Chapter 40

"Xiao Yun, where have you been for the past two months?" Xiao Cheng saw Xiao Yun standing in front of him with a calm expression, and two cute purple foxes were perched on his shoulders. Anger flashed in his eyes, and he coldly snorted, "Great, the entire family is in turmoil because of you offending Fang Hao, and you still have the leisure to catch these pets to play with?"

"Hmph, he’s just a waste of space, it’s a shame that the old man still protects him so much." A few young men nearby also chimed in with their scolding.

Xiao Yun glanced at the crowd indifferently, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he walked away. In his eyes, these people were too immature.

"Xiao Yun, what kind of attitude is this?" Xiao Cheng’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped in front of Xiao Yun.

Xiao Yun paused slightly, his tone cold, "Are you challenging me?"

"So what if I am?" Xiao Cheng’s face was flushed with anger, "Grandfather protects you, but I won’t. I want you to know your place. You can’t do as you please in this family. You caused a huge disaster for the clan, yet you hid away. You deserve punishment."

"Punish me?" A cold smile appeared on Xiao Yun’s lips, "I doubt you have the qualifications."

Over the years, Xiao Cheng had mocked and belittled him countless times. The reason Xiao Li dared to attack him was because of this person’s backing.

But now that Xiao Yun had reached the Xiantian realm, his perspective had broadened, and he no longer wanted to argue with these narrow-minded people.

However, the other party’s aggressive attitude made him frown.

It seems I need to establish my authority and give these people a lesson.

"As your elder cousin, I have the right," Xiao Cheng coldly snorted, "I heard you reached the seventh level of the Body Tempering stage. Now, two months have passed, I want to see how much you’ve improved. You dare to talk back to me, take this!"

With a cold snort, Xiao Cheng’s eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fist, lunging at Xiao Yun.

Whoosh!

This punch came like an iron hammer, shaking the air and creating a piercing sound.

A powerful force surged with the wind of Xiao Cheng’s punch, forcing the nearby young men to step back.

"Such powerful force."

"Xiao Cheng has indeed reached the ninth level of the Body Tempering stage."

"The ninth level of Body Tempering is strong. Let’s see how Xiao Yun can defend himself." The young men who always followed Xiao Cheng had a gleam in their eyes and a playful smile on their lips, clearly treating Xiao Yun as a sure loser.

"Hehe, Xiao Yun, show me your strength. I have already reached the ninth level of Body Tempering." Xiao Cheng laughed arrogantly after his punch, feeling like a strong figure among the younger generation.

"That level of strength is far from enough for me." Facing the violent punch, Xiao Yun remained calm, not even frowning. In his eyes, the incoming punch was slow, and he could see every trajectory, even the air compression caused by the punch.

Xiao Yun’s soul perception was so strong that he could detect even the slightest air movement.

So, after Xiao Cheng’s punch, he barely moved.

"This kid hasn’t even made a move."

"Does he not plan to dodge?"

"Xiao Yun must be scared stiff." The young men nearby were surprised, thinking Xiao Yun was terrified.

Otherwise, why hadn’t he moved?

Even some young men who were practicing nearby turned their attention to the scene.

Everyone was puzzled by what they saw, almost no one believed Xiao Yun could be compared to Xiao Cheng, thinking he was scared stiff.

After all, Xiao Yun had only reached the seventh level of Body Tempering two months ago, and it took him eight years to break through once. No one believed he could break through again.

Just as everyone was discussing, and the punch was about to hit Xiao Yun, he suddenly moved.

Whoosh!

Xiao Yun casually extended his right hand and grabbed the punch that was inches away.

"He moved."

"Is he going to grab Xiao Cheng’s fist?" Everyone felt dizzy and disoriented at the sight.

Grabbing a punch from a ninth-level Body Tempering cultivator with bare hands, isn’t that suicide?

A ninth-level Body Tempering punch can shatter stones and even kill powerful beasts with strong defenses.

How could Xiao Yun withstand it?

But just as everyone was about to mock the young man, their eyes widened in shock.

Whoosh!

Xiao Yun’s hand moved like an eagle’s claw, tightly grabbing Xiao Cheng’s powerful fist, preventing it from advancing. More shockingly, Xiao Yun’s body didn’t budge at all.

What’s going on?

Everyone was puzzled.

Logically, Xiao Cheng’s punch should have sent Xiao Yun flying ten meters away.

But why did Xiao Yun remain as steady as a rock?

Everyone looked at each other, almost thinking they were seeing things.

But upon closer inspection, the scene was real, frozen in time.

Xiao Cheng was the most surprised. He felt his fist trapped in an iron grip, unable to move.

"What’s happening?" A wave of shock surged in Xiao Cheng’s heart. His punch was powerful, how could it be so easily controlled by this young man? That kind of skill should require the Xiantian realm.

"Could he have reached the Xiantian realm?" Xiao Cheng felt his mind going numb.

