The Imperial Martial Pill Venerable

"Then let’s put it to the test!"

Fang Yu gave a sinister smile, and his body flickered like a ghost. He vanished in the blink of an eye, and by the time he reappeared, his palm was already crashing down on Chu Lingfeng.

An insidious True Essence was contained within his palm, like a needle hidden in cotton. Chu Lingfeng scoffed at the sight. He stepped forward and countered with a palm strike of his own—one that was the complete opposite, utterly domineering.

The two Palm Powers collided, whipping up fierce gales. To everyone’s surprise, Fang Yu was sent flying back several yards, while Chu Lingfeng remained as steady as a mountain.

The disciples from the Vast Sea Divine Palace sneered at the sight.

"Heh, is that all the people from Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain have got?"

"Pathetic. He couldn’t even take a single palm strike from Senior Brother Chu."

.........

"Hmph. You’re nothing special, either." Chu Lingfeng, having knocked Fang Yu back, stood tall and proud, his face a mask of contempt. Suddenly, his expression flickered.

’Something’s not right,’ Qin Ya thought, a strange light flashing in his eyes from his spot in the crowd.

"Sister Lii, that Fang Yu guy looks so weak," Shangguan Yue said, a look of contempt on her pretty face. "He couldn’t even take a single one of Chu Lingfeng’s palm strikes."

But Lii Yunge shook her head, her expression growing serious. "That’s not it," she said. "In that first exchange, it was Senior Brother Chu who got the worse end of the deal."

"Huh?" Shangguan Yue was confused, but she turned her gaze back to the fight.

Chu Lingfeng’s expression was grim. His right hand—the one he had just used to meet Fang Yu’s palm—was trembling slightly. Seeing this, Fang Yu toyed with a lock of his hair and gave a sinister smile. "Heh, how does that feel? I trust my ’Needle in Cotton’ technique didn’t disappoint you, Brother Chu."

Needle in Cotton was an insidious Palm Technique. The strike contained two layers of True Essence. The outer layer would be neutralized on impact, but it concealed an inner layer of needle-like True Essence that would then penetrate the opponent’s body through their pores, inflicting a secondary wave of damage. It was an incredibly tricky move to deal with.

"Pathetic parlor tricks!"

Chu Lingfeng snorted. With a wave, he used his own True Essence to force the needle-like energy from his arm. He then shot forward, his right hand chopping toward Fang Yu as a flame materialized around it. "Now, have a taste of my Flame Saber!"

The Flame was like a saber, searingly hot.

Fang Yu executed his Body Technique again, dodging the strike with a slight turn of his body. The Flame Saber Qi shot from Chu Lingfeng’s palm and slammed into the cliffside, sending rock fragments flying and leaving a deep, scorched gash. The crowd gasped in alarm.

"What a tyrannical Flame Saber!"

Seeing Fang Yu dodge his attack, Chu Lingfeng gave a cold smile. He leaped into the air and whipped his right leg out like an iron whip, kicking up waves of fire.

"Heh, it seems Brother Chu’s comprehension of the Fire’s Great Trend is quite profound!"

Fang Yu smiled faintly. Imbuing his palms with insidious True Essence, he slapped them against Chu Lingfeng’s fiery kick and used the momentum to retreat dozens of yards away.

"What’s the matter? Is dodging all you people from Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain know how to do?"

Chu Lingfeng taunted, a sneer on his lips as he launched another furious assault.

Fang Yu remained unfazed by Chu Lingfeng’s mockery. He moved like a ghost, his Body Technique on full display. Chu Lingfeng’s attacks were ferocious, but for the moment, he couldn’t land a single blow.

"That Fang Yu is such a coward, all he does is dodge," Shangguan Yue said, wrinkling her nose in disdain. Then she added, "But Chu Lingfeng is pretty pathetic too, for not being able to land a hit after all this time."

"That Fang Yu’s Body Technique is impressive. Chu Lingfeng won’t be able to touch him any time soon. And... I get the feeling there’s more to him than meets the eye." Lii Yunge’s fine brows furrowed slightly as she watched the two combatants, a thoughtful look on her face.

