Meng Ping nodded seriously. "More than just formidable—he's the man who wiped out the entire Ouyang clan."
"What?"
Jiang Li's expression changed drastically. The Ouyang clan might not have been one of the most prestigious families in the Horn Constellation Realm, but they still held considerable power. Yet they'd been annihilated by a Crown Prince from the Wasteland Realm?
She frowned. "If he's really at the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy, won't that make things inconvenient for me?"
Meng Ping waved it off. "Don't worry about that. A peerless martial prodigy like him wouldn't waste time serving as some Alchemy Master at the Academy. I think Cang Xuanji just said that to scare us."
Jiang Li's lips curved into a small smile. "Hearing all this makes me even more interested in meeting this Yang Cheng."
"Miss!"
Meng Ping quickly said, "You mustn't joke about such things! That Yang Cheng is an extremely dangerous person."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Jiang Li blinked playfully. "I have you by my side, Aunt Ping. And didn't you just say you were looking forward to crossing blades with him? I believe in your strength."
Meng Ping gave a bitter smile, her tone heavy. "That was just to save the Jiang family's face. If I were to really face Yang Cheng, I wouldn't even have thirty percent confidence in winning."
Jiang Li froze.
Even Aunt Ping was that wary? Just who was this Yang Cheng?
Her curiosity for the Wasteland Realm only grew stronger, as if some great and mysterious treasure awaited her discovery.
—
At the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy, Yang Cheng had just finished a lecture and was walking out.
Lin Shu approached, her voice low as she reported, "Your Highness, more and more martial artists from the Horn Constellation Realm are entering the Wasteland Realm lately. Many of them are gathering near the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy. It's clear they're all here for the Earth Spirit Heart Pill."
Yang Cheng nodded lightly. "Understood."
Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed.
Liu Hongfu and Deng Xiuxian came from across the courtyard.
Deng Xiuxian smiled a little too broadly, though his expression was stiff. "Master Yang, I truly didn't expect that you were the one who refined the Earth Spirit Heart Pill. I failed to recognize such a grand figure before—my apologies."
Liu Hongfu stood beside him, avoiding Yang Cheng's gaze. She had originally planned to keep his identity secret but had somehow blurted it out earlier. It felt as though Deng Xiuxian's presence had some strange pull that forced her to speak.
Yang Cheng gave her a brief glance, then turned his indifferent eyes toward Deng Xiuxian. "What is it?"
Suppressing his irritation, Deng Xiuxian forced a polite smile. "Master Yang, I've come on behalf of the Star Sea Chamber of Commerce. We'd like to discuss a potential partnership regarding the Earth Spirit Heart Pill."
"Partnership?"
Yang Cheng raised a brow. "I've already made it clear. Other factions may only handle sales. If you're interested, speak to Wang Rou to apply for a distributor's license."
Deng Xiuxian's expression darkened slightly. If that was all, there'd be no need for him to come here in person.
What he wanted was a deep collaboration—but Yang Cheng wasn't giving him the slightest face.
Clenching his teeth behind his smile, he said, "Master Yang, the Star Sea Chamber of Commerce is immensely powerful. If you cooperate with us fully, the Earth Spirit Heart Pill's sales will skyrocket. It would benefit both sides—"
"No need." Yang Cheng cut him off flatly. "I'm not interested."
Deng Xiuxian's polite facade cracked for an instant, anger flaring in his eyes.
'Ignorant fool!' he cursed silently.
A flash of red glimmered in his gaze, and a faint wave of mental energy surged forth, slipping invisibly toward Yang Cheng's sea of consciousness.
It was his famed spiritual secret art—Serpent Soul Divine Technique—a method capable of seizing control of another's mind. Even high-tier Insight God experts struggled to guard against it.
Yang Cheng's lips curled into a cold smirk.
'Using a spiritual secret art… in front of me?'
Deng Xiuxian was nothing more than a peak Martial Sovereign. His Serpent Soul Divine Technique could at best affect cultivators at the higher stages of the Insight God Realm. But Yang Cheng's spiritual power far surpassed that.
