“You’re not scared of dying, huh?” Nie Hong said.
Wu Tao shook his head slightly and thought, “With his cultivation three levels higher... Nie Hong’s inferior physical strength has already been completely neutralized. His overflowing spiritual power has left lightning waves that have been unceasingly battering Nie Tian’s flesh. There’s no need to continue this battle, otherwise... ”
Nie Xian frowned and said, “If this continues, Nie Tian will probably end up severely injured or even handicapped for the rest of his life. Even though we encourage battles within the clan, they are only allowed on the condition of not being too excessive. Mr. Wu, do you... do you think we should put a stop to their fight?”
“Yes,” replied Wu Tao. “If they insist on fighting, I’m afraid Nie Tian will get terribly hurt.” Just as he was about to continue speaking, he felt someone in the distance lay eyes on him.
Subconsciously, he traced the source of that look.
Nie Hong’s grandfather, Nie Beichuan, had appeared in the south-west corner of the square without being noticed by anyone.
He stood there with his hands folded behind his back, gazing at Wu Tao with a profound expression, as if he knew he was going to try to stop the fight.
Wu Tao’s expression flickered. His opened mouth didn’t make a sound; instead he sighed inwardly.
He was the Nie clan’s guest elder who had been, by chance, recruited by Nie Beichuan. He clearly understood that Nie Donghai’s time was limited and that Nie Beichuan would replace him in the near future.
He knew that if he still wished to continue working for the Nie clan, he had to understand the situation and do the smart thing.
Nie Xian quickly followed his gaze and saw Nie Beichuan standing not too far away.
“Mr. Wu?” he said softly.
“There are certain matters that... neither you nor I can do anything about.” Wu Tao gently patted Nie Xian’s shoulder. “Build up yourself. I hope you can break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining as soon as possible and gain the Cloudsoaring sect’s favor. At the end of the day, you’re merely a descendant from a branch of the Nie clan. Only when you become a disciple of the Cloudsoaring sect will you have a say in the Nie clan.”
A look of disgust could be seen on Nie Xian’s youthful and immature face, but he nodded and refrained from saying anything further.
On the high platform in the stone temple, Nie Donghai’s face suddenly turned very grim as he noticed second brother Nie Beichuan, and quickly realized why Wu Tao didn’t stop the fight, as subtle as it was.
“Just because I haven’t given up my position?” Nie Donghai said to himself, hatred seething inside.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Seeing the silver lining of victory, Nie Hong’s spirits soared. Once again he attacked Nie Tian, and glittering cyan lightning continued to pass from his fist into Nie Tian’s body.
Nie Tian’s hands both turned as black as iron, and plumes of black smoke even emanated out from between his fingers.
His sleeves were blasted into pieces and threads of lightning that resembled tiny cyan snakes danced around his naked arms.
More and more threads of lightning infiltrated his body, where they gathered together and built up into cords.
THUMP THUMP!
Nie Tian couldn’t help but step back. Under Nie Hong’s ferocious attack, every time he raised his hands to defend, his movements turned even stiffer and more powerless.
He totally forgot about the pain in his arms, even though his forehead was covered in sweat. His eyes were like a bright, shining star in the night sky, brimming with deep mysteries.
“You’re finished! Haha!” Nie Hong laughed excitedly as his lightning-wreathed fists penetrated Nie Tian’s sluggish defense, ruthlessly bearing down on his chest.
“No!” Wu Tao shouted subconsciously.
Nie Xian also couldn’t help but cry out, “Nie Hong, stop!”
On the high platform, Nie Donghai’s face was covered in sweat, panting nonstop, as if he was even more exhausted than Nie Tian.
His eyes were cold like lake water as he glared at the calm and composed Nie Beichuan, hoping to hear him call off this fight.
Yet Nie Beichuan didn’t say a word.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Nie Tian’s heartbeat grew faster and stronger. As he saw Nie Hong’s fist rapidly approaching his chest, he felt that there was some sort of power in his body, just on the verge of bursting out.
However, when he wanted to draw support from that power, he couldn’t locate it.
All he could feel was pain and numbness all over his body. Suddenly, anger and despair took over as he realized that the power was refusing to cooperate.
THUMP THUMP! THUMP THUMP!
Overwhelmed by outrage and desperation, his heartbeat once again sped up!
He didn’t realize it, but his heart had begun racing twice as fast as usual in between those blasts of lightning!
Just at that moment, it seemed as if a cheering voice rushed out from his flesh and organs! As of then, he was no longer affected in the least by the residual lightning left inside of him.
All of a sudden, a barbaric strength exploded out madly from within his flesh!
WHOOSH!
Before Nie Hong’s deadly fist could smash into his ribcage, he swiftly reached out his hands and grabbed Nie Hong’s wrist with great precision.
Nie Hong’s hand stopped only half an inch away from Nie Tian’s torso and couldn’t move forward at all!
With his fist being stopped abruptly, Nie Hong’s excited face was immediately taken over by confusion, as if he couldn’t comprehend what just happened.
In the next moment, Nie Tian lifted his leg and kicked Nie Hong hard in the abdomen.
BANG!
Nie Hong’s hand was still being held tightly, making it impossible for him to escape. Under the impact of Nie Tian’s powerful kick, Nie Hong’s lower body was thrown into the air like a swing.
As Nie Hong’s flying lower body swung back down due to gravity, Nie Tian retracted one of his feet before he forcefully smashed Nie Hong’s lower ribcage with his knee.
KAH CHA! OWWW!
A bone-cracking sound was heard, along with Nie Hong screaming like a pig being slaughtered.
Only then did Nie Tian release his grip on Nie Hong’s wrist. He froze, and a strange look appeared on his face as he tried to calm himself and search for the source of that sudden and wild strength.
However, with the crisis being relieved and his inner world becoming calm again, his pounding heart also quickly returned to normal.
That surging force seemed to have instantly dissipated into his limbs and flesh, and could no longer be sensed.
“Strange…”
Nie Tian didn’t even glance at Nie Hong. Knitting his brows, he seemed completely absorbed in his own world.
Nie Hong was curled up on the ground, spasming like a human-sized prawn and letting out ear-piercing cries that hurt everybody’s eardrums.
“Uh…” Nie Xian’s face was full of astonishment.
“How can it be?” Wu Tao, startled and confused, stared at both Nie Tian, who was deep in thought, and Nie Hong, who was unceasingly screaming in pain.
Every Nie clan youngster who witnessed the fight was overwhelmed by the sudden reversal of the situation, and had had no idea what to do.
Nie Yuan, who had clamored to teach Nie Tian a lesson after Nie Hong, was now looking at the incomparably miserable Nie Hong. His eyes quickly filled with fear, and he began to cower back quietly.
Even though Nie Tian’s fists were pitch black, with dark smoke rising from the gaps between his fingers, he stood there unwavering like a mountain. In distinct contrast, Nie Hong was lying on the ground, filling the air with loud cries.
At this moment, it seemed Nie Tian had left a permanent scar in the depths of Nie Hong’s heart.
On the high platform of the stone temple, Nie Donghai almost collapsed after experiencing such a huge reversal. His skinny body was barely managing to stand as he leaned against the stone railings.
His eyes, bright like the last rays of the setting sun, stared at Nie Tian and glowed with a special light.