Chapter 104: The Kunpeng Fist

Entering the front courtyard, Kun Yuan stood at the center and shouted, "Who's first?"

Li Xianyi and Yang Fan exchanged looks, and then Yang Fan spoke up first, "I'll go. We're in the same realm, so there isn't much of a gap. My Big Brother Li is about to reach the Fifth Rank, so he shouldn't bully you!"

After saying this, Yang Fan expected Kun Yuan to fly into another rage, as his words carried a hint of sarcasm. However, to his surprise, the expected reaction never came.

Kun Yuan wasn't angry at all, and on the side, Kun Sha and Kun Li showed no reaction either.

What was going on? Angry when they shouldn't be, and completely calm when they should? This whole family was bizarre!

Yang Fan was still pondering this as he walked onto the field.

What Yang Fan didn't know was that to Kun Sha, and indeed the entire Kunpeng Tribe, such words wouldn't elicit any response. In their eyes, a spar or a duel was meant to be between people of similar levels and the same realm. It was absolutely not meant to be a senior bullying a junior.

Li Xianyi was at the peak of the Fourth Rank and on the verge of the Fifth; even if he had wanted to step forward, Kun Sha would have stopped him.

Yang Fan walked to the center of the courtyard and stood opposite Kun Yuan. The long saber gifted by Li Tian was still drawn half an inch from its sheath.

By now, Kun Yuan had put on a pair of gloves made from a peculiar material.

With a loud shout from Kun Sha, the match began.

The long saber in Yang Fan's hand unsheathed in an instant.

The energy that had been brewing in his dantian erupted in full force. It split into two streams: a thick, robust surge of energy flowed along his meridians into his arms, while a fine, subtle stream rushed into his eyes.

At the same time, this eruption of energy turned Yang Fan's entire body a faint golden hue. This was the defensive technique of the Nine Heavens of Berserk War: Heaven's Shield.

With Heaven's Shield newly mastered, his physical resilience was greatly enhanced. The faint gold coating further boosted his defenses.

Standing to the side, Kun Sha looked at Yang Fan's physical form and nodded slightly.

Kun Yuan charged at Yang Fan the moment Kun Sha gave the signal.

Yang Fan slashed his blade downward in a vertical strike.

Kun Yuan curved his hands into claws and met the blow.

Sparks flew the instant they collided.

Kun Yuan exerted strength in his hands, intending to seize and trap Yang Fan's saber.

Yang Fan frowned slightly. Shifting the direction of his force, he swept the saber out horizontally.

Kun Yuan was surprised that he had failed to grab Yang Fan's weapon. He was at the peak of the Third Rank, on the verge of the Fourth. The young man before him only seemed to possess the aura of a mid-Third Rank, at most approaching the upper-Third. Yet, he hadn't been able to disarm him in a single move.

There was no time to ponder.

Yang Fan's saber sliced through the air, striking once more.

Kun Yuan blocked with one hand while throwing a right punch toward Yang Fan.

Yang Fan turned slightly, altering the trajectory of his saber once again.

Kun Yuan roared, throwing both fists forward from his chest.

Yang Fan ducked slightly, tilting his head to dodge. By now, his saber was already closing in on Kun Yuan's waist.

Kun Yuan roared in frustration. His footwork grew chaotic, yet within that chaos lay a unique, rhythmic grace.

He narrowly avoided being sliced in half at the waist.

Without pausing for a moment, Kun Yuan bellowed, "Kunpeng Fist!"

A violent aura condensed around his fists as he aimed a heavy blow right at Yang Fan's head.

Yang Fan's eyes widened. *This kid is trying to kill me! Wasn't this supposed to be a friendly spar?*

With no time to lose, Yang Fan took a step forward, instantly flashing twelve meters away.

Kun Yuan's Kunpeng Fist shattered Yang Fan's afterimage and pulverized the ground beneath it.

Standing twelve meters away, Yang Fan looked back. A three-meter crater had been blasted into the ground. If that hit him, the consequences would be disastrous.

