Before their words had finished, Chen Dinghua let out a miserable cry and flew out, spinning. A dusty shoe print now adorned his face.
"Elder Chen!"
Two men from the Qingye Sect tried to intercept Chen Dinghua, but a terrifying force radiated from him, blasting them both away.
Zhao Wenchong, the Sect Master of Qingye Sect, quickly patted Chen Dinghua's body with one hand, dispelling the power Ning Beichen had left on him. Then, with a grab, he pulled Chen Dinghua down from the air.
Even so, Chen Dinghua spat blood upon landing, clearly injured.
"Young man, your attack was too vicious."
Zhao Wenchong glared at Ning Beichen and demanded.
"Vicious?"
"Heh heh."
"You're in no position to say that."
Ning Beichen chuckled twice, his tone a mix of derision and mockery.
Did it count as not vicious for him to stand there and take the beating?
There was no such logic in this world.
Perhaps Ning Beichen's chuckles struck a nerve with Zhao Wenchong, or maybe his mocking attitude made him uncomfortable. He roared.
"Kid, no matter who you are, at such a young age to be so ruthless, today I will discipline you on behalf of your sect."
After speaking, Zhao Wenchong took a step forward, arriving before Ning Beichen as if he had shrunk the distance. He unleashed his Grandmaster's Domain and, with a wave of his hand, intended to slap Ning Beichen as a form of discipline.
Ning Beichen felt his body sink. Zhao Wenchong was like a mountain pressing down, making it difficult for him to move. It felt as if a colossal peak rested on his back, and his limbs were bound by chains.
"It's Zhao Wenchong's Grandmaster's Domain!"
Ning Beichen's pupils contracted slightly. He had been cautious, yet he still couldn't evade its suppressing force.
This Zhao Wenchong truly lived up to his reputation as a Grandmaster from over a decade ago; he couldn't be underestimated.
However...
A slight curve formed on Ning Beichen's lips. His master hadn't fooled him. Most of the current Grandmasters were built up with drugs, not true Grandmasters, merely half-step Grandmasters.
No wonder his master had expressed such disdain when speaking of them.
Zhao Wenchong, unaware of Ning Beichen's thoughts, believed Ning Beichen couldn't possibly possess Grandmaster strength. And even if, by some wild chance, he did...
So what if he was a Grandmaster?
He had been a Grandmaster over a decade ago. Could he possibly lose to a mere youngster?
That was absurd.
It simply wouldn't happen.
Thus, Zhao Wenchong was supremely confident, so confident that he wore a look of contempt towards Ning Beichen.
However, he couldn't kill Ning Beichen; at most, he could injure him. This young man's strength indicated a profound background, one that Zhao Wenchong might not be able to afford to offend.
Zhao Wenchong's thoughts flashed like lightning. He had made his decision in an instant. He swung his arm, aiming for Ning Beichen's face, to let him know that there were always stronger people out there.
However...
Ning Beichen, who in Zhao Wenchong's perception was suppressed by his Grandmaster's Domain and unable to move, suddenly raised his head and smiled at him.
For some reason, seeing Ning Beichen's peculiar smile, Zhao Wenchong felt a sudden sense of foreboding.
Why was he smiling?
What was he smiling about?
Was he mocking me?
Didn't he know he was already at my mercy?
But no matter what, Zhao Wenchong didn't have time to ponder further. His hand was already close to Ning Beichen's face.
Yet, at this very moment.
Ning Beichen, who had been immobile, moved. He was indeed mocking Zhao Wenchong, but not because Zhao Wenchong was ugly. He was mocking his half-step Grandmaster strength.
When Zhao Wenchong's palm was still ten centimeters from Ning Beichen's face.
Suddenly, a vast power, like a ferocious tide, surged from Ning Beichen's body, instantly crushing Zhao Wenchong's Grandmaster's Domain.
At this point, a fair hand landed on Zhao Wenchong's face, accompanied by a crisp sound.
"Who did you say you were going to discipline just now?"
Ning Beichen's voice rang out, clear as thunder in his ears.
Zhao Wenchong felt a burning sensation on his face, staring at Ning Beichen in disbelief. His expression was one of sheer terror and confusion, as if he had seen a ghost.
It took him a long moment to realize that Ning Beichen had struck him, not the other way around.
"Sect Master, are you... are you alright?"
"Sect Master, this kid is tricky. Why bother reasoning with him? Just take him down."
"That's right, Sect Master. We can't let this kid off."
...
"All of you, shut up!"
Zhao Wenchong roared, and everyone fell silent.
Zhao Wenchong then looked at Ning Beichen. That single palm strike hadn't injured him, but its power was more humiliating than any injury.
The dignified Sect Master of the Qingye Sect, a Grandmaster, had been slapped in the face by a youngster today.
Zhao Wenchong's face turned pale, but inside, he was profoundly shaken.
"Impossible, this is impossible!"
"My Grandmaster's Domain... it didn't suppress him!"
Even with his intelligence, Zhao Wenchong couldn't fathom this outcome.
He had already overestimated Ning Beichen, but he had still greatly underestimated his strength.
Ning Beichen didn't act, looking at him calmly, but his heart was filled with excitement.
However, he wasn't arrogant enough to believe he could easily defeat Zhao Wenchong. If it came to a fight to the death, even if he won, he wouldn't emerge unscathed.
His ability to break the Grandmaster's Domain didn't mean Ning Beichen's strength surpassed Zhao Wenchong's. It meant that Zhao Wenchong himself hadn't realized he was merely a half-step Grandmaster, not a true one.
How could Zhao Wenchong's half-step Grandmaster's Domain suppress him, a true Grandmaster?
Even though Zhao Wenchong wasn't a true Grandmaster, he had been a half-step Grandmaster for over a decade. Even a pig, with so many years of cultivation, wouldn't be inferior to Ning Beichen, a true Grandmaster.
Of course, Ning Beichen wouldn't reveal this. If he didn't make a move, Zhao Wenchong would remain suspicious. If he were provoked into going all out, Ning Beichen might not fare well.
"You... how did you break my Grandmaster's Domain?"
Zhao Wenchong looked at Ning Beichen with complex emotions. Although he had a suspicion, the answer was too astonishing, making him doubt his own disbelief.
Ning Beichen smiled at him. His clothes bulged, and his Grandmaster's Domain enveloped an area of ten meters. Instantly, Zhao Wenchong felt the crushing pressure of a mountain pinning him down.
This startled Zhao Wenchong. Just as he was about to resist with his full strength, Ning Beichen withdrew his Grandmaster's Domain, as if nothing had happened.