Chapter 137: Breaking Two Moves in Succession—An Uncanny Sight

Above the lake, Ling Xiao and Su Yannan stood proudly on opposite sides.

Su Yannan was brimming with arrogance, his presence seeming to crush everything before him.

Ling Xiao, by contrast, displayed no presence at all. He was utterly calm, as though he had merged with the waters of the lake.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Su Yannan stared coldly at Ling Xiao in the distance.

“For more than a decade, you are the first person bold enough to show such disrespect to the Su family. Do you know your offense?”

His indifferent words carried an unmistakable pressure that brooked no defiance. An ordinary person would already have been trembling in terror.

Ling Xiao, however, remained calm.

“Enough nonsense. Make your move.”

Su Yannan narrowed his eyes.

“Well said. Of all the opponents I have encountered in my life, you are the most arrogant. The only question is whether your strength matches your attitude.”

Ling Xiao let his arms hang loosely at his sides, his eyelids lowered like an old monk deep in meditation.

“You’ll know once you try.”

Su Yannan gave a cold snort.

“You needn’t remind me. I was going to attack anyway. But I, Su Yannan, have stood proudly above Jiangnan for decades. With so many heroes of Jiangnan watching today, it would damage my reputation if I attacked you first. You make the first move. I’ll give you one strike.”

On the shore of Upper Lake, everyone shuddered in excitement at his words.

One man could not help exclaiming, “Good heavens! Martial Sage Su is actually going to let him have the first strike? What is he thinking? Has he gone mad? Wouldn’t that give his opponent the initiative?”

The moment he spoke, someone sneered disdainfully.

“The boy’s lost his mind, and so have you? Martial Sage Su could let him have ten strikes, even a hundred—so what? His strength is right there for all to see. Even if he stood still and let that boy hit him, could the boy actually hurt him?”

“That’s true.”

Jiangbei Martial Sage Shen Tianjun, who was surrounded by Layman Zhang He and the others, shook his head and chuckled.

“So many years have passed, yet Brother Su still has the temper of a child. Why not simply kill him and be done with it? Why bother giving him an opening?”

Layman Zhang He and the others nodded in agreement.

“Martial Sage Shen is right. Presumably, Martial Sage Su does not wish to appear too overbearing in front of everyone. To quarrel with a child would be beneath his station.”

Shen Tianjun nodded.

“That is true.”

…

Above the lake, Ling Xiao remained silent. Su Yannan frowned slightly and said impatiently, “Are you going to attack or not? Don’t think I’ll spare you simply because you refuse to make a move. If you do not strike now, I will give you no further opportunity.”

“Oh.”

Ling Xiao answered with a faint sound. Then he tilted his head, his swordlike brows drawing together as though he were considering the proper way to attack.

After a moment, he lifted his head, as if he had finally found the answer.

Then Ling Xiao slapped the air.

It was a light, ordinary slap, without the slightest hint of killing intent. A strand of astral force drifted slowly toward Su Yannan.

Su Yannan glanced at it with contempt.

The technique was so weak it was almost embarrassing.

With such strength, he actually dared provoke the Su family? Utterly laughable.

In Su Yannan’s eyes, Ling Xiao was nothing more than a madman trying to use him to make a name for himself. He did not even bother to defend himself.

Yet when the force of that palm reached his side, it suddenly changed course and struck him squarely in the face.

Smack!

The crisp sound rang out, and the entire Upper Lake fell into utter silence.

Ling Xiao had used a technique with no killing power at all—and slapped Martial Sage Su across the face?

He had actually wasted such a perfect opening, and then treated Martial Sage Su with such insolence?

Good heavens! He had to be insane!

Everyone thought the same, staring at Ling Xiao in disbelief. Su Yannan’s expression, meanwhile, turned completely icy.

He had considered every possibility. At most, he had expected Ling Xiao to gather all his strength and try to take advantage of the opening.

But he had never imagined that Ling Xiao would have no intention of taking advantage of it at all. Instead, he had answered him with a slap.

Ling Xiao did not need to be given a chance.

At last, Martial Sage Su could no longer restrain himself.

He erupted.

A terrifying pressure swept across the lake, disturbing its tranquil surface and raising wave after wave. The immense force made everyone nearby shiver.

On the shore, Shen Tianjun narrowed his eyes.

“It seems Brother Su’s strength has increased considerably.”

With a sigh, Su Yannan finally made his move.

The instant he attacked, wind and clouds seemed to surge.

After ten years, the strength of the Martial Sage of Jiangnan once again shook everyone present.

He raised one hand slightly. At once, a towering wave rose from the lake, transforming into a colossal watery dragon a hundred meters long. Roaring like a beast gone mad, it charged straight toward Ling Xiao.

The people on the shore cried out in astonishment.

“How powerful!”

“That’s incredible! It’s even more spectacular than the myths on television!”

“As expected of Martial Sage Su. With that strike, the boy is finished!”

Yet when the water dragon reached Ling Xiao, he remained utterly unconcerned, neither hurried nor alarmed.

He flicked a finger.

A streak of astral force shot forth and pierced a massive hole through the water dragon in an instant. The enormous dragon lost all its momentum and crashed back into the lake, sending mist billowing into the air and waves surging in every direction.

In that instant, everyone drew a sharp breath.

Shen Tianjun and the others narrowed their eyes as well.

“This boy is rather interesting.”

Su Yanran’s heart trembled, and her beautiful eyes turned restlessly.

Ling Xiao was far more formidable than she had imagined. He had actually managed to withstand a strike from Martial Sage Su. It seemed he truly possessed some ability.

Su Yannan, meanwhile, furrowed his brows slightly before giving a cold snort.

“I underestimated you. Very well. I’ll show you some real color.”

With that, he stamped his foot.

“Formation, arise!”

At his command, eight water dragons burst from the surrounding lake in an instant. They coiled around Ling Xiao, encircling him completely.

Roar!

The eight hundred-foot water dragons seemed determined to tear Ling Xiao to pieces.

But Ling Xiao remained unhurried. His eyelids merely twitched, and several sharp rays shot from his pupils. In the blink of an eye, the eight water dragons were torn apart once more.

Everyone drew another collective breath.

This boy possessed far more than a little skill. No wonder he had dared to provoke Martial Sage Su.

Layman Zhang He and the others could not help asking in confusion, “Who exactly is this boy? How has he managed to break two of Martial Sage Su’s attacks in succession?”

A hint of gravity appeared on Shen Tianjun’s face.

“It seems Brother Su will have to put forth some real effort.”

Ling Xiao, however, looked at Su Yannan with utter indifference.

“Is that all the strength you have? Show me what you can really do. If you keep wasting my time, I won’t play with you anymore.”