Now, Yang Fan was no longer in the mood for a friendly match. If Kun Yuan wanted a life-and-death struggle, he would oblige. As for actually killing or permanently crippling Kun Yuan, Yang Fan knew he didn't have the ability to do so right under the nose of a Tenth Rank powerhouse anyway.

Unleashing his full power, Yang Fan spun his saber before his chest, kicked off the ground, and lunged toward Kun Yuan.

The energy within his body erupted with maximum power at the moment of impact.

*Strength like stone, bones like blades, a blade like autumn frost, cutting gold and severing jade. Like a fierce tiger, a single strike pierces the heavens and cleaves the nine realms!*

First Blade of the Nine Heavens Cleaving: Cleaving the Heavens!

Seeing the blade close in, Kun Yuan's hair stood on end. He thrust his hands upward, as if holding up a heavy cauldron.

The blade crashed down. Kun Yuan managed to catch it, but the force of the impact drove his calves deep into the ground.

Before he could even react, another wave of force surged from the saber.

*Wind like a whisper, energy like still water, breath transforming all things. Swift as lightning, turning into a roaming dragon, shattering the nine realms again and again!*

Second Blade of the Nine Heavens Cleaving: Cleaving Anew!

Kun Yuan's face turned crimson, not daring to take a single breath as he sank up to his thighs into the earth.

Yang Fan's eyes grew fierce. He pulled his saber back from Kun Yuan's palms. Feeling the pressure vanish, Kun Yuan barely had time to rejoice before Yang Fan slashed down a third time.

Horrified, Kun Yuan had no choice but to brace himself and meet the blow.

*Jade-like bones, immovable as a mountain, a body like a Vajra, strength shaking heaven and earth. Like a giant ape, shaking the world to open the nine realms!*

Third Blade of the Nine Heavens Cleaving: Opening the Heavens!

Kun Yuan coughed up a mouthful of blood as his lower half, from the waist down, was completely buried in the earth.

Seeing Kun Yuan spit blood, Yang Fan sheathed his saber.

Looking at the half-buried Kun Yuan, Yang Fan let out a long breath and said, "A fine duel."

Kun Yuan's bowed head snapped up. His bloodshot eyes glared at Yang Fan as he spat out word by word, "Don't make me laugh. I haven't lost yet. Ahhh!"

Yang Fan watched as Kun Yuan roared to the heavens, the ground cracking around him.

Kun Li was shocked. Just as she was about to call out, Kun Sha, standing beside her, gave her a barely perceptible nudge.

She immediately swallowed her words.

However, the worry in her eyes was unmistakable.

Yang Fan had thought Kun Yuan was finished. The guy had just vomited blood, yet he could still fight?

Suddenly, the ground exploded with a loud bang, and Kun Yuan shot out from the pit.

Without a word, he closed the distance instantly, raining down a barrage of punches and kicks upon Yang Fan.

Yang Fan held his saber, parrying each blow.

Kun Yuan's movements were swift, his attacks fierce, and his explosive power immense. Yet, none of this mattered to Yang Fan.

No matter how fast Kun Yuan was, he seemed to move in slow motion in Yang Fan's eyes. He had plenty of time to dodge. No matter how powerful the attacks were, they were useless if they couldn't land.

Kun Yuan roared repeatedly, and Yang Fan continued to parry.

Before long, Kun Yuan noticed something was off. No matter how tricky his attacks were, Yang Fan always blocked them. No matter how violent his strikes, Yang Fan always evaded.

This only fueled Kun Yuan's frustration.

He roared, continuing his assault.

Suddenly, Kun Yuan stopped. Yang Fan looked at him in surprise, wondering what was wrong.

Kun Yuan stood in place, his body trembling violently.

His already bloodshot eyes grew even redder, looking as though they might weep blood.

Yang Fan held his saber horizontally across his chest.

The energy within his eyes continued to circulate.