In the next instant, a terrifying, concentrated wave of mental energy erupted from Yang Cheng's sea of consciousness. It was like an invisible tidal surge crashing straight into Deng Xiuxian's mind.
"Puh!"
Deng Xiuxian felt as though he had been struck by a hammer. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his face turned pale as paper. A sharp, tearing pain shot through his spirit sea, and his consciousness felt as if it were being ripped apart.
Liu Hongfu's expression changed drastically, but her eyes soon cleared.
When she recalled how she had behaved earlier, she felt as if she had been bewitched. Only now did she realize that her earlier "infatuation" with Deng Xiuxian had not been real—it had been the effect of his mental secret art!
She instinctively took several steps back, distancing herself from Deng Xiuxian. Fear and fury burned in her gaze.
Clutching his head in disbelief, Deng Xiuxian stared at Yang Cheng. "You… your spiritual power is that terrifying?"
His Serpent Soul Divine Technique had never failed before. Not only had it been broken today, but it had also rebounded on him. That meant his spiritual foundation had been damaged, and his future cultivation would be severely hindered.
Yang Cheng couldn't even be bothered to continue the conversation. He uttered a single word.
"Scram."
This was just outside the lecture hall of the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy. There were countless disciples around. He didn't want to kill someone in public. And since Deng Xiuxian's spiritual power had already been crippled, it was lesson enough.
Deng Xiuxian glared venomously at Yang Cheng but didn't dare to speak another word. He turned and fled in humiliation.
Yang Cheng didn't look at him again. He walked out of the courtyard, strolling along a shaded forest path.
After reaching a secluded area, he stopped and said calmly toward the empty woods ahead, "You've been hiding for a while. Are you not planning to come out yet?"
A smooth, deep voice came from behind the trees. "As expected of Master Yang—you truly have sharp perception."
A tall, handsome man stepped out from behind the trunk. He wore a black robe and had a bronze token hanging from his waist engraved with two characters: Shen Xing (Godspeed).
"Liao Chan of the Godspeed Society greets Master Yang."
The man cupped his hands respectfully, his attitude deferential.
Yang Cheng's gaze landed on the bronze token at Liao Chan's waist. His tone was calm. "Deng Xiuxian—was he your bait?"
Liao Chan's smile didn't waver. "A mere elder of the Star Sea Chamber of Commerce being used as bait by my Godspeed Society is already a great honor for him."
Yang Cheng lifted his eyelids slightly and swept his eyes toward the surrounding forest. "Since you're here, why bother hiding? Come out, all of you."
Liao Chan's pupils contracted slightly. He hadn't expected Yang Cheng to see through their arrangement at a glance.
"Shua, shua—"
Two more figures leapt from the shadows of the trees, landing beside Liao Chan.
On the left stood a woman in a tight-fitting outfit. Her figure was graceful, her eyes sharp as a hawk's. She bowed and said, "Hu Ying of the Hu clan from the Horn Constellation Realm greets Master Yang."
Spiritual light flickered faintly from her knuckles, palms, ankles, and fingertips. It was clear she had honed every form of combat—fist, palm, leg, and finger—to perfection. Her whole body was a weapon.
On the right was a man in a green robe with a long sword on his back. His demeanor was cold and sharp. When he bowed, his sword-like brows lifted slightly. "Gu Wen of the Spirit Sword Sect from the Horn Constellation Realm. I've heard that Master Yang's Sword Dao touches the divine. I've come to learn from you."
A faint hum of sword intent surrounded him. Even without drawing his weapon, one could sense the embryonic form of a two-star Sword Domain around him. Among peak Insight God cultivators, he was clearly exceptional.
Liao Chan smiled. "Hu Ying and Brother Gu are both at the peak of the Insight God Realm. Their strength far exceeds that of their peers."
Yang Cheng glanced at the three of them, his tone light and even. "Just the three of you? That's not enough."
The words landed, yet not one of the three showed anger.