The battle raged on. Chu Lingfeng’s attacks were ferocious, each move accompanied by waves of fire. Over time, the air grew scorching hot. Mixed within the fire waves was sharp Blade Qi, making the onslaught incredibly dangerous. Martial Artists with weaker Cultivation were seriously injured just by the periphery of the shockwaves, forcing the crowd to retreat several dozen more yards.

"These two are worthy of being called the chosen geniuses of their sects. Their strength is truly extraordinary."

"I never thought Chu Lingfeng’s comprehension of the Fire’s Great Trend had reached this level. It’s at least at the Great Success Level, perhaps even... Perfection."

"A Perfect Great Trend... Among all the people here in Hidden Dragon Valley, I doubt more than a few have achieved that."

As time passed, Chu Lingfeng’s attacks grew more frantic, while Fang Yu remained perfectly at ease. After one more clash of palms, they both retreated several yards, facing each other from a distance.

"It’s about time," Fang Yu said with a sinister smile.

’Time for what?’ A sense of unease immediately gripped Chu Lingfeng.

Just then, an alien power erupted within Chu Lingfeng’s body. His once-surging True Essence was being steadily devoured by this Alien Power. ’What is this?!’

Scenes from his fight with Fang Yu flashed through his mind, finally settling on their very first exchange of palms. A sudden realization dawned on him. He said in a cold voice, "Your Palm Power... it’s poisoned."

Hearing this, Fang Yu chuckled. "That’s right," he said.

"It wasn’t just the Palm Power of ’Needle in Cotton.’ I had poison hidden in my palm as well." Fang Yu toyed with his hair again, his voice dripping with scorn. "And here you are, a chosen genius of the Vast Sea Divine Palace. Pathetic that you’re only just now realizing you’ve been poisoned."

Chu Lingfeng tried to circulate his True Essence to expel the toxin, but it was useless. The poison continued to devour his True Essence. In the space of just a few breaths, a wave of weakness washed over him. His True Essence was nearly depleted.

"Ordinary poisons are useless against a Celestial Essence Realm Martial Artist! What kind of toxin is this? It can actually devour Inner True Essence!" Chu Lingfeng said through clenched teeth, a hint of terror in his voice. ’A poison that devours True Essence? If its effects don’t wear off, won’t I be crippled for life?’

"I don’t mind telling you. I believe I mentioned it earlier, didn’t I?" Fang Yu said with a sinister grin. "I was recently at the Ten Thousand Treasures Dojo, comprehending its mysteries, and my own Great Trend improved significantly. Do you know what Great Trend I comprehended? It’s poison!"

"’Poison is also a type of Great Trend of Heaven and Earth. The world is filled with all kinds of toxins, and the poison inside your body was created by my Poisonous Great Trend.’ After speaking, Fang Yu gave an icy smile. His figure flickered, and he lunged at Chu Lingfeng. With a single kick, he sent the powerless Chu Lingfeng flying several dozen yards. ’A chosen genius of the Vast Sea Divine Palace? How utterly pathetic.’"

"Senior Brother Chu!"

"Bastard! You despicable coward!"

"Damn it! He used poison!"

The disciples from the Vast Sea Divine Palace were aghast, not expecting such a sudden turn of events. They rushed forward to surround Fang Yu. Naturally, the disciples from Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain wouldn’t back down, and the scene became a tense standoff.

"Stop!"

Just then, a cold voice rang out. Lii Yunge walked forward, and all eyes fell upon her. The difference in their gazes was stark: the disciples of the Vast Sea Divine Palace looked at her with respect and admiration, while those from Purple Cloud Heavenly Mountain looked on with lust and greed.

"Oh? I didn’t expect the Vast Sea Divine Palace to have such a beauty. It’s always a pleasure to find new prey." Fang Yu licked his lips, his gaze fixed on Lii Yunge like a ravenous wolf eyeing a lamb, as if he wanted to devour her whole. Lii Yunge found his stare utterly repulsive.