At that moment, Xiao Yun smiled faintly, "Do you think you can teach me with that level of strength?"

With that, Xiao Yun’s eyes narrowed, and he kicked Xiao Cheng, sending him flying.

Xiao Cheng felt like he was hit by an iron foot, his bones almost shattered, and he fell to the ground hard.

"Heavens! What did I just see? Xiao Cheng was kicked away!"

"How is this possible? Xiao Cheng has the ninth level of Body Tempering!"

Seeing this, the young men in the training ground were shocked.

"Could Xiao Yun have reached the Xiantian realm?" someone said.

"Xiantian realm?" The entire training ground erupted in chaos, and many people took deep breaths.

Then, fiery gazes converged on the young man.

Throughout the encounter, the young man remained calm, seemingly exerting no effort to deal with Xiao Cheng.

The pair of purple spirit foxes on his shoulders were still chirping, seemingly frightened.

"Good, it’s fine." Xiao Yun comforted the foxes, his eyes gentle, not paying attention to the people in the training ground. His calm demeanor made him seem even more mysterious.

"Could Xiao Yun really have reached the Xiantian realm?" Many people wondered, seeing his calm expression.

After comforting the foxes, Xiao Yun walked forward.

Seeing Xiao Yun approach, the young men who had mocked Xiao Cheng earlier stepped back, fear in their eyes. For some reason, they felt a sense of danger from the young man’s calm expression.

Xiao Yun walked forward without even glancing at them.

"Have you reached the Xiantian realm?" Xiao Cheng, still on the ground in pain, felt a surge of frustration when the young man ignored him. He looked up and asked.

"I said, I won’t be a waste of space forever." Xiao Yun paused, looking back at the young man on the ground, "An ancient saying goes, ‘It’s better to bully an old man with white hair than a poor young man.’ So, please, in the future, retract your ignorance and narrow-mindedness."

"Have you really reached the Xiantian realm?" Xiao Cheng’s face was full of disbelief.

"This is a lesson for you." Xiao Yun left a faint remark and walked away from the training ground.

Watching the young man’s departing figure, everyone in the training ground was stunned.

"What did Xiao Yun mean? Could he really have reached the Xiantian realm?" Everyone was puzzled.

Although Xiao Yun didn’t answer directly, his words clearly hinted at it.

"I won’t be a waste of space forever."

Could this mean he has recovered his talent and really reached the Xiantian realm?

Thinking of this, everyone exchanged glances, seeing the same possibility in each other’s eyes.

Otherwise, how could he have so easily defeated Xiao Cheng, who had reached the ninth level of Body Tempering?

"Xiao Cheng, are you okay?"

"Xiao Cheng, did Xiao Yun really reach the Xiantian realm?" The young men approached Xiao Cheng, asking.

"He might have really reached the Xiantian realm." Xiao Cheng, in pain, stood up, looking at the young man’s distant figure, feeling a deep sigh. He never thought he would be so easily defeated. Is this really Xiao Yun?

Thinking of the years of contempt he had shown towards the young man, he felt a bitter taste in his heart.

If Xiao Yun is a waste of space, then I am not even worth the scraps.

"Has Xiao Yun really reached the Xiantian realm?"

"How is this possible?"

"From the seventh level of Body Tempering to the Xiantian realm in just two months, is Xiao Yun even human?"

Seeing Xiao Cheng’s state, the people nearby were shocked and exclaimed, feeling a great impact.

After all, it’s rare for someone to break through after reaching the sixth level of Body Tempering in a year.

Under this shock, the news of Xiao Yun easily defeating Xiao Cheng spread like a plague, quickly reaching every corner of the Xiao family, causing endless discussions. The ancient mansion was in an uproar.

"Xiao Yun defeated Xiao Cheng, could he have reached the Xiantian realm?"

"Definitely, otherwise, how could he defeat Xiao Cheng so easily?"

"Haha, if Xiao Yun has reached the Xiantian realm and his talent has returned, why should our Xiao family fear the Fang family?"

"Seal this news immediately to prevent the Fang family from taking action."

"Right, they mustn’t know. Anyone who leaks this information will be punished!" The elders of the clan made a quick decision. If Xiao Yun’s talent has returned, it’s a matter of life and death for the entire Xiao family.

At this moment, Xiao Yun hurriedly entered Xiao Ling’er’s room.

Ling’er’s cold aura had flared up again, and even fire-attribute herbs couldn’t suppress it. It was much stronger than two months ago. With the help of Xiao Yun’s martial soul, the cold aura in Xiao Ling’er’s body gradually subsided.

But under the cold aura’s assault, a hint of frost appeared on Xiao Yun’s brow.

Fortunately, his martial soul had advanced, and he had fused with the Purple Flame martial soul, greatly increasing his resistance to the cold aura.

If it were two months ago, he couldn’t have withstood such a cold aura.