His words immediately caused a roar from the crowd, and everyone looked at Ning Beichen as if he were insane.
If it were a series of individual challenges, Ning Beichen might have had a slim chance of winning, though that chance was almost impossibly low.
But for Ning Beichen to declare he would challenge all the cultivators of the Zhou family by himself was beyond mere arrogance; it was suicidal.
Who did he think he was?
Even the Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect wouldn't dare to utter such an audacious boast.
"Ignorant fool. Since you seek death, I shall grant it. However, you are not qualified to challenge the entire Zhou family. Defeat them first."
The patriarch of the Zhou family clapped his hands, and a long-haired man emerged.
His appearance caused a sensation throughout the venue.
"It's Zhou Xin'an, the cultivation genius of the Zhou family! They say he's the strongest cultivator among the younger generation of the Zhou family."
The surrounding people buzzed with conversation, introducing and explaining Zhou Xin'an's background to those who didn't know him.
"So, who do you favor, Ning Beichen or Zhou Xin'an?" someone asked.
"Ning Beichen? He's just a clown seeking attention, not even fit to carry Zhou Xin'an's shoes."
"What are you talking about? Zhou Xin'an is powerful, but Ning Beichen isn't bad either."
Those who voiced opposition were naturally the people Ning Beichen had brought with him. However, their numbers were so few that they were like a single drop of water in a surging tide of onlookers.
Cao Shuo also arrived, accompanied by some senior and junior brothers and sisters from the Heavenly Sword Sect. He was being closely watched by an elder to prevent him from causing trouble.
The Heavenly Sword Sect did not wish to be embroiled in a conflict with the Zhou family because of this disciple.
"Brother, I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to help you, but my influence in the Heavenly Sword Sect is too small. I can't help you," Cao Shuo said silently in his heart, watching Ning Beichen, who was riding a Golden Lion.
At this moment, Ning Beichen dismounted from the Golden Lion. Since he was going to challenge them, he wanted to do so openly. He didn't want to be accused of relying on a beast king to win, lest Zhou Xin'an refuse to concede.
"I'm in a hurry," Ning Beichen said. He didn't want to utter any harsh words because he had no interest in bullying a child.
"If you can survive my one strike, you win," Zhou Xin'an said arrogantly to Ning Beichen.
"Such nonsense," Ning Beichen said, slapping him across the face. Before Zhou Xin'an could react, with a *slap*, Ning Beichen sent him flying.
Zhou Xin'an was stunned by the blow. He touched his bruised face, his expression slowly changing.
"You're courting death!" Zhou Xin'an roared ferociously, charging at Ning Beichen like an enraged wolf.
"What are you howling about!" Ning Beichen retaliated with another slap.
This time, Zhou Xin'an clearly saw Ning Beichen's movement, but he couldn't dodge it. It was as if he had personally presented his face to Ning Beichen's hand.
*Slap!*
This time, Zhou Xin'an flew ten meters, and his entire face swelled. If Ning Beichen hadn't intended to spare his life, that one slap would have sent him to his grave.
Zhou Xin'an scrambled to his feet, battered and bruised. He, who was hailed as the strongest of the Zhou family's younger generation, had been turned into a pig's head by Ning Beichen. The rage within him was almost burning through his very being.
"Ah!!!" Zhou Xin'an screamed in fury, his face contorted, his eyes bloodshot. With a roar, a red light erupted from him, as if he had gone berserk.
"Not good, Senior Brother Zhou has entered demonic rage! Stop him quickly!" the Zhou family members cried out urgently.
But it was too late. Zhou Xin'an shot into the sky, trailing a bloody light, and attacked Ning Beichen like a vengeful spirit. In mid-air, he drew a soul sword and unleashed an indiscriminate slash towards Ning Beichen.
A terrifying sound of ghostly wailing filled the air, and a giant nine-headed infant appeared in the sky, looking down at Ning Beichen as if he were an ant.
"Die, die, die..." the nine-headed infant's demonic voice, amplified nine times, echoed, causing those with weaker cultivation to bleed from their orifices and cry out in pain.
"We're doomed! It's the Nine-Headed Demonic Infant, we're all going to die."
"Run! Everyone, run!"
"Waaaaah... I don't want to die!"
"Zhou Xin'an, you scoundrel, to actually refine the Nine-Headed Demonic Infant."
The appearance of the Nine-Headed Demonic Infant threw the surroundings into chaos, with people expressing fear and curses. However, it did not change the fact that Zhou Xin'an was using the Nine-Headed Demonic Infant.
"Kill him!" Zhou Xin'an's eyes were fixed solely on Ning Beichen as he gritted his teeth and controlled the Nine-Headed Demonic Infant to attack Ning Beichen. The Nine-Headed Demonic Infant, radiating an evil aura, with its nine heads and nine mouths, simultaneously unleashed unbearable demonic sounds and lunged at Ning Beichen, claws flailing.
"Noisy!" In the next instant, the majestic Nine-Headed Demonic Infant had its neck grabbed by Ning Beichen.
*Bang!* Ning Beichen punched one of the Nine-Headed Demonic Infant's heads, shattering it. The infant let out a whimpering cry, like that of a baby. Ning Beichen remained unfazed, continuing to unleash a barrage of punches. With a series of *bangs*, all nine heads of the Nine-Headed Demonic Infant were crushed by Ning Beichen.
At this moment, Zhou Xin'an, holding his soul sword, launched a surprise attack from behind Ning Beichen.
"Hahaha... Die! I'm the winner!" Zhou Xin'an plunged his sword towards Ning Beichen's back, laughing loudly.
"You bastard!" Ning Beichen used his Prajna Golden Body to block Zhou Xin'an's sword. Only his clothes were torn by the soul sword; his body remained unharmed.
However, while Ning Beichen was fine, Zhou Xin'an was not. Before he could finish laughing, Ning Beichen grabbed his soul sword with one hand, yanked him forward, and then slammed an elbow into his face, causing blood to splatter.
"I'll show you why flowers are so red." This time, Ning Beichen didn't let him off easily. He pummeled Zhou Xin'an's face with his fists and feet, finally headbutting him, transforming Zhou Xin'an's once handsome face into a honeycomb of flesh.
"Ah..." Zhou Xin'an screamed in agony. His entire face was bloody and mangled, his nose bone shattered. Even his own mother wouldn't have recognized him as Zhou Xin'an.
"Stop!" At this moment, an elder from the Zhou family leaped into the air like an eagle, his claw striking towards Ning Beichen. His five fingers left afterimages in the air, heading straight for Ning Beichen's vital points.
Ning Beichen threw Zhou Xin'an, whom he held, towards the Zhou family elder. Zhou Xin'an instantly flew like a missile towards the elder.