ling Dong Xing smiled faintly. In the past, his son had caused him much heartache, yet now, Ling Dong Xing only felt immeasurably proud of him. He said, "Just so-so, still can't compare to your Clan's Xiao Yuan, who had already broken through a year ago."

Damn it, how could a twenty-year-old who broke through compare with a sixteen-year-old who broke through?

Within the courtyard, Cheng Xiao Yuan took a deep breath, yet his heart was filled with overwhelming shock. He had heard Cheng Xiang mention before that Ling Han was only in the seventh layer of Body Refining Tier just over a month ago, and yet he had astonishingly broken through to Element Gathering Tier now... this progression rate was really much too horrifying!

Could it be that this brat had some kind of treasure that allowed him to speed up his cultivation rate?

When he thought about this, his eyes instantly lit up. It must be--this brat's reputation as a piece of trash was well-known all over town, but he had, all of a sudden, turned so powerful. It must have been that he had obtained some kind of colossal opportunity.

'Well, it belongs to me now.'

Thinking of this, Cheng Xiao Yuan opened up his fists, revealing his palms. He intended to use a martial arts technique.

Earth Shaking Palm, Yellow Grade high level martial arts technique.

This was a technique he had obtained when he had been on a training trip at a historical site. It not only allowed him to have an additional powerful secret art, but when he handed it over to the Stone Wolf Sect, he had also been rewarded with a "Origin Gathering Pill", which helped him to break through to Element Gathering Tier in one go!

Otherwise, there was no way he would have been able to break through to Element Gathering Tier when he was twenty years old.

He was filled with confidence. A Yellow Grade high level martial arts technique was considered top-rate even in Stone Wolf Sect. The martial arts techniques that had been passed down through the Ling and Cheng Clans were only Yellow Grade medium level martial arts techniques at best. He fully believed that once he used Earth Shaking Palm, he would still be able to easily control